In 1825, the world’s first public passenger railway began operating between Stockton and Darlington. What started as an industrial experiment soon transformed Britain (and the rest of the world). This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and there’s no better time to explore the places that shaped Britain’s railway story. […]
Category Archives: Europe
The world’s smallest continent, but one that absolutely crams in a variety of culture, rich cuisine and history, you could spend years in Europe and fail to be bored. Whether you’re exploring the beautiful beaches of southern Italy, the bustling capitals of London, Paris and Berlin, or the staggeringly beautiful Norwegian fjords. There’s so much to explore on this continent. Let’s get stuck in!
23
Jul
Jul
Everyone kept telling me this was the best ferry in Europe. “It’s basically a cruise,” they said. Some even claimed it beat Silja Line. Naturally, I booked it. This was Color Magic, sailing overnight from Oslo to Kiel, and at €289, it was the most expensive ferry ticket I’ve ever bought. I’ve crossed Europe by […]
21
Jul
Jul
London to Tangier. On a map, it’s 1,500 miles. Flight time, around 3.5 hours. Without flying? I was about to find out. It was raining in London St Pancras and the crowds were surging. Gripping my coffee like my trip depended on it, the current of people took me as I shuffled through Eurostar baggage […]
On the approach to Sweden’s capital, my ferry rolled past islands dotted with log cabins, leading out to the occasional town or village. The Stockholm archipelago consists of 30,000 islands, breaking away from the mainland as they stretch eastwards. This means that, when taking the ferry from Helsinki or Aland (a Finnish archipelago of autonomous […]
This is Åland: a Swedish-speaking, demilitarised archipelago that’s part of Finland. I’d wanted to visit for ages — mostly because I had so many questions. Why is it Swedish-speaking? How autonomous is it really? And why can’t any country have a military presence here? I travelled here by overnight ferry from Helsinki, and a couple […]
25
Jun
Jun
From 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall physically and ideologically divided Germany’s capital. For 28 years, a fortified barrier ran through the city, separating families, splitting transport networks, and symbolising the Cold War divide between East and West. Today, remnants of the wall and the infrastructure around it are preserved in museums, parks, and restored […]
20
Jun
Jun
Thinking of skipping the plane and taking the sleeper train from Paris to Berlin? Here’s what it’s actually like to travel overnight on the ÖBB Nightjet. The Paris to Berlin Nightjet: route overview The sleeper train departs Paris Gare de l’Est at 19:12 and arrives at Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 08:26 the next morning. It operates […]
17
Jun
Jun
Paris has been at the centre of European politics, revolution, and resistance for over two centuries. This post highlights six key days that reshaped not just France, but the world – and shows you exactly where to go if you want to follow the story on foot (like I did in this YouTube video). It […]
30
Apr
Apr
I’ve passed through Zaragoza countless times on my train travels around Spain. I knew it was the fourth largest city in the nation – but I’d never heard of anybody visiting. So on our recent trip to Spain, my partner and I decided we would visit Zaragoza – and see if it was worth a […]
08
Feb
Feb
Is Reykjavik worth visiting? Here are all my thoughts on a 2024 city break to the capital! With thermal waters enticing tourists, enough quirky museums to fill any kind of city break and gorgeous harbour views, Reykjavik certainly sees its fair share of tourists; but some visitors to Iceland forgo visiting the capital for Iceland’s […]