Italy's Northern Jewels: Venice & the Dolomites — Self-Launched
6 days · Northern Italy (Venice, Dolomites & Lake Garda)
Rabbie's Small Group Tours charges £2,120
No-markup version: ~£1,170 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of Rabbie's 6-day small-group tour from Milan through Lake Garda, Verona, Venice, the Prosecco hills, Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Dolomites, then south via Trento and Bergamo back to Milan. Instead of a guided mini-coach, you'll chain together Italy's excellent regional trains and buses, stay in well-located hostels and budget guesthouses, and self-book the headline experiences (Venice walking tour, Tofana and Sass Pordoi cable cars, Prosecco tasting, Castello del Buonconsiglio) through GetYourGuide, Klook or direct. Costs are approximate per person in GBP and assume a solo traveller sharing dorm/private rooms where possible.
Day-by-day
Milan → Lake Garda (Peschiera) → Verona → Venice
Milan / Peschiera del Garda / Verona / Venice
Start early at Milano Centrale and take a Regionale train to Peschiera del Garda (~1h 20m, £8-10). Walk the old town's Venetian walls and fortifications, grab a lakeside coffee and a short boat ride on Lake Garda if you like (£8-12). Then hop a Regionale to Verona (~25m, £4). Wander to Juliet's Balcony and the Arena di Verona Roman amphitheatre, then cross the piazzas for an aperitivo. In the late afternoon take a Frecciarossa/Regionale Veloce to Venice Santa Lucia (~1h, £9-15). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near Santa Lucia or Cannaregio.
🚌Regionale Milan–Peschiera £8-10; Peschiera–Verona £4; Verona–Venice £9-15
🛏Ostello S. Fosca or Generator Venice (dorm £22-35/night) / budget guesthouse in Cannaregio (£45-70)
- →Walk Peschiera del Garda's ancient walls and fortifications
- →Optional short boat ride on Lake Garda (£8-12)
- →Juliet's Balcony and Arena di Verona
- →Aperitivo in Verona's Piazza Bra or Piazza delle Erbe
Venice — self-launched walking tour & canals
Venice
Explore Venice on your own terms. Book a 2-hour small-group walking tour of Venice's hidden alleys, Rialto and Cannaregio via GetYourGuide or Klook (£20-28) — the same style of tour the group tour included. Afterwards, visit St Mark's Square and Basilica (free entry to basilica, £4 for the Pala d'Oro/museum), cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto (£1.80), and dip into the Accademia or Peggy Guggenheim galleries if you fancy. Skip the overpriced gondola and instead take a shared gondola 'traghetto' slot or a Vaporetto pass (£18/day) along the Grand Canal. Evening cicchetti crawl in Cannaregio (£12-18).
🚌Vaporetto day pass £18 (or pay-as-you-go £8/single) for island hopping
🛏Ostello S. Fosca or Generator Venice (dorm £22-35/night) / budget guesthouse in Cannaregio (£45-70)
- →2-hour small-group Venice walking tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (£20-28)
- →St Mark's Square and Basilica
- →Rialto Market and Cannaregio backstreets
- →Cicchetti and spritz food crawl
Venice → Valdobbiadene & Mel → Cortina d'Ampezzo
Valdobbiadene / Mel / Belluno / Cortina d'Ampezzo
Leave Venice early: take a Regionale to Treviso (~30m, £4), then a bus to Valdobbiadene (~45m, £4). Self-book a Prosecco tasting at a Cantina (e.g. through winery websites or Klook, £15-25) and stroll the vineyards of the Prosecco Superiore DOCG hills. Continue by bus/train via Montebelluna to Belluno (~£6), grabbing a gelato at a local spot — then catch the DolomitiBus 1 to Cortina d'Ampezzo (~1h 20m, £7). Settle into Cortina and walk the pedestrianised Corso Italia. Note: the bus route is scenic and takes the place of the tour's mini-coach.
