Pane... formaggio... vino... There’s no better way to experience a culture than through its food – and no better place to immerse yourself in food than Northern Italy. Here the traditional, well-loved Italian affinity for cheese, pasta and sauces combines with the subtle influences of neighboring European countries, and even the Middle East, in rich, seductive variations. “Northern Italian Cuisine” is actually many distinct local cuisines, varying from province to province and even from city to city (Milanese, Veronese) within this small region – Lombardy, with its emphasis on rice and maize (risotto and polenta); Veneto with its seafood, Asiago cheeses and exotic spices; Emilia-Romagna with its hearty Bolognese red sauces and homemade pasta – each of which draws on its own unique locality for fresh ingredients, its traditions, and its passion for dining as a sensory art form.
Northern Italy is all about good food, good wine and good times... and your travels through the Italian Lakes, including the lush landscapes of Lake Como, are filled with all.
1. ARRIVE MILAN Tour begins: 6:00 PM at Grand Hotel et de Milan. A transfer is included from Milan Malpensa Airport to Grand Hotel et de Milan. At once you’ll feel the vibrancy of this cosmopolitan city that synergizes ancient and modern cultures in its art, fashion, and cuisine, gateway to the gorgeous lake region of Lombardy. A welcome cocktail reception this evening is followed by dinner. Meals D
2. MILAN: CITY OF FASHION AND ART On a tour with a local guide, stand in awe of The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci on a wall of the 15th-century convent, Santa Maria delle Grazie. The quiet power of this legendary fresco reverberates through centuries of western culture. Continue from its humble setting to the gilded halls of Castello Sforzesco, the power center of Milan for generations. View the Duomo, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world; bristling with spires, it is adorned with a staggering display of statues, gargoyles and stained glass. A more recent architectural wonder is the Galleria, a vast 19th-century shopping arcade whose massive glass dome shelters brilliant mosaics, stylish shops and cafés. Take a short walking tour of the Galleria and the Duomo Square. After lunch on your own, visit the Pinacoteca di Brera, housing one of the world’s greatest collections of Italian art, including works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Bellini and Tintoretto. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight; your hotel is across the street from one of Milan’s most elegant boulevards, famed Via Napoleone. Meals B
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