From Prague to Ljubljana: A Slow Winter Train Across Central Europe
The Green Travel Guide: A literary and cozy journey through snowy streets, riverside cafés, and timeless Central European cities.
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A Winter Slow Train Journey: Prague → Vienna → Graz → Ljubljana
There is a rhythm to slow travel that no flight can replicate. It allows you to connect to journey and place in an entirely present way. I have long loved train travel: the click of the wheels on the track, the shifting patchwork of fields and rivers, the hush of winter landscapes framed by a frost-tipped window - this is a journey measured in quiet, connected moments.
Board the train in Prague with a Milan Kundera novel tucked in your bag; let the Vltava’s misty winter banks slide by as a prelude to Vienna’s golden Ringstrasse. In Graz, linger in a hilltop café and let a Handke story unfold at its own pace. By the time the train winds into Ljubljana you’ll be so immersed in the journey rhythms and the books you’ve been carrying, that the soft, amber-lit streets will feel less like an unknown destination, more like an arrival.
This is travel that invites you to read, to write, to observe: simply watching the world slow down around you. Winter is the perfect season for it.
Prague
Years ago, I fell in love with Milan Kundera’s writing, and Kafka’s existential prose. Over the years, Prague is a city I’ve returned to several times, each time sinking deeper into its wistful, melancholic spirit.
When I think of Prague, playwright Václav Havel’s Velvet Revolution in 1989 comes to mind, when students gathered on Národní třída, candles in hand, facing riot police. Or a city that held a central role in Cold War espionage, full of safehouses and intelligence offices - secrets being traded by the river. Or further back, in the 16th century - a hub for alchemists, astrologers, magicians and philosophers in the court of Emperor Rudolf II, in an intellectual laboratory of sorts with workshops hunting for the philosopher’s stone or deciphering celestial mysteries. And there are echoes of Kafka’s visions everywhere. It’s a layered, complex kind of city, more so than most.
It’s also a city of glorious architecture, of bridges and alleyways, with stories hidden round every corner. A place redolent with history, from its striking astronomical clock to the Cubist architecture, and a sense of the past in the present. Discovering it through the eyes of its writers, is one of the most immersive ways to explore all that Prague has to offer.
Suggested stay: 2–3 days
Literary companions
Milan Kundera - The Unbearable Lightness of Being: Captures the fleeting, delicate weight of life in Central Europe.
Franz Kafka – The Trial: Read a few chapters in a bookshop café; Prague’s winter streets feel built for existential wandering.
Milena Jesenská - Journalist, essayist, translator - and famously Franz Kafka’s correspondent (see Letters to Milena). Brilliant, courageous thinker; her writing on everyday life and rising fascism feels startlingly contemporary. For a collection of her essays and journalism: The Journalism of Milena Jesenská: A Critical Voice in Interwar Central Europe
Václav Havel - Audience (an early play) or To the Castle and Back (memoir on becoming the Czech president after life as a dissident).
Bianca Bellová - The Lake: Contemporary haunting fiction from winner of the EU Prize for Literature
Bohumil Hrabal – Too Loud a Solitude: Hrabal’s Prague is whimsical, melancholy, all too human - he explores what happens to ideas when you try to destroy books, a story that resonates in times of censorship.
Daniela Hodrová - The City Trilogy: Mystical deeply Prague-centric fiction.
Rainer Maria Rilke – Rilke’s Prague-born sensibility makes for lyrical reading.
Cosy slow spots
Here are a few favourite spots for flâneurs.
Café Slavia, looking out over the Vltava, warm, wood-lined, perfect for reading. With views of the National Theatre, Charles Bridge and Prague Castle while you sip your hot chocolate or coffee.
Vojanovy Sady, a quiet garden even in winter - monks once kept orchards here in the middle ages. Sit on a bench under the rose pergolas and take in the peace.
Prague is a city blessed with cosy bookshops and cafés, perfect for a gentle afternoon of reading, book browsing and coffee stops.
Shakespeare & Sons Bookshop – English-language books, quiet reading corners near to the Charles Bridge.
Franz Kafka’s Bookshop - If you’re keen on Kafka find his books here, in many language editions, along with other writers.
Globe Books - Bookstore and Café, and Prague’s first English-language bookshop. Come for the books, stay for the café and the atmosphere. My favourite bookshop café in Prague.
Petřín Hill - take the funicular to the top for panoramic views over the city, then walk down the grassy banks via the Rose Garden and the Seminary Garden (with over 2000 types of fruit tree).
Vintage tram rides on Line 42, a moving postcard travelling past Prague Castle, old streets of Mala Strana, and red roofs.
