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.
Yes, loved the Klimt artworks - love his use of colour and the lyricism in his way of seeing. Milan Kundera has been one of my favourite writers for a long time. Such depth and power to his writing.
No I didn't. We were only there for a couple of days having travelled on the river from Bratislava. Had to prioritize things to see. Which included lovely coffee shops too ☕ 🍰
Thanks for sharing this Laura. I had to save to return to read as I knew I’d need time to sit and take in everything. This is such a generously overflowing guide! You had me at melancholic spirit, haunt, cosy & slow - how delicious ☺️
This was a fabulous guide - I live in Vienna, have been to Graz a few times and know Prague very well having spent loads of time there (and I've been to Ljubljana a couple times). There's just about nothing I'd add as far as places to go and see. Vienna is crawling with historic old world cafes so you can hardly go wrong (even though some of them have mediocre coffee!)
I love Kundera and probably even prefer The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, worth a read if you haven't already.
Another terrific book to add to this itinerary: Last Days in Old Europe, Richard Bassett, perfect for reading on the train.
One tip to pass along, and a nice travel hack - it's usually significantly cheaper to book train tickets with Czech Railways rather than OBB for Prague-Vienna tickets (same applies to Slovak and Hungarian Railways). The trains are even more 'old world' too, but actually, half the time it's the same ticket but on an OBB train.
Re the Leopold: It’s wonderful. I studied art alongside languages/literature, and was very taken with the work of Oskar Kokoschka. Always appreciate artists who work across art and writing (and theatre). His humanism, pacifism, his belief that art transcends borders - all resonated strongly. The Leopold is such a huge collection - I’d say add on an extra day at least! How lucky you are to live in Vienna (it’s one of those few places I’ve spent time in where I could imagine living there for a time - beautiful!)
Thanks Daniel, yes love Kundera (all his writing really). Love the musicality, that he was a novelist of ideas, the philosophical explorations (especially on identity, memory, personal/political). I’ve not read Last Days in Old Europe, so thanks for the suggestion, and also great travel hack re the tickets!
What I love about this guide is how you remind us that slow travel isn’t just an itinerary — it’s a way of reading the world.
Each city becomes a chapter, each train window a margin note.
Prague, Vienna, Graz, Ljubljana… the way you frame them through books, cafés, and winter light makes the journey feel less like movement across geography and more like movement across consciousness.
There’s something deeply calming in that rhythm — the click of the tracks, the soft blur of rivers and vineyards, the quiet permission to think. You’re right: no flight can replicate that.
And maybe that’s the real heart of slow travel:
you arrive in a place by arriving in yourself again.
Many thanks Robert for the kind words, especially as you know the cities so well. I’ve visited them several times over the years, and it’s always interesting to see what remains the same, what changes or shifts. The Coronelli globes are amazing - as a fiction writer I’m drawn to map-making all the time. Find Coronelli fascinating - that dance between accuracy and impact. The Museum of Globes was on my wish list to visit on my last trip but it was not to be in the end, so I’m saving it up for next time. I have it and the restored Hall of Maps in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence on my must-see list.
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!
Amsterdam to Prague sounds magical too. Yes, always books!
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.
Yes, loved the Klimt artworks - love his use of colour and the lyricism in his way of seeing. Milan Kundera has been one of my favourite writers for a long time. Such depth and power to his writing.
I love Kundera and probably even prefer The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, worth a read if you haven't already (most of his books are, in fact).
Did you visit The Leopold Museum in Vienna?
No I didn't. We were only there for a couple of days having travelled on the river from Bratislava. Had to prioritize things to see. Which included lovely coffee shops too ☕ 🍰
There are some lovely Klimts there as well, plus so much extra information on his life (and many other artists besides, Egon Schiele for example)
Indeed, fabulous collection.
Another visit needed.
Thanks for sharing this Laura. I had to save to return to read as I knew I’d need time to sit and take in everything. This is such a generously overflowing guide! You had me at melancholic spirit, haunt, cosy & slow - how delicious ☺️
Hope you enjoy Dee!
Thoroughly! the pics are so dreamy & romantic too 💕
This was a fabulous guide - I live in Vienna, have been to Graz a few times and know Prague very well having spent loads of time there (and I've been to Ljubljana a couple times). There's just about nothing I'd add as far as places to go and see. Vienna is crawling with historic old world cafes so you can hardly go wrong (even though some of them have mediocre coffee!)
I love Kundera and probably even prefer The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, worth a read if you haven't already.
Another terrific book to add to this itinerary: Last Days in Old Europe, Richard Bassett, perfect for reading on the train.
One tip to pass along, and a nice travel hack - it's usually significantly cheaper to book train tickets with Czech Railways rather than OBB for Prague-Vienna tickets (same applies to Slovak and Hungarian Railways). The trains are even more 'old world' too, but actually, half the time it's the same ticket but on an OBB train.
Re the Leopold: It’s wonderful. I studied art alongside languages/literature, and was very taken with the work of Oskar Kokoschka. Always appreciate artists who work across art and writing (and theatre). His humanism, pacifism, his belief that art transcends borders - all resonated strongly. The Leopold is such a huge collection - I’d say add on an extra day at least! How lucky you are to live in Vienna (it’s one of those few places I’ve spent time in where I could imagine living there for a time - beautiful!)
Thanks Daniel, yes love Kundera (all his writing really). Love the musicality, that he was a novelist of ideas, the philosophical explorations (especially on identity, memory, personal/political). I’ve not read Last Days in Old Europe, so thanks for the suggestion, and also great travel hack re the tickets!
This has made me want to visit Prague as a priority! Great writing (as always)!
Thanks Andrew, Prague is one of those places that just has layers upon layers. Definitely worth visiting.
What I love about this guide is how you remind us that slow travel isn’t just an itinerary — it’s a way of reading the world.
Each city becomes a chapter, each train window a margin note.
Prague, Vienna, Graz, Ljubljana… the way you frame them through books, cafés, and winter light makes the journey feel less like movement across geography and more like movement across consciousness.
There’s something deeply calming in that rhythm — the click of the tracks, the soft blur of rivers and vineyards, the quiet permission to think. You’re right: no flight can replicate that.
And maybe that’s the real heart of slow travel:
you arrive in a place by arriving in yourself again.
This was beautiful.
Dave, thanks so much for these words. Appreciated!
Many thanks Robert for the kind words, especially as you know the cities so well. I’ve visited them several times over the years, and it’s always interesting to see what remains the same, what changes or shifts. The Coronelli globes are amazing - as a fiction writer I’m drawn to map-making all the time. Find Coronelli fascinating - that dance between accuracy and impact. The Museum of Globes was on my wish list to visit on my last trip but it was not to be in the end, so I’m saving it up for next time. I have it and the restored Hall of Maps in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence on my must-see list.
I'll second this sentiment. Great guide.