Northern Italy for Seniors: 10 Days of Cultural Immersion

What to expect on this itinerary
During this 10-Day Northern Italy tour, immerse your senses in the splendor and architecture that stretches across the country. Journey through 19th-century villas that dot the shores of Lake Como, venture over snow-laden landscapes as the Bernina Express transports you to Switzerland, soar through the skies on a private jet to Verona, and witness Venetian Gothic palaces from your gondola ride down the Grand Canal.
Customizable Itinerary
Milan – Walk on the Duomo Rooftop
When your plane touches down at Milan Malpensa Airport, your friendly transfer will be waiting to greet and transfer you to your luxurious accommodation in the center of Milan. You will maneuver along the cobblestone streets with your guide to the Duomo di Milano. The heavy doors will open for you as you begin your private tour, and a holy silence will encircle you as you amble among the marble columns. Your tour will continue as you reach the cathedral rooftop, which will provide you with spectacular views of the city and square below.
What's Included:
Varenna – Revel in the Glamour of Lake Como
Varenna – Cruise around Lake Como
St. Moritz – Delight in the Beauty of the Alps
Verona – Encounter History and Culture
Verona – Attend a Performance in a Roman Amphitheater
Padua – Visit Chapels and Palaces
Venice – Indulge in a Grand Canal Gondola Ride
Venice – Venture to the Islands of Murano and Burano
Venice – Depart for Home
Trip Highlights
- Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of Milan’s Duomo, which will be complete with a vibrant sunset and viewed from the rooftop terrace
- Discover hilltop castle ruins and the 19th-century villas that line the placid shores of Lake Como
- Indulge in a visit to the Villa del Balbianello to enjoy the exquisite gardens and promenades while sipping your favorite aperitif
- Board a world-class train that provides you with a grand scenic tour, leading you from the palm trees of Lake Como to the snow-capped glaciers of Southern Switzerland
- Soar through the skies on a private jet that flies you from the mountains of Switzerland to the sunbaked terrain of Verona, Italy
- Applaud as you attend in an exclusive open-air performance in the Roman Amphitheater
- Venture through Padua, which is one of northern Italy’s oldest cities, and observe gorgeous 14th-century frescoes
- Luxuriate on a private gondola ride down the Grand Canal, observing classic Venetian Gothic architecture and charming flower-lined neighborhoods
- Receive personalized demonstrations of glassblowing and lacemaking on the charming islands of Murano and Burano
Detailed Description
The contagious, high-energy buzz of Milan will greet you as you begin your grand adventure through Northern Italy. High-fashion is always in style, and you will mingle past haute-couture shops to make your way to the massive gothic cathedral that graces the center of the city. Your private guide will lead you through the Duomo and to the rooftop, where you will be amazed at unsurpassed views over the city. The sleek buildings of Italy’s banking industry will fade in the background as your driver transfers you to Lake Como, and you can gaze at emerald forests and a turquoise lake that sits among the snow-capped Alps. A private boat will whisk you around the stunning lake, and you will visit small villages and glamorous villas that dot the shoreline.
Afterward, you board the Bernina Express, which is a panoramic train that will escort you from the palm tree promenades of Lake Como, over glaciers, and to the spa town of St. Moritz, Switzerland. Here, you will spend the night and be pampered at an exclusive resort. In the morning, a private jet will fly you to the beautiful city of Verona, where you will sit in the lap of luxury as you view the glorious landscapes. Red rooftops and bell-towers will eventually come into view, symbolizing that you will be arriving in Verona shortly. Upon your arrival, you will indulge in a personalized tour through the most intriguing sites of the city, visiting the house of Shakespeare’s Juliet and attending a captivating show in the 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater.
You will continue your tour in Padua, which is Northern Italy’s oldest city. Here, you will see the impressive Basilica of St. Anthony, which attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, and Giotto’s exquisite frescoes that blanket the walls of the 14th-century Scrovegni Chapel. The following day, your driver will lead you to the iconic city of Venice, where you will board a gondola and cruise down the canal, passing Gothic palaces and arched stone footbridges. After your gondola ride, you will enjoy a private tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Your final full day in Venice will consist of an adventure to the colorful islands of Murano and Burano, where you will witness glassblowing and lacemaking demonstrations that have made these islands famous for centuries.
Starting Price
$3,600 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 1170 reviews
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Zicasso's travel company planned the most amazing trip to Venice, Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Siena, and Rome for our family of five. It was the best trip I've ever taken, and having all the details covered by them and plans and tickets sent to us via WhatsApp allowed us to really live in the moment and not have to think about what was next. I loved every second. I cannot wait to plan another trip to Italy to experience the southern half of the country.
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Our 44-day trip was amazing. All the connections, arrangements, and private guides were outstanding. This trip took almost a year to plan and it turned out perfectly. The in-depth research that Zicasso's travel specialist did with the agency was fantastic.
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My first solo trip was something I had dreamed about for years. I wanted it to be more than sightseeing. I wanted adventure, comfort, safety, and freedom without the stress of planning it all alone. Through Zicasso, I was connected to two specialists and Zicasso's travel consultant stood out immediately. She delivered an itinerary that gave me everything I asked for and more: maximum cities, maximum fun, and maximum value, all without compromise.
