La Scala Opera House

Milan Castello Sforzesco

Milan: Opera, Wine, Lakes & Gardens

This spectacular tour is a feast for the senses, taking in great Opera, the wonderful, but little known wines of the Lombardy region, and the beautiful lakes and gardens of Northwest Italy.

On our first evening, we are privileged to have first class tickets to see Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón in Donizetti’s delightful opera buffa, l’Elisir d’Amore at the world’s leading opera house, La Scala.

Rolando Villazón has firmly established himself as one of the music world’s most critically acclaimed and beloved stars and as one of the leading tenors of our day. The Times wrote of a recent performance in London “he’s simply Villazón: back again with his trademark exuberance, ringing tenor, and frightening ability to act a part. In l’Elisir d’Amore he performs the role of Nemorino, the hapless peasant hopelessly in love with the rich country girl Adina. He takes a phoney magic potion (actually just red wine!) in order to have the courage to win her love. The most famous aria from the opera is Una Furtiva Lagrima.
After this wonderful performance, we enjoy a post opera supper together in one of our luxury 5* hotel’s restaurants, with our selection of wines from the region.

Next day, we head North east out of Milan to the Franciacorta wine region, which is justifiably proud of its reputation as Italy’s premium sparkling wine region. Indeed, some of the wines here have even beaten leading champagnes in blind tastings for their elegance and complexity. The region also produces some lovely red and whites as well which we’ll taste at a range of visits and private invitations to lunch – always the best way to enjoy wines as far as A&C are concerned!

Our base for this part of the tour is an attractive small 4* villa hotel on the shores of Lake Iseo with garden terraces overlooking this pretty lake.

Our next wine region is the stunningly dramatic mountainous region of Valtellina, which Tim Clarke explored for us last year, and was so taken by the quality of the wines and the beauty of the region, that it is at his insistance that this is included on this tour! The vineyards run along the sunny side of the valley above the River Adda, not far from the Swiss border on Lake Como, in a narrow strip 40 kms long and 400 – 1000 metres above sea level. The slopes are so steep as to be near vertical so mechanisation is impossible, and even the soil needed for replanting has to be carried up on the backs of the workers, though the very steepest slopes have miniature cable cars to carry the grapes down to the valley during harvest. The grapes planted here are Nebbiolo, which is known locally as Chiavennasca, and the fruit have a gentle fragrance encouraged by the variation between day and night temperatures due to the cooling effect of nearby Como. The red wines here have huge character and longevity (and are great with strong cheeses!). The best wine from the region is Sforzato, a very full bodied red, made from grapes, which have been dried for several months.

We spend a whole day in this fascinating wine region and enjoy lunch with one of the producers, before dropping back down to the valley. Here, we will stay on one of Italy’s most beautiful lakes, Lake Como, where our hotel is the Villa Cipressi Hotel whose famous gardens, which tumble down to the lake, are renowned for the cypresses and wisteria. We have booked superior lake view rooms here for you. For a higher level of comfort and more traditional décor, you can treat yourselves to one of the spacious suites.

You will have time in the morning to wander around the famous gardens of our hotel. We then check out and catch the ferry, on foot, to the other side of the lake to visit the elegant 18th century summer-house of Villa Carlotta, in Tremezzo. Admission is included, and you are then at leisure to explore the villa and gardens at your own pace.

We will stop off at one of the lake-side villages for a final delicious traditional lunch with our wine guides selection of wines. We will then continue to Milan and can either drop you at Malpensa airport or Milan centre, back at the first hotel