Today, in the twenty first century, travelers in search of nostalgic experiences can re-live the glamour and luxury of the early twentieth century just by taking a trip through the landscapes of Europe on board the legendary Orient Express.

This is the same train immortalized by the writer Agatha Christie in her novel Murder on the Orient Express in which the fictional inspector Hércules Poirot investigates a crime committed on a train journey. The same train that carried such celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Liza Minelli, and served as accommodation for the German soldiers of the Third Reich, who occupied its carriages during the hard days of the Second World War.

Their spirits seem to roam the carriages and corridors of the Orient Express, decorated in the purest art deco styling of the 1920s. The train that these days carries passengers on the most traditional route (London – Vienna – Paris) appears frozen in time, and the rich tapestries that decorate its walls are evocative of a bye gone age, as are leather covered seats, the Belle Époque tableware, fine bed linens used in the sleeping cars and the French crystal in which a wide variety of exquisite champagnes and wines are served by Italian waiters.

These attributes ensure the Orient Express’s status as one of today’s most romantic destinations. And this ambience is not only the result of the train’s Gérard Gallet designed decorations and fittings, but also comes from the absolute certainty enjoyed by its passengers that they are riding through Europe on the original Orient Express. The train that forges its path across the landscapes of England, Italy and France is the very same one that began its journeys in 1920, following in the footsteps of Belgian Georges Nagelmackers’ first luxury train service, inaugurated 1883, with its sleeping cars and gourmet dining.

As already mentioned, every last detail of the Orient Express speaks of the opulence, glamour and extravagance of this venerable seducer. It can be experienced in the discreet service provided by the sleeping car attendants, always ready to meet the travelers’ smallest wish. Every afternoon their turn their attention to serving tea in each passenger’s own compartment, and taking dinner reservations for the train’s three restaurant cars: the Lalique, the Étoile du Nord and the Chinoise. And every morning they bring breakfast in bed.

The attention to detail extends to the absence of showers in the sleeping compartments’ bathrooms, as these were unknown in the early years of the twentieth century. Instead the bathrooms are equipped with washbasins with hot and cold water, with which the passengers can refresh themselves until they arrive at their destinations, where the train’s operating company provides accommodation in their own first class hotels.

A fine example of such accommodation is the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, where every room offers an impressive view over St. Mark’s Square. In addition to its exquisite rooms and elegant styling, the hotel offers an additional enchantment: the legendary lover Casanova used its gardens for several of his romantic liaisons. Passengers arriving in Paris to stay at the Hotel Le Meurice can identify with other, more famous guests that the hotel has welcomed over the years, including Queen Victoria and the painter Salvador Dalí. To sleep in any of this 300 year old hotel’s Luis XVI style rooms is to enjoy an unforgettable experience.

In addition to the accommodation, passengers who travel to Vienna and Paris on the Orient Express can also enjoy romantic tours to these cities’ most celebrated landmarks. And in Venice, how can one avoid taking a gondola on one of the city’s famous canals. While in Paris, visit Reims in the heart of the champagne region, sail on a luxury yacht down the River Seine and dine in one of the city’s most exclusive Michelin rated restaurants.

A visit to this glamorous Europe of yesteryear would not be complete without a souvenir to help you remember the experience. You will not be surprised to learn that the Orient Express can also help out with this important detail. Their gift shop can offer you miniature replicas of the train itself, tableware similar to that used on the train, crystal glasses and tumblers designed by Gérard Gallet, all at prices ranging from US$51 to US$1,100. This is the price you have to pay to capture a memory of what it is really like to travel in style.