British holidaymakers looking for something beyond the usual Italian hotspots have a new option.

Rail Europe has added Arenaways to its European rail network, opening up a regional route through Piedmont that many tourists never even hear about.

The seven-stop line runs from Cuneo to Savigliano, winding through a part of northern Italy famous for its Slow Food roots, medieval architecture and local food traditions.

This puts a lesser-known stretch of Italian countryside within easy reach, allowing Britons to discover more of the continent.

The route calls at Cuneo, Busca, Costigliole Saluzzo, Verzuolo, Manta, Saluzzo and Savigliano — a stretch of Italy that is typically missing from the big rail itineraries.

And there is plenty to see and do. At Manta, you can visit the Castello della Manta, which houses a remarkable collection of late-Gothic secular frescoes.

Saluzzo itself is a gorgeous medieval town well worth a wander through its historic centre.

Then there's Savigliano, home to Piazza Santa Rosa — one of Italy's best-preserved medieval squares. It's the kind of place you'd never stumble across on a standard Rome-to-Florence trip.

TRAVEL INSPIRATION

Piedmont is tied to the Slow Food movement, which was founded in Italy to safeguard local food traditions, biodiversity and small-scale producers.

In Busca, two restaurants have earned the coveted Chiocciola distinction in Slow Food's 2026 Osterie d'Italia guide, and Saluzzo boasts another Chiocciola-recognised osteria.

The surrounding hills produce wonderful local wines, and the area is also known for the Slow Food-protected white hen of Saluzzo — a rare heritage breed you won't find on menus back home.

There's good news for families too. Children under four travel free as long as they don't need their own seat, and kids aged four to eleven get half-price tickets.

Fares are standard point-to-point and available through Rail Europe's platform, making it easy to slot this regional journey into a bigger Italian or European trip.

It's worth noting that Arenaways joins a string of new additions Rail Europe has made this year, including BritRail, European Sleeper, Leo Express and Campania Express.

In more rail news, Eurostar announced it will launch a new direct route from the UK to a popular Belgian city this year.