Sample Itinerary
Our itinerary is at a leisurely pace with three overnight stops in France and Switzerland before reaching your destination in Italy for a relaxing stay of three nights overlooking Lake Iseo. Here we have included a day in Verona for a chance to do some sightseeing and we also get to Brescia for the start of the Mille Miglia. Leaving the Lake we head to magnificent Tuscany before returning via the Apennines for overnight stays in the Emilia Romagna region and Lake Como. Some of the most amazing driving routes await as we drive back through Switzerland and France for our last two stops on route back to the UK.
11 night / 12 day driving tour
Saturday
Travel with P&O on a morning ferry from Dover to Calais.
Drive to the beautiful city Nancy famous for its architectural masterpieces inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Considered the home of the Art Nouveau movement. Our hotel is in the centre of the city close to the place Stanislas. Tonight dinner will be taken in the famous Café Flo L’Excelsior a restaurant established in 1911 in a building unchanged and still in original Art Nouveau styling.
Approximate mileage 300 miles (if you would like to take it easier, catch the ferry on Friday and ask us to book an additional stopover and meet up with us at Nancy).
Sunday
Approximate mileage 205 miles
Today the suggested route will take you through the Vosges mountains along the Route des Cretes to Mulhouse to visit the Cite de l’Automobile – Musee national – collection Schlumph. The largest car museum in the world, the Cité de l’Automobile showcases 400 classic, prestige and racing cars which trace the history of the automobile. Tonight you will stay at a beautiful 5-star hotel which stands in the Old Town of Luzern overlooking the Lake. Dinner will be taken at the hotel.
Monday
Approximate mileage 150 miles
An even more exciting driving experience awaits you when you leave Luzern, tracing the shores of Lake Luzern to Schwyz and then on over the Alps to St Moritz known as ‘Roof of the World’, playground to the rich and famous. Here we will stay at a hotel in the centre of town where you will always find one or two surprises parked in the garage belonging to the hotel’s owner. Once again dinner will be at the hotel.
Tuesday
Approximate mileage 100 miles
We leave Switzerland today and drive over the border to Italy, more stunning scenery and mountain passes take you to your hotel for the next three nights overlooking Lake Iseo, the fourth largest lake in Lombardy and an area of outstanding beauty. Dinner this evening will be at the hotel.
Wednesday
Drive free if you wish
Today is a leisure day and time to relax. You may wish to visit Verona famous for the setting of Romeo and Juliet and it’s well preserved Roman amphitheatres. You could take a boat and visit the Island in the lake for lunch or get in the mood with a visit to the Mille Miglia museum. You could relax by the pool sipping wine and doing absolutely nothing. Again dinner will be at the hotel, whose kitchen never disappoints.
Thursday
Drive free if you wish
Thursday sees the start of the Mille Miglia. We will take a private coach to Brescia for scrutineering and the start of the 2013 Mille Miglia where you are free to wander the streets, watch final preparations taking place and be amazed at the quality and variety of cars taking part. Nothing matches the passion of the Italians when it comes to cars and the whole town is buzzing.
The race starts at 19.00 and we will regroup to watch the start and return to the hotel later in the evening by coach.
Dinner is not arranged for this evening to give you freedom of choice around the town of Brescia and the area from where you would prefer to enjoy the atmosphere.
Friday
Approximate mileage 200 miles or less as more direct routes available
Heading further south today you may follow the route of the Mille Miglia, visit the Ferrari museum, the Mille Miglia museum or head straight to your hotel, a beautiful 13th century villa in the Mugello valley in the hills of Tuscany. The villa is an Olive Oil resort and after an aperitif on the terrace, we will sample an Olive oil tasting before dinner in the hotel. If you need a spot of relaxation, massages may be booked in advance subject to availability and an additional supplement.
Saturday
Approximate mileage 92 miles
The competitors are on the last leg of the race today, their longest haul and will reach the Florence area around lunch time. After a leisurely breakfast, we will drive up the Passo della Raticosa and Passo della Futa where you will be able to stop and watch the cars go by. This is an informal day, we will advise on stopping places but you travel at your own leisure and pace. We will stay in the city of Modena and dinner will be at the hotel. The route for Sunday morning (as yet not finalised) will be close by to watch the race entrants start on the short final leg back to Brescia.
Sunday
Approximate mileage 170 - 210 miles dependant on route
Travelling north today towards home we drive to Mennagio on the western side of Lake Como to our hotel overlooking the lake. You may wish to call in on the way at the vineyard on the estate where Conte Aymo Maggi (initiator of the Mille Miglia) lived. From Mennagio you can take a ferry across to Varenna or Bellagio or relax by the pool. Dinner will be at the hotel.
Monday
Approximate mileage 175 miles
Back into Switzerland via the Gotthard, Furka and Grimsel mountain passes (subject to weather conditions) we stay tonight in a traditional family run Swiss hotel at the top of a mountain with stunning views across the valley. Here we will sample the finest traditional Swiss cuisine and hospitality.
Tuesday
Approximate mileage 236 miles (shorter routes available)
Reluctantly leaving our mountaintop hotel and Switzerland and we head today to our final destination and our farewell dinner at a magnificent Chateau set in beautiful grounds on the banks of the River Meuse close to Verdun. We will enjoy a cocktail on the terrace followed by the best of local produce and fine wines.
Wednesday
Approximate mileage 240-250 miles
Sadly homeward bound for your crossing from Calais to Dover. There are endless places to visit on the way. You may wish to visit Verdun with it’s WW1 battlefields and memorials. The old Reims circuit is not far off track. Laon is a lovely place for lunch.
If you can’t bear to go home we could book you another night perhaps near Reims or Epernay where you can stock up on Champagne before catching the ferry home on the Thursday.
< back
Options (supplements apply)
If you would prefer to break the first or last days drive, we will be happy to book an additional hotels for you at a location and standard of your choice for which a supplement is payable.
Ferrari Museum – tickets may be booked online, we are happy to book them should you wish. £12 or £20 combined with Enzo Ferrari’s house.
Massage at the Olive Oil resort. From £75 - 1 hour
The extra-virgin olive oil experience a short tasting course of 1 hour £46 per person.
Swiss motorway pass – this may be purchased at the border or can be ordered online in advance. Please advise at time of booking if you wish to order in advance. Cost is approximately £30 at present.
Prices:
Price per person TBC based on 2 people with 1 car sharing a room. (Single supplement TBC)
To include:
- Dover to Calais ferry crossing
- Room on Bed and Breakfast basis with parking in specially selected hotels for 11 nights.
- Dinner with wine each evening (except the evening of 14 May, the start of the race)
- Entrance to Cité de l'Automobile (Schlumph museum)
- Transfer by private coach to Brescia for start of Mille Miglia.
- Road book with suggested routes
- Services of experienced tour guide throughout.
< back
|