Travel to Lake of Garda, Italy
Food, Wine and Cultural Tour to the Lake of Garda Italy
Marco Avigo, accredited professional sommelier and restaurateur for 20 years on the Lake of Garda, will be your host to the gastronomic paradise of Lake of Garda in Lombardy, northern Italy. One of Italy’s most unspoiled regions. We will be dining in world renewed restaurants, typical Trattoria’s and Osteria’s, tasting typical dishes and typical wines still unknown to many.
We will visit Vineyards, Cheese producer, Salami producer, Rice producer and EVOO producer.
In addition, we will tour around the lake and surrounding region. We will visit such places as the peninsula of Sirmione, San Michele hills, Montecastello Sanctuary on top of Tremosine hills and the historical Borghetto hamlet. We will also visit a typical open-market in Salo’ village and the Valpolicella region for a great Amarone tasting.
The lake itself covers an entire region with the west shore in Lombardy, the eastern side in Veneto and the north in Trentino. The tour will take us to the southern port of the lake. Our home away from home will be the “Hotel Nazionale” located in Desenzano. From here, we will embark each day to visit sides, revel in the beauty and indulge in the local food and wine. Our daily sojourns will not begin until 10 or 10:30 am so you will have plenty of time to relax. This tour has been designed by Marco to be fun, informative and especially relaxing and tasty!!
Buon Divertimento!!
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Lake of Garda, Italy Tour Program
Upcoming Dates
September 2025 / May 2026
Maximum size group 6 people
On Thursday morning, Marco will meet you at Malpensa airport. From there, we will transfer with our private minivan to Desenzano del Garda. Here we will have a light lunch in a restaurant with a beautiful view of the lake. After lunch, we will drive to our hotel and now will accommodate into your room. Later in the afternoon we will depart with our private minivan for a visit to the small historical hamlet Borghetto (1393 AD). In the evening, we will enjoy a fabulous dining experience at the Restaurant “La Borsa” in Valeggio, well known as one of the capitals of tortellini.
Breakfast in the hotel. At 10:30 am we will depart to visit “Ottella Vineyard” in Lugana. There, we will learn about the production of wine, and taste great wines from the Lake region with some light small bites. In the afternoon, we will drive back to Desenzano and reach the village of Sirmione with the Ferry Boat. After the visit, we will return to Desenzano in the same way with the Ferry Boat. In the evening we will transfer to the village of Pozzolengo for our dinner with Bollito at the “Osteria dell’Avanguardia”.
Breakfast in the Hotel. At 10:00 am we will depart to visit the village of Salo’, and we will stroll around the open-air market, later will have an aperitif on the beautiful boardwalk of Salo’. We will have lunch in a typical restuarant/wine store in Manerba village. After lunch we will visit the Avanzi Wineyard. There we will have a wine tasting, and an EVOO tasting produced in their own Oil Mill.
We will return to the hotel to freshen up. At 7:00 pm we will depart to have our dinner at the “Restaurant Aurora” in the village of Soiano del Lago.
Breakfast in the hotel. Around 10:30 am we will transfer with our private minivan to the hills of San Michele, during the ride you will be able to admire the lake. We will have lunch at the “Farmhouse Il Rudere” where we will be dining on the typical dish from this area called Spiedo.
In the afternoon we will return to Desenzano. You will have the rest of the day at leisure
Breakfast in the Hotel. At 10:00 am, we will transfer to Isola della Scala village, between Mantua and Verona. Here we will visit the historical “Riseria Ferron” famous for the production of Vialone Nano rice.
A professional guide will walk us trough the process of the husking and production of rice. Here we will have a light lunch with risotto prepared by their chef. Later in the afternoon we will return to our hotel. We will end the day traveling to the village of Peschiera for a special seafood wine dinner at the restaurant “La Barcaccia”.
Breakfast in the Hotel. At 8:30 am, we will depart with our private minivan to visit a “Cheese Factory”. There we will learn about the production of cheese, from the milk to the final product, and taste some particular cheeses from this area. Later, we will transfer to Valpolicella Hills where we will visit a salami factory and we will taste some of their amazing products. Our next stop will be the “Rubinelli Vineyard”. Here we will enjoy a nice wine tasting with Valpolicella and Amarone wines. After a short break in our hotel, we will end the day having dinner in a typical restaurant in Desenzano.
Breakfast in the Hotel. At 10:00 am we leave with our private minivan for a tour around the lake. We will stop to Tignale at 2,000 feet altitude, and enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire lake. Later we will have a small lunch in Torbole. In the afternoon, while driving on the other side of the lake, going back to Desenzano, we will have an aperitif at Punta San Vigilio, one of the most romantic place on the lake. We will we end our day, having a dinner at the farmhouse “Il Rovere” in Lonato del Garda.
Breakfast in the hotel. Morning at your leisure. At 11:30 am we will depart to visit “Costaripa Vineyard” in Moniga del Garda. There we will learn about the production of wine, and taste great wines and champagne along with some small bites. In the afternoon we will return to the hotel to pack our luggage. We will depart to Milan with our private minivan and reach our hotel in Casorate Sempione. Here we will have our final wine dinner at the renowned restaurant “Della Pista”.
After Breakfast in the Hotel, we will drive to the airport for your departure to the USA.
Photos of Lake of Garda, Italy Tour
What is included:
- 7 nights at 4 stars Hotel Nazionale, Desenzano del Garda
- 1 night at 4 stars Hotel della Pista, Casorate Sempione
- Private air-conditioned minivan for trips, transfer and excursions
- 8 Continental Breakfast throughout the trip
- Five lunches
- Seven gourmet dinner’s
- Small bites at the wineries and at the cheese factory
- Small bites at the Salami Factory
- Aperitif in Punta San Vigilio and in Salo’
- Excursions around the Lake of Garda
- Ferry boat ride Desenzano-Sirmione-Desenzano
- Visit to four Wineries with wine tasting
- Visit to a Cheese factory
- Visit to an Olive oil factory
- Visit to a Salami factory
- Visit to a Rice factory
- Visit to an open-air Market
- All tips and taxes when included with the group
- Portage of maximum of two pieces of luggage per person (one medium – one small)
- Marco Avigo will personally host you through your entire tour
What is not included:
- Flight
- Personal items, such as additional food and beverage orders, telephone, room service and laundry service, special arrangements before and after the program; service charges, taxes, insurance, and others items not specifically mentioned as included
- Insurance for trip cancellations, luggage loss or damage, medical and accident insurance is not included but is strongly recommended
COST AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Cost = $4,900 per person based on double occupancy
Payment schedule
- $1,000. with application is due March 1, 2025 (50% not refundable)
- Balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure
Reserve your place today!
To reserve your place, please fill out the Reservation Form, sign it and return it as soon as possible with your deposit of $1,000.00
Please make payment to:
Marco Avigo Tours
8311 Strahle Place
Philadelphia, PA 19111