The Magic of the Italian Lakes

8 Days Milan to Lake Maggiore
The Magic of the Italian Lakes
The Magic of the Italian Lakes
The Magic of the Italian Lakes

Overview

Cosmos
Trip Operated By:
 (2,001) Reviews
Total No. of Tours 149
Discover the beauty of the Italian Lakes on this magnificent vacation. With the Alps for a backdrop, you’ll enjoy nature at its finest—with overnights in Verona, Lake Como, and Lake Maggiore. Plus, on this affordable Italian Lakes tour, you’ll spend one night in Milan, known as one of the world’s fashion capitals. Take a guided walking tour around medieval Verona, famous for the Roman Arena, home of the summer Opera Festival.

Situated at the foot of the Alps, Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake. With its cobalt-blue waters surrounded by majestic mountains, Lake Como is one of Europe’s deepest read more lakes, lined with elegant 17th-century villas and lush gardens; it’s the perfect destination. You will enjoy a scenic boat trip to Bellagio and Varenna, both picturesque towns on Lake Como’s shores, where nature and culture come together. Admire the centuries-old buildings, explore the cobbled alleyways, cafes, and shops. Lake Maggiore is a paradise of crystal waters, backed by towering mountains and surrounded by lush countryside. With its prestigious Italian gardens, intriguing palaces, and scenic landscapes, you can choose to relax or enjoy some of the many activities available.

On the way to Lake Maggiore, visit Lugano, set on gorgeous Lake Lugano, shared between Italy and Switzerland. Here—with a Mediterranean ambiance—you can stroll along the lakeside promenade or simply unwind as you enjoy a delicious gelato. Over centuries, Italy’s great lakes have been among Europe’s most popular vacation destinations, providing enchanting landscapes and a relaxing ambiance. Now is your time to enjoy them on this affordable Italian Lakes tour. It’s a lovely vacation, perfect for savvy, value-minded travel lovers.
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Our Price From
A$2,842 per person
Price shown based on twin share
Save up to $298 per person
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Trip Length
8 Days
Trip Starts
Milan
Trip Ends
Lake Maggiore
19 Trip Reviews
Trip Style
Undiscovered Tour
Accommodation
3 - 3.5 Star
Budget
Affordable
Age Range
5-99 Years
Max. Group Size
47
Guide Style
Fully Guided
Tour Code
6320
Countries Visited:

Itinerary

Check into your hotel in Milan. Start exploring with the help of the CosmosGO app. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and travel companions.

Start the day with an orientation tour of Milan, stopping to admire the famous Gothic-style Duomo. Travel east through the Po Valley and stop at Lake Garda to discover Sirmione. This is a Spa town rich in thermal waters and ancient charm situated on a long peninsula surrounded by breathtaking views. Among its highlights, a medieval castle, the famous Roman villa and grottoes of Catullo. Spend the evening in Verona, the "city of love". Today's Distance: 112 mi/ 180 km

Included Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, a Local Guide takes you through the old cobblestone streets of the old part of Verona telling the stories behind the old buildings and how this beautiful city inspired Shakespeare. Spend the afternoon shopping, visiting, or taking a stroll along the Adige River banks, or sip and see with delightful wines and water views on an optional excursion to Valpolicella. Discover delicious local vintages, such as Valpolicella and Amarone, followed by time to relax on the shores of Lake Garda in Lazise.

Included Meals: Breakfast

This morning, say goodbye to the romantic city of Verona and continue to fascinating Lake Como, where you'll spend two nights. Stroll around the narrow alleys of the city center and the "lungolago" (lake promenade) and maybe taste some fabulous local gelato. Today's Distance: 158 mi/ 255 km

Included Meals: Breakfast

Inspiring everyone from Roman senators and great composers to Hollywood actors, Como is the glamorous image of the lakes. Its cobalt-blue waters are lined with magnificent mountains, lush gardens, and grand villas. Join the included boat trip to Bellagio, set in one of the most scenic locations in all of Italy, and Varenna, an old fishing village.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Depart Lake Como and cross the border into Switzerland. Head towards beautiful Lake Lugano and the stylish city that bears its name. Time to stroll along the lakeside promenade, window shop on refined Via Nassa, or sip an espresso on the Piazza Riforma. Leave Switzerland and cross back into Italy, driving to Lake Maggiore. Today's Distance: 50 mi/ 80 km

Included Meals: Breakfast

Set between Piedmont, Lombardy, and Switzerland, Lake Maggiore is a paradise of crystal waters, backed by towering mountains and surrounded by lush countryside. The day is yours to relax or to enjoy some of the many activities available around the lake. Breathtaking views are a shore thing with an optional boat trip to the Borromean Islands, with time to visit the extravagant Borromeo Palace, built like a ship anchored just off the shoreline.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (The nearest airport is Milan Malpensa.)

Included Meals: Breakfast

Trip Inclusions

  • Orientation tour in Milan
  • Guided sightseeing in Verona
  • Orientation tour in Como
  • Scenic Lake Como ferry rides to Bellagio and Varenna
  • Stop in Lugano
  • Two overnights in Lake Maggiore

  • The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi.

  • Buffet breakfast daily, 1 Dinners

  • Milan: Holiday Inn Garibaldi Station (Superior First-Class)
  • Verona: Leon D'Oro (Superior First-Class)
  • Lake Como: B&B Como City Center (Superior Tourist-Class)
  • Lake Maggiore: Simplon (Superior First-Class)

  • Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
  • Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
  • Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.

