COLLETTE HARRISON fulfills her lifelong ambition as she takes a dream journey on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Romance and refinement in Italy's glorious cities of culture

STANDING in the departure lounge at London's Victoria Station I had an uneasy feeling I'd underdone it on the wardrobe front.

The ladies were dressed to the nines and the gentlemen were in their Sunday best. We were all waiting for what promised to be a genteel journey down to the south coast on the British Pullman - all 1930s polished brass, white linen table cloths, crystal glasses and friendly waiters.

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After a Bellini brunch we arrived at Folkestone where a coach was waiting to take us to France.

There she was as we arrived in Calais; the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE), the grand dame of the rails with her 17 sparkling navy and gold Wagons-Lits carriages. I stepped on board and seemingly back in time.

"Prosecco, Madame?" were the first two words I heard. My steward, Juan Pablo, was offering a glass of bubbly even before this 950-tonne beauty had moved an inch.

My small but perfectly laid-out home for the next 24 hours was an Art Deco mahogany-panelled cabin, simply arranged with a Tiffany lamp, brass luggage rack, fans for air con, bells to ring your steward and a shelf that magically turned into a sink.

Walking from the cabin along the marquetry-patterned corridors, I realised the passion and craftsmanship that had gone into restoring these carriages.

And so to dinner. The messieurs were in dicky bows and some of the mesdames were in ball gowns but nobody looked out of place. "It's a great excuse to go the whole hog and dress up," said one lady guest. And she was right, I thought, as I sipped my pre-dinner drink in the Bar Car - an Agatha Christie cocktail containing 12 secret ingredients, one from each of the countries the VSOE travels through. Meanwhile, the pianist played Sinatra classics on a baby grand piano.

There was such a great sense of occasion; I felt I'd been invited to a party, everyone seemed to be celebrating something - a birthday, an anniversary, an engagement.

Not surprisingly 1,700 bottles of champagne are quaffed on board every season and at ‚ €90 a pop that's some celebration.

Out of the three restaurant cars, the most stunning is the 1929 C´te d'Azur with Lalique blue opaque glass, which is the perfect setting for such a fine dining experience.

How French chef Christian Bodiguel conjures up such mouth-watering dishes as moulded layer of lobster and celery in remoulade sauce and confit tomato petals in kitchens which are only a few feet wide is a mystery. Even Hercule Poirot's litte grey cells would struggle to solve this gastronomic puzzle.

petals in kitchens which are only a few feet wide is a mystery. Even Hercule Poirot's litte grey cells would struggle to solve this gastronomic puzzle.

The next morning's 6.30am call was well worth it. I looked out of the window to see the stunning shores of Lake Zurich. It felt magical to have gone to sleep in France and to wake up in Switzerland. Breakfast, which was thankfully light after the feast the night before, was served in my cabin.

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was well worth it. I looked out of the window to see the stunning shores of Lake Zurich. It felt magical to have gone to sleep in France and to wake up in Switzerland. Breakfast, which was thankfully light after the feast the night before, was served in my cabin.

Normally on the daily commute, a train travelling at just 44mph would send me dotty. But the dainty dawdle from country to country gave me time to relax and indulge which is what the train is all about. Before I knew it we had arrived in Verona and had to say goodbye to the VSOE but more excitement was ahead.

After a tour around the city that lays claim to the balcony where Shakespeare's Romeo wooed his Juliet, we headed for the opera at the Arena di Verona.

This Roman ampitheatre, its acoustics so brilliant that microphones aren't necessary, seats 15,000 people and provides a truly spectacular open-air stage.

No wonder Placido Domingo can't keep away.

Next stop was Venice, city of romance and refinement. With just one day here I decided to dodge the queues of tourists in St Mark's Square and the canoodling couples on gondolas.
So for something completely different I visited the showroom of period costume designer Antonia Sautter (the brains behind the magnificent Il Ballo del Doge, the costume ball held every year during the Venice Carnival).

Out of curiosity I also explored a modern-art exhibition which, intriguingly, had influenced my seven-course meal that night at The Westin Europa & Regina hotel overlooking the Grand Canal. One of the dishes, inspired by pioneering American artist Jeff Koons, was beefsteak in an aluminium tin, served on an inflatable armband. Weird? Yes. Wonderful? Yes. A one-off? Most definitely.

The next day I jumped on a boat for the five-minute hop across the milky lagoon to Giudecca Island, home of the Hotel Cipriani. This hotel's exquisite service and old-fashioned glamour has made it a magnet for Hollywood A-listers since it opened in 1958. It serves the best Bellini in town and Walter the barman took great pride in showing how to make a perfect one. I nursed my drink by the parasol-dotted pool and couldn't believe it was time to go home.

I left Venice as my trip had begun - in luxury - aboard a speed boat. As Marco Polo airport came into sight, I wondered how it would feel if I was instead heading to Santa Lucia, Venice's railway station, where I might once again board the VSOE for the return journey.

And for some reason I couldn't get an old quip out of my head: If God had meant us to fly he wouldn't have given us the railways.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Kuoni (01306 747008/www.kuoni.co.uk) offers a five-night tailor-made holiday to Italy from £2,438pp (two sharing). Price includes one night on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from London to Verona (full board), two nights in Verona (B&B), two nights at The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice and return BA flight from Venice to Heathrow. For departures October 2011. Liaisons Abroad (0207 808 7330/www.liaisonsabroad.com) offers bespoke arrangements such as opera tickets and sightseeing tours for any European city including Verona or Venice. Italian State Tourist Board: 0207 408 1254/www.italiantouristboard.co.uk