If you are looking for somewhere quiet to hide from the masses at JFK then an airport lounge could be a very good plan. Maybe your airline status or business class seat lets you into a lounge. If so, enjoy the food and drink and skip this review. The rooms may be more private but you can have a nice enough time in a regular lounge not to warrant the extra cost. However, if you are a mere mortal like me then read on for my full Minute Suites JFK review.
Sleeping, relaxing and working in airports can all be tricky. Bright lighting, noisy gate announcements and people tripping over your feet are constant bothers. Enthusiastic air con can make even the comfiest of spots unpleasant to be in and you never know who is going to sit near you and start scrolling socials without headphones. Even normal airport lounges can be just as bad, full of self important business people barking instructions at staff down the phone on loud speaker or demanding coffee after coffee from the overworked servers. Some are so oversubscribed that it’s tough to find a seat.
All that to say, you won’t experience any of that once you’re checked into Minute Suites. The noise from the gates is wiped away and some branches even have white noise machines to help further (not JFK yet though). You control the lighting and the fan so you can have it nice and dark for napping, or nice and cool for working. It is truly a space you relax in as you have it all to yourself. No fighting for a seat because it’s all yours. You can have a shower (not available in all locations), watch TV, nap or plug your laptop in for an important meeting you need to have in a quiet space.
Our Stays at Minutes Suites JFK
We have actually stayed at Minute Suites Express JFK not once, btt twice. That probably gives you an indication that we quite liked it. Our first stopover was between a very late Virgin Atlantic flight and a very Delta one (both of which operate in JFK Terminal 4). Our luggage didn’t arrive on our first flight so we spent about an hour messing about with all that before heading through to the concourse again. We had five hours booked and managed a decent four hours of sleep.
Our second stay was again a Virgin to Delta overnight connection. This time we had much longer and got six decent hours of kip. On both occasions, I was surprisedat how well I slept but I guess a long-haul flight will do that to you.
Our Review of Minute Suites JFK
Check In
Right opposite B24 is something that looks like a just another shop but there is a counter and this is the check in area. Nobody was behind the counter (totally expected at 00:20). We pressed the doorbell and the friendly staff appeared within a few seconds. They let us in and showed us to the room, grabbing an additional set of bedding and showing us how things worked. They mentioned booking a bathroom slot (more on that later) but not that it was chargeable.
The Rooms
The rooms are reasonably small but very clean and simply decked out. Each has:
A smart TV which you can use to stream lots of different services including Netflix and YouTube.
Two sets of plugs which have two USA plugs and two USB-A sockets.
Free Wifi.
A fan or temperature control.
A smart speaker or Alexa.
A couch with a pillow and blanket.
The Couch/Sofa/Bed
The couch/sofa is grey leatherette so it is comfortable enough but I wouldn’t say cozy. I would imagine it’s just so it’s easy to wipe down. The big cushion is firm which suits me for sleeping but might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
We each got a pillow, which was just right and a fluffy blanket for a duvet/comforter. Our room was warm so it was fine but I did bring another blanket to use between myself and the sofa itself.
You can pull out a second bed (a trundle, or truckle bed) from the bottom which is how you get two adults enough space to sleep. Saying that, something Mr Fluskey noticed, is that the bottom bed is shorter. We are both under 5’6” and we only just fit.
The Bathrooms
Located within Minute Suites Express JFK, is a bathroom. In here you will find a toilet and sink. That isn’t why you would book a slot in here however. The thing they are charging for is the shower. It has a fixed shower head and a handheld one, as well as the products you’ll need to get clean; shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Then, you can use the hairdryer and clean towels. This is so handy, meaning you don’t need to carry anything extra to freshen up…but it does come at a price.We really wanted to get as much sleep as possible so we didn’t bother with the shower. It really wakes me up and I didn’t want to rush getting all invigorated! We just showered once we reached our final destination.
If you are not booking a bathroom slot, you need to leave Minute Suites to pee or brush your teeth. Next door you will find the gents and directly opposite from that is the ladies. I brushed my teeth here and it was fine. It was late at night and nobody else was around really. I can see how this would be embarrassing though for some people.
Top Tips for Staying at lMinutes Suites JFK
PJs – If you are staying, and normally sleep in your birthday suit, remember to bring pyjamas so that you can leave the room to go to the bathroom easily.
Bedding – You are not provided with a bottom sheet so if you are worried about using the public sofa, bring an additional little throw, sheet or blanket to use as well.
Security – Security/TSA will not let you through security until 00:01 (!2:01 am) on the day that you are flying. If you are arriving internationally, and planning an overnight stay, don’t forget that you have to wait until midnight to get through. Only then will you be allowed to make your way through TSA screening and to Minute Suites. If you arriving domestically, the plane will disembark directly onto the concourse so you are already there…easy peasy.
Room Temperature – During our first stay, we have the Times Square room. In here, we had access to the air conditioning. We like it warm so didn’t touch it anyway. On our second stay, we were in Wal Street. In there, we had no controls. We don’t know if this is the passage of time or the different rooms. If you like a chilly sleeping environment, it might be worth contacting Minute Suites JFK to find out either way.
Plugs – There are USA (type A) plugs and USB-A plugs in the room. Remember this if you are planning to charge anything and are either just transiting the USA or have USB-C charging cables. You need to bring appropriate plugs.
Pricing – Up to 8 hours If you are staying overnight, the price is much lower for those eight hours.
Discounts – There are a few ways to get a healthy discount. Military/veterans and airline employees will get money off. You can also have one hour for free with a Priority Pass, and a further discount on any additional hours you book. This covers the cardholder and two additional guests.
The Shower – Adding shower time costs $30, or $20 if you’re using a discounted rate. You can book just to use the shower. At $30, it is not the cheapest wash you’ve had but if you really need to freshen up then it’s nice to know its there and you can book a slot ahead of time on the website.
Breastfeeding – Minute Suites has a policy which allows breastfeeding mothers to use a room for 30 minutes for free. I have recently seen a video saying someone said this was no longer the case but it still shows on the website so take a screenshot and use if needs be.
Final Thoughts on Our Minute Suites JFK Review
Mr Fluskey insists that true luxury is exclusivity and privacy. By his standards this is pure luxury. I think if you threw in some snacks and a bottom sheet I might agree a bit more. However, whilst it may not be a luxury, I think Minute Suites is a brilliant idea with excellent execution.
Will we be back? You betcha! Atlanta will be our next long layover so it’ll be rather fun to compare and contrast a night there. Maybe this post will get a little upgrade…stay tuned!
Windstar Cruises is a boutique cruise line with a stellar reputation. Great food, intriguing itineraries and small ships set them apart. We have now done two super sailings with Windstar and when people ask why we returned (and why we would again in a heartbeat) we have a few things we want to share. Read on for our reasons to cruise with Windstar Cruises.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
1.) The Small Ships
On both occasions we have sailed with Windstar, we have been aboard the Windstar Pride. There are three ships that are the same size, the Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend as well as some smaller sailing ships (with actual sails). None of the ships carry more than 312 passengers, even after a program of refurbishment which involved stretching them and inserting more suites. So why are smaller ships better?
Fewer rooms mean fewer passengers and this has some wonderful advantages. With only a couple of hundred people, you will find that boarding the ship is much quicker. Waiting for tenders is nearly unheard of as it only takes two boats to take everybody. You will not be queueing for the buffet and getting a drink is never a struggle. Then there is the relationship with the crew.
Now, I like living in a city. Anonymity is something I treasure day to day., However, on my holiday, it is really nice to be on first name terms with the staff. The crew of Windstar are amazing at getting to know you and your preferences in just a day. Then, when the crew do their fabulous talent show, you know them already and it feels like a brilliant (yet extravagant) family Christmas party or something.
Despite the ships’ smaller size, there always seems to be plenty of room for you to have your own space. You can find little nooks in the Yacht Club, during the day and in Compass Rose at night. Even as a couple, we always had our own space. You will also be surprised how often you can claim one of the two hot tubs, or the pool, to yourself.
2.) The Splendid Suites
Every room on Windstar is a suite. They may call them cabins but at 277 sq ft |(just under 26m²), they are bigger than most. Theres loads of room to relax in the seating area as well as space around the big bed. There is a walk-in wardrobe, the dream. You will have a huge side board and a bar too. The bathrooms are distinctly sizable with his and hers sinks as well as a surprisingly large shower. (Not that this is about size,m but it is worth mentioning that the showers are excellent, stronger than mine at home). It is worth noting that the smallest thing in the room is the balcony in the balcony suites which is more of an extended Juliet situation.
The sailing ships are due for a room refurbishment in the next two years so you can expect more of the same soon there too.
3.) The Foodie Fervour
The food onboard the Windstar ships is top notch. There is no stodgy pasta, the buffets aren’tstuffed with cheap ingredients and there are no half-arsed main restaurant offerings. Everything is prepared with great, fresh ingredients and you can tell!
James Beard
James Beard was a US chef who wrote books, helped pioneer cooking shows in TV and taught in his own cooking school. The foundation that bears his name funds culinary education through scholarships and celebrates great food, restaurateurs and food-related media through the USA. It gives awards annually to the best of the best. Well, with all that said, it is with pride that Windstar is the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation. On each menu, you will find a James Beard dish, created by a chef who has been part of the James Beard family. They are exciting dishes that tickle the tastebuds of any enquiring foodie.
Variety
Even though the ships are small, you won’t find the same food from one day to the next. You may eat in Veranda for lunch every day for a week and find a different theme every day. This isn’t a couple of token dishes amongst a sea of repeats, but the whole buffet. The Thai day was a particular favourite on our last trip.
4.) The Casual Luxury Vibe
Dress Code – During the day, guests can wear whatever they fancy, with the exception of swimwear in the veranda. If you are in your swimmers, you can grab lunch at Star Grill. In the evening, the restaurants encourage a casual but elegant dress code. Men need trousers and t-shirts are frowned upon.
Dining – Speaking of Star Grill. If you want a really chilled out grab and go lunch then you can head to Star Grill where the food is high end BBQ with some fun sides, slads and a self-serve soft-serve icecream machine.
Activities – You do need to sign up for shore excursions but for most things on board you can just drop in. Trivia, workshops and more are all open to all. It makes such a nice change from having to book everything in advance, fighting against the masses on an app or website. One amazing example of this is their open bridge policy. If the ship isn’t in the middle of maouvering then you can pop in and have a look around and chat with the officers on duty.
5.) The Inclusions
Included in the cruise fare is all the food onboard (minus a couple of upsell giant steaks) and all the soft drinks as well.
Water Sports – Something that we still haven’t experienced ourselves in the Water Sports Platform. From here, passengers can jump into the water, snoarkel or play on the floating mats or trampoline. Windstar also has kayaks and stand up paddleboards that you can borrow and use.. This is all very much weather permitting of course but it is so cool that its all included.
Speciality Dining – There are no costly dining options on Windstar. Instead, the two speciality options are included. Veranda, where you’ll find breakfast and lunch transforms into a speciality restaurant in the evening called Candles. This is the steak and seafood spot and their cooking is spot on! Cuadro 44 is a Spanish dining concept with flavours of Barcelona at the forefront. The Iberico ham is divine and octopus is wonderfully cooked. Best of all? I doesn’t cost a penny more! Cuadro 44 is due to be replaced with a Mediterranean and Asian fusion spot which sounds rather intriguing.
The World Spa – Booking a massage or beauty treatment is going to garner an additional cost, and its pretty pricy so if you love a shiatsu then budget accordingly. However, the thermal suite is free to use and open all day. In here you will find four fabulous heated beds, a sauna, steam room and exciting shower with lots of jets. Considering spa passes usually cost, this is a really lovely addition.
Windstar takes their destinations seriously. They love to give their guests a sense of place, unlike plenty of other lines that just travel the world without paying much attention to their stops at all.
Food
On most sailings, you will find a similar selection of food options during the week. However, there is also often a chance to join the chefs as they venture ashore and head to a local market. where they see whats good and fresh. You can give some input too! Then, that evening, it is very likely you’ll find the purchases on the menu.
Entertainment
As well as the local food, they like to find local entertainment or specialities and invite people to share their gifts. For example, on a stop in la Gomera, Spain, the locals use a whistle language to communicate between valleys and we had a demonstration from three amazing ladies in the lounge. In Colombia, a dance troupe gave an amazing performance of traditioal dances, more modern (well, 1950s ) variations and an old African dance which was fantastic. Finally, in Madeira, Portugal, we were treated to a gorgeous fado singing show. It is so lovely to have a sense of the spot you are docked in. The whistling demonstration in particular was not something we could just book for ourselves.
Excursions
Having a smaller number of guests means they can offer several small group tours in a way a larger ship couldn’t…or wouldn’t. As such, they can make local connections, allowing the tours into their homes. The cooking lessons are in people’s kitchens and cultural exchanges don’t just happen in poorly disguised shops. Even on beach days or other seemingly standard trips, they try and find a way to include the local area and people. In San Blas, Panama, a local tribe comes to visit the island where they sell traditional textiles and perform a dance that goes back generations.
7.) The Amazing Itineraries
Many of the sailors that you’ll meet on Windstar are pretty well travelled. They are keen to see more of the world in a relaxed and luxurious way. Thus, the majority of the cruise plans offered by Windstar are port-focused. This allows guests to get out and explore. This is especially true of the itineraries that include an overnight stop. This, combined with the ships’ ability to squeeze in closer to towns means they can be a great place to explore from. Staying in Madeira, Portugal, it was just a fifteen minute walk into the centre of the city.
Comparing the itineraries that Windstar offers, you are going to find some delightfully unique offerings. For example, their home is in French Polynesia so they have some amazing port visits around Tahiti and the surrounding area. The best way to discover what in offer is to scour the website and start dreaming of your adventure.
Final Thoughts on Our 7 Reasons to Cruise with Windstar Cruises
In summary, cruising with Windstar Cruises feels like pretty darn fancy pants. The ships are big and busy enough that you won’t get bored, but small and quiet enough that you don’t feel swamped or stressed. It is the most divine balance. Maybe one day we will join them for a third sailing but until then, we hope you have the chance and the best time!
Otherwise known as Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant. the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is a stunning piece of Imagineering. I may very well be biased, but I think it is the prettiest Disney castle and the details that are within and without are incredible. Here are 7 reasons Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland Paris is the coolest Disney castle in the world.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
7 Reasons Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland Paris is the Coolest Disney Castle in the World:
With France being absolutely full of castles and stately homes, the Imagineers, headed by Tony Baxter, wanted to ensure that this would be the most gorgeous Disney castle in the world. They studied the most stunning chateaus and used them as inspiration. Each turret of the castle is different and they all have nods to these iconic French castles.
Oh, and then they painted it pink and blue both because those fairies wouldn’t have it any other way and so it would stand out from the grey European skies. There are actually 14 shades of pink across the castle, lending detail and depth to its facade. It reaches 167 foot tall (that’s just shy of 51 meters for those of us who work in metric) and as with all castles, it faces North to ensure a nice shot in front of it all day.
2.) La Tanière du Dragon (The Dragon’s Lair)
Underneath the beautiful castle there lies a scary secret. A cantankerous old dragon lives in a dark cavern in the hill. This dragon is Merlin’s and if you stick around for a few minutes you might see this grumpy boy wake up and give the visitors a warning to leave. There were two other versions of this dragon slated for originally Tokyo Disneyland and Animal Kingdom but only this boy made the cut. He was originally meant to be a stationary model but luckily for us, they turned it into an amazing moving, roaring and smoking animatronic. In fact, it originally breathed fire but it was a health and safety nightmare so that was quickly changed. It was the largest animatronic in the world when it was built but it has been surpassed many times since.
3.) La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant (The Sleeping Beauty Gallery)
Upstairs (walking through from front to back, you’ll see the stairs on the left) are the most beautiful pieces of art. These are made by true artisans and tell the story of Sleeping Beauty.
