The weekend before Christmas 2024, Dennis and I went to Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia for the Weihnachtsmarkt, the Christmas market. Germany is a master in Christmas markets. And a successful excursion to Bonn in 2023 left us wanting a sequel. On our way to Germany on Friday night, we learned about the 2024 Magdeburg Christmas…
Tag: Venice
Protests against overtourism take to the streets in southern Europe
Protests against mass tourism swept across southern Europe over the weekend as locals raised their voices against its growing impact on their cities’ livability, their rents and their way of life.
EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Barcelona night train to stop in Avignon, Montpellier, Narbonne, and Girona
In a May 2025 newsletter, European Sleeper lets slip its Barcelona-bound night train service will stop at Avignon, Montpellier, Narbonne in France, and Gerona / Girona in Spain‘s Catalonia region. This service will depart from Brussels in Belgium.
OVERTOURISM | Alternatives for Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Santorini, Paris, Dubrovnik, London and Rome?
Overtourism was an issue in 2024 and still is in 2025. An increasing number of cities, grappling with the less appealing aspects of mass tourism, are implementing measures to curb the influx of visitors. One strategy is not to go to these hotspots, but to find alternatives. And if we all do that, those alternatives…
REVIEW | European Sleeper night train
October 2024. During a week-long whistle-stop tour of Germany, we visit Dessau-Roßlau in Saxony-Anhalt, Weimar in Thuringia, Coburg in Upper Franconia (Bavaria) and Kassel in Hesse. Smaller cities, yes. But each with their own significance. Untouched by overtourism. We’re avoiding using the white trains of DB Fernverkehr, Deutsche Bahn‘s long-distance section and opt to use…
European Sleeper now “truly” riding to Venice
European Sleeper will travel to Venice next Tuesday, 4 March 2025. Previously, on 5 and 14 February, the night train was scheduled to reach Venice in Italy, but the journey ended in Innsbruck in Austria instead, as the Italian carrier declined to operate the final leg.
Flanders selects Bovenbouw Architectuur and Christ & Gantenbein as architects for M HKA museum of contemporary art
The Flemish Government has appointed Belgian firm Bovenbouw Architectuur and Swiss studio Christ & Gantenbein to design the ambitious new building for the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (M HKA).
Dutch budget train GoVolta postponed after not getting funds
Dutch start-up train operator GoVolta will not be able to start train services this year after Rabobank decided against granting the new rail company a loan. The train paths (‘slots’ on the rails) allocated for GoVolta’s budget trains to Berlin in Germany, Copenhagen in Denmark and Basel in Switzerland have now been returned.
SNCF Réseau confirms feasibility European Sleeper night train linking the Netherlands, Belgium, France to Barcelona in Spain
According to European Sleeper, which shared the news with Treinreiziger.nl, French railway infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau conducted a feasibility study stating an acceptable timetable is possible in France for the European Sleeper night train to Barcelona in Catalonia.
SOLO TRAVEL | More expensive, but also some advantages
In the advent of Valentine’s Day 2025, Gazet van Antwerpen (GvA) analysed the situation of single people. The number of households consisting of one person is on the rise. While ‘living alone’ isn’t the same as ‘being alone’ (romantically), it’s an indication. GvA looks into housing, the fiscal situation… but also travel. Travelling solo is…