Category: train travel

Discovering Sicily the Eco-Friendly Way: An Adventure with Public Transport and a Toddler

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Earlier this year, we embarked on a month-long journey to navigate some tough personal circumstances. Despite being a last-minute decision, it turned out to be a wise one. In this blog post, you’ll discover how we traveled with our 2-year-old without flying or taking a car for a full month, using only four light travel items.

Exploring Sicily Sustainably

While most people opt for rental cars to explore Sicily, we chose a more climate-friendly and adventurous route: public transport. Focusing on trains, boats, and buses when necessary, this mode of travel brought us joy and countless memorable experiences. We met locals, received insider tips, and embraced the slow travel mentality, allowing us to fully absorb and enjoy our surroundings.

We rarely booked local trains or buses in advance, buying our tickets at the station an hour or less before departure for very reasonable prices (10-40 euros per person max).

Balancing Work and Travel

Traveling for a month in the middle of the work season meant I had to keep an eye on some ongoing projects. We agreed that I would work two half-days per week. I reserved slots on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, starting at 7:00 and working until 11:00 or 12:00 before joining Tine and August in our activities. The colleagues were informed, ensuring deliverables were ready by Monday evening so I could review and steer the projects during my dedicated work hours. This schedule allowed me to disconnect for five days each week and fully recharge for the next working slots.

Our Eco-Friendly Sicily Itinerary

Our travel loop around Sicily included staying at least 2-3 days in each location. For detailed tips on traveling from Brussels to Sicily by train, check out our separate blog post (link here).

  1. Taormina – Coastal mountain city with views of Etna
  2. Catania – Busy city life
  3. Etna – Impressive natural beauty
  4. Catania – Train around Mt. Etna
  5. Siracusa-Ortigia – Historic peninsula
  6. Noto & Avola – Historic village in the hills
  7. Vulcano – Volcanic island vibes
  8. Cefalu – Luxury and historical charm
  9. Palermo – Rich cultural life
  10. Agrigento – Ancient temples
  11. Favignana Island – Nature and slow island life
  12. Trapani – Historic city
  13. Palermo – Preparing to return

Tips for Traveling Light with a Toddler

Traveling for a month without a car meant packing light was essential. We managed with:

  1. One big hiking backpack for our clothes for a week, books, and toiletries.
  2. A child carrier backpack for August’s clothes and supplies, including diapers and milk powder.
  3. A sleeping tent for August, including his teddy bear.
  4. A foldable stroller for easy carrying and occasional groceries.

For more tips, check out our blog post on traveling by train with kids.

Scoring Last-Minute Hotel Deals

Traveling in the low season allowed us to capitalize on last-minute hotel deals. We found great rates by booking after 16:00 on the same day. Starting our search at that time, we would call accommodations and negotiate prices, leading to stays ranging from 45 to 150 euros per night, including breakfast.

Highlights of Our Step-by-Step Itinerary

1. Taormina – Coastal mountain city with views of the Etna

  • Transport & accommodation: We got off the night train from Milano in Taormina and hiked up the hill to the village, where we stayed at a B&B.
  • Activities: visit the Teatro Antico de Taormina, have an aperitif on the terrace of Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo or Piazza IX Aprile in front of the church. We hiked through a beautiful GR route to the neighboring village Castelmola, first passing a castle and the Chiesa Madonna della Rocca chappel, and on our way back we had dinner with spectacular views on the Etna in Al Saraceno

2. Catania – Busy city life

  • Transport & accommodation: We took the train from Taormina to Catania, with the only purpose of staying overnight and taking the normal bus to the Etna the next morning. There’s tours to visit the Etna, but they stay only a couple of hours, while we wanted to sleep on the Etna.
  • Activities: We visited the old city center with some beautiful historic buildings and had dinner there. Next to the usuals, our recommendations for Catania are the view from Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata church, the Benedictine Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena, and the roof of the Chiesa di San Nicolò l’Arena just next to it. The Bellini Gardens with a viewpoint on the Etna were also definitely worth it, and we had lunch in a good Sicilian restaurant next to it called Putì

3. Etna – Impressive nature

  • Transport & accommodation: To take the regular bus to the Etna was quite an adventure. I went the day before, but could not book it. They told me to come back at 7 am to this bar called Nafè close to the central station, where they sold us the tickets, while the bus to Rifugio Sapienza was leaving at 8:30. There were more visitors than spots on the bus, so quite some people were disappointed and had to still book a tour to the Etna to get there. Hotel Villa Dorata was impressive, we only paid about 65 euros per night including a good breakfast, for a nice room with a mountain view.
  • Activities: there are different options, but you surely want to take the cable car up, and either do a small walk on your own or take a guided walk that you book at Etna Esagonal Trekking Tour next to the cable car. The two small old craters are also worth walking around as a start but are of course less spectacular

4. Catania – Train around Mt. Etna

  • Transport & accommodation: We fetched a ride back from the hotel to Catania with the lovely owners of the hotel on the Etna.
  • Activities: There’s a beautiful train driving around the Etna on weekdays and some weekend days (check the timetable!). They leave from Ferrovia Circumetnea Stazione Borgo. We got off the train in Randazzo for a walk but did the whole train ride in one day. If time allows, you can surely split it in two days as well. The train does not do a full circle, but you can switch stations at walking distance to catch the normal train back to Catania from Riposto. For more things to do, see 2. Catania busy city life.

