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Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made rail holiday

Italian Lakes & the Amalfi Coast

Eleven-day rail loop from London through Alpine passes to Italy's lakes and coast

Illustration of Italian Lakes & the Amalfi Coast

Tailor Made Rail's Italian Lakes and Amalfi Coast is an 11-day self-guided rail journey that departs London via Eurostar and TGV, carrying you south through France and across the Alps. You spend nights in Dijon, then three nights on Lake Maggiore in Stresa, before descending to four nights on the Amalfi Coast in Minori, a former fishing village. The route returns northward through the Brenner and Arlberg Alpine Passes, stopping in Bolzano and Zurich before the final leg back to London. The itinerary blends rail travel with guided transitions and independent exploration, making it suited to repeat rail travellers comfortable navigating connections and couples seeking a mix of cultural stops and coastal leisure. Hotel breakfasts and all standard-class train fares are included, and the operator provides detailed travel documentation to guide your way. Optional activities such as boat trips on Lake Maggiore, car hire on the Amalfi Coast, and visits to nearby sites like Pompeii or Capri are arranged by you and payable locally.

What to know before you look closer

  • Rail fares are in standard class; first-class upgrades cost from £200 per person and must be purchased separately.
  • Hotels are listed as 'or similar'; your final accommodation may differ within the same star rating and city.
  • Days 6, 7, and 8 at Minori are unguided; activities (boat trips, car hire, visits to Capri or Pompeii) are optional and payable locally.
  • Between 7 June and 25 July 2026, Stresa is replaced with Locarno, also on Lake Maggiore, due to an itinerary adjustment.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Dijon (Grand Hotel La Cloche or similar)

    London to Dijon

    Catch the Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord and transfer across to the Gare de Lyon where you'll take the TGV line to Dijon. Arrive in the Burgundian capital in the early evening. Spend an evening strolling through the centre of the city, admiring the historic buildings before enjoying some delicious Burgundian cuisine in a local restaurant.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Stresa (Hotel La Palma or similar)

    Dijon to Stresa

    Leave Dijon this morning and take a train through the Jura Mountains to Lausanne. Here, there's time for lunch in the old town area before you catch an onward service through the Simplon Pass high in the Alps to Stresa on Lake Maggiore, where you will stay for 3 nights. Please note: between 7 June and 25 July 2026, this destination is switched for Locarno, also on Lake Maggiore.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Stresa (Hotel La Palma or similar)

    Lake Maggiore

    Spend two days soaking up the sunshine on Lake Maggiore, the second largest of Italy's lakes, which also stretches into the Ticino canton of Switzerland. Don't miss a boat ride out to Isola Bella or the lakefront piazza at Cannobio. TMR recommends a boat trip to Locarno in Switzerland, lunch in one of the glorious piazzas, then the picturesque Centovalli railway to Domodossola, back in Italy, connecting with the mainline for the short ride back to Stresa.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Stresa (Hotel La Palma or similar)

    Lake Maggiore

    Spend two days soaking up the sunshine on Lake Maggiore, the second largest of Italy's lakes, which also stretches into the Ticino canton of Switzerland. Don't miss a boat ride out to Isola Bella or the lakefront piazza at Cannobio. TMR recommends a boat trip to Locarno in Switzerland, lunch in one of the glorious piazzas, then the picturesque Centovalli railway to Domodossola, back in Italy, connecting with the mainline for the short ride back to Stresa.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Minori (Villa Romana Hotel & Spa or similar)

    Lake Maggiore to the Amalfi Coast

    After an early start, return to the station and catch a train down to Milan. Here, transfer onto a service heading south to Salerno and the Amalfi Coast. You'll arrive into Salerno in the mid-afternoon where a transfer driver will be waiting for you, driving you along the famous winding roads of the Amalfi Coast to Minori for a 4-night stay.

