La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Rome to Sicily via Naples

It is a one-way 3-day, 2-night journey running Rome - Naples - Taormina - Palermo, with both nights spent on board. You leave Rome on the first morning, spend the afternoon and evening in Naples, cross to Sicily by ferry on the second day and finish in Palermo. The route takes in the Lazio hills, the Tyrrhenian coast and eastern Sicily.

A private transfer brings you from your hotel or the airport to the La Dolce Vita lounge inside Rome Ostiense station. The train departs in the morning through the sunlit hills of Lazio, with the Tyrrhenian Sea appearing now and then beyond the window, and lunch is served on board as a tasting menu by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck. In the early afternoon you reach Napoli Centrale and a private transfer takes you into the city.

The afternoon and evening in Naples are yours, and curated a la carte experiences are available with an expert English-speaking host. One option is a panoramic tour of Piazza del Plebiscito, the Royal Palace and the San Carlo Theatre from outside, a walk through the Galleria Principe Umberto, and guided access to the Cathedral of Naples and the Treasure of San Gennaro. These experiences are booked and paid for separately from the fare.

Yes. On the second morning the train makes its passage from the mainland to Sicily across the Strait of Messina, with the carriages carried aboard a ferry. The landscape opens onto sweeping Mediterranean views, a rare moment suspended between sea and sky. It is one of the most memorable parts of the journey.

The train reaches Taormina station in the afternoon and local hosts accompany you to the heart of the town, famous for its ancient theatre, its views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, and its elegant streets. The rest of the afternoon and evening is at your leisure, exploring freely or taking a curated experience. Lunch that day is served on board with a menu inspired by Sicilian flavours.

The journey ends in Palermo on the third day, Sicily's capital and a city of markets, cathedrals and Arab-Norman architecture. Disembarking there puts you well placed to continue exploring the island or to fly onward. We can arrange extra nights in Palermo or a wider Sicily itinerary if you would like more time.

Both are 3-day, 2-night journeys from Rome to Palermo with a Taormina stop, but the second call differs. This version spends an afternoon and evening in Naples, a large city with deep traditions and famous food, while the other calls at Maratea, a quiet coastal town in Basilicata. The Naples version also runs in late autumn and spring, whereas the Maratea routing is a summer-season journey.

You can book either a Deluxe Cabin or a Cabin Suite. The train is composed of 12 Deluxe cabins, 18 Suites and the La Dolce Vita Suite, all styled after Italian design of the 1960s. What remains open on each departure is shown on this page.

Fares start from EUR 7,440 per person based on two people sharing a cabin. The exact figure depends on the cabin category and the departure, and every departure on sale is priced individually on this page. All meals, selected beverages and the included off-train experiences are covered by that fare.

Yes, a cabin can be booked for one guest at a single-occupancy fare. It is higher than the per-person sharing rate because the entire cabin is removed from sale. The rate applying to each departure is shown on this page, and we can confirm it and check availability for you.

Included are accommodation on board in your chosen cabin, all meals with menus curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck, selected beverages, the off-train excursions described in the itinerary, live entertainment in the Bar Car and a dedicated cabin steward. There is very little left to pay for once you are on board.

Travel to Rome and onward travel from Palermo are not included, nor are personal expenses, gratuities or travel insurance. Optional a la carte experiences in Naples or Taormina are charged separately when you select them. Anything not expressly listed in the itinerary lies outside the fare.

Yes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on board every day and are part of the fare, with menus curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck around seasonal Italian ingredients. Breakfast can be taken in the privacy of your cabin or in the Restaurant Car. Let us know of any dietary requirements in advance.

After dinner in the Restaurant Car, the Bar Car takes over with live music that rolls through the night and selected beverages included. It is a relaxed, sociable space in the spirit of Italy's golden age of rail travel. Your cabin steward looks after you throughout, so a quiet night in is equally 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. Reduced rates apply to children under 5 and to children aged 5 up to 12, with the age taken at the date of departure. Children share the cabin with their accompanying adults, so the cabin category determines how comfortably a family fits. Send us the ages and we will price the booking exactly.

Departures currently run from 6 November 2026 through 22 April 2027, with four dates on sale. That makes it an autumn, winter and early-spring alternative to the summer coastal routings. All available dates and their fares are listed on this page.

Flights are not included in the fare. Most guests fly into Rome Fiumicino, Italy's main long-haul gateway, and depart from Palermo's airport, which connects onward through Rome and other European hubs. A private transfer from your Rome hotel or the airport to the lounge at Rome Ostiense is part of the journey.

The train itself asks nothing of you, but the stops involve walking: Naples means the historic streets of a busy city, and Taormina is a cliffside town with cobbles and slopes. There is no strenuous activity and local hosts are with you, but comfortable shoes help. Tell us about any mobility needs so we can note them on your booking.

Contact us at travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610 or message WhatsApp at https://wa.me/17864080610, where a travel specialist or our AI assistant will reply. The departures listed on this page can be booked directly. We can also hold a cabin briefly while you arrange your flights.