12 Day Absolute Italy By Rail
Deposit
$99 pp available
✓ Independent touring – explore at your own pace with pre-booked trains, accommodation and some guided day tours. Enjoy time and flexibility to linger longer or pick up the pace and see as much as possible: the choice is yours.
✓ Second Class rail tickets as per itinerary (upgrade to First Class available)
✓ Incredible sightseeing and experiences including a guided tour of the Colosseum & Roman Forum in Rome, full day tour to Naples and Pompeii, visit Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti area in Tuscany with an included wine tasting, 48hrs Cinque Terre Train Card, full day unlimited public ferry ticket on Lake Como, and a 30 minute Gondola ride in Venice
✓ Arrival private transfer from Rome Fiumicino Airport to your hotel
✓ 11 nights in central, 3 star accommodation (upgrade to 4 star accommodation available)
✓ Breakfast daily, and 1 wine tasting in Tuscany
✓ In-depth sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Rome! On arrival at Rome Fiumicino airport (FCO), you will be met and transferred by private car to your hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.
Whether you’re booked on the 3 star or 4 star package, you will enjoy hotels located in the heart of the city with close proximity to the train station and all the sights that Rome has to offer.
If you are arriving earlier today, why not join an optional food tour of Rome’s famous neighbourhoods accompanied by a true Italian Foodie!
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before making your way to the meeting point to join a tour to discover Imperial Rome.
Accompanied by a local historian, step back in time as you explore Rome’s most significant ancient temples and monuments. Walk through the incredible Roman Forum surrounded by the ruins of ancient government buildings and then enjoy skip the line access as we continue our tour to the mighty Colosseum as you walk its tiers in the footsteps of gladiators and emperors past.
The rest of the day is free to explore the city on your own, or alternatively you may wish to join one of the optional tours below.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel Gambeinus or similar
Make your way to the Vatican and meet your guide 15 mins prior for a tour of the incredible Vatican Museums. Skip the queues with your Skip The Line ticket and visit the largest art collection in the world. Your expert guide will lead you into the museum and its best galleries where you will admire frescoes, statues, tapestries and historical maps. Walk through the famous Hall of Maps and the Gallery of the Tapestries until you reach the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s Last Judgement.
Duration: 3 hours
(Operates Monday - Saturday)
When the sun sets on Rome, another side of the city comes to life, an older and more mysterious Rome where fact & legend are intertwined to stimulate the imagination as much as the eye - a Rome known only by a few. Make your way to the steps of S. Andrea della Valle Church 15 mins prior where you will meet your guide for a night-time walking tour based on history, legends, mysteries and ghost stories, pointing out the lesser known sights in Rome's historic centre that any passer-by would easily miss. The tour wanders through the areas surrounding Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Farnese including Via Giulia, Via del Governo Vecchio and Castel Sant'Angelo.
Duration 1.5 hours
(Operates daily)
After breakfast at the hotel, make your way to the station where you will board the high-speed train to Naples. On arrival at the station you will be met by your guide and join your group as you begin a full day excursion of the ancient city of Pompeii and Naples. First discover the famous archaeological site of Pompeii with the assistance of an expert historian. Enjoy skip the line entrance as your guide leads you through the ancient Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.Once a thriving and sophisticated Roman city, Pompeii has been preserved under meters of ash and pumice and now excavated ruins of streets and houses stand on display with intact frescoes and mosaics. Following this we travel to Naples where you will immerse yourself its undisputed charm on a guided tour of the city’s highlights. In the evening, return to Rome by train and make your way back to the hotel where the rest of the evening is at leisure.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel Gambeinus or similar
Make your way to Rome Termini station to board the high-speed train for your 1.5 hour journey to Florence. On arrival, make your way to the hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.
Alternatively, you may wish to join an optional group tour below.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel Executive or similar
Make your way to Piazza Mentana to join your group on an exploration of the historic and architectural evolution of the city through mediaeval centuries and its Renaissance glorious past. During this walk, you will see Piazza della Signoria with the town hall Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo, the Baptistery with its ‘Gates of Paradise’, Giotto’s independent bell tower, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Santa Trinita and Orsanmichele Church, Ponte Vecchio Bridge and the secret Vasari Corridor, as well as famous shopping streets and the Oltrarno. Also, stop for a surprise “tasting”, a nice and delicious break during your pleasant walk.
Duration 2.5 hours
(Operates daily)
Learn to make pizza and gelato just like the Italians do! First, your professional pizza chef will show you the techniques to make your own dough, the secret of a perfect sauce, and how to stretch, roll, prepare and bake your very own pizza. Then your expert chef will fill you in on why gelato remains Italy's favourite dessert while giving you an insight into the "gelato culture" that continues to grow. Get to know the basic raw ingredients, and how to select the best products available according to specific principles during a presentation and tasting of some of the flavours used in gelato making.
