Experience the treasures of Lake Garda – cruise to beautiful Isola del Garda and enchanting Sirmione, with an excursion to timeless Venice – from lakeside Desenzano

Your holiday begins at London St Pancras where we meet the Tour Manager and our group of co-travellers before boarding the Eurostar service to Paris. From the French capital, we continue by rail across France, passing the Italian Alps as we travel to Turin.

In the alpine foothills, this city is a modern centre of business and technology, but boasts a history blending Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

After checking in to our hotel in the city's historic centre, we join our group for our first dinner together in a traditional restaurant nearby.

Please note: the 25th June, 9th July, 23rd July, 30th July, 27th August, 24th September and 8th October departures will travel by rail in First Class.

After breakfast, there's time at leisure to explore Turin. This dignified city is an important centre of business, finance and technology, and is also a showcase of Baroque, Renaissance and modern architecture. Fringed by the Italian Alps, the city's wide boulevards and grand public squares are lined with enticing cafés and bars. Just a short walk from our hotel is a pedestrianised shopping district.

Later, we regroup and walk to the railway station to continue our journey further into northern Italy by rail. We pass through Milan before arriving at Desenzano, a large town with an attractive historic centre and charming waterfront on the shores of Lake Garda.

Arriving early evening, we check in to our family-run hotel, which boasts a beautiful panoramic terrace providing stunning views of the lake. Perfectly positioned near to the town's historic centre and train station, it's a great location from which to explore Desenzano and further afield. This evening, we dine at our hotel, which is renowned for its food, offering freshly prepared dishes using local ingredients that celebrate the flavours of the region.

A full free day ahead presents the perfect opportunity to get to know our base of Desenzano after breakfast.

At the heart of the town is the main square, Piazza Malvezzi, where you'll find cafés, gelateria, stylish boutiques, delicatessens and wine shops. From the pretty marina with its ancient harbour wall, you could walk along the lakefront on the Cesare Battisti promenade. Built on the base of a Roman fort and town, the medieval Desenzano castle has fabulous views across the bay. Nearby is the Roman villa with beautiful mosaics, thermal baths and a terrace overlooking the lake. Other highlights include the archaeological museum, and the Cathedral of St Mary Magdalene.

With Desenzano train station only a short distance from our hotel, you could take one of the frequent trains to another city, such as fashionable Milan with its world-famous Duomo. A boat trip to the wine-producing town of Bardolino or the UNESCO-listed Roman city of Peschiera are other appealing options. Wherever you find yourself today, you can indulge in authentic Italian cuisine for lunch or dinner.

Today is a highlight of your holiday as we travel by rail from Desenzano to glorious Venice. On arrival, a private boat transfers us to the heart and soul of Venice, St Mark's Square.

Here, we find ourselves surrounded by iconic sights including St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. Embarking on a guided tour, we are taken through hidden backstreets, seeing the house where Vivaldi was born, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St George and the famous Bridge of Sighs. Our tour ends back in St Mark's Square, where we are free to continue discovering this wonderful city at our own pace. You could choose to enter St Mark's Basilica to see its incredible interior or revisit some of the other great buildings we've passed.

Wandering along luminous turquoise canals, passing Venetian palazzos and beautiful bridges, is the ideal way to soak up Venice's ethereal atmosphere. Later, we return to Desenzano by rail and dine at our hotel this evening.

By now you'll be enjoying the leisurely Italian pace of life, and today you have a day and evening ahead to spend exactly as you wish. You might choose to relax at the pool or on the roof terrace of our hotel, to discover more of Desenzano and its historic attractions, or to venture further afield, either by boat or by rail.

The chance to sightsee by boat is a tempting option. On the western coast of the lake is Gardone Riviera, a hidden gem and one of Italy's most beautiful small towns. Surrounded by mountains, the town features the André Heller Botanic Garden, with unusual plants from all over the world - a Japanese garden, water features and grottoes - which is decorated with contemporary art sculptures.

Besides the option to explore by boat today, you could also consider a day trip to a city that can be reached efficiently by rail, such as Bergamo with its historic hilltop Old Town. This evening you are free to dine independently and there are many places to choose from in Desenzano.

This morning is at leisure, and it is market day in Desenzano so you may choose to wander down to the lakeside and join locals in browsing the many colourful stalls of clothing, handcrafted items and fresh produce. This afternoon we walk across to the boat landing and join a cruise across Lake Garda to the wondrous Isola del Garda. This is our only tour to visit this island - the largest on the lake and only accessible by boat.

Isola del Garda has been owned by the Cavazza family for generations. Here, fragrant acacia and lemon trees frame an extraordinary neo-Gothic style villa. There's also a small wood of pines and cypresses, acacias and lemon trees, magnolias and agaves. We explore the exquisite villa and extensive gardens on a guided tour before relaxing with a drink in the grounds.

We return to Desenzano by boat at the end of the afternoon, and there's time to relax and unwind before we gather for dinner at our hotel this evening.

Today is spent at leisure and there are many fascinating destinations you could visit after breakfast, or unwind in our attractive base of Desenzano. With great rail connections from the lakeside town, you could be in either Brescia or Verona within 20 minutes.

