It’s sometimes difficult to find that one place to spend five or six days which offers a varied mix of attractions to keep you engaged. Things that are usually on the checklist need to include a blend of culture, delicious food, scenic views and a bustling nightlife. So instead of picking just the one, I tried my luck on a three city break which could hopefully tick all those boxes.
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When people have talked about their travel experiences of New Zealand, they’ve always mentioned travelling by car. However, being one of the most scenic countries in the world, the kiwis put a lot of effort into their railways. So I thought I’d give it a shot and not worry about the parking tickets, petrol, or looking after a car for a week – and first on the agenda was travelling North to South on the Overlander.
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I set off on my trip in the middle of a 2 week European “Big Freeze” , so I knew that the holiday was sure to turn into an adventure. Luckily trains were running across Europe, unlike the airports where thousands of passengers had been stranded the last few days. I boarded the Eurostar at St Pancras which was running a restricted service, and made my way to Brussels for the quick change to Cologne. I was eager to board my Intercity overnight train, as this was to be my first sleeper experience.

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I had a free weekend and needed to get away for a short break, but didn’t know where. I knew only a few things: 1) I was not going anywhere where I was at high risk of having to partially undress in front of large groups of strangers – so that ruled out anything involving airport security. 2) I wanted to go somewhere different to the main Eurostar destinations of France and Belguim, but as it was going to be a weekend break I didn’t want to be travelling too far; and 3) It had to have good food and great beer.
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Located within arm’s reach of one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, the Grand Place, the newly refurbished Hotel Amigo provides a stylish and central base to explore Brussels. Definitely one of my favourites of the city with its flawless “Art of Simple” décor throughout, you know as soon as you walk into the lobby that you have arrived at a 5 star establishment!
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