5. Siracusa-Ortigia – Historic peninsula

  • Transport & accommodation: We took a high-speed train from Riposto, after getting off the Ferrovia Circumetnea, to Siracusa. We stayed at Hotel Gran Bretagna with decent rates and a good breakfast. Some nice restaurant recommendations are Area M, aLevante, and A Putia
  • Activities: Siracusa and Ortigia are spectacular to hang around in the little old streets, and swim in the sea at one of the small beaches like Spiaggia di Fonte Aretusa or Cala Rossa Beach. A must-visit is the Parco Archeologico Neapolis with the Teatro Greco.

6. Noto & Avola – Historic village in the hills

  • Transport & accommodation: To go to Noto we took a bus from Siracusa station. We stayed at The Mandorleto Resort and B&B a “kind of” agriturismo along the way, but there’s ample accommodation in Noto as well. It was a very long hike of more than an hour to get to Noto or Avola, so this location was not ideal without a car. Nevertheless, we had a studio with a kitchenette for 45 euros per night, including a very decent breakfast. Price-quality it was spectacular ;-). We had a very good lunch in Nachè.
  • Activities: We hiked to Noto and visited the churches, took the little tourist train with August, went to the barber,… chill life in a spectacular historic setting. It’s worth visiting the rooftop of Chiesa di San Carlo al Corso. Tine did some running back, while I fetched a ride back with August to our B&B.

7. Vulcano – Vulcanic island vibes

  • Transport & accommodation: To get from Avola to Vulcano is quite a journey. We took the bus bus from Avola to Siracusa, and the train from Siracusa to Messina… with a very very short transfer time of less than a minute we made it on the train to Milazzo from where we shared a taxi with other people heading from the railway station to the boat… and were just in time for the last boat to Vulcano! We booked the ferries online via our smartphone. We stayed a bit outside the center for a very affordable price in Holiday Eolie Village, but a bit more into the season, there are surely other places to stay with higher. In April most hotels were still closed.
  • Activities: Vulcano is a beautiful island for swimming in la Baia Negra and hiking up the Vulcano volcano, which is possible on your own. Do check the traffic lights so you don’t get fined ;-). The island used to have hot springs in Spiaggia delle Acque Calde but these have been closed for construction permit reasons and “health reasons”. You can still swim in the sea in front of the hot springs and find some spots with warm water smelling like sulfur, but be aware it’s not very healthy to breath this mix of vulcanic gasses coming out of the water. We also rented a little car with an open roof for an hour to drive to Belvedere Capo Grillo.

8. Cefalu – Luxury and history

  • Transport & accommodation: A ferry, taxi, and train ride later we arrived in Cefalu. Since it was low season, we managed to book Hotel Le Calette for 150 euros per night. We got an amazing upgrade to one of the suites and stayed for 3 nights in a room that normally costs +1000 euros per night. The tricky consequence is that the restaurant in the hotel was quite exclusive with a dinner menu of 95 euros per person excluding drinks. But clearly, the whole experience was spectacular and the personnel was extremely friendly. We arrived in the rain and were welcomed with towels and a glass of champagne, we got private use of the spa for free for half an hour, and the breakfast was breathtaking,…
  • Activities: Cefalu is a beautiful village to stroll around. We climbed to the top of Castello di Cefalù and had picknick there, the small entrance fee was worth it.

9. Palermo – Rich cultural life

  • Transport & accommodation: Palermo is only a simple train ride away from Cefalu. In Cefalu we were joined by our friend Sarah, so we booked a super beautiful Airbnb “blue apartment” in the city center in the building above a bar called Ferramenta. As a recommendation for vegetarian brunch Ecologica bio shop & bistrò. For I Segreti del Chiostro, expect to queue for a while. Other nice places: Graziano al mare, Nautoscopio – NAUTO,
  • Activities: You can easily spend four days visiting Palermo. Our highlights were the Palazzo dei Normanni, going on the roof of Cattedrale di Palermo, Orto Botanico, the market around Chiesa del Carmine Maggiore

10. Agrigento – Ancient temples

  • Transport & accommodation: To get to Agrigento there’s a direct train from Palermo, with impressive views of the inland of Sicily. If you’re on time, try to book Hotel Villa Athena just next to the archeological site. For a good restaurant, reserve at Sala8.
  • Activities: The one main reason to come to Agrigento is the Valle dei Templi. Talking about impressive history, this is your thing. You can easily spend half a day strolling around. Make sure your phone is charged so you can listen to the audio guide. If you start on time, you have the chance to visit the gardens as well that seem very beautiful. We were just too late and the gardens had already closed. We also visited the Museo Archeologico Regionale the next morning, which put a lot of good context to the overall site and history of the excavations.

