Lake Orta and Barolo Vineyards with Opera at la Scala

Lake Orta & Barolo Vineyards with Opera at La Scala

Our journey begins in the hilltop village of Monforte d’Alba, in the heart of the Barolo vineyards, where we enjoy gentle walks and castle visits, enhanced by outstanding wine-tastings and Piemontese cuisine.

We continue to Lake Orta, quietest of the Italian lakes, where the unspoilt historic town of Orta and the island of San Giulio are set like jewels below the Alpine peaks. We explore the countryside and art galleries around the lake on foot and attend 2 festival concerts in a private 17C villa on the island. In Milan we see the restored ‘Last Supper’ of Leonardo da Vinci and attend a performance of Gounod’s ‘Faust’ in La Scala, the world’s most famous opera house.

TRIP ITINERARY

DAY 1

D included

After meeting midday at Milan Linate airport, we travel south by road into the Langhe hills, admiring the meticulously tended vineyards before continuing to Monforte d’Alba with its well preserved mediaeval centre. We stay for the next three nights in an antique-filled 18C villa hotel with a swimming pool, set in a small private park.

DAY 2

B, L, D included

A morning exploring on foot, following trails through the vines and hazelnuts, and visiting the nearby village of Serralunga d’Alba with its concentric ground plan and splendid castle dating from 1340 (restored by King Vittorio Emanuele II in the 1870s). In nearby Barolo we visit the wine and agricultural museum in the imposing 11C - 16C Castelo Falletti and sample wines in the Cantine of the Marchesi di Barolo, before dinner in a small restaurant renowned for its sophisticated, French-influenced, Piemontese cuisine.

DAY 3

B, L, D included

This morning there is an optional country walk before we visit nearby Alba, a peaceful mediaeval city of tall brick towers whose centre adheres to its original Roman polygonal plan. The 14C Duomo has outstanding marquetry choir stalls inlaid by Bernardino da Fossato in 1512. A walk through the narrow atmospheric streets reveals surprising contrasts between fashionably elegant shops and houses decorated with Renaissance terracotta reliefs. Alba has long been famed for its cuisine as well as its superb wines, and our lunch will undoubtedly confirm this reputation. The rest of the day is free for relaxing in the hotel’s swimming pool and garden or wandering through the village. We taste some of this area’s most celebrated wines (Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco) and cheeses (tuma d’la paja, robiola) this evening, in a local cantina (wine farm).

DAY 4

B, L, D included

After an introductory talk on truffles, we accompany a truffle hunter and his dog on a foray through the woods and later enjoy a truffle lunch in his house, filled with mementoes of the past. Continuing to Orta, we complete the journey on foot, strolling along the charming lakeside path which leads us into Orta’s pedestrianised historic centre, all cobbles and flowers - and our home for the next three nights. Our comfortable 4 star hotel (with air conditioning and a swimming pool) was converted from a 17C convent and is perfectly situated right on the lakefront.

DAY 5

B, L, D included

We walk the hillside above Orta today, first following the path over the Sacro Monte (complete with 17C life-size statues depicting the life of St. Francis - and a recently listed World Heritage Site), then quiet lanes and cobbled tracks up to Vacciago to visit the Calderara modern art gallery, housed in an attractive 17C villa. We meander down through charming small hamlets and picnic, before returning to Orta for some free time to explore, to shop for ceramics, antiques and local gastronomic specialties, or perhaps take a rowing boat out on the lake. After dinner we board the boat for the short scenic crossing to Isola San Giulio and our first concert of chamber music in the 17C Villa Tallone.

DAY 6

B, L, D included

Exploring the hills to the east of Orta, we drive up narrow winding lanes en route to the heights of Mottarone. From here we follow a broad track through silver birch, gradually ascending above the tree-line to open moorland and superb views of the scattered lakes plus the sweep of the Alps. An easy descent brings us to Gignese where we visit the intriguing Museum of Umbrellas and Parasols. Following a rustic lunch of mountain specialities, we drive to the nearby Alpine Botanical gardens, which command superb views of Lake Maggiore. After a light supper in a mediaeval enoteca we set off once more for our evening concert: swifts wheeling in the sky, and the mountains round the lake reflected in the water, all contribute to the unique atmosphere of this very special music festival.

DAY 7

B, L, D included

After a final leisurely breakfast overlooking the lake we drive to Milan, have an introductory walk through the belle époque Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and visit the magnificent, vast, Gothic Duomo, one of Europe’s most celebrated cathedrals, before lunch. We settle into our elegant 4 star hotel in the heart of the renowned Quadrilatero d’Oro and have some free time to rest. This evening we attend a performance of Gounod’s opera ‘Faust’, conducted by Stéphane Denève, in La Scala, Milan’s world famous opera house.

DAY 8

B included

We walk to the nearby Brera, one of Italy’s foremost art collections, then continue past the Castello Sforzesca to the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie for a guided presentation of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’. Private transfers to Milan Linate airport are arranged to suit flight times of choice.

Price includes:

All accommodation for Days 1 to 8, on a twin shared basis

All meals (with wine at lunches and dinners) as listed in the daily notation

2 wine tastings as described

All land transportation in a private vehicle as described except during free periods

All boat transportation as described except during free periods

All entrance and sightseeing fees except during free periods

Tickets for 2 performances of the Lake Orta Music Festival

Top category ticket for the opera in La Scala

Gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff

Visa and Health Requirements

Visitors from the EU and the US currently require a valid passport, but not a visa, for entry to Italy. If you are a national of any other country, please check visa regulations with your nearest Embassy of Italy.

At present there are no specific and compulsory health requirements for entry to Italy. Residents of countries in the EU can only claim free (emergency) medical treatment in France by presenting their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which is issued in the UK by the Department of Health. You may also wish to check the advice given to travellers by the FCO.

Insurance

It is essential, and a condition of booking, that you protect yourself with a suitable travel insurance policy as soon as you book a trip. Follow this link for information on a policy available to UK residents.

If you are already insured, or a non-UK resident, please inform us of your policy at the time of booking.