2025: Life & Travel With Some Health Improvements Mixed In

My travel diary for 2025 covers holidays and trips from our base camp in Brasov, Romania. There were many ideas for 2025 travel, but we kept things flexible. One new thing this year is that Romania is a full member of Schengen, so no more middle-of-the-night wake-up calls on the night trains in and out of the country.

2025 Travel Diary

Following on from my 2024 travel diary, this is a log of what’s happening and the fun and games of 2025.

Winter Avoidance Romania

The first month has been rather dull, spent mostly avoiding time outdoors so as not to trigger pain. That being said, I’m still out daily doing tasks and just getting out of the house. A new hobby is creating healthier alternatives to old favourite dishes that I cook. That being said, I’ve enjoyed some nice meals out and beers in new-to-me bars, just a bit less than regular.

I’ve also enjoyed some fun in the mountains, including a nice revisit to Solomon’s Rocks. This is a barbecue site with lots of trails. It was snow-covered and quite the workout that day.

Also, I enjoyed a day trip to Racos, a village with a castle and a volcano. This was excellent to explore and had the highest daily step count of the year so far. Avoiding winter and not spending money was the order for the rest of the stay in the city.

Night Train West

As per usual, we left Romania on the night train with the dog, heading west to Budapest in Hungary. This was the first one since Romania joined Schengen, so I was hoping for no 5am wake-up call. Hope was short-lived when the Romanian border guards knocked. On the Hungarian side, there were no knocks…

On arrival, we had 2.5 hours to cross Budapest and kill some time. Thus, we found a dog-friendly bar that does good coffee for my wife. After four o’clock we got tickets and then jumped on the train to Sopron near the Austrian border. Unfortunately, Henry met the muzzle police, so he had to do his Hannibal Lecter impersonation on a near-empty train.

Sopron: A Cool Hungarian City

I’ve fancied visiting Sopron for a while, and this was the year we visited. It’s a historic and pretty city with lots of nice things to see. We only stayed two nights, but I could have easily filled 5 with some cool places nearby by bus. Next time we go to Italy, Sopron has been pencilled in as a staging post.

Our dog-friendly accommodation was great and, as it was out of season, a bit of a bargain. In Sopron, we also enjoyed some meals out, bakeries and the occasional bar. The icy wind and lots of walking meant I had to take my arthritis meds, unfortunately.

Trains from Sopron to Zagreb in Croatia via Szombathely…

First up was the train to Szombathely, which was pretty straightforward. We had 3.5 hours to spare here, so we found a locker in the railway station for our backpacks to see what it was like. The city is nice, with quite a few pretty buildings. We also had lunch at a dog-friendly place in Szombathely’s main square, which was nice.

Next was the slow, uncomfortable train to Nagykamitza, where we had hours to kill. There is not much at the station, and the cafe there has the rudest staff we have encountered for a long time. Thus, the only option for us was to sit in the station foyer watching the clock. Finally, the train to Zagreb arrived and had loads of empty rooms, so we could chill with the heating on full blast to melt us.

On arrival in Zagreb, we tested the local Bolt taxi service for its dog-friendly credentials and passed with flying colours. As it was a late arrival, we had a Crystal Maze-like task to retrieve the keys to get into our apartment. This was nice, and I slept quickly and well.

Zagreb

We have visited the Croatian capital quite a few times, as it’s a good crossroads for exploring the rest of the country. I really enjoy visiting the city, as there are lots of quirky things going on.

Every time we visit, we do something different. This visit was our first time in an apartment with a kitchen, so Dolac Market became a focal point, and we enjoyed cooking food from the markets. I also found some cool places for lunch and beer out in the market square, too.

Other cool new aspects for me were a successful sunrise walk and the Museum of Lost Tales, a pretty cool place. A few ideas got away, but they are more suited to spring weather on our way out of Croatia.

Zagreb To Knin

Before catching the one train a day south from the capital, we killed time enjoying coffee/beer out in a busy, cold Zagreb. Gladly, the train was in the station early, so loaded with drinks and bakery supplies, we found an empty room.

This train was pretty quiet; however, someone arrived in our room with a box of live chickens, which was pretty strange. The rest of the journey ran smoothly and pretty much on time. The views were special in the snow-covered mountains of Croatia. On arrival in Knin, we found our accommodation and then enjoyed a meal from the local food truck.

