AOSTA VALLEY AND PIEDMONT

Welcome to Italy!

On arrival, you'll be transferred to your exclusive luxury accommodation in Valle d'Aosta, where you'll meet your Kaoma Travel Tour Leader and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner this evening.

Meals: D
Accomodation: Relais Mont Blanc Hotel & SPA***** or similar.

The eighth wonder of the world

Buongiorno! Start your day with a rich sweet and savoury breakfast selection, served in the cozy restaurant room overlooking the Mont Blanc. After we will depart for Val Ferret for a trekking excursion in awe-inspiring settings. The climb from Val Ferret and following ascent to the refuge provide breathtaking views of Mont Blanc and the Grandes Jorasses.

We will then head to Courmayeur, a modern, Alpine city renowned around the world, as well as one of the most frequented mountain resorts in Italy. We'll continue toward the Skyway, a cableway to the highest point near the top of Mont Blanc - the eighth wonder of the world- for a truly unforgettable experience. Discover the world from a higher perspective and we'll share the pleasure of an alpine buffet lunch, tasting the culinary specialties of the Valle d'Aosta in a spectacular setting at 2173m. After lunch, we'll reach Punta Helbronner at 3466m, where you can almost reach out and touch the mountains all around. Fall in love with a 360-degree view from the circular terrace, admire the Crystal Hall showcasing the jewels of the mountains, try Sky Vertigo for the feeling of walking suspended in mid-air and savour a high-altitude Spritz before back to Courmayeur.

End your day with a cocktail or a hot cup of tea enjoying a splendid view of the Mont Blanc from the pool edge before fine dining experience in a selected local restaurant.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Relais Mont Blanc Hotel & SPA***** or similar.

Italy's oldest National Park

After breakfast, we'll depart for Valnontey, a small hamlet that rises in the heart of Gran Paradiso. Italy's oldest national park and home for many rare species of animal, plants and flowers within a splendid Alpine setting. Valnontey is composed of a few houses, one side by side, mostly made of wood and stone, typical of the Valdostana Mountain.

From Valnontey hamlet we'll follow a track that, climbing up the Valley, leads to the Valmianaz village. The valley offers a wealth of natural beauty extending as far as the eye can see over meadows, crystal-clear streams and on towards snow-capped peaks. Along the way is definitely worth stopping by the well known Prà Suppiaz peat-bog. We continue till the foot of the magnificent glacial Amphitheatre of Valnontey, and then later at the Pont de l'Erfaulet. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch with typical products ‘’Valdostani’’.

In the afternoon, get ready to explore Aosta. A very ancient city with a charming history linked to the development and maximum expansion of the Roman Empire and pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. We'll learn about its extraordinary past as we'll take in the highlights and the hidden secrets of this ancient frontier town.

We'll end the day with a fine dining experience in a selected local restaurant.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Relais Mont Blanc Hotel & SPA***** or similar.

After a rich breakfast, we'll depart for a half-day trekking excursion in La Thuile. On the La Thuile territory, there are delightful trekking routes to discover mines, during which you can see traces of the rails that were used for the trucks, the entrances to underground passages and the ruins of miners’ shelters.

Today, free afternoon and evening: Relax in the pool or choose one of our optional experience.

Meals: B, L
Accommodation: Relais Mont Blanc Hotel & SPA***** or similar.

Enjoy your breakfast, and we'll depart for Chamois, a peaceful place at an altitude of 1815 metres, in the middle of the Cervino Valley. The town can only be reached via cable car departing from Buisson. It has preserved all the characteristics of a small Alpine village with houses in wood and stone and the small roads that wind through it.
Thank an easy path, we'll reach Lake Lod, one of the most beautiful spots in Chamois, a stretch of water at 2000 metres altitude, surrounded by a vast pine forest.
We'll enjoy a picnic lunch on the Lake river before departing for Fort Bard. Fort Bard represents one of the best examples of early 1800 military strongholds. It is situated in a strategic setting which originally served as a control point of the Alpine routes leading from France to Italy. We'll step back in time in the history of the fortress before retiring in our room located in the halls of the old garrison, a unique experience of staying inside the walls of a fortress.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Hotel Cavour Et Des Officiers or similar.

