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Hotel
DAY 1: Check-in at the five-star Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta in Stresa and Welcome Dinner
DAY 2: Tour Lake Maggiore by private boat – The Romantic Borromean Islands (Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori), visit the Palazzo Borromeo
DAY 3: Travel to Lake Como, tour of medieval Como & Check-in and lunch at the incomparable five-star Villa d’Este
DAY 4: Full-Day private boat tour of Lake Como – Limousine Boats to Villa Balbianello & Bellagio
DAY 5: Visit medieval Bergamo Alto, Wine tasting in Franciacorta & Check-in at the Grand Hotel Fasano in Lake Garda
DAY 6: Tour of Lake Garda – tour Roman ruins on Sirmione Peninsula & Valpolicella Vineyards
DAY 7: Day trip to Verona – Roman Arena, Verona Cathedral, “San Zeno Altarpiece” by Andrea Mantegna & Amarone wine tasting
DAY 8: End of program, Check-out of the Grand Hotel Fasano
*All of our Travel Programs are Led by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero*
This exclusive eight-day journey captures the very essence of northern Italy’s timeless allure, sweeping through the dramatic landscapes, aristocratic villas, and world-class vineyards that span from Lake Maggiore to Lake Como to Lake Garda, with stops in historic Bergamo and the romantic city of Verona along the way. Tailored for those who appreciate the finer things in life, the itinerary seamlessly weaves together private lakeside cruises, private guided historical exploration, world-class hotels, and elite culinary and wine experiences.
Join us for a luxurious and customized experience in the Italian Lakes where participants will
Walking tours and on-site visits may entail uneven terrain such as cobblestones and city hills, as well as challenging environments with stairs without handrails and/or the absence of elevators).
DAY 1: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2027 – ARRIVAL IN STRESA
3:00 pm – Arrival in Stresa and check-in at the Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta
*Recommended Airport for arrival: Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Linate Airport (LIN)
*Private transfers from Milan Malpensa or Linate airports and/or train stations to the Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta are available upon request
7:30 pm – Group Welcome Dinner
DAY 2: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2027 – LAKE MAGGIORE – THE ROMANTIC BORROMEAN ISLANDS
10:00 am – Grand Palaces & Island Gardens
Your Italian journey begins on the shores of Lago Maggiore. Board a private boat and glide across the water with your dedicated English-speaking guide. Step off onto Isola Bella to explore the majestic Palazzo Borromeo, a 17th-century baroque palace famed for its grand salons, intricate grottoes, and ten terraces of manicured, statuesque gardens where white peacocks roam freely. Continue your boat cruise to the charming, rustic shores of Isola Pescatori (Fishermen’s Island).
1:00 pm – Group lakeside lunch
Pause for a relaxing three-course lunch at Ristorante Belvedere on the island. Enjoy local flavors alongside water, coffee, and regional wine (1 bottle per 3 guests) right by the water’s edge.
4:30 pm – Free Evening
DAY 3: MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2027 – LAGO DI COMO – HISTORIC WALLED CITIES & ALPINE VIEWS
9:30 am – Check out of the Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta in Stresa and depart for Lake Como
11:00 am – Journey to Como & Guided Walking Tour
Board your private coach for a scenic transfer from Stresa to Lake Como where you will enjoy a half-day guided walking tour through Como’s historic center. Wander through the medieval Città Murata (walled city), admiring its charming cobblestone alleyways, historic squares, and gothic architecture.
1:00 pm – Check-in at the incomparable Villa d’Este
1:00 pm – Lunch at the Villa d’Este
Experience classic Italian luxury with a formal lunch in the elegant Veranda at Villa d’Este, overlooking the lake’s pristine waters and immaculate floating pool.
4:00 pm – Leisure or Funicular to Brunate
Enjoy a free afternoon to shop or explore Como at your own pace. For unparalleled views, board the historic Como–Brunate funicular railway. The steep climb rewards you with breathtaking, bird’s-eye vistas over the lake and the distant Alps.
6:00 pm – Free Evening
DAY 4: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2027 – FULL-DAY SAILING – LIMOUSINE BOATS, HISTORIC VILLAS & BELLAGIO
10:00 am – Private Lake Cruise & Champagne Toast
Step onto the private dock of Villa d’Este and board two sleek, private wooden Venetian limousine boats. Sip champagne and enjoy savory snacks as you cruise past cascading cliffs and grand celebrity villas lining the shores of Lake Como.
