Venice

Canals, streets and squares epitomise Venice. It is a city full of palaces and churches containing some of the greatest mosaics, paintings and sculpture in Europe. This makes it one of the must-see European sights, especially some buildings are sinking into the marshes, so go while it still stands.

Fast facts

: From £115
: 18h 35m; Overnight

Journey planner

London St Pancras
Paris Gare Du Nord
Paris Gare De Bercy
Turin Porta Susa
Verona
Vicenza
Padua
Venice Santa Lucia

Getting there

Take an afternoon Eurostar from London to Paris, enjoy a drink or two in a Parisian café, then take the 'Stendhal' sleeper train from Paris direct to Venice. Enjoy a meal in the restaurant car before settling down for the scenic, rolling green hills and picturesque villages of the French countryside.

The Stendhal has one-bed, two-bed and three-bed sleepers, four-berth and six-berth couchettes, and a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks, and affordable meals (the three-course 'menu del giorno' costs 26 euros).

All bedding is provided and sleeper passengers get a complementary toiletries kit, a cup of tea or coffee and a croissant in the morning.

The scenery is excellent south of Paris as the train speeds towards Italy, with leafy valleys, small French villages and picturesque churches.

Next morning wake up in your sleeper or couchette to coffee and a croissant, and a classic Italian landscape of red-roofed houses and poplar trees.

The train slowly crosses the causeway into central Venice, arriving at Santa Lucia station on the banks of the Grand Canal, 15 minutes from the Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square.

Highlights

Visit Venice's largest church, the Franciscan Chiesa di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
Try catching the vaporetto down the Grand Canal to Accademia
Visit the remarkable Basilica di San Marco
Explore the pretty fishing village of Burano
Savour the cluster of sights around the Piazza San Marco