Driving holiday in Italy – from the shores of lakes to higher altitudes.
Our Italian Lakes & the Alps driving holiday in Italy is the ultimate way to experience the beauty of Northern Italy from behind the wheel of one of the world’s greatest supercars.
Your driving adventure starts in the fashion capital of Italy, Milan. During four fabulous days of touring you’ll enjoy blissful drives along the shoreline of stunning lakes, conquer thrilling mountain passes, and relax in exceptional luxury in exclusive spa hotels. Your supercar drive will take you from one of the most beautiful of Italy’s ‘great lakes’, Lake Garda, to the mecca of mountain passes, the Dolomites. Next you’ll tour deeper into the Italian Alps, over the world-famous Stelvio Pass, to an enchanting spa hotel tucked into the high mountains. You’ll cross the border into Switzerland for a brief taste of the Swiss Alps, before concluding your journey in the legendary Villa d’Este, a magnificent hotel and home to one of the greatest automobile concours events in the world, on the shores of Lake Como. Our Italian Lakes & the Alps driving tour follows in the classic tradition of the ‘Grand Tour’, and is the perfect way to experience one of the most wonderful parts of the world.
First, pick your machine for the ultimate driving holiday in Italy. What could be more exciting than descending the Stelvio Pass to the soundtrack of a stunning Lamborghini Huracán Performante? Or more stylish than cruising the shores of the great lakes with the wind in your hair, behind the wheel of an elegant Ferrari Portofino? Perhaps you’re thundering through alpine passes and tight mountain roads in a nimble Porsche 911 GT3, or is the classy Aston Martin DB11 Volante the perfect British all-round grand tourer? We have an exciting fleet of supercars and sports cars available for your supercar drive, to suit a wide variety of tastes and driving styles.
On our Italian Lakes & the Alps adventure you’ll be able to visit the brilliant Museo Mille Miglia and see up close a unique display of historic race cars, machines from the golden age of motoring that once upon a time raced in rain and sunshine for 1000 miles – Brescia-Rome-Brescia – in one of the world’s most legendary and dangerous road races. Climbing up to passes high up in the Alps, discovering legendary roads made famous from films and classic races, you’ll experience breathtaking scenery and unforgettable driving conditions. Should you wish to add an even more adrenaline filled experience to your supercar drive, we can arrange for an exclusive track driving experience at the historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza close to Milan. Built in 1922 the world-famous Monza race track is best known for hosting the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, and for a few hours this challenging race track can become your very own supercar playground. Should you be interested in finding out more about our track driving experience, please ask a member of our team about available models and dates.
Our Italian Lakes & the Alps grand tour of Northern Italy is the perfect driving holiday in Italy for the passionate driving enthusiast, and a perfect luxury getaway for the discerning traveller. Combining adventure with relaxation, you’ll experience thrilling driving, and unwind for the evening in some of Italy’s finest hotels, where you’ll have time to revitalise and relax in some of the most fabulous spas, before finishing your evening with exquisite cuisine and fine wines.
Almost above all, Milan is world-famous for fabulous shopping. Travellers from across the globe flock to Milan’s boutiques and impressive arcades to indulge in the ultimate shopping experience. On your day of leisure in Milan you can also discover the city´s rich musical history on a tour of the world-renowned La Scala Theatre, or experience the majesty of the Duomo di Milano cathedral. For those that would like to combine shopping with architecture, Milan has to be the perfect destination. Housed in a glass-covered 19th century building, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of Milan’s most famous landmarks, the oldest active shopping mall in Italy – and without doubt one of the most beautiful you’ll ever see.
If you’d like to treat yourself to fine dining tonight we can recommend Milan’s best Michelin starred restaurants, or for a more traditional ‘eat like a local’ experience we’ll recommend a charmingly authentic restaurant less than 10 minutes from your hotel, with the most mouthwatering regional specialities, such as Risotto Milanese and Ossobuco…
Hotel: 5* Principe di Savoia, Milan – 35 m² deluxe double room
The first leg of your adventure will take you from Milan to Lake Iseo on a scenic stretch of motorway – a good opportunity to get yourself comfortable behind the wheel, and ready for exciting drives ahead on twisty lakeside roads and mountain passes. You’ll be following the shores of the beautiful Lake Iseo, stopping briefly in Brescia for a visit to the Mille Miglia museum. Inside this fascinating museum – located in an ancient monastery – you’ll find a collection of classic machines from the world-famous ‘Red Arrow’ 1000 mile road race through Italy. It could be said that the Mille Miglia was the greatest ever supercar drive.
As the day draws to a close your final panoramic drive will end with a fabulous view over a shimmering lake to the mountains beyond. On the northern shores of Lake Garda sits the exclusive Hotel Lido Palace, exquisitely restored and redesigned to capture its former glory as a retreat for royalty. The hotel houses the beautiful CXI Centoundici SPA, and in the evening you’ll be able to enjoy a magnificent dinner on the magical candle-lit terrace – the perfect spot for a splendid evening meal.
