Discovery Italy

Day 1: OLD MILAN, NAVIGLIO GRANDE
Arrival to Milan, welcome by the Discover Italy Now Tour Leader and transfer to 3* Hotel or B & B in air-conditioned buses. Refreshing welcome drink and free time to begin to immerse yourself in the fascinating atmosphere of Milan.
Dinner at one of the oldest and charming trattoria in the suggestive atmosphere of the ancient vicolo dei Lavandai along Naviglio Grande. You immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of the old canals of Milan and the wide variety of ancient Lombard cuisine: you can choose among many delicious dishes such as “risotto alla Milanese”, cottoletta, mozzarella, tomato and basil with a glass of Barbera, Garda Cabernet or Franciacorta.

Day 2: HISTORICAL MILAN, MEDIEVAL MILAN, MUSEUM OF THE FAMOUS SCALA THEATRE
Traditional ice cream tasting
Together with your Tour Leader and your bike you are going to start exploring the historical Milan: a guided tour of Piazza del Duomo, the magnificent gothic-lombard.
Cathedral with its beautiful terrace, the Baptistery of San Giovanni alla Fonti and the Archaeological site of the Cathedral.
You continue towards Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery built in an eclectic style typical of the second half of Milan’s nineteenth century, a dear place to all Milanese people and where can be found designer shops, bars and restaurants. A typical macchiato coffee, a delicious cappuccino and a typical milanese cake must definitely be tasted during a stop in the Gallery.
Lunch in local trattoria or restaurant in Duomo’s area or choosing by yourself the favourite one in Milan.
Traditional ice cream tasting in an old gelateria.
During the afternoon you are going to walk towards the elegant Piazza della Scala with the world's most famous theater, a temple of opera. Your Tour Leader is going to explain the history. A visit to Theatre’s Museum is on the schedule.
Your next bike destination is theold Piazza Mercanti, the symbol of the city, created in medieval times as a center of the city life with its lively atmosphere of inns, trattorias and workshops and where today can be found the beautiful Palazzo della Ragione.
We recommend a shopping tour in via Torino, Corso Vittorio Emanuele or the small streets in the same area, a bike tour in Parco delle Basiliche where you can visit the ancient Christian basilicas built in roman times: San Lorenzo and Sant'Eustorgioand a walk in the fashionable Corso Ticinese where you can also taste a typical “piedina” with “bresaola, parmigiano cheese and ruccola” or a delicious chocolate crepes and admire the Columns of San Lorenzo.
Alternatively you can choose a City Tour by the Hop On Hop Off open double Decker bus.

Evening: Aperitif at "Victoria" bar, right behind Piazza Duomo and dinner by candlelight at “Old America”, the elegant Via Vincenzo Monti or at “Acero Rosso” in Conciliazione area, a pizza restaurant where you can choose to eat at moderate prices meat or fish first & main courses, pizzas and typical milanese desserts. You absolutely have to taste “Millefoglie”...
or “Meringata” desserts as well as a limoncello, a drink by strong lemon flavor...

Day 3: SFORZESCO CASTLE, ARENA, BRERA QUARTER, BRERA ART GALLERY
Wine tasting in wine cellar
The day begins with a bike tour to Sforzesco Castle, a place of great culture that preserves many testimonies of the Lombard art, built by Galeazzo II Visconti’s wish to build a fort and then restored in 1450 by Francesco Sforza. A visit to the Castle is on the schedule.
You take afterwards a tour and a stroll in the Sempione Park that extends from the shoulders of the Castle to Milan’s Arena..
Lunch in the old district of Brera, populated by artists and celebrities. "Jamaica" is a historical bar of Brera, where you can take an aperitif and a drink and for lunch can be found numerous restaurants and typical trattorias. The “milanese cutlet” with small tomatoes and lettuce is a “must-try” as well as the traditional Margherita pizza or spaghetti with tomato sauce or clams
Wine tasting in an old wine cellar.
Visit of the Pinacoteca di Brera, the famous Museum of Art where, in a magnificent fourteenth-century monastery, alongside the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, can be found art works and collections of paintings of the most famous painters:
“The Marriage of the Virgin” by Raffaello, “The Virgin Mary with the child” by Giovanni Bellini and “The Crucifixion of Bramantino” as well as other important paintings of Raffaello and Leonardo.
The schedule continues with:
-Filodramatic Theatre
-Clerici Palace
-Church of Santa Maria del Carmine
-Church of San Marco
-Botanical Garden
Late afternoon: free to bike on your own and discover the trendy shops and antiques or simply have a break and taste a good Italian ice cream. We recommend you the ice cream shop “Chocolat” in Via Boccaccio 9, Conciliazione area.

