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RETOXING IN FABULOUS FRANCIACORTA
Thinking about taking a relaxing holiday to escape the stresses of everyday life? Then go to Franciacorta and you will be rewarded with the uniquely magical atmosphere. Franciacorta offers a special, indeed unique, holiday for people who want to combine relaxation with gastronomy.
Franciacorta is a splendid region of Lombardy, a stone's throw from Brescia and within easy reach of the rest of Europe. The region lies just north of Milan, an unexpected pocket of rose-bowered vineyards in alpine foothills between the Po Valley and the southern shore of Lake Iseo. The name Franciacorta - loosely translatable as 'free place' - is said to derive from the Benedictine monks who once ran the area and received tax exemptions from the Venetian Republic for helping feed, educate and discipline the populace. Emperor Charlemagne may have assisted by nicknaming it 'Little France'.
A landscape with scented hillsides cloaked in vineyards and peaceful lakeside views of Lake Iseo. Hotels, spas and restaurants which pride themselves on offering superb food and fine wines will make sure you have everything you need for a relaxing holiday.
A tour of Franciacorta is not just about the discovery of wine. Each cellar chronicles the history of the families of Franciacorta who with tenacity and determination upheld the tradition of wine production. Now famous throughout the world, these wines bear the DOCG classification (a certified quality and origin).
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DURATION
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3 Nights / 4 Days
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HIGHLIGHTS
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Lake Iseo
Natural reserve of Torbiere
S. Pietro in Lamosa - 11th century monastery
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PROGRAM
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Day 1 : Arrival and Hotel check-in.
Guided visit to a wine cellar and tasting of a chalice of Franciacorta Quality and Production Certified (DOCG) and different snacks. Afternoon rejuvenating SPA Treatment followed by exquisite dinner in the hotel.
Day 2 : Franciacorta
After Breakfast, departure to Franciacorta wine territory between Brescia and Lake Iseo. First stop is Rodengo Saiano and Villa Fenaroli. Wine tasting at Provaglio d'Iseo and typical lunch in a local farmhouse. Continue to San Pietro in Lamosa Monastery, dating 1100 and the big Torbiere. Dinner in a restaurant with local specialities. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 : Lake Iseo
Breakfast at the hotel. Boat trip on lake Iseo, named after the Egyptian goddess Isis, Iseo is only the fourth largest of Lombardy's lakes, but still an eyeful at 15 miles long and three miles wide. Rising steeply from the pearl-grey water is Monte Isolo, Europe's biggest lake island. Beside it are two small satellite islands, St Paolo and Loreto, the latter owned by the Beretta family, makers of James Bond's favourite handgun. Walk around Iseo and cruise to Mont'Isola, a small island in Lake noted for the sanctuary of Madonna della Ceriola. After lunch departure to Borgonato to visit one of the best azienda agricola for wine tasting. You will sample 'Franciacorta' sparkling champagne. Shopping in Sarnico. Dinner in hotel.
Day 4 : Sondrio
Half day sightseeing in Sondrio followed by a visit to an azienda agricola for local wine testing. Lunch in a restaurant with typical dishes of the territory such as pizzoccheri pasta. Afternoon at disposal. Afternoon SPA Treatment. Dinner in hotel.
INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT: Castello Quistini - 17th century villa with rose-garden (Rovato) Palazzo Torri - 17th century villa (Nigoline); Abbazia Olivetana di S. Nicola - 10th century abbey (Rodengo Saiano); Monastero di S. Pietro in Lamosa - 11th century monastery (Provaglio d'Iseo); Museo di Santa Giulia -Town Museum and exhibitions (Brescia); Convento dell'Annunciata - 15th century convent (Rovato); Riserva Naturale Torbiere del Sebino - peat moss (Provaglio d'Iseo); Maglio Averoldi - 15thcentury mall.
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HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
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Albereta Resort 5*
A charming 5-star resort in the verdant hills of Franciacorta a few minutes' drive from Lake Iseo, the Albereta Relais & Chateaux is an enchanting place off the beaten track.
The ideal get-away for those seeking the pleasure of "some time-out", Albereta seduces its guests with refined proposals for wellness and haute cuisine, with the Gualtiero Marchesi Restaurant, Italy's most famous chef, and SPA Espace Vitalité Henri Chenot wellness & medical centre.
Rivalago Hotel 4*
Rivalago Hotel has helped this corner of the Lake further strengthen its fine reputation and vocation for hospitality satisfying all your expectations for an ideal holiday. Its superb lakeside location, the peaceful village, the swimming pool and solarium ensure exclusive and pleasurable stays..
Relais Franciacorta 4*
Set in beautiful green countryside only 5 minutes' drive from Lake Iseo, Relais Franciacorta is a restored farmhouse offering panoramic lake and mountain views and peaceful surroundings. Dating back to the 17th century, Hotel Relais Franciacorta is surrounded by 60 000 m² of parkland. Gaze out over the vineyards where grapes used for the local Franciacorta sparkling wine grow, or sit out on the terrace with a glass of the finished product.
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ON REQUEST
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Golf (18 holes golf course);
Horseback riding;
Bike tours;
Cooking courses.
We can supply: self catering accomodation, extension of the stay, group rates, etc.; possible reduction in prices for three or four-bed rooms, children, etc.; food and wine tasting itineraries in the region; aid by booking of visits in more than one estate with particular and more complete wine tasting, according to tourists' personal interest.
Visits led by wine experts and producers to some of Franciacorta's most prestigious wine cellars (whose wines bear the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, DOCG classification) and sampling local delicacies are just some of the highlights of our weekend trips and holidays in this region.
We have a range of packages available for those interested in the artistic, historical and cultural pursuits this region has to offer. Visits to the abbeys and monasteries, some of them still inhabited by communities, that shaped the course of this region's history with the drainage of wetlands for agricultural development, still today play an important role in the development of culture. Scattered amidst the region are villas and castles, each one an important landmark. The region abounds with little towns in which one can stroll and soak up the atmosphere of the past.
For sports lovers Franciacorta boasts an 18 hole golf course. You can go riding horseback amongst the vineyards along pathways spanning an area of 500 km. Try your hand at a range of water sports at nearby Lake Iseo, including windsailing, surfing, water skiing and diving and a host of other sporting activities on the mountains that frame the lake, such as trekking, mountain biking, free-climbing and paragliding.
The nature reserve at Torbiere del Sebino covering an area of 360 hectares south of Lake Iseo has plenty of well marked paths that can be covered on foot or by bicycle that snake their way amidst freshwater pools. With about 30 species of birds, it's a paradise for ornithologists from where you can admire a thriving aquatic plant life. The numerous health spas, many of which are located in hotels and are open to visitors, attend to the needs of the health conscious and offer a wide range of treatments. The springs at Ome lying in the heart of Franciacorta are renowned for the treatment of bilious, liver, kidney and respiratory complaints.
Check availability, prices and conditions and remember: all our packages can be fully personalized. .
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