For food lovers, a trip to Italy is a no brainer. From Rome to Naples, and Tuscany to Sicily, there are myriad regional culinary specialties to try. One experience is the ultimate way for any food lover to get there.
Earlier this year, La Dolce Vita Orient Express departed on its first trip through Italy, highlighting some of the best culinary offerings in the country. The luxury train offers nearly a dozen itineraries, ranging from one to two nights, exploring everywhere from Venice all the way down to Sicily. Designed to harken back to the glamour of 1960s travel, the mid-century train offers all of the amenities you’d expect in a five-star hotel, including 24-hour service, on-board entertainment, and unbeatable views of the Italian countryside from your private suite.
And it’s the culinary program that really makes this experience stand out. Chef Heinz Beck, who runs three-Michelin starred La Pergola in Rome, created menus that highlight regional ingredients for each unique excursion, from the passed hors d’oeuvres at cocktail hour to the multi-course dinners.
I join for the Venice and Tuscany route, which includes a two-night trip aboard the train and stops in Venice and Siena during the journey. With a local tour guide, we visit two institutions in Venice: the famed Harry’s Bar where the Bellini originated and Naranzaria for some Baccalà Mantecato — a whipped salt cod spread. Back on board, we sit for a multi-course dinner while the train makes its way to our next stop, followed by live music and cocktails in the bar car.
The following day we explore Siena with a bit more time, spending the early afternoon checking out a wine cellar nearly five stories below ground, enjoying a wine and cheese tasting, eating lunch at a classic osteria, and snacking on local desserts in between each stop. Guests can choose between a number of excursions depending on their interests, whether architecture or history, including a tour of an ancient palazzo or visiting the duomo in the center of town.
After a long day of walking the narrow streets and eating our fill of cheese, meats, desserts, and pasta, we return to the train for a few hours of downtime before the bar car opens for aperitivo, followed by a final dinner.
Food & Wine / Sean Flynn
When the train makes its final stop in Rome the following morning, the trip doesn’t have to end. Orient Express opened its first hotel this year, La Minerva, just steps away from the Pantheon in a 17th-century aristocratic residence. The hotel equally speaks to the culinary minded with a rooftop bar and restaurant that offers unbeatable views of the surrounding cityscape and a lobby bar that turns out classic and custom cocktails.
So the next time you’re dreaming of a trip to Italy to eat your fill of any combination of delicious dishes, La Dolce Vita Orient Express is your perfect ticket to exploring and eating your way through the country — in style.
Dining and Cooking