The stained glass was created by British artist Paul Chapman. He is legit! So much so, he helped recreate Notre Dame’s windows during its renovation. He was the stained glass artist of choice for the British royal family for 30 years. In fact, he came out of retirement to do these beautiful pieces as he was so taken with the idea of telling a fairytale through stained glass. it makes a change from gospels…!
The tapestries are also properly handmade and not IKEA rug recreations. They were woven in Aubusson in central France, a tradition home of tapestry. They continue the story of Sleeping Beauty around the walls of the upstairs space. They are accompanied by the spinning wheel and two sleeping guards which help bring the story to life.
4.) Achats Fantastiques (Fantastic Shopping)
On the ground floor, you will find two brilliant shops. The first is the Christmas Shop, officially called La Boutique du Château, which has fun baubles, tree decorations, lights and more. It is decked out in Christmas sparkle all year round. This does feel a little bonkers in the heat of a Parisian August but there is never a bad time to get this year’s new ornament iis there? The flowers on the ceiling are reminiscent of real castle ceilings from Scotland to Southern France.
The second is the Merlin’s Enchanted shop, Merlin l’Enchanteur, which sells expensive jewellery, and decorative crystal pieces. Glittering glass displays including model castles at €25,000+ twinkling appealingly. If you need a tiara, there are more than a few to choose from. You can even have your own wand made here, a glass chassis filled with pretty glass beads which will be created right infront of you by an actual glassblower.
5.) Porter un Toast au Château (Toasting the Castle)
Unique to Paris is the casual alcohol policy. It is very recent that any alcohol was served in Magic Kingdom but in contrast, Disneyland Paris has been serving booze since 1993. But what does this have to do with the castle? On the opposite side of the hub, just outside of Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, you can grab a glass of champagne and enjoy a bit of bubbly with this beauty. The Disneyland Paris champagne is pretty good and it is so lovely to toast the castle. The wine is called Edition Spéciale Disneyland Paris – Champagne Pierre Mignon Grande Réserve, the regular version of which sells for around €35 a bottle in the shops. Bear in mind that DLP served Lanson during the 30th anniversary celebrations so their house Champers could change again. I think that at €20 for 150ml of bubbly and a souvenir glass, it isn’t terribly priced.
Look for the cart from mid-afternoon until the start of the fireworks.
The rolling hills that Sleeping Beauty’s castle perches upon, and the unusual square trees are both references to the art work from the 1959 Sleeping Beauty film. Eyvind Earle was the chief artist and added such a distinct style to the film which blended medieval art, tapestries and colours both against the sky and the fairies… In particular, he says he took inspiration from two pieces. The first, a tapestry called The Lady and the Unicorn which you can see in the Musée de Cluny, Paris. The second, an illustrated manuscript from the 1400s called Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, now found in the Musee Conde in Chantilly, France. It’s amazing how his research turned into a beautiful film, which translated to the 3D rectangular trees we see with our gorgeous castle.
7. ) Escargots (Snails)
OK, so having this as its own separate point might be a little overindulgent but it is such an adorable detail that i just couldn’t resist. If you are looking at the castle from the front, see if you can spy the golden turret with the small bumps. These are not just decorative blobs, but actually large golden snails. The imagineers wanted to give a little nod to the famous French delicacy of escargots (snails) especially popular doused in garlic butter and garnished with plenty of parsley. If you want to try them yourself, you could splash out on the lavish Royal Banquet in the Disneyland Paris Hotel. Alternatively, Brasserie Rosalie in the Disney Village has their own variation on the dish. Bon appetit!
Where to Snap a Photo
If you want to get your photo with the stunning Sleeping Beauty Castle, here are six of top spots:
Before you head down Main Street USA towards the castle, ensure you stop in the Town Square Gazebo.
The curved bridge that leads into the castle creates a nice block to those walking over it. Aim for the left side of the wall and you can get rid of at least some of the crowd.
Facing the castle, head around to the left and walk along the wide but short path towards the bridge. There is a little cul-de-sac here which hardly ever has anyone there.
The path that leads all the way around to the left, past the entrance to Adventureland, gives a super view of the castle and the hill it sit upon. To get a shot, you will have to wait for passing foot traffic but with a little patience, you’ll get a great one.
If you are looking at the back of the castle from Fantasyland there is a little nook next to the entrance to Snow White. You can use the bush to cover up the throngs of people and have a cute moment.(I intend to have a better photo here when I’m not wrapped up in snow gear).
On the other side of the fantasy land is the small but perfectly formed Cinderella fountain again this is a great spot to cover up some of the crowds for a nice back of the castle picture.
Finally, if you venture through the Alice in Wonderland Labyrinth and climb the castle belonging to the Queen of Hearts you can get a wonderful view of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in the distance.
Final Thoughts on Our 7 Reasons Disneyland Paris is the Coolest Disney Castle in the World
I suppose the only way I am going to be able to confirm my suspicion that our castle is the coolest one is to travel to every Disney castle park in the world. Thus far, I have only ticked off Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Paris and the OG in Disneyland but as for castle parks, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai still evade me.
What do you think? Are any of the other Dinsey castles your favourite and why? Let me know in the comments.
Travelling alone to Disneyland Paris might seem like a crazy way to spend a short break, but hear me out. Why not get a little bit of magic when you have time and money to do so, without having to worry about anyone else. Travelling solo, you can have exactly the trip you like and leave full of Disney feels. After some lovely “me time” at Disneyland Paris, here are my top tips for your Disneyland Paris solo trip.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
First things first, download the Disneyland Paris app. This doesn’t count as a tip, but an absolute necessity. This is how you book dining reservations, check “live” attraction queue times, mobile order your food, join virtual queues, buy Premier Access passes and more.
Now that that’s done, let’s look at how you can ace travelling to Disneyland Paris alone.
1. Choose Your Own Travel Time
School and National Holidays
If you don’t have kiddos in tow, you can travel at any point of the year. To save some money, or to hit slightly lessened crowds, you can pick dates that don’t fall during any school holidays or big national holidays. Do remember that Disneyland Paris attracts visitors from across Europe, and even from the USA so consider their dates too. For example, schools break up a month earlier than in the UK in summer for both US and EU. Definitely steer clear of Bastille Day on 14th July, the Easter holidays and the Christmas holidays. See below for August madness.
Weekends
Weekends are busier, of course as again, it is when the children aren’t at school, and when most people don’t go to work. You may be tied to a Monday to Friday job but if not, you can come midweek and it will be a markedly less busy…and cheaper for tickets too.
Special Events
Do you adore Halloween? Fancy doing something for Christmas? Want to see what Pride looks like at Disney? Well, Disneyland Paris is open 365 days a year so you can celebrate anything you want there.
2. Where to Stay for Your Solo Trip to Disneyland Paris
Try a Hostel
If you are up for sharing a room with a few folks you don’t know, you can book a single bed in a dorm. This is going to save you huge amounts of money but you might sacrifice a little sleep thanks to noisy bunkmates. There are a couple near enough to Disneyland Paris to catch a short bus ride but most will be closer to Central Paris and involve a train ride.
Disneyland Paris Hotels
Booking one of Disneyland Paris’s 6 hotels gives you all sorts of lovely perks. You can take advantage of more park time (extra magic hour in the morning) and access to cute meet and greets in the resorts. Your booking price includes tickets to both parks on the day you check in, and the day you check out. Going solo sadly doesn’t half the price but it will take off the cost of the second person’s tickets so you can save around €200.
If you are concerned about staying alone, you can spend a little extra for a preferred room. These are closer to reception, meaning you don’t have far to go on your own.
Even with the discount, the Disneyland Paris Hotel is a little beyond my budget
Other Hotels
I have stayed in a hotel two stations away which was cheap and cheerful, but not that nice to be honest. I think that in summer, I would be a little more wary of doing this as it would be so much later at night, but with the park closing early in winter, I was never out by myself in the wee hours. For peace of mind, opt for a hotel with a shuttle, or that is nice and close to the train station.
AirBnBs & Apartments
These can be a cheap option but do remember that the safety aspects aren’t as guaranteed. You are also at the whim of hosts/owners so could end up stuck outside waiting for keys or similar. A hotel with a reception eliminates this. Go with places that have countless amazing reviews and do remember to read the bad ones too so you are aware of any potential issues.
3. Take Advantage of Single Rider
Disney ride vehicles have a set number of seats and people arrive in odd sized groups. In order to fill every ride, many theme parks have something called a Single Ride Line. They fill the ride vehicles with people from this queue. As most people want to stick with their friends and family, they don’t line up in Single Rider. Thus, the queue is often shorter. In fact, you can check the queue times in the app as well as the regular stand by queue. I’m not going to lie, it can feel a little awkward screaming your head off next to a stranger on the rollercoasters, or hopping into a car with a family of four on Ratatouille but once you are used to it, its fantastic.
There are currently 8 rides with Single Rider Lines:
Crush’s Coaster
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop
RC Racer
Ratatouille: The Adventure
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril
Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure
Avengers Flight Force
Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
If there is somewhere else you would like to skip the queue, you could always shell out for Premier Access (more on that later).
4. Get a Great View of the Entertainment Solo
When there is only one of you, you can find a nice little spot to squeeze into in a way that a family or couple never will. I like to find a lamp or bin so lean against. You will have that space solidly to yourself. You may also find getting a seat in the shows is easier as a single customer.
Do remember that you don’t have anyone to save your place while you run to the loo, or grab a hot chocolate so make sure you’ve done it all before you secure your spot. It is also worth remembering that although a glass of champagne by the castle is lovely, those boozy bubbles will make you need a pee at what could be a very inopportune moment.
5. Delight in Solo Dining
Table Dining
Table bookings open 12 months in advance for Disney property guests and 60 days in advance for everyone else. I think it is a great idea to have one sit down eaml booked. this punctuates your day and gives it a little structure. it is also a nice chance to chat to someone. The cast members will make you feel super welcome, and after only having your own thoughts to talk to, it might be nice to have a proper conversation. Waiting for a table for one or two people is very often quicker than the families in front of you that need four or five seats together. You may find you can skip the line as they find larger parties trickier to seat. Buffet restaurants are even easier as you can mostly do your own thing.
Where’s the Bar?
You could also ask if there is a seat at the bar, as some restaurants offer this. You will have your own little space and can grab that spot so much quicker. It also allevaites some of the embarrassment some people feel about sitting on a table for two or more when they are dining solo.
Set Meals or Graze your Way
The nicest thing about eating on your Disneyland Paris solo trip, is that you can do it however you like. If you love three sit down meals a day then you can go right ahead and book them in. Alternatively, you can just graze throughout the day, grabbing bits and bobs that take your fancy. Nobody else tummy rumbles throw off your carefully curated plan of rides through Frontierland and no picky eaters will ruin your chance to try the Middle Eastern cuisine of Agrabah Cafe. You can eat what, where and when you choose. plus, if you don’t share it on social media, you can have three extra desserts and there is nobody to judge you!
Ordering Technology
If you are thoroughly enjoying keeping yourself to yourself, you don’t even have to order from a perso at many quick service restaurants. You can order n advance on the Disneyland paris app. Mobile ordering gives you time to scroll through the options and to just grab it when it is ready. They have been using touchscreen ordering machines at Hyperion Cafe (you will familiar with these from McDonalds and similar establishments( which, again, gives you the chance to order whilst still listening to your own brain, music or whatever you have going on.
Hyperion Cafe
Speaking of Hyperion Cafe, this is a great place to eat if you hate sitting without something to do when you are on your own. The auditorium is actually called Videopolis because there is a large screen in the room which plays Disney shows and shorts. This is a nice diraction from what is a distinctly average fast food burger.
6. Set Your Own Pace
Are you an adrenaline junkie that wants to dash from ride to ride, stopping only to pee or throw up? Be our guest! Fancy just strolling along Main Street USA and soaking it all up? Take it easy. This is your day and you can do Disney your way. Strangely, my first solo visit, it took me a while to warm up. I am normally a ride junkie but I ended up walking around in circles for about an hour first. Howevere, once i got into the swing of it, I was on fast forward, popping to the bathroom or to pick up something delicious as and when.
12. Remember Your Safety
Watch the Weather
Make sure you have the correct gear for the weather during your visit. You won’t have anyone to remind you when it is time to reapply your sun cream or to put another layer on in the cold. Be a responsible bunny and take care of yourself.
Utilise Your Hotel Safe
If your hotel has a lockable safe, leave your important bits in here unless you want/need them in the park. French law requires you to carry ID but if that worries you, you can have a photocopy of your passport instead. If the police do ask to see it, you can show them the copy as long as you go and pick up the original to take to the police station afterwards.
Watch Your Valuables
We all have phones, possibly a wallet and even fancy action cameras on us when we visit Disneyland Paris. It would be so sad to have them nabbed. Travelling solo, you will only have yourself to keep an eye on your belongings. Don’t leave your bag at the table when you pop to the toilet, go to the buffet. or put it down next to you as you scroll your phone or watch the fireworks. Keep it strapped to you in some way, or have another small pouch with your most important bits in which never comes off.
Pickpockets do operate on buses, trains to and from Paris. and in the crowds around the park. Be vigilant and keep your bag in view with a nice secure zip. I like to have a little karabiner clip on mine in busy cities.
If someone starts to talk to you, be extra careful as they may be causing a distraction. Be polite but keep a hand on your bag.
Finally, if you are on RER or Paris and sitting by the door, beware of gadget snatchers. Someone could grab your phone just as the doors are shutting, then the train leaves while the thief remains on the platform. Be vigilant and maybe keep your phone away securely, listening to an airpod for entertainment.
Getting Home
Getting home at night means being a little aware. Don’t have loud music on in your earbuds, pay a bit more attention if your surroundings, especially if they are unfamiliar. Staying around Val L’Europe or Marne-la-Vallée is a good option as it is well lit. Just exercise your common sense. Last time I travelled to Disneyland Paris solo, I just hopped in an Uber and shared my ride details with my other half who was back in the UK.
Drinking
I am by no means telling you not to enjoy a drink or two. A glass of champagne in front of the castle, wine with dinner or a cool cocktail from the hotel bars is an adult treat that makes it feel like a holiday. However, do keep your wits about you and don’t test your limits. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions and awareness so maybe stick to just a couple.
8. Love the Price
Travelling solo can often be an expensive business. When you are forced to take taxis, for example, you have no choice but to cover 100% of the cost. However, a Disneyland Paris solo trip is somewhat of a happy exception.
Transfers To and From the Airport
Skip the taxi because there are two good options. From Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris’ main hub, you can hop on a super speedy RER train to Mame le Vallee. It takes just ten minutes and as it can be pricy, only buying one ticket is a welcome treat. If you want a drop off at one of the Disney Hotels or Partner Hotels then you can grab a ticket for the Magical Shuttle. This takes an hour from either Charles de Gaulle or Orly (the budget airline airport).
Taking the Eurostar
Similarly, you can snag a cheap ticket just for yourself. As you are only beholden to your own schedule, you can choose the cheapest ticket. You’ll need to change at Lille or Paris Gare de Nord as direct services no longer run to DLP. This option is even better if you are very flexible and can take advantage of the Eurostar Snap scheme. Bear in mind that this will only take you to Paris Gare du Nord. One last thought on this. Flying limits your luggage greatly (especially for budget airlines). Eurostar has much more chilled luggage restrictions especially for size and liquids. travelling solo, you’ll need to carry everythign you need so this can really help.
Premier Access and Priority Viewing
Ah Premier Access… This is the Disneyland Paris’ queue-skipping option and it has replaced the old fst pass systems. Premier Access comes in two variations. You can choose to buy line-skip passes a la carte (Premier Access One) or pay for the whole day (Premier Access Ultimate). This allows you join the short queue at every included attraction once per day. As a solo traveller, you only have to shell out for one at a time…imagine a family of four, it would be horribly expensive.
