TOUR CULTURE, HISTORY AND MYSTERY IN NORTH ITALY
A perfect tour in Italy for mystery and history lovers.
We will guide you in a unique tour around Venice, Alps, Brescia, Milan, Turin discovering the most fascinating mysteries of Northern Italy. Famous enigmatic places, castles, objects, frescoes and thrilling stories. Experiences to bring with you for the rest of your life. Professional services and private tours with skilled native guides.
Please consider that we can adjust and customize the mystery tour plan in Northern Italy following your travel expectations, preferences and personal interests.
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS TOUR
PLACES & SITES OF INTEREST
— Venice mysteries by night, Casanova
— Genesis mystery revelation in Veneto, an authentic exclusive of this tour!
— Best of Brescia medieval Castle
— Best of Milan and a sigular fresco paint in Clusone
— Torino the magic arcane triangle, the great Egyptian museum, the Holy Shroud secrets
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- 10 days / 9 nights in 4 stars Hotels;
- Transfer from Venice airport to hotel by water taxi;
- Private guide tours and Group guide tours as per itinerary:
- Venice: city centre, the Islands, mystery tour by night, tour Casanova. Torino: mystery tour by night
- Tickets and sites entrances
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Everything not mentioned in “the tour includes”
- Flight tickets
- Tourist accommodation taxes
- Medical-luggage and cancelation insurance
- Optional tours/experiences
- 6 days Car rent as program, we suggest equipped of GPS device.
OPTIONAL
- Medical and baggage insurance
- Cancellation insurance
- Other tailored services (to book previously), the services requested on site will be quoted apart
- Private driver transfers.
TOUR ITINERARY
We always suggest to arrive a day before the tour star to live a comfortable travel
VENICE | 4 nights
DAY 1 | Friday VENICE
Arrival at Venice Airport and transfer to Venice by private motorboat crossing the north side of the Lagoon. Check in, comfortable Hotel in Venice city centre.
Lunch at leisure
Small group or private guide visit of city centre wit Giorgia, our best native guide.
La Serenissima, “The Most Serene,” a cityscape of stone palaces that seem to float on water, windowsills set in colorful plaster walls. In Venice every form of transportation floats, from water taxis and vaporetti (the public “bus” ferries) to ambulance speedboats and garbage scows. Venice is a place where locals stop at the bacaro (wine bar) and munch on cicchetti (tapaslike snacks) or linger over exquisite restaurant seafood dinners.
It is also a city of great art and grand old masters. By the early 1500s, Venice had taken the Renaissance style from Florence, lending the movement the new color and lighting schemes of such giants as Giorgione, Tiziano (Titian), Paolo Veronese and Tintoretto.
Mysteriously, what we now consider central Venice was the last area settled. After Attila the Hun rampaged through, citizens of the Roman town of Altino moved out onto Torcello and founded a tidy commercial empire under the control of the Byzantine emperor.
Venice for centuries was Europe’s principal gateway between the Orient and the West, so it should come as no surprise that the architectural style for the sumptuously Byzantine Basilica di San Marco was borrowed from Constantinople, exotic and mysterious, it is unlike any other Roman Catholic church. The Basilica di San Marco earned its name as the Chiesa d’Oro (Golden Church), with a cavernous interior exquisitely gilded with Byzantine mosaics added over some 7 centuries and covering every inch of both ceiling and pavement. A visit to the outdoor Loggia dei Cavalli, the 500-year-old Torre dell’Orologio (Clock Tower), Chiesa di San Giorgio and many other wonderful treasures.
In the afternoon we can reserve a relaxing gondola ride or we can suggest where to find the best aperitivo in a Bacaro or Aperol spritz (happy hour in a typical Venice bar, an authentic institution for the native people…!)
Or a unique experience that only few know, we will reserve a visit to the highest unique terrace with a 360° view in Venice centre!
Dinner at leisure in a typical restaurant Veneziano, menu a la carte
DAY 2 | Saturday MYSTERIES IN VENICE, NORTHERN ISLANDS AND TOUR BY NIGHT
Breakfast and departure to explore the magnificent and fascinating Venice islands. A perfect experience to familiarize with this enchanting city… where you won’t find any traffic…. Consider that even to ride by bicycle is forbidden in Venice.
Guided group tour Venice northern islands, tour by boat (private guide tour optional).
