The cradle of history, culture and style, Europe beckons with a variety of holiday options as varied as any we can imagine. Most people visit Europe to experience those iconic sights we all know about, but an equally important reason is to immerse ourselves in the local culture and get a real taste of life in this fascinating and culturally diverse part of the globe.

How do you lump so many distinct regions into one brief travelogue? Start with the British Isles then cross the Channel to France and the Iberian Peninsula; don’t forget Italy and Greece & Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean. Head north through Eastern, Central & Alpine Europe before arriving in Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Each region is distinct with languages, cultures, histories and attitudes proudly individual. Each is a destination in its own right.

Holidays in Europe lend themselves to unique and special ways of getting around, allowing the visitor to experience the local style and culture at a pace designed to soak it all in. Self-drive is a great option, but the high price of fuel, tolls and parking combined with chaotic driving in some settings might be a deterrent.

Consider the fantastic and thoroughly un-Australian rail network where outstanding services such as Eurail and Eurostar link city centres in high levels of comfort and efficiency; avoiding the frustrations and inconveniences of air travel. Iconic brands such as Orient Express, TGV, Thalys and ICE service practically every European city and allow a ground-level view of land and city scapes unmatched by flights.

For a more sublime holiday, Europe’s waterways offer a very special experience. Whether it’s a self-drive barge, hotel barge or luxury river cruiser, Europe’s rivers, lakes and canals offer a picture-perfect and especially relaxing mode of transport that gets us completely in touch with local life.

Shopping (actually, WINDOW shopping) on Paris’ rue de Faubourg Saint-Honore.

Sipping ouzo at sunset at a taverna in Fira on the island of Santorini.

Gelati and people watching on Rome’s Spanish Steps.