Duration 3 hours
(Operates daily)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then meet your group for a full day tour of Tuscany. We first visit the ancient town of Monteriggioni known for its medieval fortifications and watchtowers. The tour then continues to Siena, where you will discover the impressive Piazza del Campo, Piazza Duomo, the Cathedral, Palazzo Pubblico and the famous Torre del Mangia. Following this, the tour will head to the walled town of San Gimignano, famous for its white wine, the world renowned Vernaccia, and its many towers, also declared a World heritage Site by UNESCO! The tour will continue with a visit to the Chianti area and a wine tasting experience of the Chianti red wine. Return to Florence in the evening where the rest of the evening is at leisure.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel Executive or similar
After breakfast at the hotel, make your way to the train station to board the regional train for a 2.5 hour journey to La Spezia. La Spezia is the starting city to explore the famous Cinque Terre, the stretch of coast with five fishing villages perched over the sea: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. On arrival, make your way to our hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.
Included in your package is a two-day Cinque Terre Train Card which allows access to the National Park area and the use of regional trains that connect the villages and of local buses so you can experience this fabulous region at your own pace.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel The Poet or similar
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then the day is free to visit the towns of the Cinque Terre on your own using your included Cinque Terre Train Card.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel The Poet or similar
After breakfast at the hotel, make your way back to the train station to board the intercity train for your 3.5 hr journey to Milan. On arrival, make your way to the hotel where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure to explore the fashion capital on your own.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at NYX Hotel Milan or similar
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before making your way to the train station to take the regional train for a 40 minute journey to Como. Today you are free to discover the city of Como and its famous lake on your own. A day ticket is included for the hop-on, hop-off public boat which will allow you unlimited ferry travel to discover the lake and its beautiful towns including Bellagio and Monterosso. Spend as little or as much time in each town exploring cobblestoned streets and quaint artisan stores. Make your way back to Como for your return regional train to Milan where the rest of the day is at leisure.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at NYX Hotel Milan or similar
After breakfast, make your way to the train station to board the high-speed train for your 2.5 hour journey to Venice. On arrival, make your way to the hotel before enjoying a 30-minute gondola ride this afternoon.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel Amedeus or similar
Today you are free to explore the canals or surrounding islands of Venice on your own. Get lost wandering the winding canals, shop at the many boutiques or enjoy a gelato in one of the many piazza’s.
Alternatively, you may wish to join an optional group tour below.
Guests booked on the 4* upgraded package will be accommodated at Hotel Amedeus or similar
Take a guided walk to admire the most characteristic and important sites of Venice - an essential tour for the historcial understanding of Venice. A qualified and experienced guide will take you to the main sites which includes Piazza San Marco, Basilica San Marco, Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace), Bell Tower, Clock Tower and Procuratie. Continue to Santa Maria Formosa - history and anecdotes related to this wonderful and characteristic square. Campo San Giovanni e Paolo - the "Pantheon" of Venice, the Great School of Charity, the Captains of fortune. Marco Polo’s House and Malibran Theater - anecdotes and distant and recent history intersect in this beautiful corner of Venice. Return to San Marco through the Mercerie, a vital connection between Rialto and San Marco, and the main shopping street.
Duration 1.5 hours
Note: sites mentioned above are visited from the exterior only
(Operates daily)
Accompanied by a qualified expert guide, walk through Campo Santa Maria Formosa, Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo (the “Pantheon” of Venice), view Marco Polo’s House and the Malibran Theatre. Return to San Marco through the main shopping area, Mercerie, vital connection between Rialto and San Marco and main shopping street. During the second part of the tour, enjoy the visit to the magnificent Doge's Palace with skip the line entrance included. Following this, visit one of the world's most majestic cathedrals, St Mark’s Basilica with skip the line entrance included. Follow a tour guide through one of the most majestic cathedrals in the world and learn about byzantine art and its religious background while taking a glimpse at the gold mosaics and marble floors.
Duration 3.5 hours
(Operates Monday - Saturday only)
Enjoy a full day trip to the northern lagoon and discover the enchanting islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. Make your way to the meeting point where you will join your group on a boat ride to Murano, the glass island, known throughout the world for its glass making art. You will visit a Furnace to admire a glass blowing demonstration and learn about the ancient glass-blowing technique. (Time spent in Murano will be approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes). The tour will then continue towards Burano, the jewel of the Venetian Lagoon, famous all over the world for its lace making and for the brightly coloured fishermen’s houses that line the streets. Take time to wander the streets and see the lace makers at work and have time to enjoy lunch on your own (Time spent in Burno will be approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes). The last stop is the quiet and sparsely populated island of Torcello, the first centre of civilization in the estuary. On this island you can admire the oldest churches of the lagoon and discover how Venice was born! (Time spent in Torcello is approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes). Return to Venice late this afternoon with marvellous photo opportunities of Venice and its lagoon.
Duration 6 hours
(Operates daily)
Your Italian journey comes to an end after breakfast at the hotel.
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