Lake Maggiore and Cinque Terre

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Lake Maggiore

Welcome to Milan! Meet your ACIS Tour Manager and drive to Stresa, a city on the shore of breathtaking Lago Maggiore and a pivotal destination in Ernest Hemingway’s novel, A Farewell to Arms. In the afternoon, a private boat ride takes you to two of the famous Borromean Islands: Isola Bella, where you’ll tour the stunning terraced gardens and villa built by the House of Borromeo in the 1600s, and Isola dei Pescatori, home to a quaint fishing community.

Day 3: Lake Maggiore

The morning begins with a drive to Domodossola at the foot of the Italian Alps. From there, the Centovalli train takes you through the picturesque “hundred valleys” region to Locarno, a charming city on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore across the border into Switzerland. After some sightseeing, it’s time to drive back to Stresa, including a short ferry ride from Laveno to Intra, in time for dinner.

Day 4: Italian Riviera

Today your Tour Manager takes you on a visit to Milan, where you’ll visit the Galleria, with its classic arched glass-and-cast-iron roof, and tour the Duomo, a grand cathedral that took almost 600 years to build. Milan is Italy’s fashion capital, as you’ll see during a visit to the Armani Museum, dedicated to fashion icon Giorgio Armani. Then take a drive to the Italian Riviera, known for its rugged cliffs, and charming seaside villages.

Day 5: Italian Riviera

Begin the day with a visit to Portofino, a postcard-perfect fishing village where yachts in the harbor rub elbows with pastel-colored buildings. Then board a train for Monterosso, the northernmost of five villages comprising the world-renowned Cinque Terre. Explore your surroundings a bit before boarding a boat to take in fabulous views of these dramatic cliffside towns from the Golfo dei Poeti (Bay of Poets). The trip includes a stop at one more of the villages before arriving in Portovenere in time for dinner. After eating, head back to your hotel on the Riviera.

Day 6: Florence

Enjoy a unique experience this morning as you visit the fascinating quarry in Carrara, noted for its white and bluish-gray marble that’s been used in some of Europe’s best-known masterpieces, from Michelangelo’s David to the Pantheon and Trajan’s Column in Rome. Learn more about this famed stone during our Michelangelo’s Marble activity. Continue on to Pisa, home of the world-famous Leaning Tower, then savor a special Tuscan country dinner on your way to Florence.

Day 7: Florence

During today's sightseeing tour a local guide provides commentary while showing you Brunelleschi's splendid Duomo, Ghiberti's famous Baptistry Doors, Santa Croce (where many illustrious Italians, including Michelangelo and Galileo, have been buried) and the Piazza della Signoria—the political center of the Renaissance city. Also, breeze by the crowds with your own timed entrance to the Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's David. In the afternoon enjoy a Tuscan cooking lesson where an Italian chef will teach you how to prepare a three-course Tuscan meal. Participants will aid the chef in the preparation and then everyone will enjoy a tasting. Tonight perhaps see the statues of the Loggia dei Lanzi or sample gelato at Vivoli.

Day 8: Florence

Spend a fabulous final day in Italy exploring Florence at your own pace. Why not stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to visit the Pitti Palace and wander through the Boboli Gardens? Or take an optional full-day excursion to the Medieval walled villages of Siena and San Gimignano, including an authentic Tuscan lunch.

Day 9: Departure

Depart for the USA.



Optional Extensions and Extra Nights:

Enhance your European experience with a two-night extension that takes you from Florence to Rome via train and includes entrance to the Colosseum and Vatican Museums.