Similarly, you can pay to go into a less crowded area for the parades and fireworks. The Priority Viewing tickets allow you to arrive later (a god-send in winter) and they have a great view.
9. Enjoy Some Guilt Free Treats
Shopping
Spending only your own money means you can shop til you drop without feeling any guilt. I am not big into merch so this one doesn’t affect me too much, but on a recent freezing visit I was considering buying a hat. The only person involved in making that spending decision was me! In the end, I decided that I didn’t like any of them enough to wear them again so I didn’t bother but it was so nice not to have a partner in tow, trying to dissuade me from my decision.
A Spa Break
You don’t have to spend your whole Disneyland Paris solo trip in the parks. You could take some time and relax in a pool or spa. After a few rounds of Flight Force, you are going to be in need of a massage. Head to a nearby hotel and indulge! This is especially lovely in winter when you feel like your bones are cold.
Liquid Treats
Its those drink treats that sometimes, your friends and family just don’t understand. My other half doesn’t drink coffee so trying to convince him to stand in that coffee queue is nigh on impossible. You want to queue for your caffeine fix? Go for it! Maybe you fancy something a little stronger? A glass of champagne in a plastic souvenir flute is €20 but if your travel buddy doesn’t drink, it might be considered a little excessive. Someone might even think it is weird to drink alcohol at a theme park. Well, on your own, you can treat yourself and sip away.
10. Don’t Miss Out on the Photos
You might think taking a Disneyland Paris solo trip means leaving without any nice photos of yourself. I can attest that there are several ways to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Tripods – You are welcome to bring a small tripod to set up here and there. When used with a timer or remote, you can get some super shots. I have one that folds to about 15cm and extends to about 1m and it was allowed. however, you cannot have a selfie stick or hold up an extended tripod/monopole. (These were taken with a tripod)
Selfie Cases – Some people bring phone cases with sticky suction pads that can attach your phone to the side of something shiny (a glass wall or bin). This is fine if you just want an outfit photo but you won’t find many places with aesthetic backgrounds for this kind of photography.
Photo Pass/Cast Members – You can pay for the professionals in certain spots around the park to take your photo. Do bear in mind, however, that they may not be where you want them to be and might not have much flexibility in where and what they can shoot. You can also give your phone/camera to staff when you meet characters.
“Do You Want One All Together?” – This is the best way I think. You can offer to take a group’s photos so they can all be in the shot and then ask nicely if they would mind getting one for you…if they haven’t already offered.
Selfies – If all else fails, a good selfie is a lovely way to document the day.
11. Don’t Worry About Feeling Lonely
There is no need to be lonely when travelling to Disneyland Paris alone. You are going to be super busy or busy relaxing. If you feel like you need some interaction, you can always find a character to meet or a nice cast member to chat to.
Use your time in queues or when you sit down for lunch to hop on social media or message people at home. You might not get an immediate answer but they will see your message and get back to you throughout the day which gives you little pieces of interaction.
Pop in a podcast or music. I love to listen to audio entertainment and I saved a few podcasts about Disneyland Paris to listen to. Surprisingly though, I enjoyed hearing the people and music i the park that I didn’t need them for most of the time.
12. Enjoy Some Slow Moments
Travelling with a group can feel a bit like you are being dragged from pillar to post. Being on a solo trip to Disneyland Paris means you can take the time to hunt out the details that you find interesting.
The castle has some gorgeous things to discover. Upstairs is a beautiful set of stained glass windows created by a genuine artisan. He worked for the British royal family and helped restore the stained glass in Notre Dame! There are also real tapestries. Together they tell the story of Sleeping Beauty. Then, downstairs is the dragon! It would be so easy to rush through all this.
Have you heard of hidden mickeys? These are intentional Mickey shapes integrated into decorations and rides throughout the park. Hunting them down can be a really fun game…if you’re in the mood. I’ll get you started with the one in the cogs outside It’s A Small World.
Final Thoughts About Travelling to Disneyland Paris Solo
Travelling to Disneyland Paris alone is a scary prospect. I was nervous the first time but it a genuinely lovely way to spend a few days. If you can’t rustle up a travel buddy, no fear, you do not need to change your plans. Hop on a train and get a little dose of Disney magic!
There are a few ways to travel between London and Paris. You can catch the train, drive and then use a ferry or the “chunnel”, or fly from one of several London airports to one of several Parisian counterparts. Then, there is the newest and cheapest option, catching the cheap bus between the UK to France. Read on for my full FlixBus London to Paris review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
A Little About FlixBus
FlixBus has swept through Europe, swallowing the competition by providing clean and well run connections between towns and cities across The Continent. Despite their dominance elsewhere, they are still not that well known here in the U.K. I think that taking on National Express and Megabus is going to take time. Where they are really thriving is the cross-channel route between the capitals of U.K. and France.
My Trip to Paris
In November 2024, I spent a week in Paris with a few content creators. I travelled solo between home and the hotel and being rather more budget conscious when I travelled solo between without Mr Fluskey, I decided to give the coach a go. So how was it to travel on FlixBus between London and Paris? comme ci comme ça.
There is no sugarcoating it, London’s Victoria Coach Station is awful. Squat, crowded and a with distinctly chilly metal seats, it is not somewhere I choose to be if I can help it. Sadly, there aren’t really any alternatives, if you are travelling by coach. The small Pret A Manger had the usual crowd, a few coffee addicts who zoomed through, one guy who was fast asleep on the counter and some out-of-towners horrified by the price of a croissant. I thought about grabbing breakfast but decided against it. At this point, breakfast is mostly a social expectation for me rather than a requirement. Plus, I didn’t want to drink coffee and then board a bus. The bathrooms are very much for emergencies and I really didn’t want to need a wee.
The Coach
Having booked 1A, I was surprised to see that I was in fact, in the second row. For some unknown reason the driver had blocked off the front row seats with seatbelts strapped across the aisle. Then, new seat numbers had been scrolled above the rows behind, causing quite a lot of confusion on boarding as people tried to sit in the same row thinking they were both row two and row three.
I was a bit peeved because I had pushed the front row for a nice view out of the front of the coach, but instead was staring at the back of the seat. I’d paid £3.99 for the privilege that was in a regular seat. I was also a little confused as I’m pretty sure stringing seatbelts across the aisle, blocking the exit is a massive health and safety issue. If we were to get in an accident will have to disembark quickly quickly people were going to fall down the steps after having been trapped in a seatbelty web.
I did like that each seat had a one USB-A port for charging their devices, and as I was lucky enough to have the seat next to me free I could charge both my phone and my camera at the same time.
Departure
Our coach was due in at 06:45, arriving from Disneyland Paris, but it didn’t turn up until about 07:40. We departed at 07:47, 47 minutes late and I thought we were going to be late for the ferry. The timetable said “09:30 – Dover (P&O Ferries)” and there was a ferry that departed at 09:30. I did a quick map search and we weren’t due to arrive until 09:47. Clearly, I am stupid. Our ferry wasn’t the 09:30 one but the 11:00.
Entertainment
There wasn’t any to speak of. Now, I wasn’texpecting any so that was fine. However there was a sticker with a QR code which promised an entertainment suite. I did feel irritated when it didn’t work. Time to peel those stickers off me thinks.
Dover
We pulled into customs and passport check. I was first off and into the passport office which was very plain and looked distinctly temporary. One female guard sat in a small wooden box and checked our 28 passports, flicking quickly through the pages before banging the stamp down on each. The bus pulled forward and we climbed back on.
There was a departure terminal of sorts. It was almost identical to a motorway services with a WHSmith, Costa Coffee, Burger King and a little gambling arcade. There was an open door at the side and the front doors kept swishing open so it was quite cold. I made quick use of the ladies and hopped back on board for the remainder of our 30 minute break.
P&O Ferry
The coach pulled onto the big vehicle deck (Deck 5 – Red) and we all got off. I left my larger bag on my seat, just taking my little bum bag full of valuables. no point dragging it around for no reason.
I watched the White Cliffs of Dover disappearing behind the wake of the ship and for the next 45 minutes explored the decks, poking my nose in everywhere they would allow.
There were several lounges, each with a different intended function:
The Bar – Seating with a small casino in the corner.
The Family Lounge – Located at the front of the ship, the sofas here looked straight out to France. Those in the know bagged these seats very quickly. There was a cafe/bar counter in here and what seemed to be a dance floor(?)
The Pet Lounge – Somewhere for your furry friends to play, with an outside space at the back of the ship.
The Quiet Lounge – I only saw one couple in here that were chatting very loudly. They missed the point.
The Club Lounge – Only accessible by scanning a ticket, this is the premium lounge that includes food and drink throughout the sailing. It was £27 so if you were able to indulge then not bad value. I tried to see in but could only see a set of drinks optics on the wall…but that’ll do!
The Marketplace – On the top deck was the food hall. They had snacks, a selection of baked goods, hot meals, kids lunch boxes and some nice looking desserts.
I grabbed a can of Pimms and a packet of crisps from The Marketplace and settled in for the last half an hour of the crossing. Calais slowly hove into sight (everyone with normal eyesight had been able to see it for ages) and then we were called back to the bus.
Calais
We made a quick stop at a services near the port. There was a mostly shut cafe and a big shop with all kinds of food and drink. I just popped into the bathroom and straight back into the coach. I was grateful for the stop as it meant my Pimms was dealt with before we reached Paris.
Paris – Bercy Bus Station
Stepping off the coach at Bercy Bus Station was very overwhelming. It was noisy and crowded. Taxi touts swarmed the new arrivals. One guy in particular would not leave me alone and followed me, badgering me for a taxi. I escaped into the winter air as soon as I could. It was surprisingly dark in the park that is in front of the station so it took a moment to let my eyes adjust. Then it was am eight mimnute walk to the metro.
Not having read the email properly about where FlixBus picks up at Disneyland Paris, I was at the wrong bus station. I was stood outside Marne-le-Vallee train station but clicking on the map provided I realised that it wasn’t right. Luckily, I had bags of time before it was due to leave. I head back through the security, leading into the Disney bubble, and walked briskly to the exit across the way, to the Southern bus station, Chessy Sud. The bus was listed as being from Platform G which, on the sign, was labelled as Long Distance Buses. Makes sense!
The Coach
This coach was a bit newer on the inside and it was toasty warm which I really appreciated. There’s nothing worse than trying to sleep in a bus when you are cold.
Once again, I had paid a little extra to sit on the front row as it looked like it was just a single seat on one side. 1D was on the map but 1C wasn’t. Annoyingly, this was because it was reserved for one of the drivers. This whole seats thing is a bit messy and when they are charging for them, some clarity would be nice. (I’m still salty about my view on the first bus).
Departure
I was hoping to see the drone show above the car park roof but sadly, the cold and windy weather meant they didn’t take to the sky. The bus arrived about fifteen minutes before departure and the four passengers waiting, including myself, boarded. Presumably, the driver knew that everyone had arrived as we left six minutes early.
I was exhausted after a rather manic week and was looking forward to getting some sleep. However, I quickly realised that I had made a very rookie error. Sitting at the front was SUCH a bad plan. The radio was playing music, the drivers were chatting loudly and the windscreen was flooded with the headlights of vehicles. That £3.99 price tag made these seats look so tempting but a little corner somewhere at the back would have been far superior.
Bercy Bus Station
In comparison to Bercy, Victoria Coach Station is rather fancy. Buses are stacked here cheek by jowl, with just a small pavement to wait on. People spilled into the path of our coach as it approached. So dangerous! How is this the main bus station of a major European city?
I am so glad FlixBus has a service you can board from Disneyland Paris, it is vastly more pleasant and doesn’t feel as maddening or dodgy.
Calais
I dozed off, surfacing every 20 minutes or so, until we reached the Channel Tunnel terminal. The bus seemed to turn in circles until we found our way to French passport control. I made confused and tired small talk about Paris in the snow until the agent stamped my passport and I could nip back onto the coach.
I put my head down and tried to force myself back to sleep again, forgetting entirely that British Border Force was still to come.  I was just dropping off again when the coach stopped and bleary eyed, we traipsed back off. It was a very quick passport check, but then I think a couple of people were having their luggage checked by customs so we had to wait a little while before we were allowed to get back on the coach. I had been trying to dehydrate again to ensure that I could sleep and I didn’t have to use the cage. However, there was a bathroom after passport control, and a drink machine, I decided to throw caution to the wind, go for a wee and treat myself to a bottle of Orangina. I was wildly thirsty so this was definitely a good move.
The Eurotunnel
I woke up just in time to see the coach squeezing slowly onto our carriage if the EuroTunnel train.  these are basically metal shells and bogies, that you drive into. They are then sealed and the whole train chugs through the tunnel. You are not permitted to leave the vehicle during the trip. I don’t know if it was the constant light, the occasional rumbles, or just the strange sensation of being on coach that was moving without any engine, but I slept incredibly fitfully, gasping myself awake time after time. It speaks volumes that after the coach was driven back onto the road. I got a proper one and a half hours of uninterrupted sleep. Still, the train variation of this journey is far superior to that of the ferry overnight as you are made to get off the couch and then have to go and find somewhere to sleep on the boat for two hours.  if you are a good sleeper then I think you’ll get a pretty decent chunk of sleep after passport control.
London Victoria Coach Station
The next time my eyes opened, I was looking straight at a double-decker red bus, a strong indicator that we were somewhere within the M25. About five minutes later the drivers put the lights inside the coach up to full and announced that we were almost there. We arrived at about 07:00, a slight delay but nothing dramatic. I think the bus was due to turn around into the service that I had taken to Paris on the ferry originally.
The coach station to the Underground at Victoria is a steady ten minute walk and it isn’t signposted that well. Luckily, I have done this walk dozens of times so I could do it in my groggy autopilot. Weirdly, the tube was packed but I gave it a few trains and managed to get a seat all the way back to my home station…and I was straight to bed.
Final Thoughts on my Journey with FlixBus Between London and Paris
This was very much a journey of two halves. I actually really enjoyed travelling from London to Paris with FlixBus including the ferry. Yes, there was some drama with the seats but I still can’t work out if that was a FlixBus issue or that particular driver who had taken matters into his own hands. I think that for the price, and that starts at less than £20, it is a marvellous adventure and extra fun if you’re sharing it with someone else. I would 100% do this again.
However, despite the convenience of a coach that leaves directly from Disneyland Paris and carries on all the way to my hometown, the overnight journey was a bit of a trial. I am quite a light sleeper and so I always struggle on overnight transport to an extent. The recline on the seats was okay but not enough to make me feel like I was lying in a bed. Again, you can pick up these tickets at them absolute bargain but you are going to need a very decent nap when you arrive at your destination. Possibly, I wouldn’t choose to do this trip again overnight but coming back in the daytime I think would be fine.
Overall, I think FlixBus does a decent job and if you are travelling on a budget, or are trying to travel in a more sustainable way between London and Paris then it is a good option. Trust me, the next time I need to go between these two capitals and I’m short on cash, FlixBus will be the first place I look.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter puts the theme in theme park. The immersive areas are so much fun to explore. We have visited three times and adore it. Sure, you can have a wander and let it all wash over you, but if you want to discover every secret, explore every nook and cranny, and squeeze every drop of magic out of the experience, you need our top tips for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
When Universal Studios Orlando opened the Wizarding World of Harry potter, they changed the theme park game. Not only do these lands feature some of the coolest rides in the parks, but the themeing is absolutely next level. Even Harry Potter book purists like myself have been broken by the charm (pun intended) of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade…(albeit in the Florida sunshine).
Now, if you can, we recommend visiting the Universal Studios side of the wizarding world of Harry Potter first. It is really fun to track the story from London to Hogwarts, covering the same ground as Harry Potter did.
