7-Nights Venice and the Dolomites - Small Group Journeys from $12,295
Abercrombie & Kent
OFFER ID 1652190
Venice and the Dolomites
Italy’s northeast beguiles with a can’t-miss combination of Old-World romance and some of the most spectacular mountain landscapes in Europe. Your immersion in the region begins amid the cobblestone streets of medieval Asolo, then continues up into the snow-dusted Dolomites where you explore amid this awe-inspiring UNESCO-listed mountain range, tasting local cheese and wine along the way. Acting as a fitting finale, Venice enchants with Gothic architecture, outstanding craftsmanship and a chance to cross the threshold of one of its iconic palazzos and see its extraordinary art collection.
7 nights from $12,295 per person
Itinerary Details
1 Arrive Asolo, Italy
Even in a country of such rustic charms, the village of Asolo stands out: its numerous surrounding peaks gave it the nickname “City of a Hundred Horizons,” while its streets are a pleasant jumble of medieval and early Renaissance architecture. Your boutique hotel in the heart of the city embodies all of Asolo’s appeal, while a traditional village restaurant hosts your welcome dinner, serving up authentic local specialties.
Albergo Al Sole
Meals:
2 Asolo - Fine Wines of Prosecco
The Prosecco region has been renowned for viticulture since Roman days, its horizon-spanning vineyards lending symmetry to the rolling hills, with centuries-old villas and manor houses rising like islands amid the vines. At family-owned Villa Sandi, named one of the World’s Best Vineyards in 2023, try some of its best-loved varietals, including sparkling Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut and its versatile red, the Raboso Marca Trevigiana IG. Its beautiful villa is a Palladian masterpiece dating back nearly 400 years, its classic elegance undimmed. Villa Sandi wines further accompany lunch in nearby Locanda Sandi, where traditional dishes on offer might include Locanda snails, slow-cooked sopa coàda, or meat grilled on the restaurant’s open fire. Rosapetra, your home for the next three nights, shows off Cortina spectacularly, each room harmoniously blending rustic Alpine charm with windows and balconies that open onto epic views of the surrounding mountains.
Rosapetra Spa Resort
Meals:
3 Cortina - Glories of the Dolomites
Jagged here and squared off there, the Dolomite mountains are irresistible to skiers and snowboarders in winter, while in summer, their retreating snow cover beckons hikers and climbers in search of panoramic landscapes not found anywhere else. Ascend along winding roads by Jeep and on foot for a view of five peaks so stunning UNESCO recognized them as part of the world’s natural heritage: the Cinque Torri (Five Towers). Walk around the open-air Museum of the Great War, at the foot of the Marmolada glacier, the site of high-altitude battles. Head to Rifugio Scoiattoli for lunch, set high on the slopes overlooking the Cinque Torri, where over homemade pasta, a seasoned climber joins you to share stories of scaling these slopes and peaks.
Rosapetra Spa Resort
Meals:
4 Cortina - Cheese Tasting With Wine
Cortina is justly known as “the Queen of the Dolomites,” a town that complements its sweeping surroundings with high-end shopping, fine dining spots and quaint Alpine architecture, not to mention delectable local goods, which you discover firsthand with a morning visit to a local cheese house. Meet the cheese maker and descend to the cellar to taste just-ripe cheeses right where they age, a glass of local wine in hand to wash it down. The afternoon is reserved for your choice of activity in this breathtaking spot, with options including paragliding, a helicopter tour, tennis or a hike or cycling excursion as challenging or relaxing as you like. Tonight’s dinner is set in Alajmo Cortina, where traditional mountain fare is served up with an exciting contemporary twist.
Rosapetra Spa Resort
Meals:
5 Venice - Historic Dam Visit
En route to Venice lies the Vajont Dam, where in 1963 a landslide led to a catastrophic flood that swept away many of the surrounding villages and towns. The dam remains today, decommissioned but still among the tallest in the world, and a powerful symbol of remembrance for the Italian people. A local expert paints a vivid picture of the event and explains what led to it. Later, toast your arrival in Venice with a cocktail in lively Saint Mark’s Square. Your hotel, Palazzina Grassi, is one of the best in this remarkable city: a Philippe Starck-designed boutique hotel, elegantly modern and unmistakably Venetian, that has hosted Hollywood royalty.
Palazzina Grassi
Meals:
6 Venice - Artisanal Treasures
Rising from an enclosed lagoon on the Adriatic Sea, Venice is a byword for Old World romance and charm, from intricate Italian Gothic architecture to the iconic gondolas and vaporettos passing under the bridges that delicately span its canals and waterways. A private launch brings you to the Cannaregio district, home to one of the town’s most spectacular and best-kept secrets: the furnace of Angelo Orsoni. The oldest of its kind in the world, it has been producing precious glass and gold mosaics since 1888. Watch artisans up close as they create the kind of masterworks that adorn Westminster Abbey, the Golden Buddha in Bangkok and the Theatre de l’Opéra de Paris. Later, an expert guide leads you on a stroll through the historic Jewish neighborhood to the Rialto Bridge.
Palazzina Grassi
Meals:
7 Venice - Intimate Tea at a Noble Palace
In the heart of Venice on the Grand Canal sits the Palazzo Erizzo Nani Mocenigo, an iconic building constructed in 1480 in Venetian Gothic style. Now home to the Ligabue family and housing part of the private collection of the Ligabue Foundation, the doors of this private palace are opened exclusively for you this morning. Tonight’s farewell dinner at a lauded local restaurant caps this immersive exploration of northeastern Italy.
