7 fantastic flight-free adventures to have in Europe

With an increasing number of holidaymakers wanting to reduce their carbon footprint, the interest in flight-free travel is rising fast. As demand grows, so do the options for trips taken exclusively by rail, road and waterways. With a little planning, the possibilities for a flight-free adventure are endless. Here are seven of our favourite getaways to add to your flight-free travel wish list…

Taking in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, west coast highlands and all the way up to Orkney and Shetland, Hebridean Adventures’ small-boat cruises are a slow way of getting close to Scotland’s phenomenal landscapes and wildlife, safe in the knowledge your presence has minimal impact. Sea birds such as puffins, dolphins and even whales can be spotted in these serene waters – and with a team of qualified naturalists and scientists on board, you’ll be in for an enlightening experience. Even better, the company imposes strict guidelines around whale-watching encounters and is a recommended boat operator of the Sea Watch Foundation. Passengers embarking on both vessels, Monadhliath and Hjalmar Bjorge, are encouraged to assist local scientists through citizen science data collection, using photography and Apps such as Whale Watch to record sightings.

Arriving by train into the Danish capital, your first port of call should be to environmentally conscious non-profit organisation, GreenKayak, which encourages visitors and locals alike to join their free kayaking trips along the urban waters of the city. There’s just one catch – you have to help with litter-picking along the way. Launched in 2017 by local resident Tobias, the powerful initiative now operates across five European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Japan) and promotes the responsible travel message, empowering everyone to care for Copenhagen while also enjoying the sights.

After an easy ferry ride across the channel, join the friendly folks at Holland Bike Tours to cycle visit the colourful tulip fields of central Netherlands. Beginning and ending in Haarlem on the North Sea Coast, the roundtrip highlights 120km worth of Dutch landscapes over four days – and can be enjoyed on a regular multi-gear bicycle or on an e-bike, depending on preference. Options to upgrade accommodation and for daily luggage transfers are also available. While the season for seeing tulips in bloom is spring, other similar trips are available throughout the year.

The UK’s offshore islands are perhaps some of the best places to see wildlife. which is why a visit to Pembrokeshire and the islands of Skomer and Ramsey should be high on any list of wild adventures. A protected bird reserve since 1959, the Atlantic puffins arrive at Skomer in mid-April to make their nests in tiny burrows. After three months of rearing young, the last few birds head north after the breeding season in late July. This is when the grey seals enjoy some time in the limelight. Females can be spotted with their young around the islands of Skomer and Ramsey between August and November, when fluffy white youngsters are still suckling, then weening and, of course, playing in the shallows. In fact, this region is the largest grey seal pupping site in southern Britain. From April to October, Falcon Boats – based in St. David’s – run tours to both islands – looking for not only puffins and grey seals, but also other sea birds (including Manx shearwaters, razorbills and black-legged kittiwakes), dolphins, porpoises and sometimes, even, whales. The marine experts leading the trips provide full commentary, so you can learn about the environment and animals as you go.

Read next: How to spend 48 hours in Pembrokeshire

City dwellers rejoice – the brand new Brussels to Berlin European Sleeper train has launched and it will conveniently connect travellers on the afternoon Eurostar service to Belgium, with a smooth and comfortable onward overnight journey to Berlin. The service – aptly known as the 'Good Night Train' –  leaves Brussels at 7:22pm, stopping in Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam for those who wish to expand their itinerary, and arriving into Berlin the next morning at 6:48am. It’s affordable too – regular seat prices start at €49 (£43) or €79 (£70) for a couchette and €110 (£96) for the privacy of a cabin.

The Stenaline car ferry service from Fishguard (Wales) to Rosslare Harbour takes just three hours and 30 minutes. From the port, take to the medieval lanes of traditional seaside town, Wexford, visiting the old Selskar Abbey ruins and old town walls before marvelling at the surrounding green hills and River Slaney backdrop. The Irish National Heritage Park, on the outskirts of town, tells of the Ireland’s backstory spanning 9,000 years – through stone age depictions and reconstructed hamlets from the Viking era. Enjoy some R&R at the adults-only Monart Spa (advanced reservations are needed), situated in an 18^th -century manor house, while travellers of all ages can enjoy the wealth of hiking trails that showcase the streams and cascades of the Wicklow Mountains. Avoid retracing your steps by booking the ferry crossing from Dublin, which drops you off in Holyhead.

Embarking in La Coruña on the north coast of Spain, this tall ship itinerary by VentureSail combines old villages and sweet eucalypt forests of northern Spain with the cobbled streets, colourful old merchant houses and old museums of Portugal’s key cities such as Porto, Lisbon and the harbour town of Portimao. Each of  VentureSail’s vessels take no more than 20 guests, meaning minimal environmental and community impact along the way. On-board, emissions are thought out even further with kitchen supplies stocked up regularly by local farmers and fishermen, who provide fresh, seasonal ingredients – a win-win for everyone.

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