Sample Itinerary · Italy

Milan & the
Italian Lakes

Milan · Lake Como · Lake Maggiore

Duration
8 Days · 7 Nights
Accommodations
4-Star or Higher
Transport
Private Transfers + Ferry
Best For
Northern Italy · Fashion · Lakes · Design

Plan a Similar Trip



← All Italy Itineraries

This is a sample itinerary — for inspiration only. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch around you. Many clients travel a very similar route — if this resonates, book a free consultation and an Italy specialist will build something just like it (or better) specifically for your travel style, dates, and group.

1
Day One

Arrive in Milan

Milan

Your northern Italian journey begins in Milan — Italy’s capital of fashion, design, and contemporary culture. A private driver meets you at Malpensa Airport and delivers you to your hotel in the Brera district, Milan’s artistic quarter of galleries, boutiques, and aperitivo bars.

The rest of the day is yours. Walk the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest shopping arcades, and stand beneath the spires of the Duomo as the evening light turns the marble pink. Find a traditional Milanese restaurant for risotto alla milanese — saffron-gold, creamy, and unmistakably Lombard.

Private airport transfer
Brera district
Arrive Milan

Overnight: Milan

2
Day Two

Milan — Art, Fashion & The Last Supper

Milan City

The morning’s centerpiece: a reserved viewing of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie. Access is limited to 25 people every 15 minutes, and your specialist has secured your entry months ahead. Standing before this fresco — the brushwork, the geometry, the drama of the moment — is one of Europe’s great art experiences.

Afternoon, explore the Duomo rooftop terraces for panoramic views across the city to the Alps. Visit the Pinacoteca di Brera for Raphael and Caravaggio, then walk through the Quadrilatero della Moda — Milan’s fashion district where Versace, Prada, and Armani have their flagship stores. This evening, aperitivo on the Navigli canals — Milan’s waterside nightlife district.

Last Supper reserved entry
Duomo rooftop
Fashion district walk

Overnight: Milan

3
Day Three

Milan to Lake Como

Lake Como

Your driver takes you north from Milan into the foothills of the Alps. Within an hour, the city gives way to the southern shore of Lake Como — a body of water so dramatically beautiful that George Clooney, Versace, and generations of European aristocracy have called it home.

Check into your lakeside hotel — many properties have private boat docks, terraced gardens falling to the water, and views across to the mountains on the far shore. Afternoon, a private boat tour along the western shore: villa after villa, each more extravagant than the last, the water a deep impossible blue beneath you. Stop in the village of Torno for espresso, or swim from a quiet cove. This is Lake Como at its most intimate.

Private transfer to Como
Lakeside hotel check-in
Private boat tour

Overnight: Lake Como

4
Day Four

Bellagio & Varenna

Lake Como

Ferry across to Bellagio, the so-called Pearl of the Lake, where the two arms of Como meet. The town climbs steeply from the waterfront in a cascade of stone staircases, silk shops, and terrace restaurants. Visit Villa Melzi and its extraordinary lakefront gardens — the neoclassical architecture reflected perfectly in the still water.

Take the ferry onward to Varenna, a quieter village on the eastern shore. Walk through Villa Monastero’s botanical gardens, stretching along the lakeshore for nearly a kilometre. Lunch on the waterfront: fresh lake fish, local olive oil, a glass of white from the Valtellina. Return to your hotel by private boat as the mountains turn purple at sunset.

Bellagio exploration
Villa Melzi gardens
Varenna & Villa Monastero

Overnight: Lake Como

5
Day Five

Lake Como to Lake Maggiore

Transfer & Stresa

A morning at leisure on Lake Como — swim, walk the shore path, or visit the silk museum in the town of Como itself (the region has produced silk for centuries). Late morning, your driver takes you west through the pre-Alpine foothills to Lake Maggiore, the largest of the Italian lakes and the one that feels most like a secret.

Arrive in Stresa, the elegant resort town on Maggiore’s western shore, with views across to the Borromean Islands. Check into your lakeside hotel. Late afternoon, walk Stresa’s Liberty-style waterfront promenade — the architecture, the palm trees, the mountains rising directly from the far shore create a landscape that feels almost tropical despite being in the shadow of the Alps.

Morning at leisure Como
Private transfer to Maggiore
Arrive Stresa

Overnight: Lake Maggiore

6
Day Six

Borromean Islands

Lake Maggiore

The day belongs to the Borromean Islands — three jewels floating in the center of Lake Maggiore. A private boat takes you first to Isola Bella, where the Borromeo family’s baroque palace rises from terraced gardens filled with white peacocks, exotic plants, and statues. The palace rooms are lavishly decorated; the gardens descend in ten terraces to the water’s edge.

Continue to Isola dei Pescatori, the fishermen’s island, where narrow lanes lead to waterfront restaurants serving lake perch and risotto. Lunch here is unhurried and perfect. Finally, Isola Madre — the largest and quietest island, with a 16th-century palazzo surrounded by the oldest botanical garden on the lakes. Your boat returns you to Stresa as the late afternoon light gilds the water.

Private island boat tour
Isola Bella palace & gardens
Isola dei Pescatori lunch

Overnight: Lake Maggiore

7
Day Seven

Lake Maggiore to Bergamo

Bergamo Alta

A final morning on the lake — perhaps a walk to the Giardini Botanici on the hillside above Stresa, or a cable car to the summit of Monte Mottarone for views stretching from Monte Rosa to the Po Valley. Your driver collects you and heads south toward Milan, with a stop in Bergamo.

