Tag: night train

Sustainable travel in Girona: Catching the winter sun & GR92

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This winter trip was perfect for recharging my batteries. In early February, I traveled to Girona for an aviation conference where I discussed challenges in the aviation industry, rail connections, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Besides the conference, I also took the time to explore Girona and hike part of the famous GR92 trail, which is featured in one of the most-read posts on this blog.

With a bit of luck (and lots of hard work by the European Sleeper team), there should be a night train that stops in Girona from 2026 or 2027. That will make the journey extra easy: board in Brussels in the evening, wake up in Girona!

I departed from Brussels at 10:17 AM on Sunday. My journey included a stop in Valence, with a 2-hour wait, before continuing to Girona, arriving at 8:45 PM. Although I booked all my trains via SNCF, I later realized that booking the second part through RENFE could have provided a shorter waiting time of just 25 minutes. Despite this, the return ticket in first class was only slightly more expensive than second class, costing me 300 EUR. I returned on Thursday. Other options to get to Girona are to switch in Lyon, or switch stations in Paris.

Since Monday and Tuesday were packed with conference activities, I made the most of my work trip by:

  • Waking up early for sports
  • Taking a guided tour of Girona in the late afternoon
  • Taking one day off to enjoy nature and hike the GR92

Highlights from My Girona Adventure

1. Morning Trail Run to Castell de Sant Miquel

One of my most memorable experiences was a morning trail run to Castell de Sant Miquel. The 14-kilometer loop offered breathtaking sunrise views from the tower of the castle. Whether you choose to run, hike, or mountain bike, this trail is a must. Starting my run at 6:50 AM in the dark, I reached the castle just in time for the sunrise. Returning to Girona, I was showered and ready for the conference by 9:00 AM. You can find the GPX track here.

2. Free Walking Tour of Girona

In the late afternoon, I joined a free walking tour of Girona. The tour is available in Spanish at 4:00 PM and in English at 11:00 AM (link here). The two-hour tour with Juan provided rich background stories and insights into the city’s architecture and urban history. I finished the day with a sunset on the Muralles de Girona, a long stretch of walls you can walk or run on.

3. Morning Run to Montjuic Castle

For another early morning run, I decided to explore Montjuic Castle. Using Google Maps, I navigated the narrow streets of Girona and reached the castle in under 30 minutes. It’s a fantastic way to start the day, with great views and a sense of accomplishment.

4. Hiking the GR92 Trail

I devoted a day to hiking part of the GR92 trail, a route I had previously enjoyed on a past holiday with Tine. Getting to the trail from Girona required a bit of planning:

  • Take a bus from Girona bus station to Palafrugell (circa 1 hour), departing hourly and costing 7.5 euros each way. Best to leave at 8:30 or earlier if you want to make it on time for the last bus back to Girona in the evening.
  • Hike from Palafrugell to Platja de Tamariu along a local trail (about 1 hour).
  • Follow the GR92 route marked with red and white stripes for about 6 hours and follow the GPX track here (it’s free). The trail offers stunning views, charming villages, and seafood restaurants that are often open even in winter.
    • Make sure to bring a towel so you can go swimming in the sea. I went in the 14°C water in one of the small bays and heated up with the winter sun. It was amazing!
  • Return to Girona by bus from Palamos Hospital, ensuring to wait on the main road rather than at the roundabout. Buses depart hourly, with the last one at 7:30 PM.

Some additional recommendations:

  • Excellent breakfast (or spa / hotel) in Casa Heras de Puig
  • Light breakfast in Originem
  • I booked the cheapest airbnb ever and really enjoyed the historic interior, even with the hard bed (Rambla de la llibertat)
  • Museum of architect Fundacio Rafael Maso
  • Jardi de l’Angel – beautiful park
  • Cathedral
  • Other restaurant recommendations I got but did not have time to try: B-12 vegan restaurant and 8de7

Embrace “Shouldering of the Season” for Sustainable Travel

To wrap up, I want to share a key concept in sustainable travel: “Shouldering of the season.” Many popular destinations suffer from overtourism during peak months, leading to overcrowding while struggling to sustain tourism the rest of the year. By traveling during the winter or in off-peak seasons, you can help flatten the peak of high-season tourism. This provides locals with a more stable income year-round and enhances your travel experience with fewer crowds and better service.

For Girona, the weather was surprisingly pleasant even in early February. In contrast, the summer heat can be too intense for hiking and trail running, making winter an ideal time to explore this beautiful city.