Universal Studios – (London & Diagon Alley)
The Muggle World – Before You Enter Diagon Alley
1.) Browse the Music in the Record Shop
If you are a vinyl aficionado, you probably won’t find any rare gems in the Record Shop window…in fact,, there aren’t any real records here at all. See if you can spot ” Joe Sez No”, an 1980s style cover. This is a Universal in joke all about Harry potter author JK Rowling. She has the power to say “yes” or “no” to everything they created for the parks and when it was bad news, it was because Jo Sez No! Diagon Alley was built over the top of the old Jaws ride so you might be able to find a reference to the film in here too.
2.) Dial M for Magic
In front of the Record Shop you will spy a red telephone box (phone booth). This is much nicer than your average one in London, without the distinct bathroom odour that usually greets you. Once inside, snap a photo and then grab the phone. Try dialling MAGIC (62442) for a cool message direct from the Ministry of Magic.
3.) Get Involved with the Knight Bus
If you head to the front of the bus, you may bump into Ernie, the conductor of the Knight Bus and have the chance for a chat. Not only that, but the shrunken head likes to chip in too!
Plenty of people know about this but strangely, hardly anyone knows that if you walk around to the back, you can take a look inside. There is a full interior with the beds and everything.
Keep an eye on the facade of 12 Grimmauld Place to spot a curtain twitcher. This isn’t the local Neighbourhood Watch but the rather grouchy house elf, Kreacher.
Into Diagon Alley
Head between the Book Shop and Record Shop to enter Diagon Alley. They have done a great job at making it look like the bricks are shifting, just like in the original book.
5,) Pick up a Wand
If your budget can stretch to it, we really recommend buying an interactive wand. In the past my travel companions and I have all shared one. Unless you have children who would be less than thrilled, or you can afford to buy ones for yourselves, then this is a fine option. Most people had to the Ollivander’s shop. You can spend a while browsing and pick a wand based on its appearance or the character that owns it, or you can ask the shop attendance or some help. Experience, head around to the one choosing show and you can see how a wizard is matched with a wand.
If you want a quieter wand choosing experience, away from the jostling crowds, look out for Wands by Grerorovitch.
6.) Wave That Wand!
Once you have your wand, you will find a map inside the box which leads you to some interactive spellcasting spots. You will find these marked on the floor by golden plaques, with diagrams of the wand movement required to activate the spell. Look for the sensor, aim your wand at them and use small definite movements. Of course you don’t have to say the spells out loud if you have mastered the art of silence spellcasting, but I like to think that it helps.
“Wingardium Leviosa”
Not all of the spells are marked on the map however, so keep an eye on the floor when you are outside Slug and Jiggers Apothecary and Scribbulus Writing Implements for a couple of hidden extras.
It is worth noting that there are some places to cast spells over in Hogsmeade but they a few and far between so you will really want to play with them here for a bit longer.
7.) Pick Your Favourite Butterbeer
First things first, if you have a refillable Freestyle cup, you cannot use it in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. If you want a drink here, it has to be ordered a la carte… so you might as well try a butterbeer.
There are three kind of Butterbeer on offer: regular, frozen and hot. They all taste a bit like cream soda mixed with butterscotch and vanilla, which is a flavour that seems to suit each version. The regular has a foamy top, the frozen is like a slushy and the warm is just a hug in a mug. You can order butterbeer at:
The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley
The Fountain of Fair Fortune, Diagon Alley
The Hopping Pot, Diagon Alley
The Hog’s Head Pub, Hogsmeade
The Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade
Street carts, Hogsmeade
If you want the shortest line to buy your drink, make your way to the back of the Leaky Cauldron (or the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade) and order your butterbeer at the bar. This is also the place to order the vegan/non-dairy version so your whole party can enjoy it together.
Alternatively, head to Honeydukes for the Butterbeer fudge. If you want a cold treat, choose Florean Fortescue’s for some Butterbeer-flavoured ice cream. But the line is often very long and ice cream will make you more thirsty in the long run.
8.) Kick Your Drink Up a Notch
Employees are not allowed to add alcohol to your butter beer, and officially, you not allowed either so if you are going to order a Firewhiskey, the cinnamon flavoured liqueur which goes rather well, you will need to sip and sip or use your butterbeer as a chaser.
Of course you could forego the butterbeer altogether, and order one of the four specially brewed proper beers that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter offers. I’m not a beer drinker so I cannot vouch for these but it’s nice to know that they are there:
Wizard’s Brew
Dragon Scale Beer
Hog’s Head Beer
Daisyroot Ale
Dark Forest Ale
They also serve Strongbow cider but any British person, and they will tell you this isn’t good cider! Please, for the love of all that is apple, do not think this is how the British enjoy their hard cider.
9.) Convert Some Muggle Money at Gringotts Money Exchange
You can exchange US dollars ($10 or $20} for special wizarding money. This can be used throughout the parks, not just in the Wizarding World areas, or you can take it home as a fun (and easy to carry) souvenir.
The helpful witch or wizard behind the counter will help explain it and change your money. This can be paid for with cash or card. Behind the raised desk, you will see a rather stern figure. This is a representative of Gringotts bank and he may or may not choose to answer you if you want to ask him a question.
10.) Feel the Ukrainian Ironbelly’s Flame
It is hard to miss the huge dragon that perches atop Gringott’s Bank but you might not know that she lets forth a blaze of fire every 10 to 15 minutes. These bursts of flame are no joke and can be up to 2000°C (3,560°F). You can feel them at ground level which can be slightly unpleasant in the Florida heat but very welcome as the evening chill sets in during winter. If you want the photo, make sure you are in your spot at around 2 minutes to the 10 minute. When you hear her start to grumble, get ready!
11.) Check Yourself Out in Madame Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions
The very best place to buy your Hogwarts robes is Madame Malkins. Inside you will find a full length mirror with whom you can converse. As you admire yourself in the mirror, don’t judge yourself too harshly as the mirror may well do it for you! It loves to give out unsolicited advice as well. Don’t worry, these can be very lovely too.
12.) Practice Your Parceltongue at Magical Menagerie
The magical menagerie is full of magical creatures and witch’s familiars. Inside you can spot cool pretend pets and presents for the real ones at home. However, in the side window, down the alley on the left, there is a giant Boa Constrictor that you may recognise from the first Harry Potter story. You can practice your Parceltongue with him, the special language of snakes and descendants of Slytherin(!). Don’t worry if you don’t understand the reply, he translates his words into English too.
13.) Sneak Into Knockturn Alley
There are two entrances into the seedy underbelly of Wizarding London. The first is hidden through an archway next to the Leaky Cauldron. The second is past the Fountain of Fair Fortune. If you love the dark arts, you need to find your way inside…in fact, if you just want somewhere a little quieter and air-conditioned you are going to love it too.
The hidden shop, Borgin and Burke’s is full of all things dark arts. Cool, edgier fashion, fun trinkets and creepy souvenirs are mixed with scary props from the films. Keep your eyes peeled for the Vanishing Cabinet and see if you can hear the birds within. You can also locate the Hand of Glory and the cursed necklace if your eyesight is pretty sharp.
Don’t forget to get out your spell map while you’re under the black lights and it may reveal a few more hidden spots for you to practice your craft.
14.) Don’t Skip the Shows
There are a few shows that take place opposite Globus Mundi, the travel gear shop). For the kids there are the cutest puppet story-telling performances. They are so magical. Celestina Warbeck is an icon of the Wizarding World. Mrs Weasley adores her and so will you. Make sure you stick around for one of her jazz club inspired shows. If you really want to be involved, be a middle-aged man in the front row and look particularly awkward.
15.) A Few Extra Little Secrets & Tips for Diagon Alley
The Daily Prophet – Make a pitstop here to hear the bustle of newsroom behind.
Leaky Cauldron – Did you know that the sign of the leaky cauldron actually leaks? Look at it, but not from right underneath, and you will see performing a puddle below..
Wesley’s Wizard Wheezes – if you watch the giant model outside wheelies with it weakness for long enough you will see that the figure not only wiggles his eyebrows unless his hat but under the hat there is a magician’s bunny.
Sugarplum’s Sweetshop – Just a heads up – The chocolate of the chocolate frogs is less than stellar. So order one of the desserts instead unless you really want a collectable wizard card. If you are collecting and end up with too many suplicates, you can request to trade with the staff. The same goes for Honeyduke’s in Hogsmeade.
Film Props – There are some props and costumes from the original films dotted through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Malkins, Gringott’s ledgers and gold, and Wiseacre’s Wizard Equipment.
16.) Hop on the Hogwarts Express
If you have a park-to-park ticket, then taking the Hogwarts Express is not only the easiest way to get between the parks but is an absolute must do. it is not a simple train ride, but an attraction in and of itself with a storyline that is different in each direction.
As you pass through Kings Cross Station there are a few things to look out for:
All the staff at Kings Cross are muggles so if you try asking them where platform 9 3/4s is, they will be utterly bewildered. Even more so if you start waving a wand around.
If you glance at the departure boards, you will see some genuine British destinations. 
Around the station, there are piles of luggage ready to be loaded onto the train. Look carefully and you might catch one of our favourite feathered friends, Hedwig
At a certain point in the queue an extremely cool effect makes it look as if you are disappearing through the entrance to the platform. It can only be captured if part of your party hangs back a little, or if you ask those further back in the queue to record a video and/or take some photos.
Not a secret, but a tip, the Hogwarts Express can get very warm so bring a fan or lose the layers before you are put into a compartment with strangers.
The Hogwarts Express experience is different in each direction, so ride it back at the end of your visit too.
The only reason you might want to skip this is when the queue is crazy. Walking between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade through the parks and along the lake takes around 30-40 minutes but queues for the Hogwarts Express can be well over an hour.
Islands of Adventure – Scotland (Hogsmeade and Hogwarts)
17.) Send Some Owl Post
If you pop to the Owl Post cart you can actually send yourself or your favourite people mail. You can even send most souvenirs but do double check to make sure the present you plan to mail will be accepted (no food or brooms for example). We have never done it as you have to mail a domestic address, but if you live in the USA, it is perfectly affordable. The mail will be stamped with a Hogsmeade postmark. You can even get the postmark on postcard you are not planning to send so you can keep one for yourself. Look up to see how many owls you can spot, and look down to see how many of their poops you can spot.
Next, go outside and look in the window, there is a scrolling set of angry howlers that have been sent to Hogwarts students from their parents. Some of these are genuinely funny. 
The last thing to scope out is the clocktower which features an owl popping its head out of it every hour.
18.) Listen for Wailing as you Wee
Even the toilets in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter hold a secret. Stop and listen and you may hear a familiar voice. Moaning Myrtle has made her way from the girls on the third floor to Hogsmeade. Be sure to use the toilets with sign that reads “Public Conveniences”. Don’t worry, we have been assured she never peeks.
19.) Explore Around The Three Broomsticks
Even if you aren’t eating in here, you can ask to have a quick look around. There are huge antlers hanging on the wall and gorgeous big wooden wheel chandeliers, as well as the actual three broomsticks. So cool. Facing the back, head to the right and you will cross into the Hogs Head. Here you will find an actual Hog Head which moves and grunt and if you listen, you might hear the House Elves is the kitchen too. There is a nice outside space at the back with a cool view of both Hogwarts and Velocicoaster.
Just outside the entrance is a poster with a rather famous prisoner of Azkaban who is laughing…at us?
There isn’t a lot down the alley that runs between Three Broomstick and Honeydukes but there is a window with some dirty dishes washing themselves.
20.) Discover Your Hogwarts House
Forget online quizzes, the only way to be sorted into your Hogwarts House for sure is to visit Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. Here, you can take your turn wearing the Sorting Hat. It alone knows the truth and will sort you into the correct house. When I tried it, all my suspicions were confirmed – I am indeed a Ravenclaw.
Once you have learned which house you belong to, see if you can find any cast members walking around in the same house’s robes and ask them to teach you the special handshake. Honestly, this could just be a rumour but its worth a shot!
21.) Don’t Skip the Hogwarts Line
Skipping the queue to ride your favourite rides faster is a lot of fun. However, there is one ride for which I would not advise it. passing through the different scenes in the Hogwarts Castle is almost an attraction in itself. It just happens to end in one of the coolest rides in the park, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Along the way you can see:
The Office of Albus Dumbledore complete with Pensieve.
The Room of Requirement
A hall full of chatting ex-headmasters.
The Dark Arts classroom
The Gryffindor’s common room with the Fat Lady guarding it.
A bowtruckel hiding in a wardrobe.
There are so many more details to discover and I don’t want to spoil every surprise. My advice is to take the time to examine every room and see what you recognise. 
If you ask one of the delightful cast members nicely, if they could give you a tour of Hogwarts, then you might get a little VIP moment. If they aren’t too busy, they can sometimes show you all of the secrets in the queue.
22.) Rope Drop Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
If you do start your day at Islands of Adventure, or have a second day in the parks, we highly recommend making a beeline for Hagrids. This is the only attraction that is not included on the express pass so there is no way to skip the line. This only applies if you have early park admission thanks to staying at one of the Universal hotels. if you are not eligible to make use of the extra 30 minutes early entry then the queue will already be pretty long by the time you enter and so you may as well ride it whenever you fancy rather than running there. You will probably be able to get a few more rides done in the first hour of your park time rather than standing in this line.
23.) You Can Mostly Skip the Pub Grub
You may be intent on trying some traditional English food from one of the pubs at the wizarding world of Harry Potter. However, this is far from the best food in the park and it can be utterly manic in there. I would suggest pre-ordering a little something to try with mobile ordering (the scotch egg is acceptable as a quick snack and the butterbear potted cream is definitely a winner) but you don’t need four distinctly average plates of bangers and mash.
Come on though, that is a pitiful layer of sausage
24.) Wait for the Hogwarts Show
At night, the Hogwarts castle, and rock it stands upon, are transformed into the backdrop for a very cool projection-mapped light and sound show. There are even a few fireworks to boot. These shows are very dramatic and highly enjoyable but even if you aren’t here to watch, you might want to be around for these times anyway. People will be busy watching the show so the longer queues of the surrounding rides tend to empty out a bit, meaning a shorter wait time.
These are not a permanent fixture so be sure to check the Universal Orlando App to make sure it is playing on the day you are visiting.
25.) A Few More Things to Look Out for in Hogsmeade
Don’t miss these splendid details around the village:
Dervish and Banges – This isthe home of a rather angry book that you may recognise. Don’t try and stroke it or might lose a digit.
Gladrags – See if you can find a beautiful copy of Hermione Granger’s Yule Ball dress. Here it has a little magic, but back at Madam Malkins you can buy a replica.
Wizarding Botany – The queue through Hogwarts isn’t only place you can spot a mandrake. They also have one that likes to scream something rotton in the window of Dogweed and Deathcap. Eagl-eyed muggles can also spy a packet of gillyweed seeds too (but I’ve never managed to get these to propagate properly).
Scrivenshaft’s Quill Shop – If you keep an eye on the writing quill, you may see a name appear. This is the name of a new magical baby born.
Final Thoughts on Our Tips for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
There is so much to see and do in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that you might need to spend a whole extra day in the parks to cover it. What a nice excuse to stay longer at Universal Studios Orlando! we can’t wait to see what the third park, epic universe has to offer. Rumour has it there will be a Ministry of Magic to explore! 
When I first heard about the new train line carving it’s way up through Florida, I was super excited. Then it seemed to go rather quiet. Future plans slowly evolved, tracks were laid and trains were built. Now the Brightline plys it’s way between Orlando and MIami many times a day. We finally had the chance to jump onboard in November 2024 and we can’t to share our Brightline Premium review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
The Brightline
Way back in time, we first heard about this shiny new train line when it was being touted as a Virgin Trains project. “Awesome”, I thought, “We will fly to Florida with Virgin and then hop on a Virgin Train”. However, things went quiet from that end. I guess they decided the project wasn’t for them, and a new player entered the chat. Brightline had a spiffy website and seemed to be making progress (with a predictable blip due to COVID). Before we knew it, they had trains up and running between Miami and Fort Lauderdale and eventually, all the way up to Orlando. In November 2024, we had a trip planned to the theme park capital and decided it would be fun to try out the new service along the way.
