Great Rail Journeys
Italian Lakes: Orta, Como & Maggiore
8 daysfrom $2,002
Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made independent rail holiday
Lake Orta by Rail
Discover one of Italy's hidden gems before the word gets out! Travel by rail via Basel and the Swiss Alps and spend 5 nights on lovely Lake Orta before returning with a night in Paris.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Hotel Gaia (or similar), Basel
London to Basel
Board a Eurostar at St Pancras bound for Paris, connect at the Gare de Lyon and catch a high-speed TGV service to Switzerland, arriving in time for dinner in Basel.
- Day 2railovernight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco
Basel to Pettenasco
Catch a train through the Swiss Alps via Bern and Lake Spiez, through the Lötschberg and Simplon Tunnels into Italy, disembarking at Domodossola for a regional train to Pettenasco on Lake Orta.
- Day 3overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco
Lake Orta
Explore Italy's smallest lake, with the medieval village of Pettenasco, the harbourside village of Orta San Giulio and the island of San Giulio.
- Day 4overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco
Lake Orta
Further day at leisure around Lake Orta.
- Day 5overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco
Lake Orta
Further day at leisure around Lake Orta, including a visit to Omegna at the northernmost tip.
- Day 6overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco
Lake Orta
Final full day exploring Lake Orta.
- Day 7railovernight: Observatoire Luxembourg (or similar), Paris
Pettenasco to Paris
Early start on a regional train back to Domodossola, a quick connection to Lausanne along the Upper Rhône Valley and Lake Geneva, then a French TGV service to Paris.
- Day 8rail
Paris to London
Morning stroll in Paris before heading to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar back to St Pancras.
Included
- Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
- 7 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Comprehensive directions to your hotels
- Easy-to-follow travel documentation
- Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office
