Italian Lakes Tours and Holidays

Our journey began in Rome; we landed at the airport in the mid-morning. After a very long immigration and passport control experience, we made our way to the high-speed train station and loaded onto a train that took us .5 miles from our first hotel stay of our trip-Bettoja Mediterraneo Hotel right in the middle of town. We rested for a bit, then took a tour of our hotel and the surrounding area. Later that night we met our other 42 guests of our trip, had a brief introduction to our tour manager, Paola, and got our whispers. We headed to a local restaurant, for our first taste of Italian cuisine! The next day, we all met for breakfast, and set out with our tour manager, and met 2 local tour guides. We passed by the Baths of Caracalla and Circus Maximus. We visited the Colosseum and had an in-depth tour and history lesson. We headed to the pantheon and Piazza Navona on the way back to our bus. We had the remainder of the afternoon and evening to ourselves. My husband and I booked a private nighttime golf cart tour of all of Rome’s iconic attractions, HIGHLY recommend it was beautiful! The next day we had the entire day to ourselves, we set out on an adventure on the Hop on and Hop off bus, and took it to all the stops, and ended at the Vatican, where we didn’t go to the Basilica or any of the museums but explored the shops, and had some lunch. That evening we did a food tour with local guides and our group to the Trastevere District and had some of the most amazing food we’ve ever tried! The next day we said goodbye to our first hotel and headed to Sorrento! We stopped on the way at a small, family-owned pasta factory and had lunch, and got a tour of their facility and learned the ancient way of making pasta. We arrived in Sorrento, and checked into our next hotel, Hotel Michelangelo –which was beautiful! We had dinner at a local pizza restaurant- which ruined all other pizza for us, lol. The next day we sailed to the Isle of Capri, hopped on another ferry to tour around the Isle of Capri and it was beautiful! Once we returned to the Isle, we explored the lower part of the Island and then took a standing elevator to the top for some lunch. This wasn’t my favorite part of the tour; it was extremely crowded but the views from the top of the Island were incredible. The next day we left Sorrento and headed to Pompeii! We loved that tour; it was such an fascinating experience. We got back on the bus and continued to Florence, and had dinner as a group at a small, family-owned restaurant. The next day we met our local guides, and explored Florence, and the Piazza del Duomo and the Baptistery, Florence was my FAVORITE. Everywhere you turn there’s beauty and history and I'm definitely a Renaissance fan. That night we did an optional excursion to a 14th century Certosa Monastery where we got a private, one-of-a-kind tour inside and around this now empty Monastery and it was beautiful. I loved that it was just our group, and a local guide – it made for a really unique experience. We then went to a local restaurant, where our local guide turned out to be an opera singer! We were seranaded and had some fantastic italian cuisine and Tuscan wine. The following day we said goodbye to what was my favorite hotel of all, Grand Hotel Baglioni. It was previously a palace, and the decor, flooring, woodwork, windows were beyond compare. The hospitality and breakfast were also the best of the 5 hotels. We hopped on our bus and headed to Pisa for a short stop for pictures, and we all took turns pretending we were holding the leaning tower up! For a group of 44, it really didnt feel like it, we all became fast friends, and had the best time at each stop together! We made our way to Venice, but made a special stop at a very small, and very beautiful Tuscan Winery where a son has taken over the operations, and the mom and dad made us a traditional farm to table lunch with the best wine of the trip! We arrived at our next hotel in Venice, NH Venezia which was right on the grand canal! It was a fantastic location to go explore the different bridges and stores. We had dinner on the grand canal where we got to watch Gondola’s, and water taxis go by and it was imprinted in my mind forever. The next day we took a ferry to the Island of Murano where despite the 93-degree temperatures we watched a glass blowing demonstration and then toured the many glass stores in the area. That was a very unique experience as well. Once we returned to Venice, we met a local guide for a tour of St. Mark’s square and toured the Basillica and admired Doge’s palace. That evening we took a gondola ride through the small canals and enjoyed talking to our Gondolier- He had some fascinating stories. The next day we departed Venice and headed for a short stop in Verona to see the balcony of Juliet, which inspired Shakespeare to write Romeo and Juliet. We shopped and explored before heading to our final stop of our journey- Stresa. I know I said Florence was my favorite, but Stresa is a close second. Stresa is BEAUTIFUL, and our hotel overlooks Lake Maggiore. Once we arrived at Reginal Palace Hotel, we took a boat ride over to Isola dei Pescatori for dinner at a very small, and very quaint restaurant, and then took a ride around the lake before heading back to our hotel. The next day there was an option to go on a ride to the Simplon Pass towards Switzerland or take a boat to Isola Bella and tour the Borromeo Palace, which is what we chose to do. The Borromeo Palace is absolutely a must see! Jaw dropping beauty and history. Our tour concluded the next day, when we took a private car arranged by Collette to Milan airport and headed home. I absolutely fell in love with Italy and Collette on this trip. Our tour manager Paola was incredible. The places she chose for us to visit, and restaurants, and stops were all family-owned, friendly businesses who needed the business and were so kind and patient with us. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this experience, and I can’t wait for my next tour with Collette!

The Italy tour was fantastic! Very much enjoyed the cooking class at the Villa IL Leccio in Strada in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. The tour also included a 4 night stay at the Villa Godenano. Both villas were beautiful and the scenery was spectacular. Traveling through the small towns and stopping to experience the lifestyle was memorable. It was like going back in time.

Got to see many highlights of Italy, our tour manager was outstanding. Most the hotel were good, Hotel Regina was by far the most outstanding, the hotel in Venice, Santa Lucia was subpar, at least our accomodation was. Our room had two floors with a narrow staircase to get to the bedroom, which was like a dungeon, there was a 40 watt bulb in the lamp, so had to use my flashlight to see. Had to have someone bring the suitcase up and down, very inconvenient. We visited the room of a traveling companion in our group, which was amazing, well lit, lots of counter space and a beautiful view. So, just beware of what your offered as a an accomodation there. As an older person I really enjoyed the trip for the most part, but it was exhausting, so just keep that in mind. The majority of the tour guides were very good, but even though they split us into groups of 20, there were 42 people in this group, it was sometimes hard to keep up with the tour guides. The Vatican tour, should have been split into much smaller tour groups, due to the huge crowds. Pompeii was the best, since they broke us up into three groups, so that was a great experience.

Our recent Alpine Lakes and Scenic Trains tour with Collette exceeded every expectation. From the breathtaking mountain scenery and crystal-clear alpine lakes to the unforgettable train journeys through some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, every day felt like a postcard come to life. The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, offering the perfect balance of sightseeing, relaxation, and cultural experiences. The hotels were comfortable and well-located, the included meals were excellent, and every detail was handled seamlessly. What truly made this trip exceptional was our tour manager, whose knowledge, organization, and enthusiasm enhanced every experience. We never had to worry about logistics, allowing us to simply enjoy the beauty and charm of each destination. Highlights included the stunning alpine vistas, picturesque villages, and the world-famous scenic rail journeys that provided views we could never have experienced any other way. Every stop offered something unique and memorable. This was our first Alpine adventure with Collette, and it certainly won’t be our last. If you’re considering this tour, don’t hesitate—you’ll return home with incredible memories, amazing photos, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty of the region. Highly recommended!

We had such a wonderful trip that we are talking about another already! Our tour manager Carolina was amazing & so knowledgeable. You can feel her love for her job.

The entire experience was better than I ever expected.. I didn’t want to come home. My heart and soul are still in Italy! Favorite memory? A cold water plunge into Lake Maggiore with the Italian Alps in the background!