La Dolce Vita Orient Express: From Sicily to Rome

It is a 3-day, 2-night journey running Palermo - Taormina - Maratea - Rome, with both nights spent on board. You board in Palermo in the morning of day one and disembark at Roma Ostiense on the third morning. The train follows the Sicilian coast before crossing to the mainland and running north through southern and central Italy.

A private transfer brings you from your hotel or the airport to Palermo train station, where the train is waiting. Departure is in the morning, and as the Mediterranean landscapes unfold you settle into your cabin. A gourmet lunch curated by three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck is served in the Restaurant Car at midday.

Taormina is perched on Sicily's eastern cliffs, with historic streets, an ancient theatre and views across the Ionian Sea toward Mount Etna. The train arrives in the afternoon of day one and local assistants accompany you into town. You can wander freely or choose a curated a la carte experience before returning to the train for dinner.

Yes. On the second afternoon the carriages are uncoupled and loaded onto a ferry for the crossing between Sicily and the Italian mainland, then put back together on the other side. It is a genuine rarity in rail travel and one of the signature moments of the itinerary. You can watch the crossing from the deck.

Maratea, the Pearl of Basilicata, sits between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the mountains and is one of the loveliest stretches of Italy's southern coast. After the ferry crossing you arrive with time to stroll its streets or take a curated a la carte experience such as a guided coastal walk or a visit to its historic landmarks. The train departs again as evening falls.

The final morning brings a leisurely Italian breakfast in your cabin or the Restaurant Car while the train runs north toward Roma Ostiense, where the La Dolce Vita Lounge is located. You disembark in central Rome, well placed for a hotel stay or an onward flight. We are glad to help arrange extra nights in Rome at the end.

The stops are the same - Taormina and Maratea - but the order and the mood reverse: northbound you start in Sicily and finish in Rome, southbound you start in Rome and finish in Palermo. Northbound often suits travellers who want to end their trip in Rome for flights or a city stay. Fares differ between the two directions, so compare both on our site.

You can book a Deluxe Cabin or a Cabin Suite. The train is made up of 12 Deluxe cabins, 18 Suites and the La Dolce Vita Suite, all designed in the spirit of 1960s Italian style. Which categories remain open on each departure is shown on this page.

Fares start from EUR 6,120 per person based on two people sharing a cabin, which makes this one of the more accessible ways onto the train. The rate depends on cabin category and departure date, and the exact fare for each departure is shown on this page. Meals, selected beverages and the described off-train experiences are already covered.

Yes. A cabin can be booked for sole use at a single-occupancy rate, which is higher than the per-person sharing rate because the whole cabin is taken out of inventory. The applicable single fare for each departure is shown on this page. Get in touch and we will confirm the rate and availability for your chosen date.

Included are 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. Everything that happens on board is effectively taken care of once you have boarded.

Travel to Palermo and onward travel from Rome are not included, and neither are personal expenses, gratuities or travel insurance. Optional a la carte experiences selected in Taormina or Maratea are paid locally. 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 taken in your cabin or in the Restaurant Car. Dietary requirements can usually be accommodated if you tell us well before departure so the galley can prepare.

Evenings centre on dinner in the Restaurant Car followed by the Bar Car, where live music plays into the night and selected beverages are included. The atmosphere is convivial rather than formal, recalling the golden age of Italian travel. You are equally free to retire to your cabin and watch the country slip past.

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 for children under 5 and for children aged 5 up to 12, with the age taken at the departure date. Children stay in the cabin with the adults travelling with them, so cabin size is the practical limit on a family booking. Send us the ages and we will price the whole party exactly.

The season runs from 25 April 2027 through to 8 October 2027, with twelve departures currently on sale. Each one is listed on this page with its own fare and cabin availability. Spring and early autumn dates tend to be the first to sell.

Flights are not included, so you arrive into Palermo and leave from Rome under your own arrangements. Palermo's airport connects to Rome and several European hubs, and Rome Fiumicino handles most long-haul services home. A private transfer from your Palermo hotel or the airport to the station is part of the journey.

Life on board is easy, with no long transfers and meals brought to you. The stops in Taormina and Maratea involve walking on cobbles and some gentle slopes, as both are hillside towns. Nothing is strenuous, and you can stay on board or take the town at your own pace; tell us about mobility needs when you book.

Write to travel@palacetours.com, call 786-408-0610 or send a message on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/17864080610, where a travel specialist or our AI assistant will answer. The departures listed on this page are bookable directly. We can also hold a cabin briefly while you confirm your flights.