11. Favignana island – Nature and slow island life

  • Transport & accommodation: We took the bus from Agrigento to Marsala, which was a bit of an adventure. It was very unclear how to buy the tickets, and in the end, we paid in SAIS Trasporti Biglietteria Agrigento even though we were traveling with another bus company. The bus dropped us off in another location than foreseen, on the outskirts next to a hospital. From there we had to hitchhike to the port to catch our boat to Trapani. We booked the ferries online via our smartphone. Have breakfast in Bar Europa, lunch in Magneva, and dinner in Osteria del Sotto Sale.
  • Activities: on Favignana, we went swimming in Cala Rossa, Spiaggia Bue Marino and we visited the old site of the former tuna factory Ex Stabilimento Florio delle Tonnare di Favignana, the city museum Palazzo Florio house. We also rented bikes and cycled around the island while visiting the Giardino dell’Impossibile, a lovely garden constructed at the bottom of the old stone quarries with an audio tour all around the gardens. We also recommend climbing up to Castello di Santa Caterina.

12. Trapani – Historic city

  • Transport & accommodation: We took the ferry from Favignana to Trapani. Tine stayed for two nights in an Airbnb, while I left a day earlier to catch the night train from Palermo to Milano.
  • Activities: The city is beautiful, with its esplanade where we had dinner with sunset views in MOAI Sunset Restaurant. In the morning I went running to visit the salt planes of Saline di Trapani.

13. Palermo – Preparing to go back

  • Transport & accommodation: I took the bus from Trapani to Palermo, there’s multiple buses per day, so I took one where I would be on time to still stroll around the market streets, buy some food and drinks and have an extensive lunch before boarding the night train to Milano.

Final Thoughts

Our month-long, car-free journey around Sicily was an enriching experience, filled with cultural encounters and beautiful landscapes. We hope our eco-friendly travel tips inspire you and your family to enjoy similar adventures!

Discovering Paragliding in Bassano del Grappa

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Many people dream of flying, and there are various ways to achieve it: skydiving, getting a helicopter license, obtaining your Private Pilot License, or learning to fly a glider or paraglider. Paragliding is one of the most eco-friendly and cost-effective ways to experience the thrill of flight by consuming the least fossil fuels.

My Paragliding Journey

I had dreamt of paragliding for years. To start, I took “ground handling” courses with Airsport.com in the Ardennes. After three sessions and the instructor’s approval, I booked a week to take my first real flights.

That week was incredible! We had the best teachers—Jeff, Christa, and Robin from Airsport. The weather was perfect for beginners, and our group was eager to maximize our flying time. The result? Seventeen solo flights in just one week! We practiced many safety exercises and built our confidence and wing-handling skills step by step.

Why Treviso and Bassano del Grappa

Treviso, near Bassano del Grappa, is an ideal spot for learning paragliding. It’s popular with schools year-round due to its good weather conditions and four different take-off locations catering to different skill levels and two major landing sites. Our flights started at Decollo Metri 700 and Tapetti take-off.

Paragliding inspiration

Practical Tips

  • Schools: Multiple schools offer paragliding lessons here. Ensure you choose one that teaches in a language you’re comfortable with. Airsport and Paragliding België Holland are great options if you’re based in Belgium or The Netherlands and speak Dutch.
  • Duo flights: While Tine was not taking a paragliding course, she could just book a duo flight on the spot by asking around and enjoy the views and thrills of flying as well.
  • Transport: We carpooled with the Airsport school van to reach Bassano del Grappa. On the way back, I took the train from Bassano del Grappa to Milano, then to Paris and Brussels. Be prepared for last-minute changes based on the weather, with final decisions made the Wednesday before departure.
  • Accommodation: We stayed at Tillys Locanda, a cozy place aligned with our paragliding school. There’s also a campground for campers in the village and other good hotel options like Garden Relais.
  • Local Logistics: A van is necessary to transport to the different starting locations. Some paragliding spots in Spain, France, and Switzerland offer cable cars to return to the top, making it an even more environmentally friendly sport.

Additional Activities in the Region

We visited in February, and the weather was fantastic. Besides paragliding, the surroundings are perfect for:

  • Hiking: Beautiful trails for all skill levels.
  • Cycling: Scenic routes through picturesque landscapes.
  • Culture: Visit the iconic bridge of Bassano del Grappa, the Palazzo Roberti bookshop and explore local historical sites. Have lunch on the terrace of Danieli.

We also combined this trip with a long weekend in Venice—stay tuned for another blog post on that adventure!

Eco-Friendly Prague Journey: Culture, History, and Fun

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Experience the Magic of Prague’s Culture and Historic Charm

I’ve visited Prague multiple times before, but there’s always something new to discover that keeps the city intriguing. Next time I visit with my family, we’ll spend some time on Park Legií Island and explore the magnificent Prague Castle.

Day 1: Departure from Brussels

  • 19:22: Board the European Sleeper night train in Brussels, Antwerp, or from the Netherlands, heading directly to Berlin and Prague.
  • Accommodation: I stayed in a 5-bed couchette on the train for around €125-€150 one way.

Day 2: Exploring Prague

  • 10:56: Arrival at Praha main station after a scenic train ride with impressive views of the Elbe River and surrounding nature. After arrival I dropped my luggage at the hotel.
  • Lunch: For a culinary adventure, head to Havelská Koruna for a traditional Czech lunch.
  • Petřín Tower: Take the tram uphill to Petřín Park, then climb the stairs up Petřín Tower for breathtaking views of the city. It’s a nice activity to do towards sunset.
  • Prague Castle: Although I didn’t have time to visit the castle due to work appointments, it’s highly recommended. Even without paying for entry, you can see a lot by strolling around the grounds.
  • Dinner: Enjoy a delicious meal at the vegetarian restaurant Lehká Hlava.
  • Accommodation: I stayed at Hotel Metropolitan Old Town, a decent hotel costing €90 for a single room, with a rooftop bar and a good breakfast. I also considered spending a bit more on the Prague Carlo IV hotel, but finally decided to opt for a more central location and the rooftop.

