1. Paris by Train - Paris is one of the easiest destinations to reach from the U.K., thanks to the Eurostar rail service. Take the train from St. Pancras Station in central London and you can be in the French capital in about 2 and a quarter hours.  See famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, visit museums and galleries such as the Louvre, relax in a street cafe in Montmartre, or head out of the city for some magical family fun at the Disneyland Paris resort.

2. Rome by Train – it will take you about 17 and a half hours to get from London to Rome by train, but you’ll be able to enjoy a three course meal, sleep, have breakfast and see some stunning Alpine scenery during your journey. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris Gare du Nord, then travel to the city’s Gare de Bercy and catch the TGV Artesia Night Train, which will take you through Switzerland, into Northern Italy and on to Rome. Visit landmarks such as the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, window-shop at some of the world’s most fashionable stores, or head to the museums in Vatican City to see world-famous works of art.

3. Dublin by Ferry – it’s easy to get to Dublin without flying. Simply take drive or take a train to the port of Holyhead and then catch a ferry to Ireland. Two different companies operate ferries between Holyhead and Dublin: Stena Line and Irish Ferries. Once you’ve arrived in Ireland, you can take a shuttle bus into the centre of Dublin. The city’s attractions include Dublin Zoo, Dublin Writers Museum, Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol,  the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Guiness Storehouse.

4. Copenhagen by Train – you can get from London to Copenhagen by train in about 18 hours. Take the Eurostar from London’s St. Pancras Station to Brussels and then take the high-speed ICE train from Brussels to Cologne. For the final stage of the journey, take the City Night Line sleeper train from Cologne to Copenhagen. Once there, you can take a boat trip on the old canal network, see the world-famous statue of The Little Mermaid, take a tour of the Amalienborg Palace and visit the Tivoli Gardens amuseument park.

5. Geneva by Train – it’s easy to get from London to Geneva without flying. Take the Eurostar from London St. Pancras Station to Paris Gare du Nord and then take the metro to Paris Gare de Lyon. From here, you can catch the TGV Lyria, which will take you directly to Geneva. You can explore the city, see landmarks such as the Jet D’Eau and the Flower Clock, and visit some of the many museums.

Image: Leon Brocard

1. Lausanne. Like Geneva, the city of Lausanne is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is packed with cultural attractions, including many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for being the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.). You can visit the Olympic Museum, take a walk through the Old Town district, explore the lakeside district of Ouchy or head for the city’s shops. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive from Geneva to Lausanne in your hire car.

2. Montreux. The town of Montreux is about an hour’s drive from Geneva and is situated on Lake Geneva’s north-east shore. It’s most famous for its annual jazz festival, which is held in July, but there are also several other annual festivals in the town, and it also has an excellent Christmas market. Take a walk along the lakeside, see the Freddie Mercury statue in Place du Marche, or take a boat trip to the Chateau de Chillon, the castle which inspired Lord Byron’s poem, “The Prisoner of Chillon”. You can also take a break from your hire car with a train trip to Rochers-de-Naye, which overlooks Montreux, for fantastic views of Lake Geneva and the Alps.

3. Bern. The city of Bern, also known as Berne, is situated in the centre of Switzerland and it’s a popular tourist destination. The centre of the city has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bern’s attractions include Bern Cathedral, the Botanical Gardens, the Clock Tower (Zeitglocken Turm), the Bear Park and the Dählhölzli Zoological Gardens.