Slow Trains to Venice

Author: Tom Chesshyre
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781787832992
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Do you love trains? Do you love adventure? If so, join Tom Chesshyre on his meandering rail journey across Europe from London to Venice. Escaping the rat race for a few happy weeks, Chesshyre indulges in the freedom of the tracks. From France (dogged by rail worker strikes), through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, he travels as far east as Odessa by the Black Sea in Ukraine. With no set plans, simply a desire to let the trains lead the way, he heads back via Hungary, the Balkans and Austria. Along the way he enjoys many an encounter, befriending fellow travellers as well as a conductor or two. This is a love letter to Europe, written from the trackside.

Slow Trains Around Spain

Author: Tom Chesshyre
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1800076673
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 393

Book Description
Between soaring mountains, across arid deserts, parched plains and valleys of fruit orchards and olive groves, down glittering coastlines and along viaducts towering above plunging ravines... there is no better way to see Spain than by train. Rail enthusiast Tom Chesshyre, author of Slow Trains to Venice, Ticket to Ride and Tales from the Fast Trains, hits the tracks once again to take in the country through carriage windows on a series of clattering rides beyond the popular image of “holiday Spain” (although he stops by in Benidorm and Torremolinos too). From hidden spots in Catalonia, through the plains of Aragon and across the north coast to Santiago de Compostela, Chesshyre continues his journey via Madrid, the wilds of Extremadura, dusty mining towns, the cathedrals and palaces of Valencia and Granada, and finally to Seville, Andalusia’s beguiling (and hot) capital. Encounters? Plenty. Mishaps? A lot. Happy Spanish days? All the way.

Night Trains

Author: Andrew Martin
Publisher: Profile Books
ISBN: 1782832122
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 275

Book Description
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 Trains, Andrew Martin attempts to relive the golden age of the great European sleeper trains by using their modern-day equivalents. This is no simple matter. The night trains have fallen on hard times, and the services are disappearing one by one. But if the Orient Express experience can only be recreated by taking three separate sleepers, the intriguing characters and exotic atmospheres have survived. Whether the backdrop is 3am at a Turkish customs post, the sun rising over the Riviera, or the constant twilight of a Norwegian summer night, Martin rediscovers the pleasures of a continent connected by rail. By tracing the history of the sleeper trains, he reveals much of the recent history of Europe itself. The original sleepers helped break down national barriers and unify the continent. Martin uncovers modern instances of European unity - and otherwise - as he traverses the continent during 'interesting times', with Brexit looming. Against this tumultuous backdrop, he experiences his own smaller dramas, as he fails to find crucial connecting stations, ponders the mystery of the compartment dog, and becomes embroiled in his very own night train whodunit.

Slow Trains to Venice

Author: Tom Chesshyre
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1787838757
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 319

Book Description
Do you love trains and adventure? If so, join Tom Chesshyre on his meandering rail journey across Europe from London to Venice. Escaping the rat race for a few happy weeks, Chesshyre indulges in the freedom of the tracks with no set plans. As the trains lead the way, his trip takes him as far east as Ukraine before winding back to his destination.

To Hull and Back

Author: Tom Chesshyre
Publisher: Summersdale
ISBN: 1848394276
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 295

Book Description
As staff travel writer on The Times, Tom Chesshyre had visited over 80 countries on assignment, and wondered: what is left to be discovered? On a mad quest he visited secret spots of Britain in search of the least likely holiday destinations. With a light and edgy writing style, Tom peels back the skin of the unfashionable underbelly of Britain.

Around the World in 80 Trains

Author: Monisha Rajesh
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1408869780
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 337

Book Description
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER AWARD FOR BEST TRAVEL BOOK SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 'Monisha Rajesh has chosen one of the best ways of seeing the world. Never too fast, never too slow, her journey does what trains do best. Getting to the heart of things. Prepare for a very fine ride' Michael Palin From the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet's Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Around the World in 80 Trains is a celebration of the glory of train travel and a witty and irreverent look at the world. Packing up her rucksack – and her fiancé, Jem – Monisha Rajesh embarks on an unforgettable adventure that takes her from London's St Pancras station to the vast expanses of Russia and Mongolia, North Korea, Canada, Kazakhstan, and beyond. The journey is one of constant movement and mayhem, as the pair strike up friendships and swap stories with the hilarious, irksome and ultimately endearing travellers they meet on board, all while taking in some of the earth's most breathtaking views.