Miami Station
The Brightline section is separate from the main Miami Station but is right next door. Coming at it from the South, it was about four minutes from the start of the Triline station. We took a covered walkway with plenty of retail space ready for its new occupants.
We head for the giant yellow sign and waited for the whoosh of air con as the doors opened. I was mentally prepared for it to be freezing but actually, it was a comfortable cool (this coming from a lizard like me).
The station was fresh and modern, with shiny floors and busy, bright screens. From speakers, chart toppers were playing, giving it a funky I’ve. There was a luggage drop off and guest services desk to the right. We passed this and made our way straight up the escalators.
Up here, things are clearly still to be added with a sign for a food hall and more. We were running slightly behind schedule so made our way straight through the ticket barriers. This was super easy with QR codes available on the Brightline app and in my Apple Wallet. Next was a quick bag scan and we were through.
The Brightline Lounge
The Brightline Lounge had plenty of seating, a classy bar called Mary Mary and a shop selling snacks and souvenirs. Again, it was all airy and nicely lit, with fun details. It is just our style.
The Premium Lounge
So when I said we were running behind schedule, it is because we wanted some time in the Premium Lounge. Our train was due to depart at 08:50 and it was 08:30.
The Premium Lounge was reminiscent of an airport lounge, with funky seating options but it had the advantage of a nice view to the city outside. This blew every other train lounge I’ve seen out of the water. On a central island we’re loads of breakfast options.
There waa:
Fresh fruit
A small selection of deli meats
Cake
A warmer with sausage, mini omelettes and breakfast potatoes
A baked goods selection including bagels, waffles and pastries
There was also a drinks station. Here was a coffee machine offering both filter coffee and espresso options as well as chai tea and fancy flavoured coffees. Below a fridge was stocked with waters and canned soft drinks/sodas. Finally, on the right was a drinks dispenser with beers and wines. I heard no less than six people say that it was too early for alcohol. In the UK, everyone would be holding a boozy beverage, instead telling their friends that it’s five o’clock somewhere. I guess airport rules don’t apply in train world?
Now, at the time of writing, I am trying to maintain an intermittent fasting diet so this was torture. I just had a black coffee but wanted more than anything to construct a breakfast bagel with the round sausage patty, omelette and cheese slice. So much so that I was desperately trying to convince Mr Fluskey to have one, but he was happily demolishing some Frosties and a yogurt. All too soon our train was called for boarding so I grabbed my coffee and we made a beeline for Platform 2.
A note from future me: I am writing this on the train and am deeply regretting not just indulging in a plate full of salami, waffles with syrup and that bagel….what an idiot.
The Bright Blue
Up another escalator were the platforms and our waiting train, the Bright Blue. As we walked along, the adverts covering the windows stood out to me. You would if ever see this on most trains around the world….you have to fund your railways somehow though, eh?
Onboard
The interior was lovely, with a light taupe colour scheme. There were two big light strips on the ceiling and two small blue ones. I wonder if they all have this blue or if this is because we are on the Bright Blue?
There is a reasonably sized luggage rack at the end of the carriage and then a lovely large overhead shelf running along the whole carriage. Our backpacks and larger suitcases were stowed comfortably up there.
The Seats
The 21 inch wide leather seats were really comfy with oodles of leg room and even a slight recline. These are the kind of seats that slide forward rather than reclining into the space of the passenger behind. Thank goodness nobody will have to endure the drama that plane seats reclining brings. I am five foot but there was more than enough leg room me. Looking around at the taller folks around, they seemed perfectly comfortable too. And speaking of comfort, these seats are beautifully padded so a numb bum is not going to be your travel companion.
There are tables of two and four which face each other, but for the “airline style” seats which face the backs of the seat in front, there is still loads of table space. The tray tables are huge, with plenty of room for a laptop or a full picnic. Theres even a cute little pop out (currently quite stiff but I am sure they will ease over time) for a little coffee cup or phone stand.
The last thing to mention is the abundance of plugs around the seats. you are not gong to be fighting with the prson next to you for power. On each seat, under the central armrest you get two US plugs and two USB-A sockets. Then, there are two more mainline plugs under the seats in front. My seat’s plugs werrent working but Mr Fluskey’s were so there was still room for both of us to charge everything we needed.
Food & Drinks
We had read that drinks and snacks were included as standard in the Premium carriage. In the UK, this means a packet of biscuits and a cup of coffee or soft drink normally. Well, we were not prepared for the abundance on offer. The first service came through and I grabbed another black coffee and a snack for later, thinking we should make the most of the offer whilst it was there. (Me from the future again, my hands are a little jittery and I am wired).
We were offered drinks and snack another four or five times. Mr Fluskey had plenty of caffeine and sugar in the form of several cans of fizzy drink. We left the journey with a bag full of snacks ready for our theme park days, saving us a trip to a supermarket. There’s a Clif Bar, M&Ms, popcorn and other nibbly goodies. Honestly, the amount you could eat and drink alone make the upgrade worth it.
The Bathroom/Restroom
Clean, large and well-maintained, this is everything you can ask from a train bathroom. This one has a fun wall design and not one but two large mirrors as well. I’m not sure getting changed in a train toilet is the greatest option but if needs must, this one has you covered.
The door is opened, closed and locked using electronic buttons. Then, once you have done your business, the flush is a proximity sensor down on the right. I have a feeling this might confuse a few people. Then there is the Dyson tap. I love these cool tap and hand dryer combos bu pt Mr Fluskey hates them so clearly, they are massively divisive. There didn’t seem to be instructions anywhere so I bet lots of people miss it.
The Views
Sadly, the film on the windows was everywhere so it made taking photos and videos out of the window really tricky. Even more so was the sun shade which was pulled down by nearly every passenger. As ours was shared by three rows of seats and we are far too British, when the gent in the row behind pulled it down, we left it down whilst quietly grumbling about it. This is where the single seats facing each other have a major advantage. There is one shade per table and if you are travelling with those opposite, you can decide between you.
Orlando Station
We pulled into the Orlando station, located at Terminal 3 of the MCO airport. So handy for anyone travelling up to fly out..or the other way around. We hopped on the escalators into the station building for a quick look around.
The whole place had a similar vibe to the Miami terminus but on a much smaller scale. The Premium Lounge was about a third of the size but still had loads of seating., It was just closer together. We tried to see what food was on offer but the main buffet was tucked away and we could only spot pastries…so that is all we can confirm.
Now, one of the coolest little extras with Brightline Premium is that we were given a $10 Uber credit to be used from the station. This got us halfway to our hotel and was a really nice touch.
Is Brightline Premium Worth It?
Looking at some of the journeys for next month, you are looking at a price difference of between $20 and $80. For that extra money you are getting a larger seat, less crowded carriage …so far, so normal. However, then if you consider the swanky lounges and generous snack offerings things start to look better value. Finally, you are given that $10 Uber credit to use at the end of your journey which, for anyone travelling on to a hotel or home, is a great bonus. Alternatively, a preferential rate is offered in the Brightline car parks/garages.
Honestly, the Smart carriages, Brightline’s standard cars, are still really nice. The only physical differences are that they have more people in and seats two inches narrower. Everyone gets free Wi-Fi onboard and you can buy snacks or forgo them entirely if you are not into munching between meals. I think that as a special treat or if you are on a vacation, Brightline Premium is definitely worth it, but if this was my regular commute I wouldn’t upgrade.
The Future of Brightline
In Florida, there are plans to extend the Brightline through Orlando, past Universal and over to Tampa. This is incredible news for non-drivers like me and I think it is excellent.
I am also hopeful for the safety record to continue to improve as Floridians get used to staying away from the train tracks. Sadly, after years of slow and steady Amtrak trains, people think they can just nip across and be fine, but this is often not the case.
Finally, there is good movement on Brightline West. This new route would run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, utterly changing the game on the other side of the country. Fingers crossed!
Final Thoughts on Our Brightline Premium Review
The Brightline lived up to my expectations and then blew right past them. Clean, efficient and comfortable, this train is what modern train travel looks like. There are no arguments over navigation, dodgy i95 drivers and you get snacks. Plus, if it is the right time of day, you can all have a glass of wine in the lounge and then sleep your way to your destination if you like. Divine.
Oh, and one last thought. I am hoping that passengers learn how to use their “train voice”, the hushed, slightly shameful half-whisper of train commuters around the world…but thats a me thing and it won’t stop me hopping back onboard soon.
Cruising through Paris, on the mighty river Seine is both a delightfully touristy thing to do, and at the same time, is a must do whether you are local or not. But what lies beyond the city limits? Where does the Seine wind its stately way through? Travelling on the Viva Cruises Gloria, you have the chance to find out. Join us on our Seine to Atlantic, Viva Cruises itinerary.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Paris Part One
The Seine to Atlantic itinerary begins and ends in the City of Light…or is that the City of Love….or the City of A Thousand Instagrammers? The absolutely iconic French capital is one of those travel destinations that will lure me back time and time again.
I am the first to admit that I have done a fair amount of Instagramming here (including the clock in Musee d’Orsay during this trip) and loads of touristing but even just wandering the city as a “Flaneur” is real delight.
Did We Book a Tour?
No, we decided to tick off another bucket list Parisian moment.
What We Did Instead
Despite this being my fifth trip to Paris, and the third with Mr Fluskey, neither of us had ever seen Sainte Chappelle. As the trip was rather last minute, we didn’t book tickets tickets in advance which is definitely not the way to start a visit. We joined the walk-in queue and stood outside in the rain for about 45 minutes. It was only when we got to the front that we saw there was a priority access queue for disability and we could’ve skipped a lot. Oh well, you live and learn. It may have been a long old wait, but it was still definitely worth it. The stained glass in the Sainte Chappelle breathtaking.
Les Andelys
Les Andelys is very quaint. From an abundance of wood-timbered houses to a proper medieval castle, it screams Normandy!
Did We Book a Tour?
Not for this one as it all looked within walking distance.
What We Did Instead
Disembarking as soon as we could, we made a beeline for the fort atop the hill. This took us through the gorgeous Petit Andelys which was just seconds from the Viva Gloria. It is full of original timber-frame residences that are just absurdly picturesque. From here it was about 20 minutes through the village and up the hill to Chateau Gaillard. This is the quintessential Normal fort (well, kind of English as it was built by Richard the Lionheart in 1196). It has stone walls that are meters thick, archers windows, a proper garderobe (long drop toilet that sticks out over the walls) and perfect views down the river in both directions.
From here, we took the 30 minute stroll away from the river, into the centre of town to see the cathedral. The Collegiale Notre Dame is a surprisingly huge church for such an adorable town. It was built in the 1200s on the site of an Abbey that was already 700 years old. It has some beautiful sand glass from the 17th and 18th centuries.
That evening there was a piano concert in the church, and the pianist was practising adding dramatic atmosphere to the interior. The event manager scraping chairs across the floor in preparation for the audience, rather ruined the effect though.
The only place on our river cruise I had actually heard of, other than Paris obviously, was the capital of Normandy, Rouen.
Our boat docked in the evening we were excited to hear that there was a sound and light at the cathedral. We thought we would make the most of our time and disembarked earlier in the evening to grab a drink first. We found a bar right by the astrological clock (more on that later) that had some proper Normandy cidre. It was a very lively spot and we enjoyed our drinks before making our way to the square in front of the cathedral.
The show was not your normal bombastic historical epic to through sound and light but more to something you might see in the Tate Modern. “Star and Stone : A kind of love…some say” was created by an artist called Bab Wilson. Famous poems by Maya Angelou were read in both French and English over a Phillip Glass score whilst mesmerising projections played across the front of the magnificent facade.
Did We Book a Tour?
We sure did.
Rouen: Back to the Middle Ages with Chocolate & Cheese Tasting
Now, I know that Viva Cruise was all inclusive, but I’m never going to turn down chocolate or cheese.
This city tour with a foodie flair was a short walk taking in the sights, with a tasty treat twice along the way. Our bubbly tour guide took us from the boat, back up to the Cathedral square and through the rainy Rue de Gros Horloge. We learned all about the beautiful old astrological clock which shows the time, date and phases of the moon. Then, a short way along the next street we are most into the main town Square. In the middle was the most unusual church, the church of St Joan of Arc,  as this is where the unfortunate leader was burnt alive. The wooden church has an interesting structure designed to represent flames. Then inside, you can see the modern stand glass.
It was at the market nestled at the heart of the square that we had our cheese tasting. There was a cheese counter there stuffed with the most delectable looking cheese. We drooled over some of the more unusual types before everyone was presented with two trays. One was a camembert and it was funny to see the faces of the people that thought it was strong. I wish i could introduce them to some of the beautieis ripening away in my mum’s fridge. The other was a …..
Our next stop was a chocolatier called Hautot. They have three shops in Rouen but are still small producers focusing heavily on local ingredients. We we got to try two of their signature caramels. The pear was an unusual and light treat whilst the salted caramel seemed to be class favourite. Even more impressive was the lflurry of translation that was happening throughout the tasting. Our host was speaking in French and then our tour guide had to translate into German and English. Impressive stuff.
Finally, it was back to where we started at the Notre Dame. We had inside to hear the stories told with them, bringing the statuary and windows to life.
After the tour we popped back to the clock to see the day change with the sliding of one god to another. So cool! Then we dashed around, taking off the last few sites I spotted on Google Maps. There was an old prison tower which I’m quite sad. We didn’t have time to go around, gorgeous roads lined with ancient wooden buildings, and an old courtyard of delightfully macabre details. we could have spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city but it was time to leave and actually we had a lovely afternoon in the hot tub and the brief window of sunshine that we were treated to.
Le Havre Part 1
Le Havre is a port city, that receives a fair few cruise ships. Bombed heavily in World War II, much was rebuilt and so it has a bit of a reputation as a concrete jungle. As ever, we were determined to form our own opinion.
Did We Book a Tour?
Yes.
Le Havre: On the road in Le Havre & Étretat
Our tour only had one stop in Le Havre, but as this was the furthest from our dock and it was the main site I was keen to see, this was perfect.
Le Havre has a superbly unique church due in large part to the time of its construction. It was designed by architect Auguste Perret and constructed in the 1950s as the city rose from the rubble of WWII. The almost Brutalist concrete naive of Elsie’s Saint Joseph is topped with a huge grey tower more akin to a power station than a palace of worship. It is said to resemble a lantern or a lighthouse but I think it gives Empire a state vibes. Head inside and you’ll see the hundreds of coloured glass dots that fill the interior with beads of colour. It’s a very unusual take on stained glass by artist Marguerite Huré which is subtly stunning.
From here our coach continued on to the seaside town of Etrotat. This pretty spot is most famous the stunning coast it sits within. Artists, including Monet and many a watercolour king, have come here to capture it both in glorious sun and dramatic stormy moods. We arrived on a distinctly dull day that you would only need greyscale to recreate.
After walking everyone to the beach, our guide gave us two suggestions of routes to take for a stellar view. We could take a right and hike up to the church, or to the left to hike up and see the natural rock arch. Rock arch for the win. It was a steep climb up but well worth it. On one side the sea was a beautiful blue under the arch, and on the other, the dramatic rock stack formation made for a very cool visit.
Coming back down, we noticed people gathering around some cool cars and a cherry picker which was now up in the sky. It turns out it was a special emergency services day and as we were admiring the cars, we heard a helicopter flying in from around the coast. They did a whole demonstration of a helicopter sea rescue which was very, very cool to see.
From here, we popped into the wooden market, grabbed the obligatory sneaky cidre and and walked back to the coach.
