In the small, northern Italian town of Baveno, NAA travelers began a spectacular journey through the breathtaking beauty of the Piedmont and Lombardy regions. Situated directly on Lake Maggiore, Baveno embodies the alpine allure of the country’s charming Lake District. The group then explored the romantic lakeside towns of Intra and Pallanza before cruising Lake Maggiore to the colorful Borromean Islands of Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori. They discovered cultural Milan as they visited La Scala, Italy's premier opera house; the 14th-century Duomo, one of the world’s largest Gothic cathedrals; and Santa Maria delle Grazie, home to Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper fresco. In Tremezzo, they visited the beautiful gardens of Villa Carlotta, after which they enjoyed a private boat ride across stunning Lake Como from Bellagio to Como. To end the trip, the travelers sailed to San Giulio, an island on Lake Orta, to visit its fourth-century basilica.

View a photo gallery from this exciting trip.

Learn more about the tours offered in 2008 and 2009.