Final-year school trip to Milan and the Italian Lakes: the Borromean Islands, Lake Orta, Milan Cathedral, Como and Bellagio (8 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and overnight stop in Freiburg im Breisgau

• Departure from your school in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive via Luxembourg and Alsace (about 450 to 550 km depending on your school, 5.5 to 6.5 hours excluding breaks).
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way and arrival in Freiburg im Breisgau in the afternoon.
• Walk through the old town, along its little channels (Bächle) and around the cathedral.
• Check-in at the hotel for the overnight stop, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 2: Crossing the Alps and arrival at Lake Maggiore

• Departure after breakfast and drive across Switzerland via Basel, Lucerne, the Gotthard tunnel and Lugano (about 450 km, 6 hours excluding breaks).
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival in Stresa in mid-afternoon and a walk along the promenade facing the Borromean Islands.
• Check-in at the accommodation in Stresa, Baveno or on the shores of Lake Maggiore for three nights, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 3: The Borromean Islands

• Boat excursion to the Borromean Islands from Stresa.
• Visit to the Borromeo Palace and its terraced gardens on Isola Bella (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense on Isola dei Pescatori, the fishermen’s island with its narrow lanes.
• Visit to the botanical garden of Isola Madre, with its peacocks and exotic plants (on request).
• Back to Stresa, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Lake Orta and Verbania

• Drive to Orta San Giulio, on Lake Orta (about 45 min).
• Boat crossing to San Giulio island, its Romanesque basilica and its “Way of Silence”.
• Lunch at your own expense on Piazza Motta, then drive to Verbania (about 45 min).
• Visit to the botanical gardens of Villa Taranto (on request), then a walk along the Pallanza waterfront.
• Dinner and last evening on Lake Maggiore.

Day 5: Milan, capital of fashion and design

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and drive to Milan (about 90 km, 1 hr 15 min).
• The Duomo and climb up to its marble terraces, among the spires and statues (on request).
• The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, La Scala and lunch at your own expense.
• The courtyards of Sforza Castle and Sempione Park, then visit to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” (on request).
• Drive to Como (about 1 hr) and check-in at the accommodation for two nights, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 6: Como and Bellagio

• Walk through Como’s old town, from the cathedral to the lakeside.
• Funicular ride from Como up to Brunate for the view over the lake and the Alps (on request).
• Boat from Como to Bellagio, the “pearl of the lake”, and lunch at your own expense.
• Supervised free time in the stepped lanes of Bellagio, then return by boat.
• Dinner and last evening in Italy.

Day 7: Lugano and return to Germany

• Rooms vacated after breakfast.
• Drive to Lugano (about 40 min) and a walk along the lakeside and through the old town.
• Lunch at your own expense, then crossing of the Alps via the Gotthard to Freiburg im Breisgau (about 330 km, 4.5 hours excluding breaks).
• Check-in at the hotel for the overnight stop, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 8: Return to Belgium

• Departure after breakfast.
• Daytime drive back to Belgium (about 450 to 550 km) with regular breaks.
• Lunch at your own expense during a break on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the late afternoon.