No checking in at airports 2 hours before your flight, take as many water bottles as your heart desires, train stations are in city centres not miles away on the outskirts, you can move around the carriage at will, some trains even have WiFi, you see the countryside roaring past your window at 300kph – old farmhouses, rows of hedges, tiny towns, crops, people doing their peopley thing…

Tweeting from the train

Here’s an itinerary you could follow (although I’d recommend a couple more nights in some cities)…

Day 1: From London take the Eurostar to Brussels where Belgian beer and chocolate await. Wander the city and check out the 34 buildings covered in famous cartoons (Tin Tin and the Smurfs are Belgian!). If you’re an art boffin, head to the new Magritte Museum and buy Belgian waffles from the combi-van parked outside.

Day 2: Travel from Brussels to Paris on the Thalys train in just over an hour. This train has WiFi for updating your Facebook status and sending an enviable Tweet to all your jealous followers. Eat garlic snails and plenty of wine. Visit Opera Garnier and if you’re not going to an actual performance, a tour of the building is a must. Click here for my Paris blog if you want a little more info. Wander the river banks and buy original art, eat baguettes from a local cafe. There is so much to do in the City of Love that this itinerary finishes back in Paris so you can add a few more days on.

Stunning Strasbourg

Day 3: Paris to Strasbourg. This little city on the French/German border was a delightful surprise. I reckon it’s quite possibly the cutest city in Europe! The historic part is surrounded by a river and around every corner is another photo op, cobblestone street and picturesque buildings. They can date human settlement here to 3000 years. Take a tour and hear tales of Torture Bridge, wander the weekend flea market, visit the mighty Cathedral of Or Lady that took 200 years to build. Click here for my Strasbourg blog and a few pics if you need further enticing…

Day 4: Strasbourg to Lucerne, via a quick change in Basel. Lucerne is famous for Chapel Bridge, its amazing wooden bridge that was bursting with red geraniums and begonia when I walked across it. Don’t miss the historic town centre across the lake for a bit of shopping and to read the many plaques on these ancient buildings. But the biggest highlight for me was seeing Lion Monument – the sculpture carved into rock of a dying lion to commeroate the loss of 600 Swiss Guard at the Tuileries in 1792 who were there to protect Henry XVI. That was the last time the Switzerland took sides in a war. Warning: you might cry. Click here for my separate Lucerne blog for more info and pics.

Chapel Bridge, Lucerne

Day 5: Lucerne to Geneva – the seat of the United Nations where the public can go and here presentations in 17 languages. Just outside the immediate city are farms and 400 vineyards, 50 of which can be visited. This is a lovely walking city across the lake to outdoor cafes in summer or if you’re there in winter, you’re only an hour from skiing in Chamonix.

Day 6: Geneva to Montpellier. My 2nd fave city on this tour behind Strasbourg. This is a university town near the south of France with a Mediteranean climate. But unlike student towns your mind might conjure up, Montpellier is elegant with beautiful city squares and 88 fountains (now you can win Trivial Pursuit) and little cobblestone back streets that wander past bars and cafes until you pop out at a big old cathedral. It’s 1000 years old and considered young by European standard and is famous for violin making. There wouldn’t be an orchestra in the world that doesn’t have a violin from Montpellier.

Day 7: Montpellier to Paris where you can now spend a couple more days to explore, take a cruise on the Seine – or a little backwater canal like St Martin Canal. Have dinner at Café de L’Homme, overlooking the Eiffel Tower as it gets dark. Take a tour in a 2CV Citroen around all the mega sights for something a bit different and to save your feet from the miles of walking you’ll invariably find yourself doing.

Paddle steamer on Lake Lucerne

The sun smiled down on Lake Lucerne as our party of 12 walked in single file like ducklings with heavy wheelie bags to the boat ramp. Today we’re using our Swiss Pass to take the Wilhelm Tell Express – it’ll start with a voyage on a paddle steamer to Flüelin at the southern end of the lake and a panoramic train (with windows curved over the ceiling) to Bellinzona. The Swiss rail/boat/bus network runs like very efficient clockwork (is that why they ‘re famous for cuckoo clocks?), but when the connection time is only 7 minutes and you are 5 minutes delayed, it makes for a frantic scurry. We ran as if being chased by vampires and I managed to hoof my ever-heavier suitcase (day 5 worth of shopping and press releases) up the stairs and onto the next train with the strength of a woman whose infant is stuck under a truck.