City of Fortune

Author: Roger Crowley
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0679644261
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 536

Book Description
“The rise and fall of Venice’s empire is an irresistible story and [Roger] Crowley, with his rousing descriptive gifts and scholarly attention to detail, is its perfect chronicler.”—The Financial Times The New York Times bestselling author of Empires of the Sea charts Venice’s astounding five-hundred-year voyage to the pinnacle of power in an epic story that stands unrivaled for drama, intrigue, and sheer opulent majesty. City of Fortune traces the full arc of the Venetian imperial saga, from the ill-fated Fourth Crusade, which culminates in the sacking of Constantinople in 1204, to the Ottoman-Venetian War of 1499–1503, which sees the Ottoman Turks supplant the Venetians as the preeminent naval power in the Mediterranean. In between are three centuries of Venetian maritime dominance, during which a tiny city of “lagoon dwellers” grow into the richest place on earth. Drawing on firsthand accounts of pitched sea battles, skillful negotiations, and diplomatic maneuvers, Crowley paints a vivid picture of this avaricious, enterprising people and the bountiful lands that came under their dominion. From the opening of the spice routes to the clash between Christianity and Islam, Venice played a leading role in the defining conflicts of its time—the reverberations of which are still being felt today. “[Crowley] writes with a racy briskness that lifts sea battles and sieges off the page.”—The New York Times “Crowley chronicles the peak of Venice’s past glory with Wordsworthian sympathy, supplemented by impressive learning and infectious enthusiasm.”—The Wall Street Journal

Rick Steves Pocket Venice

Author: Rick Steves
Publisher: Rick Steves
ISBN: 1641710551
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 295

Book Description
Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves! This colorful, compact guidebook is perfect for spending a week or less in Venice: City walks and tours: Eight detailed self-guided walks including a Rialto to Frari Church Walk and tours of St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace, plus a Grand Canal Cruise to see the city by vaporetto Rick's strategic advice on what's worth your time and money What to eat and where to stay: Savor calamari at a cicchetti bar, mingle with locals with a Bellini or spritz con Aperol in hand, and stay in a romantic canal-side hotel Day-by-day itineraries to help you prioritize your time A detailed, detachable fold-out map, plus museum and city maps throughout Full-color, portable, and slim for exploring on-the-go Trip-planning practicalities like when to go, how to get around, basic Italian phrases, and more Lightweight, yet packed with info on Venice's history and culture, Rick Steves Pocket Venice truly is a tour guide in your pocket. Extending your trip? Try Rick Steves Venice or Rick Steves Italy.

Andy Steves' Europe

Author: Andy Steves
Publisher: Rick Steves
ISBN: 1631217976
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 620

Book Description
Pick a Weekend, Pick a City, and Go! Andy Steves' travel guide picks up where crowdsourcing leaves off, covering the skills you need for spur-of-the-moment trips to Europe's top destinations. Follow strategic, three-day itineraries for exploring each city. Learn which cities match your interests and which can be easily combined for a longer trip, including itineraries for Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Dublin, Edinburgh, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Rome, and Venice. See iconic sights. Check the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye, and the Colosseum off your bucket list, and use Andy's tips to save time and skip lines. Hit the local hot spots. Chill at Amsterdam's coffee shops, study mixology at London's speakeasies, and bust moves at Barcelona's beach clubs. Enjoy the best (and cheapest) local cuisine. Graze at boulangeries in Paris, pubs in Dublin, and aperitivobars in Rome. Become a temporary local. Engage with the culture to enjoy authentic, unforgettable experiences. Master digital travel. Make the most of your money in Europe with apps and other digital resources. Connect with other travelers. Head to the most popular hostels for a ready-made, real-life social network. Enjoy handy tools at your fingertips, with full-color photos and detailed, helpful maps throughout. Whether you're studying abroad or just looking to explore Europe without breaking the bank, Andy Steves' Europe will have you city-hopping like a pro.

Slow Train to Switzerland

Author: Diccon Bewes
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1857889762
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 243

Book Description
A travel diary from 1863 inspires author Diccon Bewes to retrace Thomas Cook's historic train trip that revolutionized tourism forever.