golden eagle danube express

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Breathtaking scenery and an ever-changing view of spectacular proportions are a certainty. Enjoy coastal views of the tranquil and inviting Adriatic and the awe-inspiring panorama of Mount

Vesuvius. Board the Golden Eagle Danube Express for a truly remarkable journey of a lifetime.

southbound tour

Italy is overflowing with ancient history, none more prevalent than the crumbling ruins of Pompeii and the few remains of the catastrophic eruption of 79AD that turned a once-thriving city into a virtual ghost town. The architecture is vast and varied; from the quirky flamboyance of Palermo to

the medieval influences of Cremona.

northbound tour

The countless delights of Italy have drawn generations of travellers to the ancient, treasure-filled cities, rolling green hills and spectacular coastlines of this captivating country. Travel from Sicily to Italy’s great cities: Rome, with its iconic Colosseum and St Peter’s Basilica; Florence with its

sublime galleries, and magical Venice, the city on water.

sicilianodyssey

venice - taormina / taormina - venice

venice - cremona - verona - bologna - san marino - bari - herculaneum & pompeiipalermo - agrigento - ragusa - syracuse - caltagirone - catania - taormina

taormina - caltagirone - catania - syracuse - ragusa - palermo

salerno & amalfi coast - rome - san gimignano - siena - florence - venice

Sicily Verona Vatican City

sicilianodyssey

venice - taormina / taormina - venice

tour schedule daily tour itineraries

Venice - TaorminaSeptember 14 – September 25, 2017

Taormina - VeniceSeptember 22 – October 3, 2017

accommodation

2 nights in Venice | 7 nights on board Golden Eagle Danube Express |

2 nights in Taormina

southbound itinerary

venice - cremona - verona - bologna - san marino - bari - herculaneum & pompeiipalermo - agrigento - ragusa - syracuse - caltagirone - catania - taormina

northbound itinerary

taormina - caltagirone - catania - syracuse - ragusa - palermosalerno & amalfi coast - rome - san gimignano - siena - florence - venice

Southbound Day 1 VeniceDay 2 VeniceDay 3 Cremona & VeronaDay 4 Bologna & San MarinoDay 5 BariDay 6 Herculaneum & Pompeii Day 7 Palermo & CorleoneDay 8 Agrigento & RagusaDay 9 Syracuse & Caltagirone Day 10 Catania & TaorminaDay 11 TaorminaDay 12 Taormina

Northbound Day 1 TaorminaDay 2 TaorminaDay 3 CaltagironeDay 4 CataniaDay 5 Syracuse & RagusaDay 6 Palermo & CorleoneDay 7 Salerno & Amalfi CoastDay 8 RomeDay 9 San Gimignano & Siena Day 10 FlorenceDay 11 VeniceDay 12 Venice

www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com38 To Book Call +44 (0)161 928 9410 or Call Your Travel Agent 39

Venice

Taormina

CremonaVerona

Bologna

Bari

Herculaneum

Rome

Pompeii

Villa San GiovanniPalermo

Agrigento

RagusaSyracuseCaltagirone

CataniaCorleone

SalernoAmalfiCoast

Ferry

Bus

San GimignanoSiena

Rimini

San Marino

Florence Bus

A d r i a t i c S e a

I o n i a nS e a

Ty r r h e n i a nS e a

M e d i t e r r a n e a nS e a

HUNGARY

SLOVENIA

SWITZERLAND

ITALY

CROATIA

GREECE

AUSTRIA

FRANCE

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Sardinia

Corsica

Sicily

ROMANIA

SERBIA

ALBANIA

MACEDONIA

MONTENEGROBULGARIA

Voyages of a Lifetime by Private TrainTM | SICILIAN ODYSSEY

Venice is a truly captivating city of romance; its unrivalled beauty takes away the breath of first time visitors and regulars alike. Included in our time in Venice is two nights at the iconic five-star Hotel Danieli. The hotel enjoys a spectacular location and is only a short stroll from St Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs.

On our first evening we will enjoy a welcome reception dinner at the hotel, giving you the opportunity to meet fellow travellers and learn more about our journey through this fascinating part of Europe.

