Venice to Florence

Magnificent palaces, medieval towns and mosaics

Fly or ride one of several scenic rail routes through Switzerland and the Alps to arrive in Venice. After a few days in the city, choose one of two slow-train options to Florence: the first via Ferrara (1hr; £8.50), an unsung medieval and Renaissance gem (ferrarainfo.com), and then Ravenna (1hr 10min; £6.50), celebrated for the extraordinary Byzantine mosaics adorning many of its churches (turismo.ra.it).

Trains via Faenza and Borgo San Lorenzo will then take you to Florence (2hr 30min; £11.50) on a scenic line through the Apennines.

A superb, but busier, alternative takes you first to unmissable Vicenza (45min; £5.85) for a day’s sightseeing focused on this tiny city’s Palladian architecture (vicenzae.org), before a short hop to Verona (40min; £5.30) and two or more days exploring the city’s churches, picturesque old centre and one of Europe’s finest Roman amphitheatres (turismoverona.eu).

Stay at the comfortable but no-frills Hotel Accademia (hotelaccademiaverona.it; £97), a central four-star, or more-frills Victoria (palazzo-victoria. verona.hotels-veneto.com; from £146).

Then head for Mantova (46min; £3.75), barely visited but beautifully situated on a trio of lakes (take a boat trip), and with a magnificent ducal palace, sleepy squares and lovely arcaded streets that will keep you happy for two days or more (turismo.mantova.it). Stay at the Hotel Broletto (brolettohotel. com; from £110) or the Palazzo Castiglioni (palazzocastiglionimantova.com; from £236) for a treat.

Trains run to Florence (3hr; £25.50) via a change in Bologna, but consider a roundabout route with a morning or more in both Parma (for its food, cathedral and shopping) and Modena (for its cathedral, museums and Albinelli market) before taking a slow train to Florence from Bologna via a change at Prato (1hr 12min; £35) – itself worth a morning – and another captivating ride through the Apennines.