The journey matters too: Five ways to explore Europe without airport stress

For many of us, getting away is one of life’s great pleasures. But increasingly, I hear from people who love travelling and exploring new places, yet find the journey itself less appealing than it once was.

Busy airports, early check-ins, security queues, baggage restrictions and long waits can sometimes make it feel as though you need a holiday just to recover from getting there.

The good news is that flying isn’t the only way to explore Europe. Sometimes, choosing a different way to travel can make the journey every bit as enjoyable as the destination itself.

Let the train take the strain 

European rail travel has changed enormously, and it can be a wonderfully civilised way to travel. Start with Eurostar from London and suddenly a huge part of Europe becomes accessible by rail. Paris and Brussels are obvious choices, but with well-planned connections you can travel much further. And some journeys are worth taking for their own sake. The Bernina Express through Switzerland and northern Italy is a perfect example. Rather than simply getting from A to B, the journey becomes one of the highlights of the holiday, passing through spectacular Alpine scenery, across dramatic viaducts and alongside mountain lakes. Rail holidays can also be completely tailor-made, combining several destinations while allowing you to see the landscape change along the way.

See Europe from its rivers 

River cruising is another wonderfully relaxed way to explore Europe, particularly if you enjoy seeing several places without constantly packing and unpacking. The Rhine, Danube, Rhône and Douro all offer very different experiences, with your floating hotel taking you from one destination to the next while you sleep, dine or simply watch the scenery go by. You can wake up somewhere new each morning, often right in the heart of a town or city, without airports, hire cars or repeated hotel check-ins. For anyone who likes the idea of seeing more of Europe but wants the travelling itself to be easy, it is difficult to beat.

Start your cruise in the UK

You don’t necessarily need to fly to enjoy a Mediterranean or European cruise either. Sailing from the UK, particularly Southampton, means your holiday can begin the moment you step aboard. There’s no airport, no luggage allowance to worry about and no flight home waiting for you at the end. Depending on the itinerary, you can explore destinations in Spain, Portugal, France, northern Europe and beyond, all while returning to the same cabin each evening. For longer holidays, it can be a particularly relaxing alternative to flying.

Rediscover the European road trip

There is still something rather special about taking your own car, or hiring one once you reach mainland Europe, and travelling at your own pace. A ferry or Eurotunnel crossing can open up France, Belgium, the Netherlands and beyond, while longer ferry routes can take you directly towards Spain. The real advantage is freedom. You can stay in smaller towns and villages, explore places away from the usual tourist routes and stop when somewhere catches your eye. A good self-drive itinerary doesn’t have to involve hours behind the wheel every day either. With sensible distances and carefully chosen overnight stops, the travelling becomes part of the experience rather than something to endure.

Slow the whole journey down 

Perhaps the biggest change is simply how we think about getting somewhere. We have become used to asking, “What’s the quickest way to get there?” But the quickest way isn’t always the best way. An overnight train, a couple of nights in Paris before continuing south, a ferry to Spain or a leisurely rail journey through the Alps may take longer than flying, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have lost holiday time. If you enjoy the journey, your holiday has simply started earlier.

Every journey should suit the traveller

None of this means there is anything wrong with flying. For many destinations it remains by far the most practical option, and sometimes getting there quickly is exactly what you want.

But it is no longer something we automatically have to build every European holiday around.

If airports have become the part of travelling you enjoy least, there may be another way to do it.

And with the right planning, getting there can become part of the holiday rather than simply the bit you have to get through.

If you're thinking about your next European adventure but would like it to feel a little less hectic, I'd be delighted to help you explore some of the options.