How much does it cost?

From £2,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,376 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish. Guided tours and excursions are included at Cinque Terre (by train and boat), Portofino, San Fruttuoso, Camogli, and Genoa.

Which hotels are included?

Great Rail Journeys books 4-star accommodation: Hotel Due Mari or Grand Hotel Villa Balbi in Sestri Levante for seven nights (the main base), plus one night in Turin and one in Saint-Raphaël. Upgrades to sea-view or Elegance rooms at Hotel Due Mari are optional extras.

What meals are included?

Breakfast daily, one lunch (Day 5 in Portofino), seven dinners, and light meals on Eurostar. The pesto-making lesson (Day 7) includes dinner at the trattoria.

When does the tour run?

Great Rail Journeys offers eight departures between April and October 2027 (April, May, June, July, August, September, and October).

What is not included?

Cancellation and Travel Insurance are not included. Additional meals, personal purchases, and optional extras (London hotel stays, rail connections, luggage service) are not included.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Classic Italian Riviera & Portofino

Ten-day First Class rail loop from London through the Italian Riviera and Cinque Terre

Great Rail Journeys operates this 10-day escorted tour of the Italian Riviera and Cinque Terre, beginning with Eurostar Plus and First Class trains across France and the Alps, then basing travellers in Sestri Levante for seven nights. The tour explores the coast by rail, boat, and coach, featuring excursions to Cinque Terre villages (Riomaggiore, Vernazzo, and Monterosso), the fishing harbour of Portofino, the 10th-century San Fruttuoso Abbey, the pastel fishing village of Camogli, and the historic capital Genoa. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the entire journey. Days blend guided tours with free time for independent exploration. A highlight is the pesto-making lesson at a local trattoria using a traditional Genoese recipe, followed by dinner. The tour concludes with a train journey to Saint-Raphaël on the French Riviera and a return to London by Eurostar. It suits repeat rail travellers who value First Class comfort, couples seeking relaxed seaside stays, and food-focused visitors seeking authentic regional experiences.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £200 since 4 Jul, to £2,499.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Some itinerary details vary by departure: the 17 May 2027 departure includes a coach leg from Grenoble to Turin due to engineering works; the 17 September and 3 October 2027 departures stay in different hotels (Chambery and Nice respectively) en route to the French Riviera.
The operator publishes optional extras (London hotel stays, rail connections from local stations, door-to-door luggage service) to complete the experience; enquire about costs.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Turin
London to Turin by rail
The holiday begins at London St Pancras, meeting the Tour Manager and boarding the Eurostar service to Paris with a light meal in Plus class seats. Change trains and continue on a scenic rail journey through France, crossing the Alps to Turin. On arrival, transfer by coach to the hotel for the first dinner together.
Day 2railovernight: Sestri Levante (Hotel Due Mari)
Down the coast to Sestri Levante
Free time to explore Turin after breakfast, including the Egyptian Museum or Royal Palace. In the mid-afternoon, continue by rail along the coast from Genoa, then a short coach ride from Chiavari to Sestri Levante, the base for the week. Check in to the hotel in the Old Town next to the Bay of Fairytales, run by the Cerruti family for over 50 years.
Day 3overnight: Sestri Levante
A free day to explore Sestri
A free day to explore Sestri Levante at your own pace or unwind at the hotel - visit the Basilica Santa Maria di Nazareth, the Bay of Fairytales, or the Bay of Silence, with many cafés, bars and restaurants.
Day 4railovernight: Sestri Levante
Visiting the Cinque Terre villages from the water
Travel by train with a local guide to Riomaggiore, then sail on to view Manarola and Corniglia en route, stopping at Vernazza and Monterosso, before returning to Sestri by rail in time for dinner.
Day 5railovernight: Sestri Levante
Cruising to Portofino and San Fruttuoso Abbey
A train trip to Portofino to explore the fishing village and enjoy lunch with harbour views, then sail to San Fruttuoso, a cove dominated by a 10th-century Benedictine abbey, before returning via Rapallo by train to Sestri for dinner. If weather prevents landing at San Fruttuoso, Santa Margherita is visited instead.
Day 6railovernight: Sestri Levante
At leisure in the Italian Riviera
A day to explore independently - catch the train to nearby Chiavari or further to Rapallo, both with historic centres, promenades and Ligurian restaurants.
Day 7overnight: Sestri Levante
Touring historic Genoa and a pesto-making lesson in Sestri
Coach to Genoa for a guided walking tour of the old town including the Doge's Palace, with free time for lunch. Return to Sestri Levante in the afternoon, then in the evening learn to make pesto following a traditional Genoese recipe at a nearby trattoria before dinner.
Day 8railovernight: Sestri Levante
Discovering Camogli, a Riviera gem
Train to the fishing village of Camogli, with a guide showing the harbourside, alleyways and the remains of the 14th-century Dragonara Castle. Free time for lunch before returning by train to Sestri Levante for the final dinner on the Italian Riviera.
Day 9railovernight: Saint-Raphaël
To Saint-Raphaël: From the Italian to the French Riviera
Leave Sestri Levante by train around the coastal arch of the Ligurian Sea through Genoa to Ventimiglia, entering France to the Côte d'Azur resort of Saint-Raphaël. Check in to the hotel overlooking the marina, with time to unwind or take a sunset stroll before the last dinner together.
Day 10rail
Homeward bound
Leave Saint-Raphaël by regional train through France, along the coast and via the Rhône to Lyon, through Burgundy to Paris. Transfer to the Eurostar for the final leg, arriving back in London this evening.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Depart London St Pancras on Eurostar Plus, cross the Alps on the TGV through France to Turin, then continue by train and coach to Sestri Levante on the Italian coast.
Day 4Travel by train with a local guide to Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre, then sail through Manarola and Corniglia to Vernazzo and Monterosso, viewing the UNESCO-listed villages from land and sea.
Day 5Take a guided tour of Portofino's natural harbour and picturesque fishing village, then sail to San Fruttuoso Abbey, a 10th-century cove monastery accessible only by foot or boat, to view the underwater statue of Christ in the Abyss.
Day 7Coach to Genoa for a walking tour of the old town including the Doge's Palace, followed by an evening pesto-making lesson at a local trattoria using a traditional Genoese recipe.
Day 9Depart Sestri Levante by train, travel the coastal arch through Genoa and Ventimiglia into France, arriving at Saint-Raphaël on the French Riviera.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
9 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Eurostar Plus First & Standard Class rail travel
All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
Eurostar light meal
Breakfast each day, 1 lunch, 7 dinners
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,376 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish. Guided tours and excursions are included at Cinque Terre (by train and boat), Portofino, San Fruttuoso, Camogli, and Genoa.
Which hotels are included?: Great Rail Journeys books 4-star accommodation: Hotel Due Mari or Grand Hotel Villa Balbi in Sestri Levante for seven nights (the main base), plus one night in Turin and one in Saint-Raphaël. Upgrades to sea-view or Elegance rooms at Hotel Due Mari are optional extras.
What meals are included?: Breakfast daily, one lunch (Day 5 in Portofino), seven dinners, and light meals on Eurostar. The pesto-making lesson (Day 7) includes dinner at the trattoria.
When does the tour run?: Great Rail Journeys offers eight departures between April and October 2027 (April, May, June, July, August, September, and October).
What is not included?: Cancellation and Travel Insurance are not included. Additional meals, personal purchases, and optional extras (London hotel stays, rail connections, luggage service) are not included.