train trip report

One-week Italy by train itinerary

Posted on Last updated: October 2, 2023

Explore Italy by train in just one week on this rail itinerary packed with culture, history, food and wine as you travel across the country from Venice to Sicily via Florence, Rome, Naples and Sorrento.

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Feast on fabulous Italian culture, history, food and wine on this journey across Italy by train. This rail trip takes you from the top to the toe of Italy in one week, sampling some of the highlights of one of my favourite countries in the world along the way.

Starting among the canals of Venice, you’ll head south to experience Renaissance art in Florence, 28 centuries of history in Rome, delicious pizza in Naples, sunset views in Sorrento and temples and beaches in Sicily. This Italian rail itinerary will show you which trains to take, how much they cost, how to book and what to see and do at each stop.

Day 1: Venice

Start your Italy by train adventure with a full day in Venice. You might have to dodge the crowds at St Mark’s Square, the Doges Palace and Rialto Bridge, but Venice still has plenty of charm to go around. Climb to the top of the Campanile for a bird’s eye view of the city from its tallest point, admire the Bridge of Sighs and watch the gondoliers in action.

You’re guaranteed to get lost in Venice’s confusing maze of canals and bridges, so embrace it and see what you can discover – a tucked-away chapel, crumbling palazzo or shady square to stop in for an Aperol Spritz and some tasty cicchetti bar snacks.

Venice is built on 118 islands, so take to the water to explore, whether in a traditional gondola or on one of the vaporetto public water buses which shuttle people around the city and out to the islands – choose from Lido with its sandy beach, Murano with its glass-makers, Burano with its brightly painted houses or Torcello with its historic cathedral.

Where to stay in Venice: Live like a Doge for the night in a restored 12th-century palace – without too much of a regal price tag – at the Hotel Antico Doge *, close to the Rialto Bridge. Inside the hotel’s lavish interiors feature antique furniture, original paintings, chandeliers, gilt mirrors and jewel-coloured brocade fabrics.

Day 2: Venice > Florence

Early the next morning, take a 2-hour high-speed Frecciarossa train to the Tuscan capital Florence, departing Venezia San Lucia at 07.26 and arriving into Florence Santa Maria Novella at 09.39. Then spend rest of your day in Florence exploring the city (if you need to store your bags, there’s a left luggage office near the station at 1a Via Valfonda).

The birthplace of the Renaissance is heaven for art and architecture lovers, with its cobbled streets, grand palazzi , frescoed churches, museums and galleries. Admire artworks by Carvaggio and da Vinci at the Uffizi Gallery ( book in advance * if possible as queues are crazy in high season) or visit Michelangelo’s David at the Galleria dell’Accademia.

Climb up the 436 steps to the top of the Duomo or check out the views over Florence’s rooftops from the Piazzale Michelangelo. Or cross the River Arno on the city’s most famous bridge – the Ponte Vecchio, a covered bridge lined with shops dating back to 1350. And try fresh local produce at San Lorenzo Market, the city’s oldest and largest food market.

Where to stay in Florence: The 4-star Hotel Santa Maria Novella * is only five minutes’ walk from the train station. Its 71 rooms are spread across three townhouses, and come with marble bathrooms and splashes of colour. There’s also a sauna and gym, a bar and a rooftop terrace which looks down on the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.

Day 3: Florence > Rome

The following day, take a short 90-minute train journey to Rome. High-speed trains run from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station to Rome Termini around every 15 minutes, so you can decide how early a start you want to make. There’s so much to see in Rome that one day is never going to be enough, so choose a few highlights to focus on.

This audioguide walking tour * takes you through some of the city’s iconic landmarks, from Piazza del Popolo to the Colosseum. Explore more Roman sites at the Pantheon and Roman Forum. Or head to a another country with an afternoon in Vatican City, where you can admire artworks at St Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums.

Tick off some of the classic Roman experiences – throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, climb the Spanish Steps, listen to street performers in Piazza Navona and stroll through the gardens of Villa Borghese. Or head across the River Tiber to the bohemian neighbourhood of Trastavere with its boutique shops and terrace bars – perfect for a sunset aperitivo .

Where to stay in Rome: The eco-friendly Beehive is a luxury hostel close to Rome Termini station, with a mix of dorms and private rooms with shared or en-suite bathrooms, a courtyard garden and cosy lounge. The friendly owners also run a bagel business and organise communal dinners, aperitivo evenings and cookery classes.

Day 4: Rome > Naples > Sorrento

Follow the coast south on the 70-minute high-speed train journey to the gritty city of Naples, departing Rome Termini at 08.00 and arriving at Naples Centrale at 09.13. Store your bags at the station for the day and explore the historic buildings of the centro storico before lunch – Naples is famous for its food and is where pizza was first created.

Then head underground to explore the network of catacombs and wartime shelters underneath the city streets. Or visit the Museo Archeologico Nazionale to see some of the archaeological treasures unearthed from sites like Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Next catch a train to from Naples Garibaldi station (located beneath Naples Centrale) to Sorrento. It takes around 70 minutes by Circumvesuviana local train or 45 minutes on the Campania Express tourist service (which only runs from April–October).

