Final-year school trip to Venice and Lake Garda: Gardaland, Verona, Sirmione, Murano and Burano (9 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and overnight stop in Switzerland

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive to Switzerland via Luxembourg, Alsace and Basel (about 650 km from Brussels, 7 hours' driving excluding breaks).
• 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.
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Overnight stop in the Lucerne area, dinner and quiet evening.

Day 2: The Gotthard and Sirmione, on Lake Garda

• Departure after breakfast and drive to Italy through the Gotthard tunnel and via Milan (about 380 km, 4½ hours excluding breaks).
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Arrival in Sirmione, at the tip of a peninsula on the lake, and visit to the Scaliger Castle surrounded by water (on request).
• Check-in at the accommodation on the lakeshore, in the Peschiera or Lazise area, for three nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 3: A day at Gardaland

• Short coach transfer to Gardaland, in Castelnuovo del Garda (about 15 minutes).
• A full day in Italy’s biggest amusement park, with its roller coasters and water rides.
• Free lunch in the park and meeting points set by the teachers.
• Return to the accommodation at the end of the day, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Malcesine and Monte Baldo

• Drive along the eastern shore of the lake to Malcesine (about 50 km, 1 hour) and walk through the old village, at the foot of the Scaliger Castle.
• Cable car up Monte Baldo, at almost 1,800 m, for the view over the whole lake (on request).
• Free lunch, then boat crossing from Malcesine to Limone sul Garda and back (on request).
• Stop in Bardolino or Lazise for a walk along the waterfront.
• Dinner and last supervised evening by the lake.

Day 5: Verona and arrival in Venice

• Check-out after breakfast and drive to Verona (about 30 km, 30 minutes).
• The Piazza Bra and visit to the Roman arena, one of the best-preserved ancient amphitheatres (on request).
• The courtyard of Juliet’s House (free access), the Piazza delle Erbe and the Piazza dei Signori, then free lunch.
• The Castelvecchio and its fortified bridge over the Adige, then drive to Mestre (about 120 km, 1½ hours).
• Check-in at the accommodation in Mestre, on the Venetian mainland, for three nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 6: Venice, from the Rialto to St Mark’s

• Tram from Mestre to Piazzale Roma, then discovery of Venice on foot.
• The Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge, then free lunch.
• St Mark’s Square, the campanile and visit to St Mark’s Basilica and its golden mosaics (on request).
• Visit to the Doge’s Palace and walk across the Bridge of Sighs (on request).
• Tram back to Mestre, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 7: Murano, Burano and a last afternoon in Venice

• Crossing of the lagoon by vaporetto to Murano and Burano, with a one-day transport pass (on request).
• In Murano, glass-blowing demonstration in a workshop (on request).
• In Burano, its brightly coloured houses and its lace, then free lunch.
• Back to Venice, supervised free time in the Dorsoduro district and along the Zattere waterfront.
• Dinner and last supervised evening.

Day 8: Drive to the overnight stop in Switzerland

• Check-out after breakfast and departure around 8 am.
• Daytime drive via Verona, Milan and the Gotthard tunnel (about 500 km, 6 hours excluding breaks), with two drivers taking turns.
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Overnight stop in the Lucerne area, dinner and quiet evening.

Day 9: Return to your school

• Departure after breakfast and daytime drive via Basel, Alsace and Luxembourg (about 650 km to Brussels, 7 hours' driving excluding breaks), with regular breaks.
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the evening.