Knin

I’m really glad we visited Knin and the excellent apartment we stayed in. However, I was a bit disappointed that we only stayed for 24 hours, as the hiking was great, and I had to miss out on visiting Krčić waterfall. While in the town, we enjoyed the fortress, which was interesting, and the views were special, including towards the said waterfall.

I also enjoyed a walk along the gorge of the river Krka. Plans are afoot to visit the lower reaches of the river, which has some top-drawer waterfalls. Also, in Knin, it was great for eating out; there were nice cafes, and the locally brewed beer hit the spot for me.

Train To Split

We booked 2 nights near the railway station, as there is only one train to Split per day from Knin. This meant keeping warm until 10 minutes before departure, especially for Henry. This was a short railway journey and took about 2 hours. From the station, we used Bolt Pet to avoid walking 50 mins across the city at night. On arrival at our apartment for the next few weeks, we were impressed, as it’s spacious and very comfortable.

Split Return Visit

We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to Split in the south of Croatia and thus decided to return. This time we found some excellent dog-friendly accommodation in a different part of the city. Last visit we chose somewhere too cheap, and this time, I chose somewhere with space and relaxation.

Split is a beautiful place with lots of things to do, including historic sites, coastal walks and fun attractions. We also enjoy the local Dalmatian cuisine in various restaurants.

Our visit was also enhanced by the local markets for cooking and various cafe bars throughout the city. The second visit was as good as the first.

Day Trip To Stari Grad

As a solo day trip, I decided to test the ferries from Split with a future trip with Henry in mind. That was fruitful, and dog passengers are good to go on the car ferries as foot passengers. It took nearly 2 hours each way, and we had 7 hours to explore Stari Grad on Hvar Island.

Stari Grad is beautiful with lots of pleasant buildings and coastline in the central areas. The Stari Grad Plain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and I spent a few hours hiking through the archaeological remains and olive groves.

As it was a long day, I enjoyed a few cafe bars and lunch out. The meal was fantastic and seemed cheaper than Split. I enjoyed octopus and vegetables, which the waiter recommended, as they had run out of octopus goulash.

Split To Trogir

After a great time in Split, we moved up the coast to Trogir, a town without a railway station. Thus, the easiest way was to use Bolt Pet to get us there. This run went very smoothly, and we arrived in good time and dropped it at the door.

Trogir, Croatia

Trogir is a popular place and was mentioned many times to me, so I took the plunge. The town centre is UNESCO listed and based on an island. There are lots of nice buildings to see in the centre, and this is enhanced by being near the sea.

There are plenty of places for refreshments and a fish market for supplies. I enjoyed visiting despite not being on top form. Having a nice, spacious place to stay was certainly appreciated this stop.

Coast Road Trip

To get to our next stop, Sibenik, we used the Bolt ride-sharing app to get a ride. The driver was a lovely guy and gave us the option of the quick route or the scenic coast road. We chose the coastal foray, and it was pretty special, and, as a result, I bookmarked some villages for potential future trips. On arrival in Sibenik, we found our home for the week, a nice place with a balcony overlooking the seafront.

Šibenik

I was impressed with Šibenik. It is a pretty town and quite compact, with many interesting facets to it. The old town was great to explore, and the seafront was ideal for Henry’s walks. I enjoyed visiting many of the city’s attractions and frequenting various bars for refreshments. Šibenik was good for self-catering, as the markets were very good, especially compared to Trogir, the previous stop.

The highlight of the stay for me was two trips into the nearby Krka National Park to see the waterfalls and enjoy a long walk. These were very special and the most impressive waterfalls I’ve seen.

Sibenik to Knin

This travel day was on a stretch of the Croatian railway network that was new to us. It is a small branch line with a tiny one-carriage train. The journey was fun and picturesque. Onboard, it seemed most were regular passengers and knew each other.

Knin

After enjoying our first brief visit to Knin, we returned to enjoy some hikes in the warmer spring weather. The highlight feature was the local waterfall on the river Krka. This was pretty special and 22 metres high. As well as hiking, we enjoyed various restaurants in Knin and found them great value.