Day 3: More Adventures in Prague

  • Morning Run: Along the Elbe River and through the Old Town.
  • Museum: After breakfast, I visited the House at the Stone Bell, where a modern art exhibition called “Group Therapy” was displayed. The museum offers a rich exhibition with social relevance, embracing Czech socialism history, rightist movements, LGBTQ+ awareness, and more.
  • Photo Exhibition: Later, I visited the Leica Gallery Prague for a fascinating photo exhibition.
  • Tea Time: Before heading back, me and a travel friend had tea at the beautiful bar in the former bank hall of Hotel NH Collection Prague Carlo IV—just a 5-minute walk from the main station. The drinks are priced similarly to those in the station but with a much better atmosphere.
  • 18:04: Board the train leaving Prague main station to return to Brussels, arriving the next day at 9:27.

Activities for Kids in Prague

  1. Petřín Hill and Observatory: Climb Petřín Hill via the funicular railway, perfect for an eco-friendly trip. Kids will love the Mirror Maze and the miniature Eiffel Tower!
  2. Letná Park: Rent bikes or have a picnic with stunning views of the Vltava River and Prague’s skyline.
  3. Vyšehrad: A historical fort with large green spaces, perfect for children to run around and enjoy nature.

Party Train to/from Prague

This trip was extra special—a 50th birthday party for one of the co-founders and some other employees took place on the ride from Prague back to Brussels! 🥳✨

If you’re planning something extraordinary with a larger group of friends (40-700 people), consider booking the party coaches from European Sleeper. It will be a train ride to remember!

Highlights:

  • Celebrate in Style: Imagine having an entire train coach dedicated to dancing and celebrating. The party train transforms your journey into an unforgettable event, filling the hours with joy and camaraderie.
  • Convenient and Eco-Friendly: Traveling by train is not only convenient but also a more environmentally friendly choice.

Discovering Sächsische Schweiz: Night Train Adventure from Brussels

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A couple of weeks ago, I discovered an impressive piece of nature only a night train away from Brussels—perfect for a long weekend trip immersed in breathtaking landscapes.

Have you ever heard about the National Park Sächsische Schweiz?

It’s a vast, mountainous forest filled with dramatic rock formations and stunning views at the German-Czech border. Let me take you there for a moment!

Family-Friendly Adventures and Thrilling Hikes

Visiting with Kids: There are plenty of charming, family-friendly routes to enjoy with the little ones. However, for those who crave adventure, I took a more challenging trail featuring metal ladders, narrow passages, and dramatic cliffs. No climbing gear is required! Here’s the GPX track I followed: Komoot Track

Safety Tips: If you choose one of the family routes, always keep your kids close, especially at the viewpoints. There are no fences, so hand-holding is essential.

Another great way to explore the park is by cycling—just remember to park your bike and take small hikes to reach those breathtaking viewpoints.

I took the walk during a Tuesday in June and was hoping to refill my water at a bar in the park… but found a closed door. Quite a disappointment since I finished my water at noon and did a detour of an hour hoping to refill at the refuge that was closed.

My 3-Day Ecological Travel Itinerary

Day 1: Departure from Brussels

  • 19:22: Board the European Sleeper night train, heading to Bad Schandau.
  • Accommodation: I stayed in a 5-bed couchette for around €125-€150 one way.

Day 2: Arrival and Hiking

  • 08:30: Arrive in Bad Schandau and grab picnic supplies at the railway station or supermarket accross the water.
  • Hike: An 8-hour hike through stunning spots like Carolafelsen, Panorama Heringsgrund and Goldsteinaussicht.
  • Accommodation: Found a cozy €35 cabin including breakfast at Zur alten Schule. Cancelled my €150 hotel room—great value for money!
  • Dinner: Enjoyed a vegetarian 4-course menu at Bio-Restaurant StrandGut.
  • Swim: After dinner I took a swim in the Elbe a couple of meters downstream from where the little ferry leaves. Beware there’s quite some current, which can be dangerous… but also nice so you can swim against the current and stay in the same spot for as long as you want.

Day 3: More Adventures & Travel to Prague

  • Hiking: Explored more of the park, with options including hiking, canoeing on the Elbe, and the tram ride into the forest. I took the ferry to cross the Elbe and hiked for an hour and a half from Schmilka to Bad Schandau’s railway station where I started the journey.
  • Swim: To cool down before getting into the train, I took another swim at the small Canoe beach just in front of the railway station.
  • Travel: Took the train to Prague, but you can also return to Brussels at 19:59, arriving at 9:30 the next day.

Schmilka is a tiny but beautiful village positioning itself as eco-village. There are multiple biological hotels and restaurants, a biological educational garden along the Elbe, eco-sauna, and hot-tubs, … we found the concept to be very appealing. Nevertheless, most of the initiative is driven by one entrepreneur that supposedly owns 40 of the 80 houses in the village, where he made hotel rooms or houses for tourism purposes. Still, its inspiring to see the business model seems to work.

