Train Tour of Italy & France - 18 Days & 12 Cities

On this Trip I went to Italy and France! I planned this trip for my mother and I to hit as many sites as possible in 18 days! Here is our full itinerary, trip cost and some photos from our trip too!Here's Everywhere We Went:

Italy

• Venice - dinner at Hotel Bauer, brunch at the Florian Cafe and shopping
• Naples - Quick pit-stop for pizza 
• Pompeii - Mt Vesuvius and the Archaeological site 
• Sorrento - Walking the town, lunch in the lemon groves, viewing Mt Vesuvius and the coast 
• Pisa - Quick visit to the Leaning Tower
• Milan - See the Last Supper mural 
• Lake Como - taking the lake ferry to Bellagio 

France

• Paris - Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumph, walking the city and dinner at Jules Verne
• Epernay - Avenue of Champagne - house tours and tastings of Moet & Chandon, Perrier Juliet and Charles Mignon
• Versailles - The Palace of Versailles and Garden Tour

In this post I've laid out my full cost and itinerary - including how we got around, our hotels, activities and restaurants too! There's also links and tips on how I got activity tickets!

Total Trip Cost

*We got our flights cheap via a charity auction & stayed with our cousin for free in Sacile 

Top Italy and France Tips

Here are some of the interesting things from my trip when using local transportation - it was actually quite easy all of the staff were very helpful with questions!
  

• Look out for labor strikes (sign up for email alerts in English when you buy your tickets to get notices)
• Some trains and metros require Ticket Validation specific to your rail line (in Venice even if you just bought your ticket 2 mins before your board you still need to validate tit with a stamp. 
• In Paris they have Day Passes for the Metro - we paid 65E for 5 days 5 zone pass - they are so small! and easily lost and damaged so I kept them in a tiny zip lock bag - they can also de-magnetize - if this happens get a replacement from the station kiosk for free!  

Make sure you have a credit and/or debit card with no foreign fees for your trip. We took one of each. This will save for fees along with declining the conversion (to instead withdraw in local currency) when you use the ATMs there.
 

IMPORTANT: some public restrooms, especially in Italy, you have to pay to use the bathrooms. We saw this alot in train stations and other high traffic areas. They cost about 1E and rarely accept cards so break your large bills at the station convivence store and hold on to your change so you can use the bathroom.

Photos from Our Trip!

Here are some photos from each stop on our trip! We loved experiencing all of the history, culture and eating food as we traveled! Check out my itinerary below to see the stops from out photos!

It was so peaceful going to St Marcos Square early in the morning! 

The 8-course dinner here was delicious, especially with the view! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance for an early dinner so we can make the train back to Mestre.

We went to the famous Da'Arturos for the porkchop, the 1720's Cafe Florian for brunch and Harry's Bar (p.s. I prefer the gin fiz over the peach bellini) 

About an hour north of Venice is a mini Venice!

Not far from the train station we found Attanasio - Great pizza and staff!

Pomidori's was across the street from out hotel Hotel Mauri - everything was delicious!

Pro Tip: Staying in Pompeii the night before, we entered through the Back Entrance of Pompeii's Archaeological Site - It was amazing to see how much is left! Take a hat/sunscreen, water and comfortable shoes (the stones on the street can be uncomfortable to walk through) for your visit! 

Wished we could have spent more time in Sorrento, the town was filled with great local shops and we had lunch in the lemon groves! we will definitely be back! 

Along the 8-hour train from Naples to Milan we stopped in Pisa for a few hours. The stop was perfect for us to grab lunch and see the complex the Piazza Dei Miracoli!

In Milan we had to see the Last Supper Mural - it was amazing to learn of the history and restoration work! Reserve your tickets directly via their website (in my itinerary below) about 2 months in advance to ensure you get to see it! 

Went to see the Duomo Cathedral and the little bull in the Emannuel Shopping Complex!

We to Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan - it was a great stop for lunch. The top cafe is a separate area so do not buy anything downstairs, walk up the steps and ask for a table in the upstairs bar to order whatever you'd like - including the special drinks and food they have at the top bar! 

We walked from the Como Train station to the Lake Como Ferry station - be aware of the huge steps down the hill and buy your ferry tickets via the QR code App on the side of the building - we had lunch across the street instead of waiting in the line! 