Knin To Zagreb

Travelling by train in Croatia is slow, so we were prepared for the 6.5-hour trip from Knin to Zagreb. The trip was OK; it was on time and got us there safely.

Zagreb

After a long travel day, the evening in Zagreb was pretty low-key. A bit of shopping for things they don’t sell in Vienna and a muzzle for Henry the beast, AKA Hannibal Henry. As a bonus, the spring blossoms had come out, and a brief storm made some cool rainbows.

Zagreb To Vienna

This was an early start after the free hotel breakfast, which had nice bacon, thankfully. First was the scenic route to Graz, which ran smoothly, and we engineered an hour change here for a beer and for Henry to do his business. Then the quick train to Vienna, a great city that is pretty unpleasant for Henry, as he hates his muzzle. To get to our apartment, we muzzled up, and it was not fun, so we decided Henry would only walk for the rest of the stay.

Vienna

We had some great walks in the area near us and found some great local bars and restaurants that seemed immune to Vienna’s dog rules. Happy days. While Henry was chilling, we had a great time going to some new things. This included visiting inside 2 palaces, a classical concert and the Strauss interactive museum.

Vienna To Budapest

This section of railway line is cursed to us and, again, was problematic. The train was very late for starters, and then there were even more delays on the way. We ended up in a noisy carriage, and Henry was disturbed by kids every few minutes. We were glad to get off and got a Bolt Pet to our accommodation as a treat.

Budapest

We have visited the city many times, and this time I wanted to see old favourites and try something new. New things included posh cafes and visiting St Matthias Church near the iconic Fisherman’s Bastion. I also enjoyed some great Hungarian food to refresh my restaurant guide.

Night Train to Brasov

The night train to Brasov was pretty straightforward after leaving our hotel on the other side of Budapest. It was pretty quiet and uneventful, including no checks on the border, which meant a great night’s sleep.

Brasov

Setting back into life at home is always an adjustment made easier by immediately planning the next trip while living life. It’s been pretty subdued with few day trips and some tasks around the home, including finishing a wardrobe a year after it was started and installing mosquito nets and air-conditioning.

Henry wasn’t feeling too good and was hiding from life, not playing and yelping lots. Thus, we had to take him to see the vets. On investigation he is the second member of the family with arthritis, which is causing his problems. He is now being treated and taking supplements, and we got him a memory foam bed to help. He seems better now, which is great.

The main reason for being back was university exams for my wife, which went well. This was mixed in with some crazy, busy work to keep me entertained; hopefully this calms down before the night train out of Romania.

Family Visit

The second of my family to visit Romania is my mum and husband, who flew into Bucharest to meet me the next morning. They had a mare finding the property and even the supermarket nearby in the morning, so I took over navigation and assumed my role of tour guide in the capital. We had a great time seeing all the key sites and experiencing the city fully.

We added some new things to our visit, including visiting inside the Parliament Building and the Ceaușescu villa, both of which were enjoyable. Bucharest gets hot in summer, so there are plenty of beer o’clock opportunities to keep cool.

Next up was Brasov for our parents to meet; the train journey to Brasov was a baptism by fire for their Romanian train adventures. The air conditioning had failed, and it was 37/38 outside, which meant an unpleasant trip. Luckily, the conductor managed to open as many windows as possible. Why they lock these anyway is beyond me. We had a great time exploring Brasov and also did some short trips from the city.

Visiting the Libearty Bear Sanctuary, a short trip away, was new to us all and something my mom was keen to see. This was an excellent trip, and I would highly recommend it. We also enjoyed a visit to the nearby Sinaia, the home of Peles Castle. Bran Castle of Dracula fame was also on the agenda, my first visit in the summer, which was busier than normal.

Finally, we did a two-night trip to Sibiu, a beautiful city. We had fun here despite the weather not being great and lots of storms, which led us to skip the village museum with Henry. Overall the 2.5-week visit was a success, and I overindulged.

Prep

Next up was travel prep, and we seemed to be the most organised we’ve ever been. The last job was to visit the vets, which was busy, and some Darwin Award winner decided it was a great idea to let their cat loose in the waiting room, which triggered many of the dogs. Luckily, leashes saved the day, but it was pretty unpleasant.

