If there’s one thing guaranteed to spoil the magic of a European city break, it’s all the stress and hassle of getting there and back by plane.
It starts with the dawn trek out to the airport; queueing for ages at security, and then again at the gate; the cramped and claustrophobic seating; the long wait for your baggage, then the long trek into town.
You’re only in the air for an hour or so, but you have to allow several hours more at either end.
Wouldn’t it be far more restful – and enjoyable – to do the entire trip by train?
Travelling by train, you glide from city centre to city centre. You can get up and stretch your legs or simply sit back and enjoy the view. Getting through security is so much quicker, you can take as much luggage as you can carry, and when you arrive your hotel is often just a short walk away.
Eurostar travels direct from London St Pancras International to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, and from those five hubs you can reach lots of other cities in an hour or two.
Here’s our rundown of the main destinations – each no more than four hours from London by rail – ranked for their city-break prowess.
30. Charleroi, Belgium
Formerly the bustling centre of Belgium’s steel industry, Charleroi is a sad shadow of its old self. It’s pretty much the opposite of most people’s idea of a romantic getaway, but its industrial relics nevertheless give it a certain dystopian, cinematic allure.
Distance: 258 miles / 3 hours 2 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: The Novotel Charleroi Centre has rooms from £89.
29. Calais, France
Before Covid, you could travel from London to Calais in under an hour via Eurostar, see Rodin’s Burghers of Calais, and be back home in time for tea. That service was suspended in 2020: the new route is too stop-start for a day trip, and there’s a scarcity of the sort of attractions which might justify a longer stay.
Distance: 110 miles / 2 hours 5 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille, then TER.
Stay: The Holiday Inn Calais has rooms from £67.
28. Boulogne, France
Like Calais, Boulogne is currently ill-served by trains from Britain, despite its close proximity. Unlike Calais, it’s worth the trek. Head for the fortified Ville Haute to see Napoleon’s imperial palace and the vast dome of the Basilique Notre-Dame.
Distance: 106 miles / 2 hours 33 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille, then TER.
Stay: Château Cléry has rooms from £64.
27. Liège, Belgium
A big industrial city, Liège is rather rough around the edges, but it has several attractions which make it worth a short overnight stop, above all La Boverie, a beautiful art gallery on a leafy island in the River Meuse.
Distance: 292 miles/3 hours 5 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Van Der Valk Sélys Liège has rooms from £92.
26. Namur, Belgium
The capital of Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium, Namur is a city of woods and water, the gateway to the Ardennes. Visit the intimidating fortress which looms over the city, and the atmospheric museum devoted to the decadent artist Félicien Rops.
Distance: 275 miles / 3 hours 27 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Les Tanneurs has rooms from £75.
25. Rotterdam, Netherlands
Heavily bombed during the Second World War, Rotterdam was rebuilt in bland modern style, yet it’s a lively, invigorating city, with some brilliant museums, most notably the Boymans Van Beuningen with its enormous collection of classic and contemporary art.
Distance: 211 miles / 3 hours 13 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras direct to Rotterdam.
Stay: Hotel Slaak has rooms from £71.
24. Blankenberge, Belgium
Blankenberge is Belgium’s archetypal kiss-me-quick seaside town. No-one would call it pretty, but it’s harmless, unpretentious fun. Europe’s longest tram route runs right along the sandy seafront, connecting this bucket and spade resort with posher destinations like De Haan.
Distance: 185 miles / 3 hours 25 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Manoir Carpe Diem in nearby De Haan has rooms from £155.
23. Knokke, Belgium
The smartest resort on the Belgian coast, Knokke is awash with stylish cafes, bars and restaurants – ideal for a languid, debonair weekend. Visit the Art Deco Grand Casino to see murals by Belgian surrealists René Magritte and Paul Delvaux.
Distance: 169 miles / 3 hours 59 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Hotel Britannia has rooms from £197.
22. Ostend, Belgium
Bombed in both world wars, Ostend’s seafront is a modernist eyesore, but beneath the tower blocks you’ll find numerous cultural and culinary delights. Marvel at the spooky paintings of Anglo-Belgian artist James Ensor, at the Ensor Huis and Mu.Zee.
Distance: 166 miles / 3 hours 35 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Hotel du Parc has rooms from £88.
