$9899—Rare Passion Play, Cunard cruise, Italian lakes w/rail

Unique holidays like this are harder to plan than they look. The Sordevolo Passion Play is staged only once every five years, and securing tickets, let alone backstage access, isn’t straightforward. Dates must align. Locations need to connect. Here, Imagine Cruising has everything done for you. At the heart of this 23-night journey is that special living tradition. You’re watching a community bring a story to life, one they’ve chosen to preserve. Going backstage adds another layer. You’re given rare behind-the-scenes access before the performance, offering insight into the preparation and its scale. It changes how you experience it. Northern Italy sets a polished, unhurried tone. Lake Maggiore is your base, with visits to Como and Garda. Grand hotels face still water, with alpine backdrops framing each day. A scenic rail journey cuts through Switzerland. Then you board Queen Elizabeth for a 14-night Mediterranean sailing. Corfu and the Greek Islands bring late-summer colour. Naples places Pompeii within reach. The Ligurian coast unfolds via La Spezia and Cinque Terre. Corsica, Palma and Valencia follow before you arrive in Barcelona. Flights, hotel stays, tours and transfers are included, so the moving parts are handled. You immerse yourself in the experience, settle in where it matters, then let the journey unfold.

This 23-night holiday starts at the exclusive price of $9899 per person. 

What's included

• International economy flights from Australia* to Milan, return from Barcelona
• Hotel^ stays, including breakfast
  • 2 nights at 4-star Agorà Palace Hotel in Biella near Sordevolo (including dinner)
  • 4 nights at 4-star Hotel Regina Palace in Lake Maggiore
  • 1 night at 4-star Hotel Indigo Verona – Grand Hotel Des Arts
• Entry to Sordevolo Passion Play performance with exclusive backstage tour
• Scenic rail journey through the Italian and Swiss Alps onboard the Centovalli Railway
• Lake Como tour
• Lunch at a local restaurant in Sirmione, Lake Garda
• 14-night, full-board Mediterranean cruise onboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth from Trieste to Barcelona
  • Ports of call: Dubrovnik, Corfu, Greek Islands (scenic cruising), Messina Strait, Naples (Pompeii), Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia (Cinque Terre), Ajaccio (Corsica), Palma de Mallorca and Valencia
  • All onboard meals (specialty dining excluded)
  • Evening performances
  • Live music
  • Cunard’s signature afternoon tea
  • Gala Evenings
  • Sporting activities
  • All port fees and government taxes
• Transfers throughout

When

This itinerary departs Australia* on 19 August 2027.

Book by 24 April 2026.

Cabin upgrades

Featured prices are based on an Inside cabin while cruising. We've also found savings against cabin upgrades. Upgrades start at $1000 per person:

• +$1000 for an Oceanview cabin
• +$2000 for a Balcony
• +$5000 for a Grill Suite

To find out more, see our partner's website.

Holiday snapshot

Australia* - Milan - Sordevolo - Lake Maggiore - Lake Como - Centovalli Railway (Swiss Alps) - Lake Garda (Sirmione) - Verona - Trieste - Dubrovnik - Corfu - Greek Islands (scenic cruising) - Messina Strait - Naples (Pompeii) - Civitavecchia (Rome) - La Spezia (Cinque Terre) - Ajaccio (Corsica) - Palma de Mallorca - Valencia - Barcelona - Australia*

Itinerary highlights

Along the foothills of the Alps in Sordevolo, you step into a living tradition as the once-every-five-years Passion Play unfolds, with a behind-the-scenes visit revealing handmade sets, intricate costumes and the scale of a production carried by the entire community.

Beside Lake Maggiore, mornings begin with still water and mountain reflections as you wander elegant promenades, visit the Borromean Islands or simply settle into the quiet rhythm of lakeside life.

Framed by steep peaks at Lake Como, you move between grand villas and ferry-linked villages, where manicured gardens spill toward the water and every turn reveals a new perspective.

Carving through the Italian and Swiss borderlands, the Centovalli Railway carries you across stone bridges and through chestnut forests, with deep ravines and alpine villages appearing between tunnels.

On the southern edge of Lake Garda in Sirmione, a long lunch unfolds near medieval walls and a moated castle, with time to wander narrow lanes or pause beside the lake’s shifting light.

Within Verona’s historic centre, Roman ruins, Juliet’s balcony, and lively piazzas create a layered atmosphere best explored on foot, between cafés and stone archways.

From the elegant port city of Trieste, you step aboard Queen Elizabeth, where polished interiors, afternoon tea and sea days set a refined tone as the coastline slips away.

Rising directly from the Adriatic in Dubrovnik, you trace the city walls above terracotta rooftops or lose yourself in marble streets polished by centuries of footsteps.

Across Corfu, olive groves roll toward the coast as Venetian architecture lines pastel streets, with time to explore hidden coves or relax at seaside cafés.

Drifting through the Greek Islands, time slows as whitewashed villages cling to hillsides and the Aegean stretches endlessly in late-summer light.

Passing through the narrow Messina Strait, Sicily and mainland Italy close in on either side as villages, cliffs and fishing boats slide quietly past.

From the energy of Naples, the ruins of Pompeii bring ancient streets, homes and frescoes into sharp focus beneath the looming presence of Mount Vesuvius.

Travelling inland from Civitavecchia, Rome reveals itself through grand ruins, baroque fountains and layered history that rewards every step.

Along the Ligurian coast from La Spezia, the villages of Cinque Terre appear in colour against the cliffs, linked by walking trails, rail or sea.

In Ajaccio, Corsica’s rugged interior meets a sunlit coastline, where markets, harbourfront cafés and Napoleon’s legacy shape the town.

Through Palma de Mallorca, Gothic architecture rises above lively squares, with coastal drives, hidden beaches, or long lunches by the marina filling the day.

In Valencia, historic quarters open into futuristic spaces, where paella originates, and wide boulevards lead toward the Mediterranean shoreline.

Ending in Barcelona, bold architecture by Gaudí, bustling markets and a vibrant waterfront bring together art, culture and an unmistakable sense of place.