With the risk of bad weather, strikes and widespread cancellations, booking your seat on the plane doesn’t guarantee its departure – and the aviation industry has been known to throw a spanner in travellers’ holiday plans.
Avoiding the airport might seem restrictive to the British Isles – soggy camping trips in Cornwall and lengthy road trips for a Scottish staycation are the most obvious way of travelling without taking off – but there are plenty of exciting European destinations accessible by rail or ferry.
Perks of packing for a train or boat instead of the airport not only has the stamp of sustainability, but the luxury of a slower travel experience. Yes, far fewer carbon emissions are produced, but relaxing rail journeys gazing out the window and step-on cruise holidays from Southampton also promise a less frantic pace than air travel.
As more travel companies move to offer flight-free holidays, here are the best no-fly destinations from the UK that are worth clipping your wings for.
Read more: Inside the destinations rewarding people for being better tourists
Best flight-free holiday destinations from the UK
Edinburgh, Scotland
Caledonian Sleeper train: London – Edinburgh
The best thing about sleeper trains may not be the quality of your snooze or the length of the journey, but with time to stretch out, snack and gaze wistfully out the window, an overnight journey to some of Scotland’s highlights is well worth avoiding the airport. A train ride to Edinburgh promises leafy boulevards, a medieval Old Town and bagpipes that backdrop shopping on the Royal Mile with laughs guaranteed at the Fringe come summer in the Scottish capital.
How to get there
The Caledonian Sleeper runs several routes between London and Scotland – to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Fort William and Edinburgh – with its London to Edinburgh overnight service usually lasting less than eight hours. Passengers can board from 10.15pm the evening of departure and stay on board until 8am the next morning. Prices for a double en-suite room for one start from £380.
Read more: Best hotels in Edinburgh, reviewed
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Eurostar: London St Pancras – Amsterdam
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Independent Travel…