Hotel: 5* Lido Palace, Riva del Garda – 35 m² comfort lake view room
Driving time: 4 hours + stops
Tour into the Dolomites on scenic mountain roads, wind through the high mountains and past alpine lakes that form an incredible backdrop in this stunning region of Italy. Take a pause from your supercar drive for a detour above the clouds – enjoy a short cable car ride up to the breathtaking viewpoint almost 3000 metres above sea level. From the top you can enjoy stunning 360 degree views of the whole alpine range for as far as the eye can see. You’ll enjoy your lunch in the mountains before it’s time to pick up the last stretch of your journey towards the ‘pearl of the Dolomites’, Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Tonight you’ll be staying in the elegant Cristallo Hotel Spa & Golf, an award-winning ski resort that in the summer season transforms into a glamorous place to unwind for those who appreciate stunning mountain views in a quiet location. From the serene indoor pool you can enjoy breathtaking views over the valley, and after revitalising in the sauna and the Turkish bath you can conclude your spa experience by soaking up the sun in the outdoor whirlpool. Your evening ends with a panoramic view over snow-capped mountains from the hotel’s beautiful restaurant – or if you would prefer to embark on a culinary voyage in a Michelin starred restaurant we’d be happy to reserve a table for you in a very special place nearby.
Hotel: 5* Cristallo Spa & Golf, Cortina d’Ampezzo – 31 m² superior room
Driving time: 4½-5 hours + stops
The highlight of today´s journey, without doubt, is the climb up to the world-famous Stelvio Pass, which has been described by Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear as ‘the world´s greatest driving road’ – the ultimate supercar drive. You’ll start your climb from the northern side, with 48 challenging hairpin bends to conquer, before you reach the summit at 2,757 m above sea level. From the peak you can admire a stunning view down, over all the hairpin bends you´ve just mastered – the perfect spot for a classic souvenir picture.
Tonight you’ll stay in the spectacular Grand Hotel Bagni Nuovi. Located in the heart of the Stelvio National Park, this elegant hotel offers timeless, classic rooms decorated in Art Nouveau style, and a truly incredible spa, all with panoramic views over the mountains. The Bagni Nuovi and Bagni Vecchi has the largest spa complex in the Alps, with an incredible variety of thermal baths, pools, steam rooms, waterfalls and treatment rooms. The baths are set into the mountainside where you’re sure to to find a quiet spot to gaze from the heated water across the snow-capped peaks. We highly recommend you take some time to indulge yourself in their thermal baths for an experience you´ll never want to forget.
Tonight we suggest you enjoy your dinner in the historic Salone dei balli restaurant, an elegant eatery in the grand wood paneled ballroom of Bagni Nuovi. This gourmet restaurant specialises in creative regional cuisine – authentic flavours and attention to detail using the best local ingredients, an ample wine list and an enchanting ambience reflecting the glamour of a bygone era.
Hotel: 5* Grand Hotel Bagni Nuovi, Bormio – 30 m² junior suite
Driving time: 4½-5 hours + stops
The first leg of your final supercar drive takes you across the border into Switzerland, for a breathtaking journey over scenic mountain passes, where you’ll master challenging hairpin corners and cruise alongside alpine lakes, with a traditional lunch stop in the mountains en route. After your exciting supercar drive in the Swiss Alps you’ll drop south back into Italy, and follow the shores of one of Italy´s most beautiful lakes, Lake Como, with its panoramic picture postcard views across the water to the mountains in the distance.
The last hotel stop on your supercar drive, the unique Villa d´Este, is situated on the shores of Lake Como and is considered to be one of the most beautiful architectural works of the sixteenth century. Since 1873 Villa d’Este has been a luxury hotel, and every year since 1928 it holds a glorious Concours d’Elegance for vintage and concept cars, the world-famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Tonight we recommend you dine in the divine hotel restaurant with views across the lake or the gardens.
Hotel: 5* Villa d’Este, Cernobbio – 32 m² classic double room
Driving time: 4-4½ hours + stops
Before your departure we recommend a boat excursion on the lake to discover the beauty of Tremezzo and Bellagio, also known as the ‘pearl of the lake’, where you can stop for lunch in a traditional local restaurant with views to die for. There are a variety of different boats to choose from, but the most elegant way to discover Lake Como is without question on board a classic Riva.
We can book this experience for you on your day of arrival before your Italian Lakes & the Alps supercar drive begins, or alternatively on your day of departure. The race track experience will take approx. 3 hours in total, plus the time required for transfers. The cars from our rental fleet, available for the driving tours, are not insured for track use. However there are several cars in the Puresport fleet to choose from – supercar models such as the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the Lamborghini Huracan EVO, the Mercedes-AMG GTR Pro, and the Porsche 911 GT3.
If a supercar drive is not hair-raising enough you might want to take a seat in a purebred race car – our track driving experiences can also be enjoyed in a single-seater Formula car. We can also assist in arranging private round trip transfers from your hotel in Milan/Cernobbio to the Monza race track (the distance is 30 minutes to 1 hour by car).
Included in the Italian Lakes & the Alps tour price – the price is for two people:
4 days car rental with insurance (all 1000 free kms included for the tour)
5 nights accommodation for two in a shared room, including breakfast
Preprogrammed GPS with a route for each day of touring, bespoke roadbook & map
Personal meet + tour & car briefing with a member of our team
Full tour support by phone / WhatsApp & email
Select the car of your choice for the perfect Italian Lakes & the Alps driving holiday in Italy, and submit the brief form below to receive a bespoke tour quotation. We’ll check availability for the car and hotels for your requested dates, and reply to you by email or phone.