Exploring Central Europe by rail offers picturesque escape far from summer crowds

Exploring Central Europe by rail offers a serene and picturesque escape, far from the bustling summer crowds. 

Golden landscapes, cozy cafés, and crowd-free attractions are just some of the delights of exploring central Europe by train during the cooler months, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

When planning an off-season rail trip in Europe, you generally have two choices: take a sleeper train and head south in search of sunshine or embrace the winter season.

With the October half-term approaching, Joanna O'Connor's family opted for the latter. They mapped out a “winterrailing” route that would take them on a nine-day journey through central Europe, stopping in cities accustomed to enduring cold weather and long, dark nights. From the comfort of train seats, they watched the autumn colors unfold, spent days exploring museums and galleries, enjoyed coffee and cake in cozy cafés, and even managed some early Christmas shopping. This way, they not only avoided the discomfort of summer heat but also sidestepped the crowds and high prices typical of peak-season travel.

That was the plan, but it seems Strasbourg didn’t get the memo. After downloading digital Interrail passes and boarding the Eurostar in London on a foggy late October morning, Joanna, her partner,  teenage daughter arrived at Strasbourg station six hours later (with a quick platform change to the TGV at Lille Europe) to be greeted by dazzling sunshine. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the suitcase of woolly jumpers and waterproofs Joanna insisted pack for winter adventure already felt like a mistake. So much for embracing winter – instead of hot chocolate, Joanna found myself craving an Aperol spritz.

Within half an hour of checking into our hotel, they found ourselves in the heart of Strasbourg’s old town, admiring the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Its intricately carved sandstone facade glowed red in the final rays of daylight. Completed in the 1400s, it stood as the tallest building in the world for two centuries. Even now, its 142-metre gothic spire remains impressive, towering high above the city centre.

The following morning, Joanna head back to the cathedral to ascend the 332 steps to the viewing platform. Directly below lies Grande Île, a maze of cobbled streets and squares bordered by half-timbered buildings, forming the medieval core of the city. In the distance, Joanna spot the sweeping glass and steel designs of the European Quarter, home to the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights, with the hazy blue silhouette of the Vosges mountains beyond.

While Strasbourg competes with Brussels for the title of "capital of Europe," the city also takes another role almost as seriously – capitale de Noël. With origins dating back to 1570, Strasbourg's Christmas market is the oldest in France. Every November, a 30-meter-tall Christmas tree – the tallest in Europe – is set up in Place Kléber, and the nearby streets transform into a glittering, cinnamon-scented wonderland, with 300 chalets selling everything from mulled wine to wooden toys. During the visit, falling leaves, rather than fairy lights, adorn the tree-lined canals, but there’s something in the air, as Joanna find herself irresistibly drawn to a Tardis-like shop called La Magie de Noël, where she fight the urge to fill  basket with Christmas ornaments and locally made gingerbread.

By Naila Huseynova