Is train travel included in the price?

Yes. All Frecciarossa journeys in first class and the Circumetnea narrow-gauge railway are included. Flights from Frankfurt to Venice and from Catania back to Frankfurt in economy class are also included.

Is this tour escorted or independent?

It is fully escorted. A German-language guide leads the group from Venice through Sicily, and local specialists guide city tours in Venice, Florence, Rome, Pompeii, and around Mount Etna.

What is not included?

Tips (gratuities), optional excursions to Pisa, Lucca, and Rome's Colosseum, and any meals not listed in the itinerary are not included.

How many nights do we spend in each city?

Venice (2 nights), Florence (2 nights), Rome (2 nights), Salerno (1 night), and Aci Trezza near Mount Etna (2 nights). All hotels are comfort-class properties.

When does this tour run?

Lernidee.de lists five departures: September 2026, October 2026, May 2027, October 2027, and May 2028. Prices range from 4,980 to 6,280 EUR depending on the date.

How much walking is involved?

The operator advises this tour is not suitable for people with restricted mobility. City tours involve walking and stairs; days include free time and optional excursions, but several guided tours are on foot.

lernidee.de · Escorted tour

Bella Italia: Zug um Zug von Venedig bis Sizilien

Ten-day rail journey through Italy from Venice to Sicily with Frecciarossa trains

Lernidee.de's ten-day escorted tour travels the entire length of Italy by train, beginning in Venice and ending in Sicily. The journey combines Europe's fastest Frecciarossa high-speed trains with the historic Circumetnea narrow-gauge railway that circles Mount Etna. Frankfurt flights bracket the trip; once in Italy, German-language guides and local specialists lead the group through Venice's canals and squares, Florence's Renaissance churches and museums, Rome's ancient districts, the buried city of Pompeii, and the volcanic slopes of Sicily. The pace is relaxed, with two-night stays in each major city, free afternoons to explore independently, and optional excursions to Pisa, Lucca, and Rome's Colosseum. Luggage travels separately by accompanying coach during all train segments, eliminating the hassle of moving bags between cities. Meals highlight Italian cuisine at each step, from a welcome dinner in Venice to a farewell dinner in Taormina. This tour suits first-time rail travellers, history lovers, and those who want guided cultural immersion without the burden of planning their own connections. It runs in May and October, with five departures across 2026, 2027, and 2028.

