Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Venice to London

You’ll start your holiday in relaxing fashion with a complimentary lounge access before boarding the short flight to Venice and transferring to your hotel for the next two nights, the spectacular canal-side Hotel Metropole. Views of San Giorgio Island reveal a more peaceful and less frequented side of Venice, while you are still a short walk from the heritage beauty of St. Mark’s Square and the Bellini cocktails of Harry’s Bar.

If you can tear yourself away from the Oriental allure of your sophisticated room, perhaps make the most of the hotel's garden courtyard – a real unique feature in Venice – where, surrounded by fragrant orange trees and jasmines, you can enjoy al-fresco aperitifs.

This morning, take the time to relax – perhaps enjoying breakfast in the garden courtyard – before it's time to explore dazzling Venice. We’ve included a private walking tour today with an expert guide who’ll show you the city’s treasures as well as some its unexplored gems. You'll finish with queue-jump entry to the Gothic delights of the Doge’s Palace, where theatrical sculptures and marble décor give way to gold-encrusted frescoes.

Then, you've got a free afternoon to discover the rest of the city's offerings, perhaps enjoying a casual lunch in one of the many waterside trattorias before taking a gondola ride among the winding waterways, learning about Murano’s glass-blowing heritage, or simply enjoying a glass of fine Italian wine in a piazza-side cafe.

Today sees you leave the splendours of Venice behind as you embark on an included water taxi transfer to the Venezia Santa Lucia Station where you'll step aboard the iconic blue-and-gold of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. You’ll begin the journey in style as you’re welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine and an exquisite three-course lunch in the restaurant car. It’s outside that truly stuns, however, as you pass through the rural fields of Northern Italy en route to Austria and the spectacular Brenner Pass. You'll then trace the snow-capped peaks and mountain meadows of central Europe's Alpine ranges, crossing the Arlberg Pass en route to Switzerland.

As the drama outside unfolds, you'll tuck into a sumptuous selection of pastries served in your oak-panelled cabin, or, the fineries of the train's new Grand Suites, which come complete with double bed and en-suite bathroom. In the evening, freshen up for a four-course dinner in the elegant dining car, where your waiter will serve the likes of Brittany lobster and saltmarsh lamb, all paired with a selection of the world’s finest wines.  

Raise the blind to look out over an entirely different landscape. Take breakfast in your cabin after your private steward has turned it back into a plush seating area in a trice. Then, relax as the scenery of France rushes by, accompanied by a delicious brunch served before you arrive in Paris.

As your journey draws to a close, make your way to Gare du Nord where you'll board the Eurostar back to London. Alternatively, speak to your specialist about flight options to a wide range of regional UK airports.