21. Tournai, Belgium
A few miles from the French border, Tournai is a bit forgotten by the tourist trade – and it’s all the better for it, a tangle of quaint alleyways with the Notre-Dame Cathedral at its core. Don’t miss the Musée des Beaux Arts with its Mamets and Monets. The building, by Victor Horta, is an artwork in its own right.
Distance: 190 miles / 2 hours 12 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille, then TER.
Stay: Hotel Oniro has rooms from £135.
20. Spa, Belgium
The original spa town, Spa gave its name to countless imitators, but the eponymous prototype is often overlooked. It’s sleepy and somewhat shabby, but the history of the town is fascinating, and Les Thermes de Spa is a wonderful place to unwind.
Distance: 316 miles / 4 hours 6 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Les Bains de Spa has rooms from £221.
19. Leiden, Netherlands
Rembrandt made his name in Amsterdam, but he was born and raised in Leiden, and this compact city features many sites from his early life. Leiden is also home to Holland’s oldest university, and its student population gives it a youthful, energetic buzz.
Distance: 320 miles / 3 hours 58 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam, then Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Stay: Steenhof Suites has rooms from £195.
18. Maastricht, Netherlands
Best known in Britain as the site of a tedious EU treaty, Maastricht is actually a delightful little city – and not a bureaucratic Eurocrat in sight. Art lovers won’t want to miss the Bonnefanten Museum while history buffs will relish a walk along its city walls.
Distance: 308 miles / 4 hours 9 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then Deutsche Bahn and Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Stay: Van der Valk, Maastricht has rooms from £81.
17. Utrecht, Netherlands
Picturesque Utrecht is a cluster of canals and cobbled streets, but it’s not all chocolate-box. One of its stand-out sights is a bastion of early modernism, the sleek Rietveld Schröderhuis, built by de Stijl architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld.
Distance: 314 miles / 3 hours 56 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam, then Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Stay: NH Centre Utrecht has rooms from £94.
16. Delft, Netherlands
Delft is a charming city – welcoming and walkable – and its main draw is Johannes Vermeer, who spent all of his short life here. His friendly ghost is everywhere, not only in the superb Vermeer Centre, but above all in the streets and buildings of the old town.
Distance: 308 miles / 3 hours 38 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam, then Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Stay: Hotel Arsenaal has rooms from £141.
15. Haarlem, Netherlands
Another gem from Holland’s “Golden Age” (an era roughly coinciding with the 17th Century), when this energetic nation led the world in commerce and culture. The Frans Hals Museum, named after Haarlem’s most famous son, contains a super selection of his joyful paintings.
Distance: 342 miles / 4 hours 4 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam, then Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Stay: Hotel Lion d’or has rooms from £66.
14. Brussels, Belgium
Brussels is scruffy and chaotic, disfigured by bleak high-rise, yet it’s also full of fine art and architecture – and fantastic food and drink. Visit the Comic Art Museum housed in an Art Nouveau masterpiece by Victor Horta, then dive into the dreamlike world of René Magritte at the Magritte Museum.
Distance: 229 miles / 1 hour 56 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras direct to Brussels.
Stay: The Dominican has rooms from £161.
13. Mechelen, Belgium
Only half an hour by train from Brussels, Mechelen is an ideal antidote to the grunge and clamour of Belgium’s capital. It’s the seat of Belgium’s Catholic Primate, and its cathedral, St Rombout’s is stunning, with a magnificent gothic tower that looms over the medieval Grote Markt.
Distance: 246 miles / 2 hour 31 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Van der Valk Mechelen has rooms from £80.
12. Mons, Belgium
Previously the grimy centre of Belgium’s coal-mining industry, Mons has reinvented itself as an attractive leisure destination. For Britain, this was where the First World War began and ended, with battles in 1914 and 1918.
The Mons Memorial Museum tells the story of both battles. St Symphorien Cemetery contains the graves of the first and last British soldiers killed in the war to end all wars.
Distance: 230 miles / 2 hours 56 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Martin’s Dream has rooms from £105.
11. Ypres, Belgium
During the First World War, German artillery reduced this medieval city to a sea of rubble. Today you’d never know. Painstakingly reconstructed between the wars, Ypres is a war memorial like no other. Visit Tyne Cot cemetery and St George’s Anglican chapel, then attend the Last Post at the Menin Gate.
