Hi ... I have about one week in May to travel to northern Italy from London, and would like any help on a route, we are a family of four...my kids are young adults, we are taking trains, enjoy history, art and nature. Thinking France? Maybe Spain to. It's ok to be just one night per sleep over, because in Italy we are taking it slow. Thanks so much!

fly?

www.seat61.com is your start point

Only a week?
FLY!

There will still be plenty of chances for rail travel, but cover the big distances in the air.

My sister and brother-in-law came to visit me by train from England; her husband won't fly.

They stopped over in Paris and in Lucerne (two nights in each city). On the way back they stopped in Como, Strasbourg, and Brussels (one night in each city).

Hi dp,

Go to Google maps for London to Turin and choose the train.

I suggest Eurostar to Paris - 3 nights
IDTGV Train to Colmar via Strasbourg
Train to Turin

see www.bahn.de for timetables.

They have five days for the journey to Italy, not for their whole holiday.

Ira's suggestion looks pretty good, but you could substitute someplace in Switzerland instead of Turin (Torino), since Italy is your destination.

How about southern France - take train to Nice - stay a few days - take train to Avignon - heart of touristic Provence - night train or day train to Paris.

If Switzerland I'd train to the Interlaken area and spend 2-3 days there in the awesome high Alps - go to a Wengen or Grindelwald right up in the hills - toylike trains going off in all directions and thrilling aerial cable ways- easy to more demanding hikes:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...w=1745&bih=864

Interlaken is about 5-6 hours from Paris by TGV -spend a few days in Parisand take Eurostar train to London.

for lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Thanks so much I will study these web sites!!!