Evening: optionally dinner at the hotel, bike tour to “Trattoria Toscana” or the Pizzeria – restaurant “Acero Rosso” in Conciliazione area where you can choose to moderate prices among fish or meat, first and main courses, pizzas and typical desserts. You absolutely have to taste the dessert “Millefoglie” or Meringata as well as limoncello, a strong lemon flavor drink.

Day 4: RENAISSANCE MILAN, ROYAL VILLA, GARDEN OF THE CITY, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Your guided tour starts today with breakfast at the bar tasting a freshly baked croissants, cappuccino and other Italian delicacies and then continues with the Renaissance Milan biking towards the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with the famous painting “Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci.
You also visit the district of Magenta with wonderful examples of nineteenth-century houses, early twentieth century Liberty Art buildings and many nice shops.The tour continues then towards the ancient Basilica of Sant Ambrogio, queen and mother of all Lombard churches with its interior that includes works of art of 1600 years of history and then continues towards:
Chiostri della Cattolica / Catholic Cloisters, originally belonging to the Benedictine Monastery, Sant' Ambrogio Church, San Bernardino alle Monache Church, Renaissance Palace of Donato Bramante: Palombelli Palace, Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro Milan...
Lunch in a typical restaurant in Milan..
Garden of Corso Venezia, Museum of Natural History, the lively Corso Buenos Aires.

Evening: Bar "Executive Lounge", Sozzani Gallery (exhibition space dedicated to visual arts: photography, painting, drawing and sculpture) and dinner in the area of Corso Como with piedmont cuisine and entertainment in various fashion bars.

Day 5: CHIARAVALLE ABBEY, RESIDENCE AND MUSEUM OF THE FAMOUS ITALIAN WRITER, ALESSANDRO MANZONI
Wine tasting in local cellar
The morning starts with a bike trip out of the town to the ancient Abbey of Chiaravalle belonging to the Cistercian monks.
Chiaravalle is a charming little town about 9 km from Milan. You are going to immerse in atmosphere of other times and in fascinating history with the help of the tour leader.Lunch at the Abbey or in a trattoria in the Village of Chiaravalle. Back to Milan.Afternoon: is going to be spent in the sign of the great Italian painters:
Botticelli and Pollaiuolo at Poldi Pezzoli Museum as well as the House and the Museum of the famous Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni who wrote the famous literary work “I promessi Sposi”, "The Betrothed"

Evening: Wine and tasty dishes in a restaurant in Brera area

Day 6: TOUR OF THE NAVIGLIO CANAL BY BOAT, MUSEUM OF DESIGN
The day begins with a bike tour towards Canal Grande where the bikes are going to be left for a boat trip on the Naviglio Canal following the Conche route from Porta Genova.
Alternatively can also be chosen the longer route biking first to Sesto Calende, a town outside of Milan and taking then the boat from Viale Italia following the Parco del Ticino route that starts from Sesto Calende, a few km from Milan.
Lunch in Naviglio area where can also be admired the small church of San Cristoforo.
A walk to the Senigalia market and the fruit, vegetables and antiques market in Viale Papiniano.
Guided tour at Triennale Design Museum which houses various exhibitions every week. Aperitif at Noon bar in Cadorna area, not far from the central Piazza del Duomo

Evening: in search of a new favorite restaurant or together with the tour leader in a local pizzeria

Day 7:
MILAN: ROYAL PALACE,THE RISORGIMENTO PALACE, THE FASHION DISTRICT
MONZA: PARK AND VILLA REALE
The bike tour starts with a visit to the Royal Palace and Risorgimento Palace where it is going to be illustrated through several collections of paintings and prints, Italy’s history from the Napoleonic period.
The itinerary continues then with a walk towards the Fashion District with the famous upscale shopping streets: Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia.
Bike tour to Monza, a charming medieval town about 20 km from Milan , where you are going to visit the Park of Monza, hunting summer residence of Napoleon III and Savoia’s family, the last royal Italian dynasty.
A visit of the Royal villa is on the schedule.

Evening: is going to be spent at “Cantina di Monza”, a well-known local, funny restaurant where in addition to fresh fish, pasta salads, pizzas, meat dishes and other delicacies can be tasted different wines.
Entertainment: dance, karaoke and funny games.
Return to Milan by bike.
End of the program.