get ready for mountain views in the Italian Lakes

Lake cruising, medieval towns, lazy lunches and a fabulous train ride – enjoy Italy’s elegant Lake como, plus Switzerland’s fashionable St moritz

With such wonderfully contrasting areas within the same country, ranging from lofty mountains that appear to puncture the sky to whitewashed villages with Arabic-influenced names, Italy is impossible to pigeonhole.

This marvellously varied tour focuses on the north. We explore Lake como, which Wordsworth called “a treasure whom the earth keeps to herself”, plus some stunning icons of northern Italy and Switzerland. Lake como’s scenery takes the breath away – reflections of hills and snow-capped peaks are captured in the deep blue waters, where pastel-coloured buildings and opulent villas line the shore.

our visit to Lake maggiore, which straddles Italy and Switzerland, provides amazing sights. Almost mediterranean in character, thanks to the climate, it’s lined with orange trees and palm trees, and a string of picturesque 19th-century towns. To the east is one of Switzerland’s most fashionable destinations – St moritz. The iconic Bernina express train transports us on a spectacularly scenic journey through Poschiavo Valley to this chic mountain resort.