In Manchán’s Europe By Train, Manchán embraces the ethos of slow travel, taking the time to get to know people and places, and experiencing local customs and traditions. He hopes that travelling mostly by train will be more relaxing and less stressful than negotiating his way through busy airports, allowing him to relax, enjoy the passing scenery, plan ahead, keep a journal of his adventures – and catch up on some sleep.
During his month-long trip, Manchán leaves and returns to Ireland by ferry and in between, uses the vast rail network system to travel clockwise around the continent of Europe, visiting a range of destinations including Wales, London, Brussels, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Zagreb, Lake Bled, Genoa, Monaco, Toulouse and San Sebastien. The beauty of arriving somewhere by train is that the station is usually in the heart of the town or city, making onward travel easy. And instead of spending his time in the usual tourist traps, Manchán heads off the beaten track to enjoy more undiscovered offerings, as well as many varied locations along the way.
Episode two, August 25th, 6.30pm
Manchán continues his journey across the continent, stopping off in Berlin, Prague and Budapest in search of adventure. In Berlin he dines on an array of dishes made with protein-packed insects, joins a local guide for an eye-opening walking tour and meets a Brazilian woman who teaches him how to jam-skate in a deserted airfield. Manchán then takes a train to Prague where he learns about fruit foraging in the city and meets two sisters with a passion for baking. Then he is rocked to sleep by the hypnotic movement of the night train to Budapest where he heads straight to the public baths to freshen up and get the local gossip before exploring the city.
