The Orient Express La Dolce Vita train returns to Italy: let's explore its 9 itineraries
This is the news we have been waiting for years! At the beginning of December, the Orient Express La Dolce Vita opened its booking system.
You can finally book your dreamy experience on board the most luxury and prestigious train that you have ever heard of.
The Orient Express La Dolce Vita will be traveling among the most beautiful and outstanding places of Italy. Of course you can choose the itinerary that includes the Veneto region and our amazing city of Venice! We'll surely discuss that later in the article.
Let's see what this amazing train trip is about!
The Orient Express La Dolce Vita: how to live again the luxury and the prestige of the Orient Express
You have heard that from December 6th, 2022, you can pre book your amazing experience on board the most incredible train that has ever been made.
The Orient Express train travel represents an outstanding and exclusive experience that everyone has dreamt of at least once in a lifetime. Whoever has been inside the Santa Lucia train station and has seen the elegant blue train waiting to depart to Paris, has wished to be part of this journey at least for one night.
It's not only the prestige that is still fascinating to so many people for more than one hundred years (the first Orient Express train ride dates back to 1883); it is also the opportunity to become part of history. How many novels and movies have talked about it? How many movie stars and, more recently, fashion and travel influencers have been talking about it?
So, the Orient Express La Dolce Vita is the opportunity to live all these intense experiences once again.
Let's see the itineraries you can choose.
The brand new itineraries of the Orient Express La Dolce Vita
The Orient Express La Dolce Vita aims to show the Italian excellences to the world.
How? La Dolce Vita trains will be representative of a new way of making tourism. Travelers are now Hosts of this incredible country and they will be traveling along its many marvelous sites in the most sustainable way.
These trains will be the quintessence of Slow Tourism. As Italians, we do desire that our hosts truly appreciate our country, besides the many common places.
So, the luxury rail tourism will be an amazing opportunity to get to know Italy (and Italians) very well, while putting an eye to the incredible history and luxury of this train.
Which itineraries would you select? There are 9 at the moment.
1. From Milan to the Alps and Venice, following the Amarone wine route
The very first itinerary starts from Milan. Then it reaches Bergamo, Brescia, the city of lovers (Verona) and then the North. Trento, along the Amarone route, then the Valsugana with Levico Lake and Bassano del Grappa. You will also have the chance to make a stop in Calalzo di Cadore and then visit the famous Cortina D’Ampezzo.
On your way back, you will see Ponte delle Alpi, Conegliano, Treviso and Venice, of course. In case you want, you could also visit Chioggia and its colored houses.
2. From Lombardy to Piedmont, following wine routes
This itinerary starts again from Milan and then takes its hosts to Novara, in the Piedmont region. From here, you could decide to visit Biella and Santhià or go directly to Turin.
You will see the amazing UNESCO region of Monferrato with Canelli and its underground cathedrals, Asti, Castagnole della Lanze, and of course Alba, the queen of truffles. Then Bra, famous for its cheese and its baroque architecture, and Cavallermaggiore.
Then you will be led to the shoreline: Ventimiglia, Nice (in France) and the fairy Portofino.
3. Tuscany and its lesser know marvelous little towns
This itinerary departs from Rome and makes a stop in Orvieto, in the unforgettable Umbria region.
Then, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the amazing wineries of the Val d’Orcia. The fairy itinerary continues to Siena, Montalcino, Monte Amiata and Monte Antico.
The Orient Express La Dolce Vita train, then will lead you to the via Tirrenica, and will follow the sea: Talamone is the queen of this area, but also Tarquinia, where you can discover more about the Etruscan civilization.
4. From Rome with love: Abruzzo, Molise, Apulia, Basilicata and Campania (with Naples)
This train will travel across Central Italy. From Rome, in fact, you will continue your 5 star journey to Tivoli, with the enchanting Villa d'Este and Villa Adriana, then Avezzano and Sulmona. Here you will get on board the famous Italian trans-siberian train that will take you to Rivisondoli-Pescocostanzo, on the mountains.
From here, you will continue your trip to Castel di Sangro (Abruzzo) and Campobasso and Termoli (Molise). You will also see the beauty of the Gargano promontory in Apulia: this will be your welcome to the other Apulian cities: San Severo, Foggia and Altamura.
Matera, "the city of stones", will give you its welcome and you won't believe your eyes. It will be at least as amazing as your next destination: Naples, the picturesque city by the sea, at the foot of the Vesuvius.
5. Naples and the region of the Sirens
Why the itinerary of the Sirens? Because of the Sirens sung by Homer in its Odyssey!
From Naples you will go to Salerno and Castellabate (UNESCO Heritage) and then Maratea.
You will also see the Queen of the Coast of Gods, the little town of Tropea. Then, Nicotera Marina, Potenza and then back again to Naples. This itinerary is nothing less than thrilling and adventurous!
6. Salento and Matera
Your trip will depart from Bari, pearl of the Adriatic sea. Then you will be led to Brindisi, one of the most marvelous Apulian cities, and then Lecce, a Baroque masterpiece.
From Otranto, you will explore Gallipoli and Altamura and you will also make a stop in Matera, the superb City of Stones.
7. Western Sicily
Some of the most beautiful wonders of Italy are hidden here, in Sicily.
This itinerary will depart from Palermo and then visit the famous Saline di Mozia, Trapani and the splendid medieval town of Erice, located at 2460 ft from sea level, from which you can have the most amazing view of the sparkling sea and of the Sicilian mainland.
Board the train once again to get to Calatafimi and the Segesta archaeological park.
If you are traveling during the summer, the train will also take you to San Vito lo Capo, one of the most beautiful Italian beaches!
8. Eastern Sicily (to drink and taste!)
If you like wine, this is another itinerary to try! From Palermo to Agrigento (where you can visit the marvelous archaeological park), you will have the chance to do many wine tastings.
Then, the journey will take you to Catania, at the foot of the Etna Volcano. Also here, you could taste the amazing local wine! The trip will continue to the splendid city of Taormina, by the sea, Messina, and then Palermo, once again.
9. Baroque Sicily
From Palermo, you will be led to Enna, famous for its castle and its Roman ruins.
Here it is also the gateway to the Baroque Sicily: Syracuse and its Isola di Ortigia, then the stunning Noto and Modica, Unesco Heritage site.
The trip will then take you to Ragusa Ibla, in the historical center of Ragusa, and then the Valle dei Templi.
The services the trains offer
The Orient Express is ready to travel through Italy again thanks to an agreement by the company, which since 2017 has come under the control of the French Accor group, with Arsenale Spa.
The ambitious Treno della Dolce Vita will offer luxury, slow and sustainable travel along historic tracks and iconic destinations in the peninsula.
With the support of Accor, and thanks to the partnership with Trenitalia - Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato - and Fondazione FS Italiane, La Dolce Vita trains will allow passengers to travel along more than 16,000 km of railway lines - 7,000 of which are not electrified - to discover the country's historic places.
20 suites and 12 deluxe cabins for a total of 32 cabins per train, will be accommodating up to 64 passengers.
La Dolce Vita hotels: Rome and Venice
From 2024, the first Orient Express hotels are also expected to open.
In Rome, there will be La Minerva Orient express hotel, while in Venice Palazzo Donà Giovannelli (Cannaregio district).
These two hotels are expected to accommodate all the passengers waiting to be on board the luxurious train.
The Executive lounge
At the Roma Ostiense station, there will be the Orient Express Executive Lounge, which will welcome passengers by offering them a unique experience and providing travel advice and directions.