Operator

Cosmos
Total No. of Tours149
At Cosmos, we like to think of ourselves as experts in ‘thrillology’ – the art of bringing you an experience, time and time again. With over 50 years of ‘wow’ under our belts and no sign of slowing down, we know how to curate value touring holidays that you’ll never forget; creating the experiences you’ve a morelways dreamed of and showing you the ones, you never thought of. Our job is to take care of the planning and logistics, so that all you have to focus on is living your dreams!
Why Travel with Cosmos?
Why Travel with Cosmos?

Enjoy inside visits to Europe's the must-see sites with a great mix of included excursions, free time and affordable value. Read more

Personalise Your Adventure
Personalise Your Adventure

Cosmos build free time into every one of their holidays, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Read more

Cosmos's Expert Guides
Cosmos's Expert Guides

Cosmos' easy going, fun-filled and multilingual Tour Directors and Local Guides love exploring as much as you do. Read more

Trip Reviews (19)

Cosmos Reviews
Reviews 19 Reviews
Average Rating 4.2 out of 5
5 Star
32%
4 Star
58%
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star
Wonderful Como Tour 0 , QLD, Australia, May 2026
We had a great tour. The highlight was the Como Lake part, visiting the various islands and taking in the beautiful scenery. The accommodation was varied but great and the other travellers were good company. We look forward to going on another Cosmos tour. We would use Global Journeys again for our travel requirements as the were friendly and efficient.
Italian Lakes   1 , NSW, Australia, Oct 2025
Global Journeys were excellent with our arrangements. Yes we would travel with Cosmos again definitely. We had a wonderful time exploring the Italian lakes region. Personally the best & easiest way to explore foreign countries.
The Italian Lakes are not to be missed 1 , WA, Australia, Jun 2025
This is a fabulous trip with 2 days at each hotel. I highly recommend the Italian Lakes as a relaxing style of travel . The lakes and the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. We had a great group of people that mixed very well together. One thing I would recommend is a get together dinner early in the trip instead of it being the second last night. read more Thanks to Tracey at Global Journeys for looking after us.
Italian Lakes 5 , WA, Australia, Jun 2024
This trip through Milan and the lakes district provided so many highlights. It is such a picturesque area and well worth visiting. Cosmos tours did a great job of putting in so much of the area for us to see. From coaches, ferries and cable car rides. Accommodation was always at its best except for the Lake Como accommodation. This needs to be reviewed read more for future travellers.
We had great communication with Sam from Global Journeys and hopefully this continues for all future enquiries.
Enjoyed a leisurely visit to the Lakes District   5 , NSW, Australia, Sep 2018
Relaxing visit to the Lakes District, lovely weather, lovely boat trip to Bellagio. Easy paced trip with an excellent tour guide.
Beautiful 8 , SA, Australia, Jun 2017
Our third and final back to back tour with the Globus/Cosmos group. Again, this tour went very smoothly and was well organised. Tour director, Andreas, was very good and very knowledgeable and Driver, Vito, was excellent. The coach again, under Vito's care was spotless. The Italian lakes region is simply beautiful and a must see if you seriously want read more to see all of Italy. This Cosmos tour was very good value for money. Food in one of the included tours was not as good as what we've been spoiled with, but a minor issue. After doing 3 back to back tours with the Globus Group, we definitely recommend them.
Awesome Trip! 7 , QLD, Australia, Jul 2016
I really enjoyed this trip, it was the perfect pace to discover the Italian Lakes area. It was not too rushed, with minimal driving between destinations and there were always things to see and do. Our tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable and the driver kept us safe on the roads. The hotels were excellent too. I would recommend this tour for someone read more looking for a relaxing end to a Europe holiday.
Fantastic trip to the Italian lakes 5 , QLD, Australia, Apr 2016
This was our first Cosmos tour and it definitely will not be our last. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Italian lakes. Our guide, accommodation and included meals were all fantastic. Cosmos is definitely great value for money.
Scenically Stunning 4 , VIC, Australia, Apr 2016
A small group, which enabled a more casual approach. Our Tour Director was excellent, as was the bus driver. This was a tour that exceeded our expectations. Included meals were excellent, but some of the optional meals were over priced.
Exceeded expectations 3 , Australia, Oct 2015
Once again an excellent tour with great tour guide. Good excursions, hotels and coach. Exceeded expectations. Well done.
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Cosmos Europe (2026) Brochure

Cosmos Europe (2026)

Unforgettable adventures are closer than ever. With Cosmos, discover Europe’s iconic destinations through expertly designed tours that turn your dream trip into reality. For more than 60 years, Cosmos has made travel accessible - combining great value with exceptional experiences.

Enjoy handpicked hotels, the insight of skilled Tour Directors, guided more explorations led by knowledgeable Local Guides, and worry-free transportation - all curated to ensure each journey is effortless and enriching. From legendary landmarks to stunning natural wonders, now is the perfect time to explore Europe’s treasures—without stretching your budget. Travellers trust Cosmos for seamless planning and incredible value, so all that’s left is to pack and simply say, “Let’s go!”

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Sunday 26 Jul 2026 26 Jul 26 Milan
Sunday 02 Aug 2026 02 Aug 26 Lake Maggiore
Details
Definite Departure
Our Price
A$2,962
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sold Out
Note
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Cosmos. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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