8-Nights Italy by Rail from $4,599

Alexander+Roberts

OFFER ID 1444307

Italy by Rail with Small Group Sightseeing (2025 Itinerary)
With the most flexibility to Italy, our unique approach allows you to create your own Italian holiday. Choose from our fine city-center hotels in Rome, Florence and Venice, and tailor your vacation with a choice of included sightseeing - expertly guide with never more than 8 guests. High-speed Italo trains with reserved First Class seats promise more time to enjoy this trio of cities, including our extended 3-night stays in Rome and Florence.

8 nights from $4,599 per person

Itinerary

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Itinerary Details

Alexander+Roberts

Italy by Rail with Small Group Sightseeing (2025 Itinerary)

Day 1: Benvenuto a Roma!

On arrival at the airport or rail station, you'll be met and chauffeured to your choice of hotel in the heart of the Eternal City. The rest of this day is yours to get settled and explore as you wish.

Day 2: Tailor Your Stay in Rome #WHS#

Rome offers a wealth of ancient and historic sites to explore. Today you'll have the opportunity to pursue your own personal interests and to tailor your stay in this captivating city. Just choose one of these included half-day tours; in the intimate company of never more than 8 travelers, your expert guide will bring the glories of Rome to life! Meals BColosseum + Roman Forum: You'll be picked up at your hotel in the afternoon and driven to the Colosseum to join your guide and an intimate group of other English-speaking travelers. Standing in the largest amphitheater of the Roman era, it's easy to imagine the roar of the 70,000 spectators who filled the stadium on opening day 2,000 years ago. Then explore the extensive ruins of the Roman Forum, the heart of the once-glorious Empire - a thriving district filled with temples, basilicas, government buildings and bustling public spaces. Ending at the Forum, this 3-hour tour is offered on Sun, Mon, Wed and Fri from April to Oct. Some Black out dates apply?. Vatican Museums with Skip-the-Line Access: Starting from your hotel, you'll be driven to the Vatican where your guide will lead your congenial group of 8 guests past the line and directly into the Museums, home to one of the world's greatest collections of art and antiquity. Ascend the beautiful Spiral Staircase and marvel at the Gallery of Tapestries. You'll also visit the fascinating Gallery of Geographical Maps and, of course, the Sistine Chapel with its mesmerizing fresco of the Last Judgment by Michelangelo. Ending at the Museum, this 3-hour tour is offered on Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri and Sat from April to Oct. Black out dates may apply?. Fresh Pasta Making Class in Trastevere: Meet your small group in Trastevere and together start your hands-on pasta making class. Here you will learn how to turn simple and ancient ingredients into one of the most celebrated symbols of Italian heritage and hospitality. Following your chef's instructions, you will create two types of pasta and prepare the best sauces to accompany the dish, concluding in a well-earned lunch, where together you will feast on the fruits of your labor. This 2.5-hour tour is offered year-round, every day of the week Roman Highlights: You'll be picked up at your hotel this morning for a panoramic tour of the city. With only 8 guests, you'll have plenty of opportunity to engage with your guide as you travel through the Eternal City to see landmarks like the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, home to some of the city's most glorious churches. You'll also discover Piazza Navona, one of the most beautiful Roman squares, and see the ancient Pantheon. At the Trevi Fountain, be sure to throw in a coin as countless others have done before you! Then ascend Gianicolo Hill for enchanting views of the city before returning to your hotel. This 3-hour tour is offered every day of the week from April to Oct.Rome by Night: Departing your hotel in the evening at about 7:00, this panoramic sightseeing tour reveals all the magic and romance of the Eternal City - with illuminated landmarks and streets abuzz with local residents. Traveling comfortably with a congenial group of 8 other travelers, you'll experience the nocturnal beauty of landmarks like the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Step off the coach at the Trevi Fountain where you can continue the tradition of throwing in a coin, before ascending Gianicolo Hill for enchanting views of Rome at night. Ending at your hotel, this 2.5-hour tour is offered every day of the week from April to Oct?.

