DAY 1 (28 Aug): MILAN - LAKE MAGGIORE
Arrive at Milan Malpensa Airport where you will be greeted by your driver and guide, and transferred to your hotel at Lake Maggiore for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Bristol Stresa or similar

DAY 2 (29 Aug): BORROMEAN ISLANDS - STRESA (B/-/-)
Enjoy a full day exploring by boat the wonderful and greatly admired Borromean Islands. For lunch, you will stop at Isola Pescatori where you will be able to wander its narrow, cobbled streets, past simple fishermen’s houses. After lunch, your boat will take you back to Stresa where you are free to spend the rest of your evening at leisure.

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Bristol Stresa or similar

Day 3 (30 Aug): TORINO (B/-/-)
After checking out of your hotel after breakfast, you will be transferred to Torino (approx 2.5 hours). For lunch, you will stop at a food department store (own expense). Upon reaching Torino, you will be brought to your hotel where you may check in and spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Sitea or similar

DAY 4 (31 Aug): TORINO (B/-/-)
Start your day with a guided tour of Torino, the capital Baroque city of Piedmont. The elegant Baroque capital of Piedmont and first capital of Italy, Torino is austere and inviting at the same time. With its regular grid of streets, it is embellished by kilometers of arcades, scenic squares, and stately palaces. Often called the European capital of chocolate, Torino is a heaven for chocolate lovers. Another real institution in town are the historic cafés, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries: you can’t leave Torino without a stop here! In the afternoon, you will visit the Egyptian Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities, and ranks second only to Cairo. 

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Sitea or similar

DAY 5 (1 Sept): SOUTH PIEDMONT - BRA (B/-/-)
Today, you will be transferred to the South of Piedmont. En route, make a stop to visit a real cheese farm with a rich tasting of cheese & salami. Continue the journey to Bra for an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Albergo Cantine Ascheri Hotel or similar

DAY 6 (2 Sept): BRA - ASTI - BRA (B/-/-)
Visit the Castle of Grinzane Cavour in the morning and transfer to Asti to enjoy the special atmosphere on Palio day. Dedicate the whole afternoon to the Palio parade and horse race. The Palio di Asti is a bareback horse race of Mediaeval origin. The earliest record of this race is a chronicle that dates from 1275, and since then it has been continued through the centuries. The horse race, though, is only the culminating event: in the afternoon, an impressive parade with about 1.400 people in Mediaeval costumes crosses the center of Asti, and each of the 21 groups represents a scene dating back to the Middle Ages. Back to Bra for an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Albergo Cantine Ascheri Hotel or similar

DAY 7 (3 Sept): BRA - ALBA - BRA (B/-/-)
Transfer to Alba for Truffle hunt in the woods with a truffle hunter and his dogs, followed by a tasting/aperitif. Walk in the town of Alba, capital of the Langhe. Visit a Barolo winery with wine tasting. They call it “the king of wines and the wine of kings”: Barolo. The history of this wine has been written in the 19th century by prominent personalities. The tradition is carried on today by local producers that follow the strict rules of Barolo making. This wine can be produced only in a small territory on the hills of the Langhe region and is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes. By law, Barolo has to mature for three years (two of which in wooden barrels) before it is sold on the market, but many producers choose to keep it in their cellars even longer.
No one in the world can consider himself a wine connoisseur without becoming acquainted with this undisputed authority!
Then, visit the Castle of di Barolo and the modern display of the Wine Museum.

Accommodation: Albergo Cantine Ascheri Hotel or similar

DAY 8 (4 Sept): BRA - MILAN (B/-/-)
After checking out of your hotel after breakfast, you will be transferred to Milan (approx. 2.5 hours). En route, you can make a lunch stop to visit a Rice Farm for Italian Risotto (at own expenses). Continue the journey to Milan and spend the rest of the afternoon at your own leisure for shopping in Milan city. 

Accommodation: Windsor Hotel or similar

DAY 9 (5 Sept): MILAN (B/-/-)
After checking out of your hotel after breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home.

End of tour