🚌Regionale Venice–Treviso £4; bus to Valdobbiadene £4; bus/train to Belluno £6; DolomitiBus Belluno–Cortina £7
🛏Hotel or B&B in Cortina (private room £70-110) or Dolomiti guesthouse; or a budget room in nearby San Vito di Cadore (£50-80) with a short bus hop
- →Self-booked Prosecco tasting in Valdobbiadene (£15-25)
- →Vineyard walk in the Prosecco DOCG hills
- →Lunch of Venetian cuisine in Mel
- →Evening stroll of Cortina's Corso Italia
Cortina d'Ampezzo → Dolomites: Tofana & Tre Cime area
Cortina d'Ampezzo / Tofana / Misurina / Tre Cime di Lavaredo
A full Dolomites day under your own steam. Ride the Freccia nel Cielo-Tofana cable car up to Ra Valles (self-book online or at the ticket office, £28-35) for panoramic views of the Ampezzo valley, and if legs allow, do the short signposted hike at the top. In the afternoon take the DolomitiBus toward the Tre Cime di Lavaredo/Misurina area (bus £5-8) for viewpoints and an alpine lake walk at Lago di Misurina. Back in Cortina, have a mountain dinner (polenta and casunziei, £15-22). Note that the Tre Cime toll road is only accessible with private/guided transport in peak season — check the Misurina viewpoint from the bus as an alternative. Weather-dependent; check lift opening before you go.
🚌DolomitiBus local services £5-8 per leg; cable car tickets separate
🛏Hotel or B&B in Cortina (private room £70-110); budget option in San Vito di Cadore (£50-80)
- →Freccia nel Cielo-Tofana cable car to Ra Valles (£28-35)
- →Short signposted hike at the top of Tofana
- →Lago di Misurina lakeside walk and Tre Cime viewpoints
- →Mountain dinner: polenta, casunziei, local Dolomites wine
Cortina → Pordoi Pass → Val di Fiemme → Trento
Passo Pordoi / Val di Fiemme / Trento
Retrace the Dolomites by bus. Take the DolomitiBus from Cortina toward Arabba and Passo Pordoi (~1h 30m, £7-9). Ride the Sass Pordoi cable car to 2,950 m (£18-22) for terrace views of Piz Boè and the Sella massif — the same summit experience the tour included. Then continue by bus down through Val di Fiemme (Cavalese, Predazzo) toward Trento (~2h, £8-10). Arrive in Trento in the early evening and wander Piazza Duomo, the Duomo and the castle exteriors. Stay in a budget hotel or hostel in the centre.
🚌DolomitiBus Cortina–Passo Pordoi £7-9; bus onward to Trento £8-10; Sass Pordoi cable car extra
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Trento centre (dorm £30-40/private £60-90)
- →Sass Pordoi cable car to 2,950 m (£18-22)
- →Terrace views of Piz Boè and the Sella group
- →Explore Cavalese and Val di Fiemme en route
- →Evening in Trento: Piazza Duomo and Cattedrale di San Vigilio
Trento → Castello del Buonconsiglio → Lake Garda → Bergamo → Milan
Trento / Bardolino / Bergamo / Milan
Start with a self-booked visit to Castello del Buonconsiglio (£8-10 including the Torre Aquila frescoes) before catching a Regionale train from Trento to Peschiera del Garda (~2h, £12-15). Hop a local bus or ferry to Bardolino for an olive-oil tasting, a lakeside walk and a waterfront lunch (£15-20). Then take a Regionale to Bergamo (~2h, £8-10), ride the funicular up to Città Alta (€1.30) to see Cappella Colleoni and Bergamo Cathedral, and finish with a Regionale Veloce to Milan (~50m, £6-8). If trains are delayed, a Flixbus from Bergamo or Verona to Milan is a cheap fallback (£5-10).
🚌Regionale Trento–Peschiera £12-15; bus/ferry to Bardolino £3-6; Regionale to Bergamo £8-10; funicular €1.30; Regionale Bergamo–Milan £6-8
🛏Not included — onward travel or a Milan hostel (£25-40 dorm) if you stay overnight
- →Castello del Buonconsiglio entry (£8-10)
- →Bardolino olive-oil tasting and lakeside walk
- →Funicular to Bergamo Città Alta (€1.30)
- →Cappella Colleoni and Bergamo Cathedral
Self-launched vs. Rabbie's Small Group Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Rabbie's Small Group Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,170 | £2,120 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £950 per person (45%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Rabbie's Small Group Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,170
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Italy's Northern Jewels: Venice & the Dolomites — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,170 per person for 6 days in Northern Italy (Venice, Dolomites & Lake Garda). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Rabbie's Small Group Tours?+
Yes — Rabbie's Small Group Tours charges around £2,120 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,170 — a saving of roughly £950 (45%) per person.
How long is the Northern Italy (Venice, Dolomites & Lake Garda) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Northern Italy (Venice, Dolomites & Lake Garda).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, hiking trip through Northern Italy (Venice, Dolomites & Lake Garda), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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