Before deciding, I researched and compared tours, packages, and individual prices online. The travel consultant’s proposal came out on top for value and content. While the other agent offered fewer cities and activities at a higher price, her plan was ambitious without being overwhelming. She booked my trains, arranged private transfers where needed, and selected boutique-style hotels that exceeded expectations. I was honestly surprised at how good they were. I stayed at hotels in Interlaken, Florence, and Sorrento. Each was clean, comfortable, and perfectly located for exploring. I had prepared myself for budget trade-offs, but instead, I found thoughtfully chosen hotels that balanced affordability with real quality.
Every document, train ticket, and activity confirmation was uploaded into the app. It became my lifeline throughout the trip, with every detail at my fingertips. The structure gave me confidence, while still leaving me free to explore.
Switzerland came first: Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt. Each city felt like stepping into a postcard. Interlaken gave me the adrenaline rush of skydiving, while Zermatt charmed me with its close-knit magic and alpine beauty. Italy unfolded with equal ease: Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Sorrento, Amalfi, and Rome. Every destination felt curated, yet natural, from gondola rides in Venice to boat tours on the Amalfi Coast.
What I loved most was the balance between structure and freedom. Pre-booked activities and restaurant reservations gave me a strong framework, but I could just as easily decide to spend an afternoon wandering Florence, eating gelato, or sitting in a piazza. The rhythm of the trip was perfect, structured enough to tick off bucket-list highlights, yet relaxed enough to feel like a real vacation.
Food was freestyle, but memorable. Highlights included a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in Zurich with its elegant Japanese-Peruvian flavors, a different Japanese restaurant, a restaurant in Como with its modern fusion menu, an Indian restaurant for comforting classics, and international favorites like those in one of the restaurants in Rome. Between those meals and plenty of gelato and crepes, every stop added its own flavor to the journey.
As a solo traveler, safety mattered. I felt comfortable walking around in the evenings and was usually back in my hotel by 1am to stay rested for the next day. What really gave me peace of mind was the travel consultant’s constant support. Communication was fast and responsive. I never had to wait long for answers, whether through the app or email. There was a moment when I made a mistake with the trains and missed an activity. She immediately stepped in and worked to reschedule it or secure a refund that same day.
Earlier in the planning process, I also had a card issue due to an address error. Even though policy would not normally allow it, she and her team patiently waited until I received the refund before finalizing the booking, just weeks before my trip. That flexibility and care spoke volumes.
The difference was clear. She used my budget to its fullest potential, giving me more destinations, more experiences, and better hotels than the alternative option. She managed to combine the efficiency of a fully organized tour with the freedom of independent travel. Everything was planned, yet everything was still mine to shape.
This trip was everything I wanted: good food, beautiful views, safety, and absolute reliability. It was an organized journey with freestyle flexibility, which is exactly what solo travelers dream of. The travel consultant’s planning let me chase adventure while always knowing I had a safety net. Switzerland and Italy gave me memories I will never forget, but it was the behind-the-scenes planning that made it possible. If you want a trip that is your way, your budget, your pace, but without the endless hassle of managing it yourself, the travel consultant at this agency is the person who can make it happen. My first solo trip became my dream trip and that is the highest praise I can give.
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This was such a great trip. We visited a number of locations all over Sicily and Italy. We did not encounter any issues during our 18-day trip. I would recommend our Zicasso agent over and over again! She is simply amazing!
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When we started planning our trip to Italy, I knew I wanted to work with a travel agent—specifically, someone who specialized in Italy and was based there. After reaching out to several agencies and reviewing their responses, we chose Zicasso and, more specifically, our travel agent. She is based in Milan and from my very first interaction with her, I knew we had made the right choice.
Our trip could not have been more perfect. Our agent put a lot of thought into every location and planned activity. At the outset, we had a few discussions with her about what we wanted from the trip and, after that, we were happy to leave most of the details in her capable hands. Our goal was to explore mid-to-northern Italy and everything—from the hotels and tours to the free time and transportation—was beautifully organized.
Our 11-night trip started in Milan and ended in Florence, with overnight stays in Milan (one night), Lake Como (three nights), Venice (three nights), and Florence (four nights). Initially, I was hesitant about staying at Lake Como for three nights, but our agent encouraged me to do a little research. I’m so glad she did, as it turned out to be incredible. We had more self-guided time at Lake Como, which was perfect as we adjusted to the time change. In Venice, our itinerary became more structured, but we still had plenty of time for our own explorations. By the time we reached Florence, we had activities and tours planned for every day, which was just what we wanted.
A highlight for my family was a full-day trip into Tuscany, where we visited San Gimignano, an organic vineyard in Chianti, and finished with a tour of Siena. Our day trip to Rome allowed us to see the main attractions and we concluded the journey with a tour of Florence and the Accademia Gallery. Every tour our agent arranged was spot on.
Throughout our trip, she was wonderfully communicative—always available when we had questions, but never intrusive. She even helped us with a couple of last-minute requests: booking a hotel in Milan for one night and arranging train tickets to Verona for an impromptu visit to Juliet’s balcony. Whenever we needed something, she was there.
When we return to explore the mid-to-southern part of Italy, there’s no question that we’ll be asking her to plan our trip again. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a seamless, thoughtfully curated Italian adventure.
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