Italian Explorer

You meet at London St Pancras where you board the Eurostar to Paris. Change trains and continue to Lyon. Nestled on the banks of the Rhône and Saône, Lyon is France's second-largest city, and you spend the night here.

• Dinner

Leaving Lyon, you travel to the university of Padova, your base for two nights and one of the oldest cities in northern Italy. With its frescoed Scrovegni Chapel, 13th-century Basilica and Old Town, Padova is steeped in history. Soak up the atmosphere as you wander through the Old Town, maybe stopping to watch the world go by from a stylish café.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Your excursion today is a rail trip to the nearby 'floating city' of Venice. See the main sights of this enchanting city, including vibrant St Mark's Square and the stunning St Mark's Basilica. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Venice at your own pace. You could take a gondola ride along the Grand Canal. Or simply wander along the luminous canals, over pretty bridges and into grand squares where you'll find architecture and art on every corners. Local bars serve 'cicchetti' - a Venetian form of tapas which might range from stuffed green olives or parma ham to sardines, and sandwiches of grilled cheese and sundried tomato on toasted bread. A traditional Venetian drink is a Bellini - a Prosecco and peach cocktail - or, now popular in the UK, an Aperol Spritz.

• Breakfast

You have free time to discover Padova in the morning. You could enjoy the city's impressive artistic and architectural heritage with a visit to the Scrovegni Chapel, with its famous frescoes by Giotto. Or maybe find a café to settle down in with an Italian coffee and pastry. Later, you travel to your next exciting location - the 'eternal city' of Rome, where you check into your hotel for three nights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Discover the wonders of ancient Rome on a guided walking tour, starting at the mighty Colosseum. The magnificent structure is an incredible sight to see up close, and still contains original pathways, corridors and passages used by gladiators to enter the arena. Continue to the Forum, a former civic centre of Roman public life. You also see the Trevi Fountain, a favourite among tourists and Romans alike, and the largest Baroque fountain in the world. Your tour ends at Piazza Navonna, and you spend the rest of the day getting to know the fascinating city on your own.

• Breakfast

Make the most of a free day to continue discovering Rome. You could visit the Pantheon, the world's largest reinforced concrete dome, which still holds this title 2,000 years after it was built. Alternatively, visit Vatican City, the smallest recognised independent state in the world and the home of the Pope. Breathe in the grandeur of St Peter's Square and admire the basilica. The serene Sistine Chapel is another highlight, where you'll find Michelangelo's world-famous fresco. The Borgia apartments are interesting to see if you visit the Vatican. Designed for Pope Alexander VI, the rooms are exquisitely decorated and fascinating to stroll through.

• Breakfast

Today you travel by train to Florence. Historic streets and piazzas are only part of the city's charm - venture indoors and you'll find one fifth of the world's Renaissance art, which is kept and displayed in museums, galleries and churches around the city. Enjoy a walking tour, seeing the 14th-century Ponte Vecchio Bridge, and the magnificent Duomo with its distinctive terracotta-tiled dome. Later, transfer to Montecatini Terme and check into your hotel for two nights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You take the train to the delightful walled city of Lucca, where you'll discover a range of ancient ruins and pretty medieval buildings, encircled by beautifully preserved city walls. Lucca's compact area makes it a joy to explore on foot and the wide footpath on the 17th-century walls provides views of the city's many highlights. Maybe spend an hour in the peaceful gardens of the Palazzo Pfanner, in Lucca's centre. In the afternoon, continue to Pisa and visit the world-famous Leaning Tower, which began to tilt as soon as it was built and was used by Galileo to study gravity. Enjoy time to admire the iconic sight, as well as the marvellous white marble Duomo. The cathedral is a superb example of Romanesque architecture, often overlooked by tourists who flock to see the tower.

• Breakfast

Leaving Montecatini Terme behind, you travel by rail to Turin for an overnight stay in a local hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Bid a fond farewell to Bella Italia, and begin your journey home by rail to Paris and on to London St Pancras by Eurostar.

• Breakfast