Christmas Markets in the Italian Alps

DEPARTURE

Independent departures from the USA on an overnight flight to Venice.

Optional Pre-Trip Night – Venice - Mestre

Arrive Venice Marco Polo Airport. You will be met and transferred to your hotel in Mestre, just outside of Venice. Check-in is available from 3:00 p.m. The afternoon is yours to recover from your journey or explore independently.

The Best Western Plus Hotel Bologna has served travelers since 1911 and remains family-run by the fourth generation of the Tura family. Located directly opposite Venezia - Mestre railway station, the hotel offers easy access to Venice’s historic center just 10 minutes away by train.

Included: Arrival transfer from VCE airport, 1 night accommodation with breakfast
Price: $192 per person double; $451 per person single

ARRIVAL - TRENTO

Arrivals in Venice Marco Polo Airport. Please schedule your flight to arrive by 12:00 p.m., or add the additional pre-trip night.

Meet your Conservancy Travel Trip Leader as you exit the baggage claim.

Depart by private motorcoach to Trento, the gateway to the Dolomites, nestled between mountains and vineyards.

Guests taking the optional pre-trip night in Venice-Mestre have breakfast and a free morning. Check out of the hotel at 12:00 p.m. The motorcoach will pick us up to join the group transfer to Trento.

Arrive in Trento in the late afternoon and check in to your hotel.

This evening, gather for a welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant featuring local Trentino cuisine and local wine.

ROVERETO AND RIVA DEL GARDA

Visit Rovereto with a local guide, a city known for its cultural depth and peaceful character. Explore the MART Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, a striking contrast to the historic setting.

We’ll enjoy a two-course lunch in a local restaurant, including your choice of wine, beer or soft drink; water and coffee or tea.

This afternoon we head to Lake Garda. In Riva del Garda, the Christmas market unfolds along the lakeside promenade, where the glow of wooden stalls reflects across the water and surrounding mountains.

The market highlights Trentino specialties, regional wines, and Trento DOC sparkling wines presented by local producers.

Return to Trento in the evening.

TRENTO

Today we explore Trento’s historic center on a guided walk. Renaissance façades, frescoed buildings, and elegant squares reflect the city’s layered past. Piazza del Duomo opens onto the Cathedral of San Vigilio, the Palazzo Pretorio, and the Fountain of Neptune.

Visit the Castello del Buonconsiglio, once home to the region’s prince-bishops and now housing remarkable frescoes.

The afternoon is free to explore the Trento Christmas market at your own pace, browse for handcrafted goods, or pause for a warm drink.

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and depart to Bolzano, capital of South Tyrol, where German and Italian cultures blend seamlessly.

We begin with a guided exploration of the arcaded streets, pastel buildings, and lively Piazza Walther. A highlight is the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, where we visit Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy discovered in the nearby mountains.

Enjoy a free afternoon to sample regional specialties and discover the Bolzano Christmas Market - the oldest and largest in Italy.

We meet up for dinner this evening at a local restaurant.

MERANO

Discover Merano, an elegant Alpine spa town that became a retreat for Europe’s elite in the 19th century. Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sissi, was among its most famous visitors, helping shape the town’s reputation for wellness and refined living.

Walk along the Passer Promenade, through the arcades, and past the Belle Époque Kurhaus as your guide shares the story of this distinctive town.

The afternoon is free to enjoy The Merano Christmas Market that stretches along the riverbank.

Return to Bolzano in the evening.

NOVACELLA ABBEY AND BRIXEN

Visit the Abbey of Novacella, set among vineyards at the foot of the Alps and home to one of the world’s oldest active wineries. High-altitude vineyards produce distinctive white wines shaped by the region’s climate.

The complex reflects centuries of history, from Romanesque origins to Gothic cloisters with frescoes and a Baroque church. Highlights include the octagonal “Wonder Well” in the courtyard and a library housing thousands of volumes and rare manuscripts.

Originally founded to serve travelers crossing the Alps, the site remains an active cultural center.

Conclude with a tasting of the abbey’s acclaimed wines.

After lunch, we head to Brixen (Bressanone), one of South Tyrol's oldest cities. Here, we discover the stunning Baroque cathedral and historic squares with a local guide.

The intimate Brixen Christmas Market, nestled beneath the cathedral's twin towers, is known for its cozy ambiance and local crafts.

Return to Bolzano in the evening.

VIPITENO

Discover the jewel of Alpine charm: Vipiteno, reputed as one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages. Colorful houses, narrow streets, picturesque squares, and an enchanting mountain landscape preserve the atmosphere of the late Middle Ages. The historic center features the Town Hall with its richly decorated interiors, and the Tower of the Twelve, symbol of the city.

After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the small but magical Christmas Market, set against the backdrop of the Zwölferturm medieval clock tower.

VENICE

We bid farewell to the South Tyrol and Italian Alps, and drive to Venice.

We leave our motorcoach at the entrance of the city and we transfer by private water taxi to our hotel in the historic center.

Venice in December has a quiet, atmospheric character. Subtle Christmas lights trace the bridges and narrow calli, their reflections shifting across the canals in the early evening light.

Walk through the city with our local guide, taking in St. Mark’s Square, the Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, and the smaller canal-side streets, where a light winter mist softens the edges of the city and gives it a more intimate feel.

This evening, a farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrates our Northern Italy Christmas Markets journey.

DEPARTURE

Transfer by private water taxi to Venice Marco Polo Airport for departure.

END OF PROGRAM