As Brits escaped to the mountains in the summer this year, the Italian lakes are the perfect alternative for those seeking a winter escape in 2026.
Cape of Senses, the adults-only, five-star spa hideaway set 240 metres above Lake Garda, has unveiled a series of festive packages for 2026.
In winter, Lake Garda’s summer crowds disappear and the lake shines in a new, magical light. The surrounding hills and olive groves invite guests to explore at a slower pace, while the region’s wineries and olive oil producers offer authentic local experiences outside of the summer months.
From Cape of Senses, Verona is 40 minutes by car and Venice is an easy day trip, so guests can combine the calm of the lake with the festive atmosphere of two of Italy’s best-known cities. After a day discovering the region outdoors, Cape of Senses’ extensive wellness offering provides the perfect place to unwind ahead of the evening celebrations.
This year, the hotel has introduced a Christmas package, New Year package and Lumina Night, its signature New Year’s Eve celebration, alongside a programme of winter sauna rituals and a festive candlelit treatment at the 2,000sqm Senses Spa.
Christmas: Between the Lake and the Magic of Verona
The Christmas package is a three-night escape for two, away from the rush of the season. Mornings begin with breakfast at Al Tramonto overlooking the water, while a day in Verona brings the city’s Christmas lights and markets, just 40 minutes away by private transfer.
On Christmas Eve, guests gather for dinner at Al Tramonto, followed on Christmas Day by Christmas Tea Time from 4pm. Back at the hotel, the Senses Spa offers pools, saunas and a candlelit massage as the light fades over the lake.
The package includes:
- Three nights in a suite for two adults
- Continental buffet and à la carte breakfast at Al Tramonto
- Christmas Eve dinner at Al Tramonto on 24 December
- Christmas Tea Time on 25 December from 4pm
- Return transfer to Verona for a day exploring the city and its Christmas markets
- One 50-minute ‘Luxury in the Candle’ massage per person at Senses Spa
- Four days’ access to the 2,000sqm Senses Spa, with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam room, fitness centre and relaxation areas
- Wellness activities* including: Yoga, Pilates, Meditation and Qi Gong sessions, Scrubs and Aufguss and Sound Bath Rituals
Three-night Christmas package from €2050 (approx. £1732) for two people sharing. Valid for stays from 23 November to 27 December 2026.
New Year on the Lake
For New Year, the four-night package pairs the calm of Lake Garda in winter with a day in Venice. Guests explore one of Italy’s most iconic cities by day before returning to the serenity of the lake, the spa and a celebration that carries them into 2027.
The package includes:
- Four nights in a suite for two adults
- Continental buffet and à la carte breakfast at Al Tramonto
- Lumina Night, the hotel’s New Year’s Eve celebration on 31 December, with aperitivo, dinner, live music and the Lumina Show
- A bottle of Moët & Chandon for the midnight toast
- Return transfer to Venice for a day trip
- One 50-minute ‘Luxury in the Candle’ massage per person
- Four days’ access to the 2,000sqm Senses Spa, with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam room, fitness centre and relaxation areas
- Wellness activities* including: Yoga, Pilates, Meditation and Qi Gong sessions, Scrubs and Aufguss and Sound Bath Rituals
Four-night New Year package from €3210 (approx. £2,712) for two people sharing. Valid for stays from 28 December 2026 to 5 January 2027.
Lumina Night
The highlight of the season is Lumina Night, Cape of Senses’ signature New Year’s Eve event. The
evening includes an aperitivo, gourmet dinner at Al Tramonto and live music leading up to midnight, when the Lumina Show lights up the arrival of the new year.
Lumina Night, Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch are also open to non-resident guests, offering those staying elsewhere on the lake a chance to share the most special moments of the season.
Cape of Senses’ recommended winter wellness rituals…
- Herbal Healing Sauna (30 minutes): inspired by ancient Latvian sauna traditions, an aromatic ritual combining birch and eucalyptus branches with sensory stimulation, ventilation and gentle movement to relax the muscles and restore emotional balance.
- Sunset Meditation (45 minutes): a guided meditation on the olive terrace, with live sound, the sunset and two fire braziers. Guests write down a thought, a wish or something they would like to let go of, before symbolically releasing it into the fire. Places are limited, so advance booking is recommended.
- Breath of Salt (15 minutes): the enveloping warmth of the sauna meets the benefits of halotherapy, as a delicate diffusion of salt promotes a sense of lightness, balance and renewal.
- Sauna Sound Bath (15 minutes): inside the bio-sauna, the deep vibrations of gongs and Tibetan singing bowls create an immersive journey of sound.
This season’s signature treatment, Luxury in the Candle, is a slow, fluid massage performed by candlelight. Warm shea and coconut butter deeply nourishes and hydrates the skin, leaving body and mind at rest. It is also available as a couple’s treatment.
Alina Deutsch, General Manager at Cape of Senses, commented: ‘Winter shows a different side of Lake Garda: quieter, slower and more authentic. Our festive season brings together the stillness of the lake, the rituals of our Senses Spa and the magic of Verona and Venice at Christmas, so guests can celebrate the season at their own pace.’
For details of all packages in Lake Garda, visit the Cape of Senses website.
Images supplied
