The railway station in Cefalù, Sicily Photo: stock.adobe.com/katatonia
From our editorial team
If you want to experience Italy in a completely different way, you should hop on the train. Five wonderful short journeys for that real Italian feeling.
Between Toll station and car park search what makes Italy so special often falls by the wayside: the slow view. The little stopovers. The scent of pine trees wafting through the open window. Italy can also be wonderfully combined with the Train - climate-friendly, decelerated and with a view. Travelling Italy by train means more than just getting around. It's an invitation to marvel. Here are our top 5.
1. from Florence to Lucca: Tuscany as if from a sketchbook
The journey begins in the Renaissance capital Florence - and leads at a leisurely pace past Olive grovescypresses and wide hills. The destination is Lucca, a city that is as charming as if someone had accidentally preserved the 14th century. The journey takes around 2 hours (with one or two changes) and - depending on the connection - has perfect stops (from Pistoia to Pisa) for a spontaneous stopover. Caffè or a panino with finocchiona. If you start early, you can sit on the city walls of Lucca in the evening with a glass of white wine and listen to the wind whispering. The ticket costs around 10 euros (July 2025).
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2. from Palermo to Cefalù: sea view guaranteed
Photo by Tugce Turan on Pexels.com
The coastal railway on Sicily is one of the most beautiful short journeys in Europe - and for good reason. It takes barely an hour to travel from lively Palermo to the picture-postcard paradise of Cefalù (see photo at the top). The turquoise-coloured sea to the left, the mountains to the right - in between a track that looks as if someone had built it especially for the panorama. In Cefalù itself, pastel-coloured houses, a wide beach and a cathedral that looks like it was painted. The return journey? Maybe tomorrow. The ticket costs 7.10 euros (July 2025).
3. From Naples to Sorrento: with the Circumvesuviana to the land of lemons
Photo: stock.adobe.com/demerzel21
Admittedly, this railway line is more pragmatic than comfortable - but the charm lies in the chaos. The Circumvesuviana takes you from Naples directly into the Gulf of Sorrentopast Pompei and Ercolano, with Mount Vesuvius always in view. If you don't let yourself be put off by the crowded carriages and old plastic windows, you will be rewarded with the scent of lemons, magnificent views of the coast - and the feeling of having arrived a little more in the real Italy. Duration: a good hour from Naples to Sorrento, costs 4.60 euros (July 2025).
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4. From Cuneo to Ventimiglia: the Alps meet the Riviera
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This route is an insider tip for railway enthusiasts - and a real scenic delight. The railway line runs from the Maritime Alps near Cuneo to the Ligurian coast, over 80 bridges and through 40 tunnels. Again and again, spectacular views open up into the valley, sometimes green, sometimes rocky, sometimes so wildly romantic that even your mobile phone falls silent for a moment. The destination is Ventimiglia, the last town before the French border - with bougainvillea, Aperol and the sound of the sea. The journey takes around three hours and costs 9.65 euros (July 2025).
5. between Levanto and La Spezia: the Cinque Terre railway
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It is short but spectacular: the railway line along the Ligurian coast connects the five villages of the Cinque Terre - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Regional trains run regularly between Levanto and La Spezia through tunnels that open up again and again to dramatic views of the sea. Simply get off at the small railway stations, grab a gelato, walk to the water. And continue your journey at some point. The journey from Levanto to La Spezia takes just under an hour and costs 4.50 euros (July 2025).
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