Spitfire spectacular
A SPECTACULAR flying display by 12 Spitfires, including four rare Mark I models, will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the first flight of this iconic aircraft. It will be a highlight of the September 10-11 IWM Duxford air show, Cambridgeshire. Tickets from www.iwm.org.uk. FOR spectacular scenery and pure relaxation, a rail holiday is hard to beat – and these classic train rides are just the ticket. The journey through the Brenner Pass, linking Austria to Italy, is one of Europe’s great rail trips. You follow the same route as the first train to cross the Alps, winding up to an altitude of 4,500ft at the top of the pass before beginning a gentle descent into Italy.
By then, passengers who boarded at Munich would have soaked up breathtaking views of the Bavarian Alps and crossed into the heart of the Austrian Tyrol before arriving in Innsbruck.
After exploring the imperial city, the final leg sees you head east to Venice, where you can enjoy a walking tour, take a boat trip to Murano to see the famous glass blowers or join a mask-making class at the Ca Macana workshop. ALL ABOARD: Inntravel’s nine-night Across the Alps tour costs from £1,045pp, including rail travel between Munich and Venice, B&B and route maps. Travel from the UK is extra. BOOK IT: inntravel.co.uk, 01653 617 000. Starting at St Pancras International, this Great Rail Journeys tour takes you through picturesque European scenery to north-east Italy and Lake Garda – its largest lake.
The peaceful town of Desenzano is the perfect base for visits to Verona and Venice. Or take a cruise to Sirmione town and its 13th century castle. And there’s a private boat ride to Isola del Garda, the biggest island in the lake, dominated by the dramatic neo-Gothic Villa Borghese Cavazza. ALL ABOARD: The nine-night Simply Lake Garda itinerary costs from £1,145pp and covers B&B in four-star hotels, including outbound overnight stay in Paris and inbound stay in Strasbourg. BOOK IT: greatrail.com, 01904 527 180. The Georgian spa town of Harrogate is the brilliant base for an itinerary that takes you from the edge of the rugged Dales to its spectacular coastline, via the majestic North York Moors.
Catch a train to nearby York, home of the National Railway Museum – the largest of its kind in the world. Head to the seaside town of Whitby by steam train, travelling in a heritage carriage along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway – you’ll pass Goathland, familiar to fans of ITV’s Heartbeat.
And on a steam-hauled trip on the Keighley and Worth Valley Steam Railway, there’s a chance to see the Vintage Carriage Museum in Ingrow, carrying on to Brontë Country. ALL ABOARD: The five-day Yorkshire by Steam with Rail Discoveries starts at £375, including rail and coach travel and four nights half-board hotel accommodation. BOOK IT: raildiscoveries.com, 01904 734 812. Experience one of the world’s greatest train journeys from Zermatt to St Moritz, on the Bernina and Glacier Express trip.
And be prepared to reach spine-tingling heights of 6,500ft on the alpine journey on the Bernina Express, crossing the Alps to Tirano in Italy. There’s time for sightseeing in Munich, Innsbruck and the Dolomites, along with a guided tour of Turin. ALL ABOARD: The 13-day Cosmos Tours and Cruises trip costs from £1,398pp for October 11 departure, including return flights from Gatwick Head Down Under for a memorable adventure on the world’s longest single straight rail track, sp spanning more than 4,000km.
Australia’s Indian Pacific train crosses the arid N Nullarbor Plain, connecting three of the co country’s most popular cities, starting in Perth, th then visiting Adelaide and Sydney.
There are also opportunities to explore the go gold-mining town of Kalgoorlie, the ghost town Co Cook, boasting a population of just four, and the cu culture-filled city of Adelaide.
On board the moving hotel you can enjoy go gourmet dining in the Queen Adelaide