My interest in this book should not really come as a surprise: I’m European and I quite enjoy a relaxing, scenic train ride.
Out of all the methods of transportation, the train is hard to beat, especially across European nations who often boast some of the best train infrastructure in the West. There’s a romanticism to riding the train, gazing out the window, and sipping on a warm cup of tea or coffee in a quiet carriage, especially through this stunning and storied continent.
From what I’ve researched about this DK Eyewitness compilation, it features information about railways all across central, northern, and eastern Europe (which, yes, includes Scandinavia and the Balkans), and breaks down fifty unique trips one can make via rail around the continent. Moreover, it seems to have some lovely, high-quality pictures showing the fantastic architecture and sights one can encounter along their travels and stoppages, coupled with some facts and tips on what to do.
Publications like this, weirdly, make me excited to be alive. In this case, the semi-niche focus on commuting around humanity’s most historically accomplished and unified continent gives me a strange thrill and a strong desire to delve into its rail-bound exploration of my home region’s best areas.
As a closing aside, I also adore its cover; colourful, retro designs like this are what travel-focused books need to adopt more. I almost want a poster of it.
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