There are no direct links in existence today to the first Christian Church, but were I forced to acknowledge such a link, the facts would compel me to acknowledge the Orthodox Church.
Christianity was such a loose faith, especially in its very beginning, that various Christian traditions, some of them counter to Christ, sprang up almost immediately. Many of these traditions were not challenged by the Apostles apparently because they did not militate against what the Apostles considered essential belief. For example, in one of Paul's dialogues with the Corinthians he refers to a pagan doctrine (likely from nearby Eluesis) in which the Corinthians believed, not to challenge the doctrine, but to show that belief in it makes no sense if, as some Corinthians maintained, there is no resurrection.
Throughout the first century doctrines and practices under the label 'Christianity' continued to develop and spread, and since there was no Internet and since letters and word of mouth traveled so slowly, there was virtually nothing anyone could do about maintaining standards. As Christianity spread amongst Gentiles, practices and doctrines were added of a more gentile nature. I have little doubt the predisposition amongst many later Christians to venerate saints, particularly Mary, occurred as gentiles transferred to Christianity their practice of venerating the gods and goddesses of Asia Minor. No such veneration appears in the Scriptures because the Apostles themselves did not partake in it.
Diverse beliefs took root within the Church, depending on culture and region. Some of them garnered widespread support, even challenging the doctrines of the earliest Christianity and causing some of the Apostles to fashion statements against them. Antinomianism and Gnosticism were two such beliefs, Gnosticism posing a particularly vigorous threat. Arianism would also take serious root, spurring the council at Nicaea. Essentially it was heresy that planted the germ that would eventually cause power within the Church to move decisively toward the bishops. Early on charisma within the Christian Church was widely distributed.
By the beginning of the second century the Roman Church had gained much prestige since it was wealthy, sent aid to poorer churches and was at the very hub of the Roman Empire. It also had gained a good deal of prestige from its association with Peter and Paul. (Some folk believe there is not enough evidence to establish that Peter was in Rome, but I think the evidence here is acceptable, certainly not as good as I would like.) Rome accordingly began to speak with a significant voice, albeit in no manner with the authority it would later claim. We see this in St. Clement's letter to the Corinthians.
Rome's stature continued to grow and as heresies also continued, it began consolidating power to itself. Bishop Irenaeus would come toward the middle to end of the second century to support Rome and the further consolidation of power to the bishops; and with this the magisterial Christian church, a far cry from the original Church left by Christ, was further established.
The reason the Orthodox and Roman churches share many traditions is that they grew up together as essentially one gentile organisation until the Roman Church began to claim sovereignty over all Christianity. Of course historic events are rarely as simplistic as what can be typed in a few minutes, and one can argue that Rome became a problem for the Eastern Church even as early as the fourth century. But essentially it was the issue of Rome's confusion of its role and its interpretation of the nature of the Holy Spirit, that melted the glue between the western Roman church and its smaller but older eastern Orthodox counterpart.
So then it is no great issue that the two churches agree where tradition is concerned. The real issue, as far as I am concerned, is whether the Apostles agreed with their perspectives. As I look at the record the Apostles left behind, I find little evidence they did.
Even if Rome and the Orthodox church were direct links to Christianity, I think Donne very well pointed out the illogic of believing Christ inhabits a certain place merely because He was there a thousand years ago (grin).
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