AUTHOR’S TOUR “VENICE CARNIVAL OF MASKS + SWITZERLAND + LAGOON ISLANDS”

Tour start date(s):	01-02-2027
Duration:	7 days/6 nights
Location:	Milan (arrival, 1 night) – Lake Como – Lugano, Switzerland – Verona (1 night) – VENICE – Mestre (3 nights) – Murano Island – Burano Island – Lake Garda – Sirmione – Bergamo – Milan (1 night, departure)
Price (including tax):	1710 USD (DBL), 2340 USD (SNGL), flight not included

We invite you to join an unforgettable journey to one of the world’s most spectacular festivals — the Venice Carnival!

Visiting Venice during Carnival is an experience that stays with you for a lifetime. You will not simply observe the festivities — you will become part of a magical procession of dozens of mysterious masked figures. Among them will be elegant ladies dressed in luxurious 18th-century costumes and elaborate wigs, as well as frightening creatures and plague doctors wearing dark cloaks and long-beaked masks.

The entire city becomes the backdrop for the Carnival: countless canals, narrow streets, elegant bridges, slowly gliding gondolas, and dozens of palaces reflected in the waters of the Grand Canal.

During our tour, we will learn about the history of the Carnival, discover how unique Venetian masks are made, follow in the footsteps of the legendary seducer Casanova, and much more.

NEW IN THIS TOUR:

• A boat trip to two islands of the Venetian Lagoon — Murano, the island of glassmakers, and Burano, the island of lace and colorful “gingerbread” houses.
• An evening visit to Milan.
• A boat ride on Lake Como.
• Breathtaking landscapes in Switzerland.
• A walk through Verona, Italy’s most romantic city and the setting of the love story of Romeo and Juliet.
• Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy, located at the foot of the Alps.
• A journey back to the Middle Ages in Sirmione, where the imposing Scaliger Castle stands like a guardian of centuries on a peninsula surrounded by the azure waters of Lake Garda.
• Bergamo, a medieval gem framed by the Alps.

Treat yourself to an unforgettable journey to Europe’s most famous Carnival!

ITINERARY

FEBRUARY 1, 2027

Arrival in Milan. Secrets of Milan: Beyond the Fashion Boutiques

Arrival at Milan Malpensa Airport. Group airport transfer is available for flights arriving between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

We will transfer to Milan’s historic city center, where a guided walking tour awaits us.

We will see the magnificent late-Gothic Duomo di Milano, where Napoleon was crowned (exterior visit), visit Europe’s first shopping arcade, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and explore the medieval Piazza Mercanti.

Overnight in a hotel in Milan.

FEBRUARY 2, 2027

Cruising on Lake Como and Switzerland

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and depart with luggage. At 9:00 AM, we meet our guide in the hotel lobby and depart for Switzerland.

Upon arrival in Lugano, we will visit the 9th-century cathedral, offering magnificent views of the lake surrounded by the Alps. We will stroll along the elegant Via Nassa, famous for its Swiss watch shops.

We will visit the Church of Santa Maria degli Angioli, home to the famous fresco The Passion and Crucifixion of Christ, considered one of the most important Renaissance works of art in Switzerland.

Free time in Lugano. You will have time to explore Swiss watch shops, taste world-famous Swiss chocolate, and enjoy lunch.

We then continue to Como, where our boat cruise on Lake Como begins.

Lake Como is considered one of the most romantic places in the world. Surrounded by the Alps, the lake has long been home to summer residences of celebrities such as George Clooney, Madonna, Versace, Sylvester Stallone, and George Lucas.

Several famous films have also been filmed here, including Star Wars, Casino Royale, Mamma Mia!, Transformers, and Spectre.

From the water, we will see Villa d’Este, one of the historic villas of Lake Como; the former villa of Gianni Versace; La Fontanella, which has welcomed Elton John, Madonna, Sting, and Princess Diana; and Villa Passalacqua, home to one of the world’s top hotels.

Transfer to Verona.

