‘I“If anyone mysteriously disappears, I can become Poirot,” said a passenger from India while twirling a moustache. It felt as though the spirit of Agatha Christie’s most famous character – best known for solving the Murder on the Orient Express – was lingering in the breeze at Palermo’s sublime botanical garden, which had been transformed into a makeshift waiting room for the 40 or so travellers about to board an Italian replica of the fabled train.
Enjoying espresso and tasting CannolI, The classic Sicilian pastries were a source of curiosity and suspicion, as Poirot’s famous detective was able to detect the subtle differences between the passengers. But the only mystery waiting to be unravelled over the next couple of days was whether their Rome-bound journey on La Dolce Vita Orient Express would live up to their dreamy expectations.
The Sleeper rolled into service in April It was created with the intention of reviving both the glamour and romanticized notion of Italy’s original train. Dolce vitaYou can also take advantage of the growing demand for slow luxury vacations.
Comprising refurbished carriages formerly in service on Italy’s railway in the 1960s, the train has spent the last few months taking passengers on various journeys: through Tuscany’s wine region, to Venice and along the Ligurian coast – all of them sold out.
The Guardian was invited to take part in the inaugural voyage of the Dolce Vita from Palermo (Sicily) to the Italian capital.
The original Orient Express started its first journey in 1883. It crossed Europe in long-distance routes stretching from Paris and Istanbul. But it was unable to continue the route after 2009 due to the advent of low-cost and high-speed flights.
But its legacy was carried on by a variety of offspring, who are still looking for high-end, nostalgic getaways far from the chaos and crowds at airports.
“The ultra high-end market continues to grow and the demand for rail experience is increasing in a major way,” said Dario Milella, luxury and fashion analyst at management consulting firm Kearney. It’s not only for millionaires and billionaires. Italy’s beautiful coastline and landscapes outside the cities are perfect for people who have the time and the resources to enjoy an experience.
Stefano Sgambellone and his staff of immaculately dressed employees welcomed us at Palermo Station.
“In 1883, the Orient Express became the first way to travel slowly, in luxury,” said Sgambellone, who for years worked for Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE), a luxury rail service with a range of European routes. Slow travel is more popular today than it used to be.
While the focus of VSOE is primarily the onboard experience, the Dolce Vita itinerary also includes off-board jaunts and experiences across its 10 Italy-only itineraries, such as learning to cook a local dish, exploring off-the-beaten-track medieval towns and dining in a private Venetian home.
Sgambellone stated that “people choose the Dolce Vita train not just because the train is beautiful but also because it’s a great way to discover Italy.”
We left Palermo at 10.30am when the whistle blew. It then glided along Sicily’s sparkling northern coastline, passing the town of Cefalù and the city of Messina, offering distant views of Salina, one of the Aeolian islands, along the way.
Lunch has been curated by Heinz Beck, owner of the three-Michelin-starred La Pergola Restaurant in Rome The train arrived in Taormina on the Sicilian coast, and passengers were able to visit the ancient Greek theatre.
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The Dolce Vita initiative, with plans for a fleet of six trains, is a collaboration between Orient Express, the brand part-owned by the French hospitality group Accor; Arsenale, an Italian luxury hospitality company; and the heritage arm of Italy’s state railway, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane.
Itineraries are between one and three nights onboard, and needless to say, they do not come cheap,starting at €3,060 per person for a two-day/one-night trip into the heart of Tuscany’s wine regionFor the three-day/two nights trips, this amount is doubled.
FS Italiane’s project to revitalize abandoned rail tracks has not only benefited the luxury train. The project has led to the opening of a network of historical routes. Timeless Tracks The initiative is a way for tourists to experience Italy’s less-visited regions, like the Abruzzo mountains or the hidden hamlets and highlands of Abruzzo, all while supporting sustainable tourism. Tickets for these shorter trips start at just €5. There has also been a renewed focus on sleeper train services.
Passengers on this trip came from all over. The Indian family wanted to experience something once in a lifetime. Another, from Scotland, was celebrating an important birthday. There was a US author, an Italian ambassador and a Parisian pair who were seasoned long distance train travellers.
Britt Moran, Emiliano Salci and the Milan-based Dimorestudio architects who designed Dolce’s 1960s-inspired restaurant, bar and cabins made their first train trip.
“Obviously we had seen it before,” said Moran, “but in terms of the whole experience: wow, this is so nice!”
After spending a night aboard in Sicily the carriages were loaded onto a private chartered ferry to make the 30-minute journey to the mainland. From there, it continued up the coast to Calabria. After another afternoon stop at Maratea, the train left for Rome.
When the Dolce Vita arrived at Ostiense station the next morning, all the passengers appeared to be satisfied. While they boarded the train as strangers, running the risk of animosity in such a confined space for two days, they disembarked as friends.
The trip was sponsored by La Dolce Vita Orient Express; the three-day/two-night From Sicily to Rome trip starts at €11,280 per person (From Rome to Sicily starts at €9,440)
