insideKENT Magazine Issue 35 - February 2015 | Page 123
VALENTINE’SDAY
Embrace the romance of rail this
Valentine's Day with Voyages-sncf.com
With love high on the agenda, now is the time to treat your special someone to a relaxing getaway.
Forget about the stress of airports and low-cost airlines and get your trip off to a truly romantic
and relaxing start by taking the train! Travel from city centre to city centre in comfort and style,
and enjoy views of the passing countryside as you let the train speed you to your destination.
Voyages-sncf.com has put together its top five romantic destinations, all
of which you can get to by train in under five hours from London.
Courtship in Cologne
You may not think of the
Germans as being a particularly
romantic race, but seeing the
Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne
might change your mind. The
bridge, spanning the Rhine in
the centre of Cologne, is
adorned with over 40,000
padlocks or 'love locks', each placed there by couples who will then throw
the key into the river below to ensure their love will last forever.
Affairs of the heart in Amsterdam
Known as the City
of Diamonds,
Amsterdam has
been a trading
centre for our
favourite sparkly
stone since the
17th century. So if
you’re out to really
impress your true
love, be sure to
include a visit to
one of the city’s
diamond factories. Begin with the Diamant Museum, where you will learn
how the stones are formed and mined, and then see how they are cut and
polished on a prized factory tour. Maybe even splash out on a glittering gift
to make the trip truly memorable.
To travel from London to Cologne by train, simply change trains in Brussels.
The total journey time from London starts at 5 hours 15 minutes.
Rendezvous in Reims
To travel from London to Amsterdam by train, simply change trains in
Brussels. The total journey time from London starts at 4 hours 40 minutes.
Passion in Paris
You cannot talk about Valentine’s
Day and romance without
mentioning Paris, the city of love.
With endless ways to wow your
beau, from an evening cruise along
the Seine, dinner at the top of the
Eiffel Tower, and shopping on the
Champs Elysées, you’ll be spoilt for
choice. However, arguably the most
romantic spot in Paris is Le Mur
Des Je T’Aime or The Wall of I Love
You’s, which is located in
Montmatre. This special wall
features the words ‘I love you’ 1,000
times in 300 different languages.
Travel from London to Paris by
train direct in just 2 hours 20
minutes.
Thinking of celebrating with a glass or
two of bubbly? Where better than the
very Champagne house that made
it? Reims and the neighbouring city of
Epernay are the centre of Champagne
production in France. Only sparkling wines
originating from the Champagne region
can carry the coveted title under a
Protected Designation of Origin label.
Lanson, Mumm, Martel, Tattinger, Veuve
Cliquot, and Ruinart are all located in Reims. Toast your loved one with a
glass or two an