How much does it cost?

From £5,895 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,963 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes. The package includes the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Venice to Paris (overnight, with dinner and breakfast), Eurostar Plus Class from Paris to London, and a regional train from Desenzano to Venice. Flights from London to Verona are also included.

Is this tour guided or independent?

Independent. Great Rail Journeys provides accommodation, trains, and transfers, but Days 2, 3, and 5 are free. Optional excursions (such as private walking tours, cooking classes, gondola rides, and wine tours) are available at extra cost.

What hotels are included?

Three nights at the Hotel Continental Thermae & Spa on Lake Garda (four-star), and two nights in Venice at your choice of four or five-star hotels (Hotel American Dinesen, Monaco & Grand Canal, or Hotel Baglioni Luna) on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

What meals are included?

Breakfast daily. Dinner is included on Day 6 aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. All other meals are not included.

Great Rail Journeys · Luxury rail tour

Venice Simplon Orient Express & Lake Garda

Great Rail Journeys operates this seven-day independent tour combining the luxury of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with leisure time at Lake Garda and Venice. The journey begins with a flight from London to Verona and a transfer to the four-star Hotel Continental Thermae & Spa on Lake Garda, where you have two free days to explore the medieval town of Sirmione, its castle, beaches, and lakeside walks. On Day 4, you travel by train to Venice and check into a four or five-star hotel for two more free days wandering the canals, bridges, and historic squares. The tour reaches its centrepiece on Day 6 when you board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a vintage train with Art Deco cabins restored from the 1920s and 1930s, for an overnight journey to Paris with fine dining prepared by French chefs. Day 7 returns you to London via Eurostar Plus Class. This package suits luxury seekers and repeat rail travellers who appreciate the romance of a legendary train, as well as couples and independent explorers who want structure paired with freedom to roam.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £320 since 4 Jul, to £5,895.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The tour is independent; Days 2, 3, and 5 in Lake Garda and Venice have no guided activities or included meals except breakfast, though optional excursions are available at extra cost.
Hotel choice in Venice depends on the tier and city option selected; the package lists four options (two four-star, two five-star) on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Lake Garda
Getting to Verona
Flight from London to Verona (regional flights available), with a transfer to your hotel on Lake Garda.
Day 2overnight: Lake Garda
Lake Garda
A free day on Lake Garda to wander the medieval town of Sirmione, visit the castle or a beach, or book an optional excursion at a supplement.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3overnight: Lake Garda
Lake Garda
A second free day on Lake Garda, or book an optional excursion at a supplement.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4railovernight: Venice
Garda to Venice
A leisurely breakfast at the hotel before transferring to Desenzano Station to catch the train to Venice. Make your own way, or take an optional water taxi transfer, to your chosen hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5overnight: Venice
Venice
A free day in Venice to wander its streets and bridges, relax in a square with a coffee, or book an optional excursion at a supplement.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6railovernight: Aboard the Venice Simplon Orient Express
Venice Simplon Orient Express
Free time in Venice before boarding the Venice Simplon Orient Express for the journey to Paris, in art deco carriages dating from the 1920s and 1930s, attended by a personal steward. Fine dining meals prepared by French chefs are served by Italian waiters, with live entertainment in the bar car in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7rail
Venice Simplon Orient Express
Breakfast in bed aboard the train, brought by your steward, as you travel through Italy and France to Paris. Transfer to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar back to London St Pancras.
Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Explore the medieval castle and old town of Sirmione, sitting on the Sirmio Peninsula almost completely surrounded by Lake Garda.
Day 4Travel by train from Desenzano to Venice, arriving by water in the city of canals.
Day 6Board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express for an overnight journey to Paris in a historic cabin, with fine dining and Art Deco details from the 1920s and 1930s.

Included

5 nights in 4-star hotel accommodation (Bed and Breakfast)
Overnight journey between Venice and Paris on the Venice Simplon Orient Express
Eurostar Plus Class between Paris and London
Flight from London to Verona
Transfer to your hotel on Lake Garda from Verona Airport

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £5,895 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,963 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes. The package includes the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Venice to Paris (overnight, with dinner and breakfast), Eurostar Plus Class from Paris to London, and a regional train from Desenzano to Venice. Flights from London to Verona are also included.
Is this tour guided or independent?: Independent. Great Rail Journeys provides accommodation, trains, and transfers, but Days 2, 3, and 5 are free. Optional excursions (such as private walking tours, cooking classes, gondola rides, and wine tours) are available at extra cost.
What hotels are included?: Three nights at the Hotel Continental Thermae & Spa on Lake Garda (four-star), and two nights in Venice at your choice of four or five-star hotels (Hotel American Dinesen, Monaco & Grand Canal, or Hotel Baglioni Luna) on a bed-and-breakfast basis.
What meals are included?: Breakfast daily. Dinner is included on Day 6 aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. All other meals are not included.