A change in latitude, does wonders to my attitude.

I've always like calling Italian cities by their Italian name. Somehow it rings nicer.. and feels like you know something more than the rest. So Milan and Rome, for those who do not (already) know. We arrived from Tirano on the Bernina Express train ( previous blog ) and chose to connect from Tirano to Milan. Opting to spend just two nights in Milan and then three nights in Rome. Arriving in Milan Central Station, having read horror stories of petty thieves targeting unsuspecting tourists, we were extra vigilant and kept close together. Train stations from Brussels to Berlin, are always notorious for such incidents. Nevertheless, Milan Central Station had the looks to compensate for its bad reputation. It was designed by French architect Louis-Jules Bouchot(1817–1907) and its architectural style is reminiscent of Parisian buildings of that period, especially Liberty and Art Deco. Using my Google Map, we walked about 20 mins to the Best Western Hotel City, located right on Corso...

The Bernina Express is a breathtaking train ride through the mountain scenery of Switzerland, which everyone should try at least once or more times in their life. There is a choice of riding the Bernina Panoramic Express train or the local train. Both trains run on the same track and the only difference is the type of trains. For a 360 degrees panoramic view and reserved seatings, the namesake Panoramic train is the one to take. The other train is a normal train with windows that can be opened, perfect for photographers who don't want the reflection from glass windows when taking photos. We chose the Bernina Panoramic Express train with the route that connects Chur in Switzerland to Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps.The four hour journey train ride runs along the World Heritage Site known as the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina landscapes passing through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges. Planning for mid October, I carefully timed it to catch the col...

Travelling by train across Europe is possible, all you need is patience, a good reference guide and a bit of luck. For example: Take Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, these three cities can easily be done with an average train travel time of under two hours between them. Of course, there are also coaches that cover a large network of European cities and are extremely popular with young people as the tickets are cheap. And I mean very cheap. I've scored 11 euros for a coach ticket from Brussels to Amsterdam on Flixbus. Ticket prices fluctuate just like with any international trains and flights, so book early! Departing Brussels Midi Train Station (Zuid Station), we boarded the high speed train, Eurostar (formerly Thalys), with destination Paris. Because this is an intra - european journey, the train departs from the normal platform as like any local train. Since UK is no longer a part of EU (Brexit), Eurostar train departures are located in a separate lobby where passengers will clear ...