Tour Includes
- Orchestra level seats in theaters
- Reception with Verdi’s fan club of 27
- Three Operas One Ballet and Two Concerts
- Centrally located deluxe hotels
- Buffet breakfast daily, three lunches and four dinners with wine in gourmet restaurants
- Welcome reception with cocktails
- Private sightseeing in each city
- Experienced English-speaking guides
- Entrance fees to museums
- Intercity luxury coach services
- Guide, driver, and bellboys’ gratuities
- Maximum 10 persons in this group
Musical Performances
Luxury Hotels
Gourmet Meals
English Speaking Guides
Overview
The Verdi Opera Festival is a sublime homage to the life and genius of Giuseppe Verdi, perhaps the most beloved and influential of Italian composers. Held in Verdi’s native Parma, the festival becomes an immersive celebration, presenting his masterpieces in the very landscape that shaped his musical vision. No composer shaped the soul of Italian opera—and, indeed, of Italy itself—more profoundly than Verdi. Here, join discerning opera devotees from around the globe to experience transcendent performances, breathtaking venues, and the profound history of Verdi’s music. This is not merely a festival; it is a tribute to the enduring power of opera, an unforgettable experience for those who cherish music, culture, and history.
Embark on a 12-day immersion in Verdi’s world. Trace his origins, from the humble village of Le Roncole to the storied, medieval towns of Northern Italy—cities replete with soaring cathedrals and resplendent palazzi. Reside in some of Italy’s most refined hotels, dine at acclaimed restaurants, and savor the region’s legendary wines.
Attend six extraordinary performances, including three at Parma’s illustrious Festival Verdi, each set within a vibrant tapestry of culture and gastronomy that defines Italy’s operatic heritage.
In Milan, Teatro alla Scala — the most celebrated opera house in the world — presents two exceptional evenings. On October 12, Liliana Cavani's acclaimed production of Verdi's La Traviata, conducted by Michele Gamba, stars the radiant American soprano Nadine Sierra as Violetta alongside tenor Piero Pretti as Alfredo Germont and baritone Boris Pinkhasovich as Giorgio Germont. To hear Nadine Sierra sing Violetta at La Scala is one of the great experiences. On October 13, Giselle, choreographed in the immortal tradition of Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot and revived by the legendary French ballerina Yvette Chauviré, is conducted by Mikhail Agrest in a production graced by sets and costumes by the great Aleksandr Benois.
In Parma, three Festival Verdi productions unfurl across magnificent venues: the evocative Ramificazioni – Zenobia Regina at the Baroque Teatro Farnese; an intimate Aida at the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Busseto; and the rarely performed Alzira at the Teatro Regio di Parma—culminating in the monumental Nabucodonosor, the opera that ignited the Italian Risorgimento. Between performances, follow in Verdi’s footsteps: from his birthplace in Le Roncole, to his patron’s grand palazzo in Busseto, and his cherished Villa Sant’Agata. Savor a private reception with the Club dei 27, Parma’s legendary society of Verdi connoisseurs.
Along the way, encounter the medieval grandeur of Piacenza, explore the storied violin ateliers of Cremona, and indulge in the region’s gastronomic treasures—Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and superb local wines—all in a landscape synonymous with elegance and artistry.
Throughout, reside in sumptuous four- and five-star hotels, where every detail is meticulously orchestrated so that your sole focus may be the music. This journey unfolds beside a select coterie of opera connoisseurs—well-traveled, erudite, and as fervent in their passion for Verdi as you. Evenings brim with spirited conversation and camaraderie over exquisite dinners—each as intellectually enriching as the performances themselves.
Opera Performances
Milan
October 11 – Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks at Teatro alla Scala
October 12 – La Traviata by Verdi at Teatro alla Scala
October 13 - Giselle Ballet by Jean Coralli – Jules Perrot at Teatro alla Scala
Parma
October 15 - Queen Zenobia by Verdi at Teatro Farnese di Parma
October 17 - Alzira by Verdi at at Teatro Regio di Parma
October 18 - Nabucco by Verdi at at Teatro Regio di Parma
Itinerary
Friday, October 9. (D*). DEPART FROM HOME TO MILAN
Depart this evening aboard any airline of your choice to Milan, Italy. Dinner and light breakfast served on the plane.
Saturday, October 10. (B,D). MILAN
Upon arrival at Milan International Airport, take a taxi to the centrally located hotel Sina de la Ville, where you will stay four nights. Afternoon free. This evening we meet in the lobby of the hotel for a briefing and Gala Welcome dinner at a gourmet restaurant.
