We know a handful of celebrities who’ve made Italian lakes into national news. George Clooney would be one! These lakes are definitely hot spots among the elite due to their beautiful landscape and scenery.
You can pretend to be a star yourself when you join Backroads for our Italian Lakes Hiking Tour. This walking and hiking tour takes you along Italy’s “great” lakes: Maggiore, Como (Clooney’s favorite), Lugano and Orta.
Start your Italian hiking trip at Lake Orta (in Italian lago d’Orta) and explore the medieval hamlet town of Orta San Giulio. This area inspired the likes of Flaubert and Tchaikovsky and you’ll see why! Enjoy dinner and accommodations at Villa Crespi, built in 1879 and known for its Mediterranean cuisine.
On Day 2, you’ll hike 4000 feet above Lakes Ort and Maggiore and visit the towns of Stresa and Isola Bella, famous for its fountains and art. The next couple of days let you stroll past chapels and bridges on this Lago Maggiore walk, enjoy a wine tasting, see huge villas and castle ruins and take a ferry to Bellagio, “the pearl of the lake.” There, you’ll get some cooking tips from a local chef.
On your final two days, head to Villa Melzi, one of Lake Como’s grand estates (sorry, it’s not George Clooney’s J), visit a farm known for its cheeses, milk and yogurt for a local lunch, and explore an 18th century villa.
During your hike of the Italian lakes, you’ll get to spend your evenings at lovely villas and hotels, including the Grand Hotel des lles Borromees, the setting for part of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms; and the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, built in 1872 as a retreat for an aristocratic family and featuring Murano chandeliers.
Which lake do you think will be your favorite? It’s pretty difficult to choose, we have to warn you!
Call us at 800-462-2848 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. Pacific to reserve your spot on this Italy hiking tour. Departures run throughout May, June, August, September and October of 2013. Let us know if you spot George Clooney out on his yacht!