Europe has no shortage of beautiful hotels, celebrated restaurants, and extraordinary destinations. But done right, the journey between them can be just as sweet. One of the major trends we’re seeing in European luxury travel today is the resurgence of glamorous train travel, with Belmond and Orient Express leading the way.
An overnight train from Paris to Venice, complete with Champagne and a pianist playing after dinner. A small luxury train winding through the Scottish Highlands, stopping for castles, whisky, and country estates. Six nights aboard a private barge in Provence, where languid rivers carry you to village markets, vineyards, and long meals prepared by your own chef.
Ages before planes made long-distance travel easy, Europeans mastered the art of making it enjoyable. It’s well worth experiencing the modern incarnation of those traditions.
These are six of our favorite boat and train journeys in Europe, along with what they’re best for and how they fit into a longer trip.
1. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Paris to Venice or Paris to Portofino
BEST FOR CLASSIC EUROPEAN GLAMOUR
In the Art Deco period, the Orient Express became one of the most famous rail lines in the world, carrying royalty, diplomats, and spies across the continent in luxury and style. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, from Belmond, brings it back to life, and the Paris to Venice route is exceptional.
Aboard beautifully restored 1920s carriages, the journey feels like stepping back in time to a decadent moment in European history. Multi-course dining, Champagne and wine, live piano music, and attentive steward service are all part of the experience.
This is a train journey for the social experience of a luxury hotel on rails. It’s about dressing for dinner, settling in for cocktails, and embracing an atmosphere that feels a world away from airports and private cars.
We particularly love it for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and couples looking for a trip that feels truly celebratory. For a journey focused on culture and art, we recommend two nights in Paris, the train, and then three or four nights in Venice. But for a beach trip to remember, you can head toward Portofino instead and explore the Ligurian coast while staying at Splendido, a Belmond Hotel.
2. The Royal Scotsman: An Intimate Rail Journey in the Scottish Highlands
BEST FOR SCENERY AND INTIMACY
The Royal Scotsman offers a very different experience from the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
With only 18 sleeper cabins, it’s a considerably smaller, more intimate train. The emphasis is less on spectacle and glamour and more on experiencing Scotland’s Highlands while maintaining a high degree of comfort.
The train’s journeys through the Highlands incorporate dramatic scenery and cultural experiences, from castles and country estates to whisky and local traditions. Despite the train’s small size, it also contains a Dior Spa onboard, an unexpected luxury that works particularly well for wellness-focused travelers looking to relax and experience gorgeous scenery.
We love the Royal Scotsman for its deep sense of place. A journey on this train could only happen in Scotland, where luxury and scenery go hand in hand.
We typically recommend prefacing the train with a few nights in Edinburgh, allowing time to sink into the culture of Scotland and recover from your flight before boarding the train. After a journey of several days, extending the Highland experience at an exceptional Scottish country estate makes for a perfect end to a deep dive into the rich fabric of the Scottish Highlands.
3. La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Italy by Rail
BEST FOR ITALIAN CULTURE AND DESIGN
While La Dolce Vita Orient Express shares a name and a dedication to the golden age of European train travel with the Paris to Venice train, it presents a more contemporary interpretation of luxury train travel. Launched in 2025 and inspired by the style of 1960s Italy, it features bright geometric designs, authentic textures, and a lively social atmosphere. Whether you miss the sixties or missed the sixties, this is your chance to step back in time.
La Dolce Vita offers a variety of routes, and we’ll identify the one that best matches your desires for your trip. Your journey can focus on food, golf, the culture and soul of a particular slice of Italy like Sicily or Tuscany, and more.
We particularly recommend the Siena Palio itinerary, which pairs the train experience with the opportunity to see the Palio di Siena, Siena’s famous horse race and a worthy addition to anyone’s bucket list.
While La Dolce Vita offers options from day trips to multi-night journeys, we typically integrate it into a longer Italian itinerary. That could mean pairing Rome with Tuscany, Lake Como, Piedmont, or Sicily, depending on the journey selected.
The train makes a particularly elegant addition if you’ve been to Italy several times. Rather than repeating a conventional itinerary of hotels and private transfers, you get to experience the country in a new and very enjoyable way.
Inside Tip: The Legacy of the Orient Express
The original Orient Express was a luxury passenger train service launched in 1883, connecting Paris with Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). It became famous for intrigue and luxury as it shuttled diplomats, spies, nobility, and the wealthy across Europe.
