VENICE, VERONA & LAKE GARDA

Itinerary: 

DAY 1: VENETIAN STYLE WELCOME

Benvenuta! Welcome to Venice!

Transportation will be arranged to bring you from the airport to the Hotel San Cassiano in the heart of the city. Home of the famous 19th century painter, Giacamo Favretto, this historic hotel building is set back in a quiet district, only a short walk from the Grand Canal.

Enjoy the afternoon to rest, unpack or explore the nearby streets.

In the evening, we’ll kick off our Italian adventure together with a Welcome Dinner in a local Bacaro to immerse ourselves in Venetian tradition. Take this time to settle into the delicious adventure ahead and get to know one another over Cicchetti and Vino.

Included: Airport transfer & Welcome dinner

DAY 2: EXPLORE VENICE

After breakfast at the hotel, we will embark on a day of guided exploration through Venice. A regional expert will artfully steer us through the streets of the floating city, exploring St.Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge, and other top sites and hidden gems. Also, this morning you’ll experience a quintessential gondola ride through narrow waterways, secret passages, and the breathtaking Venetian Lagoon.

After a midday break for lunch, there will be an opportunity offered to enjoy conversation with a knitting enthusiast, who will share insights into local initiatives supporting Venetian women through craft. For those who have brought handiwork with them, this afternoon will be a time to sit, chat, and enjoy stitching together over a Venetian Spritz. Not a stitcher? No worries! There are lots of options for additional afternoon activities or you’re welcome to wander and explore the local parks, take in views of the lagoon or visit the Biennale Art Exposition.

In the evening, we’ll make our way to the northernmost part of Venice - the Cannaregio district. Known as an escape from the crowds, this area offers a quiet, more intimate look into the Venetian lifestyle and a lovely atmosphere for our dinner together.

Included: Breakfast, Tour, Gondola Ride, Spritz, Dinner

DAY 3: VENICE - THE ARTISTS OF THE LAGOON

Today we’ll explore the islands of the Venetian Lagoon by boat! We'll witness the renowned mastery of Murano glass blowing artisans, see the colorful buildings of Burano, and watch Venetian women practicing the centuries-old art of lace-making, passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Along the way we’ll enjoy a nice lunch at a local trattoria in Burano, also stopping at a secret Lagoon Vineyard for a leisurely glass of wine.

The rest of the afternoon will be yours to roam, relax, shop or eat your way through Venice!

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Boat tickets

DAY 4: VERONA - TOUR & PASTA CLASS

We'll travel by train to Verona where a local guide will greet us and lead us through our first day in the city. By foot and private bus, we’ll make our way through the streets of ‘fair Verona’, taking in its rich history with stops at the Roman Arena, the bustling Piazza Delle Erbe, and, of course, Juliet's balcony.

There will be free time midday to find a fabulous spot for lunch before we are whisked away in the early afternoon to new accommodations at a boutique farmhouse in the Verona hills. Take some time to settle into your rustic, yet elegant rooms and to enjoy the views of both the city and countryside.

In the evening, we’ll meet on the beautiful terrace to enjoy a glass of Prosecco overlooking Verona. We’ll start learning about the history of our surroundings and this family-run farmhouse. The stories will continue as we’re led through an Italian pasta cooking class! We’ll play with flour and eggs, before moving to the dining room to enjoy the delicious fruits of our labor, paired with local wine.

Included: Breakfast, Tour, Train Ticket, Cooking Class

DAY 5: VERONA - MEATS, CHEESE & WOOL

After breakfast, we’ll drive thirty minutes into the Lessinia Mountains to visit with a local cured meat and cheese producer. The Benedetti family has been creating artisanal meat and cheeses for generations, and we’ll have the opportunity to witness their traditions in action and learn about what makes their products so special. We’ll enjoy a delicious lunch of their meats and cheeses, paired with Valpolicella wine, in the unique setting of their aging cellar!

