Carnival 2026 in Venice & Switzerland

Tour start date(s):	11-02-2026
Duration:	7 days
Location:	MILAN (arrival) – Lake Como (1 night) – SWITZERLAND (Lugano) – VERONA (2 nights) – Mestre (2 nights) – VENICE – Lake Garda – SIRMIONE – Bergamo – Milan (1 night near the airport – departure)
Price (including tax):	1560 (DBL), 2190 (SNGL)

Highlights of the tour:

• Visit to the famous VENICE CARNIVAL (masks, parades)

• Stay and sightseeing in Verona, Italy's most romantic city (2 nights)

• Milan – a tour from Sforza Castle to the Duomo

• Switzerland – for chocolate and watches

• Lake Como – see how movie stars and aristocrats live (including hotel stay on the lakefront)

• Lake Como CRUISE

• Bergamo – a medieval gem in the Italian Alps

• Sirmione Fortress on Lake Garda – and much more!

We invite you on an unforgettable journey to one of the world’s most spectacular festivals – the Venice Carnival! Visiting Venice during the Carnival is an experience you’ll never forget. You won’t just be a spectator but a participant in the breathtaking procession of mysterious masks – from ladies in luxurious 18th-century gowns and elaborate wigs to terrifying monsters and plague doctors in dark robes and beaked masks. The backdrop of the Carnival is the entire city – its countless canals, narrow alleys, elegant bridges, gliding gondolas, and dozens of palaces reflected in the waters of the Grand Canal. During our guided tour, we’ll explore the history of the Carnival, learn how unique Venetian masks are made, visit places linked to the legendary seducer Casanova, and much more!

Day-by-day itinerary:

February 11 – Arrival in Milan: Secrets beyond the fashion boutiques

• Arrival at Milan Malpensa Airport (flights between 9 AM – 12 PM)

• Transfer to Milan’s historic center

• Free time for lunch

• 3:00 PM – Walking tour of Milan: the magnificent late-Gothic Duomo (outside), Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and Piazza Mercanti

• 6:00 PM – Transfer to Lake Como, check-in at a romantic 4-star lakefront hotel in Belle Époque style

• Optional dinner in the hotel restaurant (large selection of lake fish) or nearby eateries

• Overnight on Lake Como

February 12 – Lake Como & Switzerland (Lugano)

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Guided trip to Lugano, Switzerland

  • Visit a 9th-century cathedral with views of the lake and Alps

  • Stroll down the elegant Via Nassa, famous for Swiss watches

  • Visit Santa Maria degli Angioli church to see a Renaissance fresco considered the most important in Switzerland

  • Free time: shopping, chocolate tasting, lunch

• Return to Como for a romantic cruise on Lake Como

  • See villas of celebrities: George Clooney, Madonna, Versace, Stallone, George Lucas

  • Filming locations for Star Wars, Casino Royale, Mamma Mia, Transformers, Spectre

  • See UNESCO-listed Villa d’Este, Gianni Versace’s former villa, Villa Fontanelle (frequented by Elton John, Madonna, Princess Diana), and Villa Passalacqua – one of the world’s top 50 hotels

• Evening transfer to Verona

• Overnight in a central Verona hotel (lots of dining options nearby)

February 13 – Verona: A visit to Romeo & Juliet

• Breakfast at the hotel

• 3-hour guided walking tour of Verona

  • Ancient Roman Arena (3rd largest in Italy)

  • Piazza delle Erbe – historical market square with baroque buildings

  • Porta Borsari, Scaliger Tombs, and of course, Juliet’s Balcony

• Free time for lunch and shopping

• Overnight in Verona

February 14 – Padua

• Breakfast and hotel check-out

• Transfer to Padua, one of Northern Italy’s oldest cities

  • Founded (according to legend) in 1183 BC by Trojan hero Antenor

  • Home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, where Galileo taught

  • Visit Prato della Valle – one of the largest squares in Europe

  • See the 13th-century Basilica of Saint Anthony, visited by 6 million pilgrims yearly

  • Optional visit to the relic chapel with Saint Anthony’s tongue and jaw

• Free time for lunch – Padua is the birthplace of the Spritz cocktail

• Transfer to Mestre and hotel check-in

• Overnight in Mestre (dinner at hotel or nearby restaurants)

February 15 – Venice Carnival

• Breakfast at hotel

• Short train ride (10 min) to Venice

• Guided walk during the Carnival of Venice

  • Learn about the history of the masks and the Carnival itself

  • Trace the steps of Casanova and feel the magical, mysterious atmosphere

• Free time in Venice

• Return with the group at 6 PM or stay for dinner and return on your own (train tickets provided)

• Overnight in Mestre

February 16 – Lake Garda: Sirmione Fortress & Medieval Bergamo

• Breakfast and check-out

• Transfer with guide to Lake Garda

  • Visit the medieval fortress of Sirmione, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

  • Learn about the Scaliger family, the healing thermal waters, Grottoes of Catullus, Villa of Maria Callas, and Church of the Virgin of the Snow

• Continue to Bergamo, a hidden gem in Northern Italy

  • Explore Piazza Vecchia, Santa Maria Maggiore, Colleoni Chapel

  • Learn about the symbolism of Colleoni’s family crest (3 testicles!)

• Free time in Bergamo’s Upper Town for lunch – try polenta with fontina cheese or wild boar sauce, and sample stracciatella gelato (which was invented here)

• Evening arrival at hotel near Milan Malpensa Airport

• Overnight near the airport

February 17 – Arrivederci, Italy!

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Transfer to Milan Malpensa Airport for departure

Hotels:

Feb 11–12: Albergo Terminus 4★ (Como)
https://albergoterminus.it
Elegant Belle Époque hotel directly on Lake Como, 2 minutes from the Cathedral.

Feb 12–14: Hotel Marco Polo 3★ (Verona)
https://hotelmarcopoloverona.it
Central location, 10 minutes from the Arena. Has a wellness center (extra fee): SPA info

Feb 14–16: Best Western Hotel Tritone 4★ (Mestre)
www.hoteltritonevenice.com
Perfect for easy access to Venice, 250 meters from the train station.

Feb 16–17: Best Western Cavalieri Della Corona 4★ (near Milan airport)
https://www.cavalieridellacorona.com
4-star hotel close to Milan Malpensa with a restaurant on-site (dinner 7 PM–10:30 PM)

What’s Included:

• 6 nights in hotels with breakfast

• Arrival transfer for flights arriving 9 AM–12 PM

• Departure transfer (for departures after 6 AM; earlier transfer +€20 pp)

• Participation in Venice Carnival festivities

• Lake Como cruise

• All transfers and entrance visits as per the program

• Russian-speaking tour leader throughout the tour

• Headsets for the entire tour

What’s NOT included:

• Flights

• Travel insurance

• Tips for guide and driver

• Tourist taxes in hotels

• Transfer from flights arriving outside the specified arrival window

• Venice Access Fee – a new city tax for day visits to Venice, separate from hotel taxes