Italy’s Grand Route: A Direct Passage from Rome to Venice
A restored 17th-century building in central Rome has become the site of the first Orient Express hotel, now open to visitors near Piazza della Minerva. This marks a significant stage in a wider initiative that also includes a dedicated luxury train service, creating new connections between Rome and Venice. The integration of transport and accommodation aims to reshape how travelers move between Italy’s most visited historic centers.
The recently launched La Dolce Vita train allows passengers to reach Venice’s Santa Lucia station and continue on foot or by boat to the under-renovation Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, which will become the brand’s second hotel. The concept offers travelers a continuous route across cities, with each stop situated near key heritage landmarks. This approach is designed to offer structure and coherence to multi-city itineraries.
In Rome, the La Minerva hotel is located within walking distance of the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. The Pantheon has preserved its architectural structure since ancient times, while Piazza Navona remains one of the city’s finest examples of open-air Baroque planning. These spots are right where the past meets the present, making it simple for anyone curious about Rome’s stories and city life to step right into them.
In Venice, the upcoming Palazzo Donà Giovannelli will be situated near the historic Jewish Ghetto, one of the oldest in Europe, and Ca’ Pesaro, a palace that houses the city’s Museum of Modern Art. Anyone stepping off the train at Santa Lucia can either stroll through Venice’s streets or hop into a small boat to get to the hotel nearby. This setup lets you stop rushing, skip the confusion, and just enjoy what’s in front of you without constantly checking a map or schedule.
This route offers a fresh take on exploring Italy by connecting everything so neatly that travelers can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time noticing what’s around them. If bouncing between cities usually feels like a juggling act, this kind of trip clears the noise so you can actually look around and enjoy what you came for instead of chasing train times or searching for your next stop. It feels more like a smooth walk through Italy than a puzzle to solve, giving you freedom without turning the trip into chaos.
