Train travel is thriving in Central Europe, and so are dining cars. We rode the rails from Prague to Zurich and beyond, sampling regional dishes and savoring the views.
The accordion has played a central role in Czech folk music for centuries, and remains a favourite instrument of many chanson signers here, such as Radůza – who is so well known, she goes by a single name. Among the Czech youth carrying on the instrumental tradition is 14-year-old Lucie Pudilová, who recently won the world’s biggest and most prestigious accordion competition in her age category.
The Trophée Mondial de l’Accordéon celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2020. Due to coronavirus crisis, as with so many cultural events, the platinum jubilee edition was held online. Nonetheless, the competition drew more than 750 hopefuls from across the globe.