Why book this trip?
Put the romance back into travel with the most iconic of all rail journeys, from London to Istanbul. Our fast-paced take on the classic Orient Express traverses Central Europe, passing through the iconic cities of Venice, Zagreb and Belgrade, but delving deeper into off-the-beaten-path destinations in Croatia and Serbia.
- Train travel – Cross the Venetian Lagoon, take a steam train in the Serbian mountains, go to sleep in Bulgaria and wake up in Turkey
- Venice and Istanbul – Bookend your trip with stays in the canal city and ancient Constantinople
- Wetlands and wine – tasting – Get beyond the tourist haunts on a boat trip in Croatia and at Serbia’s rural wineries
Itinerary
DAY 1 – Trip starts at London St. Pancras Station; Meet group in Paris and train to Milan
DAY 2 – Free morning in Milan; train to Mestre, Venice
DAY 3 – Full day to explore the canals and islands of Venice
DAY 4 – Train from Venice Mestre to Villach, Austria; continue by train to Zagreb, Croatia
DAY 5 – Day trip to the medieval town of Varazdin
DAY 6 – Orientation tour of Zagreb; afternoon train to Osijek, in Croatia’s Slavonia region
DAY 7 – Visit to Kopacki Rit with a boat trip through the wetlands; train to Belgrade, Serbia
DAY 8 – Train and bus to Mokra Gora; ride through mountain scenery on the historic Sargan 8 railway
DAY 9 – Nip into Bosnia and Herzegovina to explore Visegrad and the famous Bridge over the Drina; return to Drvengrad
DAY 10 – Drive through rural Serbia to Vrnjacka Banja; wine-tasting en route
DAY 11 – Drive and train to Nis; sample tasty burek and explore the city
DAY 12 – Cross the border to Bulgaria, from Nis to Sofia; free afternoon in Bulgaria’s capital
DAY 13 – Train to Plovdiv and discover the ancient Roman amphitheatre; overnight train to Istanbul
DAY 14 – Arrive into Istanbul Halkali station; metro into central Istanbul and walking tour of the capital
DAY 15 – Trip ends in Istanbul
Images courtesy of Explore Worldwide
EXW – RLA