Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Milan - Lecce
100% customisable for you
Your eco-friendly rail journey to southern Italy begins today. The first leg of your trip is a speedy two-and-a-half-hour Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, followed by an easy seven-minute RER (the Parisian metro) connection to Gare de Lyon (two stops on Line D).
You’ll have enough time for a relaxed Parisian lunch (we can recommend a good bistro close to the station) before you board the Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) for the long but comfortable ride to Milan. The journey takes just over seven hours, speeding at nearly 190mph to Lyon before slowing as the tracks climb towards the Alps, slip through a mountain tunnel and descend into northern Italy via Turin.
Arriving in Milan this evening, check into your centrally located hotel and unwind after your day of travel. Enjoy dinner in the city or stretch your legs with an early-evening stroll before resting up for tomorrow’s onward journey.
After breakfast, board the direct Frecciabianca train service for your southbound journey to Lecce. Travelling the length of the Italian peninsula in just under nine hours, the route traces the east coast past vineyards, olive groves and Medieval towns, with flashes of the Adriatic between stretches of countryside
Once you arrive in Lecce, drop your bags at your hotel and ease into the local rhythm. This evening, sit down to a classic Puglian dinner – Italians often regard the region’s rustic cucina povera as the country’s best – and enjoy your first taste of life in the Salento.
After a leisurely breakfast, set out on a private three-hour walking tour of Lecce. Begin in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, home to the Roman amphitheatre that once held some 25,000 spectators. Only half of it is visible today, the rest still lying beneath later Baroque buildings, including the 16th-century Church of Santa Maria della Grazia.
Continue through Lecce’s honey-hued streets to Palazzo Taurino, where you’ll head below ground to the small museum housed in the former synagogue – a fascinating window into the city’s Medieval Jewish community. As you walk, your guide will unravel Lecce’s layered history and point out the ornate flourishes that define its distinctive architectural style. Round off the morning with a pasticciotto leccese, the custard-filled pastry first created here in the 18th century. For dinner this evening, our Concierge can recommend and reserve a table at one of Lecce’s best restaurants.
Today is yours to shape as you wish. Stay local with a relaxed wander through Lecce’s maze of narrow sandstone streets or enjoy a slow morning at your hotel. As evening approaches, join the locals for an aperitivo in a tucked-away bar.
If you’d like to explore the wider Salento region, we can organise a private car, as public transport makes it difficult to reach the area’s most rewarding spots. With a driver at your disposal, it’s easy to visit Galatina’s beautiful churches, Gallipoli’s golden beaches and Santa Maria di Leuca’s historic lighthouse, where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet. Wine lovers might also enjoy a visit to Nardo to sample its celebrated Primitivo
This morning, head to the coast for a four-hour boat trip along the Otranto shoreline, known for its pristine beaches, turquoise water and dramatic white cliffs that plunge into the sea. Depending on conditions, your skipper will navigate to the area’s best spots – often including Mulino d’Acqua, Baia Morrone, Baia dei Turchi and Baia delle Orte – revealing stretches of coastline only accessible from the water.
Alternatively, if you prefer to explore on land, there’s a direct train connecting Lecce and Otranto, making for an easy and scenic day trip. Wander the old town’s fortified walls, visit the cathedral with its extraordinary mosaic floor or simply savour the fresh sea air over a long lunch overlooking the harbour.
Make the most of your final morning in Lecce before boarding the direct train north to Milan. The journey takes around nine-and-a-half hours and traces the same scenic route up the Adriatic coast, passing olive groves, hilltop towns and long stretches of countryside. Settle in with a good book, podcast or simply watch Italy roll by.
You’ll arrive in Milan in the early evening with time for a gentle stroll and a final Italian supper. As ever, ask our clued-up local Concierge for advice on where to eat, and to book you a table. Indulge in a delicious dinner and a negroni sbagliato (Milan's variation on the theme - with prosecco instead of gin) or two, to round off your day.
After breakfast, board your midday train from Milan to Paris. The journey takes around seven hours, carrying you back through the Alpine foothills and across rural France before arriving into Paris Gare de Lyon in the early evening. As there are no Eurostar services late enough to connect with this arrival, you’ll spend the night in Paris. We can recommend a comfortable, well-located hotel and somewhere nearby for dinner — a relaxed brasserie is perfect after a day on the rails.
The following morning, make the easy RER transfer to Gare du Nord and board the Eurostar back to London, arriving late morning or early afternoon depending on your chosen departure. It’s the perfect soft landing after a week of slow, scenic travel.
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
ENQUIRE NOW
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
