Have you ever considered booking a festive train journey? The Christmas season is the best time of year to treat yourself to all the glitz and glimmer luxury train travel has to offer. We scoured the globe in search of seven of the most beautiful train journeys this holiday season. Step aboard with us. 

CTA Holiday Train 

Watch the Windy City whizz by on Chicago Transit Authority’s very own Holiday Train. This festive tradition, now in its 31st year, takes travelers throughout the city on eight train lines and the elevated Loop (or “L”) decorated in thousands of colorful holiday lights and décor. Santa and his reindeer lead the charge in an open-top flatcar lined with Christmas trees. The Holiday Train is more than dazzling lights, it also delivers hundreds of food baskets to local community organizations and charities. In some years, the train has delivered 600 food baskets through the season running from after Thanksgiving until Christmas.  

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 Napa Valley Wine Train 

Take in the best of California’s rolling Napa Valley aboard one of their three festive Jolly Journeys. Families will love Santa’s Cookie Car for the opportunity to visit the man himself while sipping a cup of warm cider or cocoa and nibbling on holiday cookies. Take your celebrations up a notch on the Gourmet Holiday Express. This journey includes a three-course holiday meal, holiday cookie and cocoa, digital and printed photo with Santa and a table-side visit from Santa in an antique Pullman dining car. Or, soak in stunning views aboard the Very Merry Vista Dome journey where you’ll enjoy fine dining paired with 360-degree views. Whichever you choose, you’ll be welcomed at the station by cheerful carolers. 

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Polar Express  

Head to Colorado for another festive train journey on a vintage steam train aboard the Durango & Silverton’s Narrow-Gauge Railroad’s Polar Express. Your half-hour journey begins in Durango Depot with a welcoming musical pre-show. En route to the North Pole, sip hot chocolate and feast on sweet treats as the conductor reads the award-winning book by Chris Van Allsburg. Upon arrival, enjoy a musical light show and a visit from Santa—complete with gifts, his reindeer and elves and characters from the Polar Express movie. 

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Santa Claus Express  

Our search for the best train journey takes us across the Atlantic to Finland’s Santa Claus Express. This double-decker overnight train takes you from Helsinki to Finland’s northernmost region of Lapland passing through spectacular winter landscapes. On a stop at Rovaniemi, the “official residence of Santa Claus,” children can drop off signed letters for Santa, visit an elf school, ride a reindeer or even take a snowmobile safari. As you wind through the winter wonderland of snow-capped trees, you’re also in the perfect spot to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. 

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Canterbury Christmas Carols 

Hop over to the UK for a beautiful train journey on one of Belmond’s British Pullman trains. The Canterbury Christmas Carols train finds you aboard a luxurious train traveling to the historic city of Canterbury. Sit back in your plush seat as you indulge in an elegant three-course brunch and sparkling Bellini. In Canterbury, tour the famous cathedral accompanied by the Canterbury Singers and do a bit of holiday shopping before stepping back on board. Enjoy a Champagne toast before savoring a four-course dinner paired with the sommelier’s wine selection. Finish with coffee, tea and petit fours.

Festive Lunch 

You can also celebrate the season on the Festive Lunch British Pullman train. Your vintage train departs from London’s Victoria Station. Relax in your wood-paneled carriage as you travel through the British countryside on this elegant, round-trip journey. Begin your fine dining experience with a welcome glass of Champagne in cut glassware. Then, tuck into your five-course meal served on commissioned china atop white linen.  

Bath at Christmas 

Lastly, Belmond’s Bath at Christmas experience will find you embracing the best of the Christmas season on this festive train journey to the World Heritage City of Bath. Begin with a bit of bubbly, brunch and coffee or tea in your Art Deco carriage. In Bath, enjoy shopping in the town’s traditional Christmas market. Here 170 chalets tempt you with unique gifts, festive food and hot drinks. Wander the historic streets and pop into the quirky shops while the sounds of Christmas add to the holiday mood. Back on board, clink glasses over a champagne reception followed by a decadent, four-course, wine-paired dinner. 

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@belmondbritishpullman

Explore more Belmond train trips and get inspired by celebrities who ride the rails. We can’t wait to welcome you aboard our luxury train journeys.  

Where will you travel with Luxury Gold? 

When it comes to Pinot Noir, Courtney Kingston has deep roots—or rather, vines. As the Founder of Kingston Family Vineyards in Chile’s Casablanca Valley, Courtney carries on her family’s farming, winemaking and pioneering history with passion. We talked with Courtney about her enchanting winery, how to find your favorite Pinot and what makes “the heartbreak grape” so special.    

