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The Italian Riviera

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3.9 stars(151 reviews)
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Get to the heart of the sparkling Italian Riviera

You are viewing the 2023 itinerary. Select your departure year
20232024
9 days From £1,299 £1,199 per person
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2023 Tour code: 23DMS

About the tour

Immerse yourself in the enchanting towns and villages of the sparkling Italian Riviera, a unique beauty spot. Explore the colourful villages of the Cinque Terre, spend time in perfect Portofino and unwind in Genoa's grand piazzas.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London & Turin

Meet at London St Pancras and take the Eurostar to Paris. Here you change trains and continue to the elegant city of Turin for one night.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Turin & Chiavari

You have some free time in Turin this morning, a city with beautiful green parks, spacious boulevards and squares lined with grand buildings. Later, continue to Chiavari, an idyllic coastal town perfectly placed for exploring the Italian Riviera, sheltered by hills dotted with olive groves.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Chiavari

You have a free day to explore Chiavari, a charming and typically Italian town. Maybe wander down to the beautiful harbour, framed by townhouses and filled with colourful fishing boats, where you'll find cafés offering delectable Italian cuisine. Another option is to relax on the beach and soak in the Mediterranean views. Or walk through the winding medieval streets of the historic centre.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 4 - The Cinque Terre

Discover the coastal villages of the Cinque Terre, each one situated in a UNESCO-listed national park and set on a rugged section of coastline, where rainbow-hued houses cling to the cliffs and seem to cascade towards the waters below. Journey between the villages in the most scenic way, by rail and boat, gliding beside towering cliffs and past golden beaches. Your first visit is to Riomaggiore, a quaint fishing village which boasts an ancient castle. Next, sail to Vernazza, notable for its ancient clock tower and winding, labyrinthine streets. Finally, explore Monterosso, the northernmost village, with a more modern feel and a pristine sandy beach.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Portofino

Cruise to Portofino today, a colourful fishing village surrounded by olive groves and set on a rocky outcrop. Portofino's charm lies in its isolated tranquility, your first glimpse of the village is memorable, especially when approaching by boat. Enjoy free time to stroll along the sheltered harbour, where yachts and sailing boats are surrounded by a jumble of pastel pink and yellow houses. You could stop for lunch at a pavement café, sampling some fresh local seafood. Continue to San Fruttuoso, one of Italy's most beautiful beaches, nestled in a cove and boasting a small Benedictine monastery. This magical spot is only accessible by boat or hiking trail, and you have time to soak up its secluded charms.

If weather conditions mean the boat can't land at San Fruttuoso, you'll land at Santa Margherita instead, a tranquil, picture-perfect village bursting with old-fashioned Italian charm.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Chiavari

You have free time to relax or explore Chiavari further. You could visit the Cathedral of Our Lady dell'Orto. Built between 1613 and 1633, Chiavari's magnificent cathedral houses many exquisite paintings, frescos and other valuable artworks dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Or make your way to nearby Sestri Levante, a beautiful coastal town flanked by two pretty bays - the Bay of Fairytales and the Bay of Silence.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 7 - Genoa

You take the train to Genoa today. This ancient port is one of Italy's great cities - a treasure trove of history, art and grand 16th and 17th-century palaces. You're introduced to Genoa on an insightful guided walking tour of the Old Town that includes the Doge's Palace, an impressive Renaissance building built in 1298. After your tour, you have free time in this lovely Italian city to admire its fine museums and galleries, the magnificent cathedral, ancient churches and beautiful harbour. Or relax at a waterfront café or restaurant with a glass of chilled Italian wine and a bowl of mouth-watering pesto pasta - a Genoese speciality.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Nice

Bidding farewell to Italy, you board the train to Nice, crossing into France for a night on the French Riviera. To soak up the atmosphere of Nice, maybe take an evening stroll - joining local joggers, dog walkers and skateboarders - along the wonderful palm tree-lined Promenade des Anglais.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 - London

Your holiday comes to an end today and you travel by rail to Paris, joining the Eurostar to London St Pancras on arrival.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We will write to you around 10 weeks before your departure date with the precise meeting times for your tour group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Hotel Monte Rosa

Hotel Monte Rosa, Chiavari

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Stella del Mare, Chiavari

Stella del Mare, Chiavari

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Trains

Eurostar
The TGV

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Upgrades

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UK rail connections
London hotels

Reviews

3.9 stars3.9 / 5 · 151 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (49)
  2. 4 stars
    (56)
  3. 3 stars
    (29)
  4. 2 stars
    (9)
  5. 1 star
    (8)

Martin Hawkins

3 stars

Submitted 04 Nov 2022

Accommodation and no single supplement were good Rail connections were not good Itinerary were not good. eg Manarola is beautiful but didn't arrange to visit.

Collected by Trustpilot

Trevor Eakin

4 stars

Submitted 04 Nov 2022

Well, it scores 4 out of 5 so it's not too bad.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr T Jaye

3 stars

Submitted 04 Nov 2022

We had a great time until the last excursion day when we waited until 12 noon at our hotel before travel thus arriving in Nice at 5pm. A coach would have taken about 3 hours door to door and given us the whole afternoon in Nice.

Collected by Trustpilot

Celia

1 stars

Submitted 31 Oct 2022

Badly organised. The last 2 days especially. We were in Genoa with our luggage so lunch was a nasty snack in the station. We arrived in our room in Nice at 6.40 in time for dinner at 7.30. We saw nothing of Nice.

Collected by Trustpilot

Clive

5 stars

Submitted 31 Oct 2022

The Italian Riviera was everything I had hoped it would be. However, I had not really appreciated how much time would be spent on the train without a break, particularly on the return journey. Including the rail travel to my home in Plymouth I was on the train for a total 11 hours on that last day. Also. I had not appreciated how much walking was involved as I suffer from serious arthritis in my knees and hips. I thought that the hotel accommodation was generally very good, particularly in Turin although perhaps a greater choice of menu might have been better or perhaps leaving the party to go out and find evening meals at venues of their choice might have been better. Finally, I thought that, considering that the group would initially be spending a lot of time together in travelling from St Pancras to Turin, it might have been better for the whole group to have met up the day before travelling, spending the night in a London hotel with dinner which would allow time for the group to get to know each other quicker. Some single travellers were left somewhat isolated during the journey from London and before that first evening meal in Turin,

Collected by Trustpilot

Customer

4 stars

Submitted 31 Oct 2022

Pros...Wonderful holiday with lovely people. Very well organised. We will be back. Cons....hotel a bit noisy and food mediocre.

Collected by Trustpilot

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The Italian Riviera

Get to the heart of the sparkling Italian Riviera

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