Arriving a day early gave us the opportunity to adjust to the time change, explore a little on our own, and enjoy a little R&R at our stunning hotel before the big kick-off tonight!
Adventures by Disney Italy & Switzerland
Day 1: Stresa, Italy
Day 2: Stresa, Italy
Day 3: Stresa, Italy
Day 4: Como, Italy
Day 5: Zermatt, Switzerland
Day 6: Zermatt, Switzerland
Day 7: Lake Lucerne, Switzerland
Day 8: Lake Lucerne, Switzerland
Day 9: Auf Wiederseh
Adventure Guide Pictures
Pin Collection
Souvenirs
Pasta Making at Home
Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees Breakfast
We started the day off with a divine breakfast at the resort, on the most charming verandah overlooking the resort gardens. The boys didn’t get up to eat with us, so it was a quaint table for two. They both regretted missing the cheeses, pastries, honeycomb and hot offerings and said we cannot let them sleep through it again.
Exploring Stresa
We met our guides briefly before the official welcome dinner tonight, and they marked up a wonderful map for our morning exploration. We walked along the lake, popped in the shops, and tried two of the spots they recommended for lunch and gelato.
Ristorante Pizzeria Lago Maggiore
Since Honey and I had such a hearty breakfast, we enjoyed three entrees between the four of us. The Spaghetti alla Carbonara was divine and we thoroughly enjoyed the Costaletta all Millanese, a national favorite in Italy. John completely devoured the steak (not pictured).
Gelateria K2
Our guide advised that while no gelato is bad, there is gelato and there is GELATO! We were thrilled to enjoy his favorite – Gelateria K2. It was absolutely divine and we’ve all picked out our flavors for next time – there were too many to choose from!
Des Iles Spa
Our entire afternoon was spent relaxing in the gorgeous Des Iles Spa, a perk for guests staying here at Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees. Whit joined us, as ages 14 and up enjoy full use of the facility. John hit the gym instead. We absolutely loved showing Whit the theraputic shower experience, many pools and plunges, steam room, steam bath, sauna and snow room. It was absolutely spectacular and we felt SO rested afterwards.
Hemingway Bar
Ready for the evening with time to spare, Honey and I had our own little happy hour at Hemingway Bar in the hotel. It’s such a great spot, with a pianist, friendly service and delicious drinks!
Welcome Dinner
One of my favorite parts of any adventure is the excitement and anticipation of the Welcome Dinner. It’s here that you first meet your fellow Adventurers and learn about the week ahead. The atmosphere is always electric! The festivities kicked off with bubbles and apps on the terrace overlooking the hotel gardens. Then, we moved inside for an Italian feast. Our travel group for the week is FULL of teenagers and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
All About Adventures by Disney
Adventures by Disney are expertly planned and guided group tours visiting over 40 destinations across 7 continents. You can visit the world’s most iconic locations with Disney as your guide and your storyteller, and enjoy experiences, activities, dining and adventures in a way that only Disney can do. This is not a theme park tour with Mickey Mouse and popcorn buckets. These are trips around the world where you experience the service and VIP treatment that Disney is known for.
Now Booking through 2024! Here are just a few of the destinations you can visit with Disney:
- AFRICA – Egypt & South Africa
- ASIA PACIFIC – Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia
- CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA – Costa Rica, Galápagos Islands, Peru
- EUROPE – British Isles, Poland / Austria / Czech Republic, England and France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal, Sicily (NEW!), Spain
- NORTH AMERICA – Alaska, Canadian Rockies, Disneyland® Resort and Southern California, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona / Utah, New England
There are so many ways to follow along on our trip and see why I am so passionate about Adventures by Disney!
- What Makes AbD SO Special – blog post here
- Private AbD Facebook Group – join me here
- Dixie Travels Business Page on Facebook – like it here
- Dixie Travels Instagram – follow here
- My Germany AbD Trip Report – read on here
- My Montana & Wyoming AbD Trip Report – read on here
- My New England AbD Trip Report – read on here
If you’re ready to learn more, I’d LOVE to talk your ear off about YOUR adventure! :-) My job is to handle all of the details so you can enjoy the anticipation of your trip without the stress and time commitment of “figuring everything out”. I am one of very few travel advisors that personally travels with Adventures by Disney – having taken FOUR different trips in just 6 years – and can guide you every step of the way. On top of that, family vacations are expensive and my experience and attention to detail make it possible to get the most out of your vacation dollars. Best of all, booking through me does not cost one cent more than doing it on your own.
DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED