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With its cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes – Europe is the epitome of picturesque. And yes, that makes travelling there very fun.
The question is how should you go about doing it? Flying from city to city undoubtedly saves a whole lot of time. But do you really want to take shortcuts? We think not. You’re awesome like that.
Here are 10 amazing train rides that’ll help you fully appreciate Europe in all its glory:
Glacier Express, Zermatt to St Moritz – Switzerland

If you’re a ski enthusiast, this rollicking ride through the Swiss Alps will be right up your alley. Take the route between Zermatt and St Moritz, two of Switzerland’s most spectacular mountain resorts. You’ll be rewarded with picture-perfect views of flower-laden meadows, shimmering lakes, and quaint hamlets. Don’t forget to look out for the Oberalp Pass, the journey’s high point (quite literally) at 2043 metres.
Distance: 291km
Duration: 7.5 hours.
West Highland Line, Fort William to Mallaig – Scotland

Ever dreamed of boarding the Hogwart’s Express? Well, here’s your chance. The West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig in Scotland might not be magical in any way, but it was where the HP movies were filmed, and we’ll take that over our SMRT rides any day. Keep your eyes peeled for the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct. Who knows, it might take you through a secret portal to the Harry Potter universe.
Distance: 67km
Duration: 1.5 hours
Trans-Siberian Railway, Moscow to Vladivostok – Russia


Meet the mother lode of all train trips – the epic journey from Moscow to Vladivostok via the Trans-Siberian Railway, a journey that spans 9,258km with a travel time of seven nights, making it one of the longest train rides in the world. The cool thing about it is that you can also travel to Beijing or Mongolia, while passing by gorgeous sites like Lake Baikal – the world’s oldest lake that also happens to be bigger than Belgium.
Distance: 9,258km
Duration: 7 nights
Munich to Innsbruck via Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Germany and Austria


From sparkling lakes to towering mountains, this train ride from Munich in Germany to Innsbruck in Austria is the best way to traverse between both countries, and there are plenty of things to see along the way too – there’s the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain with an apex of 2,962-metres; and the Schloss Ambras – a beautiful white renaissance castle in Innsbruck.
Distance: 157km
Duration: 3 hours 
Cinque Terre, Levanto and La Spezia – Italy

Forget about overcrowded Santorini. If you’d like to experience some Mediterranean chill, you won’t go wrong by taking a short train trip from Levanto to La Spezia, where five candy-coloured villages of Cinque Terre are perched prettily on 18km of coastline. After the ride, grab a bottle of wine or two and sit by the beach, or take a stroll from each town to fully soak in the area’s rustic atmosphere.
Distance: 20km
Duration: 40 minutes
Dutch Railways, Groningen to Amsterdam – The Netherlands  

Be prepared for a visual feast of the senses when you travel from Groningen to Amsterdam. Two of these Dutch cities are separated by rainbow coloured tulip fields and charming windmills. For the best time to visit, head over in mid-April where the flowers will be in full bloom. Or, an alternative is to take the train from Amsterdam towards The Hague where you’ll be greeted with more pretty tulip fields!
Distance: 147km
Duration: 2 hours
Balkan Flexipass, Belgrade to Bar, Serbia and Montenegro


Don’t go looking for luxury and comfort here. You’re not going to get it. The Balkan Flexipass’s graffiti-stained carriages and old school carriage compartments will attest to that. Instead, look forward to admiring some of Europe’s most wondrous scenery, with the train chugging through 476km of rail between Serbian and Montenegro. Trust us, it’s the perfect way to start your Balkan adventure.
Distance: 476km
Duration: 10 hours
Flåm Railway, Oslo to Bergen – Norway

For Game of Thrones-like scenery, hop on the Flåm Railway in Norway, and you could swear that The Wall is just a short boat voyage away once you see the magnificent fjords that line up against the sea. Head for the train route from Oslo to Bergen, where you’ll be able to climb up the mountain plateau of Finse, Norway’s highest station at 1,222 metres.
Distance: 550km
Duration: 9 hours
TGV Paris, Paris to Nice – France


Paris has many reputations – it’s a real stink hole for some, and the capital of romanticism for others. Well, that’s up for you to decide. It is home however to one of the most stunning train routes in the world. Stretching out like an artery from Paris to the city of Nice is a journey that’ll take you through captivating lavender fields, quaint villages, and of course, the glamorous French Riviera.
Distance: 975km
Duration 
Douro Line, Porto to Pocinho, Portugal  

