In January 2026 in Essen, Germany, the Green Cities Europe Award 2025 was presented to Zuidpark or South Park. The Antwerp project beat out seven other countries.
Tag: France
United Kingdom tourism surges past 45 million visitors as cross-Channel travel with Belgium grows
In 2024, I showed Oscar from Denver, Colorado the highlights of London. It was his first time in England. In contrast, Thanh and I have been to the capital of the United Kingdom many times. During the weekend of Pentecost 2026, we went together for a weekend of museums, food, and a concert.
GAY MONACO | Monaco Pride 2026?
I visited the Principality of Monaco past Sunday. At the start of Pride Month, which is mostly an American affair, I wondered if Monaco has a Pride. It has, but not at a scale we’re used to. The principality on the Mediterranean Sea isn’t exactly known to be a queer hotspot.
TGV Brussels – Strasbourg – Basel from July 2027
Belgium‘s NMBS / SNCB, France‘s SNCF Voyageurs, and Switzerland‘s SBB CFF FFS are joining forces to launch a pilot project from July 2027 that will extend the existing TGV inOui service between the two European capitals of Brussels and Strasbourg in Alsace to the Swiss city of Basel.
TGV 9870 Brussels – Strasbourg to be extended to Basel
According to railway observers and fans on Het Grote Belgische Trein Forum (The Big Belgian Train Forum), the SNCF-operated TGV 9870 from Brussels in Belgium to Strasbourg in Alsace, France, will be extended to Basel in Switzerland. This would happen from the mid-December timetable update.
DENDERMONDE – PUURS | Scheldeland in Stoom celebrates 40 years of museum line 52
The Dendermonde-Puurs Steam Train or Stoomtrein Dendermonde-Puurs organisation will host the 18th edition of Scheldtland in Steam (Scheldeland in Stoom) on Saturday 4 July and Sunday 5 July 2026. This year’s event marks a special milestone: 40 years of operation on museum line 52.
Italy welcomes more than 185 million visitors as tourism surges 7.1% in record year 2025
Italy’s tourism industry reached another historic milestone in 2025, with more than 185 million arrivals recorded across the country as international demand for Italian culture, cities, beaches and cuisine continued to grow strongly. New figures from the Italian Interior Ministry’s ‘Alloggiati Web’ system show that total arrivals increased by 7.1% compared with 2024, rising from…
FORMULA 1 | Barcelona-Catalunya and Belgium to rotate Grand Prix
Formula 1 secures a long-term future for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix (formerly Spanish Grand Prix, which moves to the Madring in Madrid) and Belgian Grands Prix, with Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix confirmed until 2032, alternating with Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
GoVolta launches daily Amsterdam–Paris train via Antwerp and Ghent, with tickets from €19
From 14 December 2026, Dutch rail operator GoVolta will begin daily services between Amsterdam and Paris, stopping in Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium, as well as in Haarlem, The Hague, Rotterdam, Lage Zwaluwe, and Roosendaal in the Netherlands, and Arras and Longueau (near Amiens) in France. Tickets for the route, which are available to book…
European Sleeper from Brussels and Amsterdam to Milan? Yes, but how?
In December 2025, European Sleeper announced a new night train connection: Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Milan in Italy. Independent railway commentator Jon Worth published some thoughts on that news.