Day 3: Free Day in the Eternal City

This day is at leisure to relax, enjoy and explore as you wish. The heart-of-it-all locations of our hotels make it easy to step out and experience Rome at your own pace. Meals B

Day 4: By First Class Rail through the Tuscan Countryside

We'll chauffeur you to the station today to board the high-speed Italo train. Sit back and enjoy reserved First-Class seats as you travel in comfort to Florence, the city of the Medici's and home of the Italian Renaissance. On arrival, you'll be met and escorted by private car to your choice of hotel, carefully selected for a warm welcome, air-conditioned comfort - and a terrific location close to the city's best known landmarks, shopping and dining. Meals B

Day 5: Pursue Your Own Passions in Florence #WHS#

The city's extraordinary legacy of art, architecture and culture has blessed Florence with a wealth of impressive sites to discover. Today, you can customize your vacation with the included sightseeing of your choice. As in Rome, an expert English-speaking native guide will accompany your congenial group of never more than 8 other travelers, shedding light on the sites you visit. Meals B Walking Tour + The Academy with Skip-the-Line Access: Meet your guide at 8:50 this morning outside the historic Café Rivoire, centrally located in Piazza della Signoria at the corner of Via Vecchereccia. Discover the highlights of this handsome city square and continue your walking tour to the Piazza del Duomo where you'll see the celebrated gilded bronze doors of the Baptistery, Brunelleschi's spectacular cupola that crowns the Cathedral, and Giotto's Bell Tower - one of the city's greatest Gothic landmarks. Arriving at the Academy, your expert guide will lead you past the lines and directly into the Museum, where your tour reveals Renaissance masterpieces like Michelangelo's David. Ending at the Academy, this 3-hour tour is offered every day except Monday from April to Oct. Black out dates may apply. Chianti Tour With Wine Tasting: Chianti, with its timeless landscape, ancient hamlets, fine wine, and rich food, is truly evocative. Meet your guide and small group at 8:30 in the morning and embark on a scenic drive that leads you to Greve, the charming "Gate of Chianti," where you can explore at a relaxed pace. Next, visit a family-run wine estate for a lunch featuring local ingredients and a tasting of some of their best wines. Afterward, stroll through Montefioralle, a quaint hamlet with cobbled streets and stone walls. On your way back to Florence, stop at Badia a Passignano to explore the 11th-century fortified abbey dedicated to St. Michael and its surrounding estate. Siena and San Gimignano With Wine Tasting and Lunch: Meet your driving escort at 7:45 and journey to Siena, one of Italy's most enchanting medieval cities. A local guide will reveal the charm of its cobblestone streets, the elegance of Piazza del Campo, and the intriguing traditions surrounding the Palio horse race. Visit the Siena Cathedral, renowned for its breathtaking marble mosaic floor, typically displayed from July to mid-October. Afterward, savor lunch at a family-run wine estate near San Gimignano, enjoying a meal paired with estate wines amid the Tuscan countryside. Before returning to Florence, explore San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site #WHS# celebrated for its remarkably preserved medieval towers and quaint atmosphere.

Day 6: Florence at Your Leisure

With a convenient city-center location, it's easy to step out from your hotel today to explore more of Florence at your own pace. Meals B

Day 7: Scenic Rail Journey to Venice

After breakfast, our car and driver will take you to the rail station. Sit back and enjoy your reserved First-Class seat aboard the high-speed Italo train. On arrival in Venice, you'll be warmly greeted and escorted to the hotel of your choice, handpicked to enhance your stay in this magical city. Meals B

Day 8: Personalize Your Stay in Venice #WHS#

Tailor your exploration of Venice to your own tastes and interests. Choose one of our included excursions - all of them are expertly guided and limited to never more than 8 guests. Meals B Venice Walking Tour + Doges Palace: Meet your fellow travelers at 8:25 this morning in front of the historic Caffé Florian, centrally located in St. Mark's Square. Then set out across Piazza San Marco as your expert guide shares colorful legends and fascinating historical facts about the many architectural landmarks that surround this grand and beautiful square. Your sightseeing ends with a guided tour of the Doge's Palace, a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture that's also filled with masterpieces by great Italian artists from Titian to Tintoretto. This 2.5 hour tour is offered every day of the week from Apr 1 to Nov 15. Tasting Tour of Venice: Focusing on some of the many bàcari (Venetian wine bars) that can be found near the Rialto Bridge, this tour begins at 6:00 pm in front of the clock tower of the conveniently located San Giacomo di Rialto Church. Setting out with your in-the-know resident guide, your congenial group of no more than 8 people will join Venetian residents for one of their favorite traditions - gathering with friends in a neighborhood bàcari to enjoy a glass of wine and some appetizers. As the evening progresses, you'll visit 3 different establishments for a genuine and delightful taste of Venetian life. With two appetizers and a glass of wine included at each bàcari, this 90-minute tour is offered Mon through Fri from Apr 1 to Nov 15.

