Final-year school trip to the Italian Lakes and Venice: Lucerne, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands, Sirmione and Venice (7 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and drive to Switzerland

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive via Luxembourg and Alsace to Switzerland (about 600 to 700 km, i.e. 7.5 to 8.5 hours excluding breaks depending on the departure point).
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night.
• Two drivers take turns at the wheel; lunch at your own expense at a motorway service area.
• Overnight stop in the Lucerne area, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 2: Lucerne, the Gotthard and Como

• Morning walk in Lucerne: the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), the old town and the Lion Monument.
• Drive through the Gotthard road tunnel to Lake Como (about 200 km, 3 hours), lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Como Cathedral and the lakeside promenade.
• Funicular ride up to Brunate for the view over the lake and the Alps (on request).
• Check-in at the accommodation on or near Lake Como for two nights, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 3: Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands

• Drive to Stresa on Lake Maggiore (about 80 km, 1.5 hours).
• Boat crossing to Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori, the Fishermen’s Island.
• Visit to the Borromeo Palace and its terraced gardens on Isola Bella (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense on the Fishermen’s Island, then supervised free time in Stresa and return towards Como.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Lake Garda and arrival in Venice

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and a short cruise on Lake Como from Como (on request).
• Drive to Sirmione on Lake Garda (about 200 km, 2.5 hours) and lunch at your own expense.
• Visit to the Scaliger Castle, a fortress surrounded by water (on request), and a walk through the old town.
• Drive to the accommodation in Venice-Mestre, Lido di Jesolo or the surrounding area (about 150 km, 2 hours) for two nights, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 5: Venice

• Boat crossing to the centre and a trip down the Grand Canal by vaporetto, between palaces and churches.
• St Mark’s Square and a visit to St Mark’s Basilica and its golden mosaics (on request).
• Visit to the Doge’s Palace and across the Bridge of Sighs (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense, then a walk through the alleys to the Rialto Bridge and its market.
• Gondola ride (on request).
• Dinner and a last supervised evening.

Day 6: Drive to the overnight stop

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and departure around 8 am.
• Daytime drive over the Brenner Pass and through Austria to Germany (about 500 to 550 km, i.e. 6.5 to 7 hours excluding breaks).
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Overnight stop in the Augsburg or Munich area, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 7: Return to Belgium

• Departure after breakfast, around 8 am.
• Daytime drive back to Belgium (about 600 to 750 km), with two drivers taking turns and regular breaks.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the evening.