Palazzina Grassi
Meals:
8 Depart Venice
Transfer by boat to the airport and depart.
Meals:
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and municipality in the province of Belluno, Veneto, northern Italy. Located in the Dolomites, it is a popular winter sport resort. .Probably among the three most exclusive mountain locations in Europe, Cortina is known for its first-class hotels and shops.
Excursions
Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours
Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours
Highlights:
- Admire the wonderful architecture of the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica
Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Return private motorboat transfers between the harbour and central Venice
- An expert English-speaking guide (4 hours)
- Entrance fees to all named sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs.
- Gratuities
Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours
Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours
Highlights:
- Admire the many art treasures on display in the Frari Church
- See the masterpieces on display in the Accademia Gallery
Tour Can Operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Return private motorboat transfers between the harbour and central Venice
- An expert English-speaking guide (4 hours)
- Entrance fees to all stated sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours
Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours
Highlights:
- Visit Verona's impressive Amphitheatre
- See Juliet's House and its famous balcony
Tour Can Operate: Mornings
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Luxury car or minivan transfers between Venice cruise terminal and Verona
- An expert English-speaking guide in Verona (3 hours)
- Entrance fees to the stated sightseeing
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Venice - St. Marks, Grand Canal and Murano - 6 hours
Venice - St. Marks, Grand Canal and Murano - 6 hours
- Introduction to the history of Venice
- Visit to private glass producer in Murano
- Tour of Grand Canal by private boat
- Reservations to St.Marks and Doge's Palace - no lines
Included:
- Private English speaking guide for the day and private boat.
- Clients are picked up and dropped off at the Port
Meals
Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours
Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours
Today you will be met by your local English-speaking guide for a full day excursion by private motor-boat to explore the Lagoon Islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Venice lies in the centre of a vast lagoon that stretches for about 30 miles from north to south, studded by numerous small islands, mostly deserted. This amazing environment is what drove the Venetians to establish their city here, a perfectly secure and inaccessible little world. Enjoy the beauty of a ride across the waters of the lagoon; visit the island of Murano, where glass has been made for over 700 years and where you can see the age-old techniques of glass blowing still in use today.
Continue to Torcello, to see the breathtaking mosaics in the Basilica di Santa Maria dell’Assunta, the oldest building on the lagoon. After a leisurely lunch (payable locally) you reach the island of Burano, a quaint and colourful fisherman island famous for its lace and charming architecture.
Highlights:
- Cruise across the lagoon to Murano, where glass has been made for over 700 years using the same techniques
- Explore Torcello and Burano, a colourful fishing village famous for its lace and charming architecture
Tour can Operate: Morning
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Low
Inclusions:
• Return private motorboat transfer between the harbour and the islands
• An expert local guide (7 hours)
• Entrance fees
• All taxes
Exclusions:
• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities
The story of Murano and Burano
The story of Murano and Burano
Hop on a private boat and start sailing through the Venice lagoon! This unique tour will let you discover the authentic side of Venice by exploring two famous islands – Murano and Burano. First stop, Murano – an epicenter of the most sophisticated glass production in the world. “Il vetro di Murano”, the glass of Murano, is a special type of glass made for decades. You will visit one of the traditional factories and take part in a glass-blowing demonstration. Pretty exclusive, don’t you think?
Your next stop is Burano – a small, fishermen’s island, famous for its heritage of lace embroidery that it’s still today made by hand only. It is often mentioned as one of the prettiest towns in Italy and also one of the most unique thanks to two characteristics: its canals and its colorful houses that make the island a real rainbow of colors! This tour will surely let you remember the Venice Lagoon forever.
Highlights:
- Unique island experience
- Personal guide
Tour can operate: Morning or afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private guide
- Private boat
- Lunch
- Drinks
- Gratuities
- Items purchased for personal use
The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice
The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice
Are you ready to start this tour with a private boat cruise down the most spectacular “boulevard” in the world? Yes, we are talking about The Canal Grande, Venice’s main artery. Just hop on your private boat and enjoy the scenic views of all the marvelous palaces and side alley’s canals. Sit back and relax while you absorb the breath-taking beauty and uniqueness of Venice. After the ride, the guide will take you through Calli, Callette, Ponti, Campi and Campielli. You will reach Rialto bridge, that was the only way to cross the great Canal on foot, for centuries. You can indulge in great experience of the famous local market filled with interesting products and learn more about the area that was once a significant place for trading goods.
Highlights:
-
unique sightseeing experience
-
Personal guide
Tour Duration: up to 4h
Tour can operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Easy
Inclusions:
- Private guide
-
No line entrance tickets for Doge’s Palace and St. Mark Basilic
Not Included:
- Lunch
- Tips
- Drinks
- Transfers
An artists town with Venetian roots, scenic Asolo, Italy, sits on a panoramic hillside location overlooking trees and small farms 25 mi/45 km northwest of Venice.
Walk the narrow streets to see the flower boxes that decorate each house. Visit the museum (it contains some writings of Robert Browning, who spent his last autumn there), nearby aristocratic villas, especially the Villa Barbaro at Maser and the Villa Cipriani Hotel, a beautiful 16th-century building—even if you don't stay there, drop by and visit it.
Also see the nearby Brion Tomb, designed by a well-known modern architect, Carlo Scarpa. We suggest a stay of one night in Asolo.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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