At a glance
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Our group trips are a great chance to travel with others. We also recommend adding in a few extra nights tailor-made to ensure you build the perfect itinerary.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is one of the last surviving expressions of what long-distance rail travel was before it became purely functional. The carriages date from the 1920s and 1930s and have been restored to their original specification: marquetry wall panels, brass fittings, monogrammed linen, and the particular quality of stillness that comes from a well-made train moving through open countryside. Nothing about the experience has been updated for the sake of modernity, and that restraint is exactly right.
The journey begins at London Victoria and crosses to Paris before heading south and east through the night, the landscape shifting from French countryside to Swiss mountains to the plains of northern Italy as you sleep.
Dinner in the dining car is a properly dressed affair, with seasonal menus and wine chosen to match, and the bar car afterward, lit warmly, a baby grand piano in the corner, captures something of the atmosphere that made this train legendary in the first place.
Travellers in the 1930s crossed Europe this way because it was the only option. The people who choose it now do so because nothing that followed has quite replaced it.
You arrive at Santa Lucia station in Venice in the mid-afternoon, stepping from one of the most romantic journeys in the world directly into one of the most romantic cities. As a way to begin a honeymoon, it has very few rivals.
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France has earned its reputation as one of Europe’s most welcoming destinations for LGBTQ+ travellers. The country legalized same-sex marriage in 2013, joining a select group of nations leading the charge on marriage equality. This wasn’t just a political decision – polls consistently show that most French people support these rights, reflecting genuine social acceptance rather than mere tolerance. France banned conversion therapy in 2022.
The legal framework backs up this social progress. Anti-discrimination laws protect LGBTQ+ individuals in employment, housing, and public services, while transgender people can update their legal documents without being forced into unwanted medical procedures.
Paris leads the way with one of Europe’s biggest Pride celebrations, but LGBTQ+ culture thrives beyond the capital too. Cities like Lyon, Marseille, and Nice all have active queer scenes, from long-established bars in the Marais to beachside clubs on the Riviera. The country’s approach feels refreshingly matter-of-fact – being LGBTQ+ in France is simply part of the social fabric rather than something that requires constant explanation or justification. As in all countries, attitudes can be more conservative in rural regions.
This combination of strong legal protections and genuine cultural acceptance makes France particularly appealing for LGBTQ+ luxury travellers. Whether you’re honeymooning in a château, exploring gay Paris’s historic neighborhoods, or simply enjoying world-class hospitality without worrying about judgment. Find out more here on our France Gay Travel page.
Please ask us about dates
- 1 night accommodation on board
- 1 night in Venice
- Meals as mentioned
- Itinerary as described
- International Flights
- Travel insurance
In detail
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Don't forget that most of our itineraries can be totally customized. Our expert team will be able to talk you through all the options.
Day 1: Depart London
Board the Eurostar from London to Paris, where the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is waiting. The carriages date from the 1920s and 1930s and have been restored to their original specification: marquetry wall panels, brass fittings, and monogrammed linen that set the tone from the moment you step on board.
Settle into your private cabin before heading to one of the three art deco dining cars for a four-course dinner, with seasonal menus and wine chosen to match.
Afterward, the Bar Car 3674 is where the evening continues: aperitifs, a resident pianist on the baby grand, and the particular pleasure of a conversation that has nowhere it needs to be. By the time you retire, your cabin steward has transformed the space into a bedroom, the countryside moving quietly past the window as you sleep.
Day 2: Arrive in Venice
Wake to the Alps. Breakfast is served in your cabin at whatever time suits you, with the mountain scenery doing most of the work. The morning passes at the pace the train sets: the bar car, the view, no particular agenda. A three-course lunch is served in the dining car as the landscape shifts from Switzerland into northern Italy, the light changing as the train moves south.
Afternoon tea arrives in your cabin as the countryside flattens and the horizon opens up. Then, in the late afternoon, the train crosses the Venetian Lagoon, water on both sides, the city appearing ahead as it has appeared to travellers arriving this way for centuries. Santa Lucia station marks the end of the journey and the beginning of everything that follows.
The Orient-Express is at its best when paired with at least two nights in Venice. We recommend combining it with one of the city’s landmark hotels to carry the sense of occasion through the rest of the trip.
What's Included
- Three-course brunch with a Bellini aboard the Belmond British Pullman from London
- Welcome glass of sparkling wine on boarding the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
- One night aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with 24-hour cabin steward service
- Four-course dinner with seasonal menu, cheeseboard, and petits fours
- Continental breakfast served in your cabin
- Three-course lunch in the dining car
- Afternoon tea with sandwiches, cakes, and pastries
- One night in Venice
About the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express runs between March and October, connecting London to Venice via Paris and the Alps in carriages that date from the 1920s and 1930s. The train is one of the few remaining examples of the golden age of European rail travel, restored to its original specification and still operating the route that made it famous.
The journey covers some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe, from the Swiss Alps to the plains of northern Italy, with the Venetian Lagoon as the final approach. On board, the three art deco dining cars, the bar car with its resident pianist, and the 24-hour cabin steward service give the trip a rhythm and a sense of occasion that modern travel rarely provides.
The Orient-Express also runs to a number of other European cities including Amsterdam, Budapest, Florence, Istanbul, and Prague. Speak to one of our travel experts to find out more about alternative routes and departure dates.
Please speak to one of our expert team to find out more and book your trip on board this luxury sleeper train.
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Don't forget that most of our itineraries can be totally customized. Our expert team will be able to talk you through all the options.
Dining and Drinking
The three dining cars each have a distinct character worth knowing about. The Etoile du Nord is the most ornate, with detailed floral woodwork that reflects the craftsmanship of the original 1920s build.
Cote d’Azur is the most visually striking, its walls lined with original Lalique glass panels that cast the room in a particular quality of light. L’Oriental takes a different direction entirely, with black lacquer interiors that give it an atmosphere unlike anything else on the train. Whichever car you are seated in, the setting makes the meal.
Champagne Bar
Taste the finest champagnes in the world in this stunning bar. With a nod to the 1920s, you’ll find Art Deco interiors and signature Lalique glassware.
The Bar Car
Experience the glamour of pre-dinner drinks and cocktails, mingle with your fellow passengers, or enjoy a nightcap before retiring to bed. There’s a baby grand piano too which is complete with a resident piano.
The Cabins
The sleeping cars are the original 1920s carriages, restored to their period specification with marquetry paneling, brass fittings, and made-to-measure furnishings that reflect the craft of the era.
Each cabin has its own washbasin with hot and cold water, along with towels, bathrobes, and slippers. Many cabins connect through adjoining doors and can be configured as a Cabin Suite, making them well suited to couples who want additional space. WCs are located at the ends of each sleeping car.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Why book with us?
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Call our travel experts on +44 (0)20 7157 1570
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