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Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

Scenic Europe By Rail: London to Rome

Escorted rail journey from London through Paris, Swiss Alps to Rome in 13 days

Illustration of Scenic Europe By Rail: London to Rome

Vacations By Rail operates this 13-day escorted journey from London through Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence and Rome, ending at Vatican City. A Tour Manager remains with the group throughout, handling logistics while guests enjoy guided city tours, rail travel across four countries, and stays in 4 and 5-star hotels. Days blend structured sightseeing with guided experiences: a Thames-side coach tour in London, the Seine dinner cruise in Paris, a Lake Lucerne cruise and Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway, guided walking tours through Venice's Saint Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace, Florence's Renaissance landmarks including the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, and Rome's Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon. A Tuscan vineyard visit near San Gimignano includes dinner paired with estate wines. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel receive a dedicated four-hour tour. Breakfast is provided daily; six dinners are included. All rail, coach and cruise transport, guided tours, and luggage transfers between hotels are part of the package. This tour suits couples drawn to romantic river cruises and vineyard experiences, history enthusiasts visiting major European landmarks, and first-time rail travellers who prefer the security of an organized itinerary with professional guidance.

What to know before you look closer

  • International flights and airport transfers are not included; the price covers the land package from London to Rome
  • Hotels are listed as specific properties; confirm with the operator that these exact hotels or named equivalents will be used on your departure date
  • High activity level (Mobility Rating 3): includes multiple walking tours and the steep Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway; not suitable for those with significant mobility constraints

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: London

    Welcome to London

    Arrive independently and check into the hotel; meet the Tour Manager and group for a first dinner together.

    Meals: Dinner

  2. Day 2overnight: London

    London sightseeing tour

    Guided tour taking in Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.

    Meals: Breakfast

  3. Day 3railovernight: Paris

    By train to Paris for a Seine dinner cruise

    Eurostar from London St Pancras through the Channel Tunnel to Paris; evening dinner cruise on the Seine starting at the Eiffel Tower.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  4. Day 4overnight: Paris

    Touring Paris, the 'City of Love'

    Guided coach tour including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, Opera Garnier and the Champs-Élysées.

    Meals: Breakfast

  5. Day 5railovernight: Lucerne

    Into the heart of the Swiss Alps

    Rail journey from Paris via Basel to Lucerne, checking into a historic Old Town hotel; group dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  6. Day 6railovernight: Lucerne

    Stunning views from Mount Pilatus

    Morning cruise on Lake Lucerne, disembarking at Alpnachstad for the world's steepest cogwheel railway to the summit of Mount Pilatus, then return to Lucerne by rail.

    Meals: Breakfast

  7. Day 7railovernight: Venice

    To the 'Floating City' of Venice by rail

    Train through the 35.5-mile Gotthard Base Tunnel to Venice; transfer by boat to the hotel on Venice Lido.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  8. Day 8overnight: Venice

    Exploring atmospheric Venice

    Guided walking tour of Venice including Saint Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Basilica.

    Meals: Breakfast

  9. Day 9railovernight: Florence

    Uncovering the Renaissance gems of Florence

    Train into Tuscany; walking tour of Florence including the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio.

    Meals: Breakfast

  10. Day 10overnight: Florence

    Tuscan dining experience

    Free day in Florence, then a visit to the Tenuta Torciano estate near San Gimignano for a vineyard tour and dinner paired with estate wines.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  11. Day 11railovernight: Rome

    Arrival in the 'Eternal City' of Rome

    Scenic train to Rome; walking tour outside the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

    Meals: Breakfast

  12. Day 12overnight: Rome

    Touring the Vatican City

    Four-hour guided tour of Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums; farewell group dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  13. Day 13

    Homeward bound

    Tour concludes after breakfast; travel independently to Rome's international airport.

    Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Eurostar departs London St Pancras through the Channel Tunnel to Paris, followed by a dinner cruise on the Seine starting at the Eiffel Tower
  • Day 6Morning cruise on Lake Lucerne, then the world's steepest cogwheel railway ascends Mount Pilatus to Pilatus Kulm for Alpine views
  • Day 7Train journey through the 35.5-mile Gotthard Base Tunnel to Venice; transfer by boat to the hotel on Venice Lido
  • Day 10Vineyard tour and wine-paired dinner at Tenuta Torciano estate near San Gimignano in Tuscany
  • Day 12Four-hour guided tour of Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 12 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
  • Coach Seat Class rail travel
  • All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
  • Breakfast each day, 6 dinners
  • Group luggage transfers between all hotels
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
  • Flights and Airport transfers not included

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. All rail, cruise and coach travel is included: Eurostar London to Paris, regional trains to Lucerne and Venice, the Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway, Lake Lucerne cruise, and trains through Italy. The price does not include international flights to London.
Is this an escorted tour or independent travel?
Fully escorted. Vacations By Rail provides a Tour Manager who travels with the group from the start in London through the final day in Rome. All guided tours and excursions are included.
What is included in the price?
12 nights in 4 and 5-star hotels, breakfast each day, six dinners, all train and coach travel, all guided tours and excursions (London sightseeing, Paris coach tour, Lake Lucerne cruise, Mount Pilatus railway, Venice walking tour, Florence walking tour, Tenuta Torciano vineyard tour and dinner, Rome walking tour, Vatican City four-hour tour), and group luggage transfers between hotels.
How much walking is involved?
Significant. The tour includes guided walking tours in London, Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome, plus the Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway and Lake Lucerne cruise. Activity Level is rated as Mobility Rating 3.
What trains are used?
Eurostar (London to Paris via Channel Tunnel), regional Coach Seat Class trains from Paris to Lucerne via Basel, the Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway (Alpnachstad to Pilatus Kulm), Coach Seat Class trains through the Gotthard Base Tunnel from Lucerne to Venice, and Coach Seat Class trains from Venice through Florence to Rome.
Which hotels are used?
Radisson Blu Hotel London Euston Square (2 nights), Hotel Auteuil Tour Eiffel Paris (2 nights), Romantik Hotel Wilden Mann Lucerne (2 nights), Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort (2 nights), Hotel Indigo Florence (2 nights), Grand Hotel Palatino Rome (2 nights).

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