Arrival in Verona and hotel check-in.

Overnight in Verona.

FEBRUARY 3, 2027

Verona: Shakespeare’s Whisper and the City of Lovers. The Papà del Gnoco Carnival

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and leave luggage at the hotel.

At 9:00 AM, meet the tour leader in the hotel lobby and begin our walking tour of Verona — a city known throughout Italy as the “City of Lovers.”

We will see the enormous amphitheater built of pink marble, the third-largest in Italy, with two thousand years of history. It was once the site of gladiatorial battles, exotic animal shows, and knightly tournaments. Today, it is the venue for one of Europe’s largest opera festivals.

We will stroll through Piazza delle Erbe, the city’s historic market square surrounded by magnificent Baroque palaces, approach the thousand-year-old Porta Borsari, and learn the story behind its name.

We will see the Gothic tombs of the powerful Scaligeri family, who ruled northern Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries.

And no visit to Verona would be complete without a romantic visit to the courtyard of Romeo and Juliet.

All monuments will be viewed from the outside.

During these days, Verona is preparing for its famous Carnival celebrations. The main character of the festival is Papà del Gnoco — the “Father of Gnocchi.”

You will have the opportunity to taste gnocchi, traditional Italian potato dumplings that are the official dish of the Carnival and are sold throughout the city alongside traditional sweets.

At 6:00 PM, transfer to the Venice area.

Overnight in Mestre.

 

 

FEBRUARY 4, 2027

Unusual Venice

Breakfast at the hotel.

Meet the tour leader in the hotel lobby.

We travel to Venice by direct train — approximately 15 minutes.

We will explore Venice away from the standard tourist routes and discover the authentic side of the city.

We will see two bridges — Ponte degli Scalzi on the Grand Canal and the magnificent Ponte delle Guglie with its distinctive spires. We will learn how Venice was built on millions of wooden piles.

We will enter the Venetian Ghetto, the first Jewish ghetto in the world. This area contains some of the tallest buildings in Venice — “Venetian skyscrapers” — because the Jewish community had very limited space available for construction.

Then we will enjoy a truly Venetian experience — crossing the Grand Canal on a traditional large gondola.

We will turn into a secret alley and visit a famous Venetian bacaro, where we will have the opportunity to taste traditional Venetian cicchetti — small appetizers such as cod mousse, marinated sardines with raisins and pine nuts, and tiny boiled octopus.

We then continue to the Rialto Market.

We will see the historic stone bridge used by fishermen, capitals decorated with crabs and lobsters, the famous clock, and take memorable photos on Rialto Bridge.

After Rialto, we will explore the winding shopping lanes of the Mercerie, visit Campo Santa Maria Formosa, and see how time and water have caused Venetian bell towers to lean.

We will then enter St. Mark’s Square through the arch beneath the Clock Tower — revealing one of the most magical views of St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and the Campanile.

Free time in Venice.

PARTICIPATION IN THE VENICE CARNIVAL!

At 6:00 PM, return to the hotel with the tour leader by train.

Those who wish to stay in Venice later may do so and return to the hotel using pre-purchased direct train tickets.

Overnight in Mestre.

FEBRUARY 5, 2027

Boat Trip to Two Islands — Murano and Burano. Venice Carnival Celebration!

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 9:00 AM, meet the tour leader in the hotel lobby.

We take a direct train to Venice and transfer to a vaporetto, the Venetian water bus, which takes us to Murano Island.

Murano is world-famous for its unique glassmaking tradition. Venetian glassmakers have guarded and passed down their secrets from generation to generation for more than 700 years.

Murano is famous for the invention of the world’s first completely transparent crystal and the intricate millefiori (“thousand flowers”) glass technique.

This is the perfect place to bring home an authentic piece of Italian history — from an exquisite artistic vase to unique jewelry unlike anything else.

We then take a boat to the colorful “gingerbread” island of Burano.

The island’s houses are painted in incredibly bright, contrasting colors. According to legend, fishermen painted their homes in vivid colors so they could find their way home through the fog.

