La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Sicily to Rome via Naples

It is a 3-day, 2-night one-way journey running Palermo - Taormina - Naples - Rome, with both nights on board. You leave Palermo on the first morning, spend an evening in Naples on the second day, and arrive in Rome on the third. The train crosses from Sicily to the mainland by ferry on the way.

The train departs Palermo Centrale at 10:30 in the morning and traces the island's rugged coastline. Lunch is served on board with a menu by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck built on seasonal ingredients from the regions you pass. In the afternoon you reach Taormina station, where local hosts meet you and accompany you into town.

The difference is the second-day stop: this version calls at Naples instead of Maratea on the coast of Basilicata. Naples gives you an evening in a large, vivid city with its historic centre, churches and food culture, while Maratea is a quiet coastal town. Both are 3-day, 2-night journeys between Palermo and Rome with a stop in Taormina.

Yes. On the morning of the second day the train is dismantled and carried onto a ferry for the passage across the Strait of Messina, then reassembled on the mainland side. From the deck you watch the sparkling water dividing island from mainland. It is one of very few luxury rail journeys in the world that includes a sea crossing.

The train reaches Naples in the early evening, where local hosts welcome you and accompany you into the heart of the city. The evening is at your leisure: explore the historic streets, or take one of the curated dining and cultural experiences offered a la carte. You return to the train for the final night on board.

A selection of a la carte experiences is offered alongside the included stops. In Sicily these include a guided walk through Taormina's Greco-Roman streets and a visit to Castelmola, the hilltop village above the Ionian coast with its cobbled alleys, medieval churches and panoramic terraces. These options are chosen and paid for separately from the journey fare.

The train arrives in Rome on the third day, after a final breakfast served in your cabin or in the Restaurant Car. You disembark in the capital, which makes it easy to continue with a hotel stay or a flight home. We can arrange additional nights in Rome if you would like to extend.

The itinerary is sold in two categories, the Deluxe Cabin and the Cabin Suite. The train comprises 12 Deluxe cabins, 18 Suites and the La Dolce Vita Suite, with interiors inspired by Italian design of the 1960s. Live availability by category is shown on this page.

Fares start from EUR 6,120 per person based on two sharing a cabin. The final figure depends on the cabin category you pick, and the exact fare for the departure is shown on this page. All meals, selected beverages and the off-train experiences in the itinerary are included in that price.

Yes. A cabin can be taken for sole use at a single-occupancy fare, which is higher than the sharing rate because the full cabin is withdrawn from sale. The rate for the departure is shown on this page. Contact us and we will confirm the single fare and whether a cabin is still open.

Your cabin on board, 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 are all included. Once you board, the on-board side of the journey is fully taken care of.

Getting to Palermo and travelling onward from Rome are not included, nor are personal expenses, gratuities or travel insurance. Optional a la carte experiences in Taormina or Naples are charged separately. Anything not expressly listed in the itinerary is outside the fare.

The menus are curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck, who reimagines Italian culinary heritage using seasonal ingredients drawn from the regions the train travels through. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included, and breakfast can be served in your cabin or in the Restaurant Car. Special dietary needs can usually be arranged with notice.

Much of the pleasure is simply watching Italy pass from your cabin or the Restaurant Car. In the evenings the Bar Car comes alive with live music and included selected beverages, and a dedicated steward looks after your cabin throughout. The pace is deliberately unhurried, which is much of the point of this train.

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. Children under 5 and children aged 5 up to 12 have their own reduced rates, with the age assessed at the date of departure. They share the cabin with the adults they are travelling with, so cabin capacity is the practical constraint. Give us the ages and we will quote the family total precisely.

The departure currently loaded for this routing is 9 November 2026. The live list on this page always shows what is actually open for sale, with the fare for each cabin category. If you have different dates in mind, other La Dolce Vita routings run through 2027 and we can suggest one that fits.

Flights are not part of the fare. Most guests fly into Palermo's airport, which has connections through Rome and other European hubs, and depart from Rome Fiumicino at the end. A private transfer takes you from your Palermo hotel or the airport to the station on the first morning.

The train portion is effortless, but the stops are on foot: Taormina is a cliffside town with cobbles and slopes, and Naples involves walking its historic streets. Nothing is strenuous and local hosts accompany you, but comfortable shoes matter. Tell us about any mobility needs when you book and we will pass them on.

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 shown on this page can be booked directly. We can also hold a cabin for a short time while you sort out flights.