Italian Lakes & the Alps

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

Please note that Cristallo is closed for renovations until spring 2025 – during this period we would send you to another luxury hotel in the Dolomites, such as the 5* Rosapetra SPA Resort or the 5* Grand Hotel Savoia.

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).