There are a lot of things to love about Italy, and making it into my top five is the railway system. It’s a traveler’s dream, easily connecting iconic and not-so-iconic cities and towns, all to a backdrop of vineyards, mountains, pastures and hilltop towns. For me, a train ride is even more important that transport and destination. It’s my solution to writer’s block.
Give me a few hours in the quiet car on the Frecciarossa (or Italo), and I am as prolific as Barbara Cartland (yep, I looked this up. She writes a lot)- even if it is just answering emails and updating articles. Lately, I’ve found myself spending almost as much time talking and writing about train travel, as I am on the tracks because Ferrovia della Stato (Italy’s national railway holding company that operates Trenitalia), has kicked up train travel, and shifting to slow gear with an offering of up cycled old rolling stock and new landscape routes. Imagine Some Like It Hot Under The Tuscan Sun.
Tasty, Time Travel
A few months ago, I stepped back in time when I hopped on the Treno Natura, a restored centoporte steam engine for a winding day trip through the Val d’Orcia. This route is just one of the many Treni Storici routes that FS offers seasonally and through out the year in a program designed at revitalizing historic rails through food and nature-focused itineraries.
The Treno Natura ride was gorgeous. Once the whistle blew, we were aboard wooden 100-door train travelling on a retired rail line at a maximum of 35 mph. Why so slow? My train, and all the vintage fleet, prioritize experience and journey over speed, aka the locomotive version of slow travel.
As I mentioned, there are food, culture and nature historic routes in almost every one of Italy’s 20 regions. And I wrote about my journey and more for time for Gourmet Traveller. Here’s my next Sicily day trip: Treno dell’Olio e della Magna Grecia (Palermo - Castelvetrano) where we’ll get to ogle an ancient Greek temple at Selinunte and savor olive oil. Hot take - Castelvetrano’s famous green olives are considered among the finest in the world. And then the Treno del Cioccolato (Siracusa - Modena) which brings together two of the best things I can think of - extravagant Sicilian Baroque architecture and chocolate.
Sweet Dreams
Much to the chagrin of my family, I love traveling on an overnight train. They are not always onboard because the overnight trips I book tend to be no frills and cheap upright seats. Not anymore because my sleeper cars and Orient Express dreams are about to change. FS up cycled ex-Thello sleeper cars and keeps launching new Treni Turistici overnight and day trip routes which will not cramp my wallet.
For AFAR, I dove into FS Treni Turistici’s line up in my article “Italy’s New Sleeper Trains Travel From Rome to Dreamy Mountain and Sea Destinations”. I’ll be booking some tickets sans famille, but here’s where I should hit pause for full disclosure: This is not Murder on the Orient Express period finery. Nope, FS restored midcentury electric trains, like 1960s FS E444 Tartaruga.
The Espresso overnight routes depart from Rome and so far the line up includes: Espresso Langhe-Monferrato (Piemonte) for truffles, Espresso Cadore (Dolomites) for a mountain weekend and Espresso Salento (Puglia) for the sun. Pick your flavor and hop on. FYI: The best cabins are the sleepers, which are upgraded to contemporary with outlets, AC and branded linens, and include complimentary breakfast and dinner in the renovated restaurant car.
Looking for a day trip instead of an overnight adventure? Treni Turistici offers a variety of Espresso day routes to explore Italy’s most sought-after locales. The Espresso Riviera connects Milan to the Riviera, with stops at picturesque coastal towns like Varazze, Savona, and Ventimiglia every Sunday through September 30. If Tuscany calls, the Espresso Versilia runs from Milan to Livorno on Tuesdays and Thursdays, stopping at gems like the Cinque Terre and Forte dei Marmi, with lunch included for first-class passengers. Launching in October, the Espresso Assisi will link Rome to the medieval charm of Assisi every weekend until November 30. FYI: FS is continually updating and adding new routes and schedules for more ways to explore Italy’s scenic and cultural treasures.
My love for trains doesn’t just stop on the tracks. Over the years, I’ve had the annoying habit of taking a few hours out of my travel to meander a train station and photograph the architecture and much more. So next time you’re waiting for your train in Florence, look past the crowds and check out the vintage letters and signage at Santa Maria Novella station. And if you can’t find an excuse to go to Milan - I have a million which always begins with the magnificent Milano Centrale.
Hey there, reach out to Megan at Bella Vita Travels https://www.bellavitatravels.com
Sounds great. Know of any tour companies that organize Italian rail tours. I think I'd need expert help to do this and my stateside travel agent would not be able to do it either.