Bergamo’s upper town — the Citta Alta — is one of northern Italy’s best-kept secrets. Encircled by 16th-century Venetian walls (UNESCO-listed), this medieval hilltop town has its own piazza, cathedral, and basilica, plus restaurants that rival anything in Milan at half the price. A guided walk connects the architecture to centuries of history. Farewell dinner in the Citta Alta, looking out over the Lombard plain.

Morning at leisure Maggiore
Bergamo Citta Alta
Farewell dinner

Overnight: Bergamo or Milan

8
Day Eight

Departure

Milan Malpensa Airport

A final northern Italian breakfast, then your private driver takes you to Milan Malpensa Airport for your departure flight. The drive from Bergamo or Milan takes about an hour, and your specialist has timed the transfer to your flight.

You leave carrying northern Italy with you: the spires of the Duomo catching morning light, the impossible blue of Lake Como seen from a private boat, the white peacocks of Isola Bella, and the stone lanes of Bergamo’s hilltop town. This is a different Italy — refined, alpine, unhurried — and it stays with you.

Private airport transfer
App support throughout

Overnight: Depart from Milan

Love this itinerary? Make it yours.

This is a sample luxury custom route — a starting point, not a fixed package. Many clients travel something very close to this, customized for their travel style, group, and dates. Book a free consultation and a specialist will build from here.

Accommodations
Lakeside luxury hotels, boutique properties, or historic villas — chosen based on your preferences and travel style.
Transportation
Private driver, ferry crossings, self-drive around the lakes, or a mix — all confirmed before you travel.
Experiences
Pre-arranged tours and activities built around your interests — entrance tickets sorted, no queuing.

Book a Free Consultation



See All Italy Itineraries

Activities on this itinerary

Your specialist pre-arranges the right luxury experiences based on your interests and travel style. These are the custom experience types available on this route — specific choices are made with you, not for you.

Last Supper ViewingMilan

Duomo Rooftop TourMilan

Private Boat TourLake Como

Villa Melzi GardensBellagio

Villa MonasteroVarenna

Borromean Islands TourLake Maggiore

Isola Bella PalaceLake Maggiore

Bergamo Citta AltaBergamo

Silk MuseumComo

Fashion District WalkMilan

Monte MottaroneLake Maggiore

Navigli AperitivoMilan

Activities are selected and pre-booked with your specialist based on your interests — not all activities are included in every trip version. Availability varies by season.

The people who will design your Italy trip

You work directly with a specialist who knows Italy deeply — not a call center or booking agent. Every consultation is with someone who has been there, stayed in those hotels, and knows the country inside out.

Italy · Switzerland · Portugal · Spain

Lexi Blade

Florence and Austria-based, Lexi brings on-the-ground expertise across Southern Europe’s most sought-after destinations. Every recommendation comes from personal experience.

Book a Consultation




Ireland · Scotland · UK · Iceland

Taryn Harrison

25 years designing European trips, with a deep network across Italy’s regions. CMSC certified and former Peace Corps. Ideal for multi-country trips combining Italy with Ireland, Scotland, or beyond.

Book a Consultation

About this itinerary

Is this a good itinerary for northern Italy?


Yes — Milan & the Italian Lakes is designed for travelers who want a different side of Italy to the country. The route covers Italy’s most iconic regions in a logical sequence: Venice’s canals, Florence’s Renaissance art, Tuscany’s rolling countryside, Rome’s ancient monuments, and the Amalfi Coast’s dramatic cliffs. It’s Juniper’s most popular Italy itinerary precisely because it works well for first-time visitors without feeling rushed.

Can I customise this itinerary?


Yes — this is a sample for inspiration. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch. You can add regions (Venice, Verona, the Dolomites), swap cities, extend stays, change the type of transport, and adjust the pace entirely. Your specialist builds the actual itinerary around your group’s preferences during the free consultation.

Is 8 days enough for the Italian Lakes?


8 days is the right length for this focused northern Italy route — it covers Milan, Lake Como, and Lake Maggiore without feeling rushed. Clients who want more time often add Venice, Verona, or the Dolomites. A shorter 5-day version focusing on Milan and one lake is also popular. Your specialist builds the timing around you.

Is this itinerary good for a honeymoon?


This route works well as a honeymoon base — the lakeside villas of Como, the Borromean Islands, and the alpine scenery of Maggiore are all genuinely well-suited to couples. That said, our dedicated Amalfi Coast with Capri itinerary (7 days) is specifically designed for honeymoons and couples and covers the most romantic coastal regions and properties in more detail.

Other trips worth considering

13 Days

View Itinerary



7 Days

View Itinerary



10 Days

View Itinerary

“Juniper Tours did an amazing job booking our vacation to Italy. Lexi Blade helped us schedule our dream vacation from Venice all the way to Sorrento on the Amalfi coast, with stops in Florence and Rome. Lexi was phenomenal and made changes for us many times to assure we got the most out of our trip.”

Nikki Walls  ·  Verified Google Review

Build your luxury custom Italian Lakes trip with one of our top travel specialists.

30 minutes, completely free. Walk away with a clear picture of what your luxury custom Italian Lakes trip could look like — dates, route, 4 and 5-star accommodations, and all.

Book a Consultation



See All Italy Itineraries