Explore Lille
Just the other side of the Channel, but half a world away in its charm and style, Lille is the perfect laid-back city-break destination. Take the train to London and catch the Eurostar for great markets, Flemish beer and food, and top museums.
From Lille Europe train station, you only have to walk past the shopping centre to the main square, the pedestrianised Grand' Place, to know you're on the Continent. Here you can have a coffee and watch the world go by – or browse the book stalls in the cloistered Vieille Bourse, the old financial centre of the city.
Around the square is Vieux Lille, the old town. Among the narrow, cobbled streets you'll find the Hospice Comtesse, a 13th-century hospital that's now a museum, and plenty of boutiques for shoppers.
Art lovers will love Lille: the Palais des Beaux Arts is one of France's top galleries, and if you're into modern art you shouldn't miss the Musée d'Art Moderne either. There are also huge numbers of independent galleries and museums dotted around town, partly thanks to the fact that Lille was European Capital of Culture in 2004.
If you're here to shop on a Sunday, head to Wazemmes, where there's a huge street market. Once a year in September, the stallholders converge on the centre of town for the Braderie, the largest flea market in Europe.
If you like your food, Lille gives you the chance to explore some cuisine Flemish-style. Try carbonnade flamande (beef in beer), waterzoi (chicken or fish in creamy sauce) or classic moules frites (mussels with chips) – don't forget to wash it all down with local beer. And because there's a university here, you won't be going home wishing the party hadn't died down so soon.
For more information about cheap train tickets into London visit our Ticket types page, or to find out how to book tickets to Paris, Lille or Brussels visit our Connect to the Continent page.