THERE ARE hundreds of daily European train trips into the hearts of the big cities. But smaller towns and villages are often more difficult to get to by rail. Trips can be less frequent, stations poorly equipped, and timetables somewhat unreliable. But when you make the effort, there’s almost always something unique to find. I got lucky with these little European towns and villages that I reached by rail.
The medieval town of Óbido is on the regional train line between Lisbon and Porto. It's often unbearably busy during daylight hours, but in an overnight stay, I had this view from the old town walls to myself - from before sunset until long after dark.