Explore Europe the slow and scenic way: Five popular flights you can swap for ferries and trains

Europe has plenty of cities that deserve your attention, but jump on a plane and rush from one to another, and you’ll miss the magic that surrounds them.

Here, we reveal a slower, more scenic way of exploring the continent — one that swaps transit for travel, and security lines and airport buses for spellbinding views.

Our proposal is to take advantage of Europe’s excellent train and ferry network and turn the journey into a memorable part of the vacation, instead of an experience that has to be endured.

Below, we present five alternative itineraries for popular city-to-city flight routes, from a ferry journey to Greece that includes passing underneath a jaw-dropping bridge, to a Spain sailing where the beautiful Basque coastline unfolds as you sip a morning coffee.

There’s also a train journey across Norway’s spectacular interior, a boat ride to the Balearics that will live long in the memory, and a Baltic Sea crossing with a fairytale departure point.

open image in gallery

Most travelers leaving Italy behind for Greece fly from Rome to Athens. The flight takes just two hours and costs between $90 and $220 one-way, so it’s relatively cheap and efficient. But there’s so much below you’re missing out on.

Step one — train from Rome to Bari, on the Adriatic Coast

What it’s like: The train glides through idyllic countryside peppered with olive groves and orchards. As you approach the coast, dramatic limestone ridges emerge. The ferry terminal is a short walk or taxi ride from Bari Centrale station.

Cost and duration: Expect a journey time of around four hours and 15 minutes with a fast, direct train. Tickets cost between $18 and $65.

Step two — ferry to Patras in the northern Peloponnese

What it’s like: The ferry departs in the evening, so enjoy a drink on deck or a sit-down meal as the twinkling lights of Bari fade. Book an ensuite cabin for the most comfortable and romantic experience. The arrival into Patras, amid sunwashed mountains and with the ferry passing underneath the epic Rio–Antirrio Bridge, is truly cinematic.

Cost and duration: The crossing, with either Superfast Ferries or Anek Lines, takes between 16 and 17 hours and costs around $80 to $140 for a foot passenger and $350-$420 for a cabin.

The onward journey: Take a bus to Kiato, then switch to the Proastiakos suburban train to reach Athens in around three hours. Alternatively, there are ferries leaving from the port to the Ionian island chain.

Read more: Best Greek island hotels for sea views and romantic retreats in Crete, Corfu, Mykonos and more

open image in gallery

The most popular way of reaching Spain’s capital from London is a 2.5-hour flight costing between $90 and $220 one-way. It’s a relatively quick, but not particularly exciting, journey and you’ll arrive in Madrid’s outskirts.

Step one — train from London Waterloo to Portsmouth

What’s it like: The train from London Waterloo weaves past the capital’s eye-catching skyscrapers and through the picturesque New Forest before delivering you to Portsmouth Harbour Station, a 20-minute walk or five-minute taxi ride from the international port.

Cost and duration: One-way fares are typically $20 to $45, with the journey taking around 90 minutes.

Step two — ferry across the Bay of Biscay to Bilbao

What’s it like: You’ll sail on a Brittany Ferries vessel, which is practically a cruise ship. There are sit-down restaurants serving Spanish food, along with children’s play areas, lounges, and even a cinema. Standard cabins feature bunk beds and ensuite bathrooms, while upgraded accommodations can come with double beds, tea/coffee facilities, minibars, and sometimes even a balcony. There are also pet-friendly berths.

The ferry arrives at 8am, so position yourself on the deck beforehand to watch the Basque coastline, with its rugged cliffs and tiny fishing villages, unfold as the sun rises.

Cost and duration: Foot passenger fares cost $120-$220, with private cabins $100-$250. The crossing takes two nights, and lasts 33-36 hours.

The onward journey: Keep the scenic-travel theme going and catch a train to Madrid. You’ll be treated to views of rolling hills and vineyards and delivered to the center of the city. The fastest services take around four hours, with fares costing $30-$90 one-way.

