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Vacations By Rail · Independent rail vacation

Cuisine & Culture: Rome, Florence & Venice

Nine-day independent rail journey through Rome, Florence, and Venice with guided food and wine

Illustration of Cuisine & Culture: Rome, Florence & Venice

Vacations By Rail's nine-day independent rail vacation takes you from Rome through Florence to Venice, linked by first-class Trenitalia trains. The journey opens with three nights in Rome, where you join a nighttime city tour past Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, a small-group tour of the Vatican Museums including the Sistine Chapel, and wine tastings. A first-class train carries you to Florence for three nights, featuring a guided walking tour of the Accademia Gallery, the Duomo, and Piazza Della Signoria, plus wine tastings in local bars. The trip concludes with two nights in Venice, reached by train and private canal boat, with guided walks of St. Mark's Square and Doge's Palace and a tour of bacari, traditional Venetian wine bars. Free days in each city allow independent exploration or optional activities such as cooking classes and Chianti wine tours. This package suits independent travellers who enjoy food, wine, and art history and prefer mixing guided experiences with unscheduled time.

What to know before you look closer

  • City taxes in Rome, Florence and Venice are not included in the package price and are paid locally at the hotel.
  • Flights to and from Italy are not included; only rail travel between the three cities is covered.
  • The package includes breakfast daily but other meals must be purchased separately or arranged as optional paid excursions.
  • Early-morning airport transfers (before 6:00 a.m.) may incur a supplement.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Rome

    Rome

    Arrive in Rome and transfer privately to your hotel. This evening, join a small group for a night tour of Rome, taking in Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier and illuminated vistas from Gianicolo Hill.

  2. Day 2overnight: Rome

    Vatican City Sightseeing

    Leisurely morning in Rome at your own pace. This afternoon, a small group tour of the Vatican Museums with an English-speaking escort, taking in the Gallery of Tapestries, the Gallery of Geographical Maps, the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel (private-tour upgrade with return transfer available). Optional evening wine tasting at Enoteca L'angelo.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Rome

    Rome Explorations

    Free day with optional excursions: a small group tour of the Roman Forum and Colosseum; a 3-hour Roman Food Tour through Campo de' Fiori and the Antica Salumeria near the Pantheon; or a full-day small group tour to Pompeii and Naples by train.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Florence

    Rome to Florence by Train

    Check out and transfer privately to Rome's train station for a first-class rail journey to Florence. On arrival, transfer to your hotel, then join an afternoon wine tasting at Le Volpi E L'uva wine bar.

  5. Day 5overnight: Florence

    Florence Touring

    Morning walking tour of Florence with a guide, taking in Piazza Della Signoria, the Loggia dei Lanzi arcade, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza del Duomo and the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo's David. Afternoon free to continue sightseeing.

  6. Day 6overnight: Florence

    Florence Explorations

    Free day to continue exploring Florence's museums, chapels and historic sites, with optional excursions: an afternoon Italian cooking class with a prosecco aperitif and wine with dinner; or a small group Chianti tour with wine tasting and lunch through Greve, a local farmhouse, Montefioralle and Badia a Passignano.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Venice

    To Venice by Rail and Private Boat

    Private transfer to Florence's train station for a first-class rail journey (under three hours) to Venice. On arrival, board a private boat along the canals to your hotel, then join a small group tour of Venice's bacari (wine bars) with an English-speaking guide.

  8. Day 8overnight: Venice

    Venice Sightseeing

    Guided walking tour of St. Mark's Square, the Procuratie, the Byzantine Basilica, the Bell Tower, the Clock Tower and the National Library Marciana, concluding at Doge's Palace (entrance included). Afternoon free; optional 30-minute gondola ride.

  9. Day 9

    Venice

    A private driver transfers you to the airport for your return flight home. (If transfer time required is before 6:00am, a supplement may apply.)

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Night tour of Rome passes Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and illuminated vistas from Gianicolo Hill.
  • Day 2Small-group tour of the Vatican Museums includes the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel with an English-speaking escort.
  • Day 4First-class Trenitalia train from Rome to Florence, followed by wine tasting at Le Volpi E L'uva wine bar.
  • Day 5Morning walking tour of Florence visits Piazza Della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo, and the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's David.
  • Day 7First-class train to Venice (under three hours), then private boat transfer along the canals to the hotel and a small-group tour of Venice's bacari wine bars.

Included

  • Hotel accommodations for 8 nights
  • Rail travel aboard high-speed trains
  • Private car transfers between the train stations, hotels and airports
  • Venice motorboat transfer between rail station and hotel
  • 8 Meals (breakfasts)
  • Knowledgeable English-speaking guides for the tours

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance (not included but can be arranged)
  • Flights
  • City taxes (not included in the package price, paid locally)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Rail travel aboard high-speed Trenitalia first-class trains between Rome, Florence, and Venice is included in the package price. Private car transfers between train stations and hotels are also included.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
It is independent travel on a pre-planned itinerary. English-speaking guides lead included small-group tours (Vatican Museums, Florence walking tour, Venice walking tour) and optional excursions (Pompeii day trip, cooking class, Chianti wine tour). You are free on other days to explore at your own pace.
Which trains are used?
Trenitalia first-class trains connect Rome to Florence and Florence to Venice.
What accommodations are included?
Eight nights in hotels in Rome, Florence, and Venice. Breakfast is included daily. Hotel details and quality tier are not specified in the package description.
What meals and experiences are included?
Breakfasts are included daily. Also included are a night tour of Rome, a Vatican Museums tour with an English-speaking escort, a morning walking tour of Florence, a guided Venice tour of St. Mark's Square and Doge's Palace, and wine tastings in Rome and Florence. Lunch and dinner are not included unless purchased as optional excursions.
What are the optional paid activities?
Optional extras include a private Vatican Museums tour, a Roman Food Tour, a Pompeii and Naples day trip by train, an Italian cooking class, a Chianti wine tour with lunch, and a 30-minute gondola ride in Venice.

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