La Dolce Vita Orient Express vs. the Venice Simplon Orient Express
"A storied, Jazz Age–styled luxury train characterized by glossy lacquered wood, intricate marquetry, and lamps by Lalique and Baccarat, with three restaurant cars, a bar car, a boutique, and 54 cabins for up to 108 passengers. Historic Cabins feature a banquette that converts into a bed and do not have private showers (guests use shared shower facilities at the end of sleeper carriages), whereas suites have luxurious private bathrooms; dining is multi-course and overseen by chef Jean Imbert, with offerings such as afternoon tea served in-cabin and tasting-menu dinners. Itineraries across Europe run from one to five nights and emphasize the onboard experience, where passengers often dress in vintage 1920s style, enjoy Champagne in the bar car, and attend live entertainment; one-night rates for a Historic Cabin start around $4,692 and generally include afternoon tea in-cabin, dinner, midnight brunch, breakfast in-cabin, soft drinks, and a shared transfer to Venezia Santa Lucia Station." - Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz is a writer and editor based in Rome. She has been contributing to Travel + Leisure since 2014, when she started as a fact checker before becoming a contributing digital editor in 2015. She has also held positions as a contributing editor at The Points Guy and the NYC cities editor at DuJour Magazine. In addition to Travel + Leisure, her writing has appeared in Architectural Digest, Surface Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine, T Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, GQ, Departures, Afar, Fodor's, Town & Country, Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, Hemispheres, and others. When she's not jetsetting around Italy and beyond, she can be found in Rome, enjoying some cacio e pepe or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs. Originally from the Boston area, Laura moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a master's degree in creative writing and translation at Columbia University. She also holds a bachelor's degree in French from Smith College. * 10+ years of experience writing and editing * Co-wrote "New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants," an award-winning guide to New York City's speakeasy scene published by Jonglez Editions in 2015 * Contributed to "Fodor's Brooklyn," published by Penguin Random House in 2015, which won silver in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition * Contributed an essay to "Epic Hikes of Europe," published by Lonely Planet in 2021 * Updated the 2022 edition of "Fodor's Essential Italy" Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
