In the eighteenth century young aristocrats crossed the Alps to complete their education in Italy. This is the modern version: five days, four cities and the whole length of the country.
The Grand Tour is the most complete Italian journey on La Dolce Vita Orient Express. It starts in Rome, runs north to Venice, then sweeps south down the Adriatic to Matera before crossing to Sicily for Taormina and Palermo.
The original Grand Tour was a rite of passage for British travellers from the 1660s onwards. They came for the art of Venice and Florence, the ruins of Rome and, later, the Greek temples of Sicily. This journey follows in their footsteps, with rather better beds.
We include flights, private transfers and two nights in central Rome to give you time before or after the train.
Venice on the first evening of the Grand Tour
Journey Highlights
An Evening in Venice
A private water taxi into the city and an evening at leisure before dinner on board.
Matera
The ancient cave city, reached from Bari on the Adriatic coast.
Two Strait Crossings
Ride the train ferry to Sicily, and back again at sunset.
Taormina and Palermo
The Greek Theatre beneath Etna, then the Arab Norman splendour of Palermo.
Day by Day Itinerary
Timings are a guide only. The train operator confirms exact times with your travel documents, and they can change with rail and weather conditions.
Arrive in Rome
Fly to Rome and transfer to your hotel close to the Pantheon.
Hotel night in Rome with breakfast.
North to the Lagoon
A private transfer brings you to the La Dolce Vita Lounge at Roma Ostiense. The train leaves in the morning, and lunch by Heinz Beck is served as the landscape shifts from Lazio to Tuscany.
By early evening you arrive in Venice, where a private water taxi carries you into the heart of the city. Wander the alleys, take an aperitivo by the Grand Canal or choose a curated experience, such as a visit to the spiral Scala Contarini del Bovolo. Then return to the train as it heads south with live music in the Bar Car.
First night on board. Lunch and dinner.
The City of Caves
Breakfast is served as the train runs down the Adriatic coast. In the morning you arrive in Bari and transfer to Matera.
Explore the Sassi at your own pace or join a curated experience, perhaps a tour with live music deep inside the rock. Matera's cave churches and stone lanes have been lived in for millennia, and the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the late afternoon the train departs for Sicily, with a dinner inspired by the flavours of the south.
Second night on board. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Matera, one of the oldest cities in the world
Across the Strait to Taormina
The train glides through Calabria past cliffs, olive groves and glimpses of turquoise sea. Then comes the crossing of the Strait of Messina. The Strait of Messina crossing is one of the great curiosities of European rail travel. There is no bridge, so the carriages are uncoupled, shunted onto a train ferry and carried across the water. It takes about half an hour, and you can step out to watch Sicily and Calabria drift past.
Back on Sicilian tracks, lunch celebrates the island's flavours before you arrive in Taormina, set high above the Ionian Sea with Etna beyond. The afternoon is yours, or choose an experience such as a visit to the hill village of Castelmola or a jeep excursion on Etna. Dinner on board features Sicilian ingredients.
Third night on board. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Palermo, Capital of Sicily
After breakfast you are escorted into Palermo, where Arab Norman architecture stands beside noisy markets and baroque churches. Explore at your own pace, or choose an experience such as a visit to Monreale Cathedral and a nearby winery.
By mid afternoon you return to the train, which crosses back over the Strait of Messina at sunset. The evening brings your last dinner and live music on board.
Fourth night on board. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The north coast of Sicily on the way to Palermo
Return to Rome
After a relaxed breakfast the train arrives at Roma Ostiense in the morning. Transfer to your hotel for a final night in the city.
Breakfast. Hotel night in Rome.
Fly Home
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Holiday Prices
We book this journey as a complete holiday with flights, private transfers and hotel nights, so everything is joined up and protected. Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a Deluxe cabin and a double or twin hotel room.
Holiday shape: 2 nights in Rome and 4 nights aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express.
What is included
- Return flights from the UK to Italy
- Private car transfers between the airport, your hotel and the station
- Four nights aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express in a Deluxe cabin
- All meals on board, selected drinks and the excursions included in the itinerary
- Two nights with breakfast at L'Orologio Roma
- The Venice water taxi and local host assistance at every stop
- A dedicated concierge service before you travel
- Detailed destination guide notes for your stay
Your hotels
L'Orologio Roma is a stylish four star hotel in a restored Neo Renaissance palazzo on Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Campo de' Fiori, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona are all about five minutes away on foot, so the historic centre is on your doorstep.
Departure dates
The Grand Tour runs a handful of times a year. The 2027 dates are being released now. Call us on 0333 405 0192 to register your interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Five days and four nights on the train, round trip from Rome. Our holiday adds two nights in Rome, flights and transfers.
Transfers into each city and local host assistance are included. Curated experiences in Venice, Matera, Taormina and Palermo can be added for a supplement.
Yes. The carriages are carried across the Strait of Messina on a train ferry, once on the way to Sicily and again on the way back.
Absolutely. It shows the full range of the train and of Italy, from Venice to Sicily.
Departures are limited. The next season is being released now, so call us to register your interest.