Categories
Your Travel Advice

Luxury Train Travel in Europe

The Grand Luxury Transcantabrico Train

“The train is a small world moving through a larger world.

Elisha Cooper

Luxury Train Travel in Europe

A relaxing and peaceful journey is what luxury trains are all about. The trains go through breathtaking scenery, mountains and valleys, or along beaches, rivers, and lakes, providing views not available from highways or skyways.

The accommodations are of impeccable quality, with ample space. A dedicated cabin crew is always on hand, and you can expect fresh linen, amenities, and turn-down service equal to any 5-star hotel.

The cuisine on a luxury train is of the highest standard, offering fine dining to rival even some of the most notable restaurants known. With large bars, impressive wine selection, and enticing menus that celebrate the culinary highlights of the towns and cities which are traveled through, you will enjoy unforgettable feasts with friends, or make new ones along the way.

The Golden Age of rail travel is recalled on several luxurious European train rides. Utmost comfort is guaranteed for passengers during the whole journey thanks to the attention of the uniformed staff. The private cabins are outfitted with luxurious furnishings, and the observation carriages are attractively decorated.

Of all the opulent trains in Europe, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is possibly the most famous. Stepping onto the train, guests travel back in time between Venice, Italy, and through intriguing places such as Vienna, Prague, Berlin, and Paris. Sleeper cars from the 1920s and 1930s have been lovingly refurbished, with rich upholstery and vintage fittings. The train features three restaurant cars from the 1920s, each with distinct and unforgettable elements, as well as a sophisticated Bar Car where passengers can relax over drinks or coffee. A journey on this train is just one of the many luxurious options in Europe.

Venice Simpleton Orient Express

Other noteworthy luxury train tours in Europe


1. The Royal Scotsman, a cross-country train in Scotland that takes in the breathtaking beauty of the wild Highlands.

  1. The Golden Eagle train runs 8,000 miles between Moscow and Vladivostok.

3. The Golden Eagle Danube Express travels along historic rail routes in Central and Eastern Europe.

4. The Transcantábrico Train, a prestige jewel of a railway converted into a luxurious hotel that travels across northern Spain.

Traveling by luxury train is like taking a trip in a lavish rolling hotel. With first-class facilities and opulence throughout, the railway, unlike a hotel, also transports you to your destination, making it a great value since it combines travel and lodging.

Luxurious rail travel is uncommon, and only a small percentage of passengers can say they have experienced one. Nothing quite compares to being on board a train that is both an icon in its own right, and an indulgent mode of transportation.

Trains pass through some of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes and can span large areas and reach incredible places that other modes of transportation can only dream of. Through panoramic windows, you can watch the world go by in the most remarkable and relaxing manner imaginable.

I think David Baldacci put it best when he said “It’s not the beginning or the destination that counts. It’s the ride in between”.

Have you experienced luxury travel by train?
If so, leave us a comment below. We’d love to hear about it.

Share Button
Categories
Your Travel Advice

Brilliant Travel Accessories for 2023

Brilliant Travel Accessories for 2023

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the travel accessories you’ll need for your next trip, especially if you’re planning on traveling lighter and smarter.

It’s important to think about size and weight, which are equally important factors. You should stick to fairly small devices that don’t take up too much space or that won’t put your bag over the allowed weight limit especially if you’re planning on traveling with only a carry-on bag.

With these 5 ingenious travel gadgets and accessories, you can travel wiser and lighter in 2023. Everything from the top adapters, space-savers, and travel safety items.

5 Top Travel Gadgets

  1. Have you ever been surprised by having to pay for excess weight at the airport on your way back from your holiday? This small, portable, Digital Luggage Scale is compact and lightweight and can weigh up to 110 lb / 50 kg luggage. And best of all, it doesn’t require any batteries.

    2. This Universal Travel Adapter is the only travel adapter you’ll ever need! It’s an all-in-one International Plug Adaptor with 5.6A Multi USB + 3.0A Type-C + AC power adapter that works worldwide – UK, USA, Thailand, Japan, the EU, AUS + 224 Countries.

    3. And check out this travel-sized Wireless Router with USB Media Storage. This TP-Link N300 Single Band Wi-Fi Nano Travel Router supports multiple operating modes, and has a single-core CPU, with 1×10/100Mbps WAN/LAN Port, 1 Micro USB Port, and 2× fixed antennas.

    4. Avoid the knots and frustration at the security check with this nifty cable organizer. This multifunction electronic bag is exquisite and lightweight, easy to carry, and very suitable for traveling. It can store cables, memory cards, hard drives, mobile power supplies, USB cables, mini cameras, and phones.

    5. Stay hydrated and save the environment with this collapsible water bottle. Uniquely portable and incredibly versatile, the Nomader® Collapsible Water Bottle keeps you hydrated NOMADer where you go. Nomader® eco-friendly water bottles are designed and rigorously tested for health-conscious consumers. Made of 100% food-grade materials that are free of BPA, BPS, lead, PVC, phthalates and other harmful leaching chemicals.

    What other travel accessories do you recommend?

    Have you used any of these?


    Let us know in the comments section.

    Share Button
    Categories
    Your Travel Advice

    What Are The Busiest Airports In The World?

    Air travel continues to grow each year and in 2017 the UN’s World Tourism Organisation declared that international tourist numbers had surpassed 1.3 billion. Air travel across the globe is estimated to double over the next two decades and many airports are making efforts to keep up.

