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One of the highlights of my recent trip to Europe was all the train travel I did. Using my Eurail pass, I rode across the continent through the amazing scenery. In the past, I had done limited train travel but, usually my travel plans are always random, so I typically jet set around Europe on cheap Ryanair flights. This time though, since I had a pretty set route, I really wanted to explore Europe by train. I had heard so much about it, that it was time for me to experience it. I got to see the countrysides of..

Spain

While not my favorite, the Spanish countryside was beautiful. The land seemed both desolate and full of life at the same time. There weren’t a lot of big trees and even from the train, you could feel the heat emanating from the land. It was very dry and arid but not off putish. I liked the sharp contrast.

France

France has one of my favorite countrysides. Riding through the countryside, you can see the land is extremely fertile. The rolling hills filled with wineries and farms make for some serene train rides. Furthermore, I love passing little French towns throughout the countryside. They are beautiful and only make me want to live in France more.

Belgium

Belgium was cool to pass through. This small country has a lot of small towns divided by seemingly smaller farms. You see a lot of dairy farms here and I think I even saw a few grain (or maybe corn?) one. The area reminds me a lot of Vermont with the old style farm houses and barns, small farms, and lots of cows.

Holland

Similar to Belgium, Holland also has a lot of small farms and flat countryside. It’s interesting to see the countryside just go on for miles in all direction. It’s also cool to see all the interlinked canals throughout the country. Also, I loved seeing all the wind turbines throughout the country. It’s always nice to see countries go green.

Sweden
Sweden is great and the countryside is just one more reason for me to love the country. It reminds me a lot of New England, especially since I went during the fall when the leaves were changing. Riding the train down from Stockholm to Goteborg, I got to pass mountains topped with trees, lakes, and a few small farms and towns. It was like being home.

Austria

Back in 2006, I took a train from Venice to Vienna. Since then, I’ve been in love with the Austrian countryside. Like Sweden, it’s filled with amazing mountains, vistas, and little country farms and towns. The scenery changes between the two often but it’s totally what you would picture Austria to look like.

After taking so many trains through Europe, I’m now hooked. I’ll probably take more trains around the continent the next time I go. (Though, I still forsake overnight trains! Never again!). The European countryside is beautiful and it’s hard to get a real appreciation for it when you bounce from city to city. Riding the train across the continent can give you a great appreciation for Europe’s varied and beautiful country.