One of Europe’s best-kept secrets, the Douro Line in Portugal will take you from the concrete-packed suburbs of Porto to the gorgeous vineyards of Pocinho – a must-visit for wine aficionados, or just anyone who likes a tipple or two, really. Along the way, sit back, relax, and enjoy the view as you zip past twisting fields of almond trees, terraced grape vines, and riverines that just won’t quit it with beauty.
Distance: 160km
Duration: 3 hours

It’s not often that we find a place that we can’t wait to go back to again, but that’s the feeling we get at Crackerjack, touted as an “all-day drinking and dining venue” that’s made famous by their association with bar favourites 28 Hong Kong Street. Not only do they serve great comfort food, with a healthy twist that respects the produce by focusing on glorious flavour, but the ambience as we settle in for their new weekend brunch menu was lovely too.
The space, right at Tanjong Pagar, has a welcoming, modern vibe, with plenty of wood-and-metal elements softened by enamel mugs and earthenware, plus cool murals that take up entire feature walls. Then, there’s that high ceiling and full-length windows that let the light in. It’s like the home you wished you had. Somehow, even the majestic bar feels okay in this casual joint. But, let’s get on to the food, shall we?

Their brunch menu (10am to 4pm) caters to the hangry eaters who can’t be bothered to wake up for breakfast, the hipster who’s looking for something more unconventional than an Eggs Benedict, those fresh from a gym or session of hot yoga, and of course, families, which covers pretty much a wide scope of people who drop by. Yep, there was literally a bunch of girls in exercise gear who look like they just came from a gym class, no kidding. That’s the beauty of being here though, no one will judge your attire. As for the food, plenty of the ones we tried tend to find a balance between being healthy and wholesome, and still yummy, which is pretty apt since it is brunch we’re talking about.

Here’s a lightweight way to start your meal: the Rich Hippie Granola ($12) made with home-made organic Dutch milk yoghurt. There’s of course sweet pineapples, pomegranates, and pomelo thrown in the mix, along with crunchy granola, topped off with a bout of sweet honey. The mix is more interesting than most — and something that you wouldn’t normally create at home, which justifies the price — though it wouldn’t be our top pick when compared to the other options. Still, it will appeal to the health-conscious, and the clean, balanced flavours aren’t bland at all.

Now, doesn’t this make for a more exciting dish? We’re biased, but this Quinoa Fried Chicken ($18), also dubbed qfc, definitely hits the spot, while earning extra points for how wholesome it still is. It’s one that’s hovering at the thin line between healthy and delicious; rather than traditional breading, the chicken is surrounded by a crispy outer layer made entirely from quinoa (healthy!), then fried (maybe less healthy), which delivers on the whole tender-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside factor.
That the chicken was seriously tender when we sliced through it makes the contrast even more delightful. And yep, this proves that fried chicken can totally be healthy. The alternative quinoa, of course, has a different texture compared to normal breading — the good thing is that it doesn’t go soggy and retained its crisp texture for longer, though grandma might find the grain too hard to chew on. Still, it’s a smart dish that’s made better with a housemade spicy banana ketchup, inspired by the Philippines, and something that cuts through while adding a nice kick to the dish. We’d go back for this, though take note that this is only on the brunch menu!

Another one for the hearty eaters is this, a Sweet Potato Hash ($14) that takes cues from the classic potato hash, though obviously less sinful. The substitution of carbs from greasy potatoes to the bright orange roasted sweet potatoes is a deft one, and makes the dish feel lighter on the palate, yet also slightly earthy — plus we all know how they’re loaded with all sort of healthy vitamins, so it doesn’t hurt to have that on the back of your mind.
Then, the sweetness is balanced out by generous servings of kale and red peppers, and the well-seasoned housemade breakfast sausage that’s the savoury heart of the dish. And that photogenic egg of course. Our gripe is that we could do with more sausages (or, they could have mysteriously disappeared thanks to our dining partner), though that feeling of not being too full at the end of this dish is pretty rewarding too.
You can also opt for The Crackerjack ($20) that’s like a big breakfast-style plate, the Bourbon Mashbill Grits ($13), or the House Bone Broth ($15) if you need some salt to fuel your day. There’s also the family-style Whole Roast Chicken ($55) with a chermoula herb sauce and smashed garlic potatoes for the eternally hungry.

There are fun dishes, and then, there’s this Funnel Cake ($14), still fun in its own way. You’ll find this loaded American snack at most of their funfairs, and normally, the pastry tends to be too floury and hardly crispy enough. It’s a lot. Crackerjack’s funnel cake though fares way better than its predecessors, though we must say, still falls on the indulgent side.
The piped pastry here isn’t cloying, exactly how it should be, with its exterior nicely browned and holding the crunch, though still soft when you’re a few bites in. This is balanced with caramel, amaretto cream and slices of banana, that take away the richness of the dish; the creamy whipped texture of the cream works especially well here as its texture contrasts so well. Of course, the candied bacon with its unique sweet-salty hit makes the dish something you’d wanna go back to again.
Other sweet options on the menu include Horchata Pancakes ($11), and Bircher Muesli ($11).

