How much does it cost?

From £3,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,402 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included in the package?

Yes. The package includes Eurostar Plus from London St Pancras to Paris, First Class rail from Paris to Turin, rail from Turin to Desenzano on Lake Garda, and coach or rail transfers to Venice.

Is this an escorted tour?

The first portion is escorted: a Great Rail Journeys Tour Manager accompanies the group from London through the Lake Garda stay until embarkation in Venice on Day 5. The 11-night cruise portion is unescorted; guests explore ports independently or book optional excursions.

What is included in the cruise portion?

The 11-night cruise on Azamara Onward includes the cabin, all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), complimentary beer, wine, selected spirits and soft drinks, onboard entertainment, tips and gratuities, self-service laundry, and complimentary AzAmazing Experiences at ports.

What hotels are named in the package?

The evidence lists a 1-night hotel stay in Turin and a 4-star hotel on Lake Garda for 3 nights, but does not name the properties. Confirm the specific hotel names with Great Rail Journeys before booking.

What is the physical demand?

The tour includes guided walking tours in Verona and exploration of port cities with historic town centres; expect city walking, stairs and cobbled streets. No hikes or high-altitude activities are mentioned.

What is not included?

Offshore excursions at cruise ports are payable locally onboard. The flight from Rome to a London or regional airport is included in the base price.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour & ocean cruise

Lake Garda Tour & Venice, Sicily, Amalfi Cruise

Great Rail Journeys operates this 16-day journey that merges an Italian lakeside escorted tour with a Mediterranean luxury cruise. The adventure begins in London with Eurostar Plus to Paris, then First Class rail through the Alps to Turin and Lake Garda. For four days, a Tour Manager leads a small group through northern Italy: a boat excursion to Isola del Garda's historic villa, a guided Verona tour featuring Juliet's balcony and the Roman Arena, and a wine tasting and traditional dinner at a Valpolicella winery overlooking the vineyards. On Day 5, the group boards the five-star Azamara Onward in Venice for an 11-night cruise through the Adriatic and around Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, calling at Ravenna, Ancona, Kotor, Taranto, Crotone, Syracuse, Trapani, Amalfi and Sorrento before returning to Rome. The package includes all meals and complimentary beverages throughout, a Tour Manager during the land leg, and the services of the cruise line's staff during the sea portion.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £3,999 every time.

