Nige Burton explains how his wondrous continental rail journeys always start with a trusty Eurostar trip from London’s St Pancras

I looked up at the destinations board abstractedly as I shouldered my way across the concourse of Paris’s Gare du Nord, a smirk of delight spreading across my countenance. Zurich, Cologne, Charleroi, Amsterdam… these were places that I used to think of – and I now really don’t know why – as only being feasibly reachable by flying.

In fact, flying had always been my transport of choice, even for a short hop from Manchester to London. I thought it was quicker. I’d never really had a fear of flying, but I also can’t say that I particularly enjoyed it either; it was always a means to an end, a necessary part of travel.

And then came the three dodgy flights, all in a row like so many spiteful buses, to shake my confidence in aeronautics for life. Having never really given it much heed aside from the boredom, I was suddenly and indubitably aware that hurtling through the sky at over 500 miles an hour six miles up, with nothing but a rinkydink aluminium tube, a seatbelt and a laminated safety card for protection, was no longer so de rigueur after all. Sure – the statistics tell us the chances of anything happening are slimmer than slim, and all the ancient Sages advise that ‘if it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go’, but – what if it’s the pilot’s time to go?

Travel to cities such as Maastricht is surprisingly easy by train, and affords a closer exploration of some of the hidden gems of Europe

Anyway, notwithstanding any of this, and from a pure enjoyment-of-the-journey point of view, I had taken the decision to explore alternatives, and thus found myself all aglow with exultation on the Parisienne terminus. In theory, I could get anywhere by train! Well, nearly anywhere. And it was a revelation.

I have since come to call this little adventure my Pan European Odyssey: in short, my exploration of no less than eight European cities – each in a different country – over a two-and-a-half-week period. I had plenty of time in each one, beginning my adventure in London, from where I gained Paris, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Bratislava and finally Munich before returning to the United Kingdom.

Chill in laid back Leuven, Belgium’s oldest university seat

All this was undertaken on trains various, each leg revelling in the ever-changing landscape incumbent upon it to be presented with mawkish pride; arriving in the stately Austrian capital with its fine architecture and grandeur; watching the Hungarian countryside melt into the deep blue of the night before settling down in my compact but comfortable sleeper car; slowly sipping a glass of wine whilst dining on the rolling stage of a sunset behind the Transylvanian Alps – all these exquisite moments sparkle in the memory of this behemoth expedition. There was something very special indeed about looking out of window and seeing more than a carpet of clouds whilst holding my breath at every bump or thump, despite the fact that most all of these sounds are perfectly ‘normal’. On a train, I don’t have to look at the flight attendant’s face to see how ‘normal’ the sound was to them; on my dodgy flights, I realised that fear is pretty much fear, and can stare out of the most well-trained and professional visage just as much as the meagre passenger one.

It was at this point I made my decision that, wherever possible, I was going to travel without wings. So many exciting destinations were available to me without my once having to set foot inside an airport terminal – I would just have to plan things a little more carefully.

Time is undoubtedly the biggest single factor you need on your side if you’re going to adopt a similar principle, and it certainly helps that my working life allows me the freedom to operate from most anywhere on the planet. But I still have cats to feed at home, and whilst friends and family will step into the breach and dish out a regular daily bowl of kibbles, for Irma and Gomez that’s no substitute for the first hand company of their Dad. And so I set about experimenting with places and time-scales that would not present a too chronologically challenging undertaking to the vast majority of holidayers who are subject to the vagaries of a more restricted working practice – the 96% of the working population of Great Britain.

The Hague is one of Holland’s best kept secrets and makes for a superb romantic retreat by train

I have since, apart from my eight country extravaganza, taken many wonderful jaunts by train, including a beach holiday in Menorca by rail and ferry. The total trip was completed in exactly two weeks, although just one week was spent on the island. The trick here is to make the journey as much a part of the experience as the destination itself; there was a great satisfaction in hurtling through a vista that slowly, but very perceptibly, changed from the bustling skyline of metropolitan Paris through to the lush, verdant pastures of southern France, and on into the drier, equally impressive Spanish plains. And sailing into Mao harbour at a little before eight on a sunny September Saturday morning is nothing short of sublime, and without a single butterfly in my stomach save for those more welcome ones anticipating the excitement of the week to come. I have also explored those cities which most of us hear of but would never dream of visiting, and I’d surely have been a lesser person without the experiences; the romance of The Hague, the ancient charm of Leuven or the majestic beauty of Maastricht to name but a handful. Oh, and for a true summer break without even the need for a ferry, I became deliciously acquainted with the lazy, hazy, long-shadowed, sun-baked walled city of Avignon; now there is a little corner of perfection.