Today, two luxury brands carry on its legacy. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, run by Belmond, uses restored carriages and has a pedigree running back to the 1980s. In recent years, Accor licensed the Orient Express name separately and has built it into a wider brand of luxury experiences, including boats, true to the spirit of the original service.
The same name, used by two different companies for a host of different routes. If it feels a little confusing, we’ve got you covered. The important thing to know is which experiences are right for you, and that’s what we specialize in.
4. Belmond Pivoine: A Private Boat Through Provence
BEST FOR FOOD AND WINE
The word “barge” doesn’t come close to doing the Pivoine justice. Luxurious cabins, three meals a day of included table d’hote dining, complimentary beverages, and a large sun deck and private pool make it more like a yacht. And with four cabins capable of housing two passengers each, it’s the perfect size for a family or friend group to charter, giving you access to your own private tour of one of Europe’s most beautiful and welcoming regions.
Instead of visiting multiple major destinations, a voyage on the Pivoine takes you to the villages, markets, and vineyards of Provence. A day surrounded by seas of purple at a local lavender farm might be followed by a visit to an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge and a swim in sapphire waters. Arles and Châteauneuf-du-Pape let you step off the boat straight into the history of French art and fine wine.
The barge is intimate, the crew accommodating, the cabins luxurious, and the entire experience like a wonderful summer dream.
If you like the idea of a villa in Provence with a private chef but want to see a broad swathe of the countryside, the Pivoine will be a dream come true.
5. Orient Express Corinthian: Sailing the Mediterranean and Adriatic
BEST FOR INTIMATE SAILING
For more options, the Orient Express Corinthian brings an entirely different scale and style to luxury travel by water. A brand-new sailing yacht whose first voyages began in May 2026, it features a new sailing system and dining directed by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno. At 220 meters, with 54 suites and capacity for up to 110 guests, the yacht is much larger than most while remaining significantly smaller than a typical cruise ship.
That creates an interesting opportunity for exploring the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas (as well as the Caribbean, where it spends the winter months). The yacht has eight restaurants, multiple bars, a Guerlain Spa, swimming areas, a private marina, and entertainment. It can also travel under sail when conditions allow, adding the romance of wind-based travel to the sparkle of the gem-like sea.
For travelers drawn to the idea of a Mediterranean yacht experience but concerned that a smaller private yacht might feel limiting, the Corinthian offers the perfect solution. Plenty of amenities, a lively social scene where you can dine and drink at different venues from night to night, and the size and service of a small five-star hotel.
This is an experience we recommend to clients who enjoy having plenty of options onboard, particularly when they’re traveling with companions who may have different interests. And because the Corinthian offers a range of Mediterranean and Adriatic routes, it’s easy to build into a longer itinerary visiting Sicily, Athens, Istanbul, Rome, the French Riviera, and more.
6. British Pullman: A Murder Mystery Journey from London
BEST FOR A SPECIAL DAY IN LONDON
Not every luxury train experience needs to be a journey of several days.
The British Pullman offers a wonderfully entertaining way to experience historic rail travel in a single day. Far from being a posh transit line, it’s a carefully designed and wonderfully entertaining spectacle all by itself.
Departing from London, the train’s restored 1920s carriages bring you into the glory of classic European train journeys. But the real hook is its immersive murder mystery lunch. Channeling the energy of Agatha Christie and her contemporaries, you’ll enjoy a five-course meal and attempt to solve a murder mystery brought to life by professional actors and clever clues, all while the English countryside rolls beautifully by outside.
It’s interactive, social, a little theatrical, and perfect for a lover of mysteries, thrillers, parlor games, and the 1920s. We think it’s excellent as a special day during a London stay, especially for a group of friends or family who would have fun getting into the murder mystery.
The Luxury of Traveling Differently
If all you know of European trains and boats is the Channel Ferry and the TGV out of Paris, you’re missing out on an entire culture of extraordinary experiences. For centuries, canal barges, Mediterranean ships, and trains were the keystone transport routes of Europe. They’ve left a legacy more than worth experiencing, as today’s luxury operators marry age-old traditions with modern comfort and service.
Slow down and have a drink while the world passes by. Ease into conversation with fellow travelers who, like you, have chosen something off the beaten path but fantastically enjoyable. Or bring your family and friends together for a private, intimate journey that’s both a link to the past and an inspiring journey you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.
If you think that sounds appealing, get in touch today and let’s start planning your journey. We can’t wait to bring you the luxury of traveling differently.
Ready for a bespoke luxury itinerary planned around exclusive experiences, human connection, and reliably effortless luxury?