My sunny journey to Girona was very enjoyable and combining business with leisure, I experienced the best of what Girona has to offer.

Sustainable Travel to Venice: A Romantic Itinerary

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Dreaming of visiting Venice while keeping an eye on your carbon footprint? We did just that!

The best way to get to Venice is by traveling with European Sleeper, which runs twice a week in February and March 2025 and provides a romantic and sustainable way to start your Italian adventure.

When we went in February 2024, the European Sleeper did not yet go to Venice… so we switched trains in Paris and Milan. The journey takes a full day, but I filled it with work, reading, and admiring the Alps and countryside views making a perfect blend of productivity and relaxation.

Venice in February can be surprisingly calm and less crowded. Despite some cold and foggy days, we enjoyed plenty of sunshine, making our visit magical.

Day 1: Arrival and stroll in the neighborhood

We arrived in Venice by train from Bassano del Grappa and were treated to an amazing view straight from the moment we left the train station.

While sitting on the train to Venice, we booked a last-minute promo at the Canal Grande Hotel for just 100 euros per night. We’ve found that waiting until after 16:00 on the day of arrival to book can yield great deals by checking prices on Google.

Just randomly strolling around in Venice is probably the best way to enjoy the architecture and views. We started the evening with an Aperol and aperitivo in Arcicchetti Bakaro and went for a restaurant after since it was a little too cold to stay outside all evening.

Day 2: Exploring Murano and Burano

Our second day started with breakfast on the little terrace of the hotel overlooking the Canal Grande.

Just after we left on a hotel-organized visit to a glass workshop on Murano Island. We were picked up by a taxi boat right at the hotel, adding a touch of luxury to our morning. Watching glass artisans in action brought the island’s rich history to life. This visit and boat ride was totally free, but of course they like it if you buy a souvenir… but to be honest, we did not see any glass work that we liked and could easily transport home, and the workshop did not mind either so it seemed.

From Murano, we took a bus boat to Burano, known for its colorful houses and charming streets. Lunch at Osteria Cicchetteria de Gigetto was a delightful experience. We highly recommend getting a multi-day boat pass, which made hopping between islands convenient and cost-effective.

Day 3: Doge’s Palace, San Marco, and San Giorgio Maggiore

Before breakfast I started with an early morning run in the completely desolated narrow streets of Venice. For anyone capable of getting out of bed early, it gives such a curious and different view to the city life if you get to see the locals at 6 or 7am.

We visited the Doge’s Palace at San Marco in the morning. Make sure to reserve your tickets in advance. The grandeur of the palace was absolutely worth queuing.

Afterward, we enjoyed lunch on the terrace of Ombra del Leone, with plenty of sunshine and views of Canal Grande.

The afternoon was spent visiting San Giorgio Maggiore, where we climbed the tower for breathtaking panoramic views of Venice. The contrast between the busy San Marco and the tranquil San Giorgio was certainly a highlight of our trip.

Dining Highlights

Since good food makes a good mood:

  • Il Refettorio: For an Italian dinner experience, reservations are a must.
  • Ombra del Leone: Perfect for its terrace with a view of the Canal Grande, offering good food at reasonable prices.
  • Arcicchetti Bakaro: A bar with delightful aperitivo food — an absolute must-visit!

Traveling by train allowed us to enjoy Venice’s charm in line with our personal travel habits. The boat rides, less crowded streets, and cultural depth of Venice in the off-season made our trip extraordinary. For couples looking to combine romance and sustainability, we highly recommend this Venetian itinerary.

Milan to Sicily Night Train Experience: Train Travel Europe with Kids

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We decided to embark on an eco-friendly family adventure to Sicily by train. Discovering a direct night train from Milan to Palermo and Catania, we decided to give it a try. The journey costs between €221 (going) and €206 (returning).

Day 1: Brussels to Milan

We started our journey from Brussels to Paris and then switched stations to travel onward to Milan. Here’s a cost breakdown of the first part:

  • Eurostar: Kept August on our lap, so no ticket needed.
  • French SNCF Trains: Used the “carte avantage adulte” discount.
  • Total Cost: €190 (Brussels-Paris) + €125 (Paris-Milan) = €157/person.

To kick off the trip in style, we had lunch at Le Train Bleu in Paris’s Gare de Lyon. The restaurant boasts a spectacular interior of the golden age of train travel. We discovered it by coincidence by hearing a waiter singing an opera song from the stairs in the station hall.

