Posts by author hiddeneurope
Inside the Monument to the Battle of Nations in Leipzig, where mourning knights stand in front of death masks. Photos © hidden europe magazine
Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries, who last week wrote about Leipzig for EuroCheapo, return to the city in eastern Germany with the second of four reports. Leipzig was not the best place to be 200 years ago this week. From October 16-19, 1813, European history was shaped in the meadows just south of the city. » Read more
Plaque recalling Leipzig's peaceful revolution. Photos © hidden europe magazine
Make a date for this time next year. But, even this year, October 9 is surely the most memorable evening of the year in Leipzig. The East German city catapulted to international prominence in October 1989 as its citizens agitated for political and social renewal in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Horst Sindermann, one-time member » Read more
Market day in Sineu, an event well frequented by tourists. Photo © hidden europe
Our travels have just brought us to Mallorca. With a population of almost 900,000, this large Mediterranean island struggles with its image. Tarnished by four decades of mass tourism, Mallorca has long been regarded as the vacation choice for those who simply cannot afford anything better. For 25 years, Brits went to Mallorca to party » Read more
A City Night Line train at Zurich station. Photo © hidden europe
With summer slipping slowly into fall, our thoughts turn to night trains. For many journeys across Europe, night trains make perfect sense — and as the evenings draw in, there is more good cause to hop aboard a train and snooze one’s way across Europe. Do note a common misunderstanding. Just because a train styles » Read more
Approach to Scotland's Knoydart Peninsula is only possible by boat. Photo © hidden europe
“Yes, we’ve been all over Scotland,” said the couple we met on the fast train from Edinburgh down to London. They told how, during two full weeks in the country, they had been to Loch Lomond, Royal Deeside, Balmoral and elsewhere. They had even ventured west to Glenfinnan (where Bonnie Price Charlie and Harry Potter » Read more
Generations of Londoners have flocked to Brighton for sun, sea and sand. Above, the Brighton Pier. Photo: © Martinturzak
Less than an hour from central London by the fastest trains, Brighton makes a perfect escape from the English capital. Tim Locke, author of the Bradt Guide Slow Sussex and the South Downs, describes Brighton as “exuberant, quirky and even outrageous.” Brighton is the nearest point on the Sussex coast to the capital and generations » Read more
Advances in transportation and communications technology have smoothed over many global differences, but real, eye-opening travel is still there—if you seek it out.
Living on a continent with 50 nation states and territories creates enough politics, enough sport and enough by way of current affairs to keep most Europeans entertained from dawn till dusk. No surprise, then, that many Europeans develop a certain geographical myopia. Look beyond the capital cities and — particularly as you move away from » Read more
Sleek and speedy, Thalys is one of the premium train services in Europe. Photo: HiddenEurope
In Belgium, Thalys is one of the strongest rail brands. With their bold red styling and chic contours, Thalys trains make a very visible addition to the national railscape. But Thalys also serves three other countries: the Netherlands, France and Germany. Thalys is one of those quintessential European brands — very grounded and yet very » Read more
The entry hall of the Wittenbergplatz U-Bahn station is a wonderful piece of art nouveau design. Photo: Rae Allen
Berlin’s two local rail networks (respectively called the S-Bahn and U-Bahn) are more than merely functional ways of getting around the city. They are destinations in their own right and — as Baedeker might have put it — certainly worth a detour. From art nouveau to art deco Swedish architect Alfred Grenander designed the showpiece » Read more
Visit Palma's cathedral (above) on your way from Valencia to Barcelona. Photo: EuroCheapo
Each Saturday evening, the Albayzin leaves the Spanish port of Valencia for the overnight voyage to Palma, capital of the island of Mallorca. On the Sunday she continues by day from Palma to Maó, the principal port on Menorca. That latter stretch (shown as a solid green line on our map) skirts the south coast » Read more
A touch of Habsburg style in Zagreb, Croatia. Photo © hidden europe
Something has changed in Europe. Croatia still uses the kuna as its currency and it’s not yet a member of the Schengen Area. But it is now a member of the European Union (EU). That Croatians raised a modest cheer at midnight last Sunday was perhaps the greatest surprise of the week. Croatia smiled and » Read more
Take the Deutsche Bahn's new bus service from Berlin (above) to Krakow for as low as €29. Photo: Az1172
In April this year, Deutsche Bahn (in cooperation with Polish partners) launched a cross-border IC Bus service linking Berlin and Kraków — with stops along the way in Wroclaw and Katowice. Departure is from Berlin at 11:45 am daily. From Kraków the bus leaves at 10:06 am. Transit time from Berlin to Kraków (or vice » Read more
Approaching Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. Photos © hidden europe
In the distance we saw a tiny island so inaccessible from the sea that no-one has ever lived there. And yet there is no-one in the Faroes who cannot tell a tale or two about Lítla Dímun, or its big sister Stóra Dímun which, contrary to all prevailing logic, is still inhabited. No regular ferry » Read more
The Spey Valley provides the mythic appeal of the Scottish Highlands at a convenient distance from Glasgow and Edinburgh. Photo: Keith Laverack.
