Follow Michael Portillo to Monte Carlo with Ffestiniog Travel. Railway enthusiast and former MP Michael Portillo indulges his passion for all things train in his very first episode of the successful Great Continental Railway Journeys TV series which sees Michael travel from London to Monte Carlo. He follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. Rail tour specialists Ffestiniog Travel have recreated his route to the South of France in a 5-day rail holiday priced from £950pp.

Budapest, which is made up of two cities, Buda on the West bank of the River Danube and Pest on the East, is Hungary’s majestic capital city. Budapest can be reached in under 24 hours travelling across Europe in one of Germany’s modern sleeper trains with a private cabin. Ffestiniog Travel offers a six-day day trip from £585 pp based on two adults sharing a double/twin room for three nights in Budapest and two nights onboard the train. This price includes second-class travel throughout, a 72 hour Budapest Card giving unlimited access to public transport and reduced rates at museums and tourist sites and three nights in a 3 star hotel in Budapest on bed and breakfast basis. 

Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is a diverse and beautiful city that is often overlooked. Make tracks to explore its medieval streets in under nine hours from London travelling via Paris and the new high-speed Rhine to Rhone line. Rail specialist Ffestiniog Travel offers a four-day weekend break to Bern from £645 pp (two sharing). The price includes second class travel throughout, the use of a four-day Swiss Pass (includes a two-for-the-price-of-one deal – passengers must travel together at all times) and three nights’ B&B in a four-star hotel in Bern.