Read more: Five of Spain’s most walkable cities (including one with a 6mph speed limit for cars)

open image in gallery

Many travelers reach Bergen from Oslo by catching a flight. It takes around 1 hour 25 minutes and typically costs $80 to $200 one-way, which makes it fast and affordable — but it skips some of Northern Europe’s most spectacular scenery and superb train journeys.

Step one — train from Oslo to Myrdal on the Bergen Railway

What it’s like: This is one of Europe’s most unforgettable rail journeys, with the route taking in the Hardangervidda plateau, an otherworldly treeless expanse of frozen lakes and dramatic peaks. It’s particularly spellbinding when the fog rolls in.

Cost and duration: Up to seven hours, and $40-$120 one-way.

Step two — Flåm Railway from Myrdal to Flåm

What it’s like: Short, but very sweet. The line passes head-turning waterfalls, formidable sheer rock faces and storybook farmsteads.

Cost and duration: Around 55 minutes, and $50-$80 one-way.

Step three — ferry from Flåm through the Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen

What it’s like: Completely absorbing. Nærøyfjord is one of Norway’s most dramatic fjords. And the competition is stiff. The ferry passes between ribbon-like waterfalls cascading down near-vertical cliffs that narrow to just a few hundred feet apart in places.

Cost and duration: Typically two hours, and $50-90.

Step four — bus from Gudvangen to Voss, then train to Bergen

What it’s like: A journey through eye-popping valleys with classic west coast Norway as the finale: think red boathouses, islands aplenty and deep-blue inlets.

Cost and duration: Up to three hours, $40-$80.

Read more: The best hotels in Oslo for 2025, from luxury stays to spa breaks

open image in gallery

Flying from Nice to Palma is a standard way to travel from the French Riviera to Mallorca, and it’s easy to see why — flight time is one hour and 25 minutes and the one-way fare is $60-$180. But slow things down and you can turn the journey into part of the vacation and enjoy views of one of the world’s most mesmerizing coastlines.

The slower and more memorable way

Step one — train along the Riviera to Toulon for an overnight ferry

What it’s like: The train to Toulon hugs the coastline (for sea views, sit on the left-hand side), trundling past azure-hued bays dotted with superyachts, beautiful resorts (including Cannes), and vineyards used for world-class rosé.

Cost and duration: Up to three hours, $25-$60.

Step two — overnight ferry from Toulon to Alcúdia in Mallorca

What it’s like: A glorious way to depart the French mainland. Your Corsica Ferries vessel will pull away in the early evening past warships moored in Toulon’s impressive naval harbor before picking up speed and heading out into the Mediterranean. On board is a top-deck bar, sit-down restaurants and comfortable cabins with ensuite bathrooms. For families, cabins can be configured with double beds and bunks.

It’s an early arrival, but seeing the twinkling lights of Alcúdia through the window as the sun rises is magical.

Cost and duration: Foot-passenger fares $40–$100 one-way. Private cabins are $120–$250.

The onward journey: Hire a car in Alcúdia or take a bus to Palma.

Read more: I stayed in the new Saint-Tropez White Lotus hotel — and predicted it would appear in season 4

open image in gallery

The default way

The flight route from Stockholm to Helsinki is a popular one, with a journey time of one hour and 20 minutes and fares ranging from $70 to $180.

Overnight ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki

What’s it like: Hypnotic. Your evening Viking Line or Tallink Silja ferry will sail out through the fairytale-like Stockholm Archipelago, a world of pine-covered islands dotted with summer cottages, and glacier-carved granite cliffs.

Onboard restaurants, lounges and comfortable cabins ensure a pleasant crossing, and you’ll dock in Helsinki Harbor in the morning, which sits right in the center of the majestic city.

Cost and duration: Around 16 hours, $90-$180.

Onward journey: You’ve already arrived.

Read more: Slow down on Sweden’s islands this summer