Great Rail Journeys
Iconic Italy: Venice, Florence & Rome
10 daysfrom $4,139
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour
Treasures of Italy: Piedmont & Umbria
Discover lesser-known regions of Italy, visiting timeless towns and savouring flavours of Umbria and Piedmont with tastings of wine, chocolate and olive oil.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Turin
From London to Turin
Your Italian holiday begins at London St Pancras, where you meet the Tour Manager and fellow travellers. Join the Eurostar Plus service, enjoying a light meal en route to Paris, then switch trains and continue across France, passing the Italian Alps, to Turin. Check in to the hotel in the heart of Turin and gather for the first dinner in Italy.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
- Day 2overnight: Turin
Exploring Turin's history with a local guide
Enjoy a guided tour of Turin, visiting the famous Egyptian Museum (over 200 years old), the Royal Palace and Palazzo Madama (UNESCO World Heritage site – Residences of the Royal House of Savoy). The tour concludes at Caffè Baratti & Milano (est. 1858) for chocolate tastings. The afternoon and evening are at leisure to explore Turin's Art Nouveau, Renaissance and Baroque charms or walk along the Po river path.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 3overnight: Turin
Savouring hidden gems and Nebbiolo wines
Travel by coach into Piedmont to Bra, a hidden gem in Italy's culinary crown. A local guide leads a walking tour of Bra's historic centre, with Baroque façades and quiet piazzas, and the story of the Slow Food movement. Free time to explore, then continue to a winery near Alba for lunch with a tasting of local Nebbiolo wine. Return to Turin by coach with a free evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 4railovernight: Santa Maria degli Angeli
Travelling south to Tuscany and Umbria
Travel by rail to Florence, Tuscany, for a guided walking tour highlighting the iconic red-tiled Duomo, Santa Maria Novella Church and the Ponte Vecchio. Continue by coach into Umbria, arriving at the four-star hotel in Santa Maria degli Angeli, just a few miles from historic Assisi. Dinner served at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 5overnight: Santa Maria degli Angeli
Our first look at old-world Umbria in Assisi and Spello
Coach into the Umbrian hills to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Assisi, birthplace of Saint Francis. Guided tour includes the Basilica of St Clare, the Duomo of Assisi (consecrated 1253) and the Basilica of St Francis. Continue to the walled town of Spello, entering through a 1st-century gate, with free time to explore cobbled streets and Roman history. Return to hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 6overnight: Santa Maria degli Angeli
Discovering the medieval gems of Gubbio and Todi
Coach to Gubbio, one of the largest and best-preserved medieval towns in Italy, with architecture dating from the 13th century and views from the foot of Mount Ingino. Guided tour of piazzas, public palaces, cathedrals, gardens and city walls, with optional independent exploration and possible visit to Mount Ingino's summit. Continue by coach to hilltop Todi for a guided tour of its medieval and Baroque architecture. Return to hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 7overnight: Santa Maria degli Angeli
Historical and culinary delights in Perugia
Coach to Perugia, Umbria's capital and renowned chocolate city. Guided tour of the historic centre including Piazza IV Novembre and the 14th-century San Lorenzo Cathedral. Free time for lunch and further exploration, then visit the Casa del Cioccolato (Baci Perugina chocolate factory) to tour the museum, see the factory in action and sample chocolates. Return to hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 8overnight: Santa Maria degli Angeli
Enjoying the flavours of Umbria in Torgiano
Coach to the walled town of Torgiano, set in lush green terrain between Assisi and Perugia. Visit the Olive and Oil Museum (displays from olive cultivation to oil lamps) and the Wine Museum (artefacts from early wine production and an 18th-century wine press). Continue to Lungarotti Winery for lunch and a tasting of white and red wines. Return to hotel for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 9railovernight: Chambéry
Through the Alps to Chambéry
Breakfast at the resort hotel, then coach back to Florence to join the train to Chambéry via Turin. The journey passes vineyards, cypress trees, the mountains of northern Italy and the Alps near the French border. Chambéry retains a distinct Italian ambience despite its French location. Check in to the hotel, enjoy a short walk and dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 10rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, depart Chambéry by TGV to Paris. In Paris, board the Eurostar Plus service, enjoying a light meal en route to London St Pancras, where the journey concludes.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal
Included
- Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
- 9 nights' 4-star hotel accommodation
- Eurostar Plus First Class rail travel
- All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
- Breakfast each day
- 2 lunches
- 7 dinners
- Eurostar light meals (outbound and return)
- Group luggage transfers between hotels from Turin to Collepepe
- All guided tours and excursions
Not included
- Cancellation & Travel Insurance