Venice shares its lagoon with three principal islands of the northern side. During this fascinating tour you will discover the best of Murano, Burano and Torcello, what to visit, their traditions and the most special places, on a relaxing boat while enjoying the fascinating mystery of the Venetian lagoon.
Lunch at leisure. Our Sales Team can suggest you the various and attractive restaurants in Venice centre depending on your tastes
During the tour you will visit a typical art atelier of glass, one of the oldest workshop in Venice, located in a nice Laguna context, professional and friendly at the same time.
Dinner, this time to taste Venice local street food near Rialto Bridge (around 07:15 pm to arrive in time to the following tour “mysterious ghosts of Venice by night”).
Mystery of Venice tour by night.
A walking tour created to discover the shadow side of Venice. The guide will tell unknown anecdotes and stories about palaces, stones, masks and murders. The public executions in St. Mark´s Square, the terrible asylum in San Servolo and the unsettling narrow Murderers Alley. The chance to see a hidden part of Venice, with picturesque views made of grand palaces, a startling spiral staircase and strange squares.
DAY 3 | Sunday VENICE AT LEISURE, THEN TOUR CASANOVA
Breakfast and ready for the third day discovering the mysteries of Venice.
All morning at leisure…
our Tips: We would suggest you to buy Vaporetto ticket and reach one of the interesting island around Venice.
We also suggest you to visit the "Bottega dei Mascareri", real temple of Maskmaking. This art in Venice can be documented to the 13th century, when masks were used for a variety of reasons -- in government, on stage, as a form of dress and as a means of disguise. During Carnival, social and class distinctions were flipped on their heads, with servants dressing up as masters and vice versa. La Bottega´s creations are completely handmade the traditional way, from papier mâché, and were featured in the movie, "Eyes Wide Shut."
Then a tip for pure travelers… Acqua Alta Bookshop. There´s a gondola piled high with books inside Acqua Alta Bookshop, the self-proclaimed "Most Beautiful Bookshop in the World." There are books in the bathtubs. Books on the walls. Out back along the patio is a staircase made of encyclopedias that leads to a view of a quiet canal. There are thousands and thousands of books inside Libreria Acqua Alta, some new, most used. Acqua Alta means "high water," a tide that´s been invading Venice with ever-increasing frequency, flooding the streets and shops.
And other suggestions after booking…
Lunch at leisure
Afternoon, Giacomo Casanova group or private guided tour. A tour dedicated to this mysterious and fascinating historical character, not only a womanizer but particularly known as cultured alchemist.
Starting from the Doge’s Palace, whose prisons are famous for Casanova’s mythical daring escape; the Ridotto, the gambling world so much beloved by the decadent and luxurious Venetian aristocracy, and then over to the Opera House Gran Teatro La Fenice; Campo San Maurizio, with the house of the erotic poet Giorgio Baffo, who introduced Casanova to the worldly pleasures; Campo San Samuele, where Casanova spent his childhood; Ca’ Rezzonico, the once elegant residence of a noble family - today’s Museum of XVIII century Venice.
Dinner at leisure in a typical Venetian restaurant
DAY 4 | Monday GENESIS MYSTERY REVELATED, A SINGULAR ADVENTURE
Breakfast and departure to Belluno to discover one of the most astounding revelation of our contemporary times. The mystery of Genesis and the origin of Human Beings will be finally disclosed.
Transfer by renting car or by private driver
We will meet the scholars that keep the memories of a very special catholic priest, Fr. Guido Bortoluzzi died 1991, a humble Priest of the Catholic Church. He received from the Almighty and All Present Creator the revelation concerning the beginning of the earth and humankind, all the truth about Genesis. All the fascinating theory and facts that will be explained in this experience could really change all our ideas about the initial human creation described on the Biblical Genesis and many point of view in our lives as well. Science and Faith: no longer a conflict. This visit is a real exclusivity proposed in this tour that will captivate all mystery lovers.
Lunch at leisure in an authentic Locanda Bellunese typical of Veneto Alps area
Meet your native guide that will tell you this fascinating story, in the real site it happened Walking tour around Fr Guido Bortoluzzi birthplaces.
only for groups over 15 persons: A seminar will be held with a speech of some of witness and scholar who investigated the Fr. Guido Bortoluzzi theories referred to the Biblical Genesis deep meaning.
