A New Loop Through Northern Italy
La Dolce Vita Orient Express has opened bookings for a two-night route that launches in May 2027, starting at £7,897 per person. The round trip begins and ends in Rome, tracing a path through the Tuscan countryside, the Ligurian coast, Venice and Florence.
The journey is part of the expanded 2027 schedule announced by Accor, the hospitality group that owns the La Dolce Vita brand. The train first rolled out Italian itineraries in 2025, drawing on the nostalgia of early 20th-century luxury rail travel without replicating the original Paris-to-Istanbul route that inspired its name.
Guests depart Rome heading north, with Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck preparing lunch on the first day. The menu leans into regional Italian ingredients, though the train's galley limits the complexity of what can be plated at speed.
Portofino by Private Transfer
The train reaches the Ligurian coast by late afternoon, stopping at Santa Margherita Ligure. Portofino itself has no railway station, so guests are driven by private transfer to the resort town for a few hours of independent exploration.
It is a logistical workaround that adds a layer of exclusivity but also introduces a variable the train cannot fully control: road traffic along the narrow coastal roads. Guests return to the train for dinner in the restaurant car, followed by live music in the bar car as the train continues overnight.
Venice and Florence on Day Two and Three
The train arrives at Venezia Santa Lucia station on the morning of day two. Passengers can explore Venice independently or join curated experiences arranged by La Dolce Vita, such as a tour of Scala Contarini del Bovolo, a lesser-known palazzo with a spiral staircase.
On the final day, the train pulls into Florence. Again, guests choose between self-guided wandering or a private walking tour. By mid-afternoon, the train begins its southward return through central Italy, arriving back in Rome by evening.
The itinerary offers a compressed introduction to three marquee destinations, though the time on the ground is brief. For travellers who prioritise the train experience itself over deep dives into each city, the trade-off may suit.
Other Routes and Themed Departures
La Dolce Vita has also confirmed several other 2027 itineraries. The Italian Wine Route passes through Bolgheri and Verona, while the Truffle Route focuses on Alba and Piedmont. A Rome-to-Venice journey adds stops in Bolgheri, Florence, Verona and Alba, with vineyard visits woven in.
Themed departures include The Carnival Party in February, timed to coincide with Italian Carnevale, and The Italian Swing in April, which brings guests to golf courses around the country over four days.
The train itself holds 31 cabins: 18 suites, 12 deluxe cabins, and one La Dolce Vita Suite. Deluxe cabins feature a sofa that converts into a double bed, marble en suites, and a mini bar. Suites are larger, with a separate bed and sofa. Each cabin has a call button to summon a steward for room service, with items such as olives, cheese platters and breadsticks available.
Two Brands, One Name
The Orient Express name now belongs to two separate operators. Accor owns La Dolce Vita Orient Express, which runs exclusively in Italy. Belmond operates the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which travels between European cities including Paris, Venice and Istanbul.
Both companies licence the name from the legacy of the original Orient Express, which began service in 1883. The split can confuse travellers, particularly those booking without realising the two trains serve different routes and markets.
La Dolce Vita positions itself as a mobile hotel with a strong emphasis on Italian cuisine and wine, whereas the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express markets itself as a restoration of the historic train itself, with Art Deco carriages and cross-border routes.
For the new Rome-Portofino-Venice route, the appeal rests on whether two nights aboard a train, with limited time in each city, justifies the cost. The train offers access to places that are individually expensive and logistically tricky to link by car or standard rail. Whether that convenience, paired with the onboard experience, adds up to value depends on what a traveller is willing to pay for curation and atmosphere over flexibility and time.
