Italy By Rail: Go Back In Time To Venice, Florence And Rome

My family are from Naples so I’ve always felt a connection to Italy growing up – from the way I look, to my big family and the lengthy Sunday dinners.

Having an Italian family means trips to Italy, naturalmente, but it also means these trips involve staying with relatives in an isolated farmhouse miles away from civilisation, where no-one speaks any English.

So despite my heritage, I’ve never seen the Colesseum in Rome, Venice’s canals or Florence’s Cupola. And with the responsibility of visiting family in the deep south, it felt unlikely I’d make it to any of Italy’s key cities any time soon.

And then I managed to get them all ticked off in just one (action-packed) week.

All aboard

I’d never considered journeying around Italy on the train before, but there’s a sense of adventure about travelling by rail through the Tuscan countryside.

The itinerary is action-packed as we’re due to head straight to watery Venice for two days, followed by a short two-hour train to Florence for another two days and then a high-speed service to the capital, Rome for a whistle-stop 24 hours.

And before we even took off my mouth was watering at the thought of the country's famous gelatos.

The vibe:

Contrary to the action-packed itinerary, being on rails is actually calm and rather relaxing, especially as we didn’t waste any time checking bags in and out, going through customs or having security checks.

Instead, we simply had to arrive for our scheduled train 10-15 minutes before it left, locate the platform and take our seats ready for the journey to start.

And don’t let your experience of National Rail put you off - I found its Italian counterpart to be miles better than the service we receive here in the UK, with free UK newspapers, hot drinks and snacks – plus loads of leg room.

My whirlwind trip started in Venice – a city soaked in culture. With stunning architecture and world-famous beauty spots, it’s perfect for history fans (as you'd expect being a World Heritage Site).

The panoramic view of the sea of Venice from the balcony of my water-front hotel (the Londra Palace) wasn’t a bad way to kick things off – and it certainly made we want to explore more of this bustling market city.

In Florence, I stayed in the four star Brunelleschi, a former bell tower that’s one of the oldest buildings in the city. Its convenient city-centre location meant everything in this beautiful city is in walking distance – making it perfect for a relaxing, romantic retreat with your partner or a weekend city break with the girls.

In Rome I was put up at the five star Hotel D’inghilterra, a stunning city-centre hotel with HUGE bedrooms – the one I stayed in having a queen-sized bed, walk-in wardrobe and a TV in the bathroom. So yes, bigger than my London flat.

Rome on the other hand had a completely different feel to the other two cities. Italy's capital is the fourth biggest city in Europe so it’s no surprise that it feels VERY busy. But it's chaotic atmosphere is part of the charm. It feels like the Romans have forgotten about the tourists and you’re seeing the ‘real’ Italy in a similar way to visiting Naples in the south.

The food:

If it’s seafood you’re after, Venice is the city for you. The cuisine is centred around it and I ate more octopus, squid and lobster in two days there than I’ve had in my life.

For an authentic Venetian dish, head to Trattoria Alla Rivetta, a cosy, family restaurant just off the waterfront, a few minutes walk from Saint Marco’s Square. I spotted four generations of one family sat around a dinner table – with the mum of the group looking like she’d walked straight off the set of a Dolce & Gabbana ad.

In Florence, food was fresh and simple but the Florentines love their meat – so expect delicious stews and pasta dishes.

For a spot of lunch, I’d recommend Hostaria da Ganino in the heart of the city’s bustling shopping districts. My traditional beef stew with ciabatta was divine teamed with a glass of red.

But the city I ate best in was Rome. It’s go hard or go home as far as the Romans are concerned – and a lazy five-course lunch isn’t uncommon. My favourite food spot was La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali, where I sat for a good few hours scoffing freshly-baked bread, baked auberinge, rich pasta and a divine Tiramisu. Belissimo…

The culture:

The first thing I would do in Venice, before your legs hurt from all of the exploring, is climb up the Campanile, a bell tower in the heart of the city with stunning views across the islands. It’s situated in St. Marco’s Square – perfect for having a wander around the Murano glass shops and to stop for a traditional Italian cappuccino.

Head to the Doge’s Palace – a former palace (now a museum) decorated in Venetian Gothic style. Definitely hire a guide, who will be armed with snippets and gossip you just won't get in the books.

Florence is famed for its galleries and for good reason - the Academia is definitely worth visiting for Michelangelo’s famous statue of Saint David while I’d recommend spending an afternoon in the Uffizi, housing the largest collection of renaissance masterpieces in the world over two spacious floors.

For beautiful views that don’t need an Instagram filter, head to the Bardini Gardens where you can rest your legs for a mug of hot cocoa amongst picturesque surroundings.

If you're more into pop culture than sculptures and paintings, try  the walking tour to where the cast of Jersey Shore filmed the fourth series. Not one for the Florentine culture fans, but something to contemplate nonetheless...

Of course, you can’t visit Rome without visiting some of the tourist meccas, the Colesseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Sistine Chapel - all of which surpassed my expectations. And I was surprised to find the Vatican museum to be really interesting, reignighting my interest in ancient history.

The shopping:

My prize for best shopping goes to Florence, far better than the tack on offer in Venice, with high-street labels you’ll recognise among bigger designer names. I couldn’t help but wander into make-up heaven Sephora – while fragrance haven Dr Vranjes is definitely worth visiting if you’re into your candles and scents.

Murano glass is worth investing in in Venice as well as traditional Venetian masks – but be aware of tourist tat. I headed out to buy both of the above and found the prices to be very cheap. However the fact is, if the prices look too good to be true, they probably are. Go on recommendations from your hotel concierge rather than what’s the cheapest you can find.

Rome is the best place to buy traditional Italian gifts for loved ones. I stocked up on postcards, keyrings and mugs – as well as Vespa-branded hoodies and t-shirts for my Dad.

The brags:

Travelling by water taxi from the airport to my hotel in Venice meant I arrived in style – definitely a good start to my trip.

Spotting Naomi Campbell’s holiday home and the property Johnny Depp is supposed to be snapping up on the island.

Know before you go/the misses:

Venice is a tourist hot-spot so head there in the quiet season January-February, though probably not Valentine's Day. And Rome is busy all year round and the weather isn't good off season so just be prepared for crowds. If you’re looking to visit St. Peter’s Church at the Vatican in Rome, go there first thing as hundreds will be waiting by midday.

I knew Venice had issues with rising sea levels but I didn’t realise how serious it was until I visited. High tide in the city is known as ‘acquaalta’ and causes mass flooding in places including Saint Marco’s Square. They erect walkways so that you don’t get wet, but it makes exploring the city a bit of a pain. Bring appropriate footwear.

And on a minor note, the people trying to sell you umbrellas ALL THE TIME in Rome gets a little on your nerves after a while.

While I could easily have stayed in Rome for a few more days, seeing these three cities in one week gave me the perfect Italian snapshot to entice me to to return.

The deets:Citalia (0843 770 4443, http://www.citalia.com/), the leading Italian specialist has a six night multi centre holiday to Venice, Florence and Rome from just £1,055 per person. The offer includes two nights B&B at the four star Londra Palace in Venice, two nights B&B at the four star Brunelleschi in Florence and two nights B&B at the five star Hotel D’inghilterra in Rome. All internal rail transfers and return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways are also included.

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