Circumvesuviana trains are fairly basic and can get pretty busy, but the views of Mount Vesuvius and out across the Bay of Naples make up for it. Campania Express trains come with a few more extra frills like air conditioning and luggage storage.

Aim to arrive into Sorrento in time for sunset and head to the clifftop Villa Communale Park where you can watch the sun dip down into the bay before dinner. And make sure to leave room for the amazing local gelato from Gelateria Davide.

Where to stay in Sorrento: If you feel like splashing out, the uber-stylish Maison La Minervetta * is built into the cliffs above the port of Marina Grande, just outside the centre of Sorrento. Owned by an interior designer, it mixes whitewash and splashes of colour, with multiple terraces to soak up the view – one with a whirlpool bath – and a private beach.

Read more: Sirens and sunsets: The best things to do in Sorrento

Day 5: Day trip from Sorrento

Spend the next day exploring Sorrento or head out into the Bay of Naples, with a good range of day trips to choose from. You can take the Circumvesuviana train north to visit the ruined Roman cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii , which were buried and preserved underneath metres of volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.

It takes 25 minutes to reach Pompeii Scavi or 45 minutes to Ercolano Scavi. Or you can catch a bus from either station to Vesuvio National Park. Once you arrive it’s a 20-minute walk to the edge of the crater for steaming vents and panoramic views.

Or take a boat from Sorrento and explore some of this beautiful stretch of coastline’s islands and cliffside towns. Ferries run along the Amalfi Coast * to the towns of Positano and Amalfi. Or you can visit the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida and go shopping with the A-list, visit the dazzling Blue Grotto sea cave or soak in thermal baths.

Read more: 9 of the best day trips from Sorrento

Day 6: Sorrento > Sicily

Make an early start for a long travel day to Sicily. First take the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento back to Naples, allowing time to change stations before catching the 09.50 InterCity train from Naples Centrale south along the coast to Sicily.

It’s one of Europe’s most unusual train journeys as the whole train gets on board the ferry for the short journey across the Straits of Messina to Sicily. Once you’re back on land, the train carries on through Sicily where you have a choice of final destination.

There’s the resort town of Taormina (arrival 16.40) where you can visit the Greek amphitheatre and relax on the beach at Isola Bella with a lemony granita (crushed ice). Or you can carry on to Catania (arrival 17.25) where you can explore the city’s spectacular Baroque architecture, shop the street markets and learn to cook like a Catanian.

The train splits into two sections in Sicily, so as well as heading south to Taormina and Catania, you could also head east to the city of Palermo (arrival 19.25). Palermo is Sicily’s capital, a buzzing city famous for its imposing cathedral, puppet theatre shows, lavish Teatro Massimo opera house and the creepy catacombs with their mummified bodies.

Where to stay in Sicily: In Taormina, the small but perfectly formed Hotel Taodomus * in the heart of the historic centre comes with a small terrace and honesty bar. In Catania, the historic 4-star Palace Catania * has a knockout view of Mount Etna from its roof terrace and restaurant. Or in Palermo, the Casa Nostra Boutique Hotel * is close to the cathedral with a terrace, outdoor pool and some rooms with balcony spa baths.

Read more: Churches and cannoli: The best things to do in Catania

Day 7: Sicily

Spend the final day of your Italy by train trip seeing more of Sicily – and make sure to eat a few cannoli before you leave. If you’re flying back home, both Palermo and Catania have international airports which are connected to each city by bus. Or you can pre-book a transfer to either airport with an English-speaking driver though Welcome Pickups .*

If you’ve got more time to spare, there’s plenty more to see in Sicily – you can climb Mount Etna, visit the Valley of Temples in Agrigento, take a boat out to the volcanic Aeolian Islands, explore the Greek and Roman ruins in Siracusa and hike through the Riserva Naturale Orientata dello Zingaro nature reserve.

Or if you fancy adding another country onto your trip, ferries run between Sicily and Malta once or twice a day. Take a train or bus to Pozzallo in the south-east of Sicily, where the ferry takes around 90 minutes to reach the harbour in Valletta .

How much does it cost?

When you’re planning a European rail trip, you can either book individual tickets or get a railpass, which can be a better deal if you’re under 28, want more flexibility or are booking late. Here’s how the prices break down for the two different options on this route.

Individual tickets

Ticket prices vary depending on how early you book, with a limited number of cheap tickets available. So book as early as possible (on most routes you can book 3–4 months in advance) but beware these tickets are non-transferable so you’re tied to a specific train. Using the cheapest fares, the cost of trains on this route starts at €79 per person.

• Venice > Florence: from €19.90
• Florence > Rome: from €19.90
• Rome > Naples: from €9.90
• Naples > Sorrento > Naples: €9 (can’t be booked in advance)
• Naples > Sicily: from €19.90

The railpass option

There are also various rail passes available through InterRail (for European residents) and Eurail (for non-European residents), which cover individual countries or the whole region and are valid for different periods of time, varying from four days to three months.

