Europe by train
Since July 8, two of our reporters have been on an Interrail train trip through the heart of Europe. Follow along day after day for the best pictures from their tour!
Last stop: Bonn, Germany
After traveling 4,023 kilometers (2,500 mi) we reached our final destination: Bonn! This quaint little city on the Rhine River, and former capital of West Germany, is also where DW has its headquarters. We spent the day wandering through the old city and along the riverside. It was a wonderful day, but we could not help but feel a little sentimental at the end of our trip. Thanks for coming along!
Tenth stop: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
We’ve reached the penultimate stop of our trip, the wonderful Amsterdam. The city is known for its canals, the so-called “Grachten”, that extend over 100 kilometers (62 miles) and some of which were listed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2010. We could spend hours wandering through this beautiful city. Our tip: Head to the trendy western district of Jordaan to escape the crowds of tourists.
Tenth stop: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
In Amsterdam, we tested out a somewhat different kind of boat tour to explore the waterways. With a local organization called Plastic Whale, we spent the afternoon on an electric-powered boat made of recycled plastic bottles, fishing plastic waste out of the canals — a great way to see the city and contribute to a cleaner environment at once! Give it a try the next time you're in Amsterdam!
Ninth stop: Paris, France
Despite a rainy start, we spent a wonderful day in Paris! We met with Maya, who‘s been living here for seven years and knows the city inside out. Together, we had a great lunch in a brasserie on the Montmartre hill, near to where Luisa grew up. Then we took a post-lunch walk up to the Sacre Coeur. It was steep, but we were amply rewarded with breathtaking views over the "city of lights".
Ninth stop: Paris, France
We just had to go and see the Cathedral of Notre Dame. A fire destroyed most of its medieval roof and its spire in April 2019. For a moment on that evening, it seemed like the whole building would be lost, which luckily it wasn’t the case. It will take years to rebuild and the area around the building is still shut off, but it was heartening to see that crowds were still there to pay tribute.
Ninth stop: Paris, France
Paris is a world capital of fashion — but not everyone can afford haute couture! And that's no problem because this city is full of affordable second hand stores. We decided to brave the scorching heat to explore the magical world of Paris’ vintage stores with a local friend and fashion historian. These shops had amazing and cheap clothes, even under 5 euros ($5.6) — it was like a treasure hunt!
Ninth stop: Paris, France
Unfortunately, we arrived in Paris on the city’s hottest day ever recorded — not ideal! To fight the over 42°C (107.6 °F) temperatures, we stayed in our hostel until the city started to cool down at night. Lucky for us, our room had a view over the city: the Sacre Coeur Basilica and the rest of the city extending endlessly all the way to the skyscrapers of La Défense. Not bad for a hostel window!
Eighth stop: Provence region of France
With around 300 days a year, Provence is one of the sunniest regions in France. That makes it attractive not only for tourism but also for agriculture. If you are in the region, make sure to visit the farmer markets: the fruit and vegetables are cheap, local and incredibly fresh! And, as we find, there’