A glamorous reboot of the Orient Express is hitting the rails in 2025, and the first look inside its carriages is breathtaking.
Operated by the Orient Express brand, part of the Accor hospitality group, this new edition of the legendary luxury train has a tie-in to the past: it comprises 17 carriages from the original Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express, which were discovered in Poland in 2015.
The iconic train line has a complex history; the first Orient Express route was inaugurated in 1883, connecting Paris and Istanbul (then Constantinople) via trains and ferries. From that point forward, a number of operators have used the Orient Express name, traveling on a variety of routes that crisscross Europe. That included the Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express, which operated throughout most of the 1980s and included a long-haul trip from Paris to Tokyo.
Maxime d'Angeac/Courtesy of Orient Express, Accor
Now the Orient Express brand is reviving the Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express, tapping French designer Maxime d’Angeac to expertly refurbish and update the original 17 cars.
«By slipping into the shoes of its creators, from René Prou to Suzanne Lalique, I tried to reinterpret the history of this legendary train, not only with nostalgia, but with a desire to extend its history, to transport us to another place. As if it was all a dream,» d’Angeac said in a statement released to Travel + Leisure.
Maxime d'Angeac/Courtesy of Orient Express, Accor
Maxime d'Angeac/Courtesy of Orient Express, Accor
That dreamlike quality explains why there's a blend of asynchronous design styles. In the Bar Car, four columns with bronze capitals support Second Empire–style glass domes, beneath which are a bevy of scalloped banquets. Then in the Dining Car, guests experience a classic art deco look inspired by trains themselves, with mirrored ceilings, marquetry panels, and decor motifs nodding to 20th-century illustrator Suzanne Lalique's tapestries.
The suites are a touch more contemporary — though they still have a vintage brown-and-jewel-tone color palette, they play with quirky geometry, from the square panels and circular perspective-shifting mirrors adorning the walls to the abstract comet pattern on the carpet.
Maxime d'Angeac/Courtesy of Orient Express, Accor
«Some guests will think that [the train] has been built in the 1930s. Others will see that it's a modern interpretation, but we like to play with the notion of time and to really blur the line between past and future,» Guillaume de Saint Lager, vice president of Orient Express, previously told Travel + Leisure.
The reimagined Orient Express will be making two preview stops in the form of immersive exhibitions, this week in Paris, from Oct. 17–21, and then in Miami Beach
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While most American cities aren’t considered easy to navigate by foot, a recent study by travel insurance experts AllClear ranked one popular Southern city as the most walkable in the country. AllClear examined topographical information for more than 240 cities around the world, taking into account average elevation and range, and assigned each city a score — and ultimately, it was New Orleans that was named the most walkable city in the U.S. and the fourth most walkable city globally.
Martini in hand and pursuing another, I stumble to the bar—not because I’m drunk but because the bar itself is moving. I’m on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train, Europe; specifically, in Bar Car 3674, swathed in sapphire velvet and buzzing with passengers in their black-tie best for cocktail hour. Outside, the landscape unfurls gradually, the industrial tableaus of France’s heartland fading into fields baking under the summer sun. Golden hour has hit; onboard, cufflinks and jewels catch the light and shine. There’s a mirthful sparkle to the crowd, guests and crew alike, made even more apparent by our close quarters on the train. As I sidle past a woman in a sequined dress, our crystal coupes meet by chance in a delicate clink. She and I exchange introductions and share a proper toast: We’re finally here.
I took a 7.95-euro taxi ride in Paris and charged it to my Citi credit card, but the driver refused to provide a receipt, and my card was charged $795.85. Citi would not reimburse this obvious fraud. Can you help?
In the morning, I splash water on my face and use Dior Prestige La Micro-Huile de Rose Advanced Serum and put on some SPF. After school drop-off, I do my real routine. I splash again with water and use Rovectin Calming Lotus Water Toner. I do three layers of that. I go in with [my brand] Eadem’s Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum and then a thin layer of Cloud Cushion Airy Brightening Moisturizer. My sunscreen is Innisfree’s Daily UV Defense, which I’ve been using for 10 years. It’s sheer and gives a finish that’s not too oily or matte.
The Paris Summer Olympic Games are coming to an end this weekend, but there are still plenty of disciplines to go, including a new sport at the Games this year: breaking.
Summer in Lisbon is said to be sunny, sweltering, and colorful—packed to the brim with exciting activities like public concerts, festivals, and immersive experiences. When planning my first trip to Portugal, I was excited to visit the city that many of my friends and family have called “their favorite in the world” during this season. And while there was certainly no shortage of amazing hotels in the city to choose from, my sister and I decided to stay in an Airbnb so as to get a bit more of a local experience during the five nights we were there. When searching for a place to stay, we looked mostly in Alfama, a neighborhood with easy access to dozens of restaurants, shops, and city viewpoints.
It appears we're now less than four months away from the first commercial flights aboard the new Airbus A321XLR — a single-aisle aircraft hailed as a "game changer" for its ability to fly longer transoceanic routes. (The "XLR" in the A321XLR stands for "Extra Long Range.")
Amid the cafes and boutiques of Athens’s Kolonaki neighborhood is a housewares shop that’s also a showcase for Greek craftsmanship. It’s the first brick-and-mortar location for Crini & Sophia, the brand that the former interior and set designer Maya Zafeiropoulou-Martinou founded in 2022. Its wood-and-rattan shelves, two-tone marble floors and furniture are all made by Greek artists, while one window is decorated with a vinelike steel and spray-paint piece by the Cypriot sculptor Socrates Socratous. The shop’s goods are designed by Zafeiropoulou-Martinou, whose inspirations include the colors in Francis Bacon paintings and the Amazon rainforest. Linens are produced in Portugal before being embroidered in Greece with patterns that often take cues from antiques on view at Athens’s Benaki Museum. Hand-painted ceramics and glassware are made in partnership with artisans in New York, Greece, Italy and France. When it comes to designing your own table, Zafeiropoulou-Martinou encourages layering. “The pattern isn’t just the plate or the tablecloth,” she says of her pieces, “but a puzzle of the two on top of each other.”
With over 34 million TikTok posts, #BookTok has swept the world by storm, captivating people seeking their next literary adventure. As Americans flock to Europe in record numbers this summer, leaving their boring beach reads on the book shelf, Trainline – Europe’s no.1 train ticket booking app – is transporting them to worlds unknown via its new summer book club, The Reading Route. Curated by Emma Roberts, co-founder of the viral online book club BELLETRIST, each of the 10 train reads selected by Roberts have roots in some of Trainline’s most booked European destinations, from London and Paris to Rome and Barcelona.