Taking the 3-hour ferry to Bellagio gave us wonderful views of the lake! 

We loved seeing the main sites in Paris! 

After an hour train ride from Paris we were in Versailles! Pre-purchase your tickets online to get an early time slot, also grab a go cart for when you explore the grounds so you can see everything line the Trianonns and Queens Hamlet - my favorite was the gardens

We took the 2 hour train to the town of Epernay to visit the Avenue of Champagne. There are hundreds of Champagne Houses here that you can get very well priced tastings. Even the tour of the cellars of Moet and Chandon were only 35E! I highly recommend a visit, but next time I'll stay a few days!

I have wanted to eat a Jules Verne for years! Make your reservations online a few months in advance. You will also have to pay a deposit of ~$250 to hold the reservation (It goes towards your bill). We went for lunch because the dinner menu was more seafood (allergy) and we wanted a nice view of the city during the day! The food and service were perfect! 

One of my favorite things about Paris is that the food was amazing everywhere we went. In every cafe and restaurant we found wonderful staff and high-quality food. The portions were also way larger than I expected, be sure to ask if you are eating alone. I'll be planning a trip just to eat in Paris for 2 weeks. 

Get Your Copy of My Travel Skills Handbook

Trip Itinerary

Here is my full itinerary for my trip! with Date/City/Time - Activity (hotel, travel, activity, restaurant) - Addresses and websites - It also includes the Cost in US dollars (Sept 2022) and notes for when you book your travel! 