Apparently they would have waited knowing were scrambling, but fortunately we didn’t hold up the train as 2 Indian couples I later met had a 12 minute connection at the next stop on their overnight to Amsterdam.

Castelgrande

At Bellinzona we were met by American guide, Julie, who fell in love with the place – and a boy – about 17 years ago. She married the latter and her love for this little town famous for 3 castles and not much else was evident in her tour. (I’m a bit of a sucker for history and castles and canon holes.)

I was also quite enamoured by the horse salami sold in the deli, although refrained from purchasing (pic below). You can have weddings and events up here at Castelgrande (say that with a heavy Italian accent Castelle Grrrande – this kept us amused for hours) the biggest of the 3 and built around the 13th Century.

After 3 hours of walking the cobbled back streets and taking many photos we boarded the train for the 27-minute journey to Locarno on the Swiss/Italian border of Lake Maggiore.

Locarno is most famous for the annual Locarno International Film Festival each August. We had a great (and very hilarious) dinner at Cittadella restaurant after walking up a steep, wonky street high above the town square which was still packing down after the festival. I tasted grappa for the first time. Ugghh! All I can say is you need to keep candles well clear of your face when drinking. Not that there was an incident, but you can never be too careful when swilling meths, I always say.

The Hotel Ibis is where we stayed – modern little rooms, newly opened (July 2009). If you manage to put your laptop or iPhone in the right place you can steal a free WiFi signal from somewhere, otherwise they do have paid WiFi for non tight-wads. It’s a good price though and nice and central. I’d recommend it with, mmmm – 7/10?

For more info on Rail Europe, their Swiss Pass and the Wilhelm Tell Express for the most scenic way to see the country from New Zealand, jump to www.raileurope-nz.com

This morning we tore ourselves away from the cuteness of Strasbourg and headed to Lucerne. Fortunately our train departed at the decent hour of 10.47am (they are very precise!) so I was able to nip out for one more photo sesh before our little party carrying the ever-strategically packed luggage assembled in the hotel lobby.

We took the TGV Lyria train to Basel where a rep named Monica Hug joined us to give us some facts and stats. (I couldn’t look as one audacious journo decided to deliver a hug to Ms Hug so as she busily explained the pros of this train, he walked up and wrapped his arms around her!) Fortunately it was a quick trip, we arrived in Basel in just over an hour then a 9-minute wait for the train to Lucerne arriving 62 minutes later.

I love training through Europe. The views are brilliant, it’s quick and easy with no airport check-ins or taxis required and we arrive smack in the heart of each city.

Arty shot of begonias, Chapel Bridge

Dropping our luggage off at the groovy Best Western Hotel Flora we lunch then set off on a walk around yet another very cute, historic city. I guess ‘historic’ is a silly word cos compared to NZ and Australia, everywhere you place your feet in Europe is historic!

2 highlights of Lucerne for me: Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument

Chapel Bridge reaches 204m (670 ft) right across Lake Lucerne. It’s wooden and was built in 1333 and in the 1700s paintings depicting Lucerne’s history were added under its ceiling. Tragically a fire in 1993 destroyed about half of it – including many of the paintings. But today, with bright red geraniums and  begonia lining its sides, it is one of the most photographed and picturesque parts of the city.

The dying lion

Lion Monument is the other most photographed. This will make you cry. The dying Lion of Lucerne is an amazing sculpture hewn out of the stone wall. Mark Twain described it as the “saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world.” It is in Glacier Garden and was carved in memory of the heroic death of 600 Swiss Guard at the Tuileries in 1792 who were there to protect Louis XVI. That was the last time the Switzerland took sides in a war. There are, however, 110 Swiss Guard protecting the Pope today at the Vatican.

Lucerne is full of cute (and old) churches, a lake to play on and in, waterfront bars to drink and eat at, shopping in the historic quarter and newer parts of the city. I’d recommend 2 days here before chugging off to the next station.

Check out Rail Europe here for these huge network of options.

For my previous post on Strasbourg (the cutest city in all of Europe in my humble opinion) click here.

I declare Strasbourg to be quite possibly the most picturesque city in all of Europe.

It’s right over here on the French/German border and seems to have been architecturally designed with the best of both. Around every corner is yet another photo op, geraniums are out in force, but the wobbly cobblestoned streets and squares are not designed for stiletto-wearing tourists.

'Romantik' Hotel Beaucour

We arrived by rip roaring high speed train from Paris right into the middle of the city at about 11am and caught a tram from the train station to our oh so quaint hotel, the ‘romantik’ Hotel Beaucour.

