A view from the benches at Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain

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Barcelona by Train: A Slow Travel Story

King’s College London Decarbonising European Conference Travel Initiative (IGUANA) Blogs

Dr Uzma Zahid

Research Fellow, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

15 August 2025

We took the Eurostar to Paris and, after arriving at Gare du Nord, headed to Chez Janou for lunch. Then, we wandered through Place des Vosges, thinking we had plenty of time before our connecting train to Barcelona. But when I checked the tickets, I realised we had just 40 minutes. We sprinted to the metro and made it to the station just in time. This was our fastest moment, on an otherwise slow journey.

Once on board, we could finally relax. The train was comfortable, I’d taken this journey before and knew that as we approached Barcelona, the sun would start setting over the Étang de Bages-Sigean, a beautiful lagoon in the Languedoc region. This is a stunning view, and whenever I try to convince people to take the train to Barcelona, I show them a video of this sunset.

We grabbed drinks from the food carriage and had the first of many Estrella’s. Unlike UK trains, where space is tight and you want to stay in your seat, these trains are far more spacious. The food carriage isn’t just for grabbing a drink, it’s a place to lounge, gather, and mill about, which adds to the experience.

After Barcelona, we decided to visit Cadaqués, a seaside town nestled at the foot of a mountain. It feels inaccessible and has been described as such by The Guardian in 2022, but we were already in Barcelona, and the journey was easy with my Interrail pass — a train ride followed by a taxi.

Famous as Dalí’s former home, Cadaqués was also a favourite holiday spot for Islington locals in the '70s and still is today. Friends had recommended it, and it didn’t disappoint. This was in October 2024, and the weather shifted between warm and cool days. Cadaqués was much cooler, but we still went for a swim. Leaving was the real disappointment.

For the return trip, we retraced our steps: the train back to Paris, a supper at a bistro near the station, then the Eurostar home. We were a bit mopey, it felt the trip was over in the blink of an eye. But, the beauty of slow travel is that the journey stretches time, home feels far away, and you get to savour the in-between.

For me the holiday begins as we leave the home and get on the Eurostar. I hate airports and the stress which comes with it, but the hustle and bustle of a train station is perfect. We’re also lucky to travel for conferences - so many happen in Europe, and the accessibility is something I don’t take for granted. Therefore, planning a holiday around a conference makes the whole experience even better.