Sunday, October 11. (B). MILAN
This morning we will visit the Milan Cathedral, an exemplary Gothic-floral architecture full of precious sculptures and gleaming stained-glass windows, is the symbolic monument of Milan which reflects six centuries of the city’s history, from the Visconti era to recent times. Continuation of the visit we will be walking through the sumptuous galleria Vittorio Emanuele until we reach the La Scala theater.
This evening we will experience a rare and unforgettable concert by the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra) consistently ranked among the world's top five orchestras. Founded in 1949 and shaped by legendary conductors including Eugen Jochum, Rafael Kubelík, and Sir Colin Davis, the BRSO is celebrated for its rich tonal culture, interpretive depth, and peerless ensemble precision. An evening with this orchestra is not merely a concert, it is a musical event.
Milan is unlike any other Italian city. The ancient Celtic settlement was conquered by the Romans in 222 BC, and it was here, in 312 AD, that Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, making Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. On Christmas Day 800 AD, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor. Today, Milan is Italy's financial and fashion capital — a city that wears its extraordinary history with elegant restraint. Beneath its modern ambition lie centuries of art, music, and architecture waiting to be discovered.
Monday, October 12. (B). MILAN
Today we will do a general sightseeing in Milan by bus. First stop will be “Casa Verdi”. A visit to Casa Verdi is a unique experience. You immerse yourself in the memories of a residence that has a thousand lives to tell. Not only that of Giuseppe Verdi and his wife with their personal objects, furnishing, art collection and their respective tombs, but also those of the guests who have lived here in over a century of history. This evening we will see the opera La Traviata by Verdi at Teatro Alla Scala. Verdi's most intimate and emotionally devastating opera comes to life on one of the world's greatest stages. La Traviata (1853), based on Alexandre Dumas' La Dame aux Camélias, tells the heartbreaking story of Violetta Valéry — a celebrated Parisian courtesan who sacrifices everything for love, only to be destroyed by social convention and illness. The opera's arias — Libiamo ne' lieti calici, Sempre libera, and the shattering Addio del passato — are among the most beloved in the entire operatic repertoire. To hear them in the hallowed Teatro alla Scala, where the opera premiered and where Verdi himself walked the stage.
Tuesday, October 13. (B). MILAN
This morning we will have a guided visit to the Teatro alla Scala Museum, a treasure house of operatic history. The collection spans four centuries of performance history and includes original costumes and stage sets, historic instruments, portraits of legendary composers and singers, and the preserved private box of Verdi himself. Afternoon is free. This evening, we will see Giselle, the ballet by Adolphe Adam, at Teatro alla Scala. One of the crown jewels of the Romantic ballet repertoire, Giselle (1841) is a profound meditation on love, betrayal, and transcendence. La Scala's ballet company, one of Europe's oldest and most distinguished, brings the full weight of its 250-year tradition to this masterpiece.
Wednesday, October 14. (B,L). MILAN – CREMONA – PARMA
Morning departure for Cremona the city of violins, where we will have a guided tour of the most evocative corners of the city, the Piazza del Comune, the real glory of the medieval and municipal city, which collects an extraordinary concentration of historic buildings such as the cathedral of Gothic layout with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque additions, the baptistery, octagonal in shape, certainly one of the most beautiful sacred monuments of Cremona, brought back to its former glory by a restoration that lasted over 30 years, the Torazzo, the tallest bell tower in Italy (111m) and symbol of the city, the Museo del violin, in which you can admire famous instruments by Antonio Stradivari, including “il cremonese violin” from 1715. Light lunch will be served in a traditional trattoria. Late afternoon arrival in Parma where we stay at the centrally located hotel Stendhal for five nights.
Parma's origins trace back to Etruscan settlement, with the city taking formal shape as a Roman colony on the Via Emilia in 183 BC. It flourished again under the French Bourbon rulers of the 18th and 19th centuries, a period that left a deep imprint on its culture and architecture. Today, Parma is celebrated worldwide for an extraordinary cluster of contributions to civilisation. Its culinary identity is globally protected: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma both carry designations of origin recognised across the globe. Its artistic legacy is anchored by Correggio, the beloved Renaissance master whose luminous cupola frescoes at the Cathedral and San Giovanni Evangelista revolutionised European painting. Music runs equally deep — the magnificent Teatro Regio di Parma stands as one of Italy's great opera houses, and the city shares an intimate bond with Giuseppe Verdi, who was born just 30 kilometres away in the hamlet of Le Roncole. It also gave the world Arturo Toscanini, one of the most celebrated conductors in the history of music. Surrounded by the gentle hills and fertile plains of the Emilia-romania remains as elegant and prosperous as its reputation suggests — a city where gastronomy, art, and music have shaped daily life for centuries.