Welcome to Piedmont!

Enjoy your breakfast, and start exploring Castel Savoia, a nineteenth-century villa dominating the Gressoney valley. A holiday destination much loved by Queen Margherita, since 1887, and by her husband, Umberto I. Its eclectic style, decorated wood ceilings and friezes and the enormous staircase are the distinctive features which have made it famous. The location on the side of the valley in a position allows you to enjoy a wide view of the Lyskamm glacier and Monte Rosa.

After a savoury lunch, depart to the Oropa Sanctuary. The sanctuary is one of the most important and largest Sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Located in a unique, natural, and unspoiled setting surrounded by a breathtaking natural landscape, Oropa is the absolute religious destination.

We walk along with endless galleries, to get to our room. Tonight we will experience the thrill of sleeping inside a unique sanctuary.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Oropa Sanctuary or similar

The experience of the medieval pilgrims

In the morning, when the sun rises, enjoy free praise in the Old Basilica.

After breakfast, we'll discover the history and the architecture of the sanctuary. We'll admire the reliquary of the Black Madonna, a wooden statue, decorated with gold and gemstones. According to the legend, the statue of the Black Madonna is the work of the evangelist Luke carved in Palestine and carried to Oropa by St. Eusebius.

In the afternoon, we'll head to the antique ‘’Clavasium’’ of Chivasso to relive the experience of the medieval pilgrims into the Via Francigena through forests and charming agricultural landscapes. Via Francigena was an ancient road and pilgrim route running from France to Rome and Apulia, where there were the ports of embarkation for the Holy Land.

We'll end our day with a fine dining experience in a selected local restaurant in Turin.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Principi di Piemonte ***** or similar

The Royal City

In one of the corners of Piazza San Carlo in the heart of Turin is a café that is a slice of the past, in a setting rich with history, where writers and famous people used to have their coffee break. The ornate décor and plush interior create an oasis of calm on a central meeting point of the city.

The coffee, based on the best Lavazza blends, remains a reference point, which is confirmed by their rating of “2 coffee beans” out of 3, awarded by Gambero Rosso.

We'll walk through the Quadrilatero Romano, the ancient roman district. Hidden among the nooks and crannies of this fascinating maze of streets are traces of Turin's past; look up and pick out beams, pillars, and the remains of Roman monuments, medieval towers and renaissance buildings. We'll admire Porta Palazzo, the largest outdoor food market in Europe, the baroque church of Consolata and the Duomo of Turin. Crossing Piazza Castello we'll reach the Royal Palace, a sixteenth-century palace constructed for the House of Savoy. Inside we will find hidden gems, like the ''Scala delle Forbici'' and the Royal Armory, an exhibition of arms armours located in the Grande Galleria, which reminds you of the Versailles Hall of Mirrors.

We'll end the day climbing the top of Mole Antonelliana to enjoy the view of this charming city.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Principi di Piemonte ***** or similar

Breakfast time at Principi di Piemonte is the prelude of an exciting and intense day. Enjoy yout cappuccino before depart for Sacra di San Michele. The abbey is a symbol of Piedmont Region and a place that inspired the writer Umberto Eco to conceive the best-seller “Il nome della rosa”.
A guided tour will allow us to discover the whimsical "Zodiac Door, "the Staircase of the Dead and the tower of the "Bell'Alda," with an astonishing view of the Valley and the "Via Francigena."

We'll lead to Racconigi to admire the Savoy Royal Castle. Visiting the Castle of Racconigi now means not only re-experiencing the splendour of the House of Savoy by admiring the original furnishings and the splendid collection of portraits but also having the opportunity to stroll through glasshouses and farmhouses and sighting the storks that nest in the park, a haven of exceptional natural interest.

