Join us for an Italian Adventure taking you into the heart of the stunning Dolomite Alps in Northern Italy.
Your holiday includes a five-night stay at the excellent Hotel Paganella. At this welcoming family-run hotel, you'll receive a warm welcome from hotel owner Fausto, who is renowned for his outstanding hospitality. Your stay in Paganella includes breakfast and evening meals, as well as unlimited wine and water with dinner, plus a complimentary bar each evening.
Day One
Departing from South Wales in the early hours, we head to Dover for our crossing to northern France, then travel inland to the beautiful city of Lille. With a central hotel, you can choose to dine nearby or head into the city itself, where you'll find a great choice of bars and restaurants.
Day Two - Strasbourg
We'll make an early start as we continue our journey, travelling eastward through France, and on to the Capital of the Alsace, Strasbourg. Is it in France or Germany? Well, it depends on who you speak to, but the influence of both has led to some fabulous half-timbered architecture and excellent food and drink. Perfect to grab a bite to eat before we continue to our overnight stop near the French town of Mulhouse.
Day Three - Innsbruck
Today, we make the final leg of the journey, enjoying some spectacular scenery as we continue travelling through Germany and into Austria, where we'll take a lunchtime break in Innsbruck. Nestled in the Heart of the Alps and the Capital of the Austrian Tyrol, Innsbruck offers a fabulous choice of local and international cuisine, complemented by the region's famous wines. It is ideal to get you refreshed before we board the coach once more.
From here, it's Northern Italy and on to the fabulous Hotel Paganella, where you'll enjoy the next five nights, including breakfast, evening meals, complimentary wine and water with dinner, plus a free bar in the evenings (beer, wine, soft drinks & national spirits). This intimate and friendly, 3-star, family-run hotel is ideally located for exploring this stunning part of Northern Italy. Fausto and his family ensure a warm welcome in this typically Austrian chalet-style hotel.
*Please be aware that the hotel's sauna and wellness facilities will not be available for use during your stay
Day Four - Fai della Paganella & Winetasting
Enjoy a leisurely start today as we settle into the hotel and have an opportunity to explore the local area. Our lovely host, Fausto, will take us on a leisurely walk around this charming village, accompanied by a picnic lunch.
Later in the afternoon, we'll head out to a local vineyard to enjoy a tour and wine-tasting experience.
Day Five - The Dolomites
Today's excursion takes us on a full-day scenic drive into the majestic Dolomites. With spectacular sightseeing on a grand scale, we travel through the towering Italian Dolomites along panoramic Alpine roads and steep mountain passes. The Dolomites feature an incredible variety of diverse landscapes, from lush valleys to towering peaks, as well as breathtaking panoramas at every turn. There will be plenty of photo opportunities along the way, and we will enjoy coffee and lunch breaks in some of the picturesque villages in the region.
Day Six - Lake Molveno & Riva del Garda (Lake Garda)
Our journey this morning takes us past the lesser-known but incredibly scenic Lake Molveno, as we make our way south towards Riva del Garda, a popular resort on the north shore of Lake Garda. Here you'll have free time to explore the town and soak up some of its fantastic, vibrant atmosphere, and perhaps enjoy a delicious lunch or drink in the main square. You might even like to enjoy a cruise out on Lake Garda itself!
Day Seven - Bolzano and Merano
The historic spa town of Merano sits just to the south of the Austrian border, and you'll notice both German and Italian languages being spoken here! The town is renowned for its thriving spa culture, featuring thermal baths and wellness retreats that draw visitors seeking relaxation and rejuvenation. For a bird’s-eye view of the city, take the chairlift up to the panoramic viewpoint (not included), try out some mouth-watering ‘speck’ in a local stube or tempt yourself with ‘sachertorte’ in one of the pastry shops!
On the return journey to the hotel, we'll also stop by the old medieval town of Bolzano, with its cobbled streets and colourful buildings; it's worth a visit!
Day Eight - Arrivederci Italia!
Time to say goodbye to the Dolomites and our hotel, setting off in the morning after breakfast to make our way to Basel in Switzerland. Medieval buildings and modern architecture sit side by side in this cultural hot-spot. Head to the banks of the Rhine and enjoy a drink and a bite at one of the Buvettes before we head back to our overnight stop at Mulhouse, with breakfast included.
Day Nine - Reims and Lille
After breakfast at the hotel, we'll make our way north through France, taking a lunchtime stop in the beautiful Champagne city of Reims. The stunning Cathedral Notre-Dames stands proud in the centre, flanked by French brasseries and plenty of shops stocked full of the region's favourite export, Champagne!
From here, we return to Lille for our final overnight hotel stay, with breakfast included.
Day Ten
Our Italian Dolomites holiday must sadly end, as we return to Calais and cross back to the UK. Arriving back home late that evening.
***IMPORTANT NOTE: Overnight Accommodation (Stay) Tax on Non-Resident Stays – The Italian Government has given the ability for each municipality in Italy to decide if they wish to introduce a stay tax levied on tourists. This has been implemented sporadically throughout Italy, with each municipality deciding how to collect it. The tax broadly ranges from €1-€5 per person per night and is generally collected from each passenger on arrival. Due to the uncertain nature of collection and the decision being made by the municipalities we wish to ensure that all passengers are made aware of this on booking to so that any tax can be paid by individual guests on arrival.
We have a number of pick up points available for this break as shown below...
The Hotel Paganella is an intimate and friendly, 3 star, family-run hotel is ideally located for touring this area due to its proximity to the main motorway network. Fausto and his family ensure a warm welcome in this typically Austrian chalet-style hotel. Bedrooms are well appointed and all 26 contain a TV and hairdryer. There is a cosy bar, a traditional restaurant serving excellent homemade fayre, a comfortable lounge and seating areas. • Lift • Bar • Restaurant • Coach parking is off-site & free of charge
The following room types are available at the hotel:
