La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Rome to Istanbul

Arriving in Rome, you'll be met and transferred to your accommodation. Once you've taken time to settle in, you'll have two day to explore the city at your leisure. It's a place blessed with hidden gems and iconic sights, from locals-favourite cafés and boutique art galleries to the world-famous Colosseum, Roman Forum and Vatican City with its renowned Sistine Chapel. Speak to our experts about arranging a guide for a more in-depth insight into this remarkable city.

Enjoy a morning of relaxation or sightseeing before a private transfer takes you from your hotel to the La Dolce Vita lounge at Rome Ostiense. Opening three hours before departure, this elegant, tranquil space offers the perfect place to unwind and prepare for the adventure ahead. As evening falls, the train departs Rome and you settle into your private cabin, watching the Italian countryside slip by. Dinner is served in the Restaurant Car, showcasing a menu created by three‑Michelin‑starred chef Heinz Beck—a first glimpse of the exceptional dining that defines the experience. Afterward, live piano and vocal performances create a warm, sophisticated ambience as the train glides through the night toward Venice.

On the second morning, the train glides into Venice, where shimmering canals, ornate palaces and narrow alleyways offer a magical welcome. Local assistants meet you on the platform and accompany you by private water taxi into the heart of the city, ensuring a smooth and stylish arrival. Spend the day exploring at leisure or choose from a selection of curated experiences designed to reveal Venice’s artistry, history and hidden corners. In the late afternoon, return to the station to rejoin the train. As the city’s lights begin to glow, dinner is served in the Restaurant Car—a menu crafted by three‑Michelin‑starred chef Heinz Beck—before live piano and vocal performances create a warm, intimate atmosphere. The train continues eastward through the night, carrying you gently toward the next chapter of your journey.

Wake on the third morning to the captivating skyline of Budapest. Upon arrival, local assistants greet you on the platform and escort you by private transfer into the heart of the Hungarian capital. Spend the day exploring its elegant streets, iconic bridges and characterful squares at your own pace, or choose from curated experiences designed to reveal the city’s rich art, history and cultural heritage. In the late afternoon, return to the train, where a dinner crafted in the Restaurant Car by three‑Michelin‑starred chef Heinz Beck awaits. As the train continues eastward into the evening, live piano and vocal performances fill the carriage, creating a warm, refined ambience that perfectly concludes your day in this remarkable city.

Today, the train winds through the dramatic landscapes of the Carpathians before arriving in Brașov, a mountain town of medieval streets and charming squares. Spend the morning wandering at your own pace, taking in cobbled lanes, centuries‑old architecture and the region’s serene alpine atmosphere. In the afternoon, rejoin the train in Sinaia, where an aperitif awaits before dinner in the Restaurant Car, showcasing the culinary finesse of three‑Michelin‑starred chef Heinz Beck. As the pianist and vocalist perform live, the train departs eastward, leaving the Carpathians behind and carrying you toward the anticipation and allure of Istanbul.

Your final morning onboard sees the train rolls into Istanbul, a mesmerising city of domes, minarets and vibrant streets unfolding like a living tapestry at the crossroads of continents. Onboard, a final lunch in the Restaurant Car offers one last moment of refined culinary indulgence. Upon arrival, local hosts greet you on the platform and bid you farewell, marking the close of a remarkable journey that has followed the legendary path of the Orient Express, carrying you across Central Europe to the threshold of the East. On arrival, a private transfer will see you to your hotel.

Experience Istanbul as a tapestry of timeless elegance and contemporary sophistication. Wander through the storied corridors of Topkapi Palace, where Ottoman grandeur meets tranquil courtyards overlooking the shimmering Bosphorus. Drift across the strait on a private cruise, savouring the city’s emblematic skyline—minarets rising beside graceful waterfront mansions. Lose yourself in the Hagia Sophia’s ethereal beauty before exploring the boutiques and artisan workshops hidden within the Grand Bazaar’s labyrinthine alleys. As dusk falls, ascend to a rooftop terrace in Karaköy for panoramic views that glow beneath the evening call to prayer. In Istanbul, every moment is elevated—an exquisite balance of culture, cuisine, and curated luxury worthy of the world’s most discerning traveller.

Your holiday comes to an end today. After breakfast, a private transfer will see you to your hotel for your flight home.