Two Italian pearls

After arriving at the airport, meet with our driver and transfer to the Bvlgari hotel in the centre of Milan. In the afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore the city that is always up to date on the latest trends and fashion, and discover its many bars and clubs; in addition, we offer you the possibility of a “behind the scenes” visit of some of the most renowned tailoring ateliers in the Quadrilatero della Moda, in the company of a private guide. Return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the evening.

Have breakfast at the hotel, meet with our driver and transfer to Parma. Along the way, stop to visit the Labyrinth of Masone, near Fontanellato, inaugurated in 2015 after years of studies by the will of Franco Maria Ricci, a graphic designer and publisher to whom the almost obsessive interest towards maze architecture was instilled by one of his famous collaborators, Jorge Louis Borges, one of the greatest writers of the 1900s; this is the largest labyrinth in the world consisting of about 200 thousand different species of bamboo plants, with an adjoining museum space where artistic masterpieces collected by the founder are exhibited, covering a chronological span stretched between the ‘500 and’ 900. We recommend lunch at the “Il Labirinto by 12 Monaci” restaurant, or at the Bistrò, where you can taste excellent typical products. After arriving in Parma, check in at the Hotel Sina Maria Luigia, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the evening.

After breakfast at the hotel, meet with our guide and get ready for a walking tour to discover Parma’s main landmarks, including the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Monastery of San Paolo, which houses the famous Camera della Badessa, frescoed by Correggio in 1518/1519, with a pictorial allegory of a mythological-philosophical theme. Afterwards, visit an important “prosciuttificio” (ham factory) to discover this food tradition, fundamental in the area, and taste its excellent products. On the way back, stop and visit the characteristic village of Torrechiara, overlooked by the imposing 15th century castle, one of the largest and most beautiful in Italy, adorned with interesting wall cycles – such as the Gothic masterpiece of the Camera d’Oro, by Benedetto Bembo, – commissioned by the man who re-founded the fortress, Count Pier Maria Rossi, to spend moments of passion with his lover. Return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the evening.

Have breakfast at the hotel, meet our driver and transfer to Lonigo, in the Vicenza area, where you will stay in a residence designed by Palladio himself, and included in the UNESCO World Heritage: Villa Pisani-Bonetti, dating back to 1541, whose “barchessa“, the service wing adjacent to the manor house, houses a delightful relais. Enjoy a day dedicated to relaxation in the large garden, swimming pool or wellness area, with the possibility of an e-bike excursion in the surrounding countryside, rich in historic houses and wine cellars, or to visit an exhibition of contemporary art inside the villa. We recommend dinner at the hotel’s fine restaurant, Osteria del Guà, before retiring for the evening.

After breakfast at the hotel, meet with our driver and leave for a day dedicated to Vicenza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a guided tour of its magnificent Palladian buildings, such as the imposing Basilica and the Teatro Olimpico, a jewel of Mannerist virtuosity, and the suburban residence Almerico Capra, known as La Rotonda for its Greek cross plan, perhaps the most famous of those designed by the great architect. Return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the evening.

Have breakfast at the hotel, meet with our driver and depart for Venice, with a stop on the way in Padua, the capital of the Euganean Hills, to admire another UNESCO World Heritage Site, a masterpiece of medieval painting: the Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto. After lunch (at leisure), continue on towards Venice along the Riviera that runs alongside the Naviglio del Brenta, in whose greenish waters are reflected dozens of Venetian villas, including perhaps the most magnificent, the eighteenth-century Villa Pisani, which houses frescoes by Tiepolo. Arrive and check-in at the “St. Regis” hotel and take your time to relax. We recommend an aperitif on the veranda and a dinner in the prestigious restaurant overlooking the Grand Canal and the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute before resting for the evening.

After breakfast at the hotel, meet with our guide and enjoy a tour of the centre of Venice, partly on foot and partly on board a characteristic gondola. Alternatively, visit an historic Murano glass factory, the Fornace Saguso, founded on the 3rd of March 1397 and run by the same family since then for 23 generations; some of its artistic works are exhibited at the MoMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York, the Victoria and Albert in London and in 75 other exhibition galleries around the world. Return to the hotel, enjoy dinner at leisure and rest for the evening.

After breakfast at the hotel, get privately transferred to the airport of your choice.