On day 2, guests will have the opportunity to take a walking tour around the highlights of this romantic city. Alternatively, you can spend the day exploring this magnificent city at your leisure, maybe taking an iconic gondola ride in the basin of St. Mark’s or see St Mark’s Basilica or stroll through the Rialto Market. This evening you will enjoy a private pianist concert at the Palazzetto Bru Zane.

This morning we transfer from the hotel, by boat, directly to Santa Lucia station on the Grand Canal where our train the Golden Eagle Danube Express will be ready to receive us. We will begin our journey threading our way out onto the 3-mile causeway over the Venice Lagoon and along the Po River to Cremona. This charmingly quaint and understated city carries itself with impressive architecture and is almost completely off

the major tourism radar. After browsing the impressive 13th century piazza we’ll take a private tour of the fabled Stradivari Museum to allow us to explore the city’s intertwined relationship with violins and other stringed instruments.

A gourmet lunch will then be served on board the train as we continue onto Verona. Famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, we will enjoy a concise yet informative walking tour of the city’s famous sites. This evening, dinner will be served just out of the city at the stunning setting of Sirmione on Lake Garda.

After a delicious on board breakfast, we will arrive in the food capital of Italy, Bologna. Beautiful from nearly all angles, a morning tour highlighting the character and history of this renowned culinary destination will allow us to take in the city’s many famous arches and its historic university.

A toast at the top of the Torre di Prendiparte will set up the afternoon as we travel onwards to Rimini. With Freedom of Choice touring options available this afternoon you could visit the Ferrari factory* in nearby Maranello to take a drive around the test-track. Alternatively, explore the enclaved microstate of San Marino where we can tour the designated UNESCO World Heritage centre along with Mount Titano. Dinner will be served here and will feature the country’s famous Torta Tre Monti or ‘Cake of the Three Towers’.

*Please advise us at the time of booking if you would like to select this option

veniceItaly

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Verona

DAYS

1-2

cremona & veronaItalyDA

Y 3

bologna, rimini& san marinoItalyDA

Y 4

southbound tourvenice - taormina

Bari

Palermo

bariItaly

This morning the train will leave Rimini and continue its journey hugging the eastern Italian seaboard. Enjoy stunning coastal views from our carriages as we travel to our next stop in the Apulia region at Bari. This afternoon you will enjoy a guided tour of Bari’s Florentine style old-town and its domineering fortress and castle that has stood guarding the port since the 12th century. You could instead visit a local olive oil mill complete with a tasting just a few minutes from the station. Tonight as we sit down for dinner we’ll travel across central Italy west through the Matese hills.

The crumbling ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii await our exploration today. These two towns, which were destroyed by lava flow in the momentous eruption of 79AD have been painstakingly conserved over centuries to keep visitors coming to the region. We will take a behind the scenes tour of how preservation work is a continuous race against time to protect the original splendour. After soaking up the atmosphere of these Roman ghost-towns, we will take a stop at the Michelin-starred restaurant, President, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, to sample local wine and taste a few of the delicious, slowly ripening Piennolo tomatoes.

This afternoon our spectacularly scenic rail journey continues as we leave the region of Campania and journey all the way to the southern tip of the Italian mainland at Villa San Giovanni. On this stretch of rail, we will travel through the remarkable Parco Nazionale del Cilento and Vallo di Diano e Alburni, filled with mountains, forests, rivers and creeks.

Enjoy a delicious locally sourced breakfast on board as the Golden Eagle Danube Express begins its movement onto one of the very few ‘train ferries’ in the world across to the island of Sicily.

Our first stop after the crossing is the flamboyant and feisty capital of Sicily, Palermo. Here we’ll take in gentle walking tour of the city’s bustling old-town, taking in the city’s melting pot of architectural styles. We will finish the tour with an aperitif and small concert at the stunning Teatro Massimo, the biggest theatre in Italy and the third largest in Europe. This afternoon you have the choice to continue browsing the capital or take a transfer to Corleone to learn about the notorious Mafia families made famous by Francis Ford Coppola’s motion picture, The Godfather.