Another short drive will take us to our next stop, an alpaca and Brogna sheep farm in a tiny, mountainside village. In the alpine pastures, we’ll get to know the farm owner, Cristina, and hear of her inspiration to start the farm in an effort to bring the Brogna breed back from the brink of extinction. Known for its high quality and elasticity, Brogna sheep’s wool was seen as a sign of prestige and wealth in medieval times.

Cristina will welcome us into her workshop, where she dyes the wool using natural pigments such as onion skins or chamomile and carefully creates skeins. For the knitters in the group, Cristina will take time to teach us the recommended techniques for working with her wool and guide us through a knitting workshop using her materials. Alternatively, there will be a guided walk through the medieval village of Molina and nearby Waterfall Park.

We will return to the hotel in the early afternoon. For dinner, you’re welcome to dine in the farmhouse restaurant, or take a ten minute taxi ride into Verona and indulge in one of the exceptional restaurants of the city.

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Knitting Workshop OR Molina/Waterfall Tour

DAY 6: LAKE GARDA

Today we’ll float through the turquoise, thermal waters on a guided boat tour of Lake Garda, as we make our way around the Sirmione Peninsula. From our vantage point on the boat, we will admire the architecture of medieval castles, scan for bubbles from the Boiola sulfur spring and listen to the lake’s lapping waves that have inspired Italian opera singers and poets for centuries.

After returning to port, we’ll shake off our sea legs with a walking tour through the Sirmione Historical Center, then head down the road to Desenzano del Garda to indulge in a lunch of fresh fish on the shores of the magnificent lake.

Along the return trip to Verona, Tribe members can continue their exploration of Verone or return to the hotel for either a relaxing afternoon of ‘Sip ‘n Knit’ time.

Included: Breakfast, Boat & Walking Tours, Lunch, Evening Aperitif

DAY 7: VALPOLICELLA

Heading east, we’ll journey into the hills to explore the world-famous wine region, Valpolicella. Our tour guide today will lead us around ‘the pearl of Verona,’ taking us through divine vineyards, majestic villas, and spectacular gardens. There will be a wine tasting and light lunch before heading back to the hotel.

Back in Verona, you’ll have free time in the afternoon to relax and organize for the trip home the following day. In the evening, we’ll share our final meal together at a nearby, gourmet restaurant.

Included: Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8: ARRIVEDERCI

You and your fellow travelers will begin your journey home. Transfers to the Venice airport will be arranged based on your flight schedule.

Included: Breakfast, Airport Transfer

Tour Cost:

• €3,700 per person (Twin-share)

• €4,550 per person (Single)

What’s Included?

• Accommodations ( 7 nights at four-star, boutique hotels )

• Meals mentioned (6 breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 2 aperitifs, 4 dinners )

• Airport Transfers

• Transportation to all scheduled activities

• English-speaking tour leader

• Tours with local guides

• Tickets and entrance fees to scheduled activities

What’s not included?

• Flights

• Travel insurance

• Local city taxes ( €30 per person for the entire trip)

• Additional meals & drinks

• Items of a personal nature

• Gratuities

Group Size  

8 - 12 women

A minimum of 8 participants must be reached before the trip can be confirmed. There is a maximum of 12 participants to ensure the best small-group experience. 

Accommodations

There are 8 single rooms available. These rooms will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis. The remainder of the rooms will be shared and solo travelers will be paired together, two travelers per room in two single beds. All rooms have a private bathroom.

Is This Trip Right For You?

The itinerary for this tour is busy, active and involves a good amount of walking on both flat and uneven surfaces. For these reasons, good mobility and a certain level of physical fitness since is required. There will be trains, boats, gondolas and other vehicles that travelers must be able to navigate independently. In Venice, there are narrow bridges to navigate and some hotels have limited room availability on the main level and elevator service is not guaranteed. On a few occasions, group members will be responsible for handling their own luggage.

*PLEASE NOTE: In small group travel it’s important to remember that one person’s lack of health, well-being and/or mobility may have a negative impact on the other group members. If you are on the fence about your abilities, kindly reach out to us before booking so we can assess this trip's suitability for you. You may also wish to consult your healthcare provider.