The itineraries will span 14 of Italy’s 20 regions, and reach 128 cities, covering over 16,000 kilometres of tracks from north to south.

Itineraries will range from one to three nights and the historic trains will pay homage to Federico Fellini’s 1960 film, La Dolce Vita.

Passengers – who will sleep, eat and be entertained in style – will be able to ride through Italy’s famous areas as well as lesser-known destinations.

The first train is set to depart in January 2023, but the initiative was announced last month with a trial run from Rome to Civitavecchia, on the Lazio coast, in a vintage train kitted out especially for the occasion.

Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi was in attendance at the launch.

Celebrity chef Carlo Cracco catered the journey, giving a taste of what guests will experience.

The Treno della Dolce Vita is a joint project between Trenitalia, part of Italy’s state railway company Ferrovie dello Stato, and Arsenale S.p.A., a company specialising in luxury hospitality which is behind forthcoming luxury hotels, including Soho House in Rome and the Rosewood in Venice.

“Italy is a 360-degree experience and we need to start again from that experience to make a complete offering,” Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale S.p.A, said.

“This train is a tribute to Italy: the beauty and uniqueness of our land.”

The experience will rest heavily on the “Made in Italy” brand, with retro fittings from some of Italy’s most famous designers, including Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa and Piero Fornasetti.

The company is also promising period artwork on board.

Itineraries will cover world-famous areas such as Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia, as well as lesser known spots.

“The Trapani Triangle” will be a slow ride around Sicily, taking in destinations including Taormina, Agrigento and Modica, as well as Trapani and Palermo.

Other routes will take guests through less-touristed parts of the country, including the Sila mountains in Calabria, and the Basilicata coast.

Northern routes will include Milan to Cortina through the Dolomites, Milan to Turin through Piedmont wine country, and the Ligurian Riviera.

Each of the trains will have a capacity of 64 guests in its 11 carriages, with 12 deluxe cabins and 20 suites.

On board there will be fine dining, live entertainment, a lounge bar and a concierge service to help with on-the-ground travel arrangements.

With ANSA