But, residing on one of our great British islands still seems to present a barrier to some fellow journeymen, psychologically informing thoughts which in turn entertain the notion that one must fly to escape to climes more exotic and meaningful. To these uninitiated creatures, I utter one word of encouragement and hope: Eurostar. That magical conveyance has whisked me tout de suit to either Lille, Paris or Brussels on so many occasions now that I have genuinely lost count. And it is from these three wonderful cities – all worthy of thorough and regular exploration in themselves – that so much more adventure beckons.

Avignon proves that a sun-baked summer holiday doesn’t need a coastline and can still be easily reached from the UK by train

Services are quick and easily undertaken, with journey times shorter than those of many domestic rail trips, Lille being a mere hour and twenty minutes from London’s state-of-the-art international hub of St Pancras, and Paris a very little over two hours away. With eleven daily services from Brussels Midi to St Pancras, and journey times often as swift as a minute over two hours for fares from €88 return, flying seems to make less and less sense. Onward travel is a divine piece of cake, with connections and timetables making planning pretty much as easy as any UK rail journey, allowing the intrepid sojourner a freedom only bound by the limits of his own imagination. But for me, one of the true great advantages of travelling by Eurostar in particular is the generous baggage allowance; each passenger can take on board two suitcases and a single item of hand luggage – after the limitations imposed by airlines, this is extremely liberating.

So, as I plot my next expedition with an eagerness that can be known only to those who have already joined the fold, those fortunate individuals who know that flying is not the only passport to foreign adventure, I oftentimes prepare to simply stick the proverbial pin in the map. I think of the true promise of adventure, and I feel the words building inside me. I can’t stop them, or tell you why I say them, but as I trace imaginary lines across the page, entertaining thoughts of wonder and bliss, these words come to me in a whisper; I say them as prayer, as thanks, as praise; I say… Eurostar… Eurostar…

Tickets are available from eurostar.com or 08432 186 186.

Main image courtesy of Eurostar

Article images by Nige Burton

Exploring a town, city or region for the first time is always great fun, and there are various ways you can go about it, from the conventional to the wacky, weird and wonderful.

Playing it safe and taking the traditional city tour can be great for those of us looking for a dependable, reliable way to make sure we don’t miss out on any highlights.

But for those among us seeking a little spirit and adventure in our voyages of discovery, there are usually fairly inexpensive alternatives to the humdrum, injecting that frisson of excitement into our experience of a destination.

Take a look at these five delicious European mad modes of transport from east and west, to guarantee your sightseeing has an air of eccentricity about it! Click the numbered headings to read more about each quirky conveyance.

1.) Enjoy a city tour of Prague in a shocking pink Škoda Felicia convertible…

Although Prague is culturally and economically on a par with the rest of its European counterparts today, you can still hark back to cold war days with a tour of the city’s hotspots in this iconic communist convertible.

2.) Take the longest trolleybus ride in the world – from Yalta to Simferopol…

Most tourists opt for a plane or taxi, but you can cruise through the Crimean mountains in a genuine old Škoda trolleybus on this epic 86 kilometre journey at the pace of a snail.

3.) Ride the meanest, greenest solar train to see what’s what in Maastricht…

It’s quirky, clean and fun, and will get you round the sights of the Dutch city of Maastricht using nothing but the power of old Phoebus himself.

4.) Drive your own Trabant around Berlin’s east side…

Get behind the wheel of a real, live genuine Trabant and explore Berlin as part of a Trabi Safari. It’s not so bad once you’ve mastered the revolver gear shift…

5.) From the French frontier to the Dutch border, discover the scenic Belgian coastline on the Kusttram…

The De Lijn Belgian Coastal Tramway is a great way to cover the whole of Belgium’s diverse coastline – all 68 kilometres of it!

Mechelen is not necessarily one of the first destinations you would consider when visiting Belgium; its bar and restaurant culture is an early one and it’s not the hugest town to explore, but it does have many charms and, if you’re going to spend a couple of nights here, make sure you look well below the surface.

