The varied terrain of Northern Italy, and the military challenges that it presented, provide a magnificent backdrop for this wonderful tour: the confused fighting amidst the wooded, mountainous terrain between the Riviera and Turin; the challenges and manoeuvre opportunities provided by the flat land of the Po valley and its numerous watercourses; the exploitation of the bridges at Piacenza and Lodi; the beautiful fortress city of Mantua which endured numerous sieges; the mighty Alps reflected beautifully on the shimmering surface of the stunning Lake Garda, witness to at least three battles in 1796. We will find ourselves in fascinating historic towns and cities along the way: Turin, Milan, Verona and Mantua, and enjoy some great hotels and appetizing Italian cuisine.

When Napoleon took command of the Army of Italy in March 1796, he inherited a force that was underfed, ill-equipped, unpaid, and demoralised. Yet it was this battered army that he transformed into a formidable fighting machine, capable of outmanoeuvring and defeating one Austrian force after another. In a matter of days, he crushed the Piedmontese, forcing them out of the war and opening a path through the Po Valley. A key victory at Lodi followed, compelling the Austrians to abandon Milan and the line of the River Adda. Napoleon then laid siege to Mantua, drawing repeated Austrian attempts to relieve it. Over the summer and into winter, four successive Austrian relief armies were dispatched—each decisively defeated at Castiglione, Bassano, Arcole, and finally Rivoli. These victories secured French control (or “liberation”) of northern Italy. This, Napoleon’s first campaign as commander, is often hailed as his most brilliant. It also marked the beginning of the loyal circle that would follow him throughout his rise, many of whom would become his future marshals. Iconic moments like “the Little Corporal” directing the cannons at Lodi or the Republican general crossing the bridge at Arcole became instrumental to the Napoleonic legend.

Day 1: Turin
Fly London Heathrow to Milan Linate. Drive to Turin, former de facto capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont and key strategic objective in the coming campaign. Check in to our hotel for two nights. Time permitting visit the Risogimento Museum. (D)

Day 2: Opening Battles, April 1796
Montenotte, Napoleon's first victory in high command, is our first stop followed by the battles of Millesimo, Dego, and Mondovi, which effectively took Piedmont out of the war. These Ligurian coast battles demonstrated Napoleon's first use of the strategy of the central position, the same strategy that he was to adopt in 1813 and in his last campaign at Waterloo, some 19 years later. (B,D)

Day 3: Lodi and the crossing of the Po, May 1796
Today we follow General Bonaparte and his Passage of the Po with the resultant battle of Lodi, whose bridge his men stormed on 10 May 1796 earning him his title ‘the little corporal’. Here we see Napoleon's use for the first time of his strategy of the 'manoeuvre sur les derrieres’. Check in to our hotel in Verona and our base for the next five nights. (B,D)

Day 4: The First Austrian Offensive, August 1796
This day is dedicated to the crucial battles of August 1796 as the Austrians sought to relieve the siege of Mantua. We visit the battlefields of Lonato and Castiglione, where the French desperately fought off Austrians under General Wurmser who were attempting to relieve the great fortress, and stop at the key strongpoint of Peschiera (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). (B,D)

Day 5: The Second Austrian Offensive, September 1796
Wurmser’s Austrians were preparing a new advance to relieve Mantua, but Bonaparte pre-empted them with a strike up the valley of the Adige River. We follow his route into the Italian Tyrol and then down the Val Sugana through a series of successful engagements at Rovereto, Trento, Primolano and Bassano before returning to Verona. (B,D)

Day 6: The Third Austrian Offensive, November 1796
Now under General Alvinczy, the Austrians tried again leading to fierce fighting east of Verona. We visit the principal battlefields of Caldiero (where the French and Austrians would face one another anew in 1805) and Arcole in the morning. The afternoon takes us to the city of Mantua itself, the object of the Austrian efforts. This magnificent town is surrounded by three lakes and was virtually impregnable. We walk around the steadfast walls, discuss the ferocious battles outside the fortress, and wander through the old town. (B,D)

Day 7: The Fourth Austrian Offensive, January 1797
The French victory at Rivoli on 14 January 1797 provides us with our battlefield study today. This battle effectively ended the Austrian attempts to relieve Mantua and ensured French dominance of the Po Valley. (B,D)

Day 8: Milan and Home
Drive to Milan and to visit the Museum of the Risogimento with, amongst others, its Napoleonic exhibits. Fly Milan Linate to London Heathrow. (B)