The Italy by train itinerary involves four travel days in one country, so the best option is the One Country Italy pass for 4 travel days within 1 month . This pass costs €153 for adults, €126 for youths (aged 12–27) or €138 for seniors (aged 60+) in second class.

As well as the pass, you also need to pay an extra compulsory reservation fee if you’re using Italy’s high-speed, long-distance trains or sleeper services. For this trip, the extra fees come to €42, broken down as below, meaning the overall railpass cost starts from €168.

• Venice > Florence: €10
• Florence > Rome: €10
• Rome > Naples: €10
• Naples > Sorrento > Naples: €9 (Circumvesuviana trains aren’t covered by railpass)
• Naples > Sicily: €3

Reservations can be made at any train station or online through the InterRail/Eurail reservations service for a fee of €2. I’ve recommended the quickest and easiest routes. But you can often avoid reservation fees by taking local trains which usually don’t require reservations – though they’re likely to be slower with more changes along the way.

How to book

There are a variety of websites where you can book European train journeys, but often the best deals are though the official railway company sites for each country, which is Trenitalia for Italy. The site is available in English, but you need to use Italian place names (so that’s Venezia instead of Venice, Firenze instead of Florence, Napoli instead of Naples, etc).

You can also book tickets for train travel in Italy with Omio * or The Trainline . The advantage is these sites are in English, you can see prices in €, £ or $, use international credit cards and print or use mobile tickets, but they do both charge a small booking fee.

Don’t want to do it yourself? You can also book this One-week Italy by train itinerary * as a package through our partners Byway, the world’s first flight-free holiday platform, which includes transport and accommodation.

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Wednesday 23rd of March 2022

Coming in July. Can’t wait to use your suggestions.

Lucy Dodsworth

Thursday 24th of March 2022

Fantastic, hope you have a wonderful trip!

Michelle (@littlewanderblog)

Monday 18th of January 2021

Great article! This trip is one of my bucket list ventures! I once went to Rome to Venice on the train, spending 3 nights in each place, but definitely would love all the sights listed on this one! Michelle

Monday 25th of January 2021

Thanks Michelle, hope we can both get to Italy again before too long!

Jan (@Chimptrips)

Wednesday 29th of April 2020

Hi Lucy - This sounds like a great trip and a good way to see lots of Italy. We had planned to take the train from Rome to Naples at Easter, but will just have to go another time! Jan

Wednesday 3rd of June 2020

Ah hope you get to do the trip sometime soon, that's a great journey!

Great Basin Star Train Trip Report

G reat Basin Star Train trip report including where we stayed in Great Basin NP, what the star train is like, and how to plan a trip to Great Basin.

When we visited Great Basin NP last month for the Champagne and Star Train on the Nevada Northern Railway we happened to ask if there were any Great Basin Star Train tickets available.

We completely lucked out, and two tickets had been canceled for a train ride 3 weeks later. We instantly booked the tickets and added a 2nd trip to Great Basin National Park to our calendar.

Normally the Star Train can be sold out a year in advance. We were originally hoping to find out when the 2024 Star Train tickets would go on sale.

Day 1 – Spokane to Twin Falls, Idaho

We decided to break up the long drive from Spokane, Washington to Ely, Nevada with a stop in Twin Falls, Idaho. It ended up being a crazy drive that felt like we were on an episode of the Weather Channel.

We ran into a crazy scary dust storm in eastern Oregon that had us crawling along the freeway barely able to see the semi-truck in front of us. The winds picked up, and we were in an area that had experienced a recent wildfire.

All of the dust and debris were thrown across the highway. At one point a truck bed liner went flying past us and thankfully missed our SUV. It was an intense drive, and we were so happy to get out of it.

Then when we were an hour outside of Twin Falls we ran into an epic lightning storm with a torrential downpour.

Thankfully we made it safely to the Fairfield Marriott in Twin Falls . We have stayed there before and love how comfortable their beds are.

Day 2 – Twin Falls to Ely, Nevada.

The beds are so comfy at the Fairfield in Twin Falls we ended up sleeping in just a little bit. One of my favorite things about staying at this hotel is the Black Bear Diner just down the road from the hotel.

Black Bear Diner is one of my favorite restaurants and we sadly don’t have one yet in Spokane. They make the perfect comfort food breakfast that fills you up for the day.

After breakfast it was time to head to Ely, Nevada which is about a 4 hour drive. It is gorgeous with the mountains in the distance and wide open views.

We had plans to check out Cave Lake State Park which is part of the Nevada State Park system but we learned when we got to Ely that it is currently drained for repairs and construction.

We didn’t think a lake state park without water was going to be the best visit so we decided to skip it until our next visit.

It happened to be a car race weekend in Ely so we ended up watching a parade of cars go through the main streets before having an epic dinner at La Fiesta Fine Mexican Restaurant.