Glasgow and Edinburgh are both very fine cities to be sure, but they are not the Highlands. Most visitors to Scotland want to smell the tang of heather and feel a Highland breeze and you’ll certainly not do that in Princes Street in Edinburgh. Here are some suggestions for day trips into the Scottish hills. » Read more
In “Only in Paris,” Duncan Smith tracks down 98 curiosities that have helped shape the texture of Paris both past and present. Photo © hidden europe magazine
Is it even possible to write a fresh word on Paris? “La ville lumière” is Europe’s most celebrated destination for tourists and it has attracted a galaxy of fine travel writers. The dust had hardly settled after the Napoleonic Wars before a flood of English-language guidebook writers descended on the city. Edward Planta’s 1814 guide » Read more
Fly the friendly Irish skies on Aer Lingus. Photo: Deanster1983
Mention that you have just snapped up a cheap fare with an Irish airline, and folks will generally assume that you have been tackling Ryanair. But the Republic of Ireland has a trinity of other air carriers offering scheduled passenger services. Each deserves a look. Flying the flag with Aer Lingus Aer Lingus is by far » Read more
The Elbe: en route from Prague to Berlin. Photo © hidden europe
There are some journeys worth making for their own sake. And others which merely bridge an essential gap from A to B. Many rail journeys to Berlin from nearby European capitals are often seen by seasoned travelers as more in the latter category. There is little by way of dramatic scenery in the region. Travelers » Read more
Wealden cottages by Lingfield church. Photo © hidden europe
Some of the most beautiful English countryside lies within a stone’s throw of London. In particular, between London and the Sussex coast there are two striking chalk escarpments: the North Downs and South Downs. Between these two lines of chalk are the wooded hills and valleys of the Weald. You’ll catch some sense of the » Read more
The dramatic and beautiful landscape of Flores, in the Azores archipelago. Photo: Julen-Iturbe
In early June, the Santorini will steam into Lajes, a ragged settlement on the eastern shore of the tiny island of Flores. Lajes wins no prizes for beauty. It is a rough-and-ready port. For many yachtsmen who cross the Atlantic from the New World, the island of Flores is their first port of call in » Read more
Gateway to Paris: London's St Pancras station. Photo © hidden europe
It is no surprise that, when Eurostar started operations, it immediately became the preferred option for business and leisure travelers heading from London to Paris. Almost 20 years later, the airlines cling to a small residual share of the market between the two capitals — flights are nowadays favored mainly by travelers who are making » Read more
There's nothing quite like sleeping on the Ile St-Louis. Photo: EuroCheapo
Choosing the right area to stay in a city is a key factor in shaping a memorable visit. In Paris we have over the years opted for hotels in many different parts of the French capital. We have tried chic hotels off the Champs-Élysees and budget options around the Bastille. We know bright and airy » Read more
Thomas Cook's European Rail Timetables through the ages.
“Hey, come on,” said our neighbor as we sat in spring sunshine, exclaiming in mild delight at the timetable that had just been delivered by the Berlin postie. “Look,” he said, “it is just a train timetable.” One book: 140 years of travel history But the March 2013 issue of the “Thomas Cook European Rail » Read more
Zakopane's train station in deep winter. Photo © hidden europe
Is it not curious how some small communities have so powerfully shaped the European imagination? Sometimes it is merely one treaty or a single military encounter that propels a place to continent-wide recognition. Yalta, Solferino and Austerlitz are all good examples (though many of us might be hard-pushed to pinpoint these spots on a modern » Read more
Cruise ship luxury with P&O. Photo © hidden europe
There’s a wonderful poem by John Masefield — called “Cargoes” — which captures the appeal of travel by boat. It recalls quinqueremes from Nineveh, stately Spanish galleons and dirty British coasters. The chances are that your European itinerary does not involve travel by quinqueremes, galleons or coasters. But do make time for a boat journey » Read more
Charming Market Square in Bruges. Photo: Tracey Hind
Avoid the crowds. That’s always a good travel maxim, and it is especially true in the Netherlands and Belgium. The great majority of travelers heading for the Netherlands make straight for Amsterdam, and for British holders of InterRail passes Amsterdam has become almost the de rigeur first stop on the continent. In Belgium, it is » Read more