Burano is also famous for its handmade lace.

We return to Venice and immerse ourselves in the whirlwind of the Venice Carnival!

The city transforms into a giant 18th-century movie set, filled with elegantly dressed “maschere” in luxurious silk, velvet, and brocade costumes that can cost thousands of euros.

They pose dramatically against the backdrop of Venetian palaces, allowing visitors to take photographs.

In every district, you can find jugglers, fire eaters, and musicians performing.

You are encouraged to wear a mask as well so that you can truly become part of the festivities. We can purchase beautiful masks at one of the local shops, with recommendations from our guide.

We will definitely taste legendary Carnival sweets and enjoy an Aperol Spritz.

Free time in central Venice, where Carnival celebrations continue throughout the day.

At 6:00 PM, meet the tour leader in St. Mark’s Square and take a boat to the train station (ticket included), then return to the hotel by direct train.

Those who wish to stay in Venice later may do so and return to the hotel using pre-purchased direct train tickets.

Overnight in Mestre.

FEBRUARY 6, 2027

Lake Garda: Sirmione Castle. A Medieval Gem in the Alps — Bergamo

Breakfast at the hotel.

Check out and depart with luggage.

At 9:00 AM, transfer to Lake Garda, the largest and one of the most picturesque lakes in Italy.

We will visit Sirmione, a historic town famous for its magnificent 16th-century fortress.

We will explore the medieval town and Scaliger Castle, spectacularly situated on a picturesque peninsula. We will learn about the powerful Scaliger family, the healing thermal waters rising from beneath the lake, the Grottoes of Catullus, the villa of Maria Callas, and admire the frescoes of the Church of San Pietro in Mavino.

We then depart for Bergamo.

This hidden gem of northern Italy is a beautifully preserved medieval city surrounded by Venetian defensive walls, with the snow-covered Alps as its backdrop.

We will walk through Piazza Vecchia, which reflects the power of Venetian rule over the city for three centuries.

We will learn why the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has no traditional main entrance and enter through the Gates of the White or Pink Lions.

Behind its relatively simple façade lies a magnificent interior featuring Baroque decoration, tapestries, and intricate wood carvings.

We will discover the works of Lorenzo Lotto and see the Mausoleum of Bartolomeo Colleoni, featuring its unusual coat of arms with three testicles, which visitors traditionally rub for good luck.

Free time for lunch in the Upper Town.

You may try traditional polenta made from corn or buckwheat flour with Fontina cheese or wild boar sauce, as well as stracciatella gelato, which was invented here.

Transfer to the Milan Malpensa Airport area.

Overnight at a hotel near Milan Malpensa Airport.

FEBRUARY 7, 2027

Arrivederci, Italy!

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport using the hotel shuttle, available for flights departing at any time.

TOUR INCLUDES

• Accommodation in 4-star hotels according to the itinerary — 6 nights, with breakfast.
• IMPORTANT: Please inquire about the cost of an additional night in Milan before the tour. The price depends on the arrival date.
• Group airport transfer upon arrival for flights landing in Milan between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.
• Transfer to the airport for any departure flight. Flights requiring departure from the hotel before 6:00 AM are subject to an additional $25 per person charge.
• Participation in the Venice Carnival celebrations.
• Lake Como boat cruise (ticket included).
• Transfers and visits according to the itinerary.
• Grand Canal gondola crossing (ticket included).
• Water bus/vaporetto trip Venice – Murano – Burano – Venice (ticket included).
• Mestre – Venice – Mestre train tickets for two days.
• Venice visitor/tourist access fee (not the hotel city tax).
• Russian-speaking tour leader throughout the entire tour.
• Headsets throughout the tour.

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE

• Airfare.
• Travel insurance.
• Tips for the guide and driver.
• Hotel city taxes:
  • Milan — €10
  • Verona — €3.10
  • (additional city tax information to be confirmed)
• Transfer from flights arriving outside the specified arrival time. The cost depends on the number of passengers.