Back to Venice Hotel and dinner at leisure
BRESCIA | 1 night
DAY 5 | Tuesday BRESCIA, OFF BEATEN PATHS: LESS KNOWN, SO EXCLUSIVE!
Breakfast and departure towards the magnificent Brescia. Check in to the Hotel.
Visit to the well preserved medieval castle of Brescia. It will possible explore this ancient place by several tours and castle museums.
Our tip: we suggest Medieval Weapons Museum.
In particular days of the year is organized an adventurous underground tour with professional speleologists with different level of difficulty.
Lunch at leisure
Walking tour and shopping in Brescia. Brescia and its fascinating landscapes and corners of beauty beyond words, remarkable museums and valuable collections, an heritage of thousands years of history.
Dinner at leisure in a typical Lombardy local Restaurant in Brescia
Actually Lombardy preserves food raw materials, cheeses and recipes famous all over the world. Risotto is considered one of the most typical first courses in Lombardy and in particular the Risotto alla Milanese with saffron spice, it gives this dish its signature, a golden color.
Polenta is considered one of the most important ingredient as rice or pasta. It is served with cheese, small birds, and butter. Then the regional cheeses: Gorgonzola DOP, Mascarpone from Lodi, Taleggio DOP.
Pork also makes an appearance on the tables in Lombardy. Pork sausages from Milano are typical of the region, so is Cassoeula, a winter dish made with pork skin, ribs, legs, sausages, head and cabbage.
Finally the desserts of the region. The famous Panettone (served on Christmas time) is a soft, sweet bread dotted with raisins and candied fruit found around Christmas and Colomba is a dove-shaped Easter cake sprinkled with almonds. All these cakes have to be served joining the highly regarded sparkling spumante wine of the region, Franciacorta.
Why Italian food and recipes are so famous and object of desire? A fascinating Mystery indeed, waiting for you to be discovered…!
MILANO | 2 nights
DAY 6 | Wednesday CLUSONE MYSTERIOUS FRESCOES. “THEY WERE ALWAYS MASKED BY A HOOD TO BE UNRECOGNIZABLE”
Breakfast and departure towards Clusone.
Our tip: choose the route along the shores of the Lake d’Iseo, a panoramic enchanting road to travel.
A tour dedicated to the singular Oratorio dei Disciplini and the church of Santa Maria Assunta.
The second half of the fifteenth century was a period of political and administrative development of Clusone. This sudden wealth developed churches and oratories as locations of lay confraternities. Among them emerged the brotherhood of Disciplini, lovers of "discipline" or self-flagellation as atonement for their sins. They were always masked by a hood to be unrecognizable. Their main interest was the penance through beatings by the scourge, trying all the sufferings endured by Christ.
They promoted and followed a relation with death much more physical than the one proposed by the Church, of course, almost exclusively spiritual. That’s why the image of the fresco The Triumph of Death is so cruel, to allow a direct communication sensorial and emotional, the eyes are surprised in front of this spectacle of death that causes a real and ancestral fear.
The Oratory presents a unique wide room with beautiful frescoes on a pentagonal building structure, it is considered one of the most macabre performances worthy of interest in Europe. The work is divided into three stages. The Triumph of Death (Il Trionfo della Morte), the Encounter of the dead and the three living (l’Incontro dei tre morti e i tre vivi) and the Macabre Dance of Death (Danza Macabra).
“Life party” ruined? No absolutely, on their real meaning, this awareness lead to appreciate even more the existence, the good fortune of being survived and still love life much more.
In the second part of the tour you vill visit the tower of Clusone. Town Hall features an amazing surprise: in the middle of this quiet village of the Seriana Valley there’s an incredible clock.
The local mathematician Pietro Fanzago designed this mechanical prodigy in 1583 and it is still working today with all the original pieces!
The clock face is not just exquisitely decorated. In fact, the external circle is divided into 24 parts instead of 12, while its hands turn anticlockwise!
There’s more. If you observe it carefully, you can also see numerous hidden information about zodiac signs, days, months, moon phases and sun phases, along with the duration of light and night hours.
Can you detect all these mysterious details…?
