How much does it cost?

From £4,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $6,753 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

It is escorted. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish. Most city tours are guided; some afternoons and evenings allow independent exploration.

Which hotels are included?

The five-star Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort (2 nights), four-star Hotel Cellai in Florence (4 nights), Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo in Rome (3 nights), Hilton Sorrento Palace (3 nights), and Hellenia Yachting Hotel in Giardini Naxos (3 nights). Note: two departures use Hyatt Centric Murano Venice instead.

What meals are included?

Breakfast daily, one farm-to-table lunch at an agriturismo on Day 10, and six three-course dinners. Most other lunches and dinners are at your choice.

When does the tour run?

Five departures are scheduled for April, May, June, September, and October 2027.

What is not included?

Travel insurance, London hotels, UK rail connections, door-to-door luggage service, optional cable car or Jeep on Mount Etna, and entry fees to the Basilica or Doge's Palace in Venice are not included.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Top to Toe of Italy

Great Rail Journeys operates this 16-day escorted tour from London St Pancras to Catania, traveling the length of Italy by Eurostar Plus and First Class rail. You depart London on Day 1, arrive in Turin for an Italian dinner, then journey northward to Venice, where you tour the Basilica and Doge's Palace before moving south through Renaissance Florence and the Tuscan cities of Siena, Pisa, and Lucca. After three days in Rome exploring the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Trevi Fountain, the tour heads to the Amalfi Coast, where you spend three nights in Sorrento, cruise to Amalfi and Positano, and tour the archaeological ruins of Pompeii. Day 13 brings a striking moment: your First Class train is shunted onto a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina to Sicily. In Giardini Naxos you ride the narrow-gauge Circumetnea Railway around Mount Etna's volcanic slopes, visit Taormina's Greek theatre, and taste local cannoli before flying home. A UK Tour Manager travels with the group throughout, and luggage transfers between hotels are handled by the operator, leaving you free to enjoy guided city tours, the Amalfi Coast cruise, and multiple free afternoons.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £4,999 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

Single supplement is GBP 2000 (approximately 40% of the double-occupancy price), significantly above half the tour cost.
Two departures (26 April and 6 September 2027) use the Hyatt Centric Murano Venice instead of Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort; final hotel depends on your chosen departure date.
Optional excursions on Mount Etna (cable car or Jeep) are payable locally and not included in the package price.
The from-price is GBP 4999 per person; flight from Catania to London Gatwick is included, but London hotels and UK rail connections are optional extras.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Turin
A first taste of Italy in Turin
We meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar in Plus class to Paris, continuing by First Class rail to Turin, checking in to our hotel before the first dinner of the holiday.
Day 2railovernight: Venice (Lido)
Through northern Italy to Venice
A free morning to explore Turin before we travel by First Class train via Milan to Venice, taking a private boat to our five-star hotel on the Lido for the first of two nights.
Day 3overnight: Venice (Lido)
Touring the 'Floating City' of Venice
A guided tour of Venice taking in St Mark's Square, St Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace, with the afternoon and evening free to explore independently.
Day 4railovernight: Florence
Arrival in Renaissance Florence
We travel by First Class rail to Florence, check in to our central hotel and take a guided tour taking in the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio and Ponte Vecchio.
Day 5railovernight: Florence
The traditional Tuscan city of Siena
A day trip by rail to medieval Siena, with a guided tour taking in the Duomo and Piazza del Campo, before returning to Florence by rail.
Day 6railovernight: Florence
Another side of Tuscany in Pisa and Lucca
A rail journey to Pisa for a guided tour of the Leaning Tower and Field of Miracles, then on to the walled city of Lucca, before returning to Florence.
Day 7railovernight: Rome
From Florence to the Eternal City, Rome
A final free morning in Florence before we travel by First Class rail to Rome, checking in to our hotel and dining at a local restaurant this evening.
Day 8overnight: Rome
Discovering La Dolce Vita in Rome
A guided tour of Rome taking in the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain, concluding in Piazza Navona.
Day 9overnight: Rome
A free day in glorious Rome
A full free day to explore Rome independently, with the Vatican City and Sistine Chapel among the recommended sights.
Day 10railovernight: Sorrento
To Sorrento, on the Amalfi Coast
A First Class rail journey to Naples, then by coach to Sorrento, stopping at a family-run agriturismo for a farm-to-table lunch, before checking in for the first of three nights.
Day 11overnight: Sorrento
Cruising the Amalfi Coast
A boat trip from Sorrento along the Amalfi Coast to Amalfi and Positano, with free time to explore both towns, returning to Sorrento in the late afternoon.
Day 12railovernight: Sorrento
Exploring the ancient streets of Pompeii
A local train to Pompeii for a guided tour of the ash-preserved archaeological site, including its shops, villas, baths and amphitheatre, before returning to Sorrento for dinner.
Day 13railovernight: Giardini Naxos
Travelling by rail to Sicily
We transfer to Salerno for a First Class train along the Calabrian coast; at Villa San Giovanni the train is shunted onto a ferry across the Strait of Messina before continuing by rail to Taormina and coach to Giardini Naxos.
Day 14railovernight: Giardini Naxos
Exploring Mount Etna
A coach transfer to Rifugio di Sapienza on Mount Etna to view the Silvestri craters and lava fields, then on to Adrano to join the Circumetnea Railway to Randazzo around the base of the volcano.
Day 15overnight: Giardini Naxos
Touring the ancient Greek city of Taormina
A guided tour of Taormina's Greek theatre, followed by a cannolo tasting at a local pasticceria, and a final three-course dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 16
Homeward bound
A final morning by the Ionian Sea before we transfer by coach to Catania airport for our flight to London Gatwick.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Guided tour of Venice's backstreets and St Mark's Basilica, followed by free afternoon to explore the Floating City independently.
Day 11Cruise on the Tyrrhenian Sea from Sorrento to Amalfi and Positano with free time to visit each village.
Day 12Guided tour of Pompeii's UNESCO World Heritage site, including streets, shops, villas, baths, and frescoes preserved by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Day 13First Class train journey along the Calabrian coast; at Villa San Giovanni, the train is shunted onto a ferry across the Strait of Messina.
Day 14Scenic ride on the narrow-gauge Circumetnea Railway from Adrano to Randazzo around the base of Mount Etna, viewing lava fields.

Included

Tour Manager: expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
Accommodation: 15 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
Transportation: Eurostar Plus/First Class rail travel; all rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Flights: flight from Catania to London Gatwick
Food & Drink: Eurostar light meals; breakfast each day, 1 lunch, 6 dinners
Luggage: group luggage transfers between hotels from Venice to Taormina
Excursions & Entertainment: all guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £4,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $6,753 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: It is escorted. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish. Most city tours are guided; some afternoons and evenings allow independent exploration.
Which hotels are included?: The five-star Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort (2 nights), four-star Hotel Cellai in Florence (4 nights), Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo in Rome (3 nights), Hilton Sorrento Palace (3 nights), and Hellenia Yachting Hotel in Giardini Naxos (3 nights). Note: two departures use Hyatt Centric Murano Venice instead.
What meals are included?: Breakfast daily, one farm-to-table lunch at an agriturismo on Day 10, and six three-course dinners. Most other lunches and dinners are at your choice.
When does the tour run?: Five departures are scheduled for April, May, June, September, and October 2027.
What is not included?: Travel insurance, London hotels, UK rail connections, door-to-door luggage service, optional cable car or Jeep on Mount Etna, and entry fees to the Basilica or Doge's Palace in Venice are not included.