Orient Express La Dolce Vita

The premise

Italy was made for train travel.

The vineyards. The hill towns. The coastline. The way one region gradually becomes another.

Most travelers experience those transitions through airport terminals and highways packed with cars. La Dolce Vita turns them into part of the trip.

The train operates a collection of eight different itineraries across 14 regions of Italy, ranging from one-night journeys to multi-day routes connecting destinations like Venice, Portofino, Matera, Sicily, Tuscany, and Rome. Some itineraries venture into lesser-visited corners of the country, while others focus on Italy’s iconic spots. The common thread is that the journey itself becomes the reason to go.

You’ll board in Rome and, for the next several days, you’ll have the opportunity to watch Italy unfold beyond your window.

No security lines, rental car counters, or rushing to make a connection. How refreshing!

The design

Many luxury trains lean heavily into nostalgia, but La Dolce Vita feels intentional.

Designed by Milan-based Dimorestudio, the interiors draw inspiration from the golden age of Italian design. Think lacquered surfaces, rich textiles, warm woods, brass accents, geometric patterns, and colors pulled from vintage Italian cinema.

There are references to the past everywhere, but nothing feels dated.

The cabins are compact by necessity, yet remarkably polished. They have mirrored walls to expand the space and hidden details everywhere. During the day, the cabins function as sitting rooms. At night, they transform into bedrooms that feel surprisingly comfortable considering you’re sleeping aboard a moving train.

The lounge and bar carriage is where it really comes alive. Cocktails arrive, conversations fill the room, and the scenery changes every few minutes.

Nobody is in a hurry to be anywhere, which is part of the draw.

The experience

Luxury trains often market themselves around destinations.

La Dolce Vita succeeds because it understands this: the best moments happen between destinations.

It’s the morning espresso while the countryside slides past.

That long lunch that somehow turns into an afternoon.

Watching vineyards give way to mountains and then to the sea without ever unpacking a suitcase.

There is a distinctly Italian approach to the experience because the train embraces the idea of la dolce vita, the sweetness of life, not as a marketing slogan but as a pace.

Time just feels different onboard.

The dining

Food is central to the experience, of course — you’re in Italy after all!

Menus draw inspiration from the regions the train passes through, creating a moving portrait of Italy’s culinary identity. One evening might celebrate Sicily, while the next could focus on Tuscany or Veneto.

The dining car is not attempting to recreate a fine dining restaurant. Rather, it’s creating meals that feel connected to the places it’s moving through.

Italian wines are abundant, naturally, and the views provide a backdrop that no restaurant could replicate.