Day 9: Arrivederci, Italia!

After breakfast, our private car and driver will take you to the airport or rail station for your onward journey. If you wish to explore more of Italy, you can add extra nights here in Venice or let our experts assist you with extensions all across Italy. We can arrange your transportation, wonderful hotels, meals, and sightseeing. Meals B

Featured Destinations

Florence

Venice

With a great historic past and incomparable art treasures, Venice is renowned as one of the world’s great cities. Its 118 islands are separated by more than 150 canals and spanned by 400 bridges. During Venice's artistic golden age many magnificent structures were erected to create world-famous masterpieces. One of the best sightseeing routes is along Grand Canal, with many palaces lining the famous waterway. St. Mark’s Square offers access to some of Venice’s most famed attractions - St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. From Piazza San Marco, a maze of narrow streets are lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. A popular pastime is sitting at an outdoor café facing the square while people-watching and letting the whole marvelous scenario unfold. Venice’s Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands comprise an area famous as home of Venice’s glass-blowing industry and known for their charm, skilled lace-making and medieval monuments. Relax on a gondola ride, see art treasures in museums, churches and palaces, and have a sumptuous meal - all in this incomparable city.

Excursions

Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours

Venice - St. Marks, Grand Canal and Murano - 6 hours

Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours

The story of Murano and Burano

The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice

Rome

Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one
of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded
in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always
been and remains the Eternal City.

Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art
flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman
legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then
swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.
With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory
began.

Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious
parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is
one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous
monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine
the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between
muscled gladiators and ferocious animals.

Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial
center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures
as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di
Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent
church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel.

Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,
precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and
do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures.

Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching
and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left
in a safety deposit box in your hotel.

Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,
designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and
ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority
of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,
open in the late afternoon on Sundays.

Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety
of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,
you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by
wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome.

Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much
time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what
to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work
all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the
sights not to be missed:

Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio
Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as
a symbol of Italy’s unification.

The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include
a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches.

Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring
theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient
Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles.

Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy
of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one
of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a
coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome.

St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini
is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades
topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.
In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D.

St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most
magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was
buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,
Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled
masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy
over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo.

Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.
As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded
itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.
It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on
exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely
you may have to wait in line to enter.

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

05/01/2025 - 06/30/2025

from $4,999 per person

05/01/2025 - 06/30/2025

from $6,699 per person

05/01/2025 - 06/30/2025

from $7,199 per person

07/01/2025 - 08/31/2025

from $4,599 per person

07/01/2025 - 08/31/2025

from $5,999 per person

07/01/2025 - 08/31/2025

from $7,199 per person

09/01/2025 - 10/23/2025

from $4,799 per person

09/01/2025 - 10/23/2025

from $6,499 per person

09/01/2025 - 10/23/2025

from $6,999 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $4,599 per person

Length

8 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Luxury

Remarks

Standard Terms & Conditions apply when purchasing this trip. Any featured special trip savings can be combined with the Alexander+Roberts “Pay-in-Full” and “Friends+Family” promotions, but may not be combined with any other offers. All prices are per person and quoted in U.S. dollars. Single supplement applies. Blackout dates/seasonal supplements may apply. Accommodations, inclusions and itinerary subject to change depending upon specific departure date. Negotiated international airfare is available on all major carriers and is quoted separately from the land package price. From pricing is based on lowest marketed price for this tour, rates vary by date of departure; please inquire for details for your preferred travel dates. Prices subject to availability and change without notice. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1444307

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