Our train from Paris to Milano arrived in Porto Garibaldi, and we still walked to Milano Central Station in the evening. We stayed at B&B Hotel Milano Aosta, conveniently near Milano Central Station, allowing us to leave our luggage the next day until our night train departure.

Day 2: Night Train to Sicily

On our second day, we explored Milan with breakfast on the hotel’s rooftop, a stroll around the city, lunch, and visits to Castello Sforzesco Park and the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology. August loved playing in the boats, trains, and helicopters, with plenty of kid-friendly activities.

We booked a private car for our family: the “Vagone Letto Deluxe – Tripla Cabina Intera” for €198 in total, or €66 per person. Departure from Milano Centrale was at 20:10, arriving in Catania Centrale the next day by 14:32.

To make sure August was comfortable, we brought his little sleeping tent and installed it on the lower bed (see our blog post on train travel with kids here).

Day 3: Arrival in Sicily

The scenic views along the Italian coast were breathtaking.

The most interesting part of the journey was in the late morning when the train was divided into sections of 3-4 cars and transported onto the ferry. You can leave most of your luggage in your coupé but take valuables with you when walking around the ship, as the cars stay open during the crossing.

We opted to start our Sicilian adventure in Taormina, getting off the train around noon instead of the intended stop in Catania at 14:32.

Our full experience traveling around Sicily by train and bus for a month will be detailed in a separate blog post.

Return Trip

I traveled back by night train from Palermo directly to Milan, mirroring our trip to Sicily: Departure: Palermo Centrale at 12:58, Arrival: Milano Centrale at 10:10. Switching stations, having lunch and traveled on to Paris where I stayed for the night. I was back in Brussels on day-3 by 10 am.

Costs for the return journey:

  • Night Train: €45.
  • Train Milan-Paris: €62.
  • Train Paris-Brussels: €99.

Ecological Travel Tips for Train Travel with Kids

  1. Pack food and drinks: Keep a variety of healthy snacks and drinks handy for the journey.
  2. Entertainment: Bring books, coloring supplies, and small games to keep kids entertained.
  3. Comfort Items: Pack comfort items like earplugs or sleeping tents for restful nights.
  4. Frequent Breaks: Use long stops to stretch, walk around, and let kids burn off energy.
  5. Travel Light: Use backpacks and a foldable stroller for easier mobility between trains and stations. See blogpost on travelling by train with kids. We had only 4 items with us:
    • One big hiking backpack with all Tine and my clothes, books, laptop…
    • A child carrier backpack (Vaude / Deuter), also containing all clothes and supplies for August (incl diapers, milk powder,..)
    • The sleeping tent of August, containing his teddy bear and all sleeping stuff. If August was in his stroller, we would put this tent in the child carrier backpack where August normally sits.
    • Our foldable stroller

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!

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.

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 🙂

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!

Night train to Vienna

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Have you ever taken a night train?

Most of you know by now: I’m a huge fan of travelling while sleeping on the night train. There’s nothing better than rolling through nature in a charming, calm and comfortable way.

We booked our train through the website of OBB nightjet and were a little confused: the price was better then on the NMBS website, but somehow I managed to make 2 mistakes that had to be corrected by the OBB customer service later on. Our return trip was only booked up to Aachen (no idea how that happened) and my name was linked to the bed in a women only coupé and Tine’s name to the men only coupé.

Luckily all went well during the trip and we had 2 private coupés all by ourselves from Brussels to Vienna: each our own shower, toilet, beds… 4 small bottles of sparkling wine as apero and a decent breakfast included in the price. Our train left on time from Brussels-South at 19h32 on Wednesday evening. For a bed in a 3 person coupé with own bathroom we paid 140 EUR p.p. to go, and 130 EUR p.p. on the way back. It’s not cheap, but the luxury was actually very enjoyable. We took our own dinner with us from the salad bar in Brussels-South. Without realising, a colleague of mine travelled along on the same train, so in the evening we could sit in our coupé to chat while sliding through the countryside.

Around 11am we arrived more than an hour late in Vienna and got a partial refund of 70 EUR a couple of weeks later, to compensate for the delay. Quite a nice gesture.

On Airbnb we found a place described as ‘Central Artsy Room, 7min to Stephansplatz & Center’… This turned out to be the most relaxing and zen airbnb we every stayed. The host Andrija is dedicating his life to meditation and kindly took us along by learning us some new techniques. The talks were really nice and inspiring and the restaurant and city recommendations he gave us were spot on. Andrija will remain in our memories and meditations for years to come!