After the Tour
With a cloudy but dry sky, we decided to take a walk around the city and see the last few sights. It was a fifteen minute stroll around to our first stop, the … This big sculpture, a rainbow of shopping containers was strangely fabulous and makes a great welcome to arriving ships. From here we popped into the art museum for a quick warm up before meandering through to the cathedral.
Straight up the road from the Cathedral is The Volcano , a modernist arts venue with giant swooping white walls and … Opposite, the sobering war memorial is overflowing with the names of those lost fighting in the wars or defending the city. We crossed the giant arched …. Bridge and head back to the boat for a nice boozy Mexican coffee,
Le Havre Part 2
Our day started with a dash to Primark for tights (my legs were all kinds of chilly) which isn’t very cultural but needs must.
Did We Book a Tour?
No
What We Did Instead
So, Viva Cruises were running a tour to Honfleur, the town across the delta which is beloved by artists. I thought I wasn’t bothered…until it had already left. Suddenly flooded with FOMO, I declared that we too would head for Honfleur. We made our way to the bus and train station and hopped on a local bus.
The main harbour of Honfleur, Le Vieux-Bassin, is disgustingly picturesque. You cannot help but be charmed by it.
The rain and cold drove us to find shelter…and cidre. The aptly named Le Cidrerie serves proper Normandie cider and tasty buckwheat galleries, amongst other things…but why would you order anything else? We shared a …. pancake and had a couple of drinks each to warm up from the inside out. Fed and watered, it was time to return to Le Havre and the waiting boat.
Vernon
Again, we were up early for a quick extra something. We took a walk along the Seine and across the bridge to see the old mill.
Did We Book a Tour?
Yes we did.
Vernon: Monet’s House & Garden
Claude Monet’s house is the reason the small. village of Giverny is famous. The artist’s iconic water lily pond and water garden are here, along with his flower garden and actual house.
It is quite the tourist operation with tour after tour heading through in single file but, you know what? It was still a nice visit. We joined the throngs as we slowly wound our way through the paths, admiring the glorious gardens, which apparently he ensured was always in bloom by planting different seasonal flowers.
Then into the house to see how such an icon does interior decorating. It was mostly quite simple but we adored the tiled rooms downstairs.
Everyone was given some free time so we made a dash for the church, Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny, at the top of the village. The church is home to both Monet’s resting place and a lovely memorial to airmen that were killed here. Of course I grabbed a sneaky cider and that plus the gmagnificently red foliage gave me all the autumnal feels.
Paris Part 2
My Paris bucket list seems to grow longer with each visit, and so I need to hit as much as possible on every trip. That is why we were up and out nice and early on our return to the capital. The Musee d’Orsay was calling. We dashed in from the rain and made our way to the fifth floor, and that Insta-famous clock. After our snaps we enjoyed browsing the impressionist galleries and seeking out the Toulouse Latrec pieces.
After a morning hiding from the drizzle at Musee d’Orsay, we hopped on the RER back to grab a light lunch.
Did We Book a Tour?
Yes, we had something rather exciting lined up for the afternoon.
Paris: Vintage Citroën 2CV ‘Ente’ Tour to Montmartre
Puttering through the streets of Paris in an old 2CV gives serious main character energy. Add to that a roof that you can roll up and some banging tunes and you have an excellent way to spend a couple of hours in the capital.
We set off from the boat in a convoy of three cars, ready to take the drive all the way up to Montmatre. Our first drive by was of course, the Eiffel Tower. Magnificent as always. Then we crossed the Seine and started winding our way past some more iconic sights. The Opera Garnier, the Grand Palais and more.
Our delightful driver had a Bluetooth speaker and said we could put on our music. I bust out an 80s playlist and it turned out to be a good choice. He said he loved 80s tunes, and so do we! The cars were all drawing attention as they chugged past people, and ours, with our mini disco was the most ostentatious of all.
After the Tour
We simply couldn’t leave Paris without going to see the Eiffel Tower one more time. Remarkably, the sun came blazing through in 45 minutes of blue sky just as we reached its giant feet. We spent some time taking photos and then decided to walk back from here to the boat. It was a very pleasant stroll with the clouds only closing in just as we reached the Viva Gloria.
Final Thoughts on Our Seine to Atlantic Viva Cruises Itinerary
As an introduction to Normandy, our Seine to Atlantic Viva Cruises itinerary was ideal. Pretty cities, cute villages and some fun food along the way is just what we were after.
Checking into a hotel with an ever-changing view, and a new location every night has got to be the coolest thing about cruising. However, gigantic ships, dodgy buffets and faraway ports all take from the experience somewhat. Well, that is all solved on a river cruise, and we are so excited to share ours with you. Join us for 8 days on the Viva Gloria, cruising the mighty Seine from Paris to the Atlantic in France. This is our Viva Gloria & Viva Cruises review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
The Seine to Atlantic Cruise
We were originally booked to sail on the Rhone on the south of France, but when Viva Cruises suggested we swap to Seine to Atlantic itinerary, we jumped at the chance. I’ll take any excuse to visit Paris, a city that will forever enthral me. During the sailing, we visited:
Paris – The stunning French capital with more sights than a shooting gallery. We had the chance to tick off a few more things from our Parisian bucketlist, on this occasion we hit the Musee d’Orsay, Sainte Chappelle and did a food tour too!
Les Andelys – This pretty Norman town has a striking medieval castle and Le Petit Andely is awash with pretty timbered houses. We didn’t book a tour here, but just strolled around.
Rouen – The main city of Normandy is crowned with a mighty cathedral on which we caught a very cool light show which run on summer nights. The next day, we hit the streets, exploring the pretty buildings, unique Joan of Arc church and got to try some local chocolate and cheese.
Le Havre – Le Havre is a port town connecting The Seine River to The Atlantic Sea. We did spend a little time in the city but spent most of our time in two neighbouring villages. Honfleur is full of intriguing wooden buildings, including a double-naived church whilst Etrotat is all about the stunning natural coastline.
Vernon – Beyond its cute timber mill, this is the base to head to Monet’s house in nearby Giverny. It was lovely to see his gardens and adorable tiled kitchen before grabbing a cider.
Viva Cruises is part of parent company Scylla. They launched straight into a pandemic world and stayed afloat (pun intended) serving the German domestic market until the world reopened. Now they can be found on all the major rivers of Europe,
Our boat, the Viva Gloria has been cruising since 2005 so it isn’t super new but you wouldn’t know it. Viva Cruises has renovated and maintained it beautifully. The interiors are kept spick and span, polished to perfection every single day. All the decor was classy with no horrendous carpets. The room decor was grey and navy which was very city chic, while this entrance lobby had a Mediterranean vibe.
The boat is 100m long, allowing it to travel through many important locks. There are-76 cabins and suites, spread across 3 decks. She can carry 152 passengers and they are looked after by 36 staff. That’s one member of staff for every 4 2 passengers. To be honest, it feels like there are more than that as service was never lacking.
Our Diamond Deck Room
Our stateroom was a 14m² twin, the most common room on the Viva Gloria. Every room on the Diamond and Ruby decks have a french balcony (how apt). If you are staying on the Emerald deck (the bottom deck) you are going to have two windows that are just above the water line. I thought these would be too high for me but they were just right and it was so fun to see the swell from other vessels lapping the glass, or a duck paddling past.
But back to our room…
On the left side as you enter were two wardrobes. The first had a higher hanging rail and a couple of shelves. I don’t think this would take a full length maxiso bear that in mind before you being something that crumples easily. The wardrobe next door had more shelves, one houseing the lockable sfae. Below wasanother rail, ideal for tops or shorter skirts etc.
Along the wall from here is a desk with a large mirror above. In lieu of a kettle, there is a Nespresso machine. I made good use of it and despite having the choice of regular or decaffeinated coffee pods, it was the hard stuff all the way.
Every room gets a bottle of sparkling wine in their room and this also sits up on the desk when you check in. Below the desk is a fridge that is unbelievably, included in the cost of the cruise. We had some water, soft drinks and even a couple of beers. We found anything we drank replaced whenever the next room service was (twice per day).
The Bed
Our bed was really wide and so comfortable. The covers were nice and warm but if you are a very cold sleeper, there are two more blankets in the wardrobe. I struggled with the pillow options as they were very soft. I ended up using the display cushion in a pillow case, stuffing the unwanted ones under the bed. Speaking of…there was plenty of room for our two backpacks, a hand luggage suitcase and the pillows so it would comfortably hide a normal sixed case.
Every evening there was a turn down service with a little chocolate on th pillow so make sure you leave room at dinner! I had to save mine up as I forgot nearly every single night and was always full to the brim.
The Bathroom
The bathrooms were quite small but managed to squeeze in the toilet, shower and sink. This is just one of those bathrooms that is for function, not for dancing about in a towel. I am pretty sure this standard on river cruise boats as everything is that little bit smaller. Saying that, there was a nice big cupboard under the sink for storage, but I think it would be better if it was divided into two shelves.
The amenities are made by Rituals so they smell great and are fantastic quality. Strangely, the Emerald deck room we checked out had a body lotion and something else that I forget, but our room didn’t. Maybe it is compensation for the smaller windows? Being the backpackers we are, we brought everything with us anyway so it didn’t matter but I am still curious.
The shower was surprisingly powerful for a boat but the space was limited so fine for washing your hair but the contortions of a leg shave were a bit of a struggle. I didn’t have any problems with the temperature but Mr Fluskey seemed to. Maybe he got unlucky with a popular shower time.
Viva Gloria’s Facilities
The Boutique
We are not into shopping so didn’t make use of the gift shop on board. They did have some very cute scarves and cardigans though, a requirement in the chilly French autumn days we caught. Everyday they rotated the stock that was on show at the front and there did seem to be some nice jewellery options but I didn’t investigate further.
The Sun Deck
Up on the top deck was a large collection of seats and sun loungers, ready and waiting for a little sightseeing or sunbathing. Guests could lounge up here and catch a tan, or bring up some drinks to enjoy at the tables. The L-shaped sofas at the front were particularly nice for sightseeing. on sunny days. Alternatively, the seats with the wind protection were better for a chillier sailing like ours. As we sailed, Viva Cruises played interesting facts and tidbits from the speakers up here.
I was hoping to spend a little more time up on sun deck but we were a little unlucky with the September weather. No Indian summers here. There was one nice, sunny afternoon as we sailed from Rouen and of course, we hopped straight in the hot tub. It was so lush to enjoy a glass of bubbles, in the bubbles, with the green river banks sliding past.
One cool and crazy thing about river cruise boats is that they are all designed to fit under the bridges spanning the water. However, to do this they sometimes have to collapse everything. If there are people on the deck, they either have to move them away completely, or ask everyone to sit down until the bridge is cleared.
The Spa
Down on the Emerald deck is the spa. This was an excellent alternative to hanging out on the sun deck as it was nice and warm on a rainy and rather dreary day.
You can book the spa for an hour and you’ll have it all to yourself, or between your group if that’s what you would prefer. Inside there is a sauna, a steam room, a shower and a Jacuzzi bath. Bear in mind that there is only really room for three in the sauna and the steam room at a time so if you are a larger group, you’ll have to swap. We hired the spa for a lazy morning that we would be sailing rather than docked. It was a very nice way to spend a lazy morning. The steam room was so steamy that we couldn’t see each other about a meter away, but the sauna wasn’t that hot. It was an infrared sauna so if you’re looking for the full Finnish experience, you may be disappointed. Neither of us like to be fully roasted, so it was very comfortable for us. I ended our time with a very happy 10 minutes in the bubbly bath.
There are towels in the spa so you do not need to bring any from your room. Oh, and if you need bathroom robes but you aren’t staying in a suite, you can request these from housekeeping and they will be with you within 10 minutes.
Dining Aboard Viva Gloria
Panorama Lounge
The bar in the Panorama Lounge is at the front of the room with a nice wraparound view. Here you can order a few wines, beers or pick from a cocktail list that we worked our way through far too quickly. They also had a cocktail of the day, along with a matching mocktail, which wasn’t on the menu. It was a fun touch. Not on the cocktail list per se, the Mexican Coffee was one of my favourites. I was not alone, mid afternoon there were plenty of these on the go around the lounge.
At lunchtime, a light lunch is served in the Panorama Lounge. There is a soup (the same on that is served on the main lunch). Then, you can usually choose from a salad bar, a pasta dish and something carby (a sandwich, a toasted croissant or a baguette). Finally, there will be one dessert. This is great if you aren’t that hungry, are in a rush or just don’t fancy the formality of a served multicourse lunch.
More food? Oh go on then!
All the special food offerings were up here too. During our sailing we had an ice cream party, a gorgeous afternoon tea and a delicous “taste of Normandy”. This comprised a huge selection of meats and cheeses served along with a splendid Normandy cidre. I expressed my love of cider to the staff and they very kindly made sure a couple of bottles were left so that i could enjoy it for the last couple of days. This is definitely the advantage of a smaller river cruise. We knew the lovely staff by the end of day one and they took such good care of us.
The Riverside Restaurant
Down on the Emerald deck is the Riverside Restaurant. Viva Cruises has open seating which means you can choose the table you fancy and you can arrive at any time during the opening hours. It is worth noting that people tended to pick a table and stick with it but we liked to switch it up, hunting out the nicest view on the day. For lunch and dinner Riverside Restaurant is open for about two hours. It was really nice to dine with friends we had made during the week and to chop and change our plans.
Breakfast
The only time you will find a proper buffet on Viva Cruises is at breakfast. There is a large continental slection of meats, cheeses, salad, fruit and lashings of smoked salmon. Then, as you would hope,, the pastries are top notch and varied.
Even with all this, there is an a la carte menu that you can choose from as well. the omelettes in particular were a highlight. They are made french-style (rather than the chopped-up version you find in the USA). The portion is just right for one person when added to a bit or two from the buffet.
Oh, and if you are feeling really frivolous, there is a bottle of sparkling wine sitting ready for a bubbly brekkie.
Lunch
In the Riverside restaurant, lunch is a semi a la carte affair. You can grab some starters bits and bobs with a salad bar in the centre of the room. Then you are given the option of a soup, the choice of a few main courses and finally two or so dessert options.
Fair warning, if you indulge in everything, you may struggle to eat another four courses at dinner even though these are a little lighter than those served later.
It is worth noting that the cooking of everything for both lunch and dinner was excellent. The only thing we would change is the viscosity of the soups on offer. We both thought they were a little thin, but that is my personal preference.
Dinner
Dinner was usually four courses. A starter, soup, main dish (entree) and dessert. Both the selection of ingredients, and the cookery were restaurant quality. We had blushing pink duck, a fancy champagne sauce, and all manner of perfectly prepared potatoes. I suppose that in France, we wouldn’t accept any less.
This is going to sound crazy, but it was the source of several dinner time conversations. The chef on Viva Gloria, despite cooking for 100 people, somehow managed to get perfectly crispy fish skin every time. Every fish we had, was delightful. We both adore seafood. I think you can trust us on this one.
Gala Dinner
During our sailing they had one gala night. I didn’t know it was happening but happily, we had a collared shirt for Karl and a pair of little heels for me so we could slightly upgrade our dinner look. The tables too had a glow up. The napkins had little bow ties (too cute) and the menu was served as a scroll.
On this evening, dinner was six courses including an amouse bouche and pralines. The fillet mignon was perfect, as was the chocolate fondant cake. I was very impressed that they managed a flowing centre with so many people to serve at once. Oh how my heart sank when I realised the two chocolates meant one each and I had just demolished mine thinking there was another to come.
Vino Vino
At the back of the Diamond deck is Vino Vino. This was used as a bistro during our sailing and we booked to eat there on the second to last night. In Vino Vino (as the name would suggest) there was a wider selection of wines on offer. It was nice to have more to pick from after having the same drink menu for the week. (More on the drinks next). The starter for everyone was a salad which was crispy but very simple. Then I opted for a Chateaubriand and Mr Fluskey chose the burger.
