In the whirlwind of global travel, the liminal moments of a trip are habitually written off as an afterthought. From the instant of departure, our gaze is trained on the destination, our patience on the remaining time till arrival. But trends are protean, and as the demand to slow down reaches a crescendo, the resurgence of train travel radiates profound attraction to the discerning traveller. At the helm of this renaissance stands La Dolce Vita Orient Express, a legend reborn.
La Dolce Vita Orient Express marks the modern revival of a storied brand. More than 140 years ago, the Orient Express train cut a fine figure on the tracks between Paris and Constantinople, bridging more than distances across the continent—it set in motion the reinvention of slow travel, infusing it with opulence and refined experiences. Across the decades, Orient Express has since been memorialised in literature, on film, and on screens, but nothing quite comes close to the real thing.
With the Italian-made La Dolce Vita Orient Express comes a markedly Italian perspective on leisure and travel, not least because of Dimorestudio’s significant contribution to the project. Imagine the time and place: 1960s Italy in the embrace of romance and enchantment, as seen through the lens of Federico Fellini, the glamour of Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, and the dulcet sounds of Adriano Celentano, Rita Pavone, and Mina. Dimorestudio’s Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran distilled the unmistakable essence of this Italian golden age into the design of La Dolce Vita Orient Express, suffusing its cabins and cars with rich materials, artistic references, and exquisite craftsmanship. Polished brass, retro silhouettes, soft velvet, earthy colours, and walnut place the interiors into the arms of evocative mid-century aesthetics, an homage to heritage, nostalgia, and the avant-garde.
It all begins at the Roma Ostiense station in the capital, in the comfort of Hugo Toro’s sumptuous La Dolce Vita Lounge, setting the tone for the approaching journey. After canapés and drinks, admiring mosaics and landscape paintings evoking the European Grand Tours of the 18th and 19th centuries, and completing check-in, life on board begins. La Dolce Vita Orient Express comprises a dozen deluxe cabins, 18 suite cabins, and one exclusive La Dolce Vita Suite, alongside a restaurant car and a lounge bar. Heinz Beck, adorned with a three-Michelin-star recognition, curates the gastronomic encounters from morning till night, revealing the bounties and flavours of Italian regions as the locomotive crosses them. From freshly baked breakfast pastries to gnocchetti di zita cacio e pepe en route to Portofino, and Fassona tartare with hazelnuts and Castelmagno cheese shavings as the train crosses Piedmont, each kilometre traversed is a step taken towards understanding the land through food.
Observe the transformation of the countryside from the comfort of your cabin or from the lounge car as La Dolce Vita Orient Express meanders past sloping vineyards and their neat striations, rolling hills and mountaintop hamlets, Italian cypresses standing sentinel, and along shimmering coastlines. From Rome to Verona, Venice and Siena, or Siracusa to Palermo, the unhurried expedition invites reflection and finding delight in the moment. Pursue the white truffle route from Rome to Nizza Monferrato, explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera, land aces on some of Italy’s most iconic golf courses, or trace the path of a brand-new route from Rome to Istanbul, through Budapest and Brașov.
La Dolce Vita Orient Express embodies the mesmerising magic of timeless travel, the sentimental allure of golden-age nostalgia, and the precious creation of lasting memories. In this colourful celebration of craftsmanship, culture, and creativity, Italy’s most cherished treasures are found.
Learn more about La Dolce Vita Orient Express and your next Italian adventure here.