Lyd's Life Skills - Travel Planning Worksheet
Date		Time	City	Details	Notes	Cost ($) 2 People
Thu, Sep 01, 2022	Travel	12:00 PM	Tampa -> Venice	Flight on Delta Airlines	Purchased 8 months in Advance Via Atlanta	$ 400.00
	Meal			Priority Pass Lounge in Atlanta Airport	Free Lunch	$ -
	Meal			Purchase Water and Snacks in the Airport for Plane Trip		$ 20.00
Fri, Sep 02, 2022		10:00 AM		Arrive in Venice Marco Polo Airport		-
	Travel	11:00 AM	Menstre	Hotel Shuttle from Airport to Hotel	Booked by Hotel	$ 45.00
	Hotel	3:00 PM	Menstre	Check Into Hotel - Night 1 of 2		$ 187.00
				The Plaza Hotel - Viale Stazione 36, 30171 Mestre, Italy	Across from Train Station	-
	Travel	Flexable	Menstre	Train from MENSTRE to Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 5.50
	Meal		Venice	Lunch and Dinner - Ideas: Chichetti, D'Artourros		$ 55.00
	Travel	Flexable	Venice	Train from Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to MENSTRE	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 5.50
Sat, Sep 03, 2022	Meal		Menstre	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Travel	Flexable	Menstre	Train from MENSTRE to Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 5.50
	Meal	10:00 AM	Venice	Brunch at the Florian Cafe in St Marcos Square		$ 143.00
	Meal		Venice	Dinner - La Patatina - San Rocco 3958 Venice Italy		$ 35.00
	Travel	Flexable	Venice	Train from Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to MENSTRE	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 5.50
	Hotel		Menstre	Night 2 of 2		$ 187.00
Sun, Sep 04, 2022	Hotel	6:00 AM	Menstre	Check out of Hotel		-
	Meal			Purchase Water and Snacks for Train Ride in the Station		$ 20.00
	Travel	6:30 AM	Venice	Train from MENSTRE to Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 5.50
	Travel	7:05 AM	Venice -> Naples	Train from Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to Napoli Centrale Website - https://www.italotreno.it/en	Purchased ahead of time via Website/App	$ 111.22
		12:30 PM	Naples	Arrive in Naples Train Station		-
	Meal			Pizza for Lunch in Naples - Attanasio - Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi 107 Napoli		$ 61.00
	Travel	4:00 PM	Naples -> Pompeii	Local Train from Naples to Pompeii Company - EAV Line - Local Regional Train	Purchase at station via Person Kiosk - get the timetable	$ 7.70
	Travel		Pompeii	Taxi from Station To Hotel	Hailed Taxi	$ 25.00
	Hotel	5:00 PM	Pompeii	Check Into Hotel - Night 1 of 2		$ 99.00
				Hotel Maiuri Pompei - Viale Unita d'Italia 20, 80045 Pompei		-
	Meal		Pompeii	Dinner - Pomidoris Pizzaria	Across from Hotel	$ 38.50
Mon, Sep 05, 2022	Meal		Pompeii	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Activity	8:00 AM	Pompeii	Pompeii Archaeological Site - https://www.ticketone.it/en/artist/scavi-pompei/	Enter via the Back Entrance & Purchase Tickets There	$ 44.00
	Travel	12:30 PM	Pompeii -> Sorrento	Local Train - EAV Line	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 7.70
	Activity		Sorrento	Local Cliffside Parks and Shopping	Use phone maps to find parks	$ 249.00
	Meal		Sorrento	Lunch in the Lemon Groves - Ristorante 'o Parrucchiano la Favorita Courso Italia 71 Sorrento	Reservations can be made on their website	$ 99.00
	Travel	6:00 PM	Sorrento -> Pompeii	Local Train - EAV Line	Purchase at station via Kiosk	$ 7.70
	Travel		Pompeii	Taxi from Station To Hotel	Hailed Taxi	$ 25.00
	Hotel		Pompeii	Night 2 of 2		$ 99.00
	Meal		Pompeii	Dinner		$ 38.50
Tue, Sep 06, 2022	Hotel	5:00 AM	Pompeii	Check out of Hotel		-
	Travel	5:30 AM	Pompeii -> Naples	Taxi from Pompeii to Naples Train Station	Booked by Hotel	$ 45.00
	Meal		Naples	Breakfast at Station Cafe - Also got Snacks for Train Ride		$ 30.00
	Travel	7:30 AM	Naples -> Pisa	Train from Napoli Centrale to Pisa Centrale Trenitalia - https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html	Purchased ahead of time via Website/App	$ 57.92
	Hotel		Pisa	Luggage Storage Near Train Station https://www.stowyourbags.com/	Rented online - few days before - got the "Maxi" size for 2 carry ons and 2 personal items for 4 hours	$ 15.00
	Activity	1:00 PM	Pisa	Leaning Tower of Pisa - walk from train station 20 mins		-