Lunch in a local farm serving “Km Zero” menu, local food and wine
Km Zero is an innovative Italian concept to value and certify the food short supply chain. The menu dishes are produced directly on farmhouse or other neighbor agricultural companies. But the added value is much more. Most of the providers are certified organic indeed. Organic agriculture substitutes the chemical additives with natural and sustainable methods. We remind you that Italy is considered as the most reliable organic producer in the world, due to the severe production European Union rules and protocols.
Departure to Milano. Check in hotel and relax !
Dinner at leisure and overnight stay.
DAY 7 | Thursday MILANO AND ITS SINGULAR HIDDEN PLACES
Breakfast and meeting with your private guide: you will visit Duomo di Milano, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Castello Sforzesco.
The legend came back into the limelight after Dan Brown mentioned da Vinci’s work in his novel “The Da Vinci Code” as proof of the fact that Leonardo wanted to send us a secret message. The Last Supper is a key moment in the Gospel story, because it describes the establishment of the sacrament on which Christianity itself is based: the Eucharist. Apart from the literary and movie fiction, the Last Supper opens up a series of interesting questions, Hypotheses and interpretations…
Brief tour of the singular church San Bernadino alle Ossa
San Bernardino alle Ossa is a creepy church in Milan filled and decorated with human skulls and bones. This church has an interesting piece of history to listen.
Lunch at leisure
We will address you in the various and attractive restaurants or street food in Milano centre depending on your tastes
Free time at leisure, walking and shopping in Milano city centre
Dinner at leisure in a typical local restaurant in Milano
TORINO | 2 nights
DAY 8 | Friday THE HOLY SHROUD, A CHRISTIANITY UNSOLVED ENIGMA
Breakfast and departure to Torino by car. Hotel check in.
Visit Egyptian Museum.
The Museo delle Antichità Egizie is the only museum other than the Cairo Museum that is dedicated exclusively to ancient Egyptian art and culture. Many international researchers, since the decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs Jean-François Champollion, who came to Turin in 1824, spend much time working over the collections. The collections that make up today’s Museum were enlarged by the excavations conducted in Egypt by the Museum’s archaeological mission between 1900 and 1935 (a period when finds were divided between the excavators and Egypt).
Lunch at leisure
Sacra Sindone (Holy Shroud, detail Jesus face)
Visit Sacra Sindone museum (The Holy Shroud Museum)
It was created in Turin in 1936 and hosted in the crypt of the Church of the Holy Shroud. This museum represents the place which offers the opportunity to move closer to the Shroud. The Shroud Museum is unique in the world and that is of crucial importance to the cultural heritage of Italy. The shroud is a linen sheet herringbone fabric size about 4.41 x 1.13 meters, containing the double image approximates to the head of the corpse of a man who died as a result of a series of torture which culminated with the crucifixion. According to the tradition, it could be the Shroud mentioned in the Gospels that was used to envelop the body of Jesus Christ in the Holy Sepulcher. This tradition, despite having found many hits in the scientific studies carried out on the sheet, cannot be formally proved. What is sure, is that the Shroud, due to the characteristics of its mark, represents a direct and immediate link which helps to understand and meditate the dramatic reality of the passion of Jesus Christ.
Important Note
The original Holy Shroud can be visited only if exposed by Catholic Church authorities in particular dates. However the interesting museum is always open to visitors.
Dinner in a typical local restaurant and overnight stay.
DAY 9 | Saturday TORINO BY NIGHT !
Breakfast and morning to roam around the streets of Torino at leisure.
The grid street-plan of Turin’s Baroque centre makes it easy to find your way around. Via Roma is the central spine of the city, a grand affair lined with designer shops and fancy cafés and prestigious museums.
Lunch at leisure
Walking tour around Torino city centre
Dinner at leisure (we suggest around 19:30 to arrive in time to the following group tour “mysterious Torino by night”).
Mystery tour in Torino by night
Built at the confluence of two rivers, the Po and the Dora, and placed at the top of two virtual triangles, one referred to white magic and the second one to black magic, Turin has a centuries-old esoteric tradition. A path between mysteries, curious and disturbing faces, Masonic enigmas, esoteric symbols that comes to life through the mystery of the Gates of Hell, the spectral dragons, the legend of the alchemic caves, the Holy Grail, famous ghosts.
DAY 10 | Sunday SEE YOU SOON ITALY MYSTERIES!
Breakfast and private transfer to Milano airport.