The Beautiful Dolomites, South Tyrol & Lake Garda

Day 1 Morning departure to Dover for the crossing to Calais and on to the overnight hotel in the Metz area.

Day 2 Continuing on through Germany and Austria, you then cross the border into Italy and on to Fai della Paganella.

Day 3 Today, Fausto will play host and take you out for a gentle walk around the village before enjoying a picnic with great company, food and wine and begin to get into the relaxed way of life in the mountains.

Day 4 Journey to one of Italy’s best kept secrets – stunning Merano! In true ‘Sound of Music’ fashion, this beautiful spa town sits nestled between the Dolomites. The town centre abounds with shops, restaurants and cafés oozing with delicious strudel. For a birds’ eye view of the city, take the chairlift up to the panoramic viewpoint. Try out some mouth-watering ‘speck’ in a local stube or tempt yourself with ‘sachertorte’ in one of the pastry shops! In the afternoon, we head to the ‘historic and family run winery Cantina Martinelli’, where we enjoy a tour and tasting of some top-quality wines – the South Tyrolean wines are so good they don’t export much as they prefer to keep them for themselves!

Day 5 Scenic Drive of the Dolomites. Head north towards Moena, based in the heart of the Dolomites, and ascend towards the vibrant town of Canazei. From here it’s just a short drive to get to the ‘Sella Pass’, an incredible viewing platform, from where you can appreciate the amazing 360 degree views across the Dolomites’ spectacular jagged peaks. We continue down into the alluring Val Gardena, a historic valley known for its wood making traditions and unique and ancient language, Ladin, which is only spoken here. Enjoy a break in the picturesque village of Ortisei and relax over a delicious plate of strudel or perhaps shop for one of the other local specialities.

Day 6 This morning takes us past the lesser known but incredibly scenic Lake Molveno and from here enjoy the scenery as you make you way to Riva situated at the northern end of Lake Garda. Riva offers a lakeside historic centre and is the most northerly point in Europe where olive trees grow! Free time to explore and perhaps enjoy a delicious lunch or drink in the main square.

Day 7 Bid farewell to your hosts and begin the journey to the overnight hotel in the Metz area.

Day 8 After breakfast, return to Calais for the return ferry to the UK and home.