Trip Overview
Franciacorta is a beautiful, relatively untouristed corner of northern Italy, a sunny amphitheater of vineyards, olive groves, and rolling green hills between the foothills of the Alps and Lake Iseo. Towers, castles, noble villas, and centuries-old abbeys dot the hillsides, remnants of the monastic communities and aristocratic families who shaped this landscape over a thousand years. Just 60 km / 37 miles from Milan, it remains one of the region's best-kept secrets.
Most people think of Prosecco when they think of Italian sparkling wine. Franciacorta is another Italian sparkling wine produced using the traditional method. The grapes are hand-harvested, the wine undergoes a second fermentation inside each bottle, and it ages on its lees for a minimum of 18 months. This is the same traditional method used in Champagne, and in 1995, Franciacorta became the first sparkling wine in Italy to earn DOCG status - the highest quality designation in Italian wine.
You'll stay in Erbusco, the heart of the Franciacorta wine region, at a five-star spa hotel that Conde Nast named one of the most excellent hotel spas in the world. From here, you can hike or bike through the vineyards and hills that produce the wine, visiting the cellars where it's aged and tasting it at the source. The region sits between Milan and Lake Iseo, which means you can combine vineyard mornings with lake afternoons. You'll also explore the medieval towers, castles, palaces, and abbeys that are scattered through the hills, remnants of the monastic communities that first cultivated the vines in the Middle Ages.
Wine tastings, bicycle rentals, and ferry rides on Lake Iseo are available on request, as are helicopter sightseeing and airport transfers. Our Franciacorta extension can be added to the beginning or end of your Dolomites adventure.
Contact our team to add it to your journey, or browse our other Italian short-stay extensions.
Highlights
- Discover Franciacorta, Italy's sparkling wine made using the same method as Champagne
- Hike or bike through the vineyards and hills around Erbusco, the heart of the Franciacorta wine region
- Explore Lake Iseo, one of Italy's least-visited lakes, surrounded by villages and olive groves and home to the largest island in any European lake
- Relax for 2 nights at a five-star spa hotel in Erbusco, recognized by Conde Nast as one of the world's most excellent hotel spas
Day By Day
Trip itinerary may vary based on weather conditions, fitness levels and abilities of participants, and/or the recommendations of the Dolomite Mountains Team and your mountain guide. Daily mileage and altitude gain may vary depending on the device used.
-
Day 1
Relais & Chateaux Hotel in Erbusco
-
Day 2
Relais & Chateaux Hotel in Erbusco (B)
-
Day 3
Accommodation
Great hotels with Dolomite Mountains. Whether intimate lodge, family run B&B, or luxury spa resort, our hotels are unique, eminently local, and hard to leave.
At Dolomite Mountains, we handpick accommodations that best reflect the style of each region to provide you with the most authentic experience of the unique cultures found in the different cities and towns where we travel. We work directly with the owners of each property, forging strong relationships to ensure you receive the best service and care during your stay. Regardless of whether it is a five-star luxury hotel or a cozy bed and breakfast you desire, we choose the best-in-class accommodations within each category, providing you stays at the most sought-after hotels in each region. And we always make sure you have access to inspired, regional cuisine!
Cost
All itineraries are subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control including, weather, road or trail conditions.
Cost per person is on request; please contact us for a quotation.
Important to note:
Helicopter Sightseeing & Airport Transfers – There's Nothing Else Like It!
Take to the skies for an aerial look at the spectacular Dolomite Mountains, and make memories to last a lifetime! Whether on a panoramic sightseeing ride or an airport transfer, you'll appreciate a bird's-eye view of the stunning scenery aboard state-of-the-art single-engine helicopters. With over 30 years in operation, our experienced pilots and ground crew employ the utmost safety standards, quality, and service. Contact us for a quotation.
Rides are weather dependent. Heli-transfers from/to airports require advanced reservation. In-resort rides can be reserved with shorter notice.
- There is a high-season 15% surcharge from July 11th to Sept 5th.
- Prices may increase between the time of quotation and booking. Your Dolomite Mountains consultant will inform you of any changes.
Helicopter Sightseeing & Airport Transfers – There's Nothing Else Like It!
Take to the skies for an aerial look at the spectacular Dolomite Mountains, and make memories to last a lifetime! Whether on a panoramic sightseeing ride or an airport transfer, you'll appreciate a bird's-eye view of the stunning scenery aboard state-of-the-art single-engine helicopters. With over 30 years in operation, our experienced pilots and ground crew employ the utmost safety standards, quality, and service. Contact us for a quotation.
Rides are weather dependent. Heli-transfers from/to airports require advanced reservation. In-resort rides can be reserved with shorter notice.
Cost Includes:
- 2 nights' accommodation in a 5-star hotel in Erbusco
- All breakfasts
- An €18 donation to Wow Nature’s reforestation projects makes your trip carbon-neutral
- Italian VAT tax
Airport transfers are available on request.
Wine tasting, bicycle rentals, and ferry rides are included on request (additional fee)
Itinerary in Pictures
Franciacorta Extension: Italy's Other Sparkler: Franciacorta is Italy's other sparkling wine region: a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves, and medieval villages between Milan and Lake Iseo. You'll spend three days hiking and biking through the vineyards, tasting wine at the cellars, and unwinding at an excellent five-star spa hotel.
Area Map
