The Italian Riviera & Portofino

Your holiday begins at London St Pancras International where we meet the Tour Manager and our group before boarding the Eurostar service to Paris. In the French capital, we change trains and continue to Turin for one night.

Passing the Italian Alps, we arrive in this elegant city. After checking in to our hotel, we gather for a three-course dinner.

• Dinner

After breakfast, your morning is free to explore the nearby attractions of Turin. The city is one of Italy's leading centres of business, finance and technology, but remains a showcase of fantastic Baroque, Renaissance and modern architecture. Fringed by the Italian alps, Turin's wide boulevards and grand public squares are lined with enticing cafés and bars.

In the early afternoon we continue by rail. From Genoa, the route clings to the dramatic coast, disappearing through tunnels and reappearing on serene marine views, crossing viaducts over colourful towns, all along the beautiful coastline. On arrival in Chiavari, we check into our hotel in the historic centre of this picturesque town.

Ideally situated on the Italian Riviera, Chiavari's palm-lined promenade offers views of the Ligurian Sea, while the inland hills are dotted with olive groves. Dinner is served at the hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You can familiarise yourself with your new surroundings today as you have a full day at leisure. You could visit Chiavari's Cathedral of Our Lady dell'Orto. Built between 1613 and 1633, this magnificent cathedral houses many exquisite paintings, frescoes and other valuable artworks dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Perhaps you would prefer to wander down to the beautiful harbour, framed by townhouses and filled with colourful fishing boats, where you'll find cafés offering excellent Italian cuisine. Another option is to relax on the beach or stroll through the historic centre's sheltered medieval streets.

If you would like to head further afield, Chiavari is located on the rail line that links the towns of the Italian Riviera. Camogli's pastel-coloured buildings of every hue from yellow to red overlook a bay and a harbour either side of a 12th-century church. A warren of narrow alleyways and broad, tunnelled arcades connect the harbourside to the beach. Camogli - the 'city of a thousand white sailing ships' - is an unspoilt delight, with large waterfront piazzas and a real sense of connection to the water.

Alternatively, the attractive nearby town of Rapallo has plenty of attractions. You could take the cable car up Montallegro for spectacular views across the town and sea, while the restaurants and bars of the harbour area teem with life. You are free to enjoy dinner by yourself today, so you could watch the world go by over a glass of local wine or sample Ligurian food, including the famous 'buridda' seafood stew that originates from this region.</>

• Breakfast

Today is a highlight of the tour as we explore three of the Cinque Terre villages. Riomaggiore, the southernmost, is our first destination. Tall, multi-coloured buildings sweep down a steep hill to a small harbour overlooking the bay. High above the village are stepped terraces of olive groves and vines. There is time to explore the car-free streets and piazzas before heading to the ferry for a boat to the next location.

We sail on to Vernazza, passing Manarola and clifftop Corniglia on the way. In Vernazza, the cobbled streets are lined with quaint cafes where you could grab a spot of lunch. With free time here, wandering the narrow side streets (which the Genoese call 'caruggi') is the best way to experience this traditional fishing village.

Our final port of call is Monterosso, where a spacious piazza leads to bustling streets alive with restaurants and bars. There is time at leisure to look around this town known for its lemon trees and sandy beach, before returning to Chiavari by rail. Dinner is served at the hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We take a scenic cruise to Portofino today, regarded as one of the most beautiful places on the Mediterranean. This old fishing village is set in a secluded natural harbour of small fishing boats and impressive yachts. Among the buildings painted terracotta, peach and yellow, are restaurants, bars and gelaterias. There is time over lunch to explore this graceful town overlooked by Castello Brown and two churches, including the striped façade of the Romanesque Chiesa del Divo Martino.

Afterwards, we sail around the headland to San Fruttuoso. This cove is only accessible by foot or boat and is dominated by a 10th-century Benedictine abbey that sits on the small pebble beach. Submerged in the bay is the statue of 'Christ in the Abyss', believed to protect local sailors in the surrounding waters. There's time to look around before returning to Chiavari, for dinner at the hotel.

If weather conditions mean the boat can't land at San Fruttuoso, we land at Santa Margherita instead, a tranquil village with old-fashioned Italian charm.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A free day today gives you an opportunity to explore the beautiful Italian Riviera independently. You may wish to catch the train back to the Cinque Terre towns of Manarola and Corniglia. Facing each other across a bay, these villages have very differing characters. Manarola is famed for its sweet wine Sciacchetrà, while its colourful buildings drape over the cliff and through a winding valley. Corniglia is the only one of the five villages to not have access from the sea and sits high on a rocky outcrop. From the station, it can be reached via nearly 400 steps, although a small bus does run occasionally.

You could also visit Sestri Levante, a laid-back coastal town sat between two bays. Its charming old town brims with colourful buildings and Baroque palazzos. The Bay of Fairytales is named for Hans Christian Andersen who once lived in Sestri. With its port, beaches and shops, this is the liveliest part of town. On the other side of the old town is the Bay of Silence, also known as Portobello. This is considered one of the best sandy beaches in Italy and is a wonderful spot for a stroll or to relax watching the small boats bobbing gently in the harbour. For dinner tonight, you could opt for one of the town's excellent restaurants and look to sample the simple anchovy dish of 'bagnun' which reportedly hails from Sestri Levante.

• Breakfast

Today we take the train to Liguria's capital, Genoa. An enjoyable journey along the riviera coast with the sea never far from view takes us straight to the heart of this ancient port, one of Italy's great cities.

We join a knowledgeable guide for a walking tour of the old town that includes the Doge's Palace, an impressive Renaissance building built in 1298, and explains why Genoa has earned the nickname 'La Superba'. As the former home of explorer Christopher Columbus, Genoa has always looked towards the sea for its wealth and influence, and the city now contains a treasure trove of history, art and grand palaces.

After the tour, there is free time to admire the city's fine museums and galleries, the magnificent cathedral, ancient churches and impressive harbour. We return to Chiavari in the evening, for a final dinner on the Italian Riviera.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Chiavari and the Italian Riviera this morning by train, the route takes us around the arch of the Ligurian Sea to Ventimiglia. The railway is rarely far from the sea and passes pretty seaside towns along the way.

From Ventimiglia, we continue by coach into nearby France, travelling to the Côte d'Azur resort of St-Raphaël, where we check in to a hotel overlooking the marina before a three-course dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving St-Raphaël this morning, we board the train and journey through France, to Paris. In the French capital we transfer to the Eurostar for the final leg of our journey. Far behind us are the colourful villages and seaside towns of the Italian Riviera, the glistening sea and laid-back atmosphere of a serene and picturesque region.

Arriving back at London St Pancras International in the evening, from here you continue your journey homewards.

• Breakfast