Rail to Road: Venice - Ravenna and San Marino

With sumptuous palaces and romantic waterways, Venice is straight out of an 18th-century Canaletto masterpiece. No matter how many times you have seen it in movies or on TV, the real thing is more surreal and dreamlike than you ever imagined. Its landmarks, the Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale are exotic melanges of Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance styles. It is full of secrets, ineffably romantic, and - at times - given over entirely to pleasure. You must walk everywhere in Venice; and where you cannot walk, you go by water.

Explore Piazza San Marco, stroll across the Rialto Bridge, get lost in the endless canals, admire the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, visit the San Giorgio dei Greci, walk around the Jewish Ghetto, learn about Venice's musical history, tour Venice's unique architecture at Campo Santa Maria Formosa, celebrate one of Venice's many festivals, go window shopping, and so much more!

Located on the Adriatic Sea between Venice and Florence, Ravenna is a city with a long rich history. It has been the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Visigoth Empire, and the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. Today, it's most famous for the elaborate and intricate early Christian and Byzantine mosaics decorating its churches and tombs, which have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city itself is very charming, with good restaurants and a vibrant nightlife.

Visit and discover Dantes Tomb, Basilica of San Vitale, Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Mausoleo di Galla Placidia, Fontanella Piazza del Popolo, Basilica of Saint Francis, and so much more.

Only 43 miles in size, the little Republic of San Marino is independent, with its own government and laws even though it is entirely surrounded by Italy. The world's oldest sovereign state, it dates from 301 AD. Atop the center of this hilly area's highest point, Mount Titano, is the capital city of San Marino. Medieval stone walls surround the original settlement that is completely pedestrianized. The three fortresses at the top of the mountain give San Marino its best-known image and are linked by a path that runs along the entire ridge of the mountain.

Visit and explore the Piazza Dalla Liberta (the most popular public square); Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall and where you'll find the changing of the guards); Towers of San Marino (Guaita, Cesta, and Montale); Mount Titano and the several small and so much more.

Bologna is one of the most overlooked gems in Italy! Architecturally unified by a panorama of sienna-colored buildings, marbled sidewalks, and porticos it offers beautiful piazzas, churches and museums, as well as quaint cafes, busy bars and vibrant nightlife. It's the perfect destination for experiencing and tasting the region's fabulous food and eponymous pasta sauce. Bologna's university, dating from 1088 is one of the oldest in the world, and continues to thrive and contribute to the city’s successful combination of tradition and innovation.

Visit and explore the Piazza Maggiore, Saint Petronius Church, Neptune Fountain, Santo Stefano Church, Archaeological Museum, National Gallery, Piazza del Mercato (or market square), Quadrilatero, San Luca Sanctuary, Palazzo Comunale Museum, Museum of History, and so much more.