Italy & Switzerland: Lake Como, St Moritz & the Bernina Express
8 Days | 7 Nights | Milan – Lake Como – Varenna – Bellagio – Bernina Express – St Moritz
From £1,667 per person, including return flights | In partnership with Newmarket Holidays
Based on two adults sharing, departing London Heathrow on 21st April 2027. Regional departures available on request. Price includes all mandatory taxes and charges.
Tour Overview
Spend a relaxing week on the shores of Lake Como, the most romantic of the Italian lakes, with its elegant villas, glorious gardens and pretty lakeside towns. Discover colourful Varenna, cross by ferry to Bellagio, often called the most beautiful town in Italy, and cruise past grand lakeside villas to the gardens of Villa del Balbianello.
A highlight of the week is a journey on the Bernina Express, one of the world’s great rail journeys, climbing over spiral viaducts and the 2,253-metre Bernina Pass to chic St Moritz in the Swiss Alps. With time at leisure, optional trips to Como, Milan and Bergamo, and an experienced tour manager throughout, it’s the perfect blend of rest and discovery.
Tour Highlights
- Ride the Bernina Express from Tirano over the Bernina Pass to St Moritz
- Ferry crossing to Bellagio, “Italy’s most beautiful town”
- Lake Como cruise past elegant villas and lakeside villages
- Entry to the gardens of Villa del Balbianello
- Visit to the picturesque lakeside town of Varenna
- A week on the shores of Lake Como
- Optional excursions to Como, Milan and Bergamo
- Fully escorted by an experienced tour manager, with local guides
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 – London Heathrow → Milan → Lake Como
Fly to Milan and transfer to your hotel on the shores of Lake Como. Settle in and enjoy your first dinner by the lake.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 2 – Varenna
After a leisurely breakfast, visit Varenna, one of Lake Como’s most picturesque towns, with cobbled alleys, colourful houses and waterside cafés. Stroll the lovers’ walk along the lake or enjoy the views from the terraces of Castello di Vezio.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 3 – Bellagio, Lake Cruise & Villa del Balbianello
Cross by ferry to Bellagio for a short walking tour and free time to explore its lakefront promenade, gardens and cafés. Then board a lake cruiser to sail past elegant villas and visit the beautiful gardens of Villa del Balbianello before cruising back to port.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 4 – At Leisure or Optional Como
Relax at your hotel or by the lake, or join an optional trip to the city of Como, with its walled old town, magnificent cathedral and the Como–Brunate funicular for sweeping views.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 5 – At Leisure or Optional Milan
Enjoy another day at leisure, or join an optional guided tour of Milan, taking in the Duomo, the Galleria shopping arcade, La Scala opera house and Sforzesco Castle.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 6 – The Bernina Express to St Moritz
Board the Bernina Express in Tirano for a spectacular journey through the Swiss Alps, crossing the famous Brusio spiral viaduct and the 2,253-metre Bernina Pass to glamorous St Moritz. Enjoy time to explore before returning to Lake Como by coach.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 7 – At Leisure or Optional Bergamo
Spend your final day by the lake, or join an optional excursion to Bergamo, with its walled Upper City, medieval Piazza Vecchia and ornate Santa Maria Maggiore church.
Overnight: Lake Como
Day 8 – Milan → London Heathrow
Say “arrivederci” to Lake Como and transfer to the airport for your flight home.
What’s Included
- Return flights from London Heathrow to Milan (regional departures available on request)
- Seven nights’ bed and breakfast or half-board accommodation on Lake Como (depending on hotel)
- Bernina Express rail journey to St Moritz
- Two boat trips on Lake Como, including a lake cruise
- Entrance to the gardens of Villa del Balbianello
- Visits to Varenna and Bellagio
- Coach travel and transfers throughout
- Fully escorted by an experienced tour manager, with local guides where applicable
- All mandatory local taxes and charges
- ATOL protection
What’s Not Included
- Optional excursions to Como, Milan and Bergamo
- Meals not included in your board basis, and drinks
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities and personal expenses
Accommodation
Seven nights in a hotel on the shores of Lake Como, on a bed and breakfast or half-board basis depending on the hotel chosen. A choice of hotels is available, and our touring experts can help you pick the best one for you.
(Hotel confirmed closer to departure.)
Enquire Now
Ready to ride the Bernina Express and relax on Lake Como? Departures run from London Heathrow between April and October 2027, with regional departures available on request. Our touring experts can find the best date, hotel and price for you.
Call us on: 0800 033 7787
Or complete the enquiry form below and we’ll be in touch.
*Price correct at the time of publishing (31st October 2026). The from price is per person, based on two adults sharing and the 21st April 2027 departure from London Heathrow. Regional UK departures are available on request and prices may vary. Board basis depends on the hotel chosen. Prices vary by departure date and hotel and are subject to availability and change. A single supplement applies for solo travellers. Optional excursions are payable locally. Tour operated by Newmarket Holidays (ABTA V7812, ATOL 2325).