It may only be January, but why not start thinking ahead to making plans for the summer? Dreading the cold walk to and from campus, thinking about the various exciting things you could do is one of the best ways to help you survive those 15 minutes of wet and windy winter weather.
So, why not consider organizing an adventurous trip interrailing with some friends this summer? Based on some of our own experiences, HCX have provided some top tips on cities and things to do on a potential European voyage, as well as warning of some harsh realities that could either take your fancy or make you realise you’re not quite cut out for interrailing around Europe.
A few of our favourite cities:
1. Amsterdam – Aside from the famous cafés and racy activities that draw many tourists here, Amsterdam has a lot to offer for your Euro-trip. Travel like the locals and go for a bike ride around the city with its many canals and fascinating tourist attractions, such as the Anne Frank Museum.
2. Munich – When you arrive in Munich you’ll find a city made up of stunning buildings and grand boulevards. But a particular, lesser-known favourite location for tourists here is the ‘Englischer Garten’ – one of the biggest and prettiest public parks. If the weather’s nice, you can swim or lounge on the grass beside the rivers with a German beer in hand – no need to worry about getting sand everywhere afterwards!
3. Paris – as one of the most famous cities in the world, this is a bit of a no-brainer! Just walking around this city you feel fabulous and, if art is your thing, then stopping off at Paris on your travels is a must. Although, try to work your way round the prices, as Paris is also one of the most expensive cities in Europe.
4. Barcelona – Not only does this city have a beach near the centre of the city, but you can also admire the typically Spanish architecture and cuisine, with the famous ‘Sagrada Familía’ Cathedral and tapas bars along ‘Las Ramblas’ – Barcelona’s most famous street. Barcelona is perfect for young people because of its vibrant atmosphere day and night, with thriving nightlife in Las Ramblas and clubs stretching right across the main beach. It’s also one of the cities where you’re most able to work on your tan this summer!
Some downsides:
1. Accommodation – Most of us will stay in hostels to save money when interrailing. It’s not exactly the most luxurious experience and you never know who you could be sharing a room with!
2. Organization – Booking a holiday to one location is stressful enough, but when you go interrailing, you have to organize everything for each city. Factoring in train times, costs, reservations and different hostels can be hard and time-consuming.
3. Food – In order to keep to your budget, you may find yourself getting sick of making cold sandwiches and not eating properly or all that healthily. Eating out a lot is too expensive and there’s a lack of kitchen facilities when you are constantly on the move from one hostel to the next. Most hostels don’t even have kitchens.
4. If you’re into more relaxed holidays… – The constant travelling and sight-seeing when interrailing may seem like some people’s idea of hell. If you’re looking to lie on a beach topping up your tan then interrailing is not for you!
Yet, despite these slight downsides, interrailing could be one of the most exciting, memorable experiences of your life. In fact, a few of these ‘downsides’ appeal to some of us as the best parts of interrailing. Hostels allow you to easily meet all types of new people from around the world and all the ‘stressful’ organization is absolutely worth it in the end, as you end up on a much more diverse, worthwhile holiday than just sun-bathing by a pool for a week.
So, give it a think. Could interrailing be for you?
Photo credits: Interrail.co.uk