  6. Day 6overnight: Minori (Villa Romana Hotel & Spa or similar)

    The Amalfi Coast

    Minori is a former fishing village dating back millenia. Its location in the heart of the Amalfi Coast makes it an ideal base to explore this world-famous stretch of coastline during your three-day stay. You can get around by boat or even take a day trip to Sorrento or the island of Capri. TMR recommends hiring a car to discover the hidden corners of the Amalfi Coast or the fascinating Roman remains at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

  7. Day 7overnight: Minori (Villa Romana Hotel & Spa or similar)

    The Amalfi Coast

    Minori is a former fishing village dating back millenia. Its location in the heart of the Amalfi Coast makes it an ideal base to explore this world-famous stretch of coastline during your three-day stay. You can get around by boat or even take a day trip to Sorrento or the island of Capri. TMR recommends hiring a car to discover the hidden corners of the Amalfi Coast or the fascinating Roman remains at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

  8. Day 8overnight: Minori (Villa Romana Hotel & Spa or similar)

    The Amalfi Coast

    Minori is a former fishing village dating back millenia. Its location in the heart of the Amalfi Coast makes it an ideal base to explore this world-famous stretch of coastline during your three-day stay. You can get around by boat or even take a day trip to Sorrento or the island of Capri. TMR recommends hiring a car to discover the hidden corners of the Amalfi Coast or the fascinating Roman remains at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Bolzano (Parkhotel Laurin or similar)

    Amalfi Coast to Bolzano

    This morning, take a taxi (payable locally) to Salerno and then catch a train north which will take you directly to Bolzano. Alternatively, take a shorter taxi to Sorrento and board the Circumvesuviana service to Naples and then a train to Bolzano via Bologna. Either way, you'll head through some lovely mountain scenery as you enter the Italian Tyrol.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Zurich (Sorell Hotel Rütli or similar)

    Bolzano to Zurich

    Today, your train journey takes you across the Austrian border and you continue along the Brenner Pass route to Innsbruck main station. There's enough time for lunch here before you continue along the Arlberg Pass into Switzerland, stopping for a night in Zurich.

  11. Day 11rail

    Zurich to London

    Spend a free morning in Zurich, with its lovely lake and Old Town areas. Then, this afternoon, catch a TGV Lyria service to Paris, connect to the Gare du Nord and board a Eurostar onwards to London. You may also like to break the journey in Paris for a night.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Train journey through the Simplon Pass high in the Alps en route to Lake Maggiore.
  • Day 3Boat ride on Lake Maggiore to Isola Bella or the lakefront piazza at Cannobio.
  • Day 5Private car transfer along the winding roads of the Amalfi Coast from Salerno to Minori.
  • Day 9Train journey north through mountain scenery from the coast to Bolzano in the Italian Tyrol.
  • Day 10Transit across the Austrian border via the Brenner Pass route to Innsbruck, then the Arlberg Pass into Switzerland.

Included

  • All rail journeys, in standard class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • 10 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • Private car transfer from Salerno to your Amalfi Coast hotel
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included?
Yes. The package includes all rail journeys in standard class, seat reservations where required, and the Eurostar, TGV, Frecciarossa, and TGV Lyria services named in the itinerary. First-class upgrades are available for an additional fee.
Is this trip escorted or self-guided?
It is self-guided. Tailor Made Rail provides easy-to-follow travel documentation and proactive rerouting if strikes or disruptions occur, but there is no tour manager. You navigate independently between trains and choose optional activities.
What is included in the price?
The price includes ten nights in handpicked hotels with breakfast, all standard-class rail fares and seat reservations, a private car transfer from Salerno to Minori, and travel documentation. It does not include meals beyond breakfast, or optional activities like boat trips and car hire.
How much walking is involved?
Expect city walking in Dijon and Zurich and self-directed exploration around Lake Maggiore and the Amalfi Coast. Days at Minori are unguided; activities are optional. Station transfers are handled by taxi or the included car transfer to your hotel.
When does this trip run?
Year-round. Low-season pricing (November to March) starts from £1,749 per person; high-season pricing (April to October) starts from £2,049. Between 7 June and 25 July 2026, Stresa is replaced with Locarno.
Which hotels will I stay in?
The itinerary names Grand Hotel La Cloche (Dijon), Hotel La Palma (Stresa), Villa Romana Hotel & Spa (Minori), Parkhotel Laurin (Bolzano), and Sorell Hotel Rütli (Zurich), or similar properties in the same locations and standard.

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