See Europe from the Rails
The sheer delight of taking a trip on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is that you can choose which of our classic routes suits you best. This is the most bespoke hotel experience imaginable, from the personal service you’ll receive to the city you decide to begin your adventure in. So, let’s explore some possibilities.
OUR CLASSIC OVERNIGHT journey starts at London’s Victoria station, the closest rail station to Buckingham Palace. This iconic terminus appears in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It’s here, in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, that our hero Jack Worthing is discovered as a baby, having been abandoned in a handbag. Indeed, for all the modernity and innovation of London, there’s still something reassuringly proper and old-fashioned about the city. It only feels right to board our beautiful Belmond British Pullman carriages here.
Brunch and bellinis are served as you move gently through the English countryside. Picture yourself waking up the next morning to the sight of the snow-capped Alps. Views of rustic northern Italy are framed by the snowy Dolomites, and you’ll see craggy castles guarding Austria's mountain passes. Gliding across the waters encircling Venice, you’ll pull into Santa Lucia station and disembark here. Step into the most romantic city in the world and continue this most gorgeous, impulsive adventure.
Care to start your journey in Venice instead? Relax in total splendour with a stay at the iconic Belmond Hotel Cipriani in advance of your trip. Board the train in La Serenissima, sit back and sigh in pleasure as you cross continental Europe in sumptuous style. You can even take the trip as a return journey, or travel to Verona, the historic city setting for Romeo and Juliet and home to fabulous festivals throughout the year. Or, why not extend your time with us? Our five-day journeys link Venice and Paris with a stay in beautiful Budapest or Vienna; and Venice to Paris with two-night stays in either Prague or Venice.
Such is the joy of the journey on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, we offer one annual five-night tour between Paris and historic Istanbul. Think of it as our Grand Tour, widely considered to be our ultimate experience. This special route includes night stops in Budapest and Bucharest and daytime exploration time in Sinaia and Varna before travelling on to Istanbul.
There’s a lot to choose from. But when every option is as splendid as this, we know your route will fit you perfectly. We look forward to welcoming you onboard.