La Dolce Vita Orient Express · 5 days · 4 nights
From Rome to Istanbul
Rome · Venice · Budapest · Brașov · Istanbul
La Dolce Vita Orient Express · 5 days, 4 nights
The Grand Tour
Five days around Italy from Rome: an evening in Venice, the cave city of Matera, Taormina beneath Etna and a day in Palermo.
- RomeDay 1
- VeniceDay 1
- BariDay 2
- MateraDay 2
- TaorminaDay 3
- PalermoDay 4
- RomeDay 5
Train stopExcursion by road
Duration5 days
Nights4
RouteRome → Rome
Places visited6
From, per personEUR 14,000
Overview
The longest Italian circuit on the La Dolce Vita Orient Express leaves Rome Ostiense in the morning and reaches Venice by early evening. It then runs south for Matera, crosses to Sicily by ferry for Taormina and Palermo, and returns to Rome on the fifth morning.
- An evening in Venice, reached by private water taxi
- The ancient Sassi cave districts of Matera
- The train ferried across the Strait of Messina, in both directions
- An afternoon in Taormina with Mount Etna on the horizon
- A full day in Palermo's markets and Arab-Norman streets
- Menus by three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck
- Live music in the Bar Car every night
Day by day
Day 1Rome → VeniceOn board
After a private transfer to the train's lounge at Rome Ostiense, you board for a morning departure and settle in as lunch is served in the Restaurant Car. The train reaches Venice in the early evening, where a private water taxi takes you into the city to wander, take an aperitivo by the Grand Canal or join an optional experience. Back on board, the Bar Car fills with live Italian music as the train turns south.
Meals: Lunch
Day 2Bari → MateraOn board
Breakfast is served in your cabin or the Restaurant Car as the train follows the Adriatic coast to Bari. A private transfer brings you inland to Matera, where you can explore the stone lanes and cave dwellings of the Sassi at your own pace or on an optional experience. You rejoin the train in the late afternoon for a dinner inspired by southern Italy and more live music.
Meals: Breakfast · Dinner
Day 3Strait of Messina → TaorminaOn board
The train runs down through the toe of Italy past cliffs and olive groves, then is carefully divided and carried aboard a ferry across the Strait of Messina. Lunch with Sicilian flavours follows back on the rails before you arrive in Taormina, high above the Ionian Sea, with free time or an optional experience in town. Dinner on board highlights Sicilian ingredients, and the evening closes in the Bar Car.
Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 4PalermoOn board
Breakfast is served as the train approaches Palermo, and you are escorted into the centre to explore its markets, churches and Arab-Norman architecture, independently or on an optional experience. In the mid-afternoon you reboard and cross the Strait of Messina again around sunset. Dinner reflects Sicily and the mainland, followed by a final night of live music.
Meals: Breakfast · Dinner
Day 5Return to Rome
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast in your cabin or the Restaurant Car on the run north. The train arrives back at Rome Ostiense in the morning, completing the circuit.
Meals: Breakfast
Where you spend each night
- Night 1On board
- Night 2On board
- Night 3On board
- Night 4On board
The map is schematic. Dashed lines are excursions by road.
Entry level
Deluxe Cabin
12 cabins · 7 m²
- Sofa converts to a 140 × 190 cm double bed
- Mirrored back wall and wood-slat ceiling
- Ensuite bathroom with shower
- Ottomans double as tables and stools
- In-room safe
Most popular
Suite
18 suites · 11 m²
- Set up as a master bedroom with a 140 × 190 cm bed
- Sofa plus table and two armchairs
- Ensuite bathroom with shower
- Larger luggage space
- Double or twin arrangement
One of a kind
La Dolce Vita Suite
1 suite · 30 m²
- Living and dining area, bedroom and walk-in wardrobe
- Bedroom bathtub plus a marble bathroom with double sinks
- Windows on both sides of the train
- Personal suite conductor and dedicated menu
- Private car transfers to and from the train
One Suite is specially adapted for guests with reduced mobility and is located close to the shared cars.
- Private transfer to the departure station
- Accommodation in your chosen Deluxe Cabin or Suite
- All meals on board as set out in the itinerary
- Selected wines and spirits, mineral water, soft drinks, tea and coffee
- Onboard entertainment, including live music in the Bar Car
- Transfers between the train and the town centre at each stop
- Use of the departure lounge at Rome Ostiense
- Private water taxi into Venice
- Private transfer from Bari to Matera
- Deposit
- 30% of the total at booking
- Final payment
- 125 days before departure
Dates and prices
Live availability. Choose a cabin type, then select Book Now to reserve online, or Join waitlist on sold-out dates.
Cabin Suite
May 8, 2027
EUR 19,680.00 pp dbl
June 25, 2027
EUR 19,680.00 pp dbl
September 14, 2027
EUR 19,680.00 pp dbl
May 8, 2027
EUR 33,456.00 pp sgl
June 25, 2027
EUR 33,456.00 pp sgl
September 14, 2027
EUR 33,456.00 pp sgl
Deluxe Cabin
May 8, 2027
EUR 14,000.00 pp dbl
June 25, 2027
EUR 14,000.00 pp dbl
September 14, 2027
EUR 14,000.00 pp dbl
May 8, 2027
EUR 23,800.00 pp sgl
June 25, 2027
EUR 23,800.00 pp sgl
September 14, 2027
EUR 23,800.00 pp sgl
Join the waitlist
This departure is currently sold out. Leave your details and we will contact you the moment a cabin becomes available.
Questions about this journey
Where does The Grand Tour start and finish?
It is a round trip from Rome Ostiense station. The train leaves in the morning on the first day and arrives back in Rome on the morning of the fifth day.
How is Matera reached?
The train stops at Bari on the Adriatic coast, and a private transfer takes you inland to Matera. You spend the day there and return to the train in the late afternoon.
Does the train really cross to Sicily by sea?
Yes. At the Strait of Messina the train is divided and carried aboard a ferry, and the crossing is made on the way to Taormina and again on the way back from Palermo. It is one of the most memorable moments of the journey.
How much time is there in Venice?
The train arrives in Venice in the early evening of the first day, and a private water taxi takes you into the city. You have the evening to explore before rejoining the train.
Are the excursions included?
Transfers into each town are provided so you can explore on your own. Guided experiences at each stop, such as Mount Etna by jeep or a walk through Matera's Sassi, are optional extras booked separately.
How do I check prices and dates for The Grand Tour?
Fares depend on the departure and the cabin category you choose. Live dates and fares are shown on this page, and our reservations team can help on (866) 484-7882.
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