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.

Evening: Dinner at one of the oldest and charming trattoria in the suggestive atmosphere of the ancient vicolo dei Lavandai sul Naviglio Grande. You live the enchanting atmosphere of the old canals in 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: MILAN – THE OLD TOWN
Traditional ice cream tasting
Your tour leader will be waiting in Hotel’s lobby and you start exploring the historical Milan: a guided tour of Piazza del Duomo, the magnificent Gothic-Lombard Cathedral with a visit to the terraces on the Cathedral, the Baptistery of San Giovanni alla Fonti and visit of the Archaeological site of the Dome Cathedral. You are going to be explained the history of the visited monuments.
You continue with Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery built in an eclectic style typical of the second half of the nineteenth century Milan, a dear place to the 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.
For lunch you stop in a local Trattoria – Restaurant in the Duomo area.
Ice creams tasting in an old gelateria.

Afternoon: You walk now towards the elegant Piazza della Scala, the world’s most famous theatre, a real temple of the lyrics. If time allows, you visit the theatre’s museum.
The charming old Piazza Mercanti, the symbol of the city, created in medieval times as a great symbol of the city life where every day the people could immerse themselves in the lively atmosphere of shops, inns and trattorias and where today we find the Palazzo della Ragione, is your next stop during the afternoon.
Late afternoon free. We recommend a shopping tour in via Torino, Corso Vittorio Emanuele or teh side streets, a stop at the Parco delle Basiliche where you can visit the ancient Christian basilicas built in roman times: San Lorenzo and Sant’ Eustorgio and a walk in Corso Ticinese, with its trendy fashion shops and where you can enjoy a tasty piedina with bresaola, rucola and parmesan cheese or a good chocolate crepes and admire the Columns of San Lorenzo.Alternatively, you can also choose to enjoy a tour of the city in Hop On and Hop Off open double-decker bus.

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

Day 3: SPA & WELNESS IN MILAN
The day of today is going to be dedicated to beneficial spa treatments and relax at the wellness oasis in the centre of Milan.
Milan Wellness & Spa is the heaven of wellness situated in the heart of Milan, a exclusive possibility to enjoy your day and relax yourself.
The Spa & Wellness centre provides more than thirty thermal services concerning the 4 main elements: water, air, earth and fire.
The water, the most excellent wellness element.
The air, that helps creating a suggesting atmosphere.
The earth, because the simple things let us find our “equilibrium”.
The fire, the warmth element, because it helps to revitalize your body.
Milan Wellness & Spa has also a wonderful Spanish Garden with hydro-mineral baths and a huge solarium surrounded by walls built by Ferrante Gonzaga during XVI century.

Day 4: MILAN - SFORZESCO CASTLE, SEMPIONE PARK, BRERA QUARTER, PINACOTECA DI BRERA
The day begins with 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. Visit the castle and its museum and immerse yourself in history with the help of our Tour Leader.
You take afterwards a tour and a stroll in Sempione Park that extends from the shoulders of the Castle to Milan’s Arena..
You head afterwards towards 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 you can find 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

Afternoon: You visit the precious Pinacoteca di Brera, the famous Museum of Art where in a magnificent fourteenth-century monastery, alongside the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, you will find works of art and collections of paintings by the most famous painters: The Marriage of the Virgin by Raffaello, Madonna with the child by Giovanni Bellini, Crocifixion of Bramantino as well as many other paintings and art works of Raffaello and Leonardo.
Youcontinue the tour by visiting the Filodrammatic Theatre, Clerici Palace, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Church of San Marco and the Botanical Garden.Late afternoon: free to discover the trendy and antique shops or simply walk and taste a good Italian ice cream. We recommend the old gelateria in Conciliazione area.

Evening: You can dine in the Hotel, in "Trattoria Toscana" or at "Acero Rosso", Pizzeria – Restaurant in Conciliazione area where at reasonable prices you can choose among fish or meat dishes, pizzas and desserts from Milan. The dessert Millefoglie or Meringata is a must, as well as a limoncello, a strong lemon drink

Day 5: THE RENAISSANCE MILAN
Wine tasting in an old wine cellar
The guided tour, after a breakfast in a bar, tasting a freshly baked croissant and a cappuccino, continues in the sign of the Renaissance Milan.
You visit the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with the famous Cenacolo Vinciano and admire the famous painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. You are going to hear all about its history.
The tour continues then towards the District Magenta with wonderful buildings and villas examples from nineteenth-century and early twentieth century liberty style buildings…and many nice shops.You continue then towards the ancient Basilica of Sant Ambrogio, queen and mother of the Lombard churches with its interior that includes works of art of 1600 years of history and then continue towards the Catholic Cloisters, originally belonging to the Benedictine Monastery St. Ambrose, the San Bernardino alle Monache church, the Renaissance Palace of Donato Bramante: Palombelli Palace and the Church of Santa Maria presso San Martiro.
Lunch and Wine Tasting

Late afternoon: Together with your guide you visit the Gardens of Villa Reale and Corso Venezia and then the bustling Corso Buenos Aires and the Fashion Quadriletto with the famous upscale shopping streets: Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia.

Evening: Aperitif at "Executive Lounge", and if there is some time over you’ll visit Sozzani Gallery (exhibition space dedicated to the visual arts: photography, painting, drawing and sculpture)
Dinner in C.so Como, entertainment in the different local trendy bars and pubs

Day 6: CHIARAVALLE ABBEY, MONZA PARK, VILLA REALE
The morning starts with a trip outside Milan, to the old Abbey of Chiaravalle, belonging to the Cistercian monks. Chiaravalle is a charming little town just outside Milan.
You immerse yourself in old times atmosphere, history and fascinating stories
Lunch at the Abbey or in a trattoria in the Village of Chiaravalle.
Back in MilanAfternoon: Guided visit to the Park of Monza, a few kilometers from Milan, hunting residence of Napoleon III and the Savoy, the last italian royal dynasty and visit the Villa Reale ..

Evening: Dinner all together at "Cantina di Monza", a well-known bar – restaurant and where in addition to the typical menu of fresh fish, pasta salads, pizzas, meat dishes and other delicacies you can taste different wines and join the entertainment: dance, games, karaoke and other fun entertainment.Return to Milan in a private minibus.
End of your guided tour in Milan.

Day 7: SPA & WELNESS IN MILAN
The day of today is going to be dedicated to beneficial spa treatments and relax at the wellness oasis in the centre of Milan.
Milan Wellness & Spa is the heaven of wellness situated in the heart of Milan, an exclusive possibility to enjoy your day and relax yourself.
The Spa & Wellness centre provides more than thirty thermal services concerning the 4 main elements: water, air, earth and fire.
The water, the most excellent wellness element.
The air, that helps creating a suggesting atmosphere.
The earth, because the simple things let us find our “equilibrium”.
The fire, the warmth element, because it helps to revitalize your body.
Milan Wellness & Spa has also a wonderful Spanish Garden with hydro-mineral baths and a huge solarium surrounded by walls built by Ferrante Gonzaga during XVI century