Most Stunning Train Ride in Greece Europe s Greatest Train Journeys

The main mode of transport in Europe, over a billion ride the train every year. Quick, cheap and eco-friendly, it's the safest way to travel today. From the coasts of Spain to the peaks of the Pyrenees, from the Dolce Vita of Italy to the temples of Greece, from the vineyards of Portugal to the mountains of Corsica, Europe's rail network spans the continent, offering all the chance to discover its most breathtaking vistas. Traditional trains often built in extreme natural locations. Discover authentic traditions and exceptional cuisines along the way. Europe's greatest train journeys hitches a ride on the continent's most breathtaking train routes to meet the people who work on them daily, use them occasionally, or live nearby, right next to the tracks, or almost. Nature lovers, thrill seekers, simple tourists and enthusiasts of all ages, all come together on this spider's web of rail lines, spanning Europe and time, for a spectacular journey. Today, we embark for Greece. Greece is famous for its olive trees, its ancient ruins and its generous cuisine. But recently, the country has another reason to be proud. It finally owns its own high-speed, entirely electrified railroad. This line links the city of Thessaloniki in the north to Athens, the capital. The Intercity Express weaves its way for 300 kilometers among some of Greece's most beautiful and most mythical sites. Like the Meteora, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a vertiginous rock formation whose summits are home to precipitously constructed monasteries, some of them more than 700 years old. But also the famous ruins of Delphi, the sacred site where people came in ancient times to have their futures predicted. And the Acropolis in Athens, one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, towering over the Greek capital. We then take a second train to discover the Peloponnese region and Greece's only rack railway, one of the narrowest in the world. This journey through Greece's narrowest railways will introduce us to its countryside, its big cities and small islands. It will reveal the secrets behind the culinary speciality that's as surprising as its refined. And present the famous Corinth Canal from a completely new angle. Between nature and adventure. A train journey through Greece that promises to be unforgettable. So are you ready? Then all aboard! Our journey across Greece begins in the city of Thessaloniki in the north, the second biggest city after Athens. This port town was under Turkish rule from 1430 to 1912. Traces of this past can be found throughout the city, like the famous White Tower built on the remains of Byzantine ramparts. It served as a prison during the Turkish era and today offers tourists a fabulous view of the Aegean Sea. Another must-visit place is Aristotle Square. The famous philosopher is quoted as saying that man has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, something that sounds very much like an invitation to travel. So let's head straight to Thessaloniki station to quench our own thirst for knowledge and discovery. Greece has two types of train. The regular intercity which stops at every station and the intercity express which is faster and more comfortable. Perfect for a longer journey. On platform B, 30 minutes before the day's first departure, a locomotive pulls in to be hooked up to the intercity express number 53, direction Athens. Every day, five intercities like this one leave Thessaloniki for the capital, 300 kilometres to the south, with seats priced between 12 and 33 euros. In the cab, the driver, Eleni. Before each departure, she follows the procedure and makes sure all the controls are working. Vassilios is the train manager. He's in contact with the passengers throughout the journey. At 9.15, train number 53 from Thessaloniki to Athens pulls out and begins its journey southwards. Zoi, we're leaving. What did the old man tell you? We're leaving, we're leaving and we're leaving. I used to work at the depot first and since 2008, 14 years, I've been at the train. As a controller, as a conductor. It's the most central line... I can't hear you. It's the most central line between Athens and Thessaloniki, with a lot of people. And in the last few years, the train has shortened the distance by a lot. The line is the flagship of the Greek National Railway. This past decade, tens of millions of euros have been invested to modernise it. Electricity has replaced the old diesel locomotives, increasing the hourly average. At the same time, the construction of new tunnels has shortened the route, and thus the journey time, by a third. Early in the journey, the train crosses the vast plain of Thessaly, known as the breadbasket of Greece. This is where most of the country's wheat is grown and where, in the autumn, they pick white gold, cotton. As the train heads south, it approaches one of Greece's most spectacular landscapes. The Meteora, a vertiginous rock formation whose summits are home to precipitously-constructed Orthodox monasteries, some of which date from the Middle Ages. To get there, we must change at Paliae Ophatelos. We leave train 53 and take