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

The package price excludes optional offshore excursions at each cruise port, payable locally onboard.
Only one departure is currently listed: May 2027.
The land portion ends when guests board the cruise at Venice on Day 5; the Tour Manager does not continue to Italy's southern ports.
Premium cabin upgrades (Veranda Plus, Continent Suite) and speciality dining are available at additional cost.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Turin
London to Turin by First Class rail
Meet the Great Rail Journeys Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras before boarding the Eurostar to Paris in Plus class with a light meal, then continue by First Class rail to Turin, checking in to the hotel for dinner.
Day 2railovernight: Desenzano
Arrival in Lake Garda
Time at leisure in Turin, then travel by rail to Desenzano on the shores of Lake Garda, settling into the hotel before dinner.
Day 3overnight: Desenzano
Sailing to Isola del Garda
Free time in the morning, then a cruise across Lake Garda to Isola del Garda for a guided tour of the neo-Gothic villa and gardens, with a drink on the terrace overlooking the lake.
Day 4overnight: Desenzano
Touring Verona & dining in Valpolicella
A guided tour of Verona taking in Juliet's balcony and the Roman Arena, with free time over lunch, followed by an afternoon at a family-run agriturismo in the Valpolicella hills for a vineyard tour, wine tasting and dinner.
Day 5overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Boarding your cruise ship in Venice
Travel as a group to Venice port, say farewell to the Tour Manager, and transfer to the Azamara Onward cruise ship, settling into your stateroom and exploring the onboard facilities.
Day 6overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
The historic city of Ravenna
Dock in Ravenna, the 'Mosaic City', to visit Byzantine-mosaic churches such as the Basilica di San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, or the tomb of Dante Alighieri.
Day 7overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Exploring Ancona
Dock in Ancona, visiting the Arch of Trajan and the Cathedral of San Ciriaco.
Day 8overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Beautiful Kotor
Sail into the Bay of Kotor, exploring the UNESCO-listed old town, the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon and the Castle of San Giovanni.
Day 9overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
At sea towards southern Italy
A day at sea enjoying the ship's facilities, with speciality dining at Aqualina or Prime C in the evening.
Day 10overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Taranto, 'the city of two seas'
Arrive in Taranto, exploring the Lungomare Vittorio Emanuele III promenade and the 15th-century Castello Aragonese.
Day 11overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Discovering Crotone in Calabria
Visit the Archaeological Park of Capo Colonna and the Temple of Hera Lacinia, plus the National Archaeological Museum.
Day 12overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Ancient Syracuse
Arrive in Sicilian Syracuse, exploring Ortigia's Baroque cathedral built on the site of the Temple of Athena, and the Arethusa Spring.
Day 13overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
Sicilian history in Trapani
Dock in Trapani, exploring the Old Town's Baroque churches and markets, or take the cable car to hilltop Erice.
Day 14overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
At leisure in elegant Amalfi
Arrive in Amalfi, visiting the Cathedral of Saint Andrea, the Cloister of Paradise, and shops selling ceramics and limoncello.
Day 15overnight: Onboard Azamara Onward
A day in glorious Sorrento
Arrive in Sorrento, wandering cobbled streets and Piazza Tasso, and browsing artisan craft shops.
Day 16
Homeward bound
Arrive in the final port of Rome, disembark and transfer to the airport for the flight home to London Heathrow or a regional airport.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Day 1: Eurostar Plus from London St Pancras to Paris, then First Class rail to Turin for overnight.
Day 3Day 3: Boat cruise across Lake Garda to Isola del Garda for a guided tour of the Cavazza family's Venetian villa and gardens.
Day 4Day 4: Guided tour of Verona including Juliet's balcony and the Roman Arena, followed by a wine tasting and traditional dinner at a family-run agriturismo in Valpolicella.
Day 8Day 8: Azamara Onward sails into the Bay of Kotor, where a UNESCO World Heritage medieval city sits between dramatic mountains and fjord-like waters.
Day 14Day 14: The ship arrives in Amalfi, set between dramatic cliffs and the Tyrrhenian Sea, with whitewashed buildings and lemon groves on the terraced hillsides.

Included

Expertise of a GRJ Tour Manager from London to Venice
4 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
11-night cruise onboard Azamara Onward with five-star service onboard
Eurostar Plus, First Class rail travel; all rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Flight from Rome to London Heathrow; regional departures available
Eurostar Light Meal; breakfast each day of the escorted tour, 3 dinners; breakfast, lunch and dinner each day of the cruise
Complimentary beer, wine, selected standard spirits and soft drinks throughout the cruise
A superb choice of excursions during the guided tour; onboard entertainment each evening on Azamara Onward; complimentary AzAmazing experiences
Tips & gratuities included onboard Azamara Onward

Not included

Offshore excursions payable onboard Azamara Onward

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,402 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included in the package?: Yes. The package includes Eurostar Plus from London St Pancras to Paris, First Class rail from Paris to Turin, rail from Turin to Desenzano on Lake Garda, and coach or rail transfers to Venice.
Is this an escorted tour?: The first portion is escorted: a Great Rail Journeys Tour Manager accompanies the group from London through the Lake Garda stay until embarkation in Venice on Day 5. The 11-night cruise portion is unescorted; guests explore ports independently or book optional excursions.
What is included in the cruise portion?: The 11-night cruise on Azamara Onward includes the cabin, all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), complimentary beer, wine, selected spirits and soft drinks, onboard entertainment, tips and gratuities, self-service laundry, and complimentary AzAmazing Experiences at ports.
What hotels are named in the package?: The evidence lists a 1-night hotel stay in Turin and a 4-star hotel on Lake Garda for 3 nights, but does not name the properties. Confirm the specific hotel names with Great Rail Journeys before booking.
What is the physical demand?: The tour includes guided walking tours in Verona and exploration of port cities with historic town centres; expect city walking, stairs and cobbled streets. No hikes or high-altitude activities are mentioned.
What is not included?: Offshore excursions at cruise ports are payable locally onboard. The flight from Rome to a London or regional airport is included in the base price.