Best day trips across Europe
With some of Europe's most popular cities becoming overcrowded or suffering the impacts of overtourism, sometimes it's time to just get out of town for a bit. Here is more information on great day trips to take by train from the likes of Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona. From parks and lochs to beaches and mountains , you have to be in the know to go... just that little bit further.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the perfect base for exploring the Netherlands by train, with few places out of reach. Spend a day in Delft, get tulip-crazy in Keukenhof and have a Gouda time in the country’s cheese capital.
Read more in our Day trips from Amsterdam blog.
Barcelona
Between visits to Barcelona’s bodacious sites, take some time to visit Figueres, birthplace of Salvador Dalí, Girona for its flower festival (9-17 May 2020) and Montserrat monastery for heavenly panoramic views.
Read more in our Day trips from Barcelona blog.
Berlin
Take a break from the city and venture beyond Berlin’s walls with a trip to UNESCO World Heritage city Potsdam for palaces and parks, or let your adventurous side out with a day of canoeing in Spreewald.
Read more in our Day trips from Berlin blog.
Edinburgh
See Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow, less than an hour from Edinburgh by train. For beautiful sights by boat, explore Linlithgow's large loch, or for beach breaks, discover Dunbar, North Berwick and Seacliff.
Read more in our Day trips from Edinburgh blog.
London
From fish and chips at the seaside to tea and scones in a stately home, there are many ways to escape the capital's crowds by train. Hastings, Canterbury, Cambridge and Bath are just a few cities within easy reach.
Read more in our Day trips from London blog.
Paris
Creamy and dreamy, Chantilly is around 30 mins from Paris by train. Dive into Beaux Arts beauty at La Piscine in Roubaix, and allow France to make its best impression with a visit to Monet’s gardens in Vernon.
Read more in our Day trips from Paris blog
Rome
All roads might lead to Rome but, the capital is also the perfect departure point for Florence, Frascati, Naples, Terni and Tivoli, all waiting for you to lap up La dolce vita in under 1 hr 30 mins away.
Read more in our Day trips from Rome blog.
Venice
With recent problems of overtourism in Venice, it's good to know that there are many other stunning places to visit by train nearby. Treviso is canal-rich but crowd-light, travel to Caorle for an Italian idyll on the Adriatic, or Trieste promises maritime history of a very different kind.
Read more in our Day trips from Venice blog. You may also enjoy our Tuscan trips by train blog.
Madrid
Madrid is an iconic city known as much for its artistic pedigree as it is for its buzzing nightlife and culinary creativity. From mercados to museums, tabernas to tapas, Madrid has so much offer. But, so do its scenic surrounding cities. Make more time for fun in Madrid by taking a day trip to Aranjuez, Avila, Cuenca, Salamanca, Segovia and Toledo by train, all under 2 hrs away from the Spanish capital.
Read more in our Day trips from Madrid blog
Image credits top to bottom: Monastery of Montserrat iStock ©Mikhail Akkuratov, Spreewald by Torsten Maue reproduced with thanks under a Creative Commons 2.0 Licence, Cambridge, CC0 Creative Commons, Chartres Cathedral iStock ©Razvan, Adriatic Sea Italy iStock ©eurotravel
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