a local train westwards to the town of Kalambaka. That's the stop for this spectacular sight. And to take full advantage, we highly recommend you hire a guide, like Giannis and Kostas. The two friends are mountain guides and climbing instructors. Spring, summer and autumn, they guide visitors in this national park. It's one of the most fabulous places in Greece, by my opinion. It's an archaeological site. It's a holy place. And of course, it's an international climbing field. It's my playground here. I live here. I'm active here. The origin of these stone cathedrals dates back 30 million years. Back then, the plain of Thessaly was covered by the sea. The Meteora now stand where there was once a delta formed by several rivers flowing from the north. These carried geological debris like rocks and mud, which conglomerated together. When the sea retreated, the rocky formations remained. And time did the rest, gradually shaping the area, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. By passing of the years, smaller streams have been created between the rock towers. Geological transformations, earthquakes, rains, ice, even the air, transform the rocks more or less in what we see today. The transformation is still on development. As long as the rock towers exist, always smaller or larger parts of the rocks will break down. It's never stopped. It will never stop. Every year, three million visitors come to view the Meteora. Among them, only a small minority try to climb to the summits. And yet, this face, mainly made up of fairly large stones, stuck together by a natural cement called pudding, is an ideal surface for climbing. For eight years, we have set up various routes, and for climbers that are not experts, and for more expert climbers. Today, in Meteora, you can find all levels and all difficulties, from very, very easy to very, very difficult. You get to the top, you are alone, you and the god. Novice or experienced hikers, if you plan on coming to discover the Meteora, don't be put off by these rocky faces. With good guides, you can try climbing them in complete safety. To the main train line and Intercity Express number 53, which is welcoming new passengers on board. Between Thessaloniki in the north and the capital Athens, the Intercity makes 12 stops. Between each stop, Vassielos, the train manager, does his rounds to check up on the passengers. And like in every train in the world, it's rare that there's not some kind of problem. So, today's mission for Vassielos is a forgotten backpack. Did they find it OK? Shall we send it on the 55? Are you going down to Athens? Yes. In Athens, they send it as a package. The backpack is found and the passenger relieved. It's mission accomplished. But Vassielos' rounds have only just begun. Today, as usual, the train is nearly full. That's because it has the best price-to-speed ratio for crossing the country, much faster than a bus and much cheaper than a plane or a car. The train has just one buffet car, which is always busy. Maria, the barista, never stops. Too bad for Maria, because the countryside speeding by outside is well worth a look. Halfway through the journey, one of Greece's most famous summits suddenly appears, Mount Parnassus. French passengers need to be careful here, because to explore the mythical mountain, whose flanks shelter the ancient site of Delphi, they mustn't get off at the Gare Montparnasse, but at Tithoria. After leaving the train to reach the ancient site, you have to cross what the locals call the Olive Tree Sea. It's worth stopping off to taste the olives, which the people of the region claim to be the best in the country. Vassielos Kanatas represents the fifth generation of olive growers. His ancestors planted the first trees in 1844, and since then, the plantation hasn't stopped growing. Today, he harvests the fruit of 3,000 olive trees. Green and black olives grow on the same tree. The colour depends on the ripeness. The later you pick them, the darker they are. Here, they harvest in the traditional way, with a rake. They basically comb the branches to make the fruit drop. The trunks mustn't be shaken with a machine, like in some places. Some of the trees here are respectable centenarians, and they don't take too kindly to being shaken about. And elsewhere in the region, there are trees that are much, much older. Like many things at Delphi, the history of olive trees is said to date back to antiquity. Some of these millennial trees may have grown after olive stones were left by pilgrims on the way to Mount Parnassus to visit the Temple of Apollo on the other side of the Olive Tree Sea. It was a sacred place where the gods spoke to humans. Once there, you can explore the mythical site alone. But for a better experience, it's best to call on an expert, who can show you the pathways that are several thousand years old and tell you all the secrets. Like Nicolas Karyakidis, a French-Greek archaeologist and a professor at Paris University. The first thing to strike visitors is the harmony of the site. It blends perfectly into the surrounding countryside with its terraced ruins and majestic cypress trees. Its remarkable state of preservation makes it possible to follow