Hey!
After exams and Fringe
were over, Megan and I went on a three week Interrail trip around Central
Europe, visiting mostly countries I had never been to before, so that was
amazing!
My posts on the trip
won’t be super detailed because if I do get hung up on everything we did, I’d
be spending a really long time typing it all up and it would make for a very long series. However, I do hope to
offer a few tips and tricks for anybody visiting these places or looking into
doing an interrail trip! Lezzzgoooooo
We had booked
everything back in January, mostly so that hostel prices would still be cheap
since we were travelling over summer between the 11th of June and
the 2nd of July. Our route was as follows:
Flight from Bristol to
Warsaw (Poland) and then trains between all cities: Krakow, Auschwitz/Oswiecim,
Budapest (Hungary), Vienna (Austria), Graz, Ljubljiana (Slovenia), Lake Bled,
Zagreb (Croatia) & Split (from where we did a few day trips). And then
flying to Gatwick from Split. That makes 5 different countries which for three
weeks I think is a pretty good route.
How did we go about
deciding the route? Essentially, neither of us had been to Central Europe
before and it is an area that is (apparently) considerably cheaper to travel to
compared to the typical interrail destinations (ie. Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin…).
So choosing the general area was not hard, but it was slightly harder to nail
down our stops. If we went to Poland, we knew we wanted to go to Auschwitz
concentration camp for sure. We also wanted to visit Budapest which has become
such a popular destination for young travellers and we were pretty sure about
wanting to finish with a few days on the coast (it’s summer, after all!). The
rest was more like looking at a map and choosing bigger cities that were on the
way of our general route (which is why we skipped Prague) and we initially
wanted to go to Zadar but had to change our plans when we arrived in Zagreb
because of lack of connecting transport…But more on that later.
So, now that we’d
chosen our route, we looked at flights and booked those first. Because the
flight from Split was so expensive (high season because of July), we decided to
only pay for one bag on hold and travelled low-cost (you have to save the
dollar). Baggage-wise we travelled with one backpacker rucksack that Megan was
in charge of (the bag on hold) and two small cabin suitcases, plus a little
rucksack each for easy access to documents and whatnot. This turned out to be
quite handy not only when flying but the suitcases were easy to wheel around.
However, if you tend to be late for things, the usual rucksack each plus a day
bag/backpack is probably a more practical option if you need to run around
catching trains…
Then we purchased our
pass which gets posted to your address. Now, Interrail offers different passes
which work differently depending on countries, dates and routes, so I’d advise
having a think of where you want to travel and for how long before purchasing
your pass. You can have a look here: https://www.interrail.eu/en In the end, we
went for the 22-day Global Pass which gave us the flexibility to travel on any
train not requiring previous bookings. This had pros and cons. On the one hand,
flexibility was amazing because when we arrived in Zagreb and realized that
there was no realistic way of getting to Zadar for one night before heading to
Split, we managed to instead get an overnight train to Split and simply pay a
small booking fee for our sleeper carriage. If you don’t have a clear route,
this pass lets you improvise on the spot. However, we knew exactly where we
were going and what trains we were taking (the Interrail page allows you to
book your trains in advance which, particularly for overnight trips, is
necessary if you don’t want to end up stranded!). This meant that we didn’t
really need the flexibility and you *still* have to pay for your train
reservations on top of the pass (ie. high speed trains or overnight trips, as
explained on the Interrail page). So, in the end, because of how we travel, it
would’ve probably turned out cheaper to take the Flexi Pass rather than the
Global Pass. That is why you have to really look at the different options!
Concerning
accommodation, Hostelworld was our best friend. We looked at reviews and
location and opted for female dorms wherever possible. We did use Airbnb for
the few days in Split as we could cook and essentially worked out cheaper and
also in Graz as hostels are scarce.
Now, the trip. For a
bit of background, Megan and I are a lot into sightseeing, museums and good
food. We don’t tend to go out at night because we spend the whole day walking
around to save money on transport and get a feel for the city (our average was
27,000 steps a day), which means that we are knackered by the time it gets to
dinner time. To save your time (and mine), I’ll be filling a little grid on the
things I recommend doing or eating in each stop, and telling you any anecdotes
on the ‘bonus info’ section! Hope you enjoy the format!
WARSAW, POLAND
Dates: 11th
to 13th June
Accommodation:
·
Dream Hostel. 6-bed
female dorm. The hostel is great! Clean and central. With pod-style bunk beds
and a pretty good breakfast for about 6 euro. Would recommend.
Food:
·
For pierogi
(Polish dumplings), there is a cheap and decent chain of restaurants called
Zaplienca all around the city where you can choose your own selection of
pierogi to try different fillings.
·
Aïoli. This
was a contrasting experience as customer service was not great (the waitress
was actually super rude to us), but the vibes and food were really good. Their
salad bowls are amazing.
