2 Months, 15 Cities, and 0 Regrets: My Interrail Adventure

I had never even heard of the Interrail initiative until my best friend mentioned she was doing it. In Europe, when you turn 18, you can apply for a program called DiscoverEU to get free train tickets to explore the continent. I applied, I won (everyone does so go for it), and suddenly I had a golden ticket to anywhere.

I hesitated for a long time. Should I stick to my sunny Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese neighbors, or try something new? Eventually, I decided on Central and Eastern Europe. Since I’m French, the south feels more accessible; I wanted to use the "free" value of the ticket to the max and see a part of the world I had never been too.

The Survival Core of Solo Travel

Before I get into the "where," let’s talk about the "how." Interrailing is phenomenal, but it’s a crash course in survival. You are constantly shoved into sticky situations you have to solve alone. You’re hauling a heavy-ass backpack through train stations at 3 AM, getting zero sleep, and sometimes the loneliness hits you out of nowhere. There is no room for material souvenirs in a 60L bag, so your only baggage is your memories.

But the trade-off? Insane. You get so far out of your comfort zone it disappears. You eat your way across Europe, meet people who change your life for a single night, and have conversations that stay with you forever. If you’re an EU citizen: go. Just go.

The Beginning: Berlin & Poland

Not very solo traveler of me but, my Interrail started in Berlin ~ with my best friend. I didn't expect to love Berlin so much, but I did. So much that I considered transferring and finishing my studies here. I could envision the whole thing so clearly: being an art student in Berlin, wandering through those diverse neighborhoods where every corner hides a new gem, raving all night, and grabbing cinnamon rolls in the morning. Berlin felt like such an easy place to exist. It has this perfect mix of history, culture, and art, with food from everywhere and genuinely nice people.

One of the absolute highlights was a spot we stumbled upon by the water. It was perfect—full of these tiny, hidden places to eat while the sun hit that golden hour glow. It was the most flawless start to my long journey.

Then, I went solo to Poland. My grandma is originally from there, so I felt this pull to see it, but I wasn't prepared for the emotional whiplash. Auschwitz concentration camp was a brutal, heavy moment ~ I cried, and I’ll tell anyone who goes to Poland: you have to go. You have to witness it. I spent the rest of my time there wandering through Krakow and Warsaw eating pierogies. You HAVE to go to the Royal Baths Park in Warsaw. They make you feel like you are walking through a romantic Greek movie set with its white architecture and still water.

The Peak: Prague & The Willow Tree in Krumlov

Prague is breathtaking, and was one of my favorite cities of the trip. It’s vibrant, loud, and beautiful. I met three Irish guys in my hostel, and we stayed up all night talking and partying ~ one of those brief connections you cherish precisely because you’ll never see them again.

But the real shock was Český Krumlov (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The entrance is this insane multi-story bridge that looks like something out of a fantasy novel. It’s a tiny colorful city surrounded by water and people kayaking. I found this spot under a willow tree by the waterfront where I journaled and ate fruit in the sun with a breeze in my hair. Life felt perfect in that exact moment.

The Art of Connection: Vienna & Ljubljana

Vienna gave me major Paris vibes ~ rich culture, high art, and grand architecture. It inspired me to do some art and so I did something that terrified me: a live nude model drawing class in a professional artist's maximalist apartment. I was so scared, but sitting in that colorful, cluttered room, snacking and sharing art with strangers, made the traveler’s loneliness vanish.

Then came Ljubljana, the cutest city on the map. I arrived by total accident on the day of a trampoline competition above the river, which was a lot of fun to watch. I ended up in a hostel where I became friends with a group of mainly Koreans; we had barbecues, did karaoke in two languages, and watched an old Japanese movie in a tiny cinema. We were just a bunch of strangers learning each other's languages and exploring the capital of Slovenia. I also decided to take a spontaneous day trip to Lake Bled, where the water is so crystal clear it looks like a filter.

The Grand Finale: Romania & Stealing the Moon

I took a night train to Bucharest to see a friend. We did it all ~ music festivals, hidden bookstores, and a hike up to a castle in Sinaia. My time in Romania was about movement and music, ending in her hometown of Buzău.

I finished the two months in Budapest, one of my favorite European city. We went to a rave at an old nuclear central near Lake Balaton, hit the ruin bars, and found a giant, realistic moon light sculpture. Naturally, we took pictures trying to steal the moon Despicable Me style.

This is just the overview ~ I’m going to be writing deep dives into each of these countries soon, because honestly? There is so much more to tell.

Two months of chaos, heavy bags, and zero sleep later, and I would do it all again.