Thursday, October 15. (B,D). PARMA
This morning we start our guided walking tour of Parma's historic center. Within steps of your hotel stand some of the most exceptional medieval monuments the Duomo di Parma, whose stunning cupola fresco Assumption of the Virgin by Antonio da Correggio (1526–1530) so astonished later artists that Titian himself declared it "turned upside down, it would be the finest painting in the world." Adjacent stands the Baptistery of Parma, designed by Benedetto Antelami beginning in 1196 — a masterpiece of Romanesque-to-Gothic transition clad in luminous pink Verona marble, with a magnificently painted interior that remains one of the most beautifully preserved medieval interiors in Italy. Visit the Teatro Farnese, built in 1618 for the Este family within the Palazzo della Pilotta. This extraordinary timber theater — one of the earliest to use a permanent proscenium arch — is a monument to the Baroque ambition of Italian theater design and the direct ancestor of the modern operatic stage. This evening we will enjoy Ramificazioni, Zenobia Regina at Teatro Farnese di Parma.
Friday, October 16. (B,L). PARMA
This morning we are in for a very special treat – a private reception with appetizer at the Club Verdi dei 27. (Parma’s Verdi fan club extraordinaire) an amazing experience for Verdi Opera Lovers. Light lunch will be served in a traditional trattoria. Late afternoon we will return to Parma.
Saturday October 17. (B,D). PARMA
This morning we drive west to see Verdi sites. Verdi’s birthhouse in Le Roncole, Casa Barezzi, the home of Verdi’s first sponsor Antonio Barezzi, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi and villa Verdi and Saint‘Agata where he built an elegant home with extensive ground and planted exotic trees. This evening we will see the opera Alzira by Verdi at Teatro Regio di Parma. One of Verdi's rarely performed early operas, Alzira (1845) is a hidden gem that Festival Verdi specializes in rescuing from neglect.
Sunday, October 18. (B,D). PARMA
Today, morning is free. Your tour manager will be around for suggestion how to spend this morning. This evening we will see the opera Nabucco by Verdi at Teatro Regio di Parma. Nabucco, as it is universally known, is the opera that made Verdi famous overnight — and the opera that changed the history of Italy. Premiered at La Scala on March 9, 1842, to a reception of thunderous acclaim, Nabucco tells the story of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar and the Hebrew people he conquers and enslaves.
Monday, October 19. (B,L). PARMA - PIACENZA – MILAN
Morning departure for Piacenza It is a charming gastronomic gem in Emilia-Romagna, is the perfect lunch stop. Explore the Basilica di Santa Maria di Campagna, known for its stunning Renaissance frescoes, and the Duomo di Piacenza, a magnificent Romanesque cathedral with breathtaking art and panoramic views from its bell tower. Light lunch will be served in a traditional trattoria. Late afternoon arrival in Milan where we stay at Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel — ideally positioned for the next morning's departure.
Tuesday, October 20. (B). MILAN - BACK HOME
We will assist you with arranging your transport to Milan International airport for your flight back home. Arrivederci. See you soon on another HAT Tour.
* B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner (including wine)
Land Cost
- Double:$9,950 PER PERSON
- Single Supplement:$1,950 PER PERSON
- Deposit:$3,000 PER PERSON
- Balance due:July 9, 2026
AirFare
Airfare is not included. Please make sure that your airline ticket reads from home to Milan and from Milan back home. We urge you to check airline cancellation penalties before purchasing airline tickets since international departure times and flights can change. We can assist you at no cost to find the most convenient flights from home to Milan and return from Milan back home.
Insurance
Trip cancellation is highly recommended. Some policies wave pre-existing medical conditions if purchased within 15 days of receiving the deposit.
VISA
Starting in 2026, travel to Europe has changed. The European Commission has rolled out an updated travel system for visitors from countries that are currently not part of the EU. ETIAS is the new travel authorization for visa-exempt travelers, to enter 30 European countries.
It is still expected to be in operation by the fourth quarter of 2026.
Learn more about the ETIAS implementation by visiting the ETIAS website. www.etias.com Or www.travel-europe.europa.eu
for various new aspects of traveling to Europe.
Send Your Deposit To
HAT Tours, LLC
- 8606 Hunters Village Rd #271
Tampa, FL 33647 - Phone toll free: +(800) 472-4448
Fax: (727) 360-8459 - E-mail: operas@hattours.com
www.EuropeanOperaTours.com
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Guests Comments
We've done close to a dozen trips with The Aranis and I think I've seen enough to say it: they make it look easy. They've got the energy and sense of purpose to make it so the pieces all click together at the joints, and the tact to make you think they're having fun doing it, which means you have fun; perhaps they do too. We've got many fond memories of our trips with them and we look forward to more.
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