Friday
Board the gleaming blue and gold carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express mid-afternoon at Paris’ Gare de l’ Est Station. Settle into your luxurious private compartment after being greeted by your steward; later, enjoy a delicious dinner onboard and spend the night on the train.
Saturday
Relax and enjoy the scenery as the VSOE travels into Hungary. Continental breakfast is served in your compartment and lunch will be served in one of the opulent dining cars. On arrival in Budapest, transfer to the luxurious Sofitel Hotel. Dinner and overnight in Budapest.
Sunday
After breakfast at the hotel enjoy a guided tour of the city Budapest, with lunch included. The city is divided by the famous Danube River into ‘Buda’ and ‘Pest’. Rejoin the train in the late afternoon and enjoy an aperitif in the Bar Car before dinner as the train travels into Romania. Overnight on board.
Monday
After breakfast, the train arrives at the quaint mountain town of Sinaia. Disembark for a visit to beautiful Peles Castle, which was also visited by the very first Orient-Express passengers in 1883. Rejoin the train to complete the short journey to Bucharest. Upon arrival, transfer to the Athenée Palace Hilton Hotel, where a late lunch is served. In the afternoon there will be a short sightseeing tour of the city. Dinner and overnight in Bucharest.
Tuesday
Rejoin the train mid-morning and travel south across the Danube and into Bulgaria. During the afternoon, enjoy a stop to take pleasure in this beautiful country. Lunch and dinner are served on board the train as your journey continues. The final night of your journey is spent onboard VSOE.
Wednesday
Early in the morning the train enters Turkey and crosses the Thracian Plain. After breakfast and lunch on board, VSOE arrives in Istanbul late afternoon, at the end of a fascinating and unique journey across seven countries and cultures.
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