Train Out of Romania To Hungary/Austria Border

As with most of our railway adventures, we took the night train west. At first everything was running smoothly except for delays. The room was good, the air conditioning was working, the restaurant cart was open, and the conductor was jovial. Once we reached Făgăraş, police boarded the train and searched every room, which was not great for sleep.

Then, 20 mins later, some military-esque police boarded and knocked again. No idea what this was about. Onwards was fine, but again woke for passport checks exiting Romania; so much for Schengen. Anyway, it was time for sunrise then, so I stayed up, had a beer in the restaurant, and got the laptop out.

Next was to cross Budapest, find a bar, and then organise local trains west. Our usual staging post was being renovated, but we found another great place, Lakat presszó, and as a bonus, it had great shade in the morning. We booked our train tickets, got a sandwich, and then got on board. Just before arrival, one gets a lady with a cat in a carrier. This confused the hell out of Henry for a while; the meows kept him awake. Anyway, the trip was all good, and we arrived in Sopron in a storm to find our bed for the next few days.

Sopron

This was our 2nd visit to the Hungarian city this year, and we enjoyed exploring further. We stayed in a different pet-friendly place and enjoyed some new restaurants to further expand my restaurant blog post. As for attractions, we made the effort and caught the bus to Esterhazy Castle, the Hungarian Versailles, a lovely place. We only stayed 2 nights primarily to recover from the tiring night train.

Sopron to Italy

This was an epic travel day with lots of moving parts and potential things that could go wrong. The three changes to get from Sopron to Wiener Neustadt were the primary concern; however, we left early, and it ran like clockwork, so we had time for lunch and a nice dog walk through the city to see the main sights.

It’s a nice city, BTW. We then caught the Wiener Neustadt to Udine train and had the treat of business class, Henry’s first time in the posh parts of the train. We arrived, and it was a short walk to our hotel for three nights.

Udine

Udine was the first port of call on our latest foray into Italy and was a nice place to ease us into the trip. Udine is pretty and interesting; however, it is also quiet and chilled, which was perfect for us. I enjoyed visiting the main attractions, Italian beer o’clock and food out. We found the local bars and restaurants to be pet-friendly and had some great food.

Udine to Siena

The next train trip was a long one; first up was the direct train to Florence, the only one of the day. We travelled in business class so we could get laptops out to work and enjoy a comfy ride. In Florence we had a 2-hour break for a dog walk to see the Duomo and other things on the way. We also enjoyed breakfast at a nice place in the station with outside seating.

Next up was the tricky part, a train to Emploi, from which it was easy to get on the bus. The bus was hot and full, and the muzzle police were out. This was unpleasant but only 25 minutes. After that we caught the train onwards to Siena to find out about accommodation. To get out of Siena station, there are lots of escalators, which meant Henry needed carrying with a heavy backpack, then a 20-minute walk to our accommodation. The said accommodation was a bit meh and needed a good clean on the first day.

Siena

Visiting the medieval city of Siena was the section of this trip that I was most looking forward to. The city delivered and was excellent in terms of sights and attractions. Dog walks here were all very pleasant, as was just mooching around.

We also enjoyed many bars and restaurants in Siena, thus enjoying some fantastic local cuisine. As this was a 2-week stay, we also visited two fortified towns and went wild swimming in the Tuscan countryside.

Siena to Livorno

The trip to Livorno was a case of 2 buses and 2 trains to reach our accommodation. These were all pretty short legs and ran very smoothly, especially the trains. On arrival we checked into a small hotel in the centre of town which was nice and dog friendly.

Livorno

Livorno is a coastal city which had been on my radar for a while. It’s a bit more gritty than the other places on this year’s Italy tour, which added to the charm. There was loads to see in the historic city, including fortresses, palaces, docks and canals. We also enjoyed a sightseeing boat trip along the canal and the docks, which was excellent and saved a few steps. As Livorno is a coastal city, seafood was enjoyed for most meals here, and we found some top restaurants.

Livorno to Treviso

The Livorno to Treviso was the first of a few long legs for us to reach my wife’s favourite island in Croatia. First up was a train to Florence, then a beer between trains. I got injured on this train and struggle to put weight on my hips. Florence was crazy, and we were somewhat pleased we didn’t visit during the summer other than for train changes.