We spent 4 days in Vienna. Since Tine was pregnant we took it slow and limited the number of activities we wanted to do. You can easily fill a full week with lots of interesting highlights, so we knew we had to skip on some parts. Next time we go we will certainly spend one or two more days to visit some of the impressive musea.

Day 1 – strolling around the city

After dropping our bags we took the time to stroll around in the old center for multiple hours. Had lunch on a terrace (Mochi), saw the Saint Stephen’s cathedral, Albertina, Hofburg where we took a siesta in the park and Naschmarkt. We had dinner in Neni am Naschmarkt, a super good Libanese restaurant with lots of vegetarian options.

Day 2 – DRZ documentary & Hundertwasser

On the second day I went to DRZ. An innovative and inclusive recycling center where I took interviews and photo’s of how this project integrates recycling, repair, up-cycling whila also re-integrating people into the labor market again in no more then 6 months. It has its similarities with ‘de kringwinkel’ as we know it in Belgium, but goes a couple of steps further in the recycling and up-cycling of the materials that come in. More details on this and similar projects can be expected in an article for MO magazine that I should finish in the coming months.

On that very same day I discovered a new hero of mine: Hundertwasser. Already half a century ago this man developed the solutions that are needed to fight urban heating and other ecological challenges that we are now facing. He designed green cities and apartment buildings from which trees can easily grow out of the windows. His paintings are not what attracts me the most, but his lifestyle and believes certainly are impressive. -> go visit the Hundertwasser museum. Walking past the Hundertwasser haus is also fun, but the museum allows you to really feel what the man brought to this world.

To finish the day we got the sunset from the Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel. The 12 EUR p.p. ticket is totally worth the impressive views you get on the city. For dinner we tried out the vegan burger chain Swing Kitchen. They pay special attention to saving CO2, Water and forests, so that’s a nice mission… which certainly does not mean it’s healthy food 🙂 it’s fastfood but with a lower environmental footprint.

Day 3 – The vineyards

Our third day was my favourite one, since it had a good portion of nature in it. We had brunch in Dogenhof before taking the D tramline all the way to the last station in Beethovengang. From there you can start one of the many nature walks of the ‘City Hiking Trails’. We went for Stadtwanderweg 1 – Kahlenberg and made some variations ourselves based on the komoot hiking app. Walking through the vineyards, woods and hills was rewarded with many views on the city and plenty of wine bars spread over the hills to relax, eat and drink (even vegetarian platters in Weingut Wailand).

We finished the day with an accessible classical concert in the golden hall. It was some kind of a “best of” Mozart and Strauss. We bought the cheapest tickets at 55 EUR p.p. and sat on the first row of the Galerie, which we can certainly recommend. We would not have spent 100 EUR or 300 EUR for VIP tickets, since our seats, the acoustics and the whole experience was really good enough from where we were sitting.

Day 4 – relax

Our last day was a slow one to relax before heading back home. We started the day with a highly recommended vegan brunch buffet at Café Harvest. For as little as 17 EUR p.p. we had the best vegan brunch we ever had. So take your time and relax on the terrace.

Since I like to swim in every big river I pass, we went to the Donau and chilled at Porto Pollo where I could easily get into the water. We spent the day reading some books, strolling a bit more through the old center and finding the best place to get Vienna’s famous Sachertorte. Before heading back to the train station, we found it last minute in Cafe Ritter, one of the oldest bars of Vienna.

Our train left Vienna Hauptbahnhof right on time at 20h13. We were swinged back into the night for a good sleep and an early breakfast on Monday morning. A good shower on the train and some morning yoga prepared me to get of the train in Brussels-North and go straight to the office by 10 am.

Travelling more sustainably is important to us. I told you about my personal mission in life in my last post, and we want to show that we are not compromising on comfort or life quality, quite the contrary. Night trains are the way to go! Traveling by night train is way more relaxing than any flight, and polluting ten times less. As from 2022 you can take our European Sleeper, a direct night train from Brussels to Berlin and Prague. If you travel in the coming months you take the OBB Nightjet from Brussels to Austria, or after a short Thalys ride to Paris you get access to multiple night trains in France.

If you want to travel already tonight, then click this link for the best night train sleepstory ever. Almost 3 milion others have traveled along with Erik Braa on The Nordland Night Train straight from their own beds.