Jewels of Italy and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Stresa is one of the best known resorts on Lake Maggiore, strategically located at the “bend” in the lake, allowing for easy access by boat to many different villages along the shoreline.

One highly recommended day trip is to Domodossola and the Centovalli railway, a spectacular line that runs across to Locarno in Switzerland, which is then linked back to Stresa by boat. Alternatively, take a boat across to Cannobio, Laveno or Luino, all of which are charming villages that are served by the lake.

A journey of over 550 miles awaits today, as you move south through Milan and onto a high-speed Frecciarossa (Red Arrow) train down the spine of Italy to Salerno.

On arrival you will be met by a driver, who will transfer you through to the Hotel Residence (or similar) in Amalfi for a 3-night stay.

Perched on a steep hillside, the town of Amalfi is located at the heart of the famous coast of the same name. You can explore not only the town itself, but also neighbouring villages such as Positano, Ravello and Furore, with its unique Italian fjord!

Alternatively, relax by the pool, read a book and top up the sun tan, as you look forward to an evening of culinary delights at one of Amalfi’s excellent seafood restaurants.

Today you will need to tear yourself away from the beautiful coastline and make your way back to Naples station, where a gleaming Italo train will be waiting to whisk you north to Tuscany. After a quick and easy change of platform in Florence, you board a regional train for the short journey through to the enchanting town of Siena.

Meet your private transfer at the station and head for the Grand Hotel Continental (or similar), in the heart of the walled old town. You will have a 3-night stay here.

Apart from being a stunning medieval city, Siena is also an ideal base for exploring Tuscany and the local area. We can arrange a wine tour for you, to one of the many vineyards that surround the city, or we can pre-book you a hire car to allow you to explore the region at your own pace.

Visit Chianti, Montalcino or the picturesque walled towns of San Gimignano or Montepulciano – there are endless possibilities, unless you prefer to view Siena itself at a slower pace.

After three dreamy days in Tuscany, and with your Orient Express adventure getting ever closer, today is the day to head to its starting point, Venice. The journey is easy, taking a regional train back to Florence and once again picking up the high-speed Italo train north, into Venice’s Santa Lucia station, located right on the Grand Canal. On arrival, you will be met and taken down to your own private boat waiting outside the station and whisked off down the Grand Canal – the only way to arrive in Venice! Check into your hotel, the Ca’ Sagredo (or similar) for a 2-night stay.

Uniquely situated on a lagoon, Venice is a car-free wonder which is best explored on foot. Once the capital of a vast trading empire, today Venice attracts millions of visitors every year, and it is not hard to see why. The bridges of Rialto and Accademia make for excellent reference points and the vast galleried St Mark’s Square is a focal point at the city’s heart. As well as visiting the fabled Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs and La Fenice Theatre, one of the great pleasures of Venice is to wander through its lanes and lose yourself – head into the residential areas of Cannaregio or Arsenale to discover the true Venice, and see real Venetians in their day-to-day lives.

Late morning, a transfer will take you back to the station where you board the gleaming Wagons Lits of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. After settling into your cabin and a brief stop at Verona, you will experience your first gourmet dining experience aboard the train.

As the locomotive hauls the coaches through the dramatic scenery of the Brenner Pass, you enjoy a 3-course lunch, followed by an afternoon tea served in your cabin. Keep some room for the delicious 4-course dinner, enjoyed as the sun goes down.

This morning, awake to breakfast served in your cabin by one of the smartly-dressed stewards. Spend the morning enjoying the rolling landscapes of France from your window before arriving into Paris at lunchtime.

Here, make your way from the Gare de l’Est to Gare du Nord (a short walk) and board the Eurostar for your journey back under the Channel to London.