trip-hop travels

travelling around Europe 

one hop at a time

It's time to think differently about travel.

Let's discover the places we used to fly over, exploring Europe by train, ferry and coach.

I've been planning trips one hop at a time and made Trip-Hop to help me - hopefully it will help you too. 

Discover

We Brits love Spain making 10 million visits a year.

I thought I'd take a look at the different options, try them out and see the pros and cons of each. Here's what I found out.

How easy is it to travel around Northern Europe?

A large family gathering in the middle of Sweden proved the perfect excuse to find out.

Valencia swimming

'Hire a bike'

That was the advice I got over coffee from one of my fellow winter-bathers. We were soaking up the sun outside a café after our swim...

Paris by bike

It was the best of rides, it was the worst of rides... and if the Mayor of Paris has her way, it was probably the last of my e-scooter rides across Paris.

Giants Causeway alone

What's the best way to get to the Giants Causeway and have the place to yourself? Let's find out.

Lourdes walks

Let's go for a walk with Hélène to find out why we should be making a different kind of pilgrimage to Lourdes - one to the natural world.

Monturiol

Let's dive into the world of the remarkable Narcis Monturiol who in the 1850s, moved by the plight of coral fishers on the Cap de Creus, invented the world's first anaerobically-powered submarine.

Roman toy doll Tarragona

Its a doll with articulated limbs. It's not particularly well made. It's gangly and out of proportion, but it brings the rest of the Roman world to life - here's why.

Videos

Grab some popcorn and check out the clips below or the boxset here

Pamplona - let's go see!

Let's talk to local guide, Mikel about Hemingway, bulls and pilgrims.

The Dalí museum hiding in plain sight

Local guide, Anna, sheds light on the Dalí's extraordinary gift to the people of Figueres - his outdoor collection that most tourists don't even notice.

Walk from Spain to France

Let's find out what it's like to walk between the last two stops on the train line from Barcelona to La-Tour-de-Carol-Enveitg in the Pyrenees.

A vision in Vic

Josep Maria Sert had a vision - a powerful, unnerving one that completely covers the walls of Vic Cathedral.

Llanca - a fab coastal walk with bunkers?

Let's go for a walk along the crinkly coast at Llanca which has a not-so-well-hidden secret set of bunkers. Why?

Carpentras for foodies

Let's visit the truffle capital of France.

Inspire me

Want some inspiration? Here are some ideas, or a full set here

Rhondda to Ronda

From the valleys of South Wales to the sheer cliffs of Ronda in Andalusia, this circular route takes you through a swathe of France and Spain with plenty of chances to hop off the train and explore.

Pamplona bullrun statue

Whatever your feelings about bullfighting, following Ernest Hemingway to Pamplona is a chance to learn about a rich and nuanced local culture - It's also on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela...

Alt Emporda Coast

If you are wondering where your bucket and spade should go on holiday this year, you might want to check out Alt Emporda's crinkly coastline.

Givernie

Set off from London mid-morning and wake up in Lourdes - gateway to the Pyrenees. It's a town that draws millions of pilgrims to its holy site, but many also come to explore an earthly paradise.

Cerdanya by Train

Take the night train down to the Pyrenees and pick from a suite of options on your journey down to Barcelona.