In its favour is the fact that it has a Grote Markt – that sprawling square of nothingness, flanked on all sides by exquisite Flemish town houses, a usually impressive stadhuis and, generally speaking, a fine church or cathedral – something which no self-respecting Belgian town or city should be without.

To sit in Mechelen’s lazy squares sipping a latté or a beer, watching the world go by to a score of angelic bells from the world famous carillon school, is a simple delight to enjoy whilst beholding the stadhuis folly of Margaret of Austria (with its wildly different facades from left to right) and the stunning St Rumbold’s Tower.

This picturesque little metropolis, an almost hidden Flemish gem, sits halfway between Brussels and Antwerp and was notably a centre for artistic production during the Northern Renaissance, when painters, printmakers, illuminators and composers of polyphony were attracted by patrons such as the aforementioned Margaret of Austria, Margaret of York and Jeroen Van Busleyden.

Mechelen is a city thriving with quaint shops, pedestrianised areas and charmingly pleasant little squares. It has a grace and majesty which tends to appeal equally to old and young, and should definitely not be missed if you have the luxury of time on your hands whilst visiting this fine country.

As we travel around this wonderful planet we call Earth, it’s not difficult to compose what many call a ‘bucket’ or ‘must do’ list.

These, as their names suggest, tend to comprise all those places to visit and activities to achieve before we’re either too old to accomplish them, or indeed, we slip off the hook permanently.

Some of these are major undertakings, such as visiting the Great Wall of China, or getting as close as one can to the North Pole, while others, although more sedate and less sensational, can take an equally valid and respectable place on the best of lists.

One such adventure is the relatively simple enterprise of travelling the whole length- yes, all 68 kilometres (42 miles) – of the Belgian Coastal Tramway, or Kusttram, as it’s known locally.

Operated by the De Lijn transport network, and with a fleet of relatively modern HermeLijn tramcars with low platforms for accessibility, the tramway is both the longest, and only remaining interurban, line in the world, connecting passengers between cities.

Running all the way from De Panne, at the French border, to Knokke on the Dutch frontier, this heavily used service connects all the resorts, towns and cities on the West Flanders coast, and is a satisfying journey to undertake.

Unlike the world famous Blackpool to Fleetwood Tramway in the UK, upgraded at massive cost to reopen in 2012 with sparkling new Bombardier Flexity cars, the Belgian line actually runs along the beach for just a short few kilometres west of Ostend. Although close to the shoreline for most of the journey, it is tucked a few hundred metres inland, so don’t expect a view of the sea for much of the route.

Taking around two and a half hours terminus to terminus, don’t forget that, unless you’re literally departing from De Panne bound for an eventual stay in Knokke, or vice versa, you’ll need to double that time for a start and return from any other point on the route, so if you’re going to do any exploring, you’ll need to allow plenty of time. If you have a few days to spare, it’s well worth getting a one, three, five or seven day pass, the useful three dayer coming in at just 10€ per person when bought in advance (12€ on the tram).

It would obviously take quite some time to explore the whole of the coast, so it might be sensible to base yourself in Ostend, and do the trip in stages. Trams run every fifteen minutes or so throughout the summer season, so you can literally hop on and hop off as you please. Noteworthy disembarkation points are the beautifully Victorian resort of De Haan, kiss-me-quick Blankenberge, and Zeebrugge if time is limited; you can always add in more of your choice if your schedule permits.

One of the points of interest along the 70 stop length of track is the two alternative routes slightly east of Zeebrugge, and a similar diversion around the inland end of the Boudewijnkanaal lock, avoiding delays to the tram schedule when the road bridge that the tram line normally follows is raised for passing boats. A similar arrangement is in place south of Ostend Train Station, around the entrance to the Vlotdok lock.

A good one to tick off your list, particularly if you love Belgium as much as we do, the Kusttram is an enjoyable and fairly easily accomplished summer adventure, suiting fans of the more traditional beach holiday, tram enthusiasts and completists in one fell swoop.

Visit www.delijn.be/dekusttram

It may not be the first thought for most Brits in search of a bit of sand, sea and sunshine, but the Belgian coastal resort of Ostend has a surprising amount to offer.

Add to that the fact that it can very easily be reached without setting foot anywhere near an airport, and you can have a hassle free summer break without shelling out a fortune.

