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