Climb aboard the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the world's most famous luxury train, for an unforgettable excursion this spring focusing on Italy’s most precious art treasures. Orient-Express has hitched up to The National Gallery in London for a new series of The Art of Travel Journeys, headlined by the "Renaissance Rivals - Leonardo and Michelangelo” journey.

The epic nine-day/eight-night tour offers an insider’s look at Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo’s finest works in the cities where they were created. The excursion, priced at about $13,000 for a double cabin, begins in London on May 16, 2012 and ends in Florence.


Highlights include an exclusive viewing of the British Museum’s collection of drawings by Leonardo and Michelangelo which are not normally on view to the public, followed by a visit to the National Gallery, London; a viewing of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous fresco in Milan’s 15th-century Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, The Last Supper; a visit to Milan’s Ambrosiana Library to see Leonardo’s Codex Atlanticus, a 12-volume collection of drawings and writings; and a tour of the Accademia Gallery in Florence where Michelangelo’s original David is housed.

Luxe accommodations include the Goring Hotel in London, the Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, and Villa San Michele hotel in Florence. To book, contact Orient-Express Centre, The Americas, Trains & Cruises at 800-524-2420 or email GreatJourneys@oeh.com. For more information, visit Orient-Express.com.