Art & history
Prague is one of those cities where you’ll find architecture, museums and galleries of note throughout the city. To get a sense of what makes Prague distinctively Prague visit:
The Convent of St. Agnes: a contemplative museum showcasing medieval art. The gardens house nearly 20 modern sculptures from Czech artists.
Strahov Monastery Library: a medieval marvel with manuscripts dating from the 12th century.
Explore Vyšehrad: once the seat of Czech princes, a site older than the main castle, wind-swept and storied, with the cemetery of Czech cultural giants, resting place of composer Dvořák, writer Karel Čapek, and artist Alfons Mucha among many others.
Head out early morning to capture images of the winter mists over Charles Bridge. Arrive at dawn when it feels equal parts cinematic and medieval. Films like Mission Impossible and The Bourne Identity have been filmed here.
Slow Hotels
Aria Hotel Prague – Music-themed, luxurious base, centrally located in Lesser Town, quiet winter ambiance.
Art Deco Imperial Hotel - sink into 1920s luxury in this hotel that melds Art Deco, Art Nouveau and even Cubist elements in its striking design.
Hotel Residence Agnes – Minimalist, historic, walking distance to the Old Town.
Rail Tips
Main station: Praha hl.n. (Prague Main Station)
To Vienna: via ÖBB Railjet, smooth and scenic; book in advance for sleeper-style comfort if desired.
Slow departure: Prague → Vienna (about 4 hours). Settle with a book and watch river valleys roll into open countryside.
Vienna
One of my favourite cities, there’s a rare, cultured beauty to Vienna. At first it can seem a little formal, stand-offish even. But if you take the time to scratch beneath the Rococo gold-plated surface, you’ll discover a city alive with culture, ideas and curiosity. Soak up the intellectual atmosphere in stalwarts like Café Central or Café Sperl.
Visit the Austrian National Library’s State Hall (Prunksaal) and take in the splendour of this bookish jewel box of a building. It’s one of the most beautiful Baroque libraries in the world, and its most iconic features are the massive 17th-century Venetian globes - both terrestrial and celestial - crafted by the Italian cartographer Vincenzo Coronelli. They stand like quiet sentinels beneath the soaring dome, surrounded by frescoes, wooden galleries, and more than 200,000 leather-bound volumes. I could have stayed here for hours just soaking in the atmosphere, the details, the beauty of the place.
Vienna is a beautiful walking city full of spectacular gardens and green spaces, the views from the Belvedere Palace (home to Klimt’s famous artwork, The Kiss) a case in point.
Suggested stay: 2-3 days
Slow Hotels
Hotel Altstadt Vienna – Design-focused, tucked in Spittelberg; quiet for reading retreats.
The Guesthouse Vienna – Modern, central, with curated art books in each room. Pet-friendly too.
Pension Suzanne – Quaint family-run boutique option near the city centre.
Writers to read along the way
Stefan Zweig – The World of Yesterday: fin-de-siècle Vienna in all its elegance and anxiety.
Arthur Schnitzler – Dream Story: A drifting, nocturnal Vienna written in the 1920s - the inspiration for Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.
Elfriede Jelinek – Nobel laureate whose poems, plays and prose offer a sharper, contemporary counterpoint.
Cosy winter corners
As you soak up all the beauty the city has to offer, don’t forget to fuel up in one of its historic cafés.
Café Central or Café Sperl: not just cafés, but cultural rooms where ideas and pastries share equal footing. Try Central for historic elegance - it was a favourite with folk like Trotsky, Freud, Loos and writers like Zweig and Altenberg. I had the pleasure to visit here on a quiet morning mid-week in winter, but bear in mind it can get very busy. Or visit Sperl for piano music in a warm, inviting atmosphere in this 19th century coffeehouse.
Phil – Bookshop + café hybrid; new and used books, slow browsing encouraged.
Burggarten Palmenhaus: a warm glasshouse jungle and restaurant, light filtering through winter trees. One of my favourite spots in Vienna.
The Ringstrasse at dusk, best walked slowly as façades glow golden. This 5.3 km ring route circles many of Vienna’s iconic palaces, buildings and parks. You can cycle, walk or take a tram, and there’s an audio guide you can download for the route.
Art & history for slow travel
And a few last recommendations to visit in Vienna:
Kunsthistorisches Museum: linger in the Brueghels; winter quiet amplifies their intricate worlds. Or immerse in the Egyptian and Near Eastern or the Greek and Roman Antiquities collections. Take a break in the café and don’t forget to look up.