What to know before you look closer

Days 4 and 6 are free time in Florence and Rome; optional excursions to Pisa, Lucca, and Rome's Colosseum require a minimum of six participants and cost extra.
The tour is not suitable for people with restricted mobility, according to the operator.
A minimum of 21 travellers is required; the operator can cancel up to 21 days before departure if this threshold is not reached.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Venedig
Bella Italia!
Flug von Deutschland nach Venedig, Willkommens-Dinner. Zwei Nächte im Komfort-Hotel in Venedigs Altstadt.
Day 2overnight: Venedig
Venezia, la Serenissima
Stadtrundgang durch die alte Handelsmetropole; Fahrt mit dem Vaporetto durch den Canale della Giudecca zum Markus-Platz (Dogenpalast, Markus-Kirche, Seufzerbrücke). Nachmittags Zeit für eigene Streifzüge.
Day 3overnight: Florenz
Florenz, Wiege der Renaissance
Fahrt mit dem Hochgeschwindigkeitszug Frecciarossa ab Bahnhof Santa Lucia über die Po-Ebene und Bologna in die Toskana nach Florenz (Gepäck wird separat transportiert). Geführter Stadtrundgang: Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo mit den Medici-Grabmälern, der Dom. Zwei Nächte im Komfort-Hotel in Florenz.
Day 4overnight: Florenz
Perlen der Toskana
Freier Tag in Florenz (Uffizien, Ponte Vecchio) oder Wunsch-Ausflug mit dem Zug nach Pisa (Schiefer Turm) und Lucca (romanische Kirchen, Stadtmauer), abends zurück nach Florenz.
Day 5overnight: Rom
Alle Wege führen nach Rom
Fahrt mit dem Hochgeschwindigkeitszug in die Ewige Stadt Rom, Führung durch die Altstadt, Abendessen.
Day 6overnight: Rom
Das antike Rom
Freier Tag, eigene Streifzüge (Spanische Treppe, Trevi-Brunnen) oder Wunsch-Ausflug zum Colosseum, den Römischen Kaiserforen und dem Palatinhügel.
Day 7overnight: Salerno
Apokalypse Pompeji
Fahrt im Hochgeschwindigkeitszug Frecciarossa nach Neapel, per Bus weiter nach Pompeji (Ausgrabungsstätte). Weiterfahrt nach Salerno mit Panoramablick auf den Golf von Salerno.
Day 8overnight: Aci Trezza
Am Meer entlang nach Sizilien
Zugstrecke von Salerno entlang des Tyrrhenischen Meeres gen Süden; über die Straße von Messina mit der Zug-Fähre nach Sizilien. Abend zur freien Verfügung.
Day 9overnight: Aci Trezza
Tanz auf dem Vulkan Ätna
Auffahrt zum Ätna durch Oliven- und Zitronenhaine, Weingärten, Kastanienwälder und Lavafelder (auf Wunsch Seilbahn zum Gipfel). Fahrt auf der historischen Schmalspurbahn Circumetnea aus dem 19. Jh. Mittagessen, Stadtrundgang durch Taormina, gemeinsames Abschieds-Abendessen.
Day 10
Arrivederci, Italia!
Rückflug von Catania nach Deutschland.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Vaporetto boat ride through the Giudecca Canal to Saint Mark's Square, past the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs.
Day 3Frecciarossa high-speed train departs Venice for Florence, crossing the Po Plain and passing through Bologna into Tuscany.
Day 7Frecciarossa journey ends at Naples; a bus then takes the group to the excavated ruins of Pompeii before continuing to Salerno with views of the Salerno Gulf.
Day 8Train travels south from Salerno along the Tyrrhenian Sea coast, then the train itself is loaded onto a ferry across the Strait of Messina into Sicily.
Day 9Historic Circumetnea narrow-gauge railway circles Mount Etna through olive groves, lemon orchards, chestnut forests, and lava fields, followed by a walking tour of Taormina.

Included

Flüge Frankfurt – Venedig und Catania – Frankfurt in der Economy Class
Alle ausgeschriebenen Zugfahrten in der 1. Klasse (sofern in den entsprechenden Zügen angeboten und verfügbar)
Separater Gepäcktransport im Begleitfahrzeug während der Linienzug-Fahrten
9 Übernachtungen in Komfort-Hotels
Mahlzeiten laut Reiseverlauf (F = Frühstück, M = Mittagessen, A = Abendessen)
Begrüßungs- und Abschiedsessen in Venedig und auf Sizilien
Qualifizierte deutschsprachige Reiseleitung ab Venedig/bis Sizilien
Zusätzlich qualifizierte lokale Reiseleiter in Venedig, Florenz, Rom, Pompeji und am Ätna
Alle Ausflüge, Besichtigungen und Eintrittsgelder laut Reiseverlauf
Fahrt mit dem Wassertaxi (Vaporetto) in Venedig
Fahrt auf der historischen Schmalspurbahn Circumetnea auf Sizilien

Not included

Trinkgelder
Wunsch-Ausflüge

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?: Yes. All Frecciarossa journeys in first class and the Circumetnea narrow-gauge railway are included. Flights from Frankfurt to Venice and from Catania back to Frankfurt in economy class are also included.
Is this tour escorted or independent?: It is fully escorted. A German-language guide leads the group from Venice through Sicily, and local specialists guide city tours in Venice, Florence, Rome, Pompeii, and around Mount Etna.
What is not included?: Tips (gratuities), optional excursions to Pisa, Lucca, and Rome's Colosseum, and any meals not listed in the itinerary are not included.
How many nights do we spend in each city?: Venice (2 nights), Florence (2 nights), Rome (2 nights), Salerno (1 night), and Aci Trezza near Mount Etna (2 nights). All hotels are comfort-class properties.
When does this tour run?: Lernidee.de lists five departures: September 2026, October 2026, May 2027, October 2027, and May 2028. Prices range from 4,980 to 6,280 EUR depending on the date.
How much walking is involved?: The operator advises this tour is not suitable for people with restricted mobility. City tours involve walking and stairs; days include free time and optional excursions, but several guided tours are on foot.