in the footsteps of the pilgrims who came here 2,500 years ago. For more than 1,000 years, the sacred precinct on the slopes of Mount Parnassus was one of the most famous places in the Mediterranean. What drew people to Delphi was the fact that it was a place of pilgrimage. The high priestess of the Temple of Apollo, who entered into communion with the gods, this enabled her to prophecy people's futures. Just like in ancient times, the Temple of Apollo still draws visitors from all over the world. The difference being, they no longer come to discover their future, but to learn a little more about our past. Four hours after departing from Thessaloniki, train number 53 is approaching its terminus. Next stop, final station. Eleftherios Parissis is a loyal passenger of the intercity train. He lives in the north and has been regularly making this trip since the age of six. We used to travel even with my grandmother when we went to Athens. When we went to Athens, we would travel for 12 hours and we would either stop for a snack or to eat. We would do the whole journey at noon. We would start in the morning and arrive late in the afternoon. Fortunately, times have changed. Eleftherios and the other passengers on board train 53 take only four hours, nine minutes to reach the end of the line. To continue our own journey, we must now take another train. But before that, let's take advantage of this brief stopover to discover the capital. Athens overflows with must-see places, visited by two to three million tourists from all over the world every year. Like the Acropolis, the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation and Syntagma Square. Where the spectacular hourly changing of the guard in front of the Parliament building draws hundreds of budding photographers. But there's more to Athens than tourist attractions. In recent years, a new generation of guides has been offering visits off the beaten track. Tina adores her home city and has decided to turn her passions into a career by becoming a tour guide. But to stand out in a highly competitive sector, she's set up an agency that offers to show tourists daily life in Athens. She knows all the right addresses in the city, like this artisanal bakery in a back street just off the centre. For her walking tours, Tina decided to base them on her own likes and dislikes. We accompany her along her shortcuts to discover her favourite districts. These masons from the island of Anafi were called on to construct the royal palace and modernise the capital. Suffering from homesickness, they built their houses just like those of their native island. 150 years later, these small fishing cottages are a bit out of place with the rest of the city. One of the spots that Tina particularly enjoys showing her tourists is a 20-minute walk from the centre, up on a hill overlooking the capital. This park was designed in the 1950s by the inspired Greek architect Demetrius Pikionis. He wanted to highlight his hometown's most famous historical monument. Because once outside the city centre, the Greek capital is a sprawling conurbation with no planning policies and home to three million inhabitants. Genuine urban chaos, which can easily put visitors off. Unless they're accompanied by the right person to guide them through the concrete maze. Nikos, aka Rude, is a street artist and a big fan of urban culture. And in Athens, there are lots of possibilities. Except for the Acropolis, it seems like every wall is covered in paint. He offers to show visitors the hidden face of the Greek capital. The good, the bad, the ugly and even the small. Nikos will tell you everything about Athenian graffiti. We are on this very funny little important street with a lot of street art. This is either an effort of someone starting off with graffiti or it's this style called anti-style where you don't need to put aesthetics. The purpose is to make it look bad. This is something more street art and I think it's kind of obvious. I really like the concept. It's a heart with blooming flowers, not done with sprays. So this is the main difference. In original traditional graffiti, you add also some people not doing only typography but also doing some characters. I think it's a pretty famous character from Mermaid, a Disney movie. A piece of street art, an elephant, all done with brushes, nothing to do with spray paint, nothing to do with typography. We can easily say a piece of street art. As years passed and things got out of control with a bit of economy in the crisis, government had less money to clean the city so you would have a bit more graffiti. And it became one of the meccas of the European graffiti and street art scene. Rather than face the impossible task of erasing it, the city council has decided to sometimes support it. And in some districts, certain walls are made available to street artists. So have a look on this one. During the years of the Greek economic crisis, for some people graffiti became an alternative form of expression, a way of showing their discontent with the powers that be. One of the most iconic paintings of Athens, a painting inspired by a true story from 2008. We have a riot dog, Loukanikos, who was the protest