	Meal		Pisa	Lunch		$ 47.00
	Hotel	5:00 PM	Pisa	Pickup Luggage from Locker		-
	Travel	5:53 PM	Pisa -> Milano	Train from Pisa Centrale to Milano Centrale Railway Station (via Genoa)  Trenitalia - https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html	Purchased ahead of time via Website/App	$ 40.70
		9:53 PM		Arrive in Milano		-
	Hotel		Milano	Check into Hotel - Night 1 of 2	Hotel across the street from train station	$ 184.80
				HOTEL BRISTOL - VIA SCARLATTI, 32 - MILANO 20124	Notified hotel day prior (via email) of later check in	-
Wed, Sep 07, 2022	Meal		Milano	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Travel	5:53 PM	Milano	Day Pass for Metro - ATM	Purchased in Train station	$ 23.00
	Activity	11:30 AM	Milano	The Last Supper - https://www.cenacolo.it/form2.asp	Purchased ahead of time via Website/App - 2 months prior	$ 50.60
	Meal			Lunch - Starbucks Reserve Roastery		$ 60.00
	Activity		Milano	Shopping		$ 161.00
	Activity		Milano	Visited a few main sites - The Doumo Cathedral		$ -
	Meal			Dinner		$ 50.00
	Hotel		Milano	Night 2 of 2		$ 184.80
Thu, Sep 08, 2022	Meal		Milano	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Hotel	10:00 AM	Milano	Check out of Hotel		-
	Travel	10:43 AM	Milano -> Como	Train from Milano Central to Como S Geovenni Trenord - https://www.trenord.it/en/	Purchased ahead of time via Website/App	$ 15.84
	Meal		Como	Lunch across from the Ferry - Ristorante Imbarcadero Piazza Cavour 20 - 22100 Como Italy		$ 88.00
	Travel	12:00 PM	Como -> Bellagio	Ferry - Gestione Navigazione Laghi Italia - https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/biglietti-como	Purchased THERE via Website/App	$ 22.00
	Travel	5:00 PM	Bellagio	Local SEASONAL Tourist Train Bellagio Express Train - Instagram - bellagioexpresstrain	Purchase from Conductor - is seasonal and weather dependent - does a great loop around Bellagio	$ 10.00
	Hotel		Bellagio	Check into Hotel - Night 1 of 3	Can walk up hill from Ferry station to hotel - It's also across the street from the bus stop	$ 264.00
				Hotel Silvio Via P. Carcano 10-12 22021 Bellagio (CO) Tel: +39031950322		-
	Meal		Bellagio	Lunch and Dinner at Hotel		$ 134.00
Fri, Sep 09, 2022	Activity		Bellagio	Ideas: Boat Tour of Lake Como - Ferry to Minnagio and Verrena Billagio - Villa Melzi gardens	We did none of these - we relaxed in the hotel	-
	Activity		Bellagio	Shopping in the town		$ 167.00
	Meal		Bellagio	Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Hotel	Breakfast Included	$ 134.00
	Hotel		Bellagio	Night 2 of 3		$ 264.00
Sat, Sep 10, 2022	Meal		Bellagio	Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Hotel	Breakfast Included	$ 134.00
	Activity		Bellagio	Laundry at San Giovanni - Local Laundromat - Lavanderia	Bring cash/coins	$ 10.00
	Hotel		Bellagio	Night 3 of 3		$ 264.00
Sun, Sep 11, 2022	Meal		Bellagio	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Hotel	7:00 AM	Bellagio	Check out of Hotel	Gave us breakfast togo	$ -
	Travel			Bus from Hotel to Como S. Giovanni Station - C30	Pay cash on bus	$ 8.00
	Travel	9:36 AM	Como S.Giovanni -> Como Camerlata	Trenord - Route S11	Purchased in Train station	$ 4.62
	Travel	10:26 AM	Como Camerlata -> Saronno - R	Trenord - Route R17	Purchased in Train station	$ 6.60
	Travel	11:16 AM	Saronno - R -> Malpensa Airport - MXP	Malpensa Express - Route MXP	Purchased in Train station	$ 17.60
		12:00 PM	Milano	Arrive at Airport		-
	Meal		Milano	Lunch at the Airport		$ 35.00
	Travel	3:35 AM	Milan -> Paris	Flight from Milano to Paris - Airline : Easy Jet - Terminal 1	Purchased 2 months in advance	$ 107.50
				Paris Metro App - 5 Day Pass Paris Visit Ticket Zones 1-5 - Purchase at Airport	Purchased at Airport	$ 140.00
	Travel	Flexable	Airport -> Paris	Train from Airport to Gare del L Est Station	Included in Day Pass	-
	Hotel	7:00 PM	Paris	Check into Hotel - Night 1 of 4	1 block from the train station	$ 185.90
				Libertel Gare de l Est Francais - 13 rue du 8 mai 1945 Paris (75) - France		-
	Meal		Paris	Dinner		$ 58.75
Mon, Sep 12, 2022	Meal		Paris	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Activity			Ideas: See the main sites in Paris - Use Day Pass to get around on the Metro		-
