Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, has been named European Best Destination 2022. Leuven in Belgium finished 5th in this popularity contest.
Tag: Rome
Leuven nominated for European Best Destination
Leuven (or Louvain) is the only place in Belgium nominated for the ‘European Best Destination‘ poll.
Trans Europ Express 2.0 advocates a renewed extensive European train network
Besides the renewed interest in night trains in Europe, besides an increase in awareness something must be done to make cross-boarder train travel in the European Union much easier, there’s also this Trans Europ Express 2.0. A revival of the old TEE network.
Centraal Museum Utrecht
July 2021. A week after my Eindhoven escapade featuring the DAF Museum and a night at Hotel Mariënhage, I travelled to Utrecht for a culinary weekend with Steve. At that time, the Netherlands were very liberal concerning coronavirus countermeasures. That was both concerning and liberating at the time.
Orient Express La Dolce Vita: luxury train travel in Italy from 2023
Orient Express, or Orient-Express with a hyphen, has been a byword for luxury and exoticism for 150 years. Now a new venture is (re)introducing the Orient Express to Italy from 2023.
2025 WorldPride in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
InterPride has announced Kaohsiung City in Taiwan wil host WorldPride 2025. A bold choice. The other bidding city (pride) was Washington DC‘s Capital Pride.
‘Hotel on rails’ Midnight Trains to link Paris to Edinburgh, Brussels, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid and Porto
There’s a new night train company in town: Midnight Trains. The French company wants to operate luxurious but affordable night trains from 2024. As usual, there are many questions.
Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Italy: go by train
So, Italy won the the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest, in Rotterdam. Måneskin won thanks to the popular vote with their song ‘Zitti e buoni’. “Sit still and be good“. So, the ESC goes to Italy in 2022. But where and when?
Vatican City & The Vatican Museums
Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Singapore, Baarle-Hertog / Baarle-Nassau, Neutral Moresnet, Malta, Gibraltar. I love-love-love microstates, small nations and other quirks of geopolitical history. Primus inter pares is of course the Vatican or Vatican City in Rome. Last time I went, was in 2016, with Steve.
800 years of Antwerp city rights
On 21 February 1221 Henry I, Duke of Brabant granted the City of Antwerp city rights or town privileges. The charter was more a confirmation of an already existing situation, but is still worth a commemoration.