Copenhagen sauna & train adventure

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Now imagine you have to go to the Nordics for work in wintertime… the first thing to think about is: nature, freezing cold and saunas, no?

Train adventure

Traveling to Copenhagen by train is really easy and fairly cheap if you book a couple of weeks in advance. It cost me 219 euros for a return ticket in first class, which was only about 30 euros more expensive than in 2nd class. The most challenging part is getting your connections, given the fact that every single german train seems to have a delay. The nicest part is the cozy restaurant wagons with decent food options and a vegi offering. I can certainly recommend the vegetarian curry.

If you are planning to take the train from Brussels to Copenhagen with kids, checkout this post on making train travel with kids easier.

I left Brussels on Sunday morning around 8:30 in Brussels North Station, with a delay of half an hour. For my connection in Cologne, I had 2 hours, a nice buffer of which half was consumed. In Hamburg, I had 40 minutes. I arrived with about 20 minutes of delay, but my next train was also delayed… giving me again a nice buffer. No stress, since there’s almost always an alternative. You can take away your stress to already figure out your plan B in case you miss your connection. At 21:30 I arrived in Copenhagen’s main station in the freezing cold. The trip went smooth, both on the way going and on the way back, but I was happy that I consulted Seat61.com to get some recommendations and put the necessary time buffers in. On the way back I had two times 45 minutes only, but luckily the connecting trains were also always a bit delayed, so I did not miss any connection.

The Topsoe SAF conference was close to the station, so I took a room at Wide Hotel, a nice hotel around the corner. Since I was there for work, my days were pretty well filled with the conference and business diners and drinks in the evening.

I discovered the city in the dark by running early in the morning and on Tuesday afternoon I did find a moment to discover Copenhagen. I walked around to see some highlights and searched for a good Sauna option that would meet my high expectations of what a Nordics adventure should look like. Some of the regular highlights were:

  • Nyhavn – with the traditional boats and colored houses
  • Rosenborg Slot
  • Vor Frelsers Kirke – Climb the stairs and get impressive views over the city (Every place I visit, I do. my best to find a good viewpoint by climbing a hill or a tower)
  • Christiania – known for its cozy atmosphere and hippie community (just skip the dodgy square where drugs are sold!)
  • City hall
  • Tivoli gardens
  • Mikkeler bar – my friend Mariano took me here… it’s a nice chain of cozy bars offering craft beers

The Sauna adventure.

While searching for sauna options in Copenhagen… I somehow stumbled upon a public bathhouse in Christiania. Now, for those who know what Christiania is… it’s a bit of an adventure to go to the local sauna. Walking in you get straight into the changing rooms where you pay 50 kr cash and get naked. Some easygoing guests are getting slightly high at the entrance in between two sauna sessions. There are no lockers so you put all your valuables in a paper bag, write your name on it and they put it in a drawer. You walk in through the fog and find some open showers, guests chilling on the benches, and a wooden sauna door. When walking in the nicely warm sauna, there are about 20 naked people, sometimes sweating in silence, sometimes having the craziest conversations about tattoos, nature, or life. I believe I will have to go back to the Nordics to get a typical sauna experience, but this one surely counts as an interesting one. It brought me in a similar vibe as in Suryalila, the yoga retreat we did in the South of Spain.

After the sauna, I had dinner in Morgenstedet, an extremely cozy vegetarian restaurant next door (also to be paid in cash).

My biggest gratitude goes to Jacques Fischbach for putting this small “Guide for First-timers” in the review on google maps:
“-Entry is 50kr (around 6.7€), you can stay as long as you want
– You need to pay in cash. (In case you need cash, there’s a “Nordea” ATM not far from Christianshavn Metro station.
-You come in, take off your shoes, hang your clothes, and get naked (everybody is naked, no bathing suits allowed)
-You pay and you can put your valuables in a bag and give it to the person behind the counter to store it for you (you write your name on the bag) Phones are not allowed inside, the best is if you just bring your wallet or even just the 50kr to not risk losing your valuables
-There are a couple of hot showers and soap, and cold showers to cool off after the sauna
-There is only one sauna, it’s about 80-90° Celsius, definitely hot enough, you can sit up on the benches or down if it’s too hot
-You can bring a towel to sit on but most people don’t use one
-You can pay 5 or 10kr for “Rasul”. This is a kind of mud that you can put on your skin for smoothness. It works like this: you buy the Rasul at the counter and take it with you into the sauna. (You need to go on the right side when you go into the sauna because with the Rasul it can get messy and they want to contain it to one side) When you start sweating you put the Rasul onto your whole body, just cream all your body parts in with it. After your sauna session, you go outside and you don’t wash it off immediately. You wait until it dries from the air (about 10-15 mins). Then you go wash it off completely for best results.“

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Kids on trains – 5 tips & tricks

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Our 5 tips & tricks for train travel with babies or toddlers:

  1. Plan for the worst
  2. Bring a light foldable stroller – fold before boarding
  3. Bring a sleeping tent
  4. Walk around – benefit from the freedom
  5. Pack ultralight

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1. Plan for the worst

You need to come well prepared for all needs your kid might have along the journey: bring water, milk powder, food, fruit, extra diapers, fresh clothes, toilet paper, a light book, and some small toys,… and think about how you are going to easily access it on a shaky driving train, assuming there’s nowhere to heat food, now baby table or nothing. Mentally prepare yourself for some serious struggle. But to be clear: I rather have to take care of a kid for a full day in a driving train than in a driving car!

