Milan and Rome

Start your rail journey in Milan, renowned for being the fashion capital of Italy and one of the wealthiest cities in the country. A stylish metropolis, filled with high-end fashion stores, luxury boutiques and an impressive decadent Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade, home to some of the biggest brands in fashion. A visit to the Duomo Cathedral is a must to either stop outside and admire the exquisite gothic architecture or step inside to witness the wonder of stain glass windows, imposing pillars and venture to the steepled roof to get a panoramic view over the city and bustling square below.

Your next stop will take you to Santa Margherita on the Liguria Riviera. A picture-perfect seaside fishing-village with a quaint promenade for watching yachts sail in and out of the harbour. Discover the pastel-colored houses of Portofino with its small cobbled square over looking the harbour adorned with delicious seafood restaurants or stop off at one of the colourful five villages of Cinque Terre in Sestri Levante, set amongst some of the most dramatic coastal scenery which has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1997.

Your rail tour will take you further north to discover Florence, the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region. It is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, including The Uffizi Gallery exhibiting works of art by Botticelli and The Galleria dell’Accademia displays Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture. One of its most iconic sights is the Duomo, an impressive terracotta gothic style cathedral. Completed in 1436, the Duomo stands tall over the city proudly and houses some of the best mosaics in all of Italy. Florence also has a whole host of different sights to see, including the Boboli Gardens, the church of Santa Maria Novella, the Cathedral, the Bargello, the Ponte Vecchio, and the Pitti Palace. With so much in one place, it is easy to see why Florence attracts such a large number of visitors each and every year.

No trip to Italy would be the same without a visit to its ancient capital, Rome where your rail journey ends. Once the centre of politics, the city today is a modern world built against an ancient backdrop, including the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, home to Michelangelo’s outstanding work of art, the Sistine Chapel. A visit to the famous baroque Trevi Fountain should not be missed and don’t forget to throw a coin into the water to guarantee your return to Rome in the future. From here you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.