Whether you're gliding through spectacular countryside on a luxury train, embarking on a transatlantic voyage, drifting down the Nile on a steam ship or pootling around country lanes in a vintage car, there are plenty of ways to recreate the old-school glamour of travel.

Revel in the romance of rail travel in eastern Europe aboard luxury hotel-on-wheels, the Golden Eagle Danube Express. It has a number of routes including one that whizzes passengers from Budapest to Venice. You'll stop off at some of Europe's most intriguing destinations along the way, including the wildly romantic region of Transylvania. Start your indulgent journey by ordering a pre-dinner drink in the bar lounge car, with the sound of tinkling ivories in the background.

New this autumn is the four-night Taste of Italy itinerary which whisks passengers from Sicily, up through Italy and San Marino and on into Slovenia and Hungary. For those who love old-school train journeys but don't care for formalities, the Danube Express is refreshingly relaxed with no dress code for dinner. It's still a special experience with smart white tablecloths, wood panelling and attentive staff.

To up the luxury ante, book into one of the train's four new superior deluxe cabins. By day, they have an L-shaped sofa which is the perfect perch for gazing out of the big windows as you speed through stunning scenery. Come night, as passengers dine, the cabins are transformed by attendants into luxurious bedrooms with spacious king-size beds and plush bedding.

Dressing for dinner is de rigeur at this grand seaside retreat set on a little tidal island off the coast of Devon, in southwest England. Don your finest garments as you wander about this gem of a place with plenty of period charm. Imagine you're a guest at a high society house party as you descend the stairs for a pre-dinner martini under the restored glass dome of the elegant Palm Court Bar. 

Built in the 1920s, the Art Deco hotel has been restored to its heyday with a charming selection of characterful suites, named after famous guests. Many have balconies with fantastic sea views. It's famously the location for Agatha Christie's novels And Then There Were None and Evil Under the Sun, and 1920s playwright and actor Noël Coward was a regular at the secluded retreat. It's only accessible at high tide by the resort's sea tractor, boat or helicopter.

There's plenty to amuse guests here – relax in a deckchair, play tennis or croquet, or explore the beaches. Take a dip in the so-called Mermaid Pool, a natural sea water pool, before a pre-dinner nap. You'll need your energy on Wednesday and Saturday nights when the house band plays in the Ball Room. Take a turn about the dance floor before heading to the original 1930s billiards room for a game and digestif before bed.

Once upon a time, flying was glamorous. When airline meals were the height of sophistication and the cocktails free-flowing? You can relive the golden age of air travel without even leaving the ground at this retro airline themed dinner party in Los Angeles. It brilliantly recreates the experience of flying with Pan Am World Airways in the 1970s. The hugely popular monthly event is run by Air Hollywood, an aviation-themed film studio.

After checking in, diners board a replica Pan Am Boeing 747 and are welcomed by cheery stewardesses dressed in original uniforms. With a cocktail in hand, there's a tour of the plane which has been meticulously kitted out with authentic Pan Am props, including 1970s magazines and duty-free colognes. Main deck passengers sit in original plush Sleeperette seats while Upper Deck passengers climb the winding staircase to their First Class cabin.

After safety instructions, you'll take off and enjoy a lavish five-course meal as Frank Sinatra croons through the PA system. Served on original crockery, the meal includes a main course of chateaubriand, carved by hostesses from a trolley. A far cry from today's airline meals. Period movies play as passengers continue to eat, drink and mingle. Don't forget your retro gear, passengers are expected to dress the part too.

Set off on a journey along the world's longest and arguably most intriguing railway for an adventure like no other. With its origins in Imperial Russia, the remarkable railway has long lured curious tourists wishing to travel along its tracks. Despite there being faster ways to travel, taking a trip the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway remains one of the world's greatest journeys.

Stretching from Moscow to Vladivostok, it's an incredible 6,850-miles-long and takes eight days to travel through eight different time zones. While several trains use the route, the private Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express is the most luxurious and romantic. Take the two-week journey on the Golden Eagle, which departs from Moscow and traverses Russia's fascinating towns, cities and landscapes including Siberia with the incredible Lake Baikal (pictured). It includes excursions.

You'll have a private Kremlin tour and explore the pretty cities of Kazan and Irkutsk. The train chugs along the shores of Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, where you'll be hauled along by a Soviet-era steam locomotive and goes into Mongolia where you can explore capital Ulaanbaatar. On board, passengers can mingle in the restaurant car or join Russian language classes, vodka tastings or talks on local history.

Travel through South Africa's vast and stunning landscapes in serious style aboard The Blue Train from Cape Town to Pretoria (or vice versa). Harking back to the golden age of train travel, the two original trains – known as the Union Limited and the Union Express – date back to the 1920s and 30s when they would transport wealthy passengers from Johannesburg to Cape Town so they could travel onto England by ship.

As the train leaves Cape Town for its 27-hour journey east, passengers enjoy majestic views of Table Mountain – the first of many epic sights. The train trundles through the rolling hills of the winelands before entering the arid Karoo region where it comes to a stop for a few hours at the township of Matjiesfontein, known for its pretty Victorian houses. On the route from Pretoria, the train stops at the historic diamond-mining town Kimberley.

One train has 37 suites and the other has 29 apartments with an observation car at the back – the ideal spot for gazing out this wonderful country's stunning and varied landscapes. Most suites have baths (some with opulent marble and gold fittings) and a personal butler service. Passengers can take high tea in the elegant lounge car, tucking into dainty sandwiches and pastries, and are required to dress for dinners where the fine South African wines and haute cuisine are free flowing.