Their electric trams are very modern and seem to glide around the city which is surrounded by a river and are very easy to hop on hop off – even when dragging luggage. About €1.40 will get you a one-way ticket from the train station that will transport you into the pages of a story book.

Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace and is the seat of the European Court of Human Rights, European Parliament and many other governing bodies. A kiwi or Aussie can be forgiven for twirling in circles with their jaw open at the history. It was permanently settled over 3000 years ago.

The UNESCO protected historic centre is full of old-as buildings and wrapped by the Ill River. A boat tour around it means passing through locks and under the Bridge of Torture where evil murderers were sewn into sacks and dropped alive into the water and where petty thieves and women of ill repute were put in cages and dunked into the raw waste outlet from the butchery beside the bridge.

Curios galore

Around every corner is a photo opportunity and I hardly stopped clicking for an entire day. The majestic Cathedral of Our Lady took 200 years to build and until the 19th Century had the tallest spire in the world. Window boxes and shutters, Tudor style buildings. Q for quaint.

Cathedral of Our Lady

I stumbled upon this flea market the next morning (we only had 1 night) and if French antiques is your thing you’d get a little adrenalin rush here.

Plan to spend at least 2 days in Strasbourg…

Jump here to check out the great rail packages with Rail Europe.

To read the whole series of reviews and tips on Blogging on the Tracks from Brussels to Paris, Strasbourg, Lucerne, Locarno and Montpellier, click here.

We leave Brussels nice and early (well the lady-like hour of 9.13am) bound for Paris on the speedy Thalys train. It takes 1 and a quarter hours and we arrive smack in the heart of the romantic city.

The Thalys train serves food (free to us travelling in 1st class including a little champagne of the official variety). It also has free WiFi which you can pay for in economy. It’s brilliant to get all the emails checked, Facebook status’s updated, Tweets Twittered and generally surf around as the countryside blurs by at about 300kph. (Top speed on this train is 545kph and a world record!)

Fast-as Thalys rocket train reaches Paris

It’s a gorgeous day with green fields, farmhouses, industrial towns and the world in general whizzing past. It’s hard to get a handle on just how fast we’re going until I look up and see a little cesna flying in the same direction yet we are roaring underneath it at a much faster pace.

After checking into the Radisson Blu Hotel on Hausman (which also offers free WiFi) we have snails for lunch at Chez Clement. I know cliche, but when in Rome…

Mmmm snails anyone?

This afternoon we have a walking tour with the dramatic Rita who turns out to be a fascinating and hilarious guide, even bursting into song and humming Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake as we stand in the very plain basement of the mighty Opera Garnier as she describes the opulent building like the ballet – building to the crescendo in this gold leafed room on the 3rd level.

The stunning Opera Garnier

Opera Garnier was inaugurated in 1875 and designed by the 35 year old Charles Garnier. It’s simply stunning and if you don’t queue for a ticket to a show, I’d thoroughly recommend a guided tour. Sadly the singers were rehearsing when I went so I couldn’t peep at the stage, but the public levels are breathtaking enough just to swan around ala 1875 under more gas lights than in the whole city of Paris.

Hard at work!

Day 1: London – Brussels

The Eurostar from London to Brussels took about 2.5 hours and suddenly we were in the middle of the city. To be honest, the countrysides look pretty much the same… farms, hedges, old homes with thatched roofs.

But did you know Tin Tin and the Smurfs are Belgium’s claim to fame? As well as beer. And chocolates of course. But here in Brussels you’ll find 36 huge cartoon murals painted on buildings and walls around the city. In fact a cartoon tour of Brussels would be a fab little story idea. (I’ll bet my dress it’s been done before).

I was surprised by Brussels. It was far prettier than I expected. Cobblestoned streets, old buildings, flowers, these huge murals, pubs and chocolatiers. We toured the newly opened Magritte Museum and had a cute little guide who spoke exotic English and wore mussed up hair who was so enthusiastic I almost wanted to do a Masters on the subject myself. Magritte pushed the boundaries with his art and did actually become successful before he died. Unlike most famous artists, sadly.

The most famous statue here is this little one called Mannequin Pis. Yes, he is peeing into the fountain. What we weren’t expecting amid the melee of tourists photographing the cheeky tyke was the woman who walked up in her trench coat and flashed us all while her male partner took the pics. So stunned was our little group of journalists that no one took a pic! (Or did they…)

Naughty little Mannequin Pis