Lake Garda, Venice and Verona

Seven Nights half-board from £569 per person

Selected departures from June to October 2012

Italy is blessed with some fantastic scenery and some of the finest is to be found as you approach the Alps around Lake Garda where images of the abundant flowers and trees, which cover the banks, are reflected in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colour. The picturesque lake with gentle waves lapping slowly onto the shingle shoreline, with the stunning snow-capped Alps
in the background, interspersed by picturesque villages all fit together in a beautifully balanced mosaic of harmony. Further north, we see the Dolomite mountains, some of the most spectacular alpine scenery on earth.

For centuries, Italy has drawn visitors in search of culture and romance, with few countries comparing with its enormous classical origins, its art, architecture, music, design, scenery, food and wine. It is only in the past 150 years that Italy has come to exist as a nation state formed from a collection of largely independent cities often separated by almost impenetrable marshes or mountain ranges. They then evolved totally separately and on this tour we shall visit two of them, the very different but very classic cities of Verona and Venice.

However, Italy is much more than majestic cities and countryside and this can be particularly noticed in the restaurants. Boasting one of the world’s greatest cuisines, far from being pizza and pasta, one of the first things which strikes you about visiting a restaurant in Italy, is how deeply embedded in the culture, food and drink really are. Fresh vegetables and salads abound, combined with succulent meats, seafood, a hint of garlic and the finest olive oil create simple, tasty, wholesome and healthy menus.

• Return flights from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester or Glasgow
• taxes and transfers
• Seven nights half-board accommodation in a choice of excellent quality three or four-star hotels*
• Tour of beautiful Lake Garda – Italy’s largest lake
•  Guided sightseeing tour of Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet
• Tour of the Dolomites, with their dramatic alpine scenery
• Guided sightseeing tour of Venice, perhaps the most unique city on earth
• The services of an experienced tour manager

Terms and conditions:

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Prices are per person, based on two sharing and subject to availability. Operated by Riviera Travel Atol 3430 protected, Abta V4744, a company independent of Independent Print Ltd. Single rooms are subject to availability and at a supplement. Optional insurance available at a supplement. When you respond to offers we may use your information to contact you with offers/services that we believe will be of interest. Please give your mobile or email details if you wish to receive offers by sms or email. We will not give your data to other companies without your permission; please let us know if you are happy for us to to so. Prices are correct at the time of publishing. Please call or email for details. 0844 calls charged at 5ppm from BT landlines

Supplier info: Riviera Travel

Since their inception 25 years ago, Riviera Travel have endeavoured to exceed the expectations of the discerning traveller, on their fascinating and innovative European and Worldwide escorted tours.

They have passion for quality and looking after all their guests in the most personal manner possible and really ‘go the extra mile'. Over the years they have received many commendations from many household names in the publishing industry. They have recently been voted by the members of one of the country's most respected consumer organisations in their biannual survey of travel companies, as one of the UK's top two Tour Operators and the most outstanding of all in terms of value for money - by some considerable margin.

Riviera Travel offers European and Worldwide Escorted Tours by Eurostar and by Air.

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