Glamour On The Orient Express

Belmond partners with Veuve Clicquot for a series of enchanting, champagne-soaked Solaire Journeys by rail.

- Jeff Jenssen and Mike DeSimone

When modern globetrotters evoke the golden age of travel, they’re usually referring to the sophisticated jet-setters of the 1950s and 1960s. And yet even that model of luxuriantly civilised air transport pales in comparison to the extravagant trains of the Orient Express during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Operated today by Belmond (and not to be confused with the Accor-managed Orient Express brand), the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress is a study in opulence from the moment uniformed porters greet you at the station entrance to escort you to your gold-trimmed carriage.