6 Days Como – Private Small Group Journey.
Highlights Include: Lake Como, Bellagio by Water taxi, Montepiatto Hike, Lake Como Food Tour, Parma Food & Wine Experience.
Specially customized for private small groups of 8 to 16 guests. This tour includes walking tours. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surface.
Como & Parma Food Experience – Private Small Group Journey
DAY 1 ARRIVE IN ITALY: Arrive in Milan. After you make your way through customs, meet with your private driver in the arrivals area. Shortly afterwards, transfer to Como where you enjoy some time to relax and rest. Overnight in Como.
DAY 2 LAKE COMO & BELLAGIO: Today enjoy a full-day small group tour. Meet your tour guide in Como and take a minivan transfer to Tremezzo. Here you will take a guided visit to Villa Carlotta and its amazing art collection including beautiful sculptures by Canova, followed by a walk in the colorful and astounding botanical gardens of the villa. You will then take a 1-hour cruise on a private open-top Venetian watertaxi, touring the coast from Tremezzo down to Lenno, to admire Villa del Balbianello from the water and circumnavigate Island Comacina. Then you will slowly cruise along the opposite coast to reach the botanical gardens of Villa Melzi and finally Bellagio. Here your guide will lead a discovery tour of the old town and will give you some free time for lunch, not before suggesting the best restaurants and cafes in the area. Then you will board our open-top water taxi to take an amazing cruise down the western branch of the lake to reach Como. The cruise will give you the chance to relax admiring the spectacular mountains and the stunning villas, once the homes of aristocrats, now the playgrounds for the jet set. Your guide shall be there to enhance the experience with the description of the villas and of the villages you shall encounter. Afterwards, make your own way back to your hotel. (B)
DAY 3 TORNO & MONTEPIATTO HIKE: After breakfast, make your way to your meeting point in Como. Here you will meet with your professional guide and depart on a 4-hour guided trekking experience that will allow you to discover part of the “Strada Regia” a panoramic mountainside path winding through chestnut woods and characteristic villages the ancient way of connection between Como and Bellagio (32 km). Begin with an unforgettable 30-minute cruise of the lake by public boat to reach the beautiful village of Torno, where you will start your trekking through the charming village to reach the beginning of the trail that leads to the nice hamlet of Piazzaga with crotto and chapel. You will cross valleys and villages admiring the fascinating Massi Avelli along the way, erratic rocks which have represented an interesting archaeological mystery in the past, which has not been solved yet.
The experience continues until reaching another enchanting hamlet: Montepiatto. Here you will stop to re-fuel, enjoying the view over the lake from the church Santa Elisabetta and taking photos of the curious “Pietra Pendula,” a huge boulder suspended on the apex of a limestone rock. An ideal location to savor some delicious local tastings: salami, cheeses, vegetables, accompanied with bread to finish with something sweet. Then it’s time to start your descent to Torno along a well-defined mule track. This will end your tour leaving you free to relax and enjoy lunch in one of the characteristic restaurants facing the lake. Boats leave regularly from the beautiful harbor-square, piazza Casartelli. A pleasant cruise will take you back to Como where the rest of the day will be free. Afterwards, make your own way back to your hotel. (B)
DAY 4 LAKE COMO FOOD TOUR: After breakfast, enjoy your morning at leisure in Como. This afternoon get ready for a new experience … food tour! Your 2 ½-hour Como Food Tour provides a unique food tasting experience. More than a simple “walk and eat” tour, your professional English-speaking guide will give you the local insider view of the history, culture and architecture, which makes up this fascinating city. Enjoy a cultural and gastronomic journey strolling along the alleyways of the historical city center in a pleasant sub-tropical climate. Admire the principal monuments such as the great Gothic-Renaissance Duomo, the “Broletto” – town hall Palace and the church of San Fedele – a fine example of Romanesque style, all whilst pausing at the most popular food shops to enjoy the dishes and flavors most appreciated by locals.
