The Holiday

Begin with three or four nights in one of the world's great cities. Then, at mid-morning on your final day in Venice, board the blue and gold carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Santa Lucia station for an overnight journey that takes in the Italian Dolomites, the Austrian Alps and the plains of France before arriving in Paris the following morning.

This holiday pairs Venice with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in the most natural sequence: you arrive by air, you leave by the most celebrated train in the world. Your hotel is the Ca' Dei Conti, a four-star property in the Castello sestiere, three minutes on foot from Piazza San Marco and overlooking a characteristic Venetian canal. It is a comfortable, well-located base for exploring the city at your own pace.

The VSOE departs Venice Santa Lucia around 11:00. Lunch is served as the train heads north through the Veneto and into the Italian Dolomites. Afternoon tea follows in your cabin as the train climbs through Innsbruck and into the Austrian Alps. Dinner is a four-course affair in the restored 1920s restaurant cars. After dinner, the Bar Car is where the evening continues. The following morning, a continental breakfast is served in your cabin as the train travels through France towards Paris. From Paris Gare d'Austerlitz, a car transfer takes you to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar home to London St Pancras.

Gondola on the canals of Venice
Venice
Cabin on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Your Cabin
Alpine scenery from the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Alpine Scenery

Day by Day

1 Day One

London to Venice

Fly from London to Venice Marco Polo Airport. On arrival, your water taxi transfer is waiting to take you across the lagoon to your hotel in the heart of Venice. Check in, find your bearings and let the city begin to work its effect. Venice is best approached on foot, so there is no better way to spend the first afternoon than simply walking until you are lost.

Overnight at Ca' Dei Conti, Venice.

2 Days 2 & 3

Exploring Venice

Venice rewards those who explore it without a fixed agenda. Piazza San Marco, the Basilica and the Doge's Palace are on your doorstep, and a timed entry ticket to the Doge's Palace is included in your holiday. The Rialto Bridge, the Frari church, the Accademia and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection are all within walking distance. Take a Vaporetto along the Grand Canal, or a gondola through the narrower calli. For a change of scene, the Alilaguna boat service runs across the lagoon to the Lido and the glass-making island of Murano.

If you are travelling on four nights, you have an additional full day to explore at leisure. Venice is one of those cities that rewards slow travel, and an extra day spent wandering in Dorsoduro or Cannaregio, away from the main tourist routes, gives a rather different sense of the city.

Bed and breakfast at Ca' Dei Conti.

4 Day 4 or 5

Aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

After breakfast at your hotel, say farewell to Venice. Your water taxi transfer takes you across the lagoon to Santa Lucia station, where the blue and gold carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express are waiting. The train departs around 11:00.

Lunch is served in the restaurant cars as the train heads north through the Veneto and into the Dolomites, a combination of scenery and food that is genuinely difficult to improve on. Afternoon tea is served in your cabin as the train crosses into Austria. Innsbruck is reached in the late afternoon, and after Innsbruck the route follows the spectacular Arlberg Pass through the Alps before descending into Switzerland as evening approaches. Dress for dinner before taking an aperitif in Bar Car 3674, then make your way to the restaurant car for a four-course dinner with the sommelier's selection of wines. After dinner, the Bar Car comes alive again, the pianist plays and the train moves through the darkness.

Afternoon tea and dinner on the VSOE included. Overnight on board.

5 Day 5 or 6

Paris and Home

Wake as the VSOE travels through the French countryside. Your steward serves a continental breakfast in your cabin as the train makes its way towards Paris. The train arrives at Paris Gare d'Austerlitz around 13:00.

A private car transfer takes you across Paris to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar Premier Class service to London St Pancras. The Eurostar journey takes approximately two hours and fifteen minutes, and a meal is served on board in Premier Class.

Breakfast on the VSOE, private car transfer in Paris, meal on board Eurostar included.

The Hotel

The Ca' Dei Conti is a four-star hotel in the Castello sestiere, housed in an 18th-century Venetian building reached by a private bridge over a small canal. It is three minutes on foot from Piazza San Marco and five from the Rialto, yet tucked into a quiet corner of the city away from the main tourist flow. The aristocratic coat of arms of the original owners can still be seen in the lobby's marble floor, and the rooms are furnished with antique pieces and Murano glass chandeliers that reflect the hotel's heritage.

The 43 rooms all have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, minibar and private bathrooms. Breakfast is served each morning and the bar terrace is a good place to end an evening. The hotel's location in Castello is particularly convenient for visiting the Arsenale, the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni and the less visited eastern quarters of the city, as well as being a straightforward walk to all the principal sights.

Also available: If you would prefer a different hotel in Venice, including some of the grander five-star properties featured on our Venice Hotels page, please call us on 0333 405 0192 to discuss options. Most hotels can be accommodated and prices adjusted accordingly.

Departure Dates 2026

The holiday is available on the following VSOE Venice to Paris departure dates.

Fly to Venice Board VSOE Arrive London Nights
Wednesday 12 August Saturday 15 August Sunday 16 August 3 nights in Venice4 nights total
Monday 17 August Thursday 20 August Friday 21 August 3 nights in Venice4 nights total
Monday 24 August Thursday 27 August Friday 28 August 3 nights in Venice4 nights total
Monday 19 October Thursday 22 October Friday 23 October 3 nights in Venice4 nights total
Monday 26 October** Thursday 29 October Friday 30 October 3 nights in Venice4 nights total
Saturday 14 November Tuesday 17 November Wednesday 18 November 3 nights in Venice4 nights total
Monday 23 November Thursday 26 November Friday 27 November 3 nights in Venice4 nights total

** On this departure we can offer 4 nights for the price of 3 at the hotel, with a departure on Sunday 25th October 2026.

We can also offer four nights in Venice (five nights total) on selected dates. Please call us to discuss. The 4 for 3 hotel offer (four nights for the price of three) may be available on certain dates; please ask when enquiring.

2026 Prices

Twin Occupancy (per person)

HotelDatesFrom (pp)
4★ Ca' Dei Conti August and October 2026 £5,199
4★ Ca' Dei Conti November 2026 £4,949

Based on two adults sharing a twin or double cabin on the VSOE and a twin or double room at the hotel. Non-refundable deposit £900 per person.

Sole Occupancy (per person)

HotelDatesFrom (pp)
4★ Ca' Dei Conti August 2026 £6,699

Based on one adult occupying a twin cabin on the VSOE and a single room at the hotel. Non-refundable deposit £900 per person.

What Is Included

Please note: The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express route is subject to change without prior notice due to railway engineering works or other operational requirements. Flights and hotels are on request and cannot be confirmed until a deposit has been received. All flights and hotels are subject to availability at the time of booking.
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