Traveling From Venice to Paris in Style On Board Belmond’s New Venice-Simplon-Orient Express Train

A good souvenir is hard to find, and I mean that in the most literal sense. The best ones are hiding in the window around the corner from the unmarked alley that you didn’t mean to go down, or recommended to you by the cousin of the waiter at the hotel bar you stumbled into during an unexpected downpour. They’re never obvious.

Today, however, with the help of the internet, social media, newsletters and travel apps, it seems that everyone ends up in the same places—the same pajama store in Rome, the same pottery shop in Greece, the same perfumery in Paris—and leaves with the same things. This spring, in an effort to shop the way people did before social media, and find souvenirs that felt truly one-of-a-kind, I visited some of the oldest stores in Venice, Italy, specializing in textiles, glass, paper goods and other crafts. My goal, in part, was to put together an outfit for an overnight ride on the historic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to Paris—one I could be sure no one else on board would have.

The train, which is owned by Belmond and named after the original luxury rail service that traversed continental Europe, is a black-tie affair, where you can “never be overdressed.” In fact, passengers who violate the dress code will be asked to take their meals to their cabins, “out of respect for other guests,” the itinerary warns. Inspired by this sartorial challenge and the train’s intricate Art Deco interiors, I set off on my old-world shopping adventure, starting in the timeworn canals of the Floating City.

First, Get Your Bearings in Venice

Harbor, highway, protector: The Venetian lagoon is the lifeblood of the city.

As soon as you arrive in Venice, you are forced to surrender to a slower, more romantic form of travel—in this case, by boat. It may seem daunting, especially if you have a large suitcase in tow, but when the water taxi engine starts roaring and the Adriatic Sea air hits your face, you’ll feel a swell of excitement in your chest. Congratulations, you are on vacanza!

Where to Stay

To escape the crowds, book a stay at the San Clemente Palace Venice hotel, located on a private island just a short boat ride from the San Marco pier, where a sleek, complimentary shuttle leaves every 30 to 40 minutes. After a long day of shopping, you’ll appreciate the peace and quiet.

The property itself, which features 196 rooms and suites in restored monastery buildings, a 12th-century chapel and nearly 15 acres of ancient gardens, is also transportive. If you really want to mess with time, you can book an appointment at the hotel’s Longevity Spa, which offers cutting-edge technologies like cryotherapy and even a suite of DNA tests. Personally, I prefer shopping as my cardio.

Discover the City's Art and Design History

A highlight of the trip for me was the Fortuny Museum, where you can learn about one of Venice’s most celebrated inhabitants: Mariano Fortuny. He and his wife, Henriette Negrin, are best known for creating silk pleated dresses inspired by Greek goddesses that hug the body like a fabric accordion. The Fortuny fashion stores of today are not affiliated with the original brand, so I can’t recommend purchasing a gown or a bag there. But you can still make an appointment to visit the Fortuny factory and showroom, which I arranged for the day after my museum visit. There, I bought a small fabric-covered notebook to doodle in on the train. (Tip: Ask to see the private garden in the back. It’s one of the largest private gardens in Venice, yet it remains something of a secret.)

For more fabric history, take a tour of the Luigi Bevilacqua mill and visit the store. And for something new, check out Chiarastella Cattana.

Then, Get Ready to Do Some Shopping

Start Your Day in the Famous Piazza San Marco

Located in the famous Piazza San Marco, you can stop by Caffè Florian, Italy’s oldest coffeehouse still in operation, for an espresso. For something new, Laguna~B offers colorful, candy-like glasses and vases. (Ask for a tour of the palazzo.) For something to wear, visit the shop of Paola Rizzo and Enzo Toso in Dorsoduro.

Pick up Some Glassware on the Island of Murano

Venice is renowned for its glass production, most of which takes place on the island of Murano, where master glassblowers have breathed fire since the 13th century. Take a trip if you can, but if you’re short on time, stop by Martinuzzi, a craft store founded in 1932 that specializes in handmade pieces from Venice, including both Murano glass and Burano lace.

Create Your Own Stamp at a Stationery Store

Visit Il Pavone for everything from handmade marbled paper to custom stationery.

Venice was one of the first cities in Italy to have a printing press, and by the end of the 15th century, it was the European capital of printing. It’s where the first printed edition of Aristotle’s work in Greek was produced, starting in 1495, and where italic type was born.

Many beautiful stationery stores run by skilled bookbinders remain, including Paolo Olbi, Antica Legatoria Ofer and Legatoria Polliero, which has been in business for three generations. I also messaged the owner of Legatoria Piazzesi, which claims to be one of the oldest paper stores in Venice, but they were sadly out of town for the month.

Rather than custom stationery, what I really wanted was a custom stamp for my letters, since there’s a mailbox on the Belmond train, and a steward will make sure your envelopes arrive at their destination. For that, I was told to visit Gianni Basso Stampatore on Calle del Fumo, which is both a workshop and something of a museum, with Basso’s collection of letterpress instruments on display. However, it was also closed for the weekend. (Beware of Sundays in Italy!)

Thankfully, I ended up finding what I was looking for at Il Pavone, where a young woman working at the store created a stamp with my initials in just a few minutes.