Meet your friendly guide and begin wandering through historic neighborhoods to take in the vibrant cultural atmosphere while sampling tasty focaccia, followed by a choice of local cheeses. If you are a cheese lover you are in the right place: with the mountains in proximity, dairy delights can be found here. Sample high quality extra virgin olive oils harvested from the most current crops around Lake Como and Southern Italy. Taste delicious fruit-based barrel aged balsamic from Modena and visit one of the most famous “enoteca” to sample a delicious local wine together with an exquisite tasting of the finest local sliced meats such as bresaola, prosciutto, salame, and mortadella. Our expert guide will explain the various wines produced in the area. Learn all about the cooking process from your expert guide as you savor a tasting of fresh lake fish in one of the most popular restaurants in Como. This is the best time to sit, relax and get to know your travelling companions while enjoying a delicious pasta dish accompanied with a glass of local wine finishing with a famous Italian espresso. Afterwards, you are free in Como. (B/Food Tour)
DAY 5 PARMA FOOD & WINE EXPERIENCE: After breakfast, make your way to your meeting point in Como and shortly afterwards depart on a full-day trip to the capital of Parma ham and Parmesan cheese—the city of Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. Whether you are a real foodie or simply enjoy Italian delicacies, you will love this experience as you visit the local production sites of Parma prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. You will learn about and see the production processes in action and have a chance to taste the final products as you discover the traditional way of producing these foods, and the hard work that goes into ensuring they meet high regional standards. Later, return to Como for overnight. (B/L)
DAY 6 COMO: Enjoy breakfast followed by a full day at leisure in Como. (B)
DAY 7 MILAN/USA: After breakfast, group transfer to Milan airport for your return flight to the USA, arriving home the same day. (B)
Customize to Suit
The above suggested itinerary can be customized to suit; more or less meals, different cities and/or sightseeing based on your clients’ interests. You name it, our expert group specialist professionals will put it together for you. Please call 1-800-818-8455, or simply complete the group request form, and we’ll get back to you with your proposal.
Inclusions
- 5 nights 4- or 5-Star hotel
- Private arrival and departure transfers from/to Milan
- Breakfast daily, except day of arrival
- Lake Como excursion, and Bellagio by Water Taxi
- Torno & Montepiatto Hike with professional guide*
- Lake Como Food Tour
- Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma prosciutto tasting
- Parma Food & Wine Experience, with lunch
- Portfolio of travel documents
- 24-hour local customer service while traveling in Italy
*This tour includes walking tours. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surface.
Private Departures
Please Call 1-800-818-8455 for Group Rates on this Custom Group Journey
This suggested itinerary can be customized to suit; more or less meals, different cities and/or sightseeing based on your clients’ interests. You name it, our expert group specialist professionals will put it together for you. Please call 1-800-818-8455, or simply complete the group request form, and we’ll get back to you with your proposal.
Group Discounts
On custom journeys, discounts vary depending on group requirements. Typically, travel with a group of 20 and the 21st traveler receives a 100% discount* off the land portion of the vacation price. A second traveler receives a 100% discount* off the land on a group of 40 paying passengers.
*Per person prices are land only and based on two people sharing a room. Above dates represent “land start” date. Air: Please note that airfares are not included in the prices above. Journeys Connect can quote you the lowest possible GROUP airfare available on the day that you book. Minimum of 10 seats from same gateway. Less than 10 air seats will require full payment at time of booking. Single Room Supplement: On Request. Triple Room Reduction: On Request. Group discounts cannot be combined with our Triple Room discounts. Not valid on Specialty, Customized Vacations or River Cruises, optional extensions, extra nights, airfares, taxes and fees, flight supplements, or airport transfers. Other restrictions may apply. All passengers’ names must be advised before the discount is applied. *Group discount is on a twin-share basis only.
Contact Journeys Connect
Journeys Connect group and specialty services are available exclusively on a Business-to-Business basis, to travel industry professionals. If you are an individual interested in a Group Journey for 8 or more passengers, please do browse our collection and then contact your preferred Travel Agent and ask them to book through Journeys Connect.
Travel professionals, please call and speak with one of our Group Specialty Professionals:
1-800-818-8455