·
Buddha Indian
Restaurant. Good and cheap, happy tummies.
Sightseeing:
·
The Old Town
is beautiful and quaint although it was essentially all reconstructed after the
Second World War because it was bombed down to the ground. You can easily walk
around the squares and the Bastion.
·
FREE Orange Umbrella tours (online booking). Goska, our tour guide, was
really upbeat and engaging. We did the Best of Warsaw tour which does not
include the Old Town but instead gives you quite a wide understanding of the
history of the city, starting from the Castle and ending by the Palace of Arts
and Sciences. It was almost like a timeline of Warsaw’s history, visiting
different buildings of different periods over the two hours, including the
remains of the Jewish Ghetto. Highly recommend.
·
Praga is the area on the other side of the river, near St Florian Church.
It is meant to be the hip side of Warsaw however we didn’t really like it. It
felt really run down and most restaurants and shops were closed despite going
in the evening…
·
Lazienci Park is a cute spot for a picnic and a walk.
Bonus info:
·
Our suitcase
was lost! This unchained a whole 4-day ordeal of trying to communicate with the
non-English speaking (!!!) staff at Modlin Airport, countless phone calls to
Bristol and Swiss Port, baggage claims to Ryanair and surviving on minimal
toiletries and clothes for the few days. It was stressful at the beginning because
nobody knew where our rucksack was, it was one of those “describe a time where
you had to face a problem” interview stories… We bought a few essentials from
Rossmann and luckily were able to make do with what we had in our cabin bags:
we complemented each other as Megs had flip-flops and I had a spare PJ!
Eventually we managed to locate our bag and they delivered it to us in Krakow.
Not a great start to our trip.
KRAKOW, POLAND
Dates: 13th
to 15th June
Accommodation:
·
Bubble Hostel.
4-bed a female dorm. This hostel was a joke. It was a converted apartment
inside an old flat building which was literally falling apart. However, it had
a really good location half way between the Old Town and the train station.
They had three shower cubicles with dodgy locks and Megan had a bad experience
with a creepy guy. Not cool at all. I wouldn’t stay there again.
Food:
·
Boccanera
Italian restaurant. We had lasagne and a side of grilled vegetables for
essentially what came up to 5 euro in a super fancy restaurant. Loved it.
·
Cakester.
Vegan café and bakery. We had vegan pancakes for breakfast. So good!
·
Genji Sushi.
They do a lunch deal which involved green tea, miso soup and a bento box of
freshly made sushi for about 8pounds. Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had!
·
New Square in
Kazimiertz for Zapiekanki (grilled bread with cheese, mushrooms and other
toppings of your choice – a typical Polish drunk food!) and ice-cream from Good
Lood.
Sightseeing:
·
We did most of
the Old Town just roaming around on our own: the Church, the Square, Collegium
Maius, Wawel Castle…
·
Schindler
Factory. They have quotas for the day so don’t leave it too late because we
didn’t book in advance and barely made it in. The museum is amazingly detailed
and I would set aside about 3 hours to properly roam around. Unfortunately we
were on a rush, but it gave great insight on the history of Jews in Poland
during the Second World War.
·
FREE Jewish
Krakow Walkative Tour. This time round the tour guide was not particularly
enthusiastic, but the tour was super interesting. He first showed us around
Kazimiertz, the old Jewish quarter of Krakow south of the Old Town (which has
become a hip place) and spoke to us about the history of Jews in the area
before WWII. Then we crossed the bridge onto what became the Jewish ghetto
during the war, part of whose wall still stands. This part of the tour was
heart-breaking; actually learning about all the dreadful events that happened
there was overwhelming but totally worth having someone tell you about them.
Overall opinion: I loved Krakow;
it reminded me of a mix between Torino and Bologna, sort of Italian city vibe
in the centre. And I loved the Jewish quarter. Food options in the city are
amazing and cheap and I would definitely go back to explore it more in depth!
AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU
CONCENTRATION CAMP (OSWIECIM), POLAND
Dates: 15th
June
Food: We took a packed
lunch with us that we ate before going through security as the town is in the
middle of nowhere and there are barely any places to buy food.
Sightseeing: We’d
booked our tickets for the camp well in advance which you have to do because they
sell out on the day. I would not bother going if you don’t have a ticket,
particularly during high season. You can only access with a guided tour. The
tour was really good. It lasted for about 4 hours (longer than expected so we
ended up rushing for our train back) but it was really heartfelt and
educational. Our guide was from the area and he first showed us around
Auschwitz III, which has become the educational part of the camp and then
finished at Birkenau. It was harrowing and hard to wrap our heads around the
horrible events that took place in the middle of that massive expanse of
countryside. However, visiting these places and keeping the memory alive is the
only way to prevent it from happening again. I will say though that they don’t
allow any bags bigger than an A5 (not even an empty tote) and you have to pay
for the cloakroom and toilets, which was crazy given the place is so hard to
get to and you already have to pay for the guided tour if you want to get
anywhere close to the camp…
Bonus info:
·
We used our
passes to travel to and from Auschwitz which is located by the town of
Oswiecim. We took a tattered regional train and had to change on our way there
but our train was running late and none of the staff spoke English. However,
sitting beside us were an American woman and her Polish friend who actually
helped us find our connecting train which was waiting for us in a bleak town in
the middle of Poland. Generally locals are happy to help if you just speak up!
