Lake Como All Inclusive

Description

The Italian Lakes have always held a special attraction and Lake Como, a firm favourite with British holidaymakers, is one of Italy’s most popular destinations. Lake Como is Italy’s third largest lake and, from its northern shores at the foot of the Alps to the Lombard shores in the south, the scenery is magnificent and full of contrasts.

Duration
8 days
Price
from £739

The soaring snow-capped peaks in the north give way to gentle rolling hills and colourful sub-tropical lakeside gardens and promenades to the south. Imagine the bright blue waters lapping at the elegant shores, surrounded by fine walks, imposing villas and beautiful parks and gardens filled with exotic flowers - giving this area a real Mediterranean flavour - and you’ve got the picture.

All around the lake there are sheltered bays, charming lakeside resorts and peaceful fishing villages. There are weekly markets to visit, shops and boutiques to browse around, colourful gardens to explore and pavement cafes to relax in as you watch the world go by. We stay in the pretty resort of Cadenabbia, which is perfectly placed on the western shore of the lake and is ideal for enjoying everything the lake offers.

It’s easy to get around from Cadenabbia, with lots of ferries criss-crossing the lake from one delightful harbour to the next, while steamers and local buses can take you to some of the lakeside towns and villages further along the lake. The nearby Villa Carlotta is well worth visiting. Built in the early 18th century, the Villa is renowned for its beautiful gardens, which extend over 14 acres. Inside the villa are some superb sculptures and works of art by Antonio Canova.

A boat trip to Bellagio, sometimes called the ‘pearl of the lake’, is a definite “must do”. The old town is a jumble of cobbled lanes and stepped streets lined with stylish boutiques, wine bars and craft shops selling locally produced handicrafts including olive wood carvings and woven silk. Little known Varenna, just across the lake from Bellagio, is practically as unspoilt as its neighbour and is an ideal village for wandering around. There are meandering lakeside paths and the walk up to the 13th century Monastery Villa will reward you with some fine views over the eastern arm of Lake Como. However you choose to spend your time and however much you see, you will find that you will want to return to beautiful Lake Como, again and again!

Book this holiday today from £739
Included in price
  • 7 nights accommodation in a ‘Comfort’ twin bedroom with private facilities
  • Return flights to Milan
  • One piece of hold luggage and one piece of hand luggage per person
  • Transfers between Airport and Hotel
  • Hot and Cold buffet breakfasts
  • 4 course buffet lunches
  • 4 course buffet dinners
  • ‘Show Cooking’ at lunch and dinner, including pasta, pizza, meat and fish
  • Picnic lunches available on request
  • FREE BAR serving local brand wines, spirits, beers, soft drinks, tea & coffee from 10.30am – midnight
  • Music most evenings
  • ATOL Protected

Accommodation

We are delighted to feature the superb Britannia Excelsior Hotel, which is one of the most popular hotels on Lake Como. An historical 19th century hotel, built and furnished in traditional Italian style, today it is owned and managed by the Whieldon family who extend a warm welcome to all their guests.

The hotel is situated in an enviable position directly across the road from the lakeside in Cadenabbia, and has stunning views over the lake to Bellagio. It’s just 50 metres from the boat landing stage, where regular ferries and steamers stop to take you to all Lake Como’s towns and beauty spots.

The 3 star Britannia Excelsior has spacious and comfortable public areas and beautifully decorated lounges, a well stocked bar, a large restaurant featuring “show cooking” islands and an outdoor sun terrace with commanding views over the lake. All of the 280 en-suite bedrooms are comfortably furnished and feature air conditioning/heating, ceiling fan, hairdryer, telephone, ’fridge, safe and satellite TV.

Accommodation is reserved on an ‘All Inclusive’ basis, with hot and cold buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. Free local brand spirits, wines, beers, soft drinks, tea and coffee are served between 10.30am and midnight.

Room Upgrades

Prices are based on standard Comfort twin bedrooms. Comfort rooms with a lake view and/or a balcony are available at a supplement. Standard Deluxe rooms and Deluxe rooms with a balcony and/or a lake view are also available at a supplement. Please note that the difference between Comfort and Deluxe rooms relates to the furnishings/decor and not the size of the room.

Water Shuttle

A water shuttle service across the lake to Bellagio is offered by the hotel and is free of charge to Mistral guests. The shuttle operates at varying times during the day in the summer season, usually from mid May to mid September (subject to weather conditions).

Hotel Lakeside Lido

The hotel’s Lido Beach Club, just 100 metres from the hotel, is where from late April until mid September, you can soak up the sun by the large swimming pool. There is also a bar serving the free “all inclusive” drinks (excluding spirits) during the daytime. Mistral guests also enjoy a 20% discount at the Lido’s a la carte restaurant.

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Excursions

During our stay we have arranged a programme of included and optional excursions and visits, all taken at a leisurely pace.

Optional Excursions

There are no included excursions on this holiday. The following optional excursions can be booked at the hotel and are and are subject to availability. These excursions do not form part of your holiday with Mistral Holidays.

St. Moritz and the Bernina Express Railway - Optional

A fabulous excursion featuring a scenic coach trip to Poschiavo, where we board the Bernina Express train for one of Europe’s most spectacular and breathtaking railway journeys to Diavolezza. The journey takes us high into the Swiss Alps and through the unspoilt beauty of the Bernina Pass, passing mountain rivers, snow-capped mountains and distant glaciers. At Diavolezza we rejoin the coach and continue our way to the exclusive resort of St. Moritz. We’ll have some free time in the famous ski resort, with its choice of interesting shops, bars and cafes, before returning by coach to Lake Como.

Como and Lake Lugano - Optional

Como town is a delightful resort with an attractive historical centre where there is a seemingly endless choice of shops. The main Piazza has lots of pavement cafes and ice cream parlours and is the ideal place to relax after a morning’s shopping and sightseeing. From Como we cross the nearby border into Switzerland and on to Lake Lugano, where we make a visit to the stylish resort of Lugano, which is overlooked by Monte Bre.

Milan - Optional

Milan is the fashion capital of Italy and the country’s most vibrant city. Milan is noted for its splendid Cathedral, the ‘Last Supper’ painting by Leonardo da Vinci and the ‘La Scala’ Opera House. After seeing the sights make sure you leave enough time to browse in the shops in the ‘Galleria’ arcades and perhaps to enjoy a drink in one of the pavement cafes. There are no included excursions on this holiday.

Lake Maggiore - Optional

The shores of Lake Maggiore are dotted with delightful towns and villages with colourful gardens and terraces ablaze with colourful and exotic flowers. Situated on the western shores of Lake Maggiore, we visit Stresa, a lively resort with narrow cobblestone streets lined with shops, boutiques, cafes and bars. From here, you can take a boat to the Borromean Islands – Isola Bella, Isola Pescatore and Isola Madre - where you can enjoy beautiful gardens, picturesque hamlets and lakeside cafes.

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