For drinks, it is an all-day drinking hangout, so feel free to order yourself some brunch cocktails. Don’t let the subtly-titled Coffee Drink fool you; it actually brings together cold brew, angostura and whisky barrel bitters, while the Freisling ($18) comes in a slushie form, of frozen riesling wine with hints of citrus, spiced pear and black tea. There’s also fresh-pressed juices and healthy smoothies.
However, we like our breakfast brunch with coffee, and this Breakfast of Champions brew make for a fun perk-me-up. It’s a quirky combination of two breakfast favourites: coffee and cereal, therefore the double shot of espresso with cereal-soaked milk. It’s an interesting blend that has a distinct maltiness singing through it, perfect if you like your lattes more milky and less strong. Alternatively, coffee junkies can go with Crackerjack’s cup of batch brew coffee ($8), touted as bottomless, so you can keep on fuelling up for the rest of the day. With its warm ambience and better-than-average healthy fare, we can’t wait till our next visit.
Crackerjack
Location: 43 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088464
Phone: +65 8121 1462
E-mail: hello@crackerjack.sg
More info at crackerjack.sg

Just when we heard that the McDonald’s popular Nasi Lemak burger was all out, gone for good, and as our nation laments the loss of one of the rare successful local food hybrids, here comes another concoction from a just-as-popular brand: say hello to Starbucks Singapore and their first-ever, Singapore exclusive, Shiok-ah-ccino! Now, we’ve heard many versions of cappuccinos — even the strange-sounding babyccino that’s basically just steamed milk and foam — but this takes it way out there, and makes every other variation completely normal.

Here, you get a welcome barrage of local flavours that we definitely see working well together; gula melaka is blended with Starbucks’ signature coffee Frappuccino®, then layered on top of coffee jelly. That’s just the base of the drink, of course. If you want all the works, this is topped off with whipped cream, even more gula melaka, and toasted coconut for that satisfying crunch factor. The Shiok-ah-ccino drink (from $7.90) will be available at all Starbucks outlets, from tomorrow! The new launch will also be accompanied by a generous 1-for-1 treat (don’t we love those!) on any of your favourite Starbucks venti-sized drinks, from 1 to 3 August, 3 – 5pm.
Of course, since the drink was created to celebrate Singapore’s 52nd birthday, this is backed up by a locally-inspired menu too, consisting of 4 unique layered cakes ($6.50 each) whose flavours you’ll find really familiar: Horlicks, Ovaltine, Ondeh Ondeh and Pulut Hitam.



As anyone who loves the malty drink would know, Ovaltine is best paired with chocolatey flavours, so the Ovaltine Chocolate Cake is pure indulgence, complete with moist chocolate layers, crunchy chocolate puffs and chocolate flakes; elsewhere, the lighter flavours of Horlicks gets combined with sweet white chocolate, rich pulut hitam cream goes well between layers of vanilla sponge cake, while a legit-looking Ondeh Ondeh Gula Melaka cake sees that lovely palm sugar syrup with fluffy pandan sponge cake, then topped with coconut flakes.
If you’re a Starbucks super-fan, you know, not the regular ones who just flock there for the drinks, we’ll have you know that the National Day season calls for some new merch too!


There’s a Bearista® bear ($29.90) dressed up like the Merlion and Samsui Women, while you can also get a classy Starbucks Passport Holder ($19.90) for, like, the best passport in the world. Each comes with a limited edition Starbucks card ($10 value), and it’s available in five different designs.

If you’ve been waiting and waiting for the longest time for the brand to bring back their popular item, the Siren’s Tail Clutch, well, we’re pleased to announce that it’s back on the shelves, complete with that mermaid (maybe Merlion?) tail motif that’s a universal crowd-pleaser. This will come in the seasonal colours of Charcoal Grey, Millennial Pink and Dusty Lilac, at $15 each, from 7 August. More reason to head down to your nearest outlet eh, which shouldn’t be a problem since they’re everywhere!
Starbucks Shiok-a-ccino, from $7.90, available 1 August at all Starbucks outlets. starbucks.com.sg
* 1-for-1 treat is available on 1-3 August from 3-5pm, limited to two orders per customer. Free drink will be of lower value, other terms and conditions may apply.