You'll enjoy your lunch in a typical ‘’trattoria’’ before reaching the city of Bra to visit the Typewriting Museum and the Museum of Bicycle. Two unique Museum host a vast collection of antique and valuable examples of typewriters and bikes.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Villa d’Amelia**** or similar

The Langhe Region

Enjoy a warm coffee at the hotel terrace, while admiring the breathtaking view of surrounding hills.

At 9 am, join your guide for a light trek (1h 30 min) that, through vegetable gardens, hazelnut orchards and vineyards, leads to Ceretto Winery: a Family-run vineyard bottling organically farmed wines.

Snap a pic over the "red big bench" before visiting the Chapel of Barolo: a little coloured church, become famous thanks to the re-interpretation given by artists Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett in 1999.

Go Deep down into wine culture at the Wine Museum in Barolo with a multimedia itinerary to discover history, traditions and personalities that have shaped the history of Piedmont and Italy, helping to bring Barolo wine on the tables of European rulers in the 19TH century.

We'll reach the centre of the small village of La Morra, perched on a hill at the height of 513 m above sea level, one of the most striking observation points of the beautiful Langhe landscape. From the central Piazza Castello, you can see an overlook extended across the Langhe and the Alps that offers a unique show on the hills, characterized by villages, castles and towers emerging from the vineyards.

End the day with an optional air-balloon sunset flight above the Langhe Valley.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Villa d’Amelia**** or similar

The Underground Cathedrals

Start your day delighted by the delicious aromas coming from the in-hotel pastry laboratory makes your day unique from sunrise. After, depart for Canelli and its Underground Cathedrals a Unesco World Heritage site. The wine cellars have recently been renamed the “Underground Cathedrals”, for their spectacular beauty and historical importance. They are composed of galleries, tunnels, corridors and spacious arches lit by a light-play that underlines the monumental work done by those in the past who excavated the tuff rock at the heart of Canelli. We'll discover the history and wine production with insights on Piedmontese varieties, vineyard management, and traditional methods of winemaking. The final tasting is a tribute to the excellences of the Piedmont wine.

We'll admire the small medieval village of Neive, a stunning and laid-back town, considered one of Italy’s prettiest villages. Enjoy the local cuisine and stroll in the oldest part of the village.

After lunch, departure for Lake Maggiore, one of the most beautiful Italian lakes and has enchanted the great Italian and foreign artists who have stayed here.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Relais et Châteaux Villa Crespi ***** or similar

C’est le lieu du golfe le plus voluptueux que j’aie vu
G. Flaubert

After breakfast depart for discovering the charm of the gardens and palaces of the Borromean Islands. We'll immerse in the nature of Isola Madre. The gardens are filled with colours and flowers, like rhododendrons, magnolias, azaleas and others from all over the world.

Continue to Isola dei Pescatori, we'll walk through the typical hamlet, with its atmospheric little alleyways and ancient houses built around the church of San Vittore.

We'll admire the unique beauties of Isola Bella: Looking at Isola Bella from above and you might make out a ship-shaped vessel; look at it from the side and the profile of the island’s gardens resembles the filigree on a fairy-tale tiara.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Relais et Châteaux Villa Crespi ***** or similar

Enjoy your cappuccino and get ready to depart for Lake Orta. The Lake is known as one of the most romantic lakes in Italy, drawn irresistibly to its most beautiful village, the ancient burgh of Orta San Giulio. Legend has it that the island, which lies not more than 400 metres from the lakefront of Orta, was once a bare rock inhabited by snakes and terrible monsters, until the day in 390 when San Giulio landed, crossing the lake on his cloak and guided in the storm by his staff.

We plunge to discover the hamlet, walking along the narrow street that goes around the whole of the island: the “way of silence and meditation”, in an evocative blend of spirituality and architecture.

After lunch, we'll depart for Domodossola. We jump on a train, sit back and relax as we discover a region packed with surprises on this slow journey. Enjoy a unique experience, coming into contact with a diverse landscape that features a succession of deep gorges, wild mountains, rivers and waterfalls.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Relais et Châteaux Villa Crespi ***** or similar

Transfer to the Milan Malpensa International Airport for your return flight or you may choose to extend your holiday.

Meals: B