Dinner was amazing! The food was fantastic and the service was great. We will definitely be back when we return to Ely in the future.

The whole goal of this trip was to ride on the Great Basin Nevada Star Train from the Nevada Northern Railway Company . We are still in awe that we were able to get tickets for the star train.

We drove down a month ago and rode on the champagne sunset stars train ride and happened to ask if there was any star train tickets available. We were informed that they were sold out through all of 2023 and had not opened any tickets for 2024.

We didn’t think we would be able to get on the star train this year but they told us they had just had 2 tickets cancelled and if we wanted to come back we could purchase them. We jumped on them and said oh heck yeah we will come back.

That is how we ended up riding the train twice this year and it was so worth it!

The Great Basin Nevada Star Train leaves from the East Ely Train depot and has two park rangers on board who lead the train in star education and a fun game.

During the train ride the train stops at a viewing platform where there are telescopes set up to see the stars and any planets that appear.

This is where I wish we could tell you we saw the Milky Way and epic stars but sadly the clouds came in during the train ride and we only saw a few stars and Saturn and Venus quickly.

When we did the champagne sunset star train a month ago the Milky Way was out and we saw thousands of stars. We had hoped for the same experience but sadly this truly has become a weather channel trip.

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The train ride was still amazing and I am in awe of the platform that was set up with telescopes. We will definitely book the train ride again to see if we can see stars and planets in the future.

We spent the night at the La Quinta in Ely . It is located on the Great Basin Highway and had everything we needed. The last time we were in town we stayed at the Hotel Nevada which is a historic Nevada casino with a ton of history.

Day 3 – Great Basin National Park

We woke up early and headed towards Great Basin NP. Since we did a Lehman Caves tour on our last visit and my wife is not a fan of caves we decided to skip another cave tour.

Our goal was to see if the fall colors were popping out on Wheeler Peak Drive and to explore a bit more of the park.

During our last visit we photographed all of the Great Basin Campgrounds so we have those ready to share with everyone. Make sure to check out our Great Basin National Park Camping Guide for photos and info on all of the campgrounds in the park.

The drive to Great Basin NP from Ely is about an hour. It is a gorgeous drive with scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Our first stop in the park was the lower visitor center.

They have a great park video and really great displays including the Winchester Rifle that was found leaning against a Bristlecone Pine by park rangers. No one knows how long it had been sitting there.

We then headed up Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. This drive is absolutely gorgeous and one of the top things to do in Great Basin National Park .

You get a true perspective of the basin that surrounds the park. We started to see fall colors towards the top of the drive but I think we are probably a week or two early for the full fall color show.

We did find a great patch of color in the Wheeler Peak Campground . This campground is gorgeous and has some truly amazing campsites with tons of space.

After spending time exploring the park we headed out towards Ely to visit Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park.

We had seen pictures of the park and it looked really interesting so we were excited to check it out. The park is only 10 miles off of the main road and really easy to reach.

I would definitely recommend stopping in for a visit on the way to Great Basin . There is a super short walk from the parking lot to see the charcoal ovens.

You can walk inside the charcoal ovens and see just how big they are and how much wood it would take to fill them.

Nevada State Parks has put up some great interpretive panels that explain the history of Ward Charcoal Ovens and the surrounding area.

After spending time exploring the park we headed back towards Twin Falls, Idaho for the night.

Dinner had to be Black Bear Diner in Twin Falls, Idaho since we don’t have one yet in Spokane. This is one of my favorite restaurants to visit while traveling.

We stayed at the Fairfield Marriott again in Twin Falls.

Day 4 – Twin Falls to Spokane, WA

After a great nights sleep we started the 8+ hour drive back to Spokane.

We had hoped to stop at Emigrant Springs State Park in Oregon on our way home but sadly it was pouring rain when we passed the park.

It looks like an epic park with Oregon Trail history and camping plus cabins near Pendleton, Oregon.

We are going to have to plan an Oregon State Park trip soon to explore more of their epic parks.

We didn't realize it was the Pendleton Round Up weekend until we tried to get gas in Pendleton. Everyone was trying to get gas and coffee before hitting the road right when we got there.

Thankfully we were able to sneak into a gas station for a quick fill up and hit the road for the final push home.

We had a great road trip to Great Basin NP and Ely, Nevada for the Star Train and can't wait to share more pictures and updates soon.

Additional National Park Resources

Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/ National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.

The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

Buy on  REI.com  and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

Great Basin National Park Camping Guide  

How many national parks are there in the US ?

Checklist of National Parks

How to Become a Park Ranger

Free National Park Days

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the US

Check out all of the Nevada National Parks along with neighboring National Parks in Oregon , National Parks in Idaho , Utah National Parks , California National Parks , and Arizona National Parks

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A New High-Speed Train Between Las Vegas and California Breaks Ground This Week

Brightline will shuttle passengers between sin city and an l.a. suburb in just over two hours., tori latham, tori latham's most recent stories.

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The future of train travel is beginning to take shape.

