PHOTO: St. Petersburg. (photo courtesy of Thinkstock)

The romance of the rails is alive and well and thriving throughout Europe and Northern Africa. In fact, said global travel company G Adventures, the allure of “riding the rails” is is an excellent activity for proponents of “slow travel.”

“In the age of acceleration, slow travel is fast emerging as an antidote to the hectically paced lives that many of us lead in cities and suburbs,” said G Adventures Global Product Manager, Rachel Wasser. “Train travel invites passengers to not just relax and recharge, but to enjoy the moment in a more vintage and romantic way, taking time to truly see a landscape while someone else is doing the driving.”

G Adventures, which specializes in travel offers featuring up-close and personal contact, first launched its rail adventures line in 2014 to provide travellers with a new way to experience leisurely, low-impact exploration of a destination.

With the roll out of its 2016/2017 program, the travel company is adding several new rail journeys through Bulgaria, Morocco, Spain and Russia. The new itineraries range from a three-day add-on in St. Petersburg to a 23-day tour through seven European countries.

“The addition of these trips gives train lovers greater flexibility,” said Denise Harper, Director of Sales, Canada, G Adventures. “Travellers can customize their tours through optional combinations and enjoy even more ways to slow down and experience the scenic views and local communities through which they travel.”

New Rail Journeys include:

Spain & Morocco by Rail
Explore the Spanish countryside as you hit Spanish hot spots along the way, from Madrid to Barcelona to Seville. You’ll spend a week in Spain before crossing the Strait of Gibraltar for another week in Morocco, where you’ll visit such iconic destinations as Fès, Casablanca, and Marrakech. From U$1,599 per person; 14 days.

Budapest to Sofia by Rail
Eastern Europe, which has become a favorite location for river cruise aficionados, offers a whole new set of charms when exploring by rail. In Hungary, you can soak in a thermal bath in Budapest or visit Buda Castle, Hungary’s royal palace. Then marvel at the baroque architecture of Brasov in Romania and flavourful Bulgarian cuisine. The itinerary includes time for cycling through Veliko Tarnovo, one of the oldest cities in the world. From U$1,599 per person; 10 days.

The St. Petersburg Express
Start in the Russian city and make your way to Moscow, with this three-day, add-on-only adventure. Combine this program with such tours as the 16-day “Trans-Mongolian Adventure” from Moscow to Beijing or the 17-day “Epic Trans-Siberian Journey” from Moscow to Vladivostok. From U$369 per person, two people minimum.

In total, G Adventures offers 24 journeys that use trains as the primary mode of transportation, travelling through countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

For more information, visit www.gadventures.com/travel-styles/rail.

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