Secession Building: the Klimt Beethoven Frieze - view it like a meditation, following each figure slowly. Or Belvedere Palace for The Kiss and much more. Book early in the day and arrive early with tickets pre-purchased to avoid the long, long queues.
Explore the side streets of the Spittelberg quarter: cobblestones, tiny galleries, warm lamplight, narrow lanes. Visit the MuseumsQuartier and the Leopold to fill up on art and architecture in this vibrant neighbourhood. And don’t miss the charming Christmas market that lines the narrow streets.
Rail Tips
Main station: Wien Hbf
To Graz: on ÖBB Railjet; choose window seats for river and vineyard views.
Slow departure: Vienna → Graz (2.5 hours). A gentle descent into Austria’s southern, milder valleys.
Graz
Found between forested hills and the soft curve of the Mur River, Graz feels like a well-kept secret: part Renaissance city of scholars, part modern design hub, part Alpine daydream. If you prefer smaller-scale locations, Graz is the perfect next stop.
It’s an academic, bookish and cultural city without the grandeur of Vienna. The university tradition goes back to 1585, giving the city a youthful intellectual spirit - students drifting between seminar rooms, cafés, and riverbanks. It’s where a young Nikola Tesla attended university; where scientists, humanists, and artists have always mingled in its old courtyards.
The city is surrounded by nature, with a slower pace that pulls you in. Graz is also somewhere that celebrates the contemporary alongside the historic. Walk the old town, explore modern art, soak up cosy café culture, visit the Schlossberg - all while enjoying the quieter pace.
Suggested stay: 1–2 days
Slow Hotels
Grand Hôtel Wiesler – Historic charm, near the Mur, cozy for winter evenings.
Hotel Daniel Graz – Eco-conscious, modern comfort, bike-friendly even in winter. Embraces mindful minimalism with style. Good value rooms or stay in the rooftop loft cube.
Literary and cultural notes
Graz has a long-standing writers’ community and UNESCO City of Design status. Pair your visit with reading:
Peter Handke (Nobel laureate): A Sorrow Beyond Dreams—quiet, introspective, and a fine winter read.
Friederike Mayröcker (Austrian experimental poet).
For German-speakers, a visit to the Literaturhaus (Literaturhaus-Graz.at) is worthwhile, hosting an excellent programme of literature events on year round.
Cosy slow spots
A good city for exploring on foot. Try just wandering and getting lost a little.
Schlossberg hillside cafés, tucked into hill terraces or further down by the river; there are plenty to choose from as you wander; soft views over orange December rooftops.
Kunsthaus Graz café, ideal for warming up after riverside walks. Bizarre Modernist architecture (nicknamed the ‘friendly alien’ by locals) makes for easy orientation in the city as a key landmark.
The Lendplatz market area for simple winter street food and low-key design shops.
History & art
Again, it’s really the city that’s the slow travel star here, but don’t miss:
Old Town (Altstadt) is a UNESCO jewel - wander without a plan; every alley offers Baroque corners and quiet courtyards.
Murinsel, the glass-and-steel island on the river, is a surprisingly peaceful winter cocoon with a café and theatre.
Visit the Styrian Armoury, the world’s largest historic armoury, fascinating in its sheer density, like a frozen moment in 17th-century time.
Rail Tips
Main station: Graz Hbf. Travel to Ljubljana: via ÖBB/Slovenian Railways (make sure to book one of the direct connections); Alpine foothills are beautiful in winter.
Slow departure: Graz → Ljubljana (3.5 hours), crossing a hushed winterscape.
Ljubljana
The city is a pocket-sized winter story. It has an air of calm, a touch of fairytale picture-book about it with its colourful buildings and riverside setting cupped in a mountainside valley. I’ve travelled in Slovenia several times and it remains one of those quieter countries, not often on travel itineraries - and perhaps all the more delightful for that. It’s a cultured place, but understated.
Suggested stay: 2 days
Slow Hotels
Hotel Cubo – Boutique, modern comfort, near the Triple Bridge. The friendly hotel staff offer bikes to guests (even in winter), can arrange picnics (best for warmer days), and suggest routes to take.
Antiq Palace – Historic building, cozy interiors, warm winter charm.
Writers to read as you explore the city
France Prešeren – Poems: Slovenia’s national poet, romantic and musical, explores universal themes. You’ll spot his statue by the Triple Bridge.
Drago Jančar – The Tree With No Name or short stories: layered, reflective, distinctly Slovenian.
Cosy slow spots
There are plenty of cosy cafés with twinkling lights riverside but here are a few favourite spots:
Café Čokl or TOZD bar (which has a bring-and-take library corner), along the river - warm interiors, good reading corners.
The embankments of the Ljubljanica at night: stone, water, soft amber light.