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The $12 billion project is scheduled to be completed by early 2028, The Washington Post noted, in time for people who will be in the area for that year’s Summer Olympics in L.A. Brightline’s electric trains will leave every 45 minutes from both stations, making two additional stops in the California towns of Hesperia and Apple Valley during the 218-mile journey. Going at speeds of 186 miles per hour, the train will cut down on the three-hour-plus travel time between Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga—and that’s without traffic, of course.

Besides the relatively speedy commute, Brightline offers a host of amenities that you wouldn’t get while just sitting in your car. Of course, many Los Angeles passengers would still be seated in their car for a while to drive out to Rancho Cucamonga, with the trek taking more than an hour even in light traffic conditions. The company’s stations offer comfortable seating areas, bars, and a lounge for premium passengers, according to the Post . And during the trek, you’ll have assigned seats, fast Wi-Fi, and snacks and drinks brought right to you by attendants.

While we’ll have to wait a few years to get a taste of the Brightline trip, but the company is betting on it being game-changer when it comes to travel to and from Sin City.

Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter. When not…

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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

It was a nice comfortable ride. I did the deluxe car nothing to write home about, but it was quiet and comfortable.

Exiting the train station I just followed the exit and it had me at street side, but on the opposite side of the entrance to the train station so I was pretty confused as to what I was doing, and I walked in the rain holding my umbrella and my luggage and getting pummeled by water

Could be worse

After making a Full Circle, I found my little in called the Hinode ryokan.

As it was way too early for check-in, I dropped my bags and took a bigger umbrella from the end and made my way to see the outer shrine of ISE – JINGU called GEKU. There were a few little shops that were open some cafés some little restaurants but a lot of the other places seem closed. I guess maybe it’s the rain as it was 12 o’clock.

There is a street directly across from the train station that looks kind of pedestrian, but it isn’t but it also looks very touristy and pretty, and it leads to the park where the shrine is at

I guess I should give you a little breakdown as to why I chose to come here as it is such offbeat and path and in fact I think now on my second day, I counted five non-Japanese people or five non-Asian descent, even though I am part Asian

So the reason why I came here because my uncle told me that I should go and see the most important Shinto shrine in Japan it is such a sacred space and place and people have been pilgrimaging here for over 1000 years. He came here a few years back and encouraged me to come here and since I lost my mother and this whole trip is kind of my little homage to her. I wanted to get some blessings from the goddesses that reside here so this is the reason why I made a two night detour to the small little town. It’s for a spiritual journey.

Upon entrance to the park, forest where the outer shrine is located, you are just taking back by the beauty of the natural world around you. While it may be raining it’s so purifying and now when I look back, I feel like it was very necessary for me to start my visit to this area while it was raining just like you would wash your hands at any temple or Shinto shrine before entering it to purify yourself so it was for me that day in all the rain I was purifying myself for the visit that I just completed today.

The outer shrine is composed of a few little thatched shrines that they obliterate every 20 years isn’t that amazing? I had a wonderful time here although I was wet and cold. I just enjoyed myself going through the forest and paying my respects to the different shrines here.

After I was really hungry, and I found this little café that made udon, but not the ISE udon but I was hungry so I ate that and some cheesy bread with kind of a Nori on it and a glass of wine so random

Finally, I was able to check in so that is what I did. The in here is so quaint and so special and I just cannot believe that there are not so many reviews on it on Tripadvisor or on Hotels.com or I booked the stay.

The people are so nice you come in you take off your shoes. You grab a slipper that fits you and they keep it in the cubbyhole for you. You choose your amenities clearly let me know. There are no amenities in the room besides tea so I could grab it now. Then they took me in a maze towards my room, which was on the second floor and it’s really large and more importantly it comes with its own bathroom not shower, but bathroom.

There is a entryway with a gate and an a rocked entryway. I guess he could say and a place to store your luggage and then you have a full tatami room and then a separate bathroom. It’s so absolutely perfect. It feels like I’m staying at my aunts house or if I was back in my grandmother‘s home that no longer exist. It just feels like home here and the people are really nice. And to top it all off there is a tiny ofuro downstairs. Which I used the room also comes with breakfast Japanese breakfast that is. They do not serve dinner, but there are a plethora of options around you even a little tiny Yokocho and a few restaurants next-door

I rest for a few hours and wrote into my journal. To play catch-up afterwards

After about two hours, I left the hotel/M and made my way through town, but it was raining really hard. I was getting hungry and I was trying to find a place to eat. But I was just getting very tired of noodles rice and sashimi don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love those cuisines. I grew up on them but when you have it every single day, you just want a little change so I just kept walking. I walked by the train tracks. I walked over the train tracks into a little area I kinda got lost and I found like some little restaurants that were , either fully booked or they served whale and that totally turned me off. It also reminded me of my mother who loved to eat whale and would just enjoy my face when I would cringe. I decided to come back towards the hotel. I kept going nowhere and I was stepping in huge puddles and getting soaking wet and just by chance I saw the Italian flag waving and I looked like oh my goodness it’s an.Osteria I went and checked it out and they had a seat available. I sat down and I had a fantastic Italian meal. I forgot how amazing Japanese Japanese people are at Italian cuisines. In fact they’re pretty phenomenal. I thoroughly enjoyed it so much that I’m gonna go back tonight for it again I figured what’s tonight of Italian and then I can spend the next two weeks enjoying Japanese food.

