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 four nights overlooking Lake Iseo. 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
Day 1
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).
Day 2
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.
Day 3
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.
Day 4
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.
Day 5
Drive free if you wish
Today is a leisure day and time to relax. 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, visit Ferrari, Ducati, Lamborghini. Or you could relax by the pool sipping wine and doing absolutely nothing.
Late afternoon we will enjoy an Olive Oil tasting at the hotels own farm.
Again dinner will be at the hotel, whose kitchen never disappoints.
Day 6
Today you will be transported to Verona where you can do some sightseeing and then we will attend the Opera in the almost two-thousand-year-old Roman amphitheatre where you will find thousands of people keyed up with the anticipation of the spectacle which is to follow. No one can help be uplifted by such an atmosphere
Please note dinner is not arranged for this day.
Day 7
Enjoy a relaxing breakfast
The hotel sommelier will accompany us on a visit to a local vineyard today where you see the process of wine making and of course taste some of the local wine.
Optional dinner at hotel
Day 8
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.
Day 9
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.
Day 10
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.
Day 11
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.
Please note this itinerary is subject to change but please register your interest as this tour will be limited to 10 – 12 cars. Thank you.
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