Hidden Lakes of Northern Italy

Enjoy complimentary airport lounge access before boarding your flight to Verona, where you'll pick up your hire car. You're headed today for Lake Iseo, but along the way, stop at the southern tip of Lake Garda, the largest of the Italian Lakes. Charming towns surround its tranquil mirrored waters; you might want to pause at Peschiera del Garda for lunch on the harbour or sit on the beach at Rivoltella del Garda for a while. Then, continue onwards to Lake Iseo, an unspoilt gem near the wine region of Franciacorta. It's also home to the biggest inhabited lake island in southern Europe. 

Stay: Lake Hotel La Pieve, Pisogne, Lake Iseo (Superior)

Today you'll leave the picturesque shores of Lake Iseo and drive past the southern tip of Lake Como, bypassing Milan. Stop in Como's town centre in the foothills of the Alps, where you can take a boat trip on the lake and visit the Gothic Como Cathedral before continuing your journey north. En-route to Lake Lugano, follow the beautiful western coast of Lake Como as far as Menaggio, perhaps take a break to explore the historic lakeside Villa Carlotta, or take a ferry across to Bellagio. Then cross the mountains to Porlezza at the northern point of Lake Lugano. Enjoy the spectacular waterfront, charming old towns and regional markets over the next two days. You'll hop in and out of Switzerland, as the lake straddles both countries.

Stay: Parco San Marco Resort, Porlezza, Lake Lugano (Superior)

This morning you'll take the scenic drive to the northern point of Lake Maggiore, also bordering both Italy and Switzerland – if you wish to extend your stay here, we recommend a couple of nights at the Grand Majestic. Then, you'll head down Lake Maggiore's western banks and branch off to Lake Orta for three nights. This sparkling gem is such a well kept secret that many Italians don't know about it, so it has an authentic, untouched feel, with less crowds than the bigger lakes. And, in the centre of the lake is the Isola San Giulio, reachable by boat from the town square and well worth the trip.

Stay: Hotel San Rocco, Orta San Giulo, Lake Orta (Superior) 

This morning head south from Lake Orta and travel around the southern tip of Lake Maggiore crossing the border between Lombardy and Piedmont Region. The recommended route will take you between two of the Italy's smallest lakes - Lake Comabbio and Lake Monate. Your final stop is the the city of Varese, also known as the “Garden City” for its beautiful villas that the aristocracy of the time had built there between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries with their gardens stretching down to the shores of Lake Varese. Explore the Villa Panza surrounded by a perfect example of an Italian garden.

Next day visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sacro Monte, in the Campo dei Fiori Regional Natural Park. Go up the Via Sacra, famous for its 14 Chapels, until you reach the village of Santa Maria del Monte, with its Sanctuary, the Pogliaghi Museum, the Baroffio Museum, the Romite Ambrosiane Monastery and its picturesque bars and restaurants overlooking the Valley.

Stay: Palace Grand Hotel Varese, Lake Varese (Superior)

This morning, drive to Milan to drop your hire car and head back to the UK. Alternatively, extend your stay with a couple of nights in cosmopolitan Milan, Italy's fashion and design capital.