Travel Trends & Tips

Touring Northern Italy By Train

Travel Blog

Author: Paul Tavener, Owner Marvellous Escapes Aug 04, 2025 07 Minutes Read

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WHY EXPLORE NORTHERN ITALY?

Italy is a country full of flavour, history and deep-rooted culture that is prevalent throughout its stunning seaside towns and bustling inland cities. There is much about Italy that draws travellers to its doorstep every year, in particular, to the northern part of the country which boasts a wide variety of unique sights, interesting landmarks and cuisine that will simply take your breath away!

From its scenic, natural landscapes of grand lakes and vast mountains to its ancient stone structures wrapped in mythology and lore. No trip to Italy is complete without stopping off at some of the best sights in the northern part of the country, with one of the best ways to get around being in the form of an Italy rail holiday.

TOURING NORTHERN ITALY BY TRAIN

There are plenty of reasons why visiting northern Italy by train is the ideal way to discover this fascinating country. Rather than being cooped up on a busy coach or spending loads on a car rental where you concentrate solely on the road – rail holidays to northern Italy offer panoramic views and the luxuries of a hotel from your assigned seat.

Italy has an excellent and expansive rail network which makes touring northern Italy by train that much more enjoyable. It has exemplary rail connections which transport you directly into the heart of popular cities, high-speed trains and unique, local routes through Italy’s most scenic natural sights. It’s no wonder that rail holidays to northern Italy are becoming more and more popular.

THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN NORTHERN ITALY BY TRAIN

VENICE

“The Floating City” is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. You can easily fill your time here with a leisurely gondola ride through its winding canals and narrow cobblestone streets and bridges. Be sure to check out the Doges Palace, St. Mark’s Square and St. Mark’s Basilica – some of Venice’s most famous landmarks.

In addition to Venice, why not include Italy’s most famous destination, Rome, on a rail tour? On our 8-day Grand Venice, Florence, and Rome Tour you can witness the best parts of northern Italy as well as ‘The Eternal City’ – home to the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and quite simply some of the most mesmerising historical sights in the world.

FLORENCE

The capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, you can also visit the historic city of Florence from Venice when discovering northern Italy by train. This particular train route transports you through Renaissance towns, the breathtaking mountains of Emilia-Romagna and through the hills of Tuscany. Florence marks the jewel of the Renaissance with plenty of historical buildings remaining untouched as a testament to their time.

Explore the city centre to admire the quaint city squares, churches and palaces. But also the local museums which house some of the most famous art pieces to date such as Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture and Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”.

NATHAN’S TRAVEL TIP:
“As a frequent visitor to Northern Italy by rail I would list the Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore in Florence as the most breathtaking piece of architecture I have seen in all of Europe. Its ornate green, red and white marble exterior is truly stunning and has to be seen to be believed!”
– Nathan, Marvellous Escapes

MILAN

Milan is home to one of the most beautiful train stations in the world dating back to 1864. Milano Centrale, as it is known locally, features enormous, arched ceilings, and murals throughout its stone walls with polished tiles below. Its entrance is just as spectacular as you exit out into the bustling city centre.

Milan is famous for its contribution to fashion and design, and this can be seen throughout the city which perfectly blends old architecture with modern, forward-thinking designs.

This city is a great pit stop for travellers looking to explore northern Italy by train, not only for its great connection routes to other famous destinations but also for smaller towns which fly under most travellers’ radars. By taking the Regionale or Frecciarossa train you can easily explore the likes of Modena, Parma, Bologna, Torino and Verona on a short day trip departing from the Central Station.

LAKE COMO

One of Italy’s most popular and beautiful natural attractions is Lake Como. This huge body of water is picturesque no matter the season. With charming towns scattered around it, colourful wildlife and the Alps standing as a backdrop to this lake – it’s truly a magnificent sight to behold.

The lake is situated fairly close to the Italian-Swiss border, meaning you can easily include a Switzerland rail holiday on your northern Italy travel itinerary. Many board the Bernina Express to see spectacular views of the lake on the latter part of its journey from Chur to Tirano.

RAIL HOLIDAYS TO NORTHERN ITALY

There are so many ways you can explore Italy by train, whether you want to fly to Venice and create a regional train itinerary or include the Eurostar on your tour allowing you to avoid airports altogether. This can be sorted by our team of train specialists here at Marvellous Escapes.

We offer a variety of pre-planned train tours to Italy which you can choose from. There is the option to customise tours to be more bespoke to your travel plans. Whether you’re seeking a complete tour of northern Italy’s best sights, or looking to discover more of Central Europe by rail, speak to our train specialists today who can help you create custom rail holidays that are perfectly suited to your plans.

With access to over 400 suppliers, you can ensure you’re in good hands when booking your rail holidays to northern Italy.