Embark on a grand tour to uncover some of India's many historic treasures and beautiful landscapes, while staying at some incredibly lavish heritage hotels on Voyage Jules Verne's Taj Tour. The tour takes in the famous sights of the Golden Triangle, as well as Amritsar, Shimla and Mumbai. You'll stay at many former palaces, including Taj Hotels's Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, which give a glimpse into a bygone era when they were the lavish residences of maharajas.

You'll take a trip on a narrow-gauge "toy train" from the sultry plains into the cool hills of Shimla, the former summer capital of the British Raj. It continues to be popular with Indians escaping the heat. Visit the vast Scottish baronial-style Viceregal Lodge – the official summer residence of the viceroys – to learn more about India's painful colonial past and discover the role the little hill town played in overthrowing British rule.

Shimla's Gaiety Theatre is another fascinating relic of India's colonial past well worth exploring – British writer Rudyard Kipling once trod the boards here. Stay at the grand Oberoi Cecil, which is close to the Viceroy Lodge, and was once renowned for lavish ballroom dances and high society clientele. Today, the grand ballroom is a wonderful place to appreciate Shimla's breathtaking mountain views as you feast on traditional Himachali dishes.

Why fly to New York when you could cruise there aboard a luxury ocean liner? Evoking the elegance of liners in their 1930s heyday, Cunard's newly remastered Queen Mary 2 is a fine vessel on which to make the journey across the Atlantic. Entering New York's harbour early in the morning, spotting the Statue of Liberty on the horizon, is a truly remarkable and fitting way to start a trip to the enthralling city.

The late 1940s was the golden era for transatlantic travel – a time when film stars and royalty were regularly photographed stepping ashore in Southampton or New York. Imagine yourself as Greta Garbo or Fred Astaire as you embark on this epic seven-day crossing. There's plenty to entertain you on board, from the largest ballroom at sea to live jazz in the Carinthia Lounge. You can even take your furry friends – the liner has a Kennel Suite complete with a large walking deck.

The original Verandah Grill on board the Queen Mary was once the preserve of first-class passengers only and the most exclusive dining room at sea – high society wined and dined among famous faces such as Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor. Today, the interior of QM2's elegant Verandah dining room celebrates the liner's glamorous heritage and is the place to savour high-end contemporary French cuisine.

A trip on the Orient Express epitomised the glamour and intrigue of travel – whisking passengers through exotic parts of Europe on a grand voyage. While the original train, which first departed Paris for Istanbul in 1883 and inspired countless writers and filmmakers, is no more, the Venice-Simplon Orient Express sets the standard for modern luxury rail travel. Whether travelling from London to Venice or Verona, Paris to Istanbul or Berlin, passengers are in for an utterly elegant experience (we'd know, we've tried it).

You'll feel as if you've stepped back into a golden age as soon as you're welcomed aboard by stewards in distinctive blue and gold livery and white gloves. Explore the exquisitely restored sleeping cars that date back to the 1920s and 30s, with intricate wood panelling and beautiful metal work. Settle in to enjoy every second of this pricey but sublime slice of history.

The original train didn't have a bar carriage but one was added to the Venice-Simplon Orient Express in 2016. And what a beauty it is. Take a seat, sip a cocktail and peruse the caviar menu. Or size up your fellow passengers as you listen to the pianist play on the grand piano. Naturally, dinners are a glamorous black tie affair.

Nowhere quite conjures up images of old-style holiday glamour like the Cote d'Azur – long-time summer playground of movie stars, aristocracy and literary greats. You can whizz off for your very own vintage vacances on Black Tomato's luxurious south of France adventure.

Pick up a classic Bentley and drive around the vineyards of Bordeaux, where you'll stay overnight after wine tastings and Michelin-star meals. Then it's onto the lavender-scented hills of Provence. You'll stay at the palatial Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a bastion on this sun-soaked stretch of coast. Channel Grace Kelly as you gaze across the glorious azure waters of the French Riviera or take a dip in its legendary saltwater pool, carved into the rocks in 1939.

Next, set sail aboard a luxury private yacht from neighbouring Nice for a day to explore the ravishing Mediterranean coastline. Moor up at nearby Cannes or Monaco where you can step inside the Casino de Monte-Carlo, one of the world's oldest. Or simply drift along the Med, plunging into the warm water whenever the mood takes you.

Sail down the mighty River Nile on board the Steam Ship Sudan, which was built in 1885 for King Fouad and has hosted numerous distinguished guests over the years. It was after sailing on this very boat in the 1930s that Agatha Christie was inspired to write her Hercules Poirot novel Death on the Nile and it subsequently appeared in two film adaptations of the book.

You'll feel as if you've stumbled onto a sultry 1930s movie film set as you step aboard this venerable vessel to sail the classic route from the ancient treasures of Aswan to the wonders of Luxor upriver. Period features abound including black and white photos of King Fouad, wood-panelled cabins and a piano bar. You can take a five-night cruise on Voyageurs du Monde's Steam Ship Sudan as part of an Audley Travel tailor-made trip to Egypt.

Soak up the sun and see the sights of the Nile glide by from the ship's elegant and shady teak sundeck. The last of its kind to chart the ancient river, you can still see SS Sudan's original pistons and paddle wheels on the lower deck. Ask the staff nicely and they may let you take a peep in the engine room.