Thursday, September 27 Departures
Travel to Venice from North America commences.
Friday, September 28 Venice
Upon arrival in Venice you are met and transferred by private water taxi along the Grand Canal directly to the small and elegant Ruzzini Palace, our superb hidden gem hotel in the Castello, walking distance to both the Rialto area and St. Mark’s Square. Gather early evening to enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the Osteria alle Testiere, our favourite in Venice.
Saturday, September 29 Venice
In the late morning, following breakfast (included each day), we will take a private, guided walking tour, beginning in Piazza San Marco, one of the world’s most spectacular public spaces, with its Basilica and its famed campanile, and ending at Teatro La Fenice where we will go behind the scenes at the heart of Italy’s opera history. Following the tour we will have lunch at nearby La Caravella. Tonight, we return by water taxi to La Fenice for a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto (Matheuz; Albelo, Platanias, Rancatore).
Sunday, September 30 Venice
Today we take an informative walk in our favourite sestiere, San Polo. As well as a tour of the Scuola di San Rocco, with one of the most important collections of masterpieces in Venice (including an entire room full of works by Tintoretto), we visit the elegant Frari Church and the bustling Rialto Market. This evening we return to Teatro La Fenice for a performance of La traviata (Matheuz; Ciofi, Poli, Meoni).
Monday, October 1 Venice - Milan
Today we transfer by luxury coach to Milan. Along the way we stop in Padua and take a private tour of the Scrovegni Chapel, adorned with the incredible frescoes by Giotto. This is one of the most important works of art in all of Italy. Following our tour of the chapel, we make the brief walk through the historic heart of Padua to the Ristorante Belle Parti, where the lovely owner, Stefania, will take excellent care of us during lunch. This is perhaps our favourite restaurant in Italy, and you will easily understand why after our meal here. Upon arrival in Milan, check in at the landmark Grand Hotel et de Milan, Verdi's city home in the historic centre, a short walk to Teatro alla Scala and the Duomo. Tonight, at La Scala, we have the pleasure of attending a Zeffirelli staging of La bohème, conducted by Daniele Rustioni and featuring Angela Gheorghiu as Mimi (Beczala, Capitanucci, Colaianni, Cavalletti).
Tuesday, October 2 Milan
Late morning we embark on a coach and walking tour of Milan, starting with a visit to the La Scala Museum, then the vast and imposing Castello Sforzesco, and the Casa di Riposo--the final resting place of Giuseppe Verdi. After a quick bite at leisure we visit the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie to view da Vinci's The Last Supper. This evening, we enjoy an unforgettable dinner at Alessandro Mooney's L'Ulmet, a hidden gem, and one of our favourites in the city.
Wednesday, October 3 Milan
In the late morning we depart by coach for the short drive to Lake Como where, apart from the stunning scenery that abounds, we will tour the historic town of Como with its Duomo, war memorial, Volta’s Fountain and Casa del Fascio – a landmark of modern European Architecture.
Thursday, October 4 Milan - Parma
Today we transfer by luxury coach to Parma, stopping on the way at Pavia, where we visit the spectacular, but little known, Certosa di Pavia (Charterhouse of Pavia), whose construction began in 1396. After a brief stop for lunch at leisure, we continue to Parma, where we check in at the Hotel du Parc, set in the idyllic Parco Ducale, a large public greenspace set just behind the heart of the city and the opera house. This evening we dine at La Greppia, one of the finest restaurants in the region.
Friday, October 5 Parma
Late morning we meet for a private, guided walking tour of Parma, including the wonderful Romanesque Cathedral, Benedetto Antelami's Baptistry (one of the greatest Romanesque buildings in all of Italy) and the birth house of Arturo Toscanini. Lunch is included at the Corale Verdi, one of our favourite trattorias in Parma (which also doubles as the headquarters for the Verdi Choral Society). Tonight we make the short walk to Teatro Regio for our first performance of the Verdi Festival, his masterful Otello.
Saturday, October 6 Parma
Today we tour Busseto and the surrounding homelands of Giuseppe Verdi. We will see Verdi's home in Sant'Agata and the charming 400-seat theatre that shares his name. Afterward, we dine at Carlo Bergonzi's I Due Foscari, directly across from the Teatro Verdi, before returning to Parma for our final performance, Verdi’s rarely-performed early work La Battaglia di Legnano, at the spectacular Baroque jewel Teatro Farnese.
Sunday, October 7 Departures
Transfers to Bologna Airport are included.