Leave Palermo at half past ten, watch the coast of Sicily unfold, and finish with an evening in Naples before Rome.
This one way journey on La Dolce Vita Orient Express runs from Palermo to Rome. It calls at Taormina for the afternoon, crosses the Strait of Messina the next morning and spends the evening in Naples.
Naples is one of the oldest cities in Europe, founded by Greek settlers almost three thousand years ago. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, packed with baroque churches, underground passages and the pizzerias that gave the world its favourite food. Vesuvius looms across the bay.
We arrange it as a tailor made holiday, with flights, transfers and hotels in Palermo and Rome.
The coast at Taormina
Journey Highlights
Taormina and Etna
Free time in Taormina, with sweeping views of the Ionian Sea and Etna.
The Strait of Messina
The train is carried across to the mainland on a ferry.
Naples by Night
An evening in the city, with optional music and tastings.
Dinner by Heinz Beck
Multi course dinners paired with exceptional wines.
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.
Along the Coast of Sicily
At about 10.30am the train leaves Palermo Centrale and follows the island's rugged coast. Lunch reimagines Italian culinary heritage with seasonal ingredients.
In the afternoon you arrive at Taormina, where local hosts take you into town. Stroll its elegant streets or choose an experience such as Castelmola or a jeep excursion on Etna. Etna is Europe's highest active volcano, and the vineyards on its slopes make some of Italy's most exciting wines.
In the evening, rejoin the train for dinner paired with fine wines and a nightcap in the Bar Car.
First night on board. Lunch and dinner.
The Sicilian coast near Taormina
The Strait and Naples
Breakfast is served in your cabin as the train is uncoupled and carried onto the ferry. 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.
Lunch on board draws on the flavours of southern Italy. In the early evening you arrive in Naples, where local hosts take you into the heart of the city. Explore, enjoy a curated dining experience, or soak up the atmosphere.
Later you return to the station, and the night unfolds with live music as the train heads north.
Second night on board. Breakfast and lunch.
Arrival in Rome
A leisurely breakfast is served as the train glides into Roma Ostiense in the late morning.
Breakfast.
Prices and Booking
Tailor made, price on application
This journey is not available as a ready made package, so we build the holiday around you. We reserve your cabin on the train, then add flights, private transfers and hotel nights in Palermo and Rome, and quote one all inclusive price.
Call us on 0333 405 0192 or send an enquiry with your preferred month and cabin, and we will come back with dates and a price.
When it runs: Selected dates through the year. Ask us for the current calendar.
What the train fare includes
- Your private cabin or suite with en suite shower room
- All meals on board, with menus created by three Michelin star chef Heinz Beck
- Selected wines, spirits, soft drinks, tea and coffee
- Live music and entertainment in the Bar Car
- Transfer to the departure station and use of the La Dolce Vita Lounge where available
- Local host assistance at each stop, plus all taxes
Frequently Asked Questions
Palermo Centrale, at about 10.30am. We recommend a night in Palermo beforehand.
You spend the evening in Naples, where a curated dining experience is offered. Live music continues on board later.
This route calls at Naples instead of Maratea. See From Sicily to Rome for the packaged version.
We arrange this journey as a tailor made holiday with flights and hotels. Call us on 0333 405 0192 for a price.
Yes. See Rome to Sicily via Naples.