Satisfied for unhappy, I came back and I went to the ofuro and passed out afterwards

I woke up super refreshed thinking wow I must’ve slept really long while yeah I slept until 3 AM and that totally sucked so I was on the Internet for a few hours and then I went back to sleep for one hour and then I woke up because breakfast was about to be served

4 replies to this topic

Thursday April 26

As mentioned earlier, I woke up because I knew that breakfast was about to be served. Fortunately, I set an alarm because I had breakfast to be served at 7 AM. And like clockwork, the lady of the house showed up with a tray of Japanese food of salmon, konbu, tsukemono, miso soup, rice, salad and tea. it was so delicious and perfect.

I took my sweet time today leaving the end I Journal a little bit more still trying to catch up and finally around nine something in the morning I left on my way to the inner shrine of ise-jingu called Naiku

My end is literally two minutes from the entrance to the train station and all the buses so it was super convenient today

By the time I got there in two minutes, the bus is already there. I hopped on and in 20 something minutes I was exiting the bus.

After my visit, I walked down the famous okage yokocho which is an experience within it. The merchants here some have been here for hundreds of years. There is even a fabulous Starbucks. I just can’t with Starbucks. I know I just cannot, but I went and got a coffee. It’s beautiful just like Kyoto one

I did a little shopping here and there I

I was hungry and I found a place That served ISE udon with egg and yamaimo. The set also came with sashimi over shiso sushi rice and of course I had to have sake for lunch

Afterwards, I had a fabulous ice cream or soft cream with dango 🍡 and did some more shopping

I found this beautiful maneki neko shop and got a few for my friends and a big one for my home. When the lady brought out the box for my cat, I got really scared and then I thought oh it’ll probably fit in my small duffel. Well it didn’t and when I was trying to pack it, it just didn’t fit so I took it out of the box wrapped it in my sang and tried to gently place it in the duffel bag and put other things that are delicate in it. Well, I heard a crack and I started freaking out. I took the cat out and one of the cats there are several on them came loose. Nothing broke. It just came loose off the cats body so I thought this cat is naughty. But of course I was beating myself up thinking that I just give myself bad luck but I guess because it’s not broken it’ll be OK so I talked to the cats. I told them I’m so excited for them to come home. I’m not gonna abandon them and yes, I’m crazy superstitious lol

Anyway, I went way off track

When you walk down this beautiful path, especially today with the sun out the clouds drifting by and the greenery all around you you just cannot help but be in awe. It is absolutely spectacular today and it makes sense because this shrine is dedicated to the sun goddess and she did definitely came out and shone power today.

It was such a lovely day there I will never forget it unfortunately, I have 1 million pictures to remember it by

Afterwards at the end of the street on the opposite side, where is the bus pick me up to take me back to the train station where I is located.

It was a pleasant ride going back because this town is so beautiful in the sunlight I could not see it’s beauty yesterday only a little bit but today ,majestic and beautiful

Now I’m just waiting for Italian restaurant to open up again by the way it’s called osteria Labbro it was good that I’m going back and then tomorrow it’s all about Japanese food again. Tomorrow I head to Tokyo with a brief stop in Nagoya to see a friend and wish her happy birthday.

I hope each and everyone of you if your timing ever permits, please come and visit this beautiful time it is stunning and if you do decide to come Please stay at the Hinode ryokan. It’s absolutely worth it.

I apologize in advance as I am using talk to text and I just do not have the energy to go back and fix anything. Try to use your imagination please as to what I’m saying hopefully it all makes sense Mahalo.

Thank you for the report.

Thank you for another fabulous trip report. Made me want to go back to Ise. I haven't been there since I visited on my 6th-grade field trip eons ago.

Funny you mentioned Italian. That's my go-to when I get tired of Japanese food.

Have a great time in Nagoya with your friend!

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Rail spikes hammered, bullet train being built from Las Vegas to Los Angeles

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A $12 billion passenger bullet train linking Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area was dubbed the first true high-speed rail line in the nation on Monday, with the private company building it predicting millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028.

“People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg before taking a stage with union representatives and company officials at the future site of a terminal to be built just south of the Las Vegas Strip. “It’s really happening this time.”

Buttigieg cited Biden administration support for the project that he said will bring thousands of union jobs, boost local economies and cut traffic and air pollution.

Brightline West, whose sister company  already operates a fast train  between Miami and Orlando in Florida, aims to lay 218 miles (351 kilometers) of new track almost all in the median of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. It would link there with a commuter rail connection to downtown Los Angeles. A station also is planned in San Bernardino County’s Victorville area.