Easily reached from London in under four hours by Eurostar (be sure to book London St Pancras to Any Belgian Station, as your ticket price then covers your onward journey to Ostend from Brussels Midi), you can realistically set off from most starting points in England early morning and still be on the beach by mid afternoon. If you’re setting out from south of London, pick up your Eurostar connection at either Ashford or Ebbsfleet.

There’s a good range of hotels on offer which will suit most budgets, together with some superb bars, restaurants and cafés, both on the beautiful seafront, or in the city centre. If your stay is for more than a couple of days, why not take advantage of the Kusttram, or Belgian Coastal Tramway, which runs the 68 kilometres (42 miles) along the West Flanders coastline, from De Panne near the French border right up to Knokke at the Dutch frontier.

Not to be missed is the beautiful Leopoldpark, just a few minutes’ walk from the Marie-Joseplein tram stop. A few blissful hours can be spent around the lake here if you fancy a change from the beach – you can even have a game of mini golf, or relax over some refreshments, knowing that the kids are occupied safely on the swings and roundabouts.

Culturally and architecturally different from a Belgian city break such as Ghent, Bruges or Antwerp, a few days in Ostend will recharge and refresh you, imbuing your soul with a little bit of what seaside holidays used to be all about.

World Travel Blog especially recommends:

Taverne Koekoek
The fare might consist of just a simple but delicious roasted half chicken, but we guarantee you’ll be back for more…
Find out more

Poco Loco
Relaxing and sophisticated, this cool cocktail bar is just a few minutes’ walk from the beach…
Find out more

Chalet Minigolf
Just perfect for relaxing on one of those hazy, lazy summer afternoons in Ostend’s beautiful Leopoldpark…
Find out more

Café Rubens
We love a Café Rubens, and this seafront one in Ostend – with hotel to boot – is no exception…
Find out more

Restaurant Savarin
Perfectly situated right on the beach front, this excellent bar restaurant adds a touch of Victoriana Laas…
Find out more

Zeegeuzen
This wonderful Tardis of a bar offers cheap drinks and a cornucopia of maritime memorabilia…
Find out more

The Victoria Pub
It’s Brits abroad, but not as you know it, with this rather refined little English bar just off the prom…
Find out more

Cycloon
Glitzy, fun, inclusive and colourful – this Ostend gem should be missed at your peril!
Find out more

Hotel Princess
Perfect location, simple, clean and modern accommodation with a great bar and breakfast buffet…
Find out more

Whatever the reviews may have said, if you’re not familiar with the holiday hotel you have booked, there is usually an element of trepidation until you have checked in and seen your room first hand.

You may want to opt for the familiarity of an established chain, but it’s important not to overlook those very well run, privately owned offerings, which often go the extra mile to make you comfortable, firstly because it’s their business, and secondly because they want to make a very favourable impression.

One such hotel is the Princess, in the Belgian coastal resort of Ostend, perfectly situated just a few minutes’ walk from both the beautiful promenade in one direction, and the town centre in the other.

The team is friendly and welcoming, reception light and airy, and the rooms appointed to a high standard of comfort and convenience.

The included hot and cold buffet breakfast is ample, and served ’til 10.30am daily, while the relaxing and intimate bar serves until late, however, even when it’s closed, drinks can be procured from reception and enjoyed in the comfort of one’s room.

The multilingual reception personnel are friendly and helpful, and will happily offer advice and directions to assist you in getting the most out of your stay.

The overall impression the Princess creates is one of calm comfort and cool sophistication; it’s unmistakably a family run business, but this is to its credit, and it also scores highly on value, with room costs being extremely competitive.

It’s hard to imagine a more perfect venue from which to base your Ostend seaside adventures.

Hotel Princess
Boekareststraat 7
8400 Ostend
Belgium

Visit www.hotelprincess.be

Tel.: 0032 59 70 68 88

Email info@hotelprincess.be

It was our last night in Ostend, and we did not want to stop the party at 9pm as many of the popular bars would have us do.

Oh no, seasoned party-goers us – we wanted to carry on ’til at least eleven, maybe even midnight! Dare devils.

Heading from the centre back up towards the promenade, we criss-crossed the side streets looking for signs of life when, quelle surprise, out jumps the colourful bar Cycloon, flaunting itself like a diamond.

This most excellent little establishment is a relaxed, fun and safe space, rich with character and characters, and brimming with an atmosphère conviviale belonging to greater days. Drinks are plentiful, and always served with a camaraderie that makes you feel as if you are among friends from the second you cross the threshold.