11:30 am – Villa del Balbianello
Disembark with your guide at the spectacular Villa del Balbianello, perched on a wooded peninsula. Tour its famous terraced gardens, topiary arches, and the historical museum inside.
12:30 pm – Bellagio: The Pearl of the Lake
Sail to Bellagio, the “Pearl of Lake Como.” Enjoy a scenic lakeside terrace lunch at Ristorante Suisse featuring fresh regional specialties.
4:00 pm – Free Evening
DAY 5: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2027 – BERGAMO ALTA – MEDIEVAL UPPER TOWNS & FRANCIACORTA BUBBLES
9:30 am – Check-out of Villa d’Este; Depart for Bergamo
11:00 am – The Jewel of Bergamo
Ride the historic funicular up to Città Alta, the stunning, medieval upper town encircled by Venetian walls. Your guide will lead you through a wealth of renaissance history, stepping inside the jaw-dropping Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the ornate Cappella Colleoni, and the ancient Palazzo della Ragione.
1:00 pm – Traditional Bergamasque Fare Lunch
Dine at a handpicked local osteria for a traditional three-course lunch, tasting rich, hyper-local specialties like casoncelli pasta.
3:00 pm – Italian Sparkling Wine Tasting
Travel into the rolling vineyards of the Franciacorta region, Italy’s premier sparkling wine destination. Enjoy a prestigious two-hour guided cellar tour and tasting to sample these crisp, method-traditional sparkling wines.
6:00 pm – Welcome to Lake Garda and check-in to the Grand Hotel Fasano
in the historic lakefront town of Gardone Riviera on Lake Garda.
DAY 6: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2027 – TOUR DEL LAGO – SIRMIONE PENINSULA & VALPOLICELLA VINEYARDS
10:00 am – The Roman Ruins of Sirmione
Set off in your private coach for a full-day exploration of Lake Garda. Your guide introduces you to Sirmione, a narrow peninsula stretching into the southern waters. Walk past the moated Scaliger Castle and explore the historic resort village.
12:30 pm – Fresh Lakeside Catch Lunch
Enjoy a refined three-course lunch at Ristorante Belvedere, focusing on fresh lake fish and local Mediterranean ingredients.
3:30 pm – Historic Wine Estates
Cross into the world-renowned Valpolicella wine region. Tour the ancient cellars of a historic estate, learning about the unique appassimento grape-drying process.
5:00 pm – Free Evening
DAY 7: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2027 – VERONA – ROMAN MONUMENTS & MASTERPIECE AMARONE
10:00 am – Shakespearian Romance & Roman History
Journey into Verona for a deeply historic guided walking tour. With included entry tickets, bypass the lines to view the city’s stunning gothic architecture, bustling squares like Piazza delle Erbe, and its legendary Roman heritage.
1:00 pm – Dining by the Arena
Relax with a three-course lunch at Ristorante Rubiani, dining outdoors in the grand shadow of the ancient Verona Arena amphitheater.
3:30 pm – Elite Vertical Tasting at Serego Alighieri
Indulge in an exclusive vertical tasting of Amarone wines at the prestigious Serego Alighieri estate, a historic property owned by the direct descendants of the poet Dante Alighieri. Taste how different vintages of this bold, complex red wine evolve over time.
5:00 pm – Free evening
DAY 8: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2027 – ARRIVEDERCI LAKE GARDA!
12:00 pm – Check out of the Grand Hotel Fasano and (sadly) the end of the program
*Recommended Airport for departure: Venice Marco Polo (VCE) or Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Linate Airport (LIN)
*Private transfers from the hotel to airports and/or train stations are available upon request
All participants will be staying at three different historic luxury five-star hotels:
STRESA:
Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta – 5 Star
Via Sempione Nord, 123, 28838 Stresa, Italy
+39 0323 933818
LAKE COMO:
Villa d’Este – 5 Star
Via Regina, 40, 22012 Cernobbio, Italy
+39 031 3481
LAKE GARDA:
Grand Hotel Fasano – 5 Star
Corso Giuseppe Zanardelli, 190, 25083 Riviera, Italy
+39 0365 290220
All transportation will be provided by private coach.