	Meal		Paris	Lunch at Jules Verne - Al Cart Menu https://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/en/jules-verne-restaurant/lunch.html	Reserved 2 months in advance - $250 deposit at time of booking	$ 330.00
	Activity			Ideas: Visit Mont Marte,La Grande Epicerie de Paris - Rue de Sevres - Upscale Market		-
	Meal			Dinner		$ 58.75
	Hotel		Paris	Night 2 of 4		$ 185.90
Tue, Sep 13, 2022	Meal		Paris	Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Travel	8:00 AM	Paris -> Versailles	Train from Paris (Gare del L'est) to Versailles	Included in Day Pass Purchase - Versailles Station is 10min walk to Versailles Palace	-
	Activity	8:30 AM		Palace Versailles - Castle and Gardens + Audio Tour + Golf Cart Rental https://en.chateauversailles.fr/plan-your-visit/tickets-and-prices	Purchased in Advance to get the time slot we wanted - First in the Morning	$ 112.00
	Meal		Versailles	Lunch - La Flottille (on the Palace Property, bottom of the hill)		$ 106.00
	Travel	2:00 PM	Versailles -> Paris	Train from Versailles to Paris (Gare del L'est)	Day Pass	-
	Meal	7:00 PM	Paris	Dinner		$ 58.75
	Hotel		Paris	Night 3 of 4		$ 185.90
Wed, Sep 14, 2022	Meal			Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Travel	8:00 AM	Paris ->Epernay	Train from Paris to Epernay SNCF - from Gare De L'est to Epernay	Purchased in advance via the website/app - the times are tight so I would recommend staying overnight if possible	$ 68.75
	Meal			Lunch at Local Cafe - Les Gourmandises d'Amaelle	Packed snacks to go - to eat during the day - the houses don't typically serve food	$ 20.00
	Activity	12:00 PM		Champagne Tour - Epernay France - Moet & Chandon 20 Avenue de Champagne	Purchased in Advance via the website - Tour was 77$ + shopping	$ 147.00
	Activity	1:00 PM		Perrier Jouett - House visit for a tasting 26 Avenue de Champagne		$ 22.00
	Activity	2:00 PM		Charles Magnoin - House visit for a tasting - $15 tasting Rue Irene Joliot-Curie	Take local taxi up the hill - ask house staff for recommendations	$ 20.00
	Travel	4:00 PM	Epernay-> Paris	Train from Paris to Epernay SNCF - from Gare De L'est to Epernay	Train from Paris to Epernay SNCF - from Gare De L'est to Epernay	$ 68.75
	Hotel		Paris	Night 4 of 4		$ 185.90
	Meal			Dinner		$ 58.75
Thu, Sep 15, 2022	Meal			Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Hotel		Paris	Check out of Hotel - Left Luggage in Hotel Storage		-
	Activity		Paris	Shopping and visiting more city sites		$ 174.00
	Meal			Lunch - Les Deux Magots		$ 58.00
	Travel	6:00 PM	Paris -> Airport	Train from Gare del L Est Station to Airport	Included in Day Pass	$ -
	Meal			Dinner in the Airport		$ 35.00
	Travel	9:40 PM	Paris -> Venice	Flight from Paris to Venice - Via Easy Jet	Purchased 2 months in advance	$ 107.50
	Travel	11:30 PM	Venice	Taxi from Airport to MENSTRE	Hailed a Taxi	$ 35.00
	Hotel		Venice	Check into Hotel - Night 1 of 1		$ 179.00
				The Plaza Hotel - Viale Stazione 36, 30171 Mestre, Italy	Across from Mestre Train Station	-
Fri, Sep 16, 2022	Meal			Breakfast at Hotel - included in stay		$ -
	Hotel		Venice	Check out of Hotel		-
	Travel	11:30 PM	Venice	Train from Mestre to visit cousin in Sacile - the RV Line		$ 6.00
	Activity		Venice	Shopping in Venice		$ 143.00
	Meal			Lunch		-
	Travel	11:30 PM	Sacile	Train from Sacile to Mestre - the RV Line		$ 6.00
	Meal			Hotel Bauer Rooftop Dinner	Made reservations in person - the week prior	$ 483.00
	Travel	11:30 PM	Venice	Train from Mestre to Sacile - the RV Line		$ 6.00
	Hotel		Sacile	Night 1 of 2 - Stayed with family		$ -
Sat, Sep 17, 2022	Activity		Sacile	Explored Sacile		$ -
	Hotel		Sacile	Night 2 of 2 - Stayed with family		$ -
	Meal			Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner		-
Sun, Sep 18, 2022	Travel		Sacile -> Mestre	Train from Sacile to Mestre - the RV Line		$ 6.00
	Travel	7:00 AM		Taxi from Mestre to the Airport	Hailed at Site	$ 35.00
	Travel	11:00 AM	Venice -> Tampa	Flight on Delta Airlines	Purchased 8 months in Advance Via Atlanta	$ 400.00
	Meal			Priority Pass Lounge in Marco Polo Airport Venice	Free breakfast	$ -
	Meal			Eating Lunch in Atlanta Airport		$ 30.00
	Travel	8:00 PM		Back home in Tampa!		-