    The busiest airports in the world continue to see an increase in passenger growth each year, with some of the busiest airports receiving over 100 million passengers each year. But which is the busiest airport in the world? Which UK airports have the longest security queues? And Which European airports receive the most British tourists each year?

    In this article, Panoramic Villas will explore these questions to help you be better prepared for your next holiday away.

    The Busiest Airport In The World

    According to a recent report from the Airports Council International, the busiest airport in the world continues to be Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, for the 21st year in a row. Over 107 million passengers flew through this airport last year thanks to its convenient location within a two-hour flight for 80% of the US population. Atlanta is also the perfect spot for international visitors to enter North America.

    Passenger Traffic Grew By 5% Across The 20 Busiest Airports

    Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport saw its traffic increase by 3.3% compared to the previous year. However, Beijing might be posed to overtake Atlanta. Beijing surpassed the 100 million passengers mark in 2018 and saw an increase in passenger traffic of 5.4%.

    In the third, the fourth and fifth places are Dubai International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Tokyo International airport. Los Angeles has overtaken Tokyo since the previous year. Dubai Aiport only saw an increase in traffic of 1%, after years of double-digit growth.

    Passenger traffic at the world’s 20 busiest airports represents 17% of all global passenger traffic. More than 1.5 billion passengers used these 20 airports. While the world’s busiest airports continue to see growing passenger traffic, smaller airports are continuing to grow rapidly. Much of this growth can be found in Asia, with 12 of the fastest-growing airports are located in either China or India.

    Britain’s Busiest Airport

    We have looked at the busiest airports in the world, but what about the busiest airports in the UK? It is unsurprising that Heathrow is the busiest airport in the UK, after all, it is the 7th busiest in the world. London Heathrow Airport is one of the world’s busiest travel hubs and in 2018 it saw nearly 80 million passengers travel through its four passenger terminals.

    Gatwick comes second with 46 million passengers and Manchester comes in 3rd place with 28 million. The same report from the Civil Aviation Authority shows that nearly 300 million passengers passed through UK airports in 2018.

    The Longest UK Airport Security Queues

    One of the biggest contributors to travel stress for British tourists in the unpredictability of UK airport security queues. With the ever-increasing presence of airport security being felt during air travel the airport security check is seen as a frustrating, but arguably essential part of the journey. The long queues, combined with painstaking processes, has been the cause of stress for many travellers as they try to reach their gate on time.

    A recent study by Which? Travel has revealed that passengers flying through Manchester Airport are likely to face the longest security queue times across the country, with average waiting times of 16 minutes at security. Passengers at Heathrow and Gatwick, by comparison, pass through airport security in less than 10 minutes on average.

    Take a look at our graph of the longest UK airport security queues to see if your closest airport is on the list.

    Manchester Has The Worst UK Airport Security Queues

    Regular passengers through Manchester Airport might not be surprised by these results, as it has consistently failed to meet its self-set target of processing 95% of travellers through airport security in under eight minutes.

    Those wishing to avoid the lengthy security queues at Manchester have the option to make use of Manchester Airport’s new PremiAir service, which includes a dedicated security channel which will get you from the terminal to aircraft in just sixty minutes. This new service will cost passengers £50 and must be pre-booked.

    Heathrow & Gatwick Have The Shortest UK Airport Security Queues

    Despite being the two busiest airports in the UK, Heathrow and Gatwick have the lowest average UK airport security queue times. They are also the only two UK airports that have their queue targets set externally by the Civil Aviation Authority.

    Both airports consistently hit their assigned targets to get 99% of passengers through security in under 10 minutes for Heathrow and 98% through in under 15 minutes at Gatwick.

    The Busiest Airports In Europe For British Tourists

    If there is something us Brits love more than anything else it is a good holiday. Each year millions of UK citizens head overseas for some time in the sun, business or to visit family abroad, but where is the most popular place for Brits to travel?

    A survey by Which? Travel has shown which European airports receive the most arrivals from the UK in 2017. Our graph below shows the number of UK arrivals as both a figure in millions and the percentage of the overall international arrivals that were British.

    Faro Has The Highest % Of British Arrivals

    In 2017, 2.2 million British citizens arrived at Faro Airport in Portugal, which made up an impressive 50% of all arrivals that year. This would make Faro the busiest airport for Brits abroad with the highest percentage of British arrivals. Alicante and Tenerife take 2nd and 3rd place with 43% and 42%.

    Amsterdam Has The Most British Arrivals

    Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport received the most British tourists in a year with 5.1 million Brits arriving. However, this only accounted for 15% of all international arrivals. Malaga came second with 3 million and Alicante came 3rd with 2.9 million.


    Share Button
    Categories
    Florida Kissimmee Veranda Palms Your Travel Advice

    An Owners Insight: Villa FL017, Florida

    There are probably lots of things you would like to know about your holiday home before you arrive there.  Undoubtedly, the best people to answer your questions, and give you all the best tips about the location of their home, are the property owners themselves.

    We invited Julia, the owner of Villa FL017 on Veranda Palms in Kissimmee, Florida to answer a few questions about her home and give us some insider tips about what to do when you are staying there…

    Share Button
    Categories
    Your Travel Advice

    How to Support Sustainable Travel on Your Holiday

    Sustainable travel may sound like a good idea, at a time when we are being encouraged to look after our planet more than ever, but what does it actually mean and how can you help take steps to travel more sustainably and look after the environment?  It’s easier than you think!

    Share Button