Overview
Celebrate the festive season aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express with a journey through Rome, Venice and Florence. At its heart is an exclusive evening at the newly opened Orient Express Venezia, where guests of the train are welcomed into one of the city’s most remarkable palazzi for a festive celebration unlike any other.
Itinerary
Your Itinerary
ROME & VENICE
Your festive journey begins with a private transfer from your hotel or the airport to the La Dolce Vita Lounge at Rome Ostiense, which opens three hours before departure, offering a welcoming space to relax before boarding.
As La Dolce Vita Orient Express departs Rome, settle into your private cabin and watch Italy’s winter landscapes unfold while enjoying a lunch in the Restaurant Car, crafted by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck.In the early evening, arrive in Venice, where local hosts welcome you and escort you by private boat through the city’s canals to the newly opened Orient Express Venezia.Here, the highlight of the journey awaits.
FLORENCE
Wake to breakfast served in your private cabin or in the Restaurant Car as the train journeys through the Italian countryside. Spend the morning unwinding on board or enjoy a special festive activity before gathering once again for lunch, crafted by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck.In the afternoon, arrive in Florence, where the city welcomes you with beautifully decorated streets, festive markets and Renaissance landmarks.
Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace or join an optional guided walking experience through the historic centre, discovering local traditions, artisan stalls and seasonal flavours.As evening falls, return to the train for another memorable night aboard.
ROME
A delightful festive experience that invites guests to discover Florence at its most enchanting, where centuries of history, elegant architecture and the magic of the holiday season come together in the heart of the city.
The experience begins with a private guided walk through Florence’s historic centre, led by an expert local guide. As the city glows beneath its festive illuminations, guests will wander through its most celebrated squares and landmarks, uncovering the stories, artistic heritage and traditions that have shaped one of Italy’s most captivating destinations.
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This departure is currently sold out. Leave your details and we will contact you the moment a cabin becomes available.
Terms & Conditions
Booking & Payment
- Deposit: 30% of the total tour cost is due at the time of booking. The deposit is non-refundable.
- Final payment: the balance is due no later than 125 days before departure.
- Bookings made within 125 days of departure are payable in full at the time of booking.
- Fares are per person. Your written confirmation shows the exact amounts and due dates.
Cancellation
- 125 days or more before departure: 30% of the total tour cost (the deposit)
- Less than 125 days before departure: 100% of the total tour cost
Changes
- Date change: free of charge, subject to availability, when requested 125 days or more before departure; after that, a fee of 15% of the total tour cost applies.
- Cabin upgrade: only the fare difference between cabin categories applies.
- Cabin downgrade or passenger name correction: free of charge up to 35 days before departure; within 35 days, EUR 500 per change.
Changes or cancellation by the train operator
If the train operator cancels or materially changes a departure, you will be offered a new date or an amended booking, a credit toward a future journey, or a refund of the amounts paid.
All cancellation, change, or update requests must be submitted in writing by email to travel@palacetours.com. A request takes effect only once we have received and processed it, and we will confirm the outcome to you in writing. Timeframes are calculated by reference to local time and business days at the destination; a request received outside business hours is treated as received on the next business day.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance, including cancellation cover, from the moment you pay your deposit. For information on available plans, please visit www.palacetours.com/insurance.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- Accommodation on board in your selected cabin category
- All meals on board - breakfast, lunch and dinner with menus curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck
- Selected beverages on board, including wines paired with meals
- Off-train excursions and experiences as described in the itinerary
- Live entertainment in the Bar Car
- Dedicated cabin steward service
Not included
- Travel to the departure city and from the arrival city
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Travel insurance
- Anything not expressly listed in the itinerary
Accommodations
On board La Dolce Vita Orient Express
The train was designed by the Milan studio Dimorestudio, with interiors that celebrate 20th-century Italian design and draw on Gio Ponti, Nanda Vigo, Gae Aulenti and Osvaldo Borsani. It has 12 Deluxe Cabins, 18 Suites and one La Dolce Vita Suite, a restaurant curated by three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck, and a Bar Car with live music.
Cabins
Deluxe Cabin
- 7 m² (75 sq ft), for two guests
- A sofa by day that unfolds into a 140 x 190 cm double bed at night
- Private en-suite bathroom
- Cool colours, mirrored back walls and a wooden-slat ceiling; the ottomans double as coffee tables and stools
Suite
- 11 m² (118 sq ft), for two guests
- A 140 x 190 cm bed, with a separate sofa and a table with two armchairs for entertaining
- Private en-suite bathroom
La Dolce Vita Suite
The train has one La Dolce Vita Suite, its largest. Ask us about availability.
Frequently Asked Questions & Tips
It is a 3-day, 2-night festive journey that starts and ends in Rome, calling at Venice and Florence. Both nights are spent on board, and the itinerary is built around the Christmas season in two of Italy's most atmospheric cities. The routing is Rome - Venice - Florence - Rome.
The departure currently loaded is 19 December 2026, timed for the run-up to Christmas. It is listed on this page with its fare and cabin availability. Because it is a single seasonal departure on a train with very few cabins, it is one to enquire about early.
On the first evening, guests of the train are welcomed into the newly opened Orient Express Venezia, one of the city's most remarkable palazzi, for a festive celebration held for this journey alone. You arrive by private boat through the canals after local hosts meet you at the station. It is the centrepiece of the itinerary and is included in the fare.
A private transfer brings you from your hotel or the airport to the La Dolce Vita Lounge at Rome Ostiense, which opens three hours before departure so you can settle in before boarding. The train leaves Rome and Italy's winter landscapes unfold as lunch is served in the Restaurant Car with a menu by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck. In the early evening you arrive in Venice.