In full swing when we left it, Cycloon already felt like we were bidding au revoir to old friends, and the parting was bittersweet, but we knew we would return. So if you seek a little fun, friendship and diversity during your time in Ostend, we urge you to track this superb little establishment down – and tell them we sent you!

Cycloon
Bonenstraat
8400 Ostend
Belgium

Aah, the English abroad: what a diverse species we are; some of us seek new, exciting and native experiences, while others crave the familiar comforts to make their holiday truly a home away from home.

To each his own and, thankfully, Belgium is a country which caters for all, with its rich and vibrant local culture abundant everywhere, but never overshadowing that rich seam of English and Irish bars, a fine such example of the former being found on Ostend’s Kapucijnenstraat in the form of the cool, calm and collected Victoria Pub.

Expertly run, this light and airy bar offers a good range of beers, wines and spirits and lower than average prices, demonstrating pleasingly that you’re a little off the tourist trail. Each round is served with an accompaniment of beer snacks, adding a nice touch of Belgian tradition, while you relax among pockets of regulars and visitors, chatting amiably and relaxing to an excellent soft rock soundtrack, loud enough to discern your favourite tracks but never so obtrusive as to drown out your conversation.

As another example of one of Ostend’s late bars, the Victoria makes a refreshing change for those of us who don’t want to quite wind down the partying at nine o’ clock, even if we’re well past the temptations and wild thrall of the disco (oh, yes – that’s what they’re still called; none of your ‘night club’ nonsense in Belgium!).

Highly recommended.

Victoria Pub
Kapucijnenstraat
8400 Ostend
Belgium

Charming though it is, the superb Belgian coastal resort of Ostend can be quite a difficult town in which to procure a late beer (and by late, we mean after 9pm) – the culture tends toward café bar society and, even on a weekend in June, many of these establishments shut up shop relatively early.

Careful rummaging through some of the side streets back from the main promenade will yield a few gems, however, and none more pleasing than the excellent Zeegeuzen, a maritime themed bar on Kapucijnenstraat 38.

Authentically local, this is one of those rare treats that takes you a little off the beaten tourist track, and the atmosphere and decor are exciting, cosy and inspiring; traits that put the warm smile on your face that you wear when you know you’ve stumbled across something extra special, somewhere that feels like a little secret.

Being orientated towards native Ostenders (although extremely welcoming and friendly to visitors), drinks prices are below average, and there’s a great selection on offer, including some of the much sought after local brews. Wines and spirits are, of course, also plentiful and again, served at slightly lower prices than the norm.

We stayed until midnight, by which time – despite it being a Monday – this paradisiacal little spot showed no signs of closing, but we were wont to travel on the morrow, so allowed a modicum of common sense to prevail.

But it was tough dragging ourselves away and, although better than never, lamentable that we had only discovered Zeegeuzen on our last night.

Zeegeuzen
Kapucijnenstraat 38
8400 Ostend
Belgium

Visit www.facebook.com/pages/De-Zeegeuzen

Tel.: 0032 496 93 73 09

It’s the stuff that holiday dreams are made of: you’re whiling away a blissful afternoon on a sun soaked promenade, and you fetch up at a rather elegant beach front café bar.

As the gently cooling sun tracks the heavens to its westerly repose, you sip a cool beer, or refreshing glass of wine, and imagine you’re someone else for a while, living a life other than your own.

Such places are few and far between, affordable ones even less so. Unless, id est, you are lucky enough to discover Restaurant Savarin at the Venetiaanse Gaanderijen, nestling in all its Victorian splendour, on Ostend’s prestigious promenade.

With seafood aplenty on the menu, including oysters, crab, lobster and bouillabaisse as well as the usual fare, you can also choose steak and chips or a refreshing salad, plus a commendable range of delicacies for dessert.

Hard or soft, warm or cold, the choice of beverages is equally ample, and the uniformed waiter service completes the picture. The fact that all this comes in at prices which are probably half what you would expect for such a venue, in our opinion, makes this already splendid establishment just perfect.

Leave Ostend without trying it at your peril!

Restaurant Savarin
Venetiaanse Gaanderijen
Albert I Promenade 75
8400 Ostend
Belgium

Visit www.savarin.be

Tel.: 0032 59 51 31 71

Email restaurant@savarin.be