Danube Express Luxury Train: Sicilian Odyssey

The Sicilian Odyssey is a 12-day, 11-night journey down the length of Italy aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express. The route runs Venice, Cremona, Bologna, Rimini, San Marino, Pompeii, Alberobello, Lecce, Palermo, Agrigento, Ragusa, Syracuse, Caltagirone, Catania and Taormina. It combines nights on the private train with two-night stays in five-star hotels in Venice and Taormina.

It begins in Venice, where you spend the first two nights in a five-star hotel before a private boat transfer along the Grand Canal takes you to Santa Lucia station to join the train. It ends in clifftop Taormina in Sicily, where the last two nights are spent in a hotel, with an airport transfer on the final morning. Venice and Catania are therefore your arrival and departure gateways.

Between the Puglia region and Palermo the train is carried across the Straits of Messina by rail ferry overnight - a rare operation and one of the most memorable moments of the journey. You are on board while the crossing takes place and wake to breakfast in the dining car as the train rolls into Sicily. Very few rail journeys in Europe still include it.

Two classes are offered on this journey: Deluxe Class and Superior Deluxe Class, both with private en-suite facilities. Superior Deluxe cabins are the most spacious, with a full-length sofa, two additional chairs and two full-size picture windows, one of which opens; just 12 are carried on each departure. Cabins are converted for the night by your attendant and the fare for each class is shown on this page.

The fare covers five-star pre- and post-tour hotel accommodation, your private en-suite cabin on board, all meals on board plus dining in local restaurants, beverages from the standard bar list, expertly guided off-train excursions with Freedom of Choice touring, all gratuities, arrival and departure transfers, luggage porterage, and the services of an on-board tour manager and doctor.

Yes. All gratuities, arrival and departure transfers and luggage porterage are part of the fare, so you are not expected to budget for tipping guides, drivers or on-board staff during the journey. International flights, personal expenses, travel insurance and anything not listed in the itinerary remain outside the fare.

On several days you choose between two guided options rather than following a single group. In Bologna you pick between the Ferrari factory and museum at Maranello or the UNESCO Old Town of San Marino and Mount Titano; in Palermo you choose between the Anti-Mafia Museum at Corleone or the Norman mosaics of Monreale. Your choices are confirmed before departure.

Three stand out. Pompeii is visited on a behind-the-scenes tour showing how preservation work continues today; Agrigento's Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is explored on a private guided tour; and the Villa Romana del Casale near Piazza Armerina holds some of the best-preserved Roman mosaics anywhere. Syracuse adds a boat tour around the island of Ortigia.

From Taormina the day begins with a private visit to the Mount Etna Museum guided by a local volcanologist, who explains how the volcano works and how it shapes life on the island. You then go up onto the slopes for a long lunch at a traditional Sicilian Palmento, where the volcanic soil gives the local produce its character. The afternoon in Taormina is at leisure.

Two nights are spent in a five-star hotel in Venice at the start, and the final two nights are in Taormina. The rest of the journey is on board the Golden Eagle Danube Express, which serves as your hotel on wheels: you unpack once and your cabin attendant looks after you through the day and evening.

On the second evening in Venice, after a day exploring St Mark's Basilica and the Rialto Market or enjoying a gondola ride, guests gather for a private concert in the historic church of San Zaccaria. Dinner at a well-known Venetian restaurant follows. It is one of several exclusive access moments on the journey, alongside the Stradivari Museum in Cremona and the Teatro Massimo in Palermo.

Fares are quoted per person based on two people sharing a cabin, and vary by cabin class and departure. The exact fare for each departure and class is shown in the booking list on this page, so it always reflects current pricing rather than a figure that may have moved. We confirm the final amount in writing before any payment is taken.

Yes. A single occupancy fare is published for this journey and is shown alongside the sharing fare on this page. Because a solo guest occupies a full en-suite cabin for eleven nights, the single fare is significantly higher than the per person sharing rate. Contact us early, as single cabins are limited on each departure.

A deposit of 30 percent of the tour price confirms your cabin and is non-refundable. The balance is due 125 days before departure, and bookings made within 125 days of departure are payable in full at the time of booking. Your written confirmation shows the exact amounts and the dates they fall due.

The departure currently on sale is 29 August 2027, a Sunday, with availability and fares by cabin class shown in the booking list on this page. This is a once-a-year itinerary with a small number of cabins, so it tends to sell well in advance. Contact us and we will confirm what is open in each class.

Child fares are based on age at the departure date, with bands of 0 to under 5 years and 5 to under 12 years; guests aged 12 and over pay the adult fare. The pace of this itinerary, with twelve days of guided touring and long days ashore, suits older children best. Tell us the ages in your party and we will advise honestly.

The touring is extensive: Pompeii, the Valley of the Temples, the hill town of Ragusa and Taormina's medieval streets all involve walking on uneven ground, cobbles and steps, often in warm weather. A reasonable level of fitness makes the journey far more enjoyable. If anyone in your party has mobility limitations, tell us before booking and we will be candid about what is realistic.

Late August is high summer in southern Italy and Sicily, with hot, dry days, particularly at inland archaeological sites such as Agrigento and the Villa Romana del Casale. Lightweight clothing, a sun hat, high-factor sun protection and plenty of water are essential, with something smarter for evenings and the farewell dinner. Venice at the start of the journey is warm and humid.

Travel insurance is not included and we strongly recommend comprehensive cover, including cancellation, from the moment you pay your deposit; the deposit and balance schedule makes this particularly important on a journey booked far ahead. Italy is part of the Schengen area, so entry requirements depend on your nationality - check with the Italian consulate or embassy covering where you live.

Email travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610, or message us on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/17864080610 - you will reach a travel specialist or our AI assistant. The departure shown on this page can be booked directly from the departure list, and we confirm cabin class availability, the exact fare and the payment schedule in writing before anything is charged.