OCTOBER 2 – OCTOBER 9, 2027
Double Occupancy – $13,975.00/person
Single Occupancy – $19,900.00/person
Includes:
– 7-night accommodations in Deluxe Double rooms in all hotels (breakfast included)
– All lectures with Dr. Rocky
– All admissions
– All group lunches
– All ground transportation between October 2 and October 9, 2027
– Welcome dinner and Farewell lunch
Not included:
Airfare to Italy and transportation to Hotel Villa e Palazzo Aminta/from Grand Hotel Fasano
Payment:
A deposit of 30% of the program fee is required to reserve a space on a program. All payments may be made by credit card or check. Deposits are applied to final payment of the program price.
A second deposit of 30% of the program fee is required 6 months after the first payment, unless otherwise noted.
The balance is due 60 days prior to the first day of the program, unless otherwise noted. If full payment is not received by the final payment due date, your place cannot be guaranteed on the program.
Wait List:
If the program of your choice is fully subscribed, you may choose to be placed on a waitlist by contacting us at info@rockyruggiero.com or by phone. Individuals on the wait list will be contacted if space becomes available and can inquire about program status by contacting us. If you choose to withdraw from a wait list, please notify us.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Following enrollment, a participant’s withdrawal from the program for any reason, including, but not limited to, illness, injury, family engagements, work-related issues, geopolitical concerns, or airline delays and/or cancellations, etc., will be deemed a cancellation. Please understand that there will be no exceptions to our cancellation policy. Per person cancellation fees are based on date of written notice to Rocky Ruggiero.
We will refund on the following basis:
– Cancellations within 10 days of booking: Full Refund
– Cancellations after 10 days of booking: Full Deposit Retained
– Cancellations made within final payment date, 60 days before departure: No Refund
– Cancellation by Rocky Ruggiero: Full Refund or Credit
– Non transferable to other travel programs, tours and online and in-person events.
Travel Protection Plan:
Purchase Travel Insurance to Protect your Vacation 
Special Travel Arrangements:
Participants may wish to extend their stay in the group hotel either before or after the tour. We will work with you on these arrangements, dependent upon space availability. Should you decide not to participate in certain parts of the program, no refunds will be made for those unused parts of the program.
READ CAREFULLY: RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT AND LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
Neither Rocky Ruggiero nor faculty shall be held liable for personal injury, death, property damage or accident, delay or irregularity arising out of any act or omission of these suppliers. Rocky Ruggiero and other faculty reserve the right, without penalty, to make changes in the published itinerary whenever, in their judgment, conditions warrant, or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of tour participants.
Rocky Ruggiero and designated faculty also reserve the right, without penalty, to withdraw the program announced, to decline to accept any person as a participant in a program, or to require any participant to withdraw from the program at any time (including, but not limited for inappropriate, or offensive behavior) when such action is determined by program staff to be in the best interests of the health, safety or general welfare of the program group or the individual participant.
Dates, schedules, tour details, and costs, although provided in good faith based on information available at the time of publication on the website, are subject to change and revision.
AS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE OF ANY APPLICATION, EACH APPLICANT MUST AGREE TO THE STATEMENT SET FORTH BELOW:
The undersigned has read carefully the Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer set forth above, the schedule of activities for this program, as well as the terms and conditions of application and participation as set forth in the program materials and recognizes and accepts any risk associated with the program and the conditions, including the refund policy, set forth in the program materials. The undersigned further acknowledges that there are many risks and uncertainties inherent in any travel program, including but not limited to the hazards of various modes of transportation, forces of nature, acts or omissions of foreign governments, terrorism, war or insurrection, theft, illness, and damage to person or property due to the negligent acts or omissions of program staff or others. In consideration of, and as part payment for, the right to participate in the program, the undersigned, on behalf of himself, his dependents, heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, agrees to release Rocky Ruggiero, its Regents, officers, employees, representatives or agents, the United States, from liability for personal injury, death, property damage or loss suffered by any person in connection with this tour, even if caused by the negligence (but not the reckless, willful, or fraudulent conduct) of program staff or other related persons or entities. In addition, by registering for this program, the applicant certifies that he or she is mentally and physically capable of full participation in this tour. By registering for a “Rocky Ruggiero Program in Italy”, the participant agrees to the Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer and the Terms and Conditions herein.
