Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. Evergreens

These vintage trains are the coolest way to see hidden gems in Italy

Want to head off the beaten path?

By
Vintage train
12019 / Pixabay

If you’re dreaming of exploring Italy in a way that’s as charming as it is unique, then the Timeless Tracks project, known as “Binari senza Tempo,” might just be your perfect ticket. Spearheaded by the FS Foundation, this innovative initiative breathes new life into 13 spectacular yet underused railway routes, spanning around 600 kilometers of Italy’s most enchanting landscapes.

These vintage trains offer more than just a ride– they provide an immersive journey through some of Italy’s hidden gems, far from the hustle and bustle of crowded tourist hotspots like Venice or Florence. Instead, Timeless Tracks invites you to step back in time and experience Italy’s rich cultural heritage and natural beauty in a way that mass tourism can’t touch.

Recommended Videos

“People are used to cities and places, like Florence, that everyone knows.. but then there are other areas that need to be discovered. (This) is the right kind of tourism that does not spoil the authenticity of places,” traveler Norma Pagiotti told Reuters.

Timeless Tracks: the details

Italian train
wal_172619 / Pixabay

These Italian trains owe their existence to a 2017 law that grants historic railways protected status, a milestone championed by the FS Foundation. This ensures the preservation of these routes, preventing them from being demolished or commercialized. The railways are now a type of “traveling museum,” where every stop unveils a new chapter of the country’s beauty and history.

“These are tracks that have lived through different eras; they have carried soldiers to the front, cows to pasture… they were mistakenly considered unproductive during the 1960s and 70s but are now once again of value,” Luigi Cantamessa, head of Fondazione FS, told Reuters.

Inspired by the scenic train journeys of Switzerland, Timeless Tracks has quickly grown in popularity, now attracting around 45,000 tourists each year across its operational lines. The project is still expanding, with the FS Foundation planning to launch two new routes in Sicily by 2026.

But the magic of these journeys doesn’t stop at the view from your window. As you step off the train, you’re greeted by the sounds of traditional folk music and the delicious smell of regional delicacies. Travelers are offered traditional home-cooked food, such as lamb skewers hot off the grill or pizzelle, which are soft pancakes cooked in a traditional iron mold.

“It’s for those who don’t want mass market, cluttered destinations. A conscious traveler, who is looking for something special,” said Cantamessa. “These are not trips that serve you frozen pizza for lunch.”

Additionally, local artisans also showcase their crafts at each station, offering you a taste of authentic Italian culture that goes far beyond the ordinary tourist experience. 

Where can you catch these vintage trains?

Train tracks
Tama66 / Pixabay

These vintage trains currently run on 13 different lines across the country. Many of the shorter trips can be combined to create one long trip. This is where you can find each line.

  • The Sebino Line (10 km): Palazzolo S.O to Paratico Sarnico
  • The Val d’Orcia Line (51 km): Asciano to Monte Antico
  • Italy’s Trans-Siberian Line (118 km): Sulmona to Carpinone
  • The Valley of the Temples Line (12 km): Agrigento Bassa to Porto Empedocle Succursale
  • The Valsesia Line (51 km): Vignale to Varallo Sesia
  • The Tanaro Line (35 km): Ceva to Ormea
  • The Irpinia Line (119 km): Avellino to Rocchetta S. Antonio Lacedonia
  • The Sannio Line (66 km): Benevento to Bosco Redole
  • The Pedemontana Line (75 km): Sacile to Gemona del Friuli
  • The Monferrato Line (45 km): Asti to Castagnole delle Lanze to Nizza Monferrato
  • The Subappennina Italica Line (31 km): Fabriano to Pergola
  • The Basso Monferrato Line (51 km): Asti to Chivasso
  • The Murge Line (31 km): Rocchetta S. Antonio Lacedonia to Gioia del Colle
Amanda Teague
Amanda Teague
Contributor
Amanda, an accomplished freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio, is a dedicated explorer of both the world and the written word… Read Full Bio
Topics
Travel
Cafe Charmant, The Corner Store Crew’s Latest, Puts Food Ahead of the Scene
Clothing, Long Sleeve, Sleeve

I’ll be honest. If I weren’t a writer, there is no way in hell I could have landed a 7:15 Saturday night reservation at Cafe Charmant just a mere four weeks after its opening. The most recent jewel in the buzzy Catch Hospitality Group’s crown, the glitzy eatery is the newest IT restaurant to hit the downtown scene, so chalk it up to one of the perks of the job that I could walk in, order a drink, and be ushered to a corner table for two in under 10 minutes.

Though the state of making prime reservations in New York City may not come as a surprise to many, I’m still not able to reconcile with the current velvet rope of so many of this city’s restaurants. Sure, the 90s and early 2000’s had their Indochine, Moomba (if you remember that one, we need to grab a drink). The Waverly Inn, but for the most part, you could easily make a reservation or even walk in and wait for a table with a cocktail in hand at most popular establishments. And, let’s be honest, half the people weren’t even eating, if you know what I mean.

Read more
Travel
A tasting guide to Livermore Valley, California’s friendliest wine country
Adult, Male, Man

Livermore Valley sits in Northern California’s East Bay, where the hustle and bustle of neighboring Oakland and San Francisco give way to grassy rolling hills, big open skies, and over 40 tasting rooms. The region is home to some of the best wines I’ve tasted in the state, without the pretense and rigidity I’ve come to expect from other tasting rooms in the region.

And thanks to the valley’s marine-influenced winds, varied climate, and diverse soils, I tasted an unusually broad range of wines. Crisp whites, structured reds, and everything in between seem to be able to find their footing here.

Read more
Travel
High Society, Low Alcohol: A Trip to the Hamptons with Heineken 0.0
Ball, Sport, Tennis

After a multi-year bender of back-to-back press trips, I decided to swear off travel this past summer. The old dog was tired, and I desperately wanted to reconnect with old friends, visit family, and continue wooing a lovely lady in New York. Oh, and I needed to find time to actually write the stories I had promised publicists in exchange for gallivanting around the globe on their dime. I am, after all, a professional.

As summer raced by, my inbox swelled with tantalizing invitations. I turned them down one after the next with Spartan fortitude. A junket to the Loire Valley to review wineries? Thank you for considering me, but for the next few weeks, I’m committed to rekindling my relationship with my bed. A sailboat cruise on the Amalfi Coast? I hear it’s beautiful this time of year, but sadly, I’m in the weeds bingeing Landman.

Read more