Brescia aligned with Rome during the Carthaginian Wars and the most important Roman remains in northern Italy can be found here, including a former temple and part of a World Heritage site which contains an amphitheatre. The heart of historic Brescia is the Piazza della Loggia - a good place to enjoy a local delicacy. You could try casoncelli bresciani, a delicious stuffed pasta, and sip on Pirlo, similar to Aperol spritz.

Historic Verona is a UNESCO-listed city that may be best-known as the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Here, you can see Juliet's balcony and the awe-inspiring Roman Arena, which predates Rome's Colosseum and is now an open-air opera house. Unwind in Piazza delle Erbe, the city's oldest square which was originally a Roman forum, now buzzing with cafés and lined with beautiful buildings.

On our final full day in Desenzano, we take a short cruise after breakfast to our nearest lakeside neighbour.

Sirmione is one of Lake Garda's most delightful towns. Set on a narrow peninsula which stretches into the lake, the town is a pleasure to explore on foot and you are free to do so independently. Sirmione is known for the striking medieval Scaligero Castle, which guards the entrance to the town. It's possible to enter the castle and climb its fortified walls for views across the lake. Among the Old Town's medieval streets and colourful piazzas, you'll find a 14th-century church, trattorias and pavement cafés. Local specialities include fresh fish, pizza and homemade pasta, such as pumpkin ravioli and tortellini. Another ancient site on the Sirmione peninsula is the extraordinary Grottoes of Catullus, the preserved remains of one of the largest Roman villas in Italy.

This afternoon, we sail back to Desenzano where there's time at leisure - maybe to enjoy a swim in the hotel pool - before dinner this evening.

We leave the beautiful surroundings of Lake Garda, for a coach transfer to Milan, where we continue by rail to Chambéry, passing Les Deux-Alpes and the Vanoise National Park enroute.

This evening, we arrive in the attractive medieval town of Chambéry and walk a short distance to our hotel for the night. This charming French town is backdropped by the Alps, and its historic Old Town has a characterful square, surrounded by colourful houses.

This evening, we gather with our group to enjoy the final dinner of this memorable holiday at our hotel.

Please Note - For departures 16th & 23rd June we will overnight at the Hotel Le Cinq in Chambéry.

Staying in beautiful Desenzano on the shores of Lake Garda has allowed us to explore the treasures of northern Italy. From a tour of magical Venice to boat rides to floral Isola del Garda and enchanting Sirmione, we have uncovered elegant sights and famed landmarks. With plenty of free time, you have had many opportunities to discover destinations that appeal to your interests.

After a night in Chambéry and our final breakfast, we travel by rail to Paris, where we join the Eurostar to London. As we arrive back at St Pancras, your Italian holiday comes to an end, and you can make your way home.

Our Discoveries range offers everything you need at a great price so you can travel with confidence. It provides comfortable, locally run accommodation*, standard rail or economy flights and expert-led group tours. You'll be in groups with an average of 30-35 travellers and a maximum of 40. *where available

Step aboard the high-speed international rail service, linking London St Pancras to Paris and Lille in France, Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which are arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop-down tray tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet which sells a range of snacks, meals, and hot and cold drinks - including Champagne!

The highest class of Eurostar travel available for leisure customers is Plus class. In your dedicated Plus carriage you'll find a less dense seat configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service, you'll enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by friendly, helpful waiting staff.

For the class of travel used on your chosen tour, please refer to the 'What's Included' section of the tour page.

Introduced in 1981, France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) was the original European high-speed train. Linking Paris with Lyon, the new service revolutionised train travel and meant that travelling by air over medium and short distances was no longer seen as the best option, even for business travel.

The network has expanded rapidly and today these sleek, stylish trains offer links to over 60 destinations throughout France. Operated by SNCF, the French national rail operator, TGV trains travel over specially constructed high-speed lines. The trains can achieve speeds of up to 186mph (300km/h) on most long-distance routes and 200mph (320km/h) on the new TGV Est line, which links Paris with Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Basel. With the exception of shorter journeys, TGVs almost always have an on-board buffet car, serving a selection of drinks and light refreshments.

This family-run 4-Star hotel is modern in style and a short distance from the shores of Lake Garda. Amenities include a small outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a furnished sun terrace overlooking the lake. The hotel offers impeccable service, a roof terrace and a cocktail bar - the ideal place to relax and sample a range of local wines. The bar is open throughout the day, so refreshments are always available. Air-conditioned guest rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV, safe, minibar, tea & coffee-making equipment, hairdryer and balcony.

Your holiday begins the moment you meet your Tour Manager at St Pancras International and board the Eurostar train for mainland Europe. If you wish to get your holiday off to an extra special start, why not consider upgrading your on-board accommodation from Standard Class to Plus Class?

As well as all the amenities enjoyed in Standard Class, Plus Class travellers benefit from extra spacious, comfortable seats, complimentary newspapers and magazines and a light snack with drinks served at your seat during the journey. Before 11am, the light snack comprises breakfast pastries, yoghurt, fruit juice and tea or coffee. After 11am there is a choice of 2 main dishes and a dessert, accompanied by soft drinks, wine or beer and tea or coffee.

Prices for an upgrade from £125 each way. Please call us for more details.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.