dog. He was appearing on every single protest when the financial crisis hit Greece. When Loukanikos died in 2014, three street artists decided to paint him so that his memory and that of the period of protests would be kept alive. Because the economic crisis now seems to be in the past and the authorities want to send out a signal that playtime is over, a number of wall cleaning campaigns have taken place in recent months. The city has gained a little in cleanliness but has lost part of its history. No way can we leave Athens without tasting some of its specialities. So before boarding our train, we head to the famous port of Piraeus. The port is made up of three natural harbours and it's in the smallest of the three, the fishing port of Mykromalino, that we can discover a speciality that Greeks go wild about. Batarga, the caviar of the Mediterranean. And the biggest local name in Batarga is Zafiris Trikalinos, the heir of a prestigious family-run business. He exports his Batarga across the globe to the tables of celebrities such as Madonna, Tom Hanks, Prince William and the renowned French chefs Alain Ducasse and Pierre Hermé. At around 170 euros a kilo, the recipe for Greek Batarga is a closely guarded secret but Zafiris has agreed to let us into his kitchen-stroke laboratory. These natural roe pouches, containing thousands of tiny eggs, were removed from the fish this morning. The extraction and preparation processes can't be mechanised because the membrane is extremely fragile. So everything is done by hand, with great care and attention, just as it was by Greeks back in the 12th century. And although the recipe is ancestral, it has changed just a bit down the years. The dried fish roe is then coated in beeswax to prevent oxidation and prolong preservation. With this protection, a Batarga has a shelf life of two years. Zafiris' top quality Batarga is now found on Greece's best tables, notably those of CTC, the restaurant owned and run by 35-year-old chef Alexandros Siotinis, who recently earned his first mission in star. Alexandros' philosophy is to offer 100% Greek cuisine, sprinkled with a good pinch of originality and technique. The colours, uniformity, everywhere. You don't need a lot, because in a dish you're always looking for balance. It's a very strong product, with a lot of brutality. But there are too many people who love this product, and others who hate it. Because it's like caviar, like foie gras, like trout. There's not everyone who loves all that. What about you? I hate it. Like all rare and expensive produce, Batarga should be used sparingly. Here it's used to heighten a savoury fromage frais waffle, an award-winning recipe for an exceptional product. Naturally, that makes us want to extend our stopover in the capital. But it's time to get back on track. To reach our next set of rails, we must cross the sea for the shores of the Peloponnese, southwest of Athens. This vast mountainous region, with its breathtaking views, is home to Greece's most picturesque railway. A line of only 22 kilometres between the coastal town of Diakopto and the mountain town of Kalavrita, at just 18 euros for the round trip. A short journey, but a record-breaking experience. Because the track gauge is the narrowest in the world, at only 75 centimetres, half the European norm. The train climbs 17% slopes, travels through countless tunnels, crosses 55 bridges and viaducts, and must, at certain points, reduce its speed to 8 kilometres per hour. Our journey begins at Diakopto station. For today's first departure, the train manager is Dimitris, 38 years of experience and soon to retire. The driver is Antonis, who has sat in the cab for only four years. The train usually leaves in the sunshine, as it crosses the town close to the houses. It then begins its climb into the mountains. But once it hits the canyon, the weather changes, and rain is quite frequent here. In his cab, Antonis ups his concentration level. The unique thing about this place is the nature. You have to deal with the nature, with the fact that now that it's raining, you have to be very careful. There is a risk of falling rocks and landslides. That's it. That's the main thing. It requires a lot of concentration. Not forgetting the hikers walking all along the line. Hiking and the train are the only ways to explore the Voraikos gorges. The spectacle of this cut-off valley, dotted with caves and waterfalls, draws tourists from all over the world. And it's largely thanks to them that the train still runs. And yet, when the decision to build the line was taken in the late 19th century, it certainly wasn't for tourists. The reason it was built was social. The plan was to go from Diakoftos to Tripoli, the centre of Peloponnese. Greece was bankrupt in 1896. We were bankrupt in 1896. And the train didn't make it to Tripoli. It stayed in Kalavrita. Although the line never reached its intended destination, it did provide access to the villages in the valley. The engineers of the time achieved an amazing technological feat by enabling a train to cross extremely hostile terrain. At places where the gradient approaches 20 percent, the engineers added a cog rack between the two main tracks. This is