Italy By Rail: 9 Days of Art, Culture & Romance

Italy By Rail is a 9-day, 8-night journey that visits four cities in order: Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan. You spend two nights in each city and travel between them by train, finishing with a departure from Milan on day 9.

It is set up as a private package based on 2 guests, so you travel at your own pace rather than with a coach group. Most days are left free for independent sightseeing, with your hotels, breakfasts and train tickets arranged in advance.

Yes. The package can be taken at any time of year, although rates vary by date and inventory is limited. If the dates shown on this page do not suit you, contact us with your preferred start date and we will check availability and price it for you.

The price includes 8 nights of hotel accommodation, daily breakfast, Standard Class train tickets for each leg of the itinerary, and taxes, services and security service. Sightseeing entrances, lunches and dinners are not included, so you are free to plan each city as you like.

Domestic and international airfare, travel insurance and visa fees are not included. Personal items such as laundry and souvenirs, extra hotel nights before or after the tour, and anything not listed as included are also excluded.

All three train journeys on this itinerary, Rome to Florence, Florence to Venice and Venice to Milan, are booked in Standard Class. The tickets are included in your package price, so there is nothing further to buy for these legs.

Your two Rome nights are planned at Hotel Villa Grazioli, a centrally located hotel near the Spanish Steps with quiet gardens and classic Italian hospitality. From here the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and much of historic Rome are easy to reach on foot or by short taxi ride.

No. The Florence nights are planned at Art Hotel Museo in nearby Prato, a modern hotel with comfortable amenities and a peaceful atmosphere. You travel into Florence to sightsee, which keeps the package price down compared with a hotel in the historic centre.

In Venice you stay at the Amadeus Hotel in the Cannaregio district, a calmer residential part of the city. It makes a tranquil base for exploring the Grand Canal, Piazza San Marco and the quieter neighbourhoods away from the main crowds.

The two Milan nights are planned at the NEO Hotel in Bresso, on the edge of the city. From there you can head into central Milan for the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Brera district and the Navigli canals.

Day 2 is entirely yours in Rome. Popular choices include the Vatican, the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, as well as quieter spots such as Villa Borghese and the neighbourhood of Trastevere. Entrance fees and guided visits are not included, but we can advise on what to book ahead.

Florence is the heart of the Renaissance, and your free day on day 4 lets you visit the Uffizi Gallery, see Michelangelo's David, admire the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore and cross the Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno. Museum tickets are not included and popular galleries are best reserved in advance.

You arrive in Venice by train on day 5 and have all of day 6 free. That gives time for Piazza San Marco and the Basilica di San Marco, a gondola ride and a wander through the lanes and bridges of the quieter districts before continuing to Milan on day 7.

Daily breakfast at your hotels is included. Lunches and dinners are not, which leaves you free to try local trattorias in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan at your own pace and budget.

No, domestic and international airfare is excluded. The tour begins in Rome on day 1 and ends in Milan on day 9, so most travellers fly into Rome and home from Milan. We can quote extra hotel nights before or after the tour on request.

A deposit of 25% of the package price secures your booking. The balance is due 65 days before departure, and the fare for your chosen dates is confirmed at the time of booking since rates vary through the year.

Yes, children are welcome. Child pricing uses two bands based on age at departure: 0 to under 5, and 5 to under 12. Tell us the children's ages when you enquire and we will confirm the rate and room arrangement for your family.

The package is priced on 2 guests sharing, but single occupancy is available on request. Contact us with your dates and we will quote the single supplement for the hotels on this itinerary.

No special fitness is needed, but you should be comfortable walking on cobblestones and bridges and handling your luggage at train stations. Venice in particular involves plenty of walking and steps, as there are no cars in the historic centre.

Email travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610, or message us on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/17864080610, where a travel specialist or our AI assistant will answer. Any departure dates listed on this page can be booked directly online; if none suit you, tell us your preferred dates and we will check availability and send a quote.