Overall opinion: if you go to
Krakow, a day trip to Auschwitz is a must, when other would you go? The objects
from the prisoners, the tales of the survivors, the ruins of the gas chambers,
the punishment cells… You visit all of it and it is hard to picture how
thousands of people were exterminated here. Once in a lifetime experience.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Dates: 16th
to 18th June
Accommodation:
·
We took an
overnight sleeper train to get to Budapest. We shared with a lovely Australian
woman travelling solo around Europe and, although it was quite small, we had
all the amenities including wash basin and breakfast! I slept in the top bunk
and feared for my life but there was a safety rail on my bed. However, it was
quite noisy and warm so I got woken up a few times throughout the night. But
it’s a great time-saving option for long train trips!
·
Avenue Hostel.
4-bed female dorm. The hostel was inside an old building in the Oktogon
crossing (easily accessible by metro). We loved it there. The breakfast buffet
was hearty and free, staff were super friendly and helpful and they also
organized events and free dinners a couple of times a week. The rooms had sleeping
pods and each floor/corridor had their own kitchen too. I would totally stay
there again if I went back to Budapest!
Food:
·
Gozsdu Udvar
parlour. They have loads of different restaurants and bars but we went to a
Vietnamese one just off the main crossroad.
·
Kossosegi Kert
bio market, right by Szimpla. It is super cool spot that unites loads of food
stands ranging from langosh (the typical Hungarian dish – you’re meant to it it
with cheese and sour cream!) to Mexican food and vegan burgers!
·
Hummus Bar.
There’s a few scattered around and you can get cheap hummus and falafel plus
student discount. Not the best but not the worst either…
Sightseeing: We walked
everywhere and Budapest is a massive
city so imagine how much walking that was!
·
The first day
we walked around the centre and visited main sights like the Opera House, St
Stephen Basilica, Chain Bridge, the Royal Palace, the Parliament Building,
Fisherman’s Bastion (one of my favourite spots!), the Shoes of the Danube
memorial… Our plan was to have lunch at Great Market Hall and the place was
amazing but it was packed and by the time we sat down to eat the place was
closing and so we felt rushed to leave so I would recommend visiting but not
eating there… On our way back to the hostel we walked past the Synagogue and
the National Museum.
·
Gozsdu Udvar doesn’t
only have loads of restaurants but during the day there are also artisan stands
selling all kinds of things. Highly recommend!
·
Instant Fogas
ruin bar. Ruin bars are a must and although Szimpla is the most popular because
it is the oldest, Instant was a fantastic option for a night out. It was
basically a massive four storey building with loads of rooms with different
styles of music and a beer garden. They had about 8 different bars inside and it
got really busy on the Saturday night. Best thing? Entry is free. Just try not
to get lost; it’s a right maze in there!
·
Szimpla Kert
during the day. This ruin bar had a farmers market on the Sunday. It was great
not only to try Hungarian desserts and treats but also to get a close look at
all the graffiti walls and art installations inside Szimpla!
·
Margaret
Island is a super cool spot to walk around or have a picnic. We went on
International Yoga Day and there were loads of different classes going on!
·
Rudas Bath.
Thermal baths are a must in Budapest and we decided to follow the local advice
and avoid Szecheny which gets super crowded and dirty and instead go to Rudas.
Same price, less crowded, no time limit and has a rooftop pool overlooking the
Danube and sunset over the city. What else could you want?
·
Citadella
& Liberty Statue. It’s a hike but so worth it when the sun is going down!
You can get great photos with the skyline of the city and doing this at the end
of the trip was wonderful because we could identify the places we’d been to!
Bonus info:
·
On our way
back to the hostel we stumbled upon a square with a ferris wheel were they were
playing salsa music and people were dancing. So obviously Megan had to join in!
It was loads of fun and there were a few great dancers in there!
Overall opinion: I quite liked
Budapest. It is a big city which is not generally my cup of tea but there is
quite a lot of atmosphere, beautiful buildings and loads of things to do. A lot
of hen and stag dos and young travellers also… I would go back, but I don’t
think it’s necessarily much different than other European capitals.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this
first instalment of my Interrail adventures and have found it useful! Two extra
weeks’ worth of tips and locations is coming your way so keep your eyes peeled!
Zoe x
Snapchat:
zoeamma
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