Buy a Traditional Venetian Mask

Mask stores are everywhere you turn in Venice, but it’s just as tricky to find an original one as it is to understand the story behind the accessory in the first place. Some believe that because Venice was historically such a hierarchical society—during the Renaissance, it was one of the richest city-states in Europe—face coverings allowed its citizens to blend in with different classes more easily. They also, of course, add to the city’s sense of romance and mystery.

Regardless, the Carnival of Venice is still held annually, and masks are a big part of it. I wanted one to wear in the train’s bar car, and first tried Atelier Antonia Sautter, which sells period costumes. Nicolao Atelier does the same. I found mine at Ca’ Macana.

Treat Yourself to a Piece of Fine Jewelry 

Italian jeweler ANTONIAMILETTO employs natural materials like wood to lend pieces a warm, timeless quality.

It can be hard to tell fine jewelry from costume jewelry if you’re not an expert. For this reason, I stayed away from the vintage-jewelry stores in Venice. (People have great things to say about Attilio Codognato, if you’ve got more of an eye for that sort of thing.) However, I trust ANTONIAMILETTO, an Italian jewelry designer who fell in love with Venice when she was young. Her use of materials like wood gives her pieces a warmth and timelessness, yet they’ve also got a modern polish that allows them to fit seamlessly into your wardrobe.

Hunt for Vintage and Antique Treasures

There are a handful of secondhand stores in the city—Vintage-Venezia, Vintageria Venezia, Maranteghe and Sangueblu were the ones I was told about. I went to L’armadio di Coco, where I saw a luxurious pair of velvet Romeo Gigli slippers.

The small shop is near the antiques market of Campo San Maurizio, which happened to be up and running the weekend I was there. I’m sure if you spent enough hours digging through each vendor’s bounty, you could find a treasure worth taking home.

Find the Perfect Velvet Slipper

Velvet slippers are perhaps Venice’s most fashionable modern export. Also known as furlanes or friulane, for the Friuli region they hail from, the shoes are said to have originally been popular among gondoliers, due to their nonslip rubber soles.

Today, they’re worn by just about everyone, from orchestra conductors at the historic Teatro La Fenice to the audience members themselves, who always wear black ones, per the dress code.

Personally, I wanted some slippers for the train, and I bought a sturdy, sumptuous pair of purple velvet ones at Piedàterre, near Campo San Maurizio. Nearby, Friulane Dittura is also packed with slippers from floor to ceiling.

Finally, Hop on Board

Getting There

Your experience on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express begins before you even get on. A Belmond water taxi will pick you up from wherever you’re staying and take you straight to Venice’s Santa Lucia station.

The Vibe

With around 100 guests on board and 42 staff, the trip, which in my case was just one night, is a tightly run operation, akin to a Broadway show. And wherever the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express goes, it turns heads. As the signature blue train pulls into the station, even the busiest commuter will stop to take note.

From the moment you step onto it, it’s apparent that it’s not like other trains. Attendants dressed in traditional uniforms roll out red carpets and offer a white-gloved hand to help you aboard. “Traveling by train is back in fashion,” said the guest experience manager, Massimo Paganello. Having racked up more than 2 million miles over the past 31 years of working on the rail, he knows a thing or two about the appeal of slow travel.

“We live a life where everything is so fast, and we have to do a thousand things at a time,” he explained. “Here, you can take the time for yourself—time to do nothing, if you want. You can just sit and look outside, think or maybe read a book. You can disconnect. For me, the real luxury today is to have time for yourself—that’s priceless—and if you can do it in a place like this, amazing.”

The Cabin

As soon as you get to your cabin, the champagne starts flowing, and chef Jean Imbert prepares your first bite. Then, you settle in before lunch in one of three velvet-clad dining cars. After that, you’ve got some free time before you get ready for the main event: getting dressed for dinner. Thankfully, our cozy suite had a bathroom (complete with an Italian-made glass sink), but take care as you apply lipstick and put on your heels, as there’s always a bit of turbulence.

Dining On Board

Smoked-salmon rosettes and deviled eggs are among the delicate bites you’ll be offered.

I recommend the first seating for dinner, as it’s still light out, and you catch the sun setting over the Alps. Afterward, head to the bar car, where live music plays until the last martini is served. (In our case, that was at 2:30 a.m.—an early night, according to Paganello.) 

There, you can get to know your fellow travelers a bit better. I chatted up a friendly couple from Boston whose children had encouraged them to book the trip after seeing it online. Two young British women also complimented my belt, which I had fashioned from a silver whistle purchased at the gift shop.

What to Wear

My outfit, complete with Venetian glass jewelry and a handmade mask, also earned the approval of models doing a photo shoot on the train for a German magazine, as well as a doctor in a white tuxedo from North Carolina. Paganello says he encounters a mix of train lovers who’ve saved their money and VIPs. One “champion” passenger has done the trip 77 times, he said.

By the next morning, as we pulled into Paris around 8:30 a.m., I could understand why. As I walked off the platform, I was sad to have to get off the ride and return to modern life. It all felt like a dream. After traveling through time, I’d been spit out, slightly hungover. Could I ever find my way back? Thankfully, I’ll always have my souvenirs.