Italian Masterpieces

Rome, photographed for Wikimedia Commons

Rome - Where it all beganRome

Two thousand years in plain sight

Step into two thousand years of history, from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum to Baroque piazzas and world-class museums. The Pantheon still stands under its great concrete dome, and a short walk away the Trevi Fountain draws crowds at every hour. Across the Tiber, the Vatican Museums end in the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo's ceiling rewards an early start.

Roman classicsFood

Rome's four great pastas are carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and gricia, each at its best in a family-run trattoria. Save room for a scoop of gelato on an evening walk through the old centre.

The Roman yearTraditions

Rome celebrates its legendary birthday every April with parades in ancient costume. At the end of June the city honours its patron saints, Peter and Paul, with a public holiday. In December the stalls of the Christmas market fill Piazza Navona.

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Into the Tuscan hills

The high-speed line runs north up the Tiber valley, past the hill town of Orvieto high on its rock. Tunnels and viaducts carry it into Tuscany, where olive groves and cypress trees line the approach to Florence.

Florence, photographed for Wikimedia Commons

Florence - A city of beautyFlorence

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Cradle of the Renaissance

Florence gave the world the Renaissance, and it still shows. Brunelleschi's dome dominates the skyline, and the Uffizi holds some of Europe's greatest paintings. Michelangelo's David stands in the Accademia, while the Ponte Vecchio still carries its goldsmiths' shops across the Arno.

The view from above

For the classic view of the city, climb to Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset or to the church of San Miniato al Monte just above it. Across the river, the Oltrarno keeps its artisans' workshops and quieter squares.

Tuscan cookingFood

Tuscan cooking is simple and produce-led, from ribollita and pappa al pomodoro to the famous bistecca alla fiorentina. A lampredotto sandwich from a street cart or lunch at the Mercato Centrale is the local way to eat on the move.

Florentine traditionsTraditions

On Easter Sunday a cart packed with fireworks is set alight outside the Duomo in the Scoppio del Carro. In June the city plays Calcio Storico, a rough Renaissance ball game fought out in costume in Piazza Santa Croce. The feast of San Giovanni, the city's patron saint, ends with fireworks over the Arno.

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Under the Apennines

The high-speed line to Verona spends most of its short run inside tunnels bored under the Apennines. It comes out onto the flat, fertile plain of Emilia, with Bologna's towers soon on the horizon, then moving on to Verona for the next leg.

Verona, photographed for Wikimedia Commons

Verona - A city of romanceVerona

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A Roman city

Verona's Roman arena still hosts open-air performances two thousand years after it was built. The city's link with Romeo and Juliet draws visitors to a medieval courtyard and its famous balcony, but its elegant streets and piazzas have a pull all their own. Castelvecchio and its fortified bridge guard a bend of the Adige river.

Veronese flavoursFood

Verona sits between the vineyards of Valpolicella and Soave, and a glass of Amarone makes a fine end to a day stop. Try risotto all'Amarone or thick bigoli pasta for a taste of the city's kitchen.

Opera under the starsTraditions

Every summer the Arena becomes one of the world's great open-air opera houses, and audiences light small candles as the music begins. In December a giant star arcs out of the Arena over Piazza Bra, and a Christmas market fills the old town.

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To the lagoon

The line runs east across the Veneto plain, past the Palladian city of Vicenza and the university town of Padua. The finale is the long causeway across the lagoon, where water opens up on both sides before the train pulls into Venice.

Venice, photographed for Wikimedia Commons

Venice - The floating cityVenice

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A city built on water

There's nowhere else quite like Venice: a city with no roads, built on water, where every corner reveals another canal, campo or centuries-old façade. It rewards slow, aimless wandering as much as its famous sights.

Beyond San Marco

Ride a vaporetto along the Grand Canal for the best view of its palaces, then cross to the quieter islands of the lagoon. Murano is known for its glassmakers and Burano for its brightly painted houses and lace.

Cicchetti and spritzFood

Venetians snack on cicchetti, small bites served in bàcari with a glass of wine or a spritz. Look for sarde in saor (sweet and sour sardines) and creamy baccalà mantecato on toasted bread.

Masks and regattasTraditions

Carnival fills the city with masks and costumes in the weeks before Lent. In July the Redentore festival ends with fireworks over the Giudecca Canal. On the first Sunday of September the Regata Storica opens with a pageant of historic boats on the Grand Canal.

Saved journeys

Overview

The route

Suggested tickets

The experience

Two thousand years in plain sight

Into the Tuscan hills

Cradle of the Renaissance

The view from above

Under the Apennines

A Roman city

To the lagoon

A city built on water

Beyond San Marco

Practical info

Booking

Reservations

Luggage

Best time to travel

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