September 24 - October 2, 2009
Thursday, September 24
Begin a week of music, cuisine, wine, and discovery in the exciting city of Milan.
Arrive and check into Starhotel Ritz. The afternoon will include a tour of the highlights of the city, filled with cultural and shopping treasures. We'll see the matchless Duomo, the Galleria (a 19th century shopping extravaganza), and La Scala Opera House.
After an early (for Italy, that is!) dinner (included), rest well and look forward to a full day of delights tomorrow.
Friday, September 25
After breakfast (included) we'll pack our suitcases in preparation for an afternoon drive to Cremona.
Then we'll feast our eyes on da Vinci's exquisite Last Supper, and leave a bit of free time to shop, stroll, and have lunch before driving to Cremona, where we'll check into the Delle Arti Design Hotel, just steps away from the magnificent Duomo.
After an early dinner (included) we'll join music aficionados from around the world for the opening concert of the Stradivari Foundation Festival.
Saturday, September 26
Breakfast (included) in the Delle Arti's art-filled Breakfast Room, and an introductory stroll in delightful Cremona.
Then off to the fall-tinged countryside, where we'll explore the tiny hilltop village of Castell'Arquato, an authentic medieval borgo dating to the 700's. We'll enjoy a delicious lunch (included) in the Taverna del Falconiere, surrounded by fortress walls high above the plains of Lombardy.
Back to Cremona, with time for shopping, wandering the town, and dinner on your own.
Sunday, September 27
Pack your suitcases before breakfast (included) , the enjoy a morning concert at the historic palazzo housing the Museo ala Ponzone.
Check out, and we'll be on our way to the captivating city of Verona , stopping for a delicious lunch (included) on the way.
After checking in to the elegant Hotel Trieste, we'll begin our discovery of this romantic town with its layers of history - from imposing Roman, to intimate Medieval, to romantic Renaissance and beyond.
Dinner on your own and a free evening.
Monday, September 28
Breakfast (included)
The moated and turreted Castello Scaligero guards the only land-side entrance to the medieval town of Sirmione on Lake Garda, our destination today. We'll stroll the cobbled streets and revel in the beauty of the tranquil mountain-ringed lake, stopping for lunch on the piazza before heading to the hills for a birds-eye view of sparkling lake.
Then back to Verona, where we'll relish another marvelous dinner (included) in the historic center of town.
Tuesday, September 29
Breakfast (included)
The meandering Mincio river widens to circle the fine city of Mantova in three tranquil lakes. We'll arrive in the morning and walk through the stunning medieval core, stopping for lunch on the evocative Piazza Erbe, the ancient market square, before entering the jewel of the town, the astounding Palazzo Ducale, a huge complex with over 500 rooms (the highlight is the Camera degli Sposi, containing masterful yet tender frescoes of the ruling family by the 15th century artist Mantegna) that was once the largest palace in Europe.
Returning to Verona, we'll savour a memorable meal (included) under the frescoed vaulted ceilings of Ristorante 12 Apostoli in the center of old Roman Verona.
Wednesday, September 30
Pack your suitcases before breakfast (included)
We'll have time for shopping or just wandering the lovely lanes of Verona before returning to Cremona in the afternoon.
The Hotel delle Arti will once again welcome us for our final two nights in Italy.
Dinner (included) will be served in an elegant and beautifully restored palazzo adorned with frescoes. A destination for foodies, Cremona's Hosteria 700 is a perfect place to relax and enjoy superb northern Italian cuisine.
Thursday, October 1
Breakfast (included) before a guided walking tour of Cremona, including a visit to the Museum of Ancient Instruments - the Stradivari heritage that put this city on the map centuries ago.
We'll enjoy a bountiful lunch (included) in the elegant ambience of an historic palazzo, then drive to Villa Verdi, the famous composer's country home.
Free time and dinner on your own in Cremona, before the grand finale of this year's festival - the awards ceremony and gala concert in Cremona's 18th century Teatro Ponchielli.
Friday, October 2
Relax over breakfast (included) then ciao to new-found friends before leaving Cremona on your journey homeward.
*Events subject to Stradivari Festival program and will be finalized in August, 2009
of the Luthier's art
costs and what's included?
Northern Italy