Italy is investing in vintage train travel to boost its tourism economy.
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Italy is hoping to boost its tourism economy by offering a taste of la dolce vita aboard its trains. From vintage services to an opulent sleeper, it’s full steam ahead for Italian train travel.
Slow Travel on Restored Steam Trains
In April, Italy’s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini announced a €435 million investment in the country’s historic railway lines, as well as notable pilgrimage routes and other cultural itineraries. The funds are helping revive vintage steam engines and electric or diesel locomotives pulling historic carriages decorated in their original livery.
The trains are running along various historic routes that take passengers to lesser-known destinations around the country. The 10 itineraries aim to aid the development of Italy’s rural or remote areas that tend to be overlooked by tourists.
The Ferrovia dei Templi, for example, runs between Agrigento and Porto Empedocle in Sicily. It passes by the Valle dei Templi archeological park, a magnificent remnant of classical Greek architecture in Italy.
Ancient Greek Temple of Concordia in the Valle dei Templi at Agrigento, Sicily.
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The Transiberiana d’Italia, instead, chugs through the forests of the Majella National Park and mountainous areas of the Abruzzo region. In Tuscany, the Treno Natura takes passengers through the picturesque Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi.
The trains are equipped with compartments for bicycle storage as part of the plan to encourage slow and sustainable travel. Many of the train itineraries also include guided tours of historic towns or cultural attractions, trekking routes and culinary guides.
Franceschini hailed the project as fundamental to restarting the economy and the tourism industry in the wake of the coronavirus emergency.
Luxury on La Dolce Vita
Earlier this month, Trenitalia,…