Related Content: Wines of the world 

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The vineyards and winery 

Kingston Family Vineyards offers private, reserved tastings at their winery perched on a hillside of the stunning Chilean coastline. The location alone is part of what makes this experience feel like you’ve come across a tucked away treasure. You’ll enter the winery turning onto a dirt road lined with palm trees planted by Courtney’s aunt. Your gaze follows down the grove of trees before “the world opens in front of you,” as Courtney describes. From there you’ll spot the salón, or tasting room, nestled within the hilltop vineyard and, on a clear day, perhaps Mount Aconcagua. As you enter the glass-walled tasting room, you’re treated to an open-air experience with a view of the Andes from the sprawling deck.  

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The experience 

From a seat on the patio or cozied up near the fireplace, you’ll enjoy a tasting paired with local cheeses and chocolates. Courtney points out that Kingston is a winery offering culinary and wine experiences. They also work with a local cheesemaker for their pairings. Sample a local goat cheese with a Sauvignon Blanc. A cheese with depth paired with a Chardonnay. And chocolates paired with a Pinot Noir and a Syrah. During your tasting, your hosts will share the family legacy. “Everything is tailored to your experience,” Courtney points out. “It’s all in the bottle and in the experience.”   

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The history 

Kingston Family Vineyards is unique not only in their pioneering vintages but in their family history. Their legacy began in the early 1900s when Carl John Kingston, Courtney’s great-grandfather, set out from Michigan in search of gold in Chile. Carl didn’t strike gold, but his quest did prompt him to establish a cattle ranch on the current site of the winery, just miles from the Pacific. Five generations later, the 350-acre vineyards have yielded bounty and opportunities to harness the Kingston’s pioneering spirit that Courtney and her family still embody. Since 1998, Kingston Family Vineyards has produced organic, artisan, hand-made wines that are enjoyed around the world. 

@kingstonvineyards

The “heartbreak grape” 

With a climate similar to the Mediterranean or the San Francisco Bay, when Courtney was deciding what types of grapes to grow on the family land, she asked herself, “What could we do that would speak of the farm?” Coming from an entrepreneurial family, she was looking for ways to help the farm and contribute to the community—and to do something a little different. So, she decided on Pinot Noir.  

“Pinot was new for Chile. Planting along the coast was new… Pinot is really hard to make. It’s called the heartbreak grape because it’s incredibly finicky and sensitive,” Courtney explains. “Not all grapes are created equal. Some are particular. Pinot Noir is one that always keeps you guessing and speaks of where it’s from.” Courtney compares harvesting Pinot to marathon running, another passion that runs deep in her family. “It’s not the shortest path but it’s well worth it.” Well worth it, indeed. Stanford Business School has since written two case studies on Kingston Family Winery and their entrepreneurial success. 

@kingstonvineyards

Kingston Family Vineyard’s Pinot Noir

Kingston Family Vineyards bottles five different Pinots made in different ways. Courtney explains that when you taste wines from different blocks (each block is about one to two acres) side-by-side it “brings home the concept of terroir… a rare experience.” Chile is the tenth largest wine making country in the world. And for a winery to make a small amount by hand as Kingston does presents guests with a real treat. Kingston also ships to your home—so you can continue and share your discoveries with family and friends. 

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How to pick a Pinot Noir 

After your Grand South America tour, how can you find the best Pinot in your hometown? Courtney’s advice on how to choose Pinot Noir is to travel the world through Pinot. Experience the joy it brings. “When it’s made with intention and purity, that speaks to where it’s from.” Courtney suggests trying Pinots from New Zealand, France’s Burgundy region, Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the central coast of Santa Barbara. “Tasting side by side will help you taste the difference in Pinots from different regions,” she says. 

Courtney’s second tip for discovering top quality Pinot Noir is to find and get to know your local wine shop, or even your favorite restaurant. Your local sommelier will be eager to share their favorite wines and you’ll build a relationship that will serve you well as you learn which Pinots you like. 

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Lastly, Courtney says, “Find a bottle with a story behind it.” Because Pinot is hard to make on a large scale, those unique bottles from small winemakers will showcase their labors of love. We couldn’t agree more. And with a story like Courtney and her family’s, we’ll be savoring every sip.  

Join us in Chile.

With their expert knowledge and deep love for people and travel, your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge ensures that your vacation is personal and unforgettable. Always at your service, they tailor your travel experience for you and take care of every detail, leaving you free to enjoy every moment.