Is This Italy’s Most Luxurious Train Journey?

The rail renaissance is moving from strength to strength, and a brand new sleeper train launching in Italy next year will underscore the whimsical luxury that can be found on board. From Belmond, the team behind some of the world’s most luxurious journeys, here’s what to expect from La Dolce Vita Orient Express.

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Suite

Sneak Peek: La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Italy

Italy’s first luxury train will embark in spring 2025, with 12 carriages carrying just 62 passengers through Italy’s most beautiful natural scenery, including lakes, forests, sumptuous coasts and Alpine mountains – as well as the nation’s magnificent cities. With eight breathtaking itineraries to choose from, each spanning two to three nights, guests can cherry pick from 131 Italian cities to explore, all while enjoying the best of la dolce vita on board.

It’s all thanks to a trailblazing new partnership between Italian luxury hospitality group Arsenale S.p.A., Orient Express, train company Trenitalia-Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato, Fondazione FS and Treni Turistici Italiani TTI while, at Roma Ostiense, a brand new La Dolce Vita Orient Express Executive Lounge will welcome guests to await their departure in style. Meanwhile, La Dolce Vita Orient Express heralds the arrival of the first two Orient Express hotels: Orient Express La Minerva in Rome, followed by Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice.

La Dolce Vita Orient Express joins Belmond’s unparalleled roster of luxurious train journeys – six and counting. The Andean Explorer carves a path through Peru’s ancient wonders, while Hiram Bingham connects Cusco and Machu Picchu nearby. On the other side of the world, the Eastern & Oriental Express invites guests to discover the wonders from Singapore to Malaysia, while the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is perhaps Belmond’s most iconic journey, connecting Europe’s major cities with the most luxurious of carriages. On home shores, the Royal Scotsman rekindles the romance of Scottish rail travel, absorbing a selection of the nation’s most spectacular sights, while the British Pullman offers unforgettable day trips immersed in vintage charm.

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Suite

The Interior Design

Championing the best of Italy across the board, La Dolce Vita Orient Express’ design and décor has been conceived by Italian Dimorestudio, masterfully communicating the art of Italian living through sumptuous 1960s and ‘70s interiors which celebrate the design and craftsmanship of the original ‘La Dolce Vita’ period in Italy. With just 12 carriages on board, an intimate 62 passengers will sleep across 12 deluxe cabins, 18 suites and one La Dolce Vita Suite

Taking cues from Italian design masters (Carlo Scarpa, Gio Ponti and Ignazio Gardella) to the great artists of the Spatialism (Lucio Fontana, Agostino Bonalumi and Enrico Castellani), expect golden age interiors married with the contemporary luxury spirit of travel, seamlessly blending the historic and the contemporary.

The Food

Renowned three Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck will oversee all of the cuisine onboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express, providing guests with a sense of place as they zoom across Italian tracks through curated regional and thematic menus and local, seasonal ingredients.

Curated by Vinitaly, the wines, meanwhile, will showcase everything from big-name labels to smaller, lesser known wineries, again drawing on the train journey and its surroundings – though all will, of course, showcase the quality and uniqueness typical of Italy.

The Journeys

With more than 16,000 km of train track at its disposal, La Dolce Vita Orient Express will whizz through 14 regions and 131 cities across Italy. While the train champions the art of a luxurious voyage, it’s not all about the journey: central to the experience are exclusive, thoughtfully curated, memorable excursions, all included in the cost of travel along with full-board accommodation.

Journeys will absorb natural scenery through broad windows, while stops will immerse guests right in the centre of Italy’s international hubs of art and culture – from Milan to Florence, Venice and Rome – as well as harder-to-reach destinations. These include Matera in Basilicata, the third oldest city in the world with its ancient architecture, caves and stunning natural beauty, and the beautiful mountainous village of Palena in Abruzzo with its medieval architecture, scenic views and rich cultural heritage.

The Rome to Sicily itinerary (and vice versa) takes guests all the way to the tip of the Italian peninsula – and across the Strait of Messina to the ancient isle of Sicily. Here, the train will decouple and load onto a ferry before being reassembled and continuing on the tracks in Messina.

The eight itineraries include:

• La Dolce Vita Venice and Portofino: Three days and two nights, starting and ending in Rome and passing through Venice and Portofino.
• Venice and Tuscany: Three days and two nights, starting and ending in Rome and passing through Venice and Siena.
• Eternal Stones of Matera: Three days and two nights, starting and ending in Rome and passing through Matera and Pescocostanzo.
• Tastes of Tuscan Vineyards: Two days and one night, starting and ending in Rome and passing through Montalcino.
• The Truffle Route: Three days and two nights, starting and ending in Rome and passing through Nizza Monferrato.
• From Rome to Sicily: Three days and two nights, starting in Rome and ending in Palermo, passing through Maratea and Taormina.
• From Sicily to Rome: Three days and two nights, starting in Palermo and ending in Rome, passing through Taormina and Maratea.
• Shores of Sicily: Two days and one night, starting and ending in Catania and passing through Palermo and Taormina.

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Deluxe Room

BOOK IT

Prices start from €3,500 per person in a deluxe cabin and €4,700 per person in a suite, based on a one-night itinerary. Exact pricing is tailored to travel preferences and departure date. Explore more and book your adventure at orient-express.com/la-dolce-vita