-> Think: exploded diaper while traveling alone in an old train… sh*t on your hands, his clothes… you’re happy if you have toilet paper at hand, and can access everything with one hand (pinning your little one to the train seat with the other hand) and asking for the help of the 2 grandmothers in your coupé.

2. Bring a light foldable stroller – fold it before boarding

Big strollers are a pain on almost every train, no matter if it’s the Belgian IC trains, the high-speed trains of Eurostar, or the night trains with extra small passageways. You need to invest in a (second-hand) light compact travel stroller like Yoyo or Hamilton by Yoop… or the old-school foldable strollers.

For departure, you want to fold on the platform. It’s not always easy to hold a kid and your luggage, but on most international trains boarding is stressful and you don’t have the space nor time on board of the train to take your kid and luggage out of the stroller. For arrival you can already prepare and if space allows prepare before getting off.

-> We bought our Hamilton by Yoop S1 second-hand via Facebook marketplace, the day before leaving on our night train trip to Nice earlier this year. It folds nicely and is small so you can store it above the seats. We stored a soft bag that holds all the stuff of August under the stroller, easy to take out when folding and always accessible. Read more about our night train trip with August here.

3. Bring a sleeping tent

Instead of a foldable sleeping bed, we used a little sleeping tent (Deryan baby tent) that is very compact and can be used anywhere on the ground or a bed in the night train. When traveling by night train, we ALWAYS ask for the lower bed. Even if you have other beds, ask fellow travelers to switch: you don’t want your baby or toddler to fall 1.5m high from a bunk bed in case of a bumpy ride or a wild baby. You should find a way to attach the tent to the bed or wall of your coupé so it can not roll off.

-> During our last trip to Nice, we forgot to attach the tent to the wall and August and his tent rolled off the bed (30cm high). Luckily he was laughing instead of crying… but you want to check if the tent can roll off and put your bags/jackets next to the bed just in case. I would never place my kid on the middle or upper bed, not even with the safety nets you get from SNCF Intercité, since they don’t cover the full width of the bed. #honestparenting

4. Walk around – benefit from the freedom

We all know how difficult it is to keep a kid seated on a chair. Contrary to airplanes, there’s quite a lot of space to walk up and down in the train, open doors (careful for little fingers!), go to the restaurant or bar car, and play on the ground. When August was smaller we used a carrying bag and would walk around in turns during longer train rides.

-> When traveling from Brussels to Sevilla by train, we would take turns and spend 1-2 hours in the bar car, letting August play on the ground with a couple of toys. He would take his naps in the carying bag. Don’t try to entertain the kid for too long in your seat: it often doesn’t work well, and after a while, your partner and neighbors start to get irritated anyway 🙂. More about our trip to Sevilla here.

5. Pack ultra-light

Determine in advance what bags you will take and reconsider everything you take until it fits… and not the other way around. Limit yourself in the space you can fill and pack accordingly. Worst case, you must buy additional things during your holiday or wash clothes or diapers a few times. For longer trips, we always pack assuming we will go to a supermarket on day 1 and wash clothes every 3 days.

When traveling to Nice for 5 days last Autumn, we had:

  • One backpack for Tine and my clothes / books / laptop,
  • One bag with August stuff (sleeping bag, (re-usable)diapers, milk powder for exactly 5 days, clothes, one meal, two water bottles, hygiene stuff) that fit under the stroller
  • A foldable stroller
  • A sleeping tent

Night train to Berlin

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Disclaimer: I’m definitely biased in this post 😉 since I have been working on Moonlight Express and for European Sleeper

If you’re looking for a cultural and fun weekend escape from Brussels or Antwerp: jump on the direct night train to Berlin!

In May our night train from Brussels to Berlin started circulating. With hundreds of cooperative shareholders that contributed, the night train could finally start circulating on the 25th of May 2023. I traveled to Berlin to be part of the first trip, enjoyed Berlin for a couple of days, and helped a bit on the preparation of the maiden trip. To manage expectations, it’s important to know that the coaches are old, so the experience will be a nostalgic one rather than a luxurious trip! In the future, new coaches will be renovated and built for European Sleeper, but in the short term, these coaches are the only available ones.

If you’re planning to take this trip with kids and want to have our best tips & tricks, make sure to check out our article about train travel with kids.

It was not my first time in Berlin, so I did not feel pressured to try to see all the highlights. It’s fun to just do what you feel like and leave the rest for another trip. The places I hang around this time:

  • Climbing Teufelsberg – a beautiful hike in nature, climbing a mountain built based on the debris of World War II. On top, you can access the old military buildings full of graffiti (access for 5 euros)
  • Soviet War Memorial Treptow – a free guided tour through the impressive soviet memorial with Guruwalk
  • Reichstag – Free visit to the rooftop for impressive views, you do need to reserve online in advance.
  • East Side Gallery – Berlin wall
  • Museum island
  • Brandenburg Gate & Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

While wintertime can be very cold in Berlin, the city is full of incredible museums and restaurants so that even on the coldest days you can still have an amazing trip. Of course hot summer weather is even nicer for enjoying the many parks, beer gardens, and nature around Berlin.