Company officials say the goal is to have trains exceeding speeds of 186 mph (300 kph) — comparable to  Japan’s Shinkansen  bullet trains — operating in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I believe we’ll look back at today and say, ‘This was the birth of an industry of high-speed rail,’” Brightline Holdings founder Wes Edens said Monday.

The company aims to link U.S. cities that are too near each other for air travel to make sense and too far for people to drive.

Las Vegas has no Amtrak service. The idea of a bullet train to Los Angeles dates back decades under various names including DesertXpress. Brightline West acquired the project in 2019, and company and public officials say it has all required right-of-way and environmental approvals, along with labor agreements.

Brightline received Biden administration backing including a  $3 billion grant  from federal infrastructure funds and recent  approval to sell  another $2.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds. The company won federal authorization in 2020 to sell $1 billion in similar bonds.

Brightline West says electric-powered trains will cut the four-hour trip across the Mojave Desert to a little more than two hours. It projects 11 million one-way passengers per year, with fares that Edens said will be comparable to airline ticket costs. The trains will offer rest rooms, Wi-Fi, food and beverage sales and the option to check luggage.

Officials hope the train line will relieve congestion on I-15, where drivers often sit in miles of crawling traffic while returning home to Southern California from a Las Vegas weekend. An average of more than  44,000 automobiles per day  crossed the California-Nevada state line on I-15 in 2023, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority data.

Florida-based Brightline Holdings’  Miami-line debuted  in 2018 and expanded service to Orlando International Airport last September with trains reaching speeds up to 125 mph (200 kph). It offers 16 round-trips per day with one-way tickets for the 235-mile (378-kilometer) distance costing about $80.

Other fast trains in the U.S. include Amtrak’s Acela, which can top 150 mph (241 kph) between Boston and Washington, D.C. But fast train connections for other U.S. cities have been floated, including  Dallas to Houston ;  Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina ;  Chicago to St. Louis ; and  Seattle to Portland, Oregon.  Most have faced delays.

In California, a proposed 500-mile (805-kilometer) rail line linking Los Angeles and San Francisco was approved by voters in 2008, but has been beset by  rising costs and routing disputes . A 2022 business plan by the California High-Speed Rail Authority projected the  cost had more than tripled  to $105 billion.

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia responds to Poland's claim it could host nuclear weapons

Russia's deputy foreign minister has warned that NATO's nuclear weapons and facilities will be targeted if they are deployed in Poland. Meanwhile, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has confirmed reports that the US sent long-range missiles to Ukraine.

Thursday 25 April 2024 19:24, UK

• Russia would target NATO nuclear weapons if deployed in Poland
• US 'secretly sent long-range missiles' to Ukraine
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We are pausing our live coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Today, Russia threatened to target NATO nuclear weapons and facilities if they were deployed in Poland.

Deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov told the state-run TASS news agency that joint NATO nuclear missions near the Russian border would be considered a threat to its security.

"Let alone permanent deployment [that] hotheads in Warsaw are speaking about," he adds.

It followed Poland's president saying this week that "we are ready" to host the nuclear weapons of NATO allies in response to Russia moving its own to neighbouring Belarus.

Ukraine fires US missiles for first time

Meanwhile, Sky's partner network NBC News reports that Ukraine has already used long-range ballistic missiles from the US against Russia twice this month.

The Army Tactical Missile System - dubbed ATACMS – was used twice against Russian forces in occupied Crimea and Ukraine.

But Russia's US ambassador Anatoly Antonov said the transfer of ATACMS was "impossible to justify," and added: "Aren't local politicians afraid of drowning in the quagmire of conflict?

"Washington will not be able to get out of the horrible swamp that has absorbed the blood of ordinary soldiers."

Belarus calls for peace

Belarus' Aleksandr Lukashenko said conditions for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are "ripe," but warned the risk of military incidents with Kyiv was "quite high".

He claimed that about 120,000 Ukrainian servicemen are stationed on the border between Ukraine and Belarus.

His comments came hours before Belarus claimed - without evidence - that it stopped an attack on Minsk by drones that were launched from Lithuania.

Zelenskyy meets with Hunt

And the UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today, days after the UK approved £500m in aid.

Russia says it could downgrade its relations with the US, UK and other Western countries if its frozen assets are confiscated.

Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia would retaliate if plans to use $300bn in assets frozen since 2022 are put into action.

"Lowering the level of diplomatic relations is one of the options, of course", he said according to state news agency RIA.

"Many high-ranking representatives in our government have already spoken about the issues of our financial, economic and material response to this step [confiscation], which we are warning our opponents, as before, not to take.

"We are now studying the optimal form of reaction, where countermeasures include actions against the assets of our Western opponents as well as diplomatic response measures."

The Kremlin previously called the current state of its US ties as "below zero", but no formal downgrade of relations has occurred since the Ukraine war began.

Belarus claims it stopped an attack on Minsk by drones that were launched from Lithuania. 

