Italy is a wonderful place for a summer Eurail trip: from the seaside to the mountains this country has it all with all its natural wonder, culture, and history. It is said that in Italy there is 70% of the world heritage. This might be a meaningless estimate but Italy is not just a mere calculation of monuments, works of art and historical centers. It’s something more. It’s the feeling you get when you turn the corner and find something unexpected that leaves you open-mouthed.
The most amazing thing about Italy is that each region has its own history, its own culture, its own identity, and landscapes so, a great option is traveling all over Italy to make the most of it and without missing a thing. How to do that? Easy! Grab a Eurail pass and explore Italy by train: convenient, practical, fun and even relaxing (with no stress related to hiring cars, driving in a country that it’s not yours and so on).
We take a look at 5 great places to stop off in Italy with your Eurail pass.
Naples
Naples is always characterized by the warm and imaginative temperament of its inhabitants who contribute to making it fascinating, welcoming and mysterious at the same time. With an historic center that is now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has long been famous for its beauty, generations of poets and artists have drawn inspiration from its beauty. Strolling around the city center, marveling at the seaside, eating pizza and enjoy breathtaking views of the majestic Mount Vesuvius are just a few things you can do. Plus, this is a great starting point to explore the most famous part of Campania’s region: the iconic Amalfi Coast, easily reachable with your Eurail pass by train!
Rome
Visiting Rome is the dream of every self-respecting tourist. The Eternal City is a veritable treasure trove; an open-air museum containing works of inestimable value for which a life would not suffice. Strolling around its city you will have the chance to catch glimpses of an ancient past while full-immersing into the Italian lifestyle made up of coffee breaks, yummy dishes of pasta, a relaxed mood and a strong cultural identity. While there, you cannot miss a visit to Vatican City, cradle of Christianity and the small city, housing the wonderful St. Peter’s Square and Basilica.
Cinque Terre
Starting from the city of La Spezia, you should definitely take some time for a day of excursion to discover one of the most unspoiled areas of Italy: a long stretch of rocky coastline full of bays and beaches, complemented by a crystalline sea, and five characteristic and colorful perched villages. You will find yourself in front of unique and breathtaking views, you will experience enchantment in the narrow streets of the five villages and their colorful houses, and you will be inebriated by the scent of the sea. This is what awaits you on the walking route to the discoveries of the Cinque Terre, famous all over the world. Visit all five villages by hopping on the train with you Eurail pass, it’s extremely well connected!
Florence
History, tradition, art and culture are breathed at every corner, and the city almost seems to be told through the famous names that have made it even more famous with the passing of the centuries: intellectuals and artists who have made the history of Italian art and literature since the thirteenth century. Walking through the alleys of its historic center leads the visitor to imagine the intense life of tradesmen and craftsmen, the frenetic life of the artists who have followed one another but also the secrets and intrigues of political and civil power, as in Piazza della Signoria, a veritable open-air art gallery and Palazzo Vecchio, one of the most important medieval public buildings in Italy.
Venice
Venice is maybe, after Rome, the most famous Italian city. A stop here is almost mandatory to marvel at the iconic canals, the gondolas, the lagoon, and its islands and to fully immerse yourself into an old-fashioned atmosphere. Venice is a treasure chest that contains within it the true treasures of world art. The Grand Canal, adorned with numerous bridges, among which the most spectacular is the Rialto Bridge, is an uninterrupted succession of aristocratic palaces and stupendous churches. And then the heart of Venice, Piazza San Marco, one of the most beautiful places in the world, with the stupendous Basilica, Palazzo Ducale, home of the Doges, the Campanile, from whose top you can enjoy a panoramic view over the city of water, the Clock Tower… and so much more!