The Italian Riviera

Our holiday begins at London St Pancras where we meet before taking the Eurostar to Paris. Changing trains in the French capital, we continue to the handsome Italian city of Turin, where we spend the night in a local hotel.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

You have a free morning in Turin, a beautiful city of French and Italian influence. You could make a trip to see one of the city's most famous features, the Turin Shroud. Believed by many to be an imprint of Christ's face after being crucified, the shroud has been displayed in Turin since 1578. We continue to Sestri Levante, a town set on a peninsula overlooking the glittering Mediterranean, surrounded by two gorgeous bays. We spend seven nights here.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You're free to explore Sestri Levante. On one side of the town is the Bay of Fairytales, named Hans Christian Anderson who once lived in the town. With its port, promenade and shops, it's the liveliest part of town. On the other side is the Bay of Silence, also known as Portobello. Considered one of the best beaches in Italy, this is a wonderful spot for a stroll. Perhaps take a walk through the Old Town, exploring the intertwining streets lined with rainbow-coloured buildings. There's an abundance of appealing cafés, bars and restaurants you could visit here - maybe to sample the catch of the day or relax with an Aperol Spritz.

• Breakfast

We explore the Cinque Terre, a famous collection of picturesque coastal villages set within a National Park. The villages share UNESCO World Heritage status thanks to their old-world charm and breathtaking scenery. We travel by train along the stunning coastline to historic Riomaggiore, where colourful houses rise from the tiny harbour and small beach. We take to the waters next, sailing to elegant Vernazza. Located at the mouth of a river, the town's cobbled streets are lined with quaint cafés and crowned by a medieval castle. Our final visit is to Monterosso. The most northerly of the villages, it's known for its large sandy beach and lemon trees. We have some time to explore here with our local guide.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We take to the waters on a scenic cruise to Portofino, a glorious fishing village surrounded by olive groves. Highly regarded as one of the most beautiful port towns in the Mediterranean, the town has a stunning natural harbour surrounded by pastel-painted houses. We enjoy lunch in a local restaurant, savouring views across the idyllic harbour and ocean beyond as we dine. We continue to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, a stunning abbey hidden in a stunning bay. Originally built in the 10th century, the abbey has a rich and fascinating history. Underwater, near the abbey, is a statue of 'Christ in the Abyss', said to protect local sailors.

*landing at San Fruttuoso is dependent on weather. If it is not possible, the boat will land at Santa Margherita.

• Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, we take a short walk to a traditional trattoria for an insight into local cuisine, as we're treated to a pesto making lesson. We discover how to make delicious pesto following a traditional Genoese recipe, before sitting down to enjoy a mouth-watering pasta lunch. For the rest of the day you're free to explore Sestri Levante further. Perhaps spend the day relaxing and enjoying the hotel's gardens. Or, admire the winding medieval streets, charming buildings and splendid harbour views on a walk through the town centre.

• Breakfast, Lunch

We travel to Pisa, a city famed for its Leaning Tower, which started to lean as soon as it was built and was used by Galileo to study gravity. Our guided tour here takes us to the Field of Miracles, where we have time to admire the iconic tower, as well as the white marble Duomo with its sublime Moorish mosaics. This afternoon we pay a visit to Lucca. Here, majestic city walls encircle a Roman and medieval centre packed with piazzas, art galleries and tiny churches, connected by narrow cobbled streets. You have free time to grab lunch, a great opportunity to sample some Tuscan specialties.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We travel by rail to the picturesque fishing village of Camogli, a beautiful town that's slightly more overlooked than its more glamorous neighbours. Set on the side of a cliff, the town climbs from a dark pebble beach and beautiful harbour filled with colourful fishing boats, up to groves of pine and olive trees. After a guided tour of the town centre and beautiful harbour area, lined with attractive peachy-hued buildings, we return to our hotel in Sestri Levante for dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Travelling west through Italy by rail, we skirt the stunning Ligurian coastline on our way to the French city of Nice, where we spend the night. There's some free time to get to know lovely Nice this evening. Located on the stunning Côte d'Azur, the views here are incredible. Perhaps take a stroll along the palm-tree-lined Promenade des Anglais or visit one of the city's irresistible pavement cafés and enticing bars.

• Breakfast

Our holiday comes to an end today. Bidding farewell to Nice, we take the train to Paris. Here, we join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Meal