Lake Garda for Christmas

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1 Lake Garda for Christmas Departures & Prices Airport Departing Time Returning Time Cost Availability Heathrow 21 Dec 16 12:30 27 Dec 16 15: Sold out What's Included Return scheduled flights Six nights accommodation in your own spacious room Porterage Personal audio guiding system All breakfasts and evening meals Hosted welcome and farewell drinks reception A traditional Christmas lunch Lunch and wine tasting in Flavon Castle Lunch in Verona on Christmas Eve Many drinks included Afternoon tea on one afternoon in the hotel Festive celebration dinner in the hotel (with live music) Executive coach on all trips Exclusive services of a One Traveller Tour Manager Excursions as follows: Christmas markets in Bolzano, Garda (with included gluhwein) Christmas Day visit to Sirmione Guided tour in Venice Guided tour in Verona Not Included Holiday Insurance

2 You need to arrange your own but we can help. For more information, please see our suggested insurance services. Itinerary Key: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Drink Afternoon Tea Longer walks and steps may be involved on this day 1 Travel from the UK to Bardolino Meet your One Traveller representative and fellow travellers and fly to Verona (via Frankfurt). On arrival transfer to the Hotel Caesius Thermae Spa for a six-night stay. Evening: welcome drinks reception, followed by a three-course dinner in the hotel. 2 Half day Lake Garda tour Morning: we start in your local lakeside town of Bardolino for a stroll through the pretty resort. From here we head to the town of Garda where you will be treated to glühwein while you take a stroll to see the Christmas Markets and the specialties for which this town is famous. Afternoon: free to relax in the beautiful surroundings of your hotel and make the most of the facilities that the hotel has to offer. Evening: dinner in the hotel. 3 Bolzano, lunch and wine tasting at Flavon Castle Morning: after breakfast you will take the scenic drive to Bolzano located in the South Tyrol. See Bolzano s historic centre where Italy s largest Christmas market is located. The magnificently decorated Piazza Walther has a unique advent atmosphere and boasts an exhibition of nativity scenes. From here continue to Flavon Castle for an included lavish Trentino-style lunch, which will be held in a private dining room. During the meal you will have the opportunity to taste different wines from the area.

3 Afternoon: return to the hotel and rest or indulge in some spa treatments. Evening: dinner with a drink in the hotel. 4 Christmas Eve in Verona including lunch Morning: after breakfast there will be a sightseeing tour of Verona with a local guide through one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, the home of Romeo and Juliet. Enjoy a charming walk through the historic centre to admire the most significant monuments, including Juliet s balcony, the Scaliger tombs, Piazza dei Signori, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Brà. Lunch is included today in the heart of Verona. Afternoon: free time in Verona to perhaps see the nativity scenes in the Arena before returning to your spa hotel to relax. Evening: enjoy the Christmas party in the hotel with a four-course gala dinner and live music. 5 Christmas Day Morning: we start Christmas morning off in one of the most famous places on the lake, Sirmione a very special place to be at Christmas time. Afternoon: festive traditional Christmas lunch in the hotel followed by an afternoon at leisure to perhaps enjoy the spa facilities in the hotel. Evening: a four-course gala dinner is served in the hotel. 6 Boxing Day in Venice Morning: head to Venice, where a private boat will take you to St. Mark s Square. Accompanied by a guide you will discover the historic centre, including the Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs. There will be free time for an atmospheric walk through the city and a gondola ride through the canals (at extra cost) before leaving the city in the late afternoon. Evening: Farewell dinner with drinks in the hotel.

4 7 Verona and the flight home After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight back to the UK (via Frankfurt) concluding an extra special Christmas in Lake Garda. Included excursions The Italian Christmas markets Christmas Markets in Italy are popular both with the locals and visitors from the UK. The markets (known in Italian as Mercatini di Natale) are quaint and set in beautiful lakeside and mountain towns. The Italians pride themselves on the elaborate crib displays and nativity scenes. The Italian stallholders will have mouth-watering displays of local food and drink plus of course the usual array of locally manufactured seasonal gift items. During this holiday you will visit various towns with markets such as Bolzano, Trento and Garda (where we include gluhwein). Guided tour in Venice You would be hard pressed to find a place on planet earth as surreal as the city of Venice, Italy. Built on wooden supports in the middle of the Venetian lagoon in the middle ages, Venice rose to become the wealthiest city in the world and a major world power. Venice controlled merchant ships and the exchange of goods for centuries. If there was money to be made, it went through Venice, which is why the city remains as a jewel among world cities. Because it s out in the middle of the lagoon, there are no cars and no wide streets, only small maze-like streets for foot traffic and an intricate web of waterways for the many boats. Venice was a city doomed to be left behind with the advance of modern culture. Today, the city has become a real-life Disneyland of sorts, with an economy based almost entirely on tourism. It s true that Venice is indeed sinking, but it had always been sinking back into the lagoon. It is certainly a place you need to visit in your lifetime to see for yourself. Accompanied by a guide you will discover the historic centre, including the Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs. Boxing Day in Venice...it does not get much better than this! Christmas Day visit to Sirmione The pretty medieval walled town of Sirmione in Lombardy, occupies a unique location on a narrow, threekilometre-long peninsula which extends into Lake Garda from its southern shore. Most likely originating as a fishing settlement in the Stone Age, Sirmione's idyllic position on the lake, surrounded by breath-taking natural beauty and benefiting from a temperate climate soon secured the village's population as a resort, favoured by Italy's aristocracy as early as the first century BC. Sirmione's location was also recognised for its importance in the defence of Lake Garda against invaders, and a castle was built on the peninsula in the thirteenth century which remains one of the town's key attractions today. Sirmione's ancient charm coupled with an array of fine cafes, shops and restaurants, a relaxed and hospitable atmosphere and a distinct lack of traffic ensure that the city is delightful to explore. Sirmione on Christmas morning is excellent; small, charming and very quiet. A great place for a stroll to start this magical day off nicely.

5 Christmas Eve guided tour in Verona (with included lunch) Founded by the Romans in the 1st century A.D., the northern Italian city of Verona is dotted with pretty palazzi, elegant squares and medieval gems. Architectural remnants of the Roman era are a real draw, such as the famous Arena and the Teatro Romano. No visit would be complete, however, without a walk around the turreted Castelvecchio, looming over the River Adige. Dubbed the "City of Love," romance is most definitely in the air in fair Verona. The city's most famous residents, Romeo and Juliet, seemed to think so anyway. SA charming walk through the historic centre to see the most significant monuments, including the Arena, Juliet s balcony, the Scaliger tombs, Piazza dei Signori, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Brà. Lunch is included before returning to your fabulous spa hotel. Lunch and wine tasting in Flavon Castle After visiting Bolzano (in the South Tyrol) and exploring the Christmas Market and historical sites you will be in need of a delicious meal. What better place than the picturesque setting of the Flavon Castle. You will be treated to a Trentino style fine lunch during which you will be tasting and learning about the local wines. Hotels Caesius Thermae Spa Located near the picturesque and popular resort of Bardolino (famous for its red wine) on the east coast of Lake Garda, just a few footsteps from the lake, the Hotel Caesius Thermae Spa is a luxury hotel with a wellness spa (two indoor swimming pools, sauna, Turkish bath, thermal pools and steam bath). Your comfortable spacious double room will be equipped with a safe, minibar, TV, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers. Bardolino centre is a 15-minute stroll away and the hotel provides a courtesy shuttle service into the centre.