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Italy Grand Tour by Rail
A rail journey taking you across Italy visiting four cities and the Sorrento coast in 12 days.
Rail travel and Italy combine to make a pairing that’s absolutely packed with old-world romance, stunning scenes and eco-credentials. Add some 20th-Century speed and reliability and you’ve got yourselves an incredible country-spanning adventure ticking off (and easily linking) four poster-child cities and a lemon-infused, sun-soaked riviera coastline.
Itinerary overview
Criss-crossed canals and narrow streets, the City of Bridges is one of a kind. It quite rightly d...
Less than an hour-and-a-half’s rail ride away is fair Verona, a city synonymous with romance, Sha...
Travel by train from the edge of the Alpine foothills, across the Po Valley and up into the rolli...
Another relatively swift train journey takes you south to Rome, the cultural, historic and politi...
The journey comes to an end as you catch the train to Naples and onwards to Sorrento, the end of ...
Add on an island stay to your rail journey and experience a unique train-on-a-ferry ride. It’s a ...
Highlights of trip
Experience Venice’s distinctive waterways on a gondola ride along its famous canals. As your gondolier navigates beneath ornate bridges, the unique character of Venice is revealed. This watery city is renowned for its stunning architecture and experiencing it from the water is one of the best ways to appreciate its true beauty.
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On this half day tour, you will get to experience three different islands in Venice’s lagoon. The journey begins at the waterfront of St. Mark’s Square, where you’ll board a motorboat and head to the Island of Murano where you can watch the ancient craft of glassmaking at a local glassblowing factory. Next stop is the colourful island of Burano. This fishermen’s island is also renowned for its longstanding lace-making tradition. Get a glimpse of historic Venice with a final visit to the island of Torcello. It was the first settlement in the lagoon and is made famous by its ancient cathedral which dates back to 639 AD.
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There’s a lot to see in Verona so, if time is short, this express guided tour of the Arena will give you a great insight into this iconic Roman amphitheatre. The tour begins at Piazza Bra, with priority entry to the Arena. Over 45 minutes, a local guide will share the Arena's history and narrate stories of gladiators and the Roman games which took place here. As you walk beneath the ancient marble arcades, you will learn how the Arena was constructed and how it survived an earthquake in the 12th century. The Arena still continues to serve as one of Verona's leading open-air opera venues and stands as an enduring emblem of the city's cultural heritage.
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Feel as though you’ve taken a step back in time as you explore Rome’s historical attractions with an expert local guide. On this insightful half-day experience, you’ll start with a visit to the Colosseum: the largest amphitheatre built during the Roman Empire. More than 2000 years after it was inaugurated, this iconic structure is still Italy’s most popular attraction. You’ll then head to Palatine Hill – one of the seven hills of Rome towering above the ancient city with panoramic views – before discovering the dramatic ruins of the Roman Forum, once the hub of daily life in Rome.
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Fascinating Pompeii is an ancient city where a moment was frozen in time. For over a century and a half, the Roman settlement was buried under four to six metres of ash and pumice following the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius as well as subsequent eruptions hundreds of years later. During a two-hour guided tour of the public monuments and private homes, you’ll learn about the 18th-Century excavations, the lives of subjects of the Roman Empire and secrets that they continue to uncover to this day.
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On this guided full day tour, you will explore Europe’s highest volcano, Mount Etna. Designated a UNESCO site since 2013, Etna rises 3,350 metres above Sicily. Depart by coach to the first stop at Rifugio Sapienza. Located at 1,900 metres there is the possibility to trek to see the most recent lava flows and the now extinct Silvestri Craters. Lunch or snacks are available as optional extras. Next you will travel by cable car up to 2,500 metres where, with the assistance of the Italian Alpine Club, Jeeps will take you up to the authorised crater zones at 3,000 metres. Dependent on weather, here you will see the activity of the craters at the summit.
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Venice
Criss-crossed canals and narrow streets, the City of Bridges is one of a kind. It quite rightly draws the crowds but there are always quiet corners – as well as other Venice lagoon islands – where you can wander between leisurely coffee stops. Get lost in the alleyways and cross gondola-dotted waterways, shop for Murano glassware or Burano lace, and soak up the buzz on the Grand Canal and the Piazza San Marco. It’s every inch as magical as you’d dreamed it would be.
Venetian style combines with a great central location at this boutique hotel by the Grand Canal.
Verona
Less than an hour-and-a-half’s rail ride away is fair Verona, a city synonymous with romance, Shakespeare and remarkably intact Roman, Medieval and Renaissance architecture. As you navigate the historic streets so special they’ve been recognised by UNESCO, soak up the more modern restaurant and arts scene, catch some opera (from mid-June to early September) and head up to Castel San Pietro where you’ll get some of the finest city views.
Recently renovated, this centrally located hotel is within walking distance of Verona’s historic centre.
Florence
Travel by train from the edge of the Alpine foothills, across the Po Valley and up into the rolling Tuscan Hills. And in just over 90 minutes, you’ll alight almost in the heart of fabulous Florence. The Renaissance-era comes into focus in a city that’s got more than its fair share of monuments, galleries, palaces and late Medieval architecture. While you’re in town, be sure to grab a tipple from one of the wine windows (buchette del vino) – small holes in the historic walls where you can order locally sourced varieties straight from the vineyard owners.
Set on the vibrant shopping street of Via dei Calzaiuoli, this stylish 4-star hotel offers a complimentary Tuscan breakfast and rooms-with-a-view.
Rome
Another relatively swift train journey takes you south to Rome, the cultural, historic and political heart of Italy. This ruin-scattered city barely needs an introduction – it’s iconic, stuffed full of things to see and do, including an entire ecclesiastical state within the city limits. Tick off the must sees like the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Forum and imagine how this one city ruled just under 2 million square miles of land. There are plenty of places slightly off the beaten path like the eccentric Coppede District and Janiculum Hill where you can get some great city vistas.
Steps from the Colosseum, this luxury hotel offers a relaxing retreat in the heart of The Eternal City.
Sorrento
The journey comes to an end as you catch the train to Naples and onwards to Sorrento, the end of the line on Italy’s west coast. Spend a couple of limoncello-flavoured days strolling, shopping and sipping to your heart’s content. Head down the cliff to the dip your feet in the Gulf of Naples water or take a day trip out to the Amalfi Coast. Whatever your days are filled with, don’t miss at least one sunset from the elevated Villa Comunale Park – the bay and Mount Vesuvius views are unmatched.
The striking views over the water and Mount Vesuvius make this hotel a real Neapolitan Riviera gem.
Taormina
Add on an island stay to your rail journey and experience a unique train-on-a-ferry ride. It’s a six and a half to eight-hour journey so pack a good book and embrace the scenery on this coast-hugging trip. Once you’ve reached your destination, ascend to Taormina where hilltop glamour is the order of the day. The next few days can be split between island-exploring excursions, slow morning coffee breaks with Mount Etna views, and beachside chill time down in Taormina Mare.
The large clifftop pool is the perfect spot in Taormina on a warm summer’s day.
Other Itineraries
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