ITALIAN GRANDTOUR

The Gran Tour of Italy

Day 1: Arrival at Malpensa airport. Transfer to Como; check-in hotel.

Day 2: From Bellagio to Menaggio by Ferry. Play at Menaggio & Cadenabbia Golf. It’s one of the most old golf club in Italy. Amazing layout. Are you looking for a golf experience? Play it! The Menaggio & Cadenabbia Golf Club was founded in January 1907 and celebrated 100 years of history in 2007.

Day 3: Leisure, discover the lake, relax, possibility to visit Milan

Day 4: Play at Villa d’Este Golf Club, listed top 100 golf course in Europe. Superb layout, old clubhouse British style. The Golf Villa d’Este is located 7 miles (12 kilometres) from the hotel, near the lake of Montorfano. Designed in 1926 by architect Peter Gannon, it is situated at the height of about 400 meters, surrounded by chestnut, birch and pine woods, in a scenario reminiscent of Scotland. The 18-hole course is considered one of the most challenging and difficult “par 69” in Europe. Every year it hosts many international competitions. The Club House offers a lovely view of the lake

Day 5: Play at Monticello Golf Club, venue of many Italian Open, listed top golf course in Italy and
Europe. The Monticello Golf Club was founded in 1974 on about 140 hectares and has two, 18-hole courses. It has hosted seven Italian competitions, attracting the most prestigious professionals in the world. At the moment, Monticello is one of the leading Italian golf clubs with excellent modern amenities. Over the years, the original layout of the fairways has been changed and developed by many architects, but Graham Cooke is the name behind the present conformation.

Day 6: Check out. Drive from Como to Lake Garda. Accommodation at Palazzo Arzaga 5*.
Dating back to the 15th century, Palazzo Arzaga Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort features interiors with a classic design, wood-beamed ceilings, original frescoes and antique furniture. Offering extensive grounds including a Clarins wellness centre, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus and a 9-hole golf course by Gary Payer.

Day 7: Play golf at Garda Golf Club. Experts consider the Gardagolf Country Club one of the best golf courses built over the last decades. The Gardagolf Country Club, spread out over 110 hectares and designed by British architects, boasts a 27-hole championship course nestled between the Rocca di Manerba, Soiano Castle and the Valtenesi hills, offering an extraordinarily beautiful panorama

Day 8: Check out. From Lake Garda to Venice. Stop at Verona. Later in the afternoon check-in Venice. Accommodation at Metropole Hotel 5*

Day 9: Morning transfer by private boat from Venice to Lido di Venezia. Play at Golf Club Venezia. Later in the afternoon back to Venice, free time, relax.

The legend has it that it was a small incident occurred during the visit of Henry Ford – President of Ford Motor Company – to originate the idea of creating a golf course on the Venice Lido. Disembarking at the Hotel Excelsior in 1928 with its bag and clubs, Mr Ford asked his friend Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata to try himself out playing at the nearest links. Champions such as Arnold Palmer, Tony Jacklin, Severino Ballesteros, Johnny Miller, Sam Torrance, Lee Trevino, Costantino Rocca, Baldovino Dassù, Eamonn Darcy, and more recently, Edoardo and Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero, have stepped the Lido’s links. The charm of the Venetian course lies in the perfect alliance between natural beauties and technical difficulties that make it one of the best courses in Italy. In 2012, it ranked at the eighth position of the special “Top Ten” chart of the best Italian courses drawn each year by Golf Digest.

Day 10: Check out. Drive from Venice to Florence. Check-in hotel located in Florence

Day 11: Free day in Florence. Florence is famous for its wealth of fine art and architecture and was long ruled by the Medici family. Monuments and art sites not to be missed are the Uffizi Gallery, the Academy Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo, the Giotto bell tower, the St. John’s Baptistery, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce. To mention few, but the list can grow longer because each part of Florence, each street contains an art treasure.

Day 12: Play golf at Ugolino Golf Club or Le Pavoniere GC designed by Arnold Palmer

Day 13: Free day to discover the Chianti area

Day 14: Check out. Drive from Florence to Rome. Possibility to visit Siena.

Siena sightseeing The walled city of Siena stands firmly planted in the Middle Ages preserving its original character more markedly than any other city in Italy. Siena is famous in the world for its beautiful square where every August the famous medieval horse race, called the Palio, is run, still respecting the rules of centuries ago.

Later in the afternoon reach Rome, check-in hotel.

Day 15: Discover the eternal city of Rome. Possibility to arrange private sightseeing with our local guide.

Your private guide will meet you in the hotel lobby eager to lead you on an intimate introductory tour of Rome and take you along the iconic monuments connected to the Eternal City. Along the way, you will stop at the Pantheon, a gorgeous structure built in the 2nd century AD after the original temple was damaged in a fire. A magnificent dome rests atop the masonry walls erected in a cylindrical shape as the entrance features 16 granite columns topped with Corinthian capitals to create a dramatic and unforgettable welcome to the Pantheon and the city of Rome. You can also enjoy shopping in the cobblestone streets filled with life and activity in front of the elaborate window displays along Via Condotti, famous for the concentration of luxury brands in one shopping street.

Day 17: Relax, leisure in Rome. Possibility to play at Marco Simone Golf Club considered one of the most prestigious golf course in Italy, Marco Simone Golf Club, home of the 2022 Ryder Cup, is a must play if you are planning a golf vacation in “The Eternal City”.The club will be the third venue in continental Europe to host the tournament, following 1997 host Club de Golf Valderrama in Spain and Le Golf National in France, which will host the tournament in 2018.

Day 18: Say Arrivederci. Private transfer to Roma Fiumicino Int. Airport.