Now, I was particularly excited about my steak. It is not often you see Chateaubriand on a menu for just one person so this was going to be a real treat. We also never “go for steak” at home as Mr Fluskey isn’t a fan of beef. I kept waiting for the waiter to ask me how I liked it but instead, I was presented with a plate. ofmeat that was well done. Personally, I like my steak barely past rare and was not keen on chewing my way through this beautiful steak that I felt was ruined. I have genuinely never sent a plate of food back in my life but considering the rarity of my special steak dinner, I did on this occasion. Well, the staff did some epic service recovery. Within five minutes a perfectly blushing Chateaubriand was in front of me with freshly cooked chips too. I felt so embarrassed that I had complained but they dealt with it with grace, kindness and excellent cooking skills. Amazing work!
The Drinks
Viva Cruises has, what they called, their “all-inclusiveconcept“. This allows guests to choose from house wines, beers, spirits, champagne and cocktails, along with soft drinks and hot drinks. These are all included in the price of the cruise and you only pay extra if you want to pick from the wider wine list anywhere other than Vino Vino. This is one of those inclusions that really allows you to relax and enjoy the cruise. I hate stressing about drink prices on holiday. It is so much nicer to just think about what you really want and pick that.
Entertainment
There was only one main entertainer on the boat, a pianist who also sang. She had a very laid-back lounge style of piano , which I found a little soporific. I did enjoy the blend of the great American songbook, popular songs from the 70s and 80s, and musical theatre. ‘s greatest hits, however.
Our last night we were treated to a cabaret show performed by a group called Lipstick Productions. They were so talented and it was so nice to see the crowd slowly perk up. Mr Fluskey was roped into one of the skits and he wasn’t alone. Crowd participation was encouraged and they were so kind to the willing, or unwilling, volunteers.I thorouhgly enjoyed the hour long show which eneded in a full French can-can, the perfect Parisian performance.
Final Thoughts for Our Viva Cruises Review
Honestly, I wasn’t sure that river cruising would be our thing. It is weirdly both quite slow, and an opportunity to see loads in a short time. I think the compatibility of any traveller with this kind of trip is the itinerary. Exploring somewhere new, stopping vibrant cities, chasing art trails, taking a foodie adventure or travelling on different rivers, there is the perfect itinerary for everyone.
I do know that I would be thrilled to sell with Viva Cruises again and would love to see the new ships, exploring more of Europe’s waterways in style.
St. Gallen, tucked in the northeast of Switzerland is an unassuming city with much more than meets the eye. With stunning architecture, medieval roots and a thriving university, St. Gallen has so much to offer the mini-breaker and day-trippers alike. So is St. Gallen worth visiting? Check out these 10 things to do in St. Gallen and see why we think it shouldn’t be missed.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
1.) Check Out the Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Gallen (or the Stiftskirche St. Gallus und Otmar) is a magnificent baroque behemoth. It is intimately linked to the founding of St. Gallen. In 612 AD, a monk from Ireland passed through the area. He would later be known as St Gall but I guess, at the time, he was just Brohter Gall. He was spreading the message of Protestantism, a less famous reformer than Martin Luther probably everywhere but here. This location “the green wilderness between Lake Constance and Säntis”, he decided, would be the perfect place to set up his hermitage. Over time, other people joined him and church after church was constructed on this spot. St Gall’s remains are now housed in the St. Otmar crypt under the high alter.
The current cathedral, built in the 1750 and 60ss by architect peter Thumb (more on him later). It has stunning baroque interiors, white walls, unique turquoise stucco by brothers Johann Georg and Matthias Giglmouldings and incredible ceiling frescoes. painted by artist Josef Wannenmacher. Cherubs and angels throng the cathedral walls, there are around 800 to count.
There are two other very cool things to look out for, and they originate from around 1400 years apart. If you walk to the right of the bars that separate the high altar from the rest of the naive, you will find an old bell tucked behind the giant colouring. This is said to be a bell brought from Ireland by St Gall. On the other side is the super shiny new font. It is beautifully reflective so you see the ceiling in it, as well as yourself.
2.) Visit the Three Ponds
Travelling from St. Gallen’s old town up to the Three Ponds (Drei Weieren), the Mühleggbahn is a steep, tunnelled funicular that takes just a couple of minutes to travel up the hill. It has been carrying passengers to the Three Ponds area for over 100 years (although the old water weight mechanism has been replaced and it is now electric).
Turn left from the station and walk up the road and you will find yourself at the first of three large outdoor pools. These aren’t natural lakes, rather two of the ponds were created in the 17th century for use in the textile industry and as a water supply in case of fires in the city, They quickly became popular as a place for recreation so three more ponds were dug for swimming in summer and ice skating in winter. These days, there are facilities for the swimming club and plenty of spots for everyone else to enjoy the water. Oh, and don’t let the names Men’s Pond, Boy’s Pond and Women’s Pond deter you, the pools are for everyone. Even the name Three Ponds is deceptive as there are still four.
Running alongside the ponds is an elevated walkway that provides stunning views across the city. Here you’ll find the Grand Tour photo spot, so you know its a good one!
3.) Catch a Concert at St Lawrence Church
St. Laurenzen is the city’s main Protestant church. It is a little overshadowed by the Cathedral next door but don’t skip on this gem. From its decorative tiled roof to the pretty stained glass, it is both introverted and extroverted (not to anthropomorphize it). There has been a church here since at least 12th century. This church was first built in the 1400s but it was renovated in the 1850s with a neo-gothic aesthetic. It feels quite modern inside. The church is only open for a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon so make sure you factor this in for your visit. You can check opening times here. In summer, you can climb the tower for a lovely view of the old town around it.
For something special, see if you can snag tickets to an organ concert here. The organ is very unusual. The original was installed in 1973 but three new sections were added in 2023 and the pipes are spread around the church’s interior. It gives any musical performance a surround sound quality.
(If you love organs, don’t miss the Wurlitzer at Kirchgemeindehaus St. Georgen too. You’ll find it near the Three Ponds up on the hill.)
4.) Mosey Through Museumstrasse
Conveniently, St. Gallen has put three of its big cultural buildings along one street (no points for guessing what it’s called). If you are heading this way, expect a long morning or afternoon at the least.
Kunstmuseum
The St. Gallen Museum of Art has three floors of works, featuring both art dating back to the middle ages, and intriguing modern exhibitions. The Neo-Renaissance gallery has been open for over 140 years. You will find a focus on Dutch Golden Age so if that is of interest, be sure to hunt the still life paintings out. You will also have to keep an eye out for the works by Ferdinand Hodler, one of the only Swiss painters featured prominently. More to our taste were the interesting and provocative modern pieces on the ground and top floors, but these will change often so check what is on show during your visit.
Kulturmuseum
Both a city museum and a museum of eastern Swiss culture in general, this museum has a lovely selection of interesting galleries. It has stood here since 1921 when the collection of historical artefacts and art grew too large for one museum. Wandering the falleries takes you from the earliest days of St. Gallen, through the straight-laced Victorian era and those years that seem so tantalisingly close but a world away. Particularly worth seeking out are the historical rooms (a beautiful old bed, a barber shop and a school room for example) and the history of medicine.
Konzert und Theater St. Gallen
Finally, check out the program listings for the concert hall and theatre. You may not speak German but you may come across a music concert that tickles your fancy, and then the language barrier doesn’t matter.
5.) Go Back in Time at the Abbey Library
There is something distinctly magical about beautiful old libraries. We have seen a fair few on our travels but to the Abbey library in St. Gallen takes the prize for the most marvellous. This is a must do on our list of 10 things to do in St. Gallen. The Abbey Library is one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world and the entire collection is around 170,000 texts.
Like something from a Disney fairytale, the wooden bookcases, intricate rococo carvings and dramatic ceiling frescoes give the library a dreamy quality. Wearing the fabric clogs over your shoes may spoil the magical feelings at first but once you are used to them and can start taking in the details of the room. Peter Thumb, an Austrian architect, constructed this room between 1758 and 1767. He is rightfully famous for his rococo work. His cherubs each watch over a bookshelf with a particular focus and are styled as such. The astronomy section has a cherub with a telescope above it, and
As well as the permanent collection, they have a changing exhibition all based around a theme every season. We visited during the food and drink exhibition and this text had some choice words about my favourite boozy beverage.
6.) Discover Fabric History at the Textile Museum
St. Gallen has long been associated with fabric and especially embroidery. From delicate, individualised pieces to vast swatches of cloth, fashion may change but a stunning piece of embroidery will always be in style. The textile museum is part permanent exhibition, part fabric library, and part rotating art gallery. I’ll be real, I wasn’t convinced it sounded that interesting but actually, it’s a fantastic museum. Seeing what can be created with lace and embroidery is amazing and seeing pieces that date back all the way to the ancient Egyptians is crazy cool. There were several beautiful dresses tha I would have happily smuggled home.
As well as these sections, there are a coupe of changing galleries. Here students from the attached fashion school have their work displayed. During our visit we saw an intriguing collectin of pieces all based around food waste, “All You Cannot Eat”. It was really good.
7.) Savour the Tastes of Schlossli
Schlossi has been a really popular option for fine dining in St. Gallen since it opened in 2005. It is located in a castle building that dates back to 1580s! Luckily now, they have a lift. You can dine with a large group of friends for a fun special occasion or request one of their adorable tables perfect for date night. Just look at the gorgeous nook we had!
They have plenty of options but for a brilliant look through St. Gallen’s ties to the world of fashion, opt for the Textile Gourmet Menu. Each course comes with a story, a chapter in the city’s history, which accompanies a selection of dishes which range from Japanese to distinctly local. The server will talk you through how each relates to St. Gallen as they serve the accompanying wine. Each course is fantastic and it is fun to try local specialities like the blue potato and liqueur that adorns the pears in the dessert.
8.) Look Out for the Old Town Architecture
Apparently, you can always spot a tourist because when they walk down the road, they look up. Well, we highly encourage you to do just that in St. Gallen. There is some rather fantastic architecture that you shouldn’t miss.
St Gsllen’s position as the place to get beautiful embroidery means a fair amount of money was flowing into the city. That means there was some spare cash to show off. The city is full of these markets of wealth. The most obvious of these are the Oriels, decorative enclosed wooden balconies protruding from the building fronts. These often have depictions of the trade of the occupants on them and there are 111 throughout the Old Town to spot. Then there are carved stone facades and statues, including these impressive carved heads on 54 Neugasse, that speak to the global trade the city was doing. Just keep your eyes on the buildings above you and see what you can capture.
9.) Grab a Seat in the City Lounge
Sometimes called the Red Square, the city lounge in St. Gallen is a rather unique public spot. The floor, tables and chairs are bright red as if someone has gone mad with the Heinz. The integrated urban space and soft lines give the impression that a large red carpet or duvet has been spread across the area. Then, if you look up, there are some fun rainbow bubbles. Pipilotti Rist, a Swiss artist collaborated with architect Carlos Martinez to create the installation back in 2005 and it is a popular if slightly unexpected addition to the city.
10.) Have the Cutest Lunch Date with a Fondue Backpack
Kundig Feinkost have served St. Gallen with the best cheeses for almost 100 years. The counter and fridges are stuffed with French, Spanish and local cheesy treats. You could just stop in for a slice or seven but for the coolest lunch in St. Gallen, you’ve got to try their fondue backpack.
Once you hand over a CHF deposit, you will be given a backpack that is full of everything you need to make a fondue in the great outdoors. We chose to picnic up at the Three Ponds but you can pitch up anywhere that accepts grills. Ask them for some recommendations.
In the rucksack, you will find;
A picnic blanket/sheet.
A packet of fondue cheese mix (with the wine in it already) .
A half bottle of white wine with glasses.
Fresh bread.
A fondue pot and forks.
The burner with lighting fluid and matches.
You just set up your picnic, light the burner and set the fondue mix melting. It took us a while to light it as we picked somewhere a little too windy, but once it was going, it didn’t take long to get the ooey gooey fondue goodness going. It was the cutest and most fun way to enjoy a fondue. Plus, it was very slightly cheaper than having one in a restaurant and you can always take a few more of your own drinks or other treats.
Information About Visiting St. Gallen
The best way to travel to St. Gallen is by rail. There is a direct train to Zurich that takes 1-1.5 hours. However, for the most scenic route, hop on the Voralpen-Express from Lucerne. You will sweep past glittering lakes and the rolling foothills of the Alps. Arriving in the shiny new station entrance, remember to look to your right and see the original station building.
We stayed at Sorell Hotel City Weissenstein during our visit to St. Gallen. This urban boutique hotel was very sleek but had some really fun touches. We loved the funky mural in the reception/breakfast room and the huge apartment-style rooms. They have huge beds that are super comfortable and room to swing a lion (or any big cat). It is just five minutes from the station and a ten minute walk into the Old Town.
Final Thoughts on 10 Things to Do in St. Gallen
St. Gallen was a delightful surprise. When you hear that a city was in the textile industry it may conjure up visions of big, grey factories in a faceless town but there is history, fun and beauty here. If you are doing a tour of Switzerland, it should definitely be on your bucket list.
Paris is a city of foodies. Parisians are passionate about great food and preserving tradition whilst also exploring new culinary horizons. That is why it is always a shame when tourists visit the city and leave with memories of mediocre meals, crap crepes and expensive eats. There is so much to try and so much of it is so good! We joined Eating Europe on the Left Bank to learn about where to go and what to seek out. Read on for our Eating Europe review.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Eating Europe in Paris
Eating Europe has food tours all around Europe. They hire local guides with a love of food, their home town and of meeting new people. Not only are they going to feed you the good food, but you’ll have the chance to learn about the guides and local area…if you want. Our guide Rachel was British, and both a tour guide, and a food journalist that has been in Paris for three years.
During our latest trip to Paris, we opted for the Eating Paris: Left Bank Food & Wine Tour as it was a nice blend of sweet and savoury, and who doesn’t love a glass or two of wine along the way? Plus, we had never been to the St Germain area of Paris so it would be a fun discovery too.
Breakfast From the Bakery
Every good day starts with pastry, the flakier and more buttery the better. Nowhere is this truer than in France. Admittedly, classics like the croissant actually came from Austria (why these pastries are often referred to as Viennoiserie) but I think France has perfected the balance of sweet and savoury to make them a firm favourite.
We skipped breakfast so it was marvellous to hear that our first was a bakery. Here we learned about the first of our Parisian artisans. A family that has been in the bread business for generations and has several branches of their shop in Paris. Poilane are famous for their giant sourdough loaves which line the shelves on one side of this location. They are also the owners of the only wood-fired oven left in Paris and the smell of the wood is lush. However, the sourdough wasn’t our intended treat. Instead, we picked up some biscuits to have a little later and an apple pastry. It was perfectly crisp and full of proper pieces of baked apple. Heaven.
Cheeeeeeeeese
Yes, it is always worth the Wallace and Gromit quote.
I don’t about you, but I always find the cheese counter a bit scary as I am probably a bit basic. I love a brilliant brie, can munch a mean manchego and chomp a cheddar or seven. However, when it comes to unusual French cheese, I am still learning. It might take a while considering there are officially around 1300 types!
Walking into Barthelemy was more exciting than walking into a sweet shop for sure. The goat cheese section alone, with its pretty petit fois cheeses, was so exciting. Apparently, they age their cheeses in the cellar but that isn’t for public viewing. I wasn’t going to argue as Madam Nicole Barthelemy that has run this cheese emporium for decades is famously terrifying (until you get to know her).
I wish we could have eaten our way around the whole shop, but I believe nibbling the edges of every cheese is frowned upon. Instead, we had a chat about fromage (cheese) in France. it is taken seriously and to earn an AOP you have to make your cheese in a certain way, and in a certain location. These are craftspeople of dairy and that is why the cheese in here costs a fair whack. Rachel picked up a few tasty options for later. Waiting for cheese is torture.