Tivoli Park’s greenhouse, a warm winter retreat with benches among tropical plants in the Botanical Garden.
Walk or cycle along the Ljubljanica by day too; winter mornings are quiet and reflective.
KulKul Bookstore and Deli - cookery books (in English too), a deli and all you need to cook
Mladinska Knjiga: leading publisher with bookshops with a wide offer of books in English
Art & History
Jože Plečnik’s architecture defines the city: bridges, colonnades, libraries. Slow travellers can wander the city, exploring it like an open-air architectural essay. To learn more about the Gaudí of Slovenia see this picture essay on 10 masterpieces including the Triple Bridge.
National Gallery - quiet rooms, soft snowy landscapes.
Ljubljana Castle - walk up the hill instead of taking the funicular; the climb is short and meditative.
But the city isn’t just rooted in the past. There’s a really vibrant urban artistic culture here too - from the murals and graffiti art of Šiška, to a busy programme of arts festivals on almost year round, to the alternative Ljubljana - of Metelkova city and the events and arts scene throughout the year.
“And there is nothing more beautiful than the moment that precedes the journey.”
- Milan Kundera
Walk the small city’s streets and riverside, buzzing with university students, soaking up the Art Nouveau architecture and the thriving café culture. Spot the dragon statues that symbolise courage and greatness: they are emblematic and you’ll find them throughout the city.
Use the city as a base to venture into the mountains: skiing and hiking are national pastimes, along with the traditions of sledding and sauna culture (thermal baths beat the chill). It’s a cosy, nature-based place - named European Green Capital back in 2016. Walking and cycling are popular ways to get around, in this city were pragmatism meets folklore. Ljubljana, wrapped in its layers of winter warmth, feels like the final page of a well-loved book - the kind that stays with you long after you finish reading.
From Prague to Vienna, Graz to Ljubljana, let yourself wander through the living history of these Central European cities. Travel slowly, mindfully. Read, observe, take in your impressions - and you may find that you’ve travelled not just across places, but across eras, and perhaps, in the quietest moments, returned home to yourself.
Rail Travel Booking Tips
Booking: Book your rail tickets ahead of travel to get reserved seating and best deals. You can book either individual tickets or a pass like Eurail/Interrail Global Pass. For this journey you’ll likely fare better to book individual tickets in advance, but the Global Pass can give you more flexibility.
For advice and insights into rail routes, which train to book, and what to expect, I recommend seat61.com - I use this site before booking any rail travel and find it to be consistently accurate and extremely helpful. You can see what the station and platforms are like, get info on best ways to pay for your travel or validate your ticket for travel depending on the system in country, plus see what the train looks like - interior and exterior. Particularly useful if you’re booking an overnight sleeper train or other long distance trip and want sound advice.
Slow Travel Notes
Travel by day where possible and sit by the window on the trains - don’t miss the journey landscapes.
Pack light, warm layers; wrap up well for winter walking in these cities. Comfortable footwear is a must for the cobbled streets.
Use local winter markets for warming snacks and to support sustainable tourism.
This is a solo traveller friendly route.
Carry a favourite book or notebook; jot down your impressions while fresh in your mind, or immerse in reading authors from the places you travel.
If you’ve travelled this route, or to some of these locations, which were your favourites to visit? Or which would you love to visit?
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Happy Travels,
Laura
Laura McVeigh
Author, Travel Writer, Storyteller
lauramcveigh.com | lauramcveightravel.com | travel-writing.com | greentravelguides.world
Laura McVeigh is a Northern Irish novelist and travel writer. Her work is widely translated and her latest novel Lenny is set between the desert in Libya and the bayou in Louisiana. She has authored books for Lonely Planet, DK Travel, writing published by Bradt Guides, bylines in the Irish Times, Irish Independent, featured by the BBC, Newsweek, New Internationalist & many more. Former CEO for a global writers’ organisation, working with writers from 145 countries. She is founder of Travel-Writing.Com and Green Travel Guides. Laura writes on storytelling, travel writing and mindful travel on Substack.
What an absolute delight! My husband and I took the night train from Amsterdam to Prague for our twentieth anniversary, and it was as romantic as it sounds. I’d really like to spend more time on central and Eastern European trains. I’ve been to most of the cities on your list, but usually by plane, and I’ve always wanted to do a longer train journey, and this is how I love to travel too—between cafés, bookshops, and libraries. I’ll be bookmarking this for the future!
This is a great article Laura, inspirational and informative. I have been to Prague and Vienna. Highlight of Vienna for me was seeing the Klimt artworks. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is one of my all-time favourite books.