Wake up in Agrigento, home to Italy’s most impressive Greek ruins. While the city itself lacks character, we will focus on the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Valle Dei Templi with a privately lead tour around the remains of the ancient city. This afternoon we will continue onto Ragusa. This quaint small town has plenty of character with its many grey stone houses and churches littering the hillside making for wonderful picture post-card scenery. A cooking demonstration at a nearby hotel will allow us to get hands on with local delicacies before a brief walking tour of the historical old-town. Tonight the train will continue on to Syracuse.

The former Byzantine empire was both founded and raised at our first destination of the day in Syracuse. We’ll escape the hustle and bustle of the city itself and take the view from the water with a tour around the Island of Ortigia before heading back to the train for lunch. We will then continue to the attractive hilltop town of Caltagirone. Renowned for producing beautiful pottery since the 10th Century, we will visit a local ceramic workshop before an intriguing visit to the villa Romana del Casale, one of the best preserved Roman villas in the world to discover more about the Roman civilisation that once ruled this island. This evening we will enjoy a special dinner deep in the countryside at the renowned restaurant Al Fogher.

www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com To Book Call +44 (0)161 928 9410 or Call Your Travel Agent40 41

DAY

5

pompeii & herculaneumItalyDA

Y 6

palermo & corleoneSicilyDA

Y 7

agrigento & ragusaSicilyDA

Y 8

syracuse & caltagironeSicilyDA

Y 9

To Book Call +44 (0)161 928 9410 or Call Your Travel Agent 41

Taormina

Voyages of a Lifetime by Private TrainTM | SICILIAN ODYSSEY

Following a leisurely breakfast on board admiring the pleasing Sicilian landscape you will have the option of free time to explore the various characterful squares and churches of Catania or perhaps take a Sicilian hands-on pastry cooking class at Società Storica Catanese. Later this afternoon the train will then continue onto our final stop of Taormina with two nights at the Hotel San Domenico Palace.

With views overlooking the gulf of Naxos and Mount Etna, the city of Taormina makes for a truly memorable setting for the end of our voyage. A privately guided tour of the Mount Etna museum with a local volcanologist will start our day before taking time on the slopes of the geological wonder itself at

a Sicilian Palmento. Here you’ll sample local wines and take lunch amongst the vineyards.

This afternoon we’ll have time to relax amongst the gorgeous medieval churches and the stunning Greek theatre. Tonight, we toast the success of the tour at our farewell dinner at the Hotel San Domenico Palace, complete of course with champagne.

taorminaSicilyDA

YS 1

1-12

catania & taorminaSicilyDA

Y 10

A view of Moutn Etna from the Gulf of Catania

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taorminaSicily

With views overlooking the gulf of Naxos and Mount Etna, the city of Taormina makes for a truly memorable setting to begin our voyage. Included in our time here is a two night stay at the luxurious five-star NH Collection Hotel Taormina.

On your first night we will enjoy a welcome reception dinner at the hotel, giving you the opportunity to meet fellow travellers and learn more about our journey through this fascinating part of Europe.

The following morning a privately guided tour of the Mount Etna museum with a local volcanologist will start our first full day before taking time on the slopes of the geological wonder itself at a Sicilian Palmento. Here you’ll sample local wines and take lunch amongst the vineyards. This afternoon we’ll have time to relax amongst the gorgeous medieval churches and the stunning Greek theatre.

After a leisurely start this morning, we will transfer from the hotel to the station where our train the Golden Eagle Danube Express will be ready to receive us to begin our journey. Later this afternoon we will arrive into Caltagirone to discover more about

the Roman civilisation that once ruled the island. An intriguing visit to the Villa Romana del Casale, one of the best preserved Roman Villas in the world will round off the day followed by a special dinner deep in the countryside at the renowned restaurant Al Fogher.

Following a leisurely breakfast on board, admiring the pleasing Sicilian landscapes, you will have the option of free time to explore the various characterful squares and churches of Catania, before taking a hands-on Sicilian pastry cooking class at Società Storica Catanese.

northbound tourtaormina - venice

catania SicilyDA

Y 4

caltagironeSicilyDA

Y 3

DAYS

1 &

2

Ancient Theatre in Taormina

Voyages of a Lifetime by Private TrainTM | SICILIAN ODYSSEY

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The town of Amalfi

The former Byzantine empire was both founded and raised in Syracuse. We’ll escape the hustle and bustle of the city itself and take the view from the water with a tour around the Island of Ortigia before heading back to the train to enjoy lunch travelling into Ragusa. This quaint small town has plenty of character with its many grey stone houses and churches littering the hillside making for wonderful picture post-card scenery. A brief walking tour of the historical old-town complete with a visit to local chocolatier will set you bearings for some free time in this beautiful corner of Sicily.

