The trains that allow you to fall asleep in one world and wake up in another
By Maureen O’Hare, CNN
(CNN) — In our roundup of travel stories this week: A collapsing sandcastle that trapped a teenager, the Vatican Observatory where science meets religion, plus “invisible architecture” in the African desert.
Sleeper trains
Few transport options capture romantic imaginations as completely as sleeper trains, those legendary locomotives that allow us to bed down in one world and wake up in another.
For rail fans, there are overnight routes to discover on six of the world’s seven continents. They range from deluxe hotels on wheels ferrying guests to places such as Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal, to the transcontinental giants of Canada and the USA with their spectacular “Vistadome” panorama cars. Here are 10 of our favorites.
The release of the biopic “Tony” has renewed interest in superstar chef Anthony Bourdain. In 2014, he traveled to Russia on the eve of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games for CNN’s “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and rode the luxury Grand Express sleeper train between Moscow and St. Petersburg. US-based subscribers can stream here.
Grand designs
The United Arab Emirates launched its first national passenger rail network earlier this summer, a long-awaited express train that criss-crosses the desert and will eventually connect 11 cities across the region.
Emiratis are known for their love of cars, so introducing a rail system meant having to find a solution to getting people between the train stations and their homes or other destinations — all the more essential when summer temperatures in the country can hit more than 120 F (49 C).
Farther south in the deserts of Namibia, so-called “invisible architecture” is on the rise. Upscale retreats are being designed to blend seamlessly into some of the African country’s most remote environments; being hard to find offers the ultimate in exclusivity.
Where sacred meets celestial
Science meets religion in the Vatican Observatory, a centuries-old center of astronomical research. Watch here as Reverend Richard D’Souza explains how his team studies meteorites and continues the search for extraterrestrial life.
Completed just a few decades after the Vatican Observatory, in 1616, Istanbul’s Sultan Ahmed Mosque is one the world’s greatest sacred masterpieces. Popularly known as the Blue Mosque, it earns its moniker from the more than 20,000 Iznik tiles that decorate its interior’s upper reaches, meaning this is one place in the city where the heavens always glow a celestial blue.
‘50-year overnight success story’
Continuing our countdown of America’s Best Towns to Visit in 2026, we have Greenville, South Carolina, at No.3.
For nearly 40 years, the magnificent urban waterfall that sits at the heart of Greenville’s downtown was covered over by a four-lane highway bridge.
Imagination and determination was needed to redesign the town as it is today, with a vibrant energy that other cities crave and an extensive pedestrian and bike trail that links neighborhoods and attractions.
Take a look, too, at the rest of our list so far: Roanoke, Virginia, at No. 10, Lawrence, Kansas, at No. 9, Iowa City, Iowa at No. 8, Juneau, Alaska, at No. 7, Burlington, Vermont, at No. 6, Fort Collins, Colorado, at No. 5 and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at No. 4.
In case you missed it
A teenager building a sandcastle was trapped after the hole caved in around him. The rescue operation took more than an hour. Watch here.
A person was fined $5,000 for using a foghorn to wake a sleeping polar bear. Disturbing polar bears unnecessarily is illegal in Norway.
A landmark trial. A sprawling hurricane. A royal relocation.
What do you remember from the week that was?
The Michelin Guide has awarded stars to restaurants for 100 years.
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