You wake on day two to breakfast in your cabin or the Restaurant Car as the train runs through the countryside, with the morning free on board or given over to a festive activity, and lunch served before arrival. In the afternoon the train reaches Florence, where decorated streets, festive markets and Renaissance landmarks await. You can explore at your own pace or join an optional guided walk through the historic centre.
The optional festive experience is a private guided walk through Florence's historic centre with an expert local guide, taking in the city's celebrated squares and landmarks under their holiday illuminations, followed by a visit to the Christmas market with its decorated wooden chalets. It is an a la carte option, selected and paid for separately from the journey fare. You are equally free to explore Florence independently.
The Jingle Route is a round trip, so it returns to Rome on the third day after the final night on board. Ending where you started keeps the logistics simple: one airport for arrival and departure, and one hotel if you want nights either side. We can arrange extra nights in Rome before or after the journey.
The itinerary is sold in two categories: the Deluxe Cabin and the Cabin Suite. The train is made up of 12 Deluxe cabins, 18 Suites and the La Dolce Vita Suite, with interiors inspired by Italian style of the 1960s. What is still open is shown on this page.
Fares start from EUR 6,560 per person based on two people sharing a cabin, which makes this one of the more accessible festive departures. The exact fare by cabin category is shown on this page. All meals, selected beverages, the exclusive Venice evening and the other experiences described in the itinerary are included.
Yes, a cabin can be booked for sole use at a single-occupancy fare. It is higher than the per-person sharing rate because a whole cabin is withdrawn from sale, and the rate is shown on this page. Contact us and we will confirm the single fare and whether a cabin remains open on the festive departure.
Included are your cabin on board, all meals with menus curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck, selected beverages, the off-train experiences described in the itinerary including the exclusive Venice evening, live entertainment in the Bar Car and a dedicated cabin steward. Once aboard, the journey is essentially all taken care of.
Travel to and from Rome is not included, and neither are personal expenses, gratuities or travel insurance. Optional a la carte experiences, such as the guided Florence walk, are paid separately when selected. Anything not expressly listed in the itinerary falls outside the fare.
All meals on board are included - breakfast, lunch and dinner - with menus curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck built on seasonal Italian ingredients. Breakfast can be served in your private cabin or in the Restaurant Car. Dietary requirements can usually be handled if you let us know well ahead of departure.
Evenings revolve around dinner in the Restaurant Car and then the Bar Car, where live music plays into the night and selected beverages are included. On this departure the mood is festive, with seasonal touches through the journey. A dedicated cabin steward looks after you, so a quiet evening in your cabin is just as easy.
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.
Yes, and the Christmas markets and decorated streets make it an appealing family trip. Reduced rates apply to children under 5 and to children aged 5 up to 12, based on their age at the departure date. Children share the cabin with their accompanying adults, so cabin size sets the practical limit; send us the ages for an exact quote.
Flights are not included; Rome Fiumicino is the usual long-haul gateway and the train departs from Rome Ostiense. We recommend arriving in Rome at least a day early in December, when weather delays are more common and a missed connection would mean a missed departure. The lounge at Rome Ostiense opens three hours before departure.
Mid-December in Rome, Florence and Venice is cool and often damp, with short days and the chance of rain, so a warm coat, layers and waterproof shoes are sensible. Venice in particular can be chilly on the water during the boat transfer. Inside the train you are warm throughout, so pack for the time you spend off it.
Venice means walking, bridges and steps once you leave the boat, and Florence's historic centre is explored on foot over cobbles. Neither stop is strenuous and local hosts accompany you, but comfortable, warm footwear makes a real difference in December. Tell us about any mobility needs when you book so we can note them.
Email travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610 or message us on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/17864080610, where a travel specialist or our AI assistant will reply. The departure listed on this page can be booked directly. We can also hold a cabin briefly while you arrange your flights.
Extend your journey
You can add days in Rome before the train and in Florence and Tuscany after it. Here are three suggested lengths:
- 4 days: 2 days before the train and 2 days after
- 5 days: 2 days before and 3 days after
- 6 days: 3 days before and 3 days after
Before the train: Rome
- Day 1: Arrive in Rome and transfer privately to your hotel. In the evening, walk to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain.
- Day 2: Visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica with a private guide, then spend the afternoon at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
- Day 3 (6-day option): See the Borghese Gallery in the morning, then spend the afternoon and evening in Trastevere.
- The next morning, transfer to the station to board La Dolce Vita Orient Express.
After the train: Florence and Tuscany
- Day 1: Take the fast train from Rome to Florence, about an hour and a half. In the afternoon, visit the Duomo and the Baptistery.
- Day 2: See the Uffizi Gallery and Michelangelo's David at the Accademia with a private guide.
- Day 3 (5- and 6-day options): Spend a day in the Chianti hills, visiting wine estates and stopping for lunch in a village. Afterwards, leave from Florence or take the train back to Rome.
- The next day, transfer to the airport or your onward train.
We arrange the hotels, private transfers and guides around your train dates, and we can change any day to suit you. Prices are on request, and we have special offers on add-ons for this journey.
To request an extension, send us the enquiry form on this page and tell us which option you would like, or call 800-724-5120 (toll-free in the US) or +1 786-408-0610 from outside the US. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +1 786-408-0610.
Media Gallery
La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Jingle Route
La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Jingle Route
La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Jingle Route
La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Jingle Route
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From $7,355 per person (double occupancy, USD) — live dates and rates are in the Book This Tour section above.
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