An inspiration to travel started in 1950, when a schoolfriend suggested a cycling trip to Normandy and back. We travelled from Dieppe to Paris and back, hitting the pedals hard and staying in youth hostels overnight; a modest trip by today's standards but we were to witness the devastation left in the aftermath of the War which was only slowly being made good.Subsequent overseas ventures embraced different parts of Europe, North America, Russia and the Far East, all of which had th...

Meet Andrew: French teacher, writer and long-distance cyclist.Now, meet Reggie, his bike.With two European cycling adventures already under his belt, Andrew was ready for a new challenge. Exchanging his job as a teacher in Oxfordshire for an expedition on Reggie the bike, he set off on his most daring trip yet: a journey from Tarifa in Spain to Nordkapp in Norway – from Europe’s geographical south to its northernmost point.Join the duo as they take on an epic journey a...

Looking for a sustainable and stress-free way to explore Europe? Hop on board the continent's railway network with this ultimate guide to train travel. Whether you want to take it slow on the scenic route or make the most of the newest high-speed services to get straight to your destination, Lonely Planet's experts show you how to plan your journey.Packed with detailed gatefold route maps and insider tips, we cover everything from how to piece together a long-distance trip to the m...

As I drew closer to the town of Pont-de- Vaux... I found myself thinking of some of the places Id passed through. There were so many tiny hamlets, villages and larger towns, some vibrant and fine-looking, others lifeless, run down and in dire need of repair. Then there were, of course, the countless numbers of French people who had helped me piece together the jigsaw of roads along my way. The places I was riding through werent quite the same, but there was that unmistakable pungent smell ...

Night trains have long fascinated us with the possibilities of their private sleeping compartments, gilded dining cars, champagne bars and wealthy travellers. Authors from Agatha Christie to Graham Greene have used night trains to tell tales of romance, intrigue and decadence against a rolling background of dramatic landscapes. The reality could often be as thrilling: early British travellers on the Orient Express were advised to carry a revolver (as well as a teapot).In Night ...

Lace up your hiking boots for the next in Lonely Planet’s highly successful Epic series, this time exploring 50 of Europe’s most rewarding and beautiful hikes. From the sun-kissed regions of Southern Europe, including Italy, Greece, Portugal and Spain, to North Europe’s history-rich heartlands (including France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia), we cover a huge variety of themes and experiences for every type of hiker. Epic Hikes of Europe features some classic routes to...

A Baltic cruise offers something no other cruise can, a new capital to explore virtually every day. A typical cruise programme includes Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Rostock & Varnemünde, Copenhagen, Oslo and others. Organised trips from the cruise ship are invariably on offer and often good value. We are far too independent and like to organise ourselves. It turned out surprisingly easy at all of these destinations, except St Petersburg. Just pick up a day card to cover you...

Buckle up for the next installment in our Epic series and the follow-up to Epic Drives of the World. Showcasing 50 of Europe’s greatest road trips, from classic drives such as Route Napoleon through the south of France to longer trips including Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way or taking a campervan through Finnish Lapland in the Arctic summer. We cover a huge variety of themes and experiences across drives that range from a few hours to a week or more.Each of t...

Our illustrated travel guide will take you to Corfu, Greece.Corfu is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece. Located off the far northwest coast of Greece, Corfu lies in the Adriatic sea, east of Italy and southwest of Albania. Historically Corfu has been controlled by many foreign powers, notably the Venetians, as well as the British.Corfu Town, known in modern Greek as Kerkira or Kerkyra, is the largest and most important town on the island. This is where the ai...

Our illustrated travel guide will take you to the beautiful port/city of Gdańsk, Poland.Gdańsk (also known by its German name Danzig) along with nearby Sopot and Gdynia are often referred to as the Tricity area with Gdańsk being considered the most beautiful city on the Baltic Sea, having a rich and magnificent architecture.Its position on the Baltic has historically made Gdańsk one of the most important port cities in Northern Europe, and tragically also the scene of a rat...

  Our illustrated travel guide will take you to Kraków, Poland. The city of Kraków covers both banks of the Wisla (or Vistula) river. It is Poland's second largest city, with a population of 756,000 (1.4 million including surrounding communities). Kraków consists of 18 districts. The historic Old City is situated in District I Stare Miasto. Even though the words Stare Miasto mean 'old town', it should not be confused with the historic o...

'A useful guide to ArcticScandinavia.'Telegraph.co.uk'Recommended reading'Wanderlust