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Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

Rome, Tuscany & the Cinque Terre

Nine-day escorted tour from Rome through Tuscany to Pisa by rail and coach

Illustration of Rome, Tuscany & the Cinque Terre

Vacations By Rail's nine-day Rome, Tuscany and the Cinque Terre tour is an escorted journey through Italy's most celebrated regions. The trip opens with two nights in Rome, where a Tour Manager meets you and guides you through the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon. You then base yourself for six nights in Montecatini Terme, a spa town in Tuscany, from which you take day trips by rail and coach. A rail journey carries you to Florence to see Michelangelo's David and the Duomo. You visit Val d'Orcia to watch pecorino cheese being made on an organic farm and taste the estate wines. A boat excursion sails you to three Cinque Terre villages, Monterosso, Vernazzo and Manarola. You attend a pizza-making class at a vineyard near San Gimignano, and guided tours take you to Siena, Lucca and Pisa, including its Leaning Tower. The operator includes all rail, coach and cruise travel, four-star hotel accommodation, breakfast daily, three lunches and five dinners, plus entry to museums and all guided excursions. The tour suits escorted travelers who prefer not to arrange their own logistics and those drawn to art, history and Tuscan cuisine.

What to know before you look closer

  • Flights and airport transfers are not included; you arrange your own travel to Rome
  • The tour begins with unguided arrival on Day 1, where you must make your own way from the airport to the hotel in Rome
  • The activity level is rated as Mobility Rating 3, indicating significant walking and physical demands on guided tours and excursions

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Rome

    Arrival in the eternal city of Rome

    Land in the capital, Rome, and make your own way to our four-star hotel near the Castro Pretorio area, a short distance from Roma Termini station. Meet the Tour Manager and fellow travelers ahead of dinner at the hotel.

    Meals: Dinner

  2. Day 2overnight: Rome

    Uncovering the iconic landmarks of Rome

    A visit to Vatican City, taking in St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel. This afternoon, a guided tour of Rome's iconic sights includes viewing the outside of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

    Meals: Breakfast

  3. Day 3overnight: Montecatini Terme

    Exploring Siena en route to Montecatini Terme

    A motorcoach journey to Siena for a guided tour taking in the Duomo and the Piazza del Campo, before continuing to our four-star hotel in the spa town of Montecatini Terme, our base for the next six nights.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  4. Day 4railovernight: Montecatini Terme

    Renaissance gems of Florence & Michelangelo's David

    Travel by rail to Florence for a guided tour including entry to the Accademia to view Michelangelo's David, plus the Duomo, Santa Maria Novella Church and the Ponte Vecchio. The afternoon is free before returning to Montecatini Terme by train.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  5. Day 5overnight: Montecatini Terme

    Pecorino tasting in the Val d'Orcia

    Travel by coach to a working organic farm near Pienza for a guided tour of the dairy and stables, a pecorino-making demonstration and a lunch of seasonal dishes and estate wines, followed by a guided walk in Pienza.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  6. Day 6railovernight: Montecatini Terme

    Colorful cliffside villages of the Cinque Terre

    A coach journey to La Spezia, then sail with a local guide to three Cinque Terre villages: Monterosso, Vernazza and Manarola, returning to La Spezia by train and to the hotel by coach.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  7. Day 7overnight: Montecatini Terme

    Tuscan pizza-making experience & San Gimignano

    A pizza-making class at the Tenuta Torciano estate near San Gimignano under expert tutelage, followed by lunch of freshly made pizzas and time to explore the medieval hill town of San Gimignano.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  8. Day 8overnight: Montecatini Terme

    Historic Lucca & spellbinding Pisa

    A guided walking tour of the walled city of Lucca followed by a three-course lunch, then continue to Pisa to tour the UNESCO-listed Field of Miracles, including the Leaning Tower and Duomo.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  9. Day 9

    Traveling home

    After a final breakfast, your Italian vacation concludes and you can begin your journey home.

    Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Guided tour of Vatican City includes St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel
  • Day 4Travel by rail to Florence and view Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, plus the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio
  • Day 5Visit a working organic farm near Pienza to watch a pecorino-making demonstration and enjoy lunch with estate wines
  • Day 6Sail to three Cinque Terre villages, Monterosso, Vernazzo and Manarola, then return to La Spezia by train
  • Day 7Participate in a pizza-making class at Tenuta Torciano estate near San Gimignano, then explore the medieval hill town

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 8 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
  • Standard Class rail travel
  • All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
  • Breakfast each day, 3 lunches, 5 dinners
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  • Flights and Airport transfers

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Standard Class rail travel is included for trips to Florence on Day 4 and from La Spezia on Day 6. Coach and cruise travel throughout the tour are also included.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. A Tour Manager from Vacations By Rail accompanies the group from start to finish and leads all guided tours and excursions.
What meals are included?
Breakfast is served every day. Three lunches and five dinners are included. Other meals are on your own.
Where do I stay?
Hotel St Martin, a four-star hotel near Roma Termini station in Rome for two nights. Hotel Adua, a four-star hotel in Montecatini Terme for six nights.
How much walking is involved?
The activity level is rated as Mobility Rating 3. Days include guided walking tours in Rome, Florence, Lucca and Pisa, plus visits to villages and farms. Confirm specific walking demands with the operator before booking.
When does the tour run?
The operator has not published departure dates in the available information. Contact Vacations By Rail to confirm available dates.

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