Rome via Switzerland
- Speed by train through France and into Switzerland
- Overnight in the gorgeous hilltop city of Bern
- Plenty of time for exploration in Rome, the Eternal City
- Return up the spine of Italy, via Nice on the French Riviera
- Decide when you would like to travel
- Adapt the route to suit your plans
- Upgrade your hotels
- Add extra nights, destinations and/or tours
- Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
- 6 nights’ handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Comprehensive directions to your hotels
- Clearly-presented wallets for your rail tickets, hotel vouchers and other documentation
- All credit card surcharges and complimentary delivery of your travel documents
Suggested Itinerary
Leave London St Pancras on a Eurostar bound for Paris and then connect on to the TGV service to Basel on the Swiss border, via Strasbourg. From here, transfer onto a local train to Swiss capital Bern. Check in at the conveniently located Sorell Hotel Ador (or similar) for an overnight stay, before heading out for an evening meal.
With its UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town and stunning location on a loop of the Aare River, Bern is truly one of Switzerland’s undiscovered gems.
You have a free morning to explore more of this walkable city. Wander around the cobbled streets of the Old Town, take in the beautiful views from the Rose Garden or people-watch from a pavement café.
After lunch, it’s time to collect your bags and return to the station for the scenic journey to Rome, which takes you via Lake Thun (pictured), through the Swiss and Italian Alps and then around Lake Maggiore to Milan, where you change onto a service for Rome. On arrival, check in at The Building (or similar) for your 4-night stay.
Rome is often compared to an open-air museum, though this suggests that modern life doesn’t continue there, which is far from the case. In fact, this is a bustling metropolis which combines historic monuments and contemporary culture in a dazzling array of attractions. 2,000 year old edifices and structures are so commonplace that some are not even labelled. But amongst those that are, it’s well-worth visiting the famous Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Castel Sant’Angelo, commissioned by Emperor Hadrian around 123 AD. Elsewhere, don’t miss a visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel or an ice cream in the stunning Piazza Navona.
After a leisurely breakfast, it’s time to leave Rome for a return train service to Genoa. Here, change on to the train service that takes you around the coast, arriving into Nice in time for a late evening meal. Your accommodation for the night is at the Hotel Windsor (or similar).
TMR RECOMMENDS: Why not extend your holiday and have another night or two in Nice so that you can spend some time relaxing on the Côte d’Azur?
Leave Nice this morning for a direct TGV train to Paris. We will include metro tickets to get you across to the Gare du Nord (though we can also arrange a transfer for you if you would prefer). Here, you will catch the Eurostar back under the English Channel to London.
Typical hotels on this itinerary
Bern
The Sorell Hotel Ador is conveniently situated very close to the main station in Bern and a 5-minute walk from the
Rome
The Building Hotel is a modern property overlooking the Aurelian Walls, close to Rome Termini rail station. As well as comfortable, well-appointed bedrooms, there is also a restaurant, a spa with hot tub and sauna, a gym and a 24-hour reception desk.
Nice
Occupying a 19th century building in the centre of Nice, this boutique hotel offers uniquely decorated, air-conditioned rooms. The buffet breakfast is served in the hotel’s garden or dining area and there is also a lounge bar with a fireplace for winter months. The seafront Promenade des Anglais is only 550 yards away.
Upgrade your accommodation
Rome
Occupying a great location on the Via Veneto, close to the Villa Borghese gardens, the Majestic Roma features spacious and elegantly decorated bedrooms, a lovely restaurant with a terrace overlooking the street and a well-equipped gym. The hotel has been accommodating guests since 1889 and is one of the Leading Hotels of the World.
Nice
The Art Deco façade of the Hyatt Regency Palais de la Méditerranée has been a landmark of the famous Promenade des Anglais since 1929. The hotel boasts an outdoor and indoor heated swimming pool, a bar and restaurant with a terrace overlooking the sea, and 187 refurbished bedrooms.
