Treasures of Lake Garda

Day 1: Depart on your scheduled flight to Verona. On arrival, transfer to your hotel in Toscolano-Maderno, on the western shores of Lake Garda in the Riviera dei Limoni. The hotel is close to the small town centre, which has a selection of restaurants and a sandy beach.

Day 2: Join our full-day excursion starting in the pretty town of Limone, where lemon production flourished for centuries. You’ll visit Limonaia del Castèl, a lemon grove dating back to the 18th century, before heading to the Gardone Riviera. Here you’ll visit the Andre Heller Botanical Gardens, which feature more than 3,000 plant species, from magnolias and Tibetan primroses to irises and ferns. Round off the day at Frantoio Manestrini oil mill in Soiano del Lago, for a tour and tasting.

Day 3: Today we visit the small town of Isola della Scala, a centre of rice cultivation and host of the famous ‘Fiera del Riso’ or rice fair. After learning about rice growing you’ll be treated to a hands-on cooking demonstration as a chef prepares a traditional risotto. Enjoy the results for lunch along local wine. Our next stop is the magnificent Giardino Giusti in Verona – a restored Renaissance Italian garden that has been declared a National Monument. You will see collections of flowers, Roman ruins, fountains, mythological statues and grottos as well as its famous cypress tree avenue.

Day 4: Enjoy breakfast before our included excursion to the Garden Park Sigurtà for a guided tour. Considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, it has a wide variety of colourful plants and flowers and centuries-old trees.We continue to Borghetto in Lombardy. Home to three restored water mills, this unspoilt medieval village is dominated by Scaligero Castle and the Ponte Visconteo, a bridge and fortified dam over the Mincio River. Today’s final stop is Cellar Ricchi, a 38-acre vineyard, where you’ll enjoy a tasting of the fine wines produced here.

Day 5: Travel to the picturesque town of Malcesine by boat on today’s included excursion. Step ashore to discover cobbled lanes, a café-lined harbour and a castle. We also include a cable car ride up to Monte Baldo for stunning views over the lake. At the top of the mountain you’ll discover why Monte Baldo is known as ‘The Garden of Europe’ during a guided walking tour.

Day 6: Today you’ll transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.