Sleeper trains and overnight ferries are a wonderfully efficient, practical and exciting way to travel huge distances as you sleep, and all European sleeper trains and ferries are unique in some way. The Byway team – and their friends and family – have a lot to share about their favourite experiences travelling overnight by rail or sea, so we’ve put together our favourite sleepers with practical information included for each one. Photo by Marijke Cortenbach The Caledonian Sleeper One of two sleeper train providers in the UK, the sought-after Caledonian Sleeper runs from London Euston, Crewe o ..read more

Imagine falling asleep in one country and waking up in another. Often seen as a fanciful way to travel, the reserve of fictional characters from murder mysteries or pastel-hued indie movies, sleeper trains and overnight ferries are a fun and functional way to travel huge distances as you dream – and they save the cost of a night of accommodation elsewhere. When it’s time to book your first overnight journey, you’ll probably have a few questions. Our experts at Byway have published this guide to sleeper trains (and overnight ferries) to answer some of the most common questions we get asked. Ph ..read more

When on holiday, a hotel is never *just* a place to rest your head. It's a place to siesta in the midday heat or wind down with a nightcap in the downstairs bar. A slice of comfort (and perhaps a hint of luxury). The first place you wake up in a new city, and the last place you drift off, reflecting on the events of the day just passed. But there's more to it than that. Hotels are an intrinsic part of the communities they inhabit, exerting a real impact on the surrounding environment – and there are some real good 'uns out there. From locally-owned guesthouses to vegan hotels, read on for our ..read more

It can be daunting travelling to Europe from the US, especially if you plan to visit more than one country. Will they speak English? How are hotels different to what you’re used to? What can and can’t be pre booked? Is everything closed on Sundays? The best advice for your vacation in Europe is to plan and prepare before you travel – for a full list of hints and tips for a hassle free trip to Europe, read on. Before you go At the planning stage, try not to squeeze in all the sights and all the cities. Allow time to explore towns and lesser known places.. Check that your passport is up to date ..read more

As temperatures cool, classic summer destinations transform. Promenades, once jostling with beach-goers, are now quiet enough to hear the swell of the sea. Birds migrate across winter sunsets, and there's a renewed slowness and authenticity to even the most sought-after spots in Spain, France and Portugal. For those willing to go against the grain of summer travel, there’s the promise of something enchanting. A sense of being privy to a secret. A new take on familiar summer favourites. As the calendar months roll on, consider this an invitation to revisit nostalgic holiday destinations in a f ..read more

As the heat of summer dwindles away, the proposition of travel shifts. Instead of chasing sunshine, winter travel offers an invitation to embrace the cold. Open water swimmers might be enthusiastically nodding their heads, but for a large portion of the population, holidays have become synonymous with summer, often limiting us to peak season, peak prices and peak crowds.  I first dipped my toe into winter travel on a long weekend to Paris with five of my oldest friends. In deepest darkest December, we boarded the earliest Eurostar wrapped up in thick coats, sturdy boots and scarves, and ..read more

Around 8% of all the world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from tourism and at least 2.5% of global carbon emissions can be attributed directly to flying. The industry needs to change in order to preserve our planet, whilst still being able to enjoy exploring it  - a pressure point that has caused a huge amount of greenwashing in this space. The best way to ensure authentic change is to be transparent, and this is why we’re launching our newest feature: carbon labelling for every trip! CO2 per trip Find out how much CO2 your Byway holiday will cost, and how that compares to going by by pl ..read more

In the world of travel, sustainability is not just an environmental issue; it's also a social one. One that has as much to do with carbon impact as it does with the well-being of local people. From cultural exchange to the local economy, community well-being to environmental conservation, the positive benefits of tourism are varied. Socio-economic impact is an important part of the sustainability picture and a top consideration for impact-minded travellers. Benefits to the local economy are perhaps one of the most frequently cited perks of tourism: supporting businesses, creating jobs and enh ..read more

There’s nothing like skiing in the freezing white mountains with the sound of silence loud in your ears. Being active outdoors has every kind of mental health benefit and you’re up close to nature at her most beautiful. But with Europe warming and winters shortening, skiing is facing a crisis.  Ski resorts are increasingly at risk from the trend of warmer and wetter winters. The European State of the Climate Summary is an in-depth report that provides climate monitoring funded by the EU and the 2022 publication is a sobering read: “Europe has been warming faster than any other continent i ..read more

Flight-free travel has been steadily growing for the last couple of years. More and more people are talking about it, and Byway bookings have been increasing rapidly each year. It’s a noticeable shift in the industry that’s starting to snowball. We wondered, do wider statistics back this up? To find out, we partnered with OnePoll to ask holidaymakers about their travel plans. Sure enough, the results show a growing interest in flight-free holidays and a desire to travel more sustainably. Dive into the findings below: A preference for flight-free travel is growing Two in five (42.5%) of UK ho ..read more