Distance: 163 miles / 3 hours 43 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Hotel Ariane has rooms from £109.
10. Cologne, Germany
Flattened by the RAF during the Second World War, Cologne was rebuilt in brutalist, austere style, yet its museums are world class, its backstreet bars are full of life, and its colossal cathedral is one of Europe’s greatest gothic churches.
Distance: 369 miles / 3 hours 59 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then Deutsche Bahn.
Stay: The Wasserturm has rooms from £128.
9. Aachen, Germany
Aachen’s outskirts are drab, but the ornate citadel at its centre is one of Europe’s must-see sights. This was the capital of Charlemagne’s vast empire, which encompassed most of Western Europe.
Twelve hundred years later, large parts of his palace and cathedral remain. Get a good soak in the thermal springs which Charlemagne reckoned cured his rheumatism.
Distance: 320 miles / 3 hours 17 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then Deutsche Bahn.
Stay: Parkhotel Quellenhof has rooms from £106.
8. Lille, France
Alighting at Lille-Europe station, the view is uninspiring – an anonymous array of office blocks – but the Flemish old town, a short walk away, is a delight. The Palais de Beaux-Arts de Lille is one of France’s great art galleries, with masterpieces by Vuillard and Delacroix.
Distance: 175 miles / 1 hour 22 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras direct to Lille.
Stay: The Clarance Hotel has rooms from £244.
7. Leuven, Belgium
Leuven is the Oxbridge of the Benelux, full of students on bicycles. Its ancient university lends it a special joie de vivre. Its most iconic site is its monumental library, destroyed by the Germans in the First World War and since immaculately restored.
Distance: 249 miles / 2 hours 36 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: The Begijnhof Hotel has rooms from £76.
6. The Hague, Netherlands
The Hague is the Netherlands’ seat of government, but don’t let that put you off. Politicos keep a low profile, and the antique city centre is a lovely place to wander. At its historic heart is one of Europe’s most enchanting art galleries, the Mauritshuis, famous for Vermeer’s Girl With A Pearl Earring. The jolly seaside resort of Scheveningen is just down the road.
Distance: 310 miles / 3 hours 30 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Rotterdam, then Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Stay: Hotel des Indes has rooms from £201.
5. Bruges, Belgium
One of Europe’s best-preserved mediaeval cities, Bruges is besieged by camera-clicking tourists, but most of them are day trippers. Stay overnight and you’ll escape the worst of the coach party crowds. New Year is the best time to go – there are fewer visitors, and the city is at its best on misty, rainy days.
Distance: 177 miles / 3 hours 10 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: Hotel Dukes Palace has rooms from £203.
4. Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp is a city of two parts, both equally appealing. The baroque old town is littered with architectural treasures, many of them associated with Flemish Old Master Peter Paul Rubens. The dynamic dockland district is full of trendy bars and cafes, and boasts two excellent museums, the Red Star Line Museum and Museum aan de Stroom.
Distance: 177 miles / 2 hours 50 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: August has rooms from £147.
3. Ghent, Belgium
Bruges attracts the sightseers, Antwerp attracts the cool crowd, but Ghent combines the best of both, with a fraction of the tourist traffic. Its medieval centre is exquisite, and its cathedral, St Bavo’s contains one of the world’s most precious artworks, Van Eyck’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
Distance: 201 miles / 2 hours 35 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, then SNCB.
Stay: 1898 The Post has rooms from £152.
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is swarming with sightseers, but they’re here for a good reason: it’s one of the world’s great cities, with amazing art and nightlife. If you only go to one gallery, make it the Van Gogh Museum, a place which brings this enigmatic artist alive.
Distance: 334 miles / 3 hours 41 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras direct to Amsterdam.
Stay: The Craftsmen has rooms from £305.
1. Paris, France
Sure, Paris (and Parisians) can be infuriating but, like a seductive faithless lover, La Ville Lumière is a city that keeps calling you back. Too many attractions to list, and you’ll have your own favourites, but if we had to pick one it’d be the Musée d’Orsay with its life-enhancing French Impressionists and its sublime views across the Seine.
Distance: 286 miles / 2 hours 16 mins – Eurostar from London St Pancras direct to Paris.
Stay: 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord has rooms from £159.