called a rack railway. Beneath the locomotive, there are wheels with cog teeth that mesh with the gaps in the rack. This gives much more adherence than provided by steel wheels on a smooth track, allowing the train to climb the steepest slopes. Along the route, three and a half kilometres of track are equipped with this system. It's the only rack railway in Greece. This unique train takes about an hour to travel the 22 kilometres between its departure point and the terminus. But once in Kalavrita, you still have another 100 kilometres to cover by car to reach the other stunning feat of human engineering in the Peloponnese. The Corinth Canal. A channel just over six kilometres long by 25 metres wide. A technological challenge carried out with dynamite in the late 19th century. The Greek government's aim was to link the Ionian Sea in the west to the Aegean Sea in the east by digging a canal across the narrowest part of the land between them. It would allow ships to pass from one sea to the other without sailing all the way around the peninsula. Today, the Corinth Canal is the second most visited attraction in Greece after the Acropolis. Tourists come here as much to admire the performance of Greek engineering as the breathtaking views. Oh, it's very high. In fact, it's kind of tempting to want to go jump off this bridge. It would be quite fun. If you feel like jumping, then just do it. Five, four, three, two, one. Go on. Yes. The lunatic behind this hair-raising attraction is Sotiris Pavlou, Sammy to his friends. One of the pioneers of bungee jumping in Greece with over 500 jumps to his name. By the way, this is me, and this is the first jump ever performed in the Corinth Canal. Back in 2002, November 2002. It wasn't easy for this young extreme sportsman to convince the canal authorities of the seriousness of his scheme, but a partnership was finally signed. For 20 years, thanks to Sammy, screams of delight haven't stopped echoing between the cliff faces. Although the canal is his playground, Sammy is also well-grounded in its history, especially on how, 2,000 years ago, the ancient Greeks managed to get their boats across what was nothing but a strip of dry land at the time. So this ancient time, they had already a kind of, you know, a system. They call it this time diolkos, and they pull the boat. Of course, they uncarry it first from the cargo, from one port, and they carry it out of the cargo all the way, 6.3 kilometres by slave, pulling the boat, yeah? So the idea was, you know, 1,000 years ago. These days, the canal is no longer suitable for commercial shipping. Only pleasure boats still use it. Its initial purpose is no more, but the canal has managed to reinvent itself. Red, gold, zero, eight, and a sling. First safety, second, third. So, my lady, let's go to place your toes out. I got you. A little bit more. More, more, more. Yes! Look straight now. Breathe in, arms up. Let's go for the lady. Five, four, three, two, one. And if the great leap isn't enough, for those looking for even more extreme sensations, there's always the great dive. To end our journey in beauty, let's yield to the sirens calling us to the small islands of the Aegean Sea and drop anchor just off one of the loveliest of them. Just off the Peloponnese, an hour and a half south of Athens, is the island of Hydra, one of the gems of the Saronic Gulf. A 20-kilometre-long mass of rock that seems to have risen from the sea, its port is one of the most beautiful in Greece, an amphitheatre of white houses bordering the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean. This island, where time seems to have stood still, is inhabited by just 2,000 people and a bunch of donkeys. Because on Hydra, motorised vehicles are banned. So the only authorised form of transport is the ferry and the donkeys. Much less polluting than a car, but much more headstrong. And you need to know the language of a donkey, so I had to learn that, which is ee, go, and brr, stop. Try that again. I can't do it. Brr, stop. It is much more complicated than driving a car. British-born Corina has lived on the island for 32 years. She originally came here on vacation, but eventually unpacked her suitcases for good and started a family. No regrets at all. You know, you never get used to the beautiful sunsets, the beautiful views, the beautiful mountains. The beauty never stops. I have no regrets. If you're just passing through and not planning on settling down here for good, Corina knows a place that will add a lot more flavour to your visit. Marina's Tavern, an institution on the island. As well as being Corina's friend, 79-year-old Marina is the boss of this restaurant, doing the cooking and waiting the tables. On her terrace, tourists and locals can enjoy an exceptional view and hearty traditional food. Everything is homemade with seasonal local produce. Enjoying authentic cuisine in this preserved setting on the Aegean Sea is a genuine privilege and a soothing end to our visit to Greece. And although trains will never run alongside the donkey, they nonetheless remain one of the best ways to discover a good part of the country, allowing you to see its most beautiful attractions and plunge into its history.