Just book a trip with European Sleeper and find out for yourself 🙂

Brussels-Lisbon by train – seat61.com

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When traveling to the World Aviation Festival to hold a presentation on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), I wanted to make a statement. That’s where I needed the website of The Man in Seat 61 to guide me towards the best train itinerary to get to Lisbon. For more info on why I was at the World Aviation Festival, check out the video at https://www.green-trail.eu/

I would have taken my first flight in 4 years, only if I could buy a ticket with truly transparent SAF certificates… which was not possible. I tried all I could to buy fuel straight from different producers, but none were capable of selling it to me within the first 6 months. So I decided to go to Lisbon by train!

It took me two full days to go and another two to get back. It was a beautiful trip, but a tiring one. Before Covid, I would have been able to travel to Madrid on day 1, and the same evening take a night train, waking up in Lisbon the next day… but that train has been canceled leading to a hilarious situation: it takes 3 trains with transfers in the middle of nowhere to get from one capital to the next. All details of the trip can be found here on Seat61.com. I took a stopover in Madrid where I slept in the Latroupe Prado hostel and had some good tapas in El Alambic around the corner.

It’s important to mention that for the return journey, the transfer time in Badajoz is too tight with only 10 minutes in between, while the bus-like train that takes you there always has a delay of 10 minutes or more. We were very lucky that the high-speed train to Madrid waited for us and that we arrived just 13 minutes late… since the train would have left 2 minutes after anyway, with no more options to make it to Madrid that night except for a 500 EUR taxi or a hitchhiking adventure.

I went to Portugal for work and spent some days in Ericeira and Lisbon. For 9 days I took a small backpack and my folding bike… and given the many train connections to get, I would definitely recommend packing light. If you are not in a hurry, you certainly want to split the travel into 2 or 3 segments so you can enjoy it more. Possible stops are Barcelona, Madrid, Entroncamento, or Badajoz.

Recommendations in Lisbon

  • Miradouro da Senhora do Monte – nice views for sunset
  • Secret garden – bar with concerts and basic restaurant, just under Miradouro da Senhora do Monte
  • Sao Vicente de Fora – monastery
  • Parque Eduardo VII – a nice big park in the city center
  • Jardim do Torel – also with nice views
  • Viewpoints from Largo Portas do Sol
  • Ruta de Sao Pedro de Alcantara – for the famous tramway going uphill
  • Santa Justa Lift – take cash or you don’t get in!
  • Praça do Comercio – big square on the waterfront

Recommendations in Ericeira

  • Getting there: you can get there easily by taking the direct bus from Lisbon Campo Grande to Ericeira.
  • Selina hostel: If you’re traveling alone, stay in the Selina hostel with yoga in the morning, a small swimming pool, a healthy breakfast, and a good restaurant.
  • Surf: There are plenty of surf schools. Depending on the swell, beginner classes get canceled on some beaches. You might want to consult multiple schools and ask for the maximum number of students per teacher, which should be 4 or 5 max and not 10 per teacher… leading to a lot of frustration.
  • Mountainbike: we rented mountain bikes, and did an incredibly beautiful tour with a guide from Take Off e-bike for 35 euros per person only.
  • Skatepark & halfpipe: Boardriders Quiksilver Roxy flagship store has its own huge halfpipe and skatepark. They also offer all kinds of surf and skate courses.
  • Sunset locations:
    • Mar das Latas – wine bar with perfect views for sunset
    • Praia da Empa / Pedra Branca reserve – views from the top of the rocks for sunset
  • Restaurants:
    • La Popular Taberna
    • Mar d’Areia – fish restaurant
    • Howm by Maikai
    • Mar das Latas – need to reserve, always full

So, Brussels to Lisbon by train is an option if you have some time. If you need to rush it in the shortest possible time frame it soon feels like a bit too much. Perfect for a holiday trip, less perfect for work 😉

Nice – Autumn trip to the sun

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You need more sun? Last week we went to Nice by night train for 5 days, to visit my parents and catch a bit of nice weather during these autumn days.

We spent our days watching the sunrise while swimming in the sea, having a good morning run, enjoying some musea during the rain, and lots of lunches and dinners in the port and old city center of Nice.

When you go, you should immediately buy the 15 Euro museum pass allowing you to go into most of the museum for 4 days in a row. Whenever there would be a bit of rain, we would jump inside a museum: Villa Masséna, The Museum of Photography Charles Nègre, Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain, and many more.

To get to Nice, we traveled by Eurostar from Brussels to Paris after work on Tuesday evening, and jumped straight on the night train to Nice where we arrived on Wednesday morning around 9 am. With an early check-in in our Airbnb by the port and late checkout on Sunday we could really take the most out of it. We took the night train back on Sunday evening around 19h to Paris. On Monday morning we switched stations to Paris Gare du Nord (by taking the subway with a direct line for 15 minutes) and were back in Brussels by 10:30. If you go with a stroller, we do recommend taking a practical travel/folding one and not your regular big one which will be too difficult to store on both the highspeed and the night train.

