Taking a trip to Italy is high on my to-do list, and the news of a “booze train” just bumped it up to the top. This new high-speed train from Trenitalia travels from Milan to Umbria in just three hours (previously a seven-hour haul) and stops along the way in a bunch of drinking cities. The best part? It’s under $100.
Italy is a sizable country, and there is a lot to see… and even more to eat. My family tried to see everything in one month on an exhausting vacation in 2005 (pre-smartphone!), so getting around by train sounds way more appealing to me. It’s all about maximizing your eating and drinking time, right? And with pasta, pizza and gelato at every turn, it’s easy to slip into a carbohydrate coma.
Coming from Milan, the train first stops in Bologna, the new home of the Eataly World theme park and birthplace of Amaro Montenegro, a traditional amaro distilled from a secret blend of forty botanicals. It was first produced in 1885, so safe to say it’s an Italian icon. At Eataly’s amusement park for food lovers, visitors can enjoy regional delicacies like lampredotto (cow stomach panini), Neapolitan pizza, oysters from Rimini and fresh pasta.
The next stop is Turin, which Supercall touts as the world’s most famous vermouth city. Turin started producing modern vermouth in the middle of the 18th century and quickly became a popular aperitif in the city. You can also enjoy Gianduitto chocolate and pizza al padellino in this Piedmont capital. Sounds like a win in our book.
Take another detour in Florence and sip on a Negroni in this cocktail’s alleged birthplace. Many believe that the Negroni was created in Florence in 1919 at Caffè Casoni after a patron requested a stronger version of an Americano. Enjoy Tuscan cuisine and vino, like Sangiovese Chianti and the region’s famous olive oil. And when you reach your Umbrian destination, Perugia, you can enjoy farm-to-table restaurants serving local meats and cheeses and Italy’s iconic shaved truffles.
You can even enjoy gourmet food and drinks in between stops right on the train. Enjoy croissants, cheese or pasta, along with a glass of Italian wine or Nastro Azurro beer. Mangia!
