Two weeks of romance and grandeur: A grand tour of Italy by rail
Sawday's Expert
5 min read
In search of a true trip of a lifetime, we looked to sustainable travel experts Byway for a grand tour that took in some iconic history and architecture in Europe. They produced this superb 12-day trip, which combines visits to Rome, Florence and Bologna with a couple of romantic overnight stops in Paris. It’s an almost-fortnight full of beauty, from an art-filled hotel just off Nice’s promenade to the frescoes of Florence and ancient wonder of Bologna.
Your Byway & Sawday’s journey to Italy
Below are the highlights of a 12-day itinerary from sustainable travel experts, Byway. You can book it here or get in touch with them to tailor this trip or any of their other journeys to your own needs.
London to Paris
Embracing slow travel immediately, you do no more on the first day than hop over (or rather, under) the channel, stopping in Paris to wander the boulevards and soak up a little café culture. Hôtel Sainte Beuve is an elegant art-filled space that sets the tone for your cultured exploration of the France and Italy, and feels like a well-kept secret, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Jardin du Luxembourg. Ask Amandine, the manager, to recommend a place for dinner and you’ll be spoilt for choice even if you don’t leave the hotel’s own quiet street, with Bistronomie, Moustache, La Grivoiserie, Chez Marcel and La Gentiane all wonderful places to end your opening night.
Paris to Nice
On day two, it’s time to whisk yourself along the length of France on the TGV, watching the countryside roll past on a six-hour ride that could land you in Nice in time for sunset cocktails by the sea. A short walk from the station takes you through the heart of town and then suddenly out of it, as you step in to the leafy courtyard of the colourful and creative Hôtel Windsor. Here, you’ll find owner Odile, whose family have run the place for more than 80 years, on hand to help make your two nights in Nice as memorable as any of the Italy stops. She can point you towards the Matisse and Chagall museums, the old town flower market and private beaches, or arrange anything from opera tickets to a massage.
Nice to Florence: (many trains)
Then it’s on to Italy, with changes in Ventimiglia and Genoa helping you work your way down to the inimitable Florence, where the blossoming of art, literature and philosophy shaped a city and was wonderfully preserved by subsequent generations. At the very heart of it, you’ll find Casa Howard Firenze, where each room has been individually designed and every detail crafted, from the exquisite cocktail menu to the soaps in the rooms made by Santa Maria Novella in a tradition stretching back to 1612. It’s a 10-minute walk to Trattoria Cammillo for classic Florentine suppers and you’re within walking distance of everything in the historic centre, including the railway station for when you reluctantly have to leave the timeless streets of Florence.
Florence to Rome
From one city with marvellous sights everywhere you turn, to another. It’s barely 90 minutes over to Rome, so you could be here for a late morning coffee if you make an early start. Once again, your base is an oasis of calm in a place renowned for its sensory overload. Hotel Modigliani is only a five-minute walk from the Spanish Steps and not much further to several of Rome’s other unmissable attractions, so you could pop out late in the evening to see them when the crowds have died down and let owners Giulia and Marco find you a lovely little bar to settle into afterwards.
Rome to Bologna
Although the trip to Bologna is technically the beginning of your return journey, nothing about staying in this incredible city feels anticlimactic. Bologna is home to the world’s oldest university and it’s as if being a student hub has always meant the same thing. Exciting nightlife gives the historic streets a lively air, as ancient churches sit alongside graffitied piazzas and live music venues that range from famous opera houses to tiny, pulsing bars. Hotel San Mamolo is well placed to be your base and send you wandering the porticoes and historic buildings by day before diving into the backstreets by night.
Bologna to Paris
For the return trip to Paris, you head a little west of centre to find a quieter place in which to review everything you’ve seen on your grand tour of France and Italy. From Hôtel Passy Eiffel, it’s a short stroll to the Bois de Boulogne and contemplative walks along the paths around the lakes. After dinner somewhere local, a well-earnt night’s rest and breakfast in the light and airy dining room, it’s time to head for your final train, back over to London and home.
Looking for more train travel inspiration?
Byway don’t just travel to Italy! Their transport nous can take you anywhere from the wilds of Scotland to a West Country Pub tour. Here are a few of their other trips around the UK to give you an idea, from a pleasant Sussex ramble and a wander through Dorchester to a hike in the hills near Malham.
View all our special places to stay in Italy >
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Christopher Wilson-Elmes
Sawday's Expert
Chris is our in-house copywriter, with a flair for turning rough notes and travel tales into enticing articles. Raised in a tiny Wiltshire village, he was desperate to travel and has backpacked all over the world. Closer to home, he finds himself happiest in the most remote and rural places he can find, preferably with a host of animals to speak to, some waves to be smashed about in and the promise of a good pint somewhere in his future.
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