Trains, buses, taxis, and a plane – a different way to see Europe
The first leg of our journey was taking the Eurostar from the magnificent St Pancras station in London, all the way to the centre of Paris. You need to allow a bit of extra time to check in and clear two immigration points, especially if there are few trains going around the same time, but once you are on board you can kick back and relax as the Kent and northern France countryside zooms by at around 200 miles per hour. It only takes just over 2 hours and it was great to just step off at Gare Du Nord and walk 10 minutes to our overnight hotel. No baggage collection, no border checks, no long transfers to the city. You just drop your bags and off you go to experience what this wonderful city has to offer.
After only one night, we walked another 10 minutes to the Gare de L'Est and proceeded eastwards, first across to Stuttgart in Germany, and then down to Munich for another overnight stay. Again, we had a lovely hotel a mere 5 minutes from the train station, dispelling the myth that you do not want to stay anywhere near city train stations. Despite being the major city in southern Germany, Munich’s city centre is great for the visitor, with historic buildings, the stunning Rathaus (town hall), with its’ must-see Glockenspiel show, and of course the legendary ‘brauhauses’. Believe me it was thirsty work sightseeing, so we very much enjoyed the tasty beers on offer – maybe too much! It’s a little bit corny with its lederhosened staff and oompah band, but I loved the Hofbrauhaus, serving beer since the 1500s, and recommend a visit.
We saved the best train journey until last. Travelling from Munich to Verona, via the Brenner Pass on a particularly sunny day, it was an unforgettable experience. From the green, flat pastures of lowland Austria, you pass high up through the snow-capped Alps (even in June!), with breath-taking gorges and ravines, before dropping slowly down through the north of Italy to Verona. The big windows allow plenty of time to take your photos, and it is well worth securing a window seat for some amazing views along the way. After 5 hours or so, you arrive in Verona, and are ready for that special Italian experience.
Like Munich, Verona was also a pleasant surprise. A compact, busy little city, with an abundance of historic buildings, including the magnificent Coliseum, intriguing little lanes lined with quirky shops, and obligatory coffee shops and restaurants. I am not a coffee connoisseur, but Italian coffee is simply the best. No visit to Verona is complete without a visit to the Casa di Giulietta, where you can view the balcony Shakespeare based his Romeo and Juliet on. If nothing else, it’s a lovely building.
For the final week or so of our trip we had to completely rely on local buses, trains, and ferries to get us to, and around the Lake Garda area, before we headed for my personal highlight of the holiday, a 2 night stay by the lesser-known Lago d’Iseo. It must be said that Italian transport timetables are more of an approximate indication of whether or if a bus or train will run. Anyone you ask doesn’t know, the bus drivers don’t know, so there is a great sense of achievement in actually getting to somewhere vaguely near the time you expected to - as long as the bus has gone in the right direction of course. It's all part of the fun!
Straddling the border of Lombardy and Veneto, Lake Garda offers a multitude of day trips, which would more than fill a weeklong holiday here. Our apartment was a 45-minute walk from the lakeside town of Sirmione, with its old town, castle and Roman ruins, perched on the tip of a picturesque peninsular. It is well worth spending a day visiting, but perhaps a little too busy with tourists to want to stay in. You could also take the high-speed ferry that zig-zags its way to Malcesine, followed by the ear-popping cable car to the top of Monte Baldo for some of the most spectacular views of the lake from over 2,000 metres up. If you are feeling really daring, and have a head for heights, you can always sign up for a tandem paragliding flight back down to the Lake.
Buying a 10 Euros All Day bus pass also allows you to ‘hop-on/hop-off’ up and down the lake. Why not take your breakfast in Pescheria, lunch in Riva del Garda, perhaps a coffee, or something stronger in Garda, and finish the day with a delicious evening meal by the lake in Sirmione? Oh! and perhaps a little sight-seeing along the way. My perfect Italian day
After our wonderful final two days in the smaller, but beautiful town of Iseo, by Lago d’Iseo, where we even managed a swim in the warm lake waters, our final journey was to Milan Airport for our flight home. Due to a rail strike it wasn’t the easiest of journeys, but you soon learn, this is how it is here. Just point yourselves in the right direction, allow plenty of time for delays and some crazy driving, and you’ll get there in the end.
Overall, I would really recommend taking the train and buses for your travels across Europe. Even allowing for the knock-on effect of Brexit, we encountered very few problems, and sitting back in your comfy train seat, watching the variety of sights and towns to pass by, is a lot more satisfying than viewing from 38,000 feet…. just make sure you allow some extra time!
If you fancy a rail trip around Europe, or maybe a lovely stay in the stunning Italian Lakes, I feel I could really make this happen for you. Just get in touch