Next up was business class on the fast train to Venice, then switching to a small local route into Treviso. All this ran smoothly, and we found our accommodation for a rest and food. Hopefully, my hip recovers so I can fully enjoy the city; we have 10 nights, so hopes are high.

Treviso

Treviso is a beautiful small city with canals and lots of historic buildings. Sadly I couldn’t enjoy the full city because of my injury but struggled to get out a few times, primarily for food shopping and a sit-down beer. I enjoyed cooking with the great ingredients available here and found the nearby cafes lovely to spend time in. Our apartment was big and ideal for relaxing, which was very much appreciated.

Treviso to Rijeka

This was an ambitious leg to reach Rijeka because of rail replacement buses that aren’t always welcoming of dogs and its length. First up were 2 trains to Trieste, which ran smoothly, and then finding the bus. Luckily, it was an Italian rather than a Slovenian company, which meant dogs are good to go. Happy days. This took us across the border and dropped us in Sežana to meet the train. Next up was Pivka, where we had a 2-hour wait for the Rijeka train, so we sat in Herman’s restaurant for food and Slovenian beer.

Next up was the train to Rijeka, then to activate the ‘how the hell to get to Losinj Island’ plan. We had various plans involving some dark arts of travel. Basically, we needed to find someone to Mali Losinj, either from one of the car ferry ports or by finding someone to drive us there. We ordered Bolt Pet to drive us to the centre; the driver was nice and asked the question. He gave us a great quote including ferry fees, so we arranged pickup the next day.

Rijeka to Mali Losinj

As arranged above, we messaged the driver, and he picked us up within the hour; we were impressed and glad. The driver was very friendly and gave us a tour of the coast from Rijeka to Brestova, including some not-so-touristy places with local politics thrown in.

Then the ferry to Cres Island after a beer and coffee before the ferry took us across. Next was the long drive across Cres and Losinj islands to our apartment in Mali Losinj. Job done, so we paid plus a big tip; 100 was far too cheap compared to last time. We then arranged a pickup a month later with the same deal.

1 Month in Mali Losinj

My wife loves Losinj Island, and every trip she chooses to spend as long as possible here with her destination picks; I’m in charge of everywhere else. The island is beautiful and great for relaxing or working. This visit we got an upgraded apartment for the duration with loads of space and a nice big balcony.

I slowly healed on the island of vitality and got back to lots of swimming and long hikes, including to Veli Losinj. I cooked lots here with produce from the island, mostly seafood, and had a few great meals out.

Towards the end of the stay I had a call about my dad; he was rushed to hospital. I may have needed to do a dash to the UK, so I planned logistics to get there quick just in case. Fortunately, he was settled and kept in hospital for a few weeks but would need help when home, so I planned accordingly: a mad dash home to Brasov in 6 days, then flying straight to the UK.

The Dash to Brasov From Losinj

First up was the driver picking us up after lunch, then the long trip to Opatija for the night. Next up was the slow train to Zagreb to stay 2 nights and recover slightly in a posh hotel. Then there was the train to Budapest, arriving about midnight, then a bolt to another posh hotel, which we booked for 2 nights so we could comfortably wait for the night train during the day.

We were out of clothes. I went to the launderette near a langos bar for brunch so I could freshen up and feel human. We got food delivery for tea, then walked to the station late to catch the night train back to Brașov at 11:30pm. The night train went well, and I got home to make preparations to get to Gloucestershire.

Next up: 2026

The Long Shortlist of Potential Destinations

Hungary

• Sopron ✔
• Székesfehérvár
• Szombathely ✔
• Budapest ✔

Croatia

• Zagreb ✔
• Knin ✔
• Split ✔
• Stari Grad ✔
• Mali Lošinj
• Trogir ✔
• Sibenik ✔
• Varazdin

Interrail & Other Trips

This could all be scuppered if another interesting development comes to fruition.

• Austria, Vienna ✔ & Salzburg
• Italy, Udine ✔, Florence ✔, Genoa
• Switzerland
• France, Strasbourg, Montpellier & Reims
• Germany, Würzburg or Bamberg
• Belgium, Ghent & Bruges
• Netherlands, Amsterdam
• UK, Gloucestershire ✔, Birmingham ✔, Cambridge & Cornwall