A cruise along the Rhône in Provence
One of my most memorable travel experiences was drifting down the Rhône from Lyon to Avignon. Instead of rushing through France, I chose to embrace the slower pace of a river cruise, allowing the beauty of Provence to unfold gradually. As we glided past vineyards and lavender fields, I could almost taste the crisp rosé waiting for me in Tain-l’Hermitage, where I stopped to savour local wines and cheeses. The medieval villages along the way felt like stepping back in time. Each moment on deck, with the cicadas singing and the sun setting over the water, deepened my connection to the soul of France. It was more than a journey: it was an immersion in the heart of Provence.
Aimee Sandler
Sunset ferry bliss in Istanbul
The best way to get a sight, taste and feel for Istanbul is to use the public ferries that crisscross the Bosphorus, connecting the city’s two sides – one in Europe, the other in Asia. At about £1.50 for a 30-minute trip, they’re a bargain. Sit outside if you can, on a simple wooden bench, grab a freshly brewed tea from a tea boy, ideally with a piece of simit (sesame seed bread), and enjoy the views as the vessels chug along. For me, the best one is from Eminönü, near the Golden Horn, to Üsküdar, ideally around dusk, with the Blue Mosque and city skyline silhouetted against a fiery sunset.
Gayle
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Natural highs on a Northumberland boat ride
The best slow boat trip, hands down, has to be Serenity’s Sunset Cruise in Northumberland, where you get to see the sunset while sailing around a beautiful part of the coast, near Bamburgh. If you’re as lucky as we were you’ll also see wildlife, such as seals and the local pod of dolphins – which chose to follow and play around the boat as we sailed. Breathtaking!
Alex Louise
Port to port by train in Sicily
Palermo to Messina by rail is a timeless way to view the incredible coastline of northern Sicily. Take a train from Palermo Centrale and make sure to stop off (about halfway) for lunch in Cefalù – one of the most beautiful coastal towns in all of Italy. Taking the onward train a few hours later to Messina is easy (trains are plentiful on this Trenitalia line), and then head waterside to Porto di Messina, where you can watch the sun set.
Vikki
Relax in Rotterdam and Utrecht
Take the Eurostar from London to Rotterdam for a slow break in the Netherlands. Enjoy the centre of Rotterdam – it’s modern-looking, convenient and friendly – before taking the train (about 30 minutes) to gorgeous Utrecht. Here, you can paddle or sail through a network of canals bordered by attractive streets: think historic buildings and flower-filled facades just waiting to be photographed. Or hop on a bike and enjoy the freedom of the wider area. Utrecht is blessed with parkland close to the city and a network of cycling routes to get you there. Try Amelisweerd, a scenic area where you can swim in the river, walk in the forest or visit a museum, before cycling back to the city.
Anne
Glaciers and vineyards from a carriage window
The Bernina Express, from Chur, Switzerland, to Tirano, Italy, offers a stunning rail journey through the Alps. Marvel at glaciers, alpine meadows, and the Landwasser viaduct. The train’s slow pace and panoramic windows make it perfect for savouring the scenery. Crossing from Switzerland into Italy, you’ll experience a dramatic shift from snow-capped peaks to sunny vineyards.
Lewis
Poetry in slow motion, Poland
On Polish regional railways, slow is standard. I travelled from Wrocław to Jelenia Góra recently, a similar distance as Preston to Crewe. There the comparison ends – there were 27 stops. Larkin’s The Whitsun Weddings came to mind, “All sense of being in a hurry gone” as the train no sooner left one rural halt than it slowed for the next; disgorging a handful of passengers and picking up others like a languid relay race with luggage. No weddings but plenty of flowers, the requisite gift from a visitor in Poland, carried by the girls and grandmothers on the train. A few days later I travelled on to Zielona Góra, with time to walk from Germany to lunch in Poland while changing trains at historic Zgorzelec-Görlitz: “two countries, one city”.
Rex
Munich-Venice night train
Get on board the night train from Munich to Venice, arriving early before the heat descends. Wander along the back alleys to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and admire an eclectic collection of works by artists such as Picasso, Mondrian and Rothko. My favourite was an early work by Mondrian, not red, blue and yellow, but an appealing shade of brown. Have lunch on one of the many terrazze and take an afternoon train to Milan, a city that glitters in both sunshine and moonlight. Use an Interrail pass for a few days’ travelling in a month.
Monique Gadella
Vines and volcanoes near Naples
Amid the Aeolian islands lies Salina. One evening there we drank malvasia in a vineyard with a view of Mount Stromboli glowing in the near distance; the next we were picked up by the ferry to Naples. As we departed, the sun set behind us, over the island of Lipari and the mainland, and we glided over a millpond-like Tyrrhenian Sea, pausing to pick up passengers in the darkness from the lava-black and still luminous and spitting Stromboli. To bed, waking in the morning to arrive in beautifully chaotic Naples, ready for an evening at the Teatro di San Carlo.
Jan
Winning tip: a real rail adventure in Asturias, Spain
Deserted stations punctuated our journey as the train clattered around bends, over bridges and through cuttings, dizzying drops either side. The single-track Feve branch line is, to me, northern Spain’s well-kept secret. Unable to find an online timetable, I relied on sheets of paper in remote ticket office windows advising of departure times. The line fans from the Asturian capital, Oviedo, north-east to Ribadesella, with its stunning beaches, coastal walks and beachside beer stops. The other arm leads to pretty Cudillero, where houses are jumbled around the harbour, bathed in the mingling aromas of fish suppers and apple cider. Asturias is a region to linger in, and this railway journey allowed us to do just that.
Cathy Robinson