According to RIA news agency Ivan Tertel, the head of Belarus' security service, said it had carried out "a number of acute security measures" which allowed it to shoot down the drones. 

He provided no evidence for the claims. Lithuania's army says it had not taken any hostile action against other states. 

Poland's president Duda advised earlier this week that Poland would be prepared to host NATO nuclear weapons if required to strengthen the security of NATO's eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Poland has historically been vulnerable to European wars, and has increased its defence budget dramatically in response to Russian aggression on the continent.

Russia's deputy foreign minister responded in typically combative manner by stating that any NATO nuclear capability deployed into Poland would be targeted .

However, Russia's threatening rhetoric needs to be placed in to context.

Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine has raised the prospect of a wider European conflict and threatened European security. 

The NATO alliance provides strength in numbers, and Poland's number one priority will be the protection of its people. 

Had Ukraine not relinquished its nuclear weapons in return for guarantees of its territorial integrity - signed by Russia and USA - under the terms of the Budapest Memo in 1994, would Russia have invaded?

Although modern nuclear weapon delivery systems do not need to be placed close to their intended targets - they can be fired thousands of miles - their forward deployment sends a powerful political message. 

President Putin announced his intention to forward deploy nuclear weapons into Belarus in June 2023, and that process was completed last month. 

This provocative initiative was deliberately designed to deter the West from increasing its support for Ukraine.

So, Russia's entirely predictable response to the news that NATO might do the same by forward deploying nuclear weapons into Poland lacks a degree of credibility. 

Russia knows that if the West was to commit fully to Ukraine's defence, Russia would be unable to achieve its strategic objectives.

Russian threatening rhetoric has - to date - tempered Western enthusiasm for engaging further, and we can expect more of the same over the coming weeks as Russia pursues its "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says the conditions are "ripe" for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia as both sides are at a stalemate.

According to Russian state-run news agency TASS, Putin-ally Mr Lukashenko pointed to preliminary talks held in 2022 between Russia and Ukraine as a starting point for negotiations.

Despite this, he also said the risk of military incidents with Kyiv was "quite high", and claimed that around 120,000 Ukrainian servicemen are stationed on the border between the two countries.

He also said "several dozen" Russian tactical nuclear weapons had been deployed in Belarus, as part of an agreement signed last year with Vladimir Putin.

Earlier today, Russia's deputy foreign minister said Russia would target NATO nuclear weapons if they were stationed in Poland.

Poland's defence minister has said the country is ready to help military-aged Ukrainian men get ready to go back to fight Russia.

Kyiv said yesterday that men aged between 18 and 60 will not be able to apply for or renew their passports while living abroad. (see previous post)

Speaking to Polsat News television, minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland is prepared to help send Ukrainian men subject to military service back to Kyiv, without sharing details on how.

"I think many Poles are outraged when they see young Ukrainian men in hotels and cafes, and they hear how much effort we have to make to help Ukraine," he added.

Nearly one million Ukrainian refugees have relocated to Poland since Russia started the war in February 2024.

Ukraine has temporarily banned men eligible to serve in the military from applying for passports abroad.

Men aged between 18 and 60 will only be able to apply for or renew their passports in Ukraine.

Ukraine's foreign ministry also said consular services for men in the age group are suspended until 18 May.

Yesterday, foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba hit out at Ukranian men living elsewhere and said that "staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the homeland".

Around 86,000 military-aged Ukrainian men are believed to be living in the EU.

Earlier this month, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a bill lowering the age limit of conscription from 27 to 25.

 Emmanuel Macron says "there is a risk our Europe could die" at a speech today.

The French president called the war in Ukraine the "principal danger for European security".

He adds that the main condition for peace in Europe is that "Russia does not win this war of aggression".

Speaking from the Sorbonne University in Paris, Mr Macron calls for a boost in Europe's cybersecurity capacity, closer defence ties with the UK and the creation of a European academy to train high-ranking military personnel. 

"There is no defence without a defence industry ... we've had decades of under-investment," he adds.

"We must produce more, we must produce faster, and we must produce as Europeans."

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Kyiv - shortly after the UK approved £500m in aid for Ukraine.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the latest military aid package earlier this week, which includes around 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 strike and air defence missiles, and four million rounds of ammunition.

Posting on Telegram, the Ukrainian president said he thanked Mr Hunt for the UK's support, and added they discussed more sanctions against Russia.

Russia's US ambassador says the transfer of long-range ballistics missiles to Ukraine is "impossible to justify".

Three American officials told NBC News, Sky's partner network, that Ukraine had already used the US's Army Tactical Missile System - dubbed ATACMS – against Russia twice (see previous post).

In response, Anatoly Antonov said "local officials 'retroactively' confirmed the fact that extremely dangerous weapons had been sent to Kiev", and called it an "underhand act".

According to the Russian embassy's Telegram channel, he added that Russia had "already shot down several ATACMS missiles" and "will continue to do so".

Mr Antonov also said: "Aren't local politicians afraid of drowning in the quagmire of conflict?

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