We have plenty of recommendations for places to go in Nice, some of our highlights were:

  • Colline du Chateau – nice views and a playing ground. With a stroller, you can go up with an elevator.
  • Le Negresco – you are only allowed in if you consume something: we walked in, asked if they could reserve a table in La Rotonde and walked around inside, with August enjoying the incredibly nice playing cars
  • Villa Masséna – amazing architecture and garden, next to Le Negresco
  • Museum of Photography Charles Nègre
  • Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain – in the park, nice views from the top
  • Walk to Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez – the Cimiez Monastery – Matisse museum = really nice day trip! if you go there, stroll around the Ancien Hotel Regina and all the other beautiful buildings in the neighborhood
  • Stroll around the old city center
  • Walk to Villefranche-sur-Mer via the coastal trail “Sentier du Littoral”
  • Swim at the little beach Plage des Bains Militaires / Le plongeoir
  • Take a morning run along the Promenade des Anglais and a swim in the sea
  • Take a morning run towards Villefranche-sur-Mer via the coastal route “Sentier du Littoral”

Restaurants

  • Le petit Lascaris – a very cozy and affordable dinner
  • Clay – for a fancy brunch
  • Campo Caffe – for a good basic brunch on a nice terrace
  • Little Boho – for a good salade niçoise on a nic terrace
  • Peixes – for amazing fish
  • La Pachamama
  • Chez Acchiardo
  • La Barque Bleue – cozy family dinner
  • Maison F – nice terrace next to the port
  • La Rotonde – for a fancy lunch, allowing you to stroll around inside of the famous Negresco hotel on the Promenade des Anglais

We stayed all together at a very nice 2-bedroom airbnb close to the port, with a big terrace and walking distance from all the highlights.

In general, there’s still quite some sun in November and December, and while bathing in November the sea water was not even cold. So, if you are looking for a good getaway to the sun during wintertime, Nice might be your place to go!

A weekend in Ostend

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Just over an hour away from our Belgian capital there’s a small version of Brussels by the sea: Ostend. A city with a lot of history and a rough edge reflected in its architecture and diversity of people. Expect a bit of old past glory, hipsterness and heritage. There’s a lot of cultural activities: musea, photography exhibitions and a huge number of good restaurants.

It’s the end of the railway line to the coast. It was the place where people stranded from inland or arrived from sea. Stranded people stayed in Ostend, and at some point even an American with a cocain addiction: Marvin Gaye. He’s said to have written Sexual Healing here.

In this article we’ll share some of our personal highlights in Ostend, split in 4 categories: 1. Food & drinks, 2. Cultural highlights, 3. Nature, 4. Sports & relax

I originate from Gistel, next to Ostend, but it’s only in the last years we really started discovering and appreciating the city. Ostend invested a lot in its revival and cultural offering. Since our parents got an apartment in Ostend, we started going a lot. The direct connection from Brussels makes it a relaxing journey. Except during the warmest summer weekends where you can expect queuing and crowded trains… but during those weekends you can expect stressful traffic jams on the high-way as well.

With NMBS you can have weekend tickets (half price) or a 10 pass card so that going to Ostend and back should cost you no more then €17. Perfect for a day trip or weekend, both in winter and in summertime.

1. Our highlights for food & drinks:

  • Brasserie Albert – for fish and beautiful architectural heritage (€€)
  • Terras Venetiaanse Gaanderijen – for a beautiful lunch setting and good fish (€€)
  • Albrecht – for brunch (€)
  • Frenchette – for a fancy dinner (€€€)
  • Mosselhuis – for a cosy place and good basic food (€)
  • De grote post (€)
  • Kaap – bar next to the beach (€)
  • Hotel du Parc – for shrimp croquettes (€)
  • Bistro Mathilda (€€)
  • The Catch (€)
  • Chamonix – for waffles and pancakes in an old American diner style interior (€)
  • Lizette (€)
  • Passe-vite (€)
  • Oesterput (€€€) – for oysters, lobster and other good seafood
  • Vistrap to buy fish or shrimps (not to eat there)
  • Et Alors (€€) for brunch

In general you need to reserve in advance for almost all of the above restaurants.

2. Our cultural highlights:

  • Muzee
  • James Ensor museum
  • The Crystal Ship – wandeling met street art
  • De Grote Post
  • Mercator
  • Atlantic wall & vissersdorp Anno 1465
  • Venetiaanse galerij met wisselende foto tentoonstellingen
  • Midnight Love Tour van Marvin Gaye – wandeling met app

3. Our nature highlights:

  • Fort Napoleon & Oosteroever – take the little free boat crossing the harbor
  • Japanese garden
  • Cycling het groen lint
  • Atlantik wall
  • Duinenkerkje in Mariakerke – with some dunes, the grave of James Ensor and a lovely little chapel
  • Maria Hendrikapark

4. Sports & relax:

  • Running on the beach
  • Swimming in the sea
  • Gokart = billekar – for rent in many places at the seaside
  • Qi Gong – Sundays / Wednesdays on beach
  • Massage & meditation
  • Zwembad Brigitte Becue
  • Blokart / landsailing

If you enjoy seeing the glory of Ostend in the old days when it had a busy harbour with boats leaving to the UK and some glory of the past, then have a look at the digital image database here.

A small selection from “beeldbank”:

So if you’re looking for a fun and diverse day or weekendtrip from Brussels, you definitely need to visit Ostend!