The Italian Dolomites
8days from
£1,088*per person
Overview
The Dolomites' wild beauty
Itinerary
- Fly to Italy, meet your tour manager and transfer to your chosen hotel on the shores of Lake Molveno. Idyllically set in the shadow of the soaring Brenta Dolomites, Molveno is a haven for nature-lovers and a climbers’ Mecca, and a perfect base from which to explore this very special region. Enjoy a first dinner in the hotel this evening.
- You're free to spend your first day relaxing, and hopefully soaking up the sunshine by the lake or exploring at your leisure.
- Today sees you head across the vineyard-covered Rotaliana plain to historic Mezzolombardo, which sits between two beautiful valleys, overlooked by its two castles. Board a regional train, here, for the scenic, 45-minute journey to Caldes. After passing yet more hilltop fortresses, you'll arrive in Caldes, where the restored 13th-century castle dominates the tiny, delightful, apple-growing village. After time for lunch, you'll return to Molveno where you'll have some free time before dinner.
- Set in a broad valley, at the confluence of two alpine rivers, Bolzano makes drifting into holiday mode easy. Relax in countless little cafes and explore colourful shops and stores. German – and English – are widely spoken here despite this being Italy, and a leisurely lunch is more likely to consist of wurst and apfelstrudel than pizza and pasta. After an introductory tour, you'll be free to visit the town’s South Tyrol Archaeological Museum – home to the mummified remains of Otzi (the famous Tyrolean Iceman unearthed in 1991 by two tourists). Hopefully no similar startling discoveries await you this afternoon as you enjoy your scenic journey, first aboard the Renon cable car to Soprabolzano on its sunny plateau. After the chance to take in the idyllic surroundings of the Renon Nature Park, and to see its fascinating Earth Pyramids rock formations, you'll finish your day with a ride on the historic narrow-gauge Renon railway to the mountain village of Collalbo, from where you'll return to your hotel by coach.
- Today brings more opportunities to savour the delights of your hotel and of Molveno's small selection of shops and cafes. Rowing boats are available for hire if you'd like to venture out onto the pristine lake, and you can take a cable car to the heights of beautiful Pradel and the Paganella plateau beyond to wander its walking trails. Alternatively, join today's optional excursion to the former Roman settlement of Trento, the principal town of Italian Trentino, in its mountain-backed setting. Wander the colourful streets, and don’t miss the ancient Duomo cathedral or the vast Buonconsiglio Castle, and perhaps enjoy another leisurely lunch, before completing your day with a relaxing hour or so in Levico, close to the shores of fjord-like Lake Levico.
- Enjoy another free day in Molveno and its delightful surroundings or join today’s optional excursion south to Lake Garda. Highlights of this tour will include visits to elegant Riva del Garda on the Lake's northern shore, and colourful Malcesine, from where you can take the cable car to the heights of Monte Baldo, above the famous resort town (payable locally).
- It’s your final day, and you’ll set off on Italy’s steepest funicular, the Mendola Funicular. Once you’ve travelled up to the mountain station, you can take in a spectacular view of the Valle dell'Adige valley and the South Tyrolean Bassa Atesina area. This bright red funicular railway dates back to 1903 and was Austria’s first electronically operated cable car, and at the time, the steepest funicular in continental Europe and the longest in the world. You’ll have a break for lunch before heading back to Molveno for a last dinner with your fellow guests.
- Transfer to the airport to board your flight home to the UK.
What's Included
Holiday Highlights
- Ride the Renon narrow-gauge railway to Collalbo
- Journey by rail from Mezzolombardo to Caldes
- Visit to Bolzano and enjoy a cable-car ride
- Travel on Italy’s steepest funicular, the Mendola Funicular
- Choose to travel to delightful Trento on an optional excursion
- Have the option to travel around Lake Garda
Our Price Includes
- Seven nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation at your chosen hotel
- Four rail and cable journeys
- Return flights to Italy
- Coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager, with specialist local guides where applicable
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Dates and Prices
Accommodation
Hotel Ariston, Molveno -
This family-run hotel, just a few minutes from the lake's beach, has an atmosphere of understated tradition and elegance.
Facilities & Amenities
The hotel's wood-finished balconies and exterior have an Alpine air, while inside you'll find a traditional restaurant, a lounge, a library and a bar. Back outside you'll find a Jacuzzi and a rooftop terrace solarium with views out over the lake. The hotel also offers bike rental.Hotel Des Alpes, Molveno -
This welcoming, three-star superior hotel is set against the backdrop of the Dolomite Mountains, and is within walking distance of Lake Molveno and the village centre.
Other Information
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour and 45 minutes from Verona airport, three hours from Venice airport and three hours from Milan Bergamo airport.
Combining hotel transfers
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
Meals and dining in Italy
Guests on half-board arrangements will be served a three-course evening meal, and can expect a first course of traditional pasta or soup, a main meat or fish course accompanied by one or two types of vegetable, and a simple dessert of fruit, cake or Italian ice cream. Breakfasts will usually consist of bread rolls, jam, cereal, ham, cheese, fruit juice, tea and coffee. Menus will vary from hotel to hotel, but choice will be more limited than in a normal restaurant. In some instances, individual guests who have booked with the hotel independently may be offered a different menu from those who are staying at the hotel as part of a package tour.
An authentic dining experience in Italy can often be a bit different to the Italian food that international tourists might be used to, but it’s one of the best ways to truly appreciate the finer cultural differences of this tourist hotspot. From simpler, but more frequent, courses to regional dishes, here are some points to note when dining in Italy.
The first major difference you’re likely to notice is that the dining experience as a whole is much longer; you’ll enjoy a much more social experience than the average dinner back home with multiple smaller courses spread across a longer period of time. While each meal will be prepared to order, you may notice that dishes are served cooler than you might be used to – Italian dishes are rarely served piping hot to preserve the more delicate flavours of each ingredient and to provide a more enjoyable dining experience. The final thing to bear in mind is that it may be tricky to find Italian classics in the same form as they are at home. For instance, while Spaghetti Carbonara is a staple in historic Rome – and made traditionally using egg yolks rather than cream – you’ll often find it replaced with a wild boar ragù in Tuscany.
Italian hotel room tax
Some regions of Italy have introduced a room tax of 1-3 € per person per night, payable directly by the guest to the hotel on check-out. You will be advised by your Tour Manager in resort if a particular hotel is implementing this charge.
Entrance fees
Since some attractions visited offer free admission to visitors at certain times of year, we do not include entrance fees. These will be payable locally where applicable. This applies to excursions that are included in the price of your holiday and to excursions booked as optional extras.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Foreign Office Travel Advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Airport development fees
An Airport Development Fee has been introduced at a few UK Airports. You will be required to pay this charge at the following airports prior to checking in for your flight: Blackpool, Newquay and Norwich. The amount varies from airport to airport, but it is generally between £5 and £10 per person. Please visit the airport's website for further information.
Travelling to Europe
Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. You do require government issued passport to travel.
Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names.
Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you return home (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date").
Visa - You do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.
European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS) - Due to commence in 2025, all citizens of the United Kingdom will require a ETIAS electronic form completed prior to their arrival into the EU and Schengen member countries. The cost for this travel authorisation will be €7.00 per person with exceptions for under 18’s and over 70’s. The latest information and further details can be found at www.etias.com.
Holiday code
N2383Holiday provided by Newmarket Holidays
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE: This holiday is sold and operated by Newmarket Holidays (ABTOT 5509, ATOL 2325, ABTA V7812), you can be 100% sure that your money is safe.