Travel guides for Europe's quieter places
Small towns, countryside escapes, local markets and the kind of places that make you wish you'd booked an extra night.
And probably more market towns than any normal person needs.
A good excuse to go somewhere this winter
A Christmas market worth taking the train for, a small town with somewhere lovely to stay, or a weekend built around long lunches and cold walks. I've been gathering the European places I'd actually consider booking when the days get shorter.
Europe by train: cafés, markets, coastlines, and no driving involved
There's something lovely about arriving somewhere by train, dropping your bag at the hotel and knowing you won't need to think about parking for the rest of the weekend.
The tricky part is finding places where this genuinely works. A pretty town might have a station, but that doesn't mean the surrounding villages, vineyards or beaches are easy to reach.
I've put together guides to the parts of Europe where you can enjoy the trip without spending half your time working out how to get around.
Which train to take, where to stay, and whether that pretty town is actually worth the detour.
Brocantes, food markets and second-hand shops, including which day to go, what sells out and whether it is worth the train fare.
Train journeys, walking weekends and small towns where lunch can take two hours without ruining the rest of the day.
Small hotels, old houses and vineyard rooms where breakfast is honestly half the reason to book.
Trips chosen because of a bakery, a wine harvest or a market that only happens on Saturday morning.
Cold walks, dark skies, warm cafés and places where there is still something to do after it gets dark at four.
For anyone who opens Google Maps, finds the nearest city and immediately starts looking at all the villages around it.
Discover Europe’s calmest corners - ideal for rest, reflection, and real travel.
French market towns worth planning a trip around
I'm quite happy to plan an entire morning around a French market, especially if there's a good bakery nearby and somewhere to sit afterwards. But market day matters. Turn up on the wrong morning and that lovely square you saw in photographs might be almost empty. These are the towns where the market is worth getting your dates right for.
What kind of weekend are you craving?
A market town in France? A little hotel in the countryside? Somewhere you can get to by train and forget about the car?
Search destinations, markets or travel guides