Baguettes at the Boulangerie
If you aren’t eating a baguette a day, are you even in Paris? However, what we get as baguettes in the U.K. are typically not the kind every Parisian is enjoying. The “Traditional” is a baguette in its purest form. In fact, it can only contain four basic ingredients and has to be a certain size and weight. If it has anything other than flour, watering, salt and yeast then it is not a Tradition. The white sticks we see most often are here referred to as “Classique” or “Ordinaires”.
For our second boulangerie (bakery) of the tour, Thierry Marx, we grabbed some bread and popped in the our tote bag (such locals). We learned that for a shop to be considered a boulangerie it must make the majority of its money from the sale of bread. It must be so hard when everyone’s baguettes have to be the same!
The Willy Wonka of Paris
We have both eaten a fair amount of chocolate in our time. We have sampled the spectrum from cheap supermarket slabs to fine Swiss concoctions. However, I feel like I have been wasting my tastebuds after visiting Jacques Genin. The chocolates in this fancy boutique are on a whole other level.
Jacques Genin, the chocolatier is incredibly meticulous in the selection of ingredients and then, with his stash of top quality flavours, he treats them with the greatest of care and skill. We had the chance to try his mint chocolates first and my eyes nearly popped out of my face with surprise. It was a burst of fresh mint, like thrusting your face into a plant. After years and years of peppermint oil and peppermint cream choccies, this was a revelation.
Next, we sampled one of his mango and passionfruit caramels. I was a little apprehensive of “caramels” picturing either the kind that is penny-shaped and sticks your teeth together for half an hour (from that Christmas box), or the sickly sweet liquid centres from the other box’s golden barrel. Well, this was soft and easily chewed with a bright and intense tropical fruit burst.
It is no wonder he supplies all the top hotels…now how can I get him to deliver to our house?
A Seafood Sit Down
With our collection of vittles, we made our way to a gorgeous deli/cafe/wine shop called Kaviari Deli. Already excited about our cheese, bread and biscuits, it was amazing to find out we were going o have some scrummy smoked salmon and caviar.
Seafood is my happy place and smoked salmon in particular has always been a part of my family’s celebrations so it is linked to so much joy. Seated in our next stop, we were treated to a blini with four corners.
Gravalax – Mild and soft with a fennel and dill marinade. I could have eaten this whole fish.
Smoked salmon – Lightly smoked and served with a smooth creme fraiche. Can I have this all over a bagel please?
French salmon roe spread – A bit like taramasalata but with a lighter flavour and thicken texture. Considering how many pots of salmon roe dip I have eaten this was obviously going to make me happy.
Caviar – What can you say? Caviar is pure bliss and it was really interesting to find out how this shop works with sustainable sturgeon farmers. We had a bite with creme fraiche and then slowly enjoyed the remaining soft, buttery fish eggs on their own.
More Cheeeeeeeeese
Once this was all devoured, we bust out the bread, cheese and biccies.
We were presented with our very own Fontainebleau, Its fluffy top looked so tempting so we dug our biscuits straight in. The cheese was really mild and almost sweet. Turns out it is cows milk cream cheese and whipped cream. I could do some real damage with this and a plate of cucumber slices.
To go with the whipped cheese, we had the biscuits from Poilane. These little shortbread biscuits were very simple and tasty, cooked in the bakery’s wood-fired oven. However, as the cheese was so lightly flavoured, I would have gone for a saltier base…but that’s just me. I would, however, like to nibble on a punishment biscuit with a cup of coffee. I will leave the story of the name for your tour, I don’t want to give everything away!
We also had a fun selection of four other cheeses to work our way through:
Ossau-Iraty – A semi hard sheep’s cheese that is very like manchego and goes excellently with quince paste…which we also had.
Rocamadour – A lovely goats cheese, not as punchy as the kind we normally have. A nice discovery.
Comté – I call this French cheddar (uncultured swine that I am). it’s a semi hard Alpine cheese which is the most widely produced of all AOC cheeses.
Fourme d’Ambert – Rachel said it was a mild blue but I’m not huge fan of blue cheese so it was strong enough for me.
We washed all of this delicious food down with a crisp glass of white wine as customers came in and out, ordering the excellently prepared salads and yummy fish on offer. What a foody paradise.
Pigging Out
For glass of wine number two, plus some more tasty snacks, we stopped at Avant Comptoir. After so many traditional treats, this was a nice change of pace. Avant Comptoir focuses on cuisine which links France and Spain. Here you will find gentle spice and lots and lots of pork. They have a mound of self-serve butter which we hacked into with relish. Then you could add salt, pick up some paprika and even grab as many cornichons as you fancied. How novel!
We ordered the caramelised pork belly, sweetened with Corsican honey which was very moreish. Sadly, it had a decent amount of onion in and I cannot bear onion so most of it was Mr Fluskeys.
Then we went a bit more left field with a couple of black pudding macarons. Apparently, some guests are a bit squeamish when it comes to blood sausage but we both enjoy it so we thought this a very fun dish to try. It was intriguing to have it with the sweet cases. I liked the salty sweet combo but the macaroni exploded when I tried to bite into it. I should have gone down in one!
A Divine Dessert
Have you heard of anything more delightful than the concept of a chocolate mousse bar?!
Now I am not a massive fan of the light, slightly watery mousse that you can buy in the supermarket. I’m much more of a Pots of Joy or Gu girl. However, the chocolate mousse at Chaplin is a very different beast. Again, the chocolatier here is a real master. He used to work at Buckingham Palace so he is no joke!
We got to pick from five different flavours. These included the extremely dark Venezuelan mousse and limited edition lemon. We opted for the Ecuadorean milk chocolate. Honestly, neither of us thought we had room, especially as Rachel had warned us that we might struggle.
The mousse was creamy and rich but still light and fully demolished it as the heavens opened and began to rain. This was the perfect punctuation mark at the end of our tour. We said a fond farewell to Rachel and she dashed off to the metro as we popped into a church for a touch of culture, and to wait out the worst of the rain shower.
Final Thoughts on Our Eating Europe Review
This was such an amazing exploration of some of the finest food in St Germain. We even got recommendations of a nearby food market that we need to go back to. I mean, I have been thinking about those chocolates ever since we left the sleek shop behind.
If you want make sure you don’t leave Paris with a bad taste in your mouth, I.can’t recommend taking a tour with Eating Europe enough. It was casual yet informative, fun and of course, delicious!
Switzerland is the most beautiful country. Rolling green meadows, snow-capped peaks and azure lakes abound. Criss-crossing the gorgeous landscape is an incredible transport network. Efficient and well organised, it is the gold standard and leading the way are the trains. Pretty views, incredible destinations and unusual carriages make these the 10 best scenic trains in Switzerland.
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What is the Swiss Travel Pass?
Travelling around Switzerland by train is easy but it isn’t always cheap. There are a few different passes on offer, including the half-fare card and Interrail/Eurail passes which will help. However, for the best flexibility and coverage, we love the Swiss Travel Pass. As well as trains throughout Switzerland, it includes trams, boats and buses as well as entry to over 500 museums. It can be incredible value if you use it wisely.
The 10 Best Scenic Trains in Switzerland (In No Particular Order)
A Quick Note About the Golden Pass
Running between Montreux on the shore of Lake Geneva and Interlaken/Zweisimmen, the Golden Pass Line has three trains on this list. Each train traverses a lakeside hill above Lake Geneva, which glistens gently below. Then meander through green or snow-blanketed hills and picturesque villages with steep valley sides rising up to either side. It is one of the cutest routes in Switzerland and three super trains run on this route (number 1, 2 & 3 on this list).
1 – Golden Pass Panoramic
The first of our Golden Pass options is not the prettiest on the inside. However, it is not the inside we are concerned with. Each carriage has large windows, with extra panoramic windows on the roof to extend the views up to the surrounding peaks, and sky beyond. It is modern and comfortable but with a slightly plasticky feel.
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For an extra special treat (and an extra fee) you can pay to sit at the very front of the front carriage. The driver sits above this area so riders gets a view of tracks ahead of them and to both sides. This is very immersive, incredibly novel and if you speed up your videos, looks like a very scenic rollercoaster. It even has windscreen wipers, something I have never experienced on a train!
2 – Belle Epoque
Boasting the same beautiful lakeside switchbacks, and sweeping valley views as the Golden Pass Panoramic, the Belle Epoque train has carriages to rival the superb views outside. The interior is designed to recreate the magic of vintage train travel. The wooden accents and turquoise brocade finishings are warm and inviting, with a clean but vintage vibe. It feels so luxurious.
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The best part is that this train does not cost a penny more than the normal train. You need to check the schedule. You can reserve a seat for €9, or thereabouts, but we found that all the reservations were in one carriage. The next carriage along was empty so it may not be worth it unless it is peak season.
3 – Golden Pass Express
The third of our Golden Pass trio is the newest of the three. The Golden Pass Express is a modern and ingenious train. Whereas you need to change at Zweisimmen on the previous two Golden Pass trains, on the Golden Pass Express you can travel directly through to Interlaken. This is due to the undercarriage wizardry. When the track gauge changes at Zweisimmen, the wheel bogeys extend along with it. If you are seated in the extremely luxurious Prestige Class, there are screens where you can watch it happen.
Taking passengers across the Swiss/Italian border several times a day, the Bernina Express is the most famous train that runs on this track. It travels up from the foothills to the Swiss mountains above through the Bernina pass. There are striking valleys views and cute towns to peer nosily through.
The most famous section of the track is something we all tried to create with our wooden Brio train kits as kids. The Brusio Spiral Viaduct (also known as the circular viaduct), sends the train around a 360° loop as it climbs or descends depending on which way you are travelling. The viaduct is 110 metres long and was built to minimise the slope of the tracks here, whilst avoiding the tedium of switchbacks.
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Although the Bernina Express runs between Switzerland and Italy, you can hop off at Campocologno if you have a Swiss only rail pass. Disembark here before catching the return journey.
5 – Gornergrat Bahn
Hauling tourists from Zermatt up to the Gornergrat for over 100 years, the Gornergrat Bahn is a highlight of any trip to the small resort town. This is the highest open rack rail (cog rail) train in Europe climbing from from Zermatt station at 1,620m up to its top station at 3,089m. The trip takes 33 minutes and has gradients of up to 20%.
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You can pay for priority boarding on the Gornergrat Railway. This is around CHF 7 and is 100% worth it if you want fantastic photos. Either way, try and snag seats on the right-hand side of the train as you face forward. for stunning Matterhorn views.
6 – Jungfrau Railway (With Some Extras)
There are two ways to reach Jungfraujoch. We think it’s worth going both ways for some fantastic trains views (as well as a rather super cable car). First, hop on a Wengernalp Railways train to Lauterbrunnen (this in itself is a very pretty little train ride). If you can, spend an hour marvelling at the gorgeous waterfalls that tumble towards the valley floor.
From here, head for Kleine Scheidegg. Here you can switch to the original Jungfrau Railway train to take people up to the Jungfraujoch station. The train passes through the valley and plenty of waterfalls before it curves around the pretty car-free village on Wengen. Then you will find it cranking slowly uphill and into a tunnel that ends at the Junfraujoch station, Europe’s highest station. For this leg, you are going to want to be on the right side of the train as it is facing forwards.
On your way back, the train (Jungfrau Railway) is in a tunnel 99% of the time but it stops at Eismeer Station, down at 3,159m. It has windows with a fabulous view of the Ischmeer (Ice Sea) … or so we hear. The day we visited, the clouds were inpenetrable.
The train temrinates at Eigergletsher Station which has a fun outdoor terrace and from here, you can catch the swanky new Eiger Express cable car down to the popular town of Grindlewald. From there, you can hop back on the cure blue and yellow train down to Interlaken.
7 – Glacier Express
I was thinking of doing a “saving the best for last” moment with the Glacier Express but there are a couple of things people dislike about this iconic train journey…but more on that later.
Commonly known as “The slowest express train in the world”, the Glacier Express takes eight hours to wind its stately way between St Moritz and Zermatt. The slow pace is intentional, allowing people to soak in the sumptuous views. For slightly more than half of the year, snow surrounds the higher sections of tracks but even in summer, it caps the mountains around. As you travel 180 miles between Zrematt and St Moritz, the tracks travel over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels. Countless gorgeous valleys appear below you and then rise up above. The Schöllenen Gorge will take your breath away, the Landwasser Viaduct is utterly capitivating and the Oberalp Pass, right up at 2,033 m, is the crowning glory of the route.
The most obvious drawback for some people is the price. Although your ticket is covered by your Swiss Travel Pass, you do still need a seat reservation. As many people’s dream trip is sitting in Excellence Class, the £500ish reservation fee can put some people off. The good news is, the views are the same from every carriage so you can definitely just spend enough to sit in second-class and have a lovely time.
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If the expensive Excellence Class is a little out of your budget, (as it is ours), don’t fret! You can bring a picnic on board and enjoy your own food and drink throughout the trip. This means if you really want to sit and sip a bottle of bubbly, you can! Just remember to bring your own glasses. 
8 – Vorelpen Express
The Vorelpen Express travels between Lucerne in central Switzerland to St Gallen in the east every hour. This is the slowest way to connect between these two cities. Going via Zurich and switching trains is actually about 20 minutes quicker, but we are here for a relaxing time. It meanders through the low-lying foothills of the “pre-Alps” and skirts pretty lakes. The modern copper/orange Traverso trains lack the panoramic windows of many of these scenic trains, but they do have nice big windows so the views are still great. Some particularly picturesque sections include the glittering Lake Lucerne with Pilatus rising beyond, Mount Rigi and rolling green of the Toggenburg. Finally, just outside St Gallen, the train crosses the 99m high Sitter Viaduct, the highest train bridge in Switzerland…and that’s saying something.
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Don’t miss the “bistro car” which, rather than being a person behind a counter, is comprised of a couple of vending machines. One serves hot drinks, and then other cold drinks and snacks.
9 – Zurich to the Rhine Falls
As this train journey from Zurich to Schaffhausen trundles through the grey outskirts of the city you will assuredly be wondering why it on the list of best scenic trains in Switzerland. That’s fair, suburbs are rarely stunning. The scenic section comes right before you arrive at Neuhausen Rheinfall, 50 minutes and 23 miles later. The train line edges its way up the Rhine river at its most dramatic point. You are going to get wonderful views across the Rhein Falls, Europe’s biggest waterfall.
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Make sure you are sitting on the right as the train is facing forward for the view.
Full disclosure, we haven’t taken this train to Rhine Falls, but have some some of the route on another trip and got to see the view in the museum at the Rhine Falls.
10 – Luzern–Interlaken Express
It is a lesser-known panoramic train so you will find it much easier to find a seat, and may even have a section all to yourself. The route is plied by swanky modern trains with roof windows, giving lovely views of the valleys it passes through. There are two main sections to this route, one traverses pretty green hills and cute villages. The other curves around the edge of the stunning, milky turquoise Lake Brienz. If you get peckish, there is a bistro car in the middle of the train which serves food and drinks all day.
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Both sides of the train will have fab views during the train ride so there is no need to scramble for seats. If you are departing from Lucerne, Lake Lucerne and Lake Alpnach will be on the left but then the best views switch for the rest of the journey. If you have room in the carriage, you can hop seats but if not, opt for the right. (The train switches direction during its journey but don’t move at this point, you are still in the right seat).
Final Thoughts on the 10 Best Scenic Trains in Switzerland
After two extensive trips through Switzerland by train, I can confidently say I am hooked. The seamless travel and fantastic pass options make travelling a breeze. Thus far, these are the 10 best scenic trains in Switzerland that we have taken, but there may be some more hidden gems. The Gotthard Express and Brienz-Rothorn Railway for instance…we will have to return to try and find them!
Rosie xx
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