Enjoy a delicious locally-sourced breakfast on board as the Golden Eagle Danube Express before taking the option to explore the flamboyant and feisty capital of Sicily, Palermo or take a transfer to Corleone to learn about the notorious Mafia families made famous by Francis Ford Coppola’s motion picture, The Godfather.

Dinner will be served on-board before we join one of the very few ‘train ferries’ in the world across to the Italian mainland.

A real rail highlight this morning as we journey up to Salerno to explore the Amalfi Coast by coach and boat. With the iconic coast on our left and the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park to our right the scenery will be something to marvel at. Once we arrive in Salerno, we’ll take a stunning private cruise along the bay to the town of Amalfi. Here you will take one of our Freedom of Choice options to either take in a walking tour of Amalfi or visit a local lemon grove to learn more about the distinctive citric fruit grown across southern Italy. A private coach will then transfer our group to re-join our train in Naples, taking a panoramic tour of Amalfi Coast en-route.

syracuse & ragusaSicilyDA

Y 5

palermoSicilyDA

Y 6

salerno & the amalfi coastItalyDA

Y 7

romeItaly

We wake on the outskirts of the Italian capital this morning. With so much to discover we’ll begin the day with an introductory tour of the real UNESCO World Heritage site gems by private golf buggies. Our tour will take in Villa Borghese through the famous Via Veneto. After driving around the park to see its monuments and buildings, a stop will be made at the Pincio Terrace from which one enjoys a beautiful view of Rome and the Vatican. Further stops at the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona will allow you to see more of Rome’s most iconic sights before a light lunch. The afternoon you will have the choice to continue to explore the city under your own guidance or to join the group to see more of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica. Dinner will be served on board as the twilight approaches cruising through the rolling-hills of the Italian countryside north to the open-air museum town that is Siena.

A full day of touring in the warming town of San Gimignano and Chianti in the province of Siena really allows us to take a leisurely pace exploring these two Italian classics. Also known as a ‘Medieval Manhattan’ with its 14 towers, our tour of SanGimignano will focus on its history and intact 14th century streetscapes.

Chianti will follow accompanied with a healthy tasting of the famous red wine named from the town it originated. This afternoon is free to explore the town of Siena where the train rests.

Dinner will be served locally, accompanied by the town’s rich history.

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DAY

8

san gimignano & sienaItalyDA

Y 9

Roman Forum

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Florence

Voyages of a Lifetime by Private TrainTM | SICILIAN ODYSSEY

florenceItalyDA

Y 10

veniceItalyDA

YS 1

1-12

A short train ride leaving Siena this morning will take us further into Tuscany to the beautiful renaissance city of Florence. We’ll begin with a panoramic tour of the city’s best known features before taking to the water to see Florence’s world-renowned arches and bridges including the iconic Ponte Vecchio. A stunning venue for lunch will give you a memorable view to remember overlooking the city.

After lunch, you will have time to explore or maybe shop for leather in the Oltrarno district or maybe explore the cobbled lined streets Centro Storico. This evening we’ll make our final journey by train north towards Venice, but not before our final dinner on board celebratingour journey.

Venice is a truly captivating city of romance; its unrivalled beauty takes away the breath of first time visitors and regulars alike. Included in our time in Venice is two nights at the iconic five-star Hotel Danieli. The hotel enjoys a spectacular location and is only a short stroll from St Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs.

On our final full day, guests will have the opportunity to take a walking tour around the highlights of this romantic city. Alternatively, you can spend the day exploring this magnificent city at your leisure, maybe taking an iconic gondola ride in the basin of St. Mark’s or see St Mark’s Basilica or stroll through the Rialto Market.

On our final evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel, giving you the opportunity to say goodbye to your fellow travellers and toast the success of our tour.