THE TRAVEL GUIDE DISTRIBUTED WITH


25TH SEPTEMBER 2023


slowly through the Eastern European countryside, with two daily sleeper services off ering further possibilities. T e trains you’ll be catching are a far cry from the sleek expresses of France and Germany, but they have a charm all of their own. T e most appealing choice is the daily 7.10pm departure from Budapest which rolls into Bucharest at 11.19am the next day, treating you to rampant Transylvanian mountain scenery as you wake. Sprawling Bucharest gets few plaudits for its beauty, but there’s plenty to enjoy here once you scratch beneath the surface. T e city’s Gara de Nord station, where you’ll arrive, is close to the centre, leaving you well placed to visit attractions such as the Old Town, which is brimming with cafes and bars, and the far starker Centrul Civic district, where the mammoth Palace of Parliament gives absorbing insights into the communist era. Stay: Opened in mid-2022, the


funky, four-star La Bohème Hotel is on the fringes of the Old Town. hotellaboheme.ro Top tip: Head to Herastrau Park


to enjoy the city’s largest, leafi est green space.


HUNGARY, BUDAPEST, LISTED AS WORLD HERITAGE BY UNESCO, PEST DISTRICT/ALAMY


attractions include the fascinating museum of sound, House of Music, and the shrine to modern art that is the Heidi Horten Collection. Stay: T e recently opened


Almanac Palais Vienna is an upscale property close to the House of Music. almanachotels.com/vienna Top tip: For proper coff ee and


cake, try Café Schwarzenberg, in situ since 1861.


Vienna to Budapest Duration: 2 hours 35 minutes T ere’s little in the way of grandstand scenery between the cities of Vienna and Budapest, but you’ll fi nd lots once you leave the train. T e Hungarian capital famously straddles the Danube — hilly Buda to the west, fl at Pest to the east — and the riverside panorama ranks as one of the most impressive in Europe. T e Fisherman’s Bastion, perched high in Buda, off ers the perfect vantage point and is only seconds awa from Matthias Church.


Budapest’s truest joys, however,


are more down to earth. T is is a city of thermal baths and ruin pubs, street-art murals and wine bars, a place where Michelin-starred restaurants — such as Salt, where traditional Hungarian fl avours are given a fi ne-dining overhaul — stand cheek-by-jowl with old canteens. It’s a fantastic city to spend time in, with history at every turn and avenues fi lled with life. Stay: For a splurge, try the fi ve-


star Corinthia Budapest, reportedly one of director Wes Anderson’s sources of inspiration for his 2014 fi lm T e Grand Budapest Hotel. corinthia.com/budapest Top tip: Pack your swimming


costume to make the most of the art deco Gellért T ermal Baths, best visited before the afternoon rush.


Budapest to Bucharest Duration: 15 hours 40 minutes You’ve got a number of options for the journey east to Romania. A couple of daytime trains trundle


Bucharest to Sofi a Duration: 9 hours 30 minutes From early June until mid-July, a direct train travels from Bucharest to Sofi a, leaving at 10.55am, crossing the Danube and snaking through the Balkan Mountains on its way down to the Bulgarian capital.


5


Passengers can watch French farms and villages whizz by, lakes sparkling in the sunshine. German towns rise up on grassy slopes where cows graze in meadows deep with purple asters, snowy peaks beyond


Outside of summer, the journey requires a change in Ruse, although it arrives into Sofi a at the same time, shortly after 8.20pm. Once here, grant yourself at least a day to explore what is one of Europe’s more underrated cities, shaped by everyone from the Romans to the Red Army. Start your wanderings at the enormous Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, then dig deeper into the country’s past at the National Museum of History. For something more current, bag a table at Cosmos for some Bulgarian-style fi ne dining, or head to craft beer bar Kanaal. Stay: Les Fleurs Boutique Hotel


is on Vitosha Boulevard, the city’s main shopping artery. lesfl eurshotel.com Top tip: T ere’s no dining car on


the train, so stock up on food and drink before you leave Bucharest.


Sofi a to Istanbul Duration: 11 hours 55 minutes Onwards, to the edge of Europe. T e Sofi a-Istanbul Express is a night train that heads south into Turkey. Leaving Sofi a in the early evening, you’ll reach the waterside city of Istanbul shortly after 6.30am the next day. Wake yourself up with a potent coff ee at Evvelâ cafe, then plan the day ahead. Must-see sights for your list include the minaret-studded marvels of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia — the latter originally a cathedral — and the spice-laden alleys of the Grand Bazaar, but Istanbul is at its best when you lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Wander bohemian Beyoglu, where Istiklal Street is a hive of activity day and night, or take a ferry across the Bosphorus strait to reach the busy Asian side of the city. Stay: T e recently opened


Blu Ma’Cel occupies a historic o site close to the major attractions of the Sultanahmet district. blumacel.com Top tip: T e sleeper train


terminates at Halkali station, on the western fringe of the city. From here, hop on the Marmaray line for the short ride to Sirkeci station, in central Istanbul.


First published in the September 2023 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). Read the feature in full at nationalgeographic.com/travel


AERIAL VIEW OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS IN BUCHAREST OLD TOWN, ROMANIA/GETTY


SUBSCRIPTION OFFER


+


S EE THE WORLD! £10 FOR 4 MAGAZINES


SCAN THE QR CODE OR QUOTE DRSEP2 3 AT SUB SC RI P TIONS .NATGEOTRAVELLER .CO.UK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28