Travel & Discover Italy by rail this autumn

Travel & Discover Italy by rail this autumn with Citalia

With slow travel continuing to trend for 2022, traveling by rail has become increasingly popular as a laid back and eco-friendly way to get around. Leading Italy specialist, Citalia, has seen continued growth in rail travel across the country with one in seven bookings now including a train journey.

Italy has an expansive rail network, making travelling across the country a lot more simple and more exciting, with plenty of opportunities to see spectacular landscapes. The rail experience makes discovering Italy by train a part of the holiday, not just a means of getting between destinations. Citalia’s rail experts create bespoke itineraries to showcase the best of Italy from cities and mountains to breath taking coastlines.

Here are some of Citalia’s top train journeys to enjoy on your autumn holiday:

Travel London to Rome by Rail

For a relaxed start to a holiday in Italy, Citalia recommends taking the train from London all the way to Rome. This trip shows the simplicity of train travel in Europe and then onwards to connect cities within Italy. The itinerary stops in Zurich for one night, then travels through the Swiss-Italian Alps, to arrive in Venice. Visitors then have a time to explore the city, before taking a late-afternoon train journey to the city of Italian Renaissance, Florence. Citalia suggests climbing the Duomo’s dome or campanile for the best views over the terracotta rooftops. The last leg of the journey is a direct train to Rome, leaving travellers with plenty of time to wander the cobbled streets and visit Vatican City – home to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.

View of Rome from Janiculum Hill

Citalia recommends: Located south of the Vatican, Janiculum Hill is often overlooked but offers some of the best views over the city of Rome. The main attraction is the cannon that fires each day at noon from Piazzale Garibaldi.

Citalia offers the nine-night London to Rome by Rail from £1,889 per person including accommodation, train travel and private hotel transfers.

Travel London to Lake Garda by Rail

Starting this holiday in London St Pancras, passengers will stop off in Paris for one night before embarking on their journey to Italy. The picturesque train ride through France and into northern Italy ends in Venice for a three-night stay. Visitors can take a cruise down the Grand Canal and enjoy the city’s many sights. The final leg of the journey takes place in Lake Garda – the largest lake in Italy. It’s a desirable location for those who enjoy relaxation as well as sporting activities such as climbing, windsurfing, and mountain biking. Citalia suggests staying in the town of Riva del Garda - located at the top of the lake and featuring castles along the shore. Visitors then take a 20-minute train to Verona, where they can choose to spend a few hours – or an extra night before catching a flight home.

Riva del Garda Lake Garda

Citalia recommends: Getting up early and heading over the Rialto Bridge to see the locals buying the fresh catch of the day in the fish market. From there head to Campo San Polo for breakfast.

Citalia (citalia.com) offers London to Lake Garda by Rail for seven-nights from £1,795 per person including accommodation, , Eurostar, return flights and transfers.

Travel Rome and Sorrento

Citalia’s Rome and Sorrento twins one of the world’s most historic cities with a stay on Italy’s most spectacular coastline. The ten-day trip begins in Rome, home to Vatican City and Roman amphitheatre. After exploring the capital, guests take the train to Naples and then private car to Sorrento. Citalia suggests a trip to one of the most fascinating Roman sights – Pompeii. Well preserved by the ash and lava which destroyed the town in 79AD at the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, this is the place for history lovers. Visitors can spend the last part of the journey exploring Sorrento, such as the Marina Grande harbour which is home to fishing boats, or head further afield and explore towns along the Amalfi Coast, including chic Positano, laid back Maiori and the garden town of Ravello.

Sorrento

Citalia recommends: A must-try Sorrento dish is linguine al limone – linguine with a lemon sauce.

Citalia (citalia.com) offers a ten-night Rome and Sorrento twin centre holiday from £1,165 per person, including accommodation, flights, and transfers. Direct flights available from regional UK airports.

Travel Lake Como and Milan

This combined city and lake holiday provides the best of both worlds. Starting the holiday in style at a hotel overlooking Lake Como, guests can enjoy seeing the local sights by water taxi. Some must-sees include Bellagio – a town where the lake splits in two, the 19th-century Piazza Garibaldi in Menaggio and the artisan shops in Varenna. Citalia recommends crossing over into Switzerland on a picturesque journey to the resort of St Moritz, then catching the Bernina Express train which travels alongside the Alps. The journey finishes in Milan where visitors can visit the spectacular Duomo and wander the famous shopping streets.                                 

 Navigli Rome                                    

Citalia recommends: Risotto con pesce persico – risotto with perch fillets – a flavoursome dish which can be found in many of Como’s lakeside restaurants. In Milan, Citalia suggests having dinner in the canals of the 'Navigli' area.

Citalia (citalia.com) offers Lake Como and Milan for ten-nights from £1,249 per person, including accommodation, flights, and transfers. Direct flights available from regional UK airports.

 

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