Have you had your fill of airports? We take a look at some of the most popular ways to travel without boarding a plane, such as going on a cruise, taking a road trip, taking a train journey, and more.
The Best Vacations from the UK
Five fantastic itineraries for self-driving vacations in the United Kingdom and beyond, ranging from London to Brighton.
When travelling to the coast, the majority of travellers take the M23; however, if you add twenty minutes to your trip and wind your way through the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty before reaching the chalk hills of the South Downs, you can turn your commute into a scenic road trip. If you are considering renting a car for your upcoming vacation, you should review our list of the Best and Worst Car Hire Companies first to ensure that you are not overcharged.
The North Coast 500 is a driving route in Scotland.
From Inverness Castle, travel north along the east coast, all the way along the top of Scotland, south along the west coast, and east across Scotland until you reach Inverness again. This route travels along the coast of Caithness, which is located in the very north of Scotland. Along the way, there are views over the islands that are located in the west, and much of it is in glorious isolation outside of the peak summer season.
The Northern Irish Republic
The coast of Northern Ireland is particularly rugged in comparison to the rest of the United Kingdom; this ruggedness culminates in the otherworldly rock formations of the Giant’s Causeway. It will take approximately eight hours and cost approximately £200 to take a car on a ferry from Liverpool to Belfast (stenaline.co.uk). It takes approximately two hours to travel from Cairnryan in the west of Scotland to Larne in the north of Belfast, but the fare is not significantly lower.
Ardennes, Belgium
If you take the car ferry from Dover to Calais, just over three hours after rumbling on board, you could be driving through the hills and forests of the Belgian Ardennes, an underappreciated site of natural beauty.
Alsace, France
From Dover, it will take you approximately seven hours, including the time spent on the ferry, to reach the mountains and vineyards that are located on the border of France and Germany. The cost to take your vehicle on ‘Le Shuttle’ from Folkestone to Calais will range from £67 to £87 for each way.
There are five incredible train trips that are perfect for rail vacations in Europe and the United Kingdom.
Devon between Exeter and Teignmouth
The stretch of the Great Western Railway that marks the beginning of the English Riviera, running from the cathedral town of Exeter to the genteel resort of Teignmouth, is one of the most impressive portions of the entire route. It is in such close proximity to the River Exe and the coast of Devon that you can almost feel the spray on your face as you watch avocets fishing in the waves as it runs through Devon. Are you going on an exciting train trip? Before you travel, make sure you read our evaluations of the top and bottom train companies in the UK.
The Jacobite train, which travels between Fort William and Mallaig.
The 84 miles that separate Fort William and Mallaig in Scotland are even more enjoyable to travel. Beginning close to the foothills of Ben Nevis, it skirts Loch Eil and then Scotland’s glorious west coast, crossing the spectacular Glenfinnan Viaduct, which measures 30 metres in height and was featured prominently in the Harry Potter film series.
The train to Amsterdam on the Eurostar
The Eurostar continues to be a feat of modern engineering. From the magnificent King’s Cross St. Pancras station, you can travel to Paris, Bruges, and beginning in December, Amsterdam. It is still the most courteous way to travel to a foreign country.
Going from London to Italy
The trip from London to Paris can be completed in just over two hours and fifteen minutes. After travelling for another four hours, you will arrive in Zurich, which is the last stop before the most breathtaking part of any trip to Italy: the drive through the Alps from Zurich to Milan. The final four hours of your Bernina Express journey will take you from the snowy Swiss Alps, across UNESCO World Heritage bridges, up steep hills, and through dozens of tunnels before arriving in the warm Italian countryside.
Between London and Istanbul
You have the option of taking the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express all the way to Istanbul if you are feeling a little more daring than usual. You will spend three nights on the train after departing from Paris, in addition to one night in Budapest and another night in Bucharest.
Five British cruises: cruises departing from a UK port Bruges
It’s not necessary for cruises to be epic journeys that cost a lot of money. Cunard offers trips to the beautiful and historic city of Bruges that last for three nights and dock in Zeebrugge, also known as “Bruges on the Sea.” Are you considering going on a cruise? Before you make a reservation, we recommend that you first read our evaluations of the top and bottom cruise lines.
The British Isles
The Jules Verne company provides a tour around the British Isles that lasts for 14 nights and begins right next to Tower Bridge. The tour visits the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly, and the Hebrides in addition to the coasts of Scotland and Northumberland.
Canaries
Saga has introduced a new trip called Jewels of the Canary Islands, which lasts for 18 days and begins in Aviles in Northern Spain. From there, travellers will wind their way down the coast to Algarve and Cadiz, before continuing on to Las Palmas, Santa Cruz in Tenerife, and finally Funchal, before heading back to their home country.
River Cruises Throughout Europe
River cruises on the continent can be booked through Riviera Travel, and they begin with travel by train from St. Pancras to Brussels. After that, a coach will take you to your ship on the Rhine, where you will begin a journey that will take you through the beautiful Black Forest in Germany and then further south into the Swiss Alps.
Australia
The port city of Southampton serves as an entry point to the maritime industry. It is possible to travel all the way to Australia by departing from this location. Cunard offers a trip of epic proportions that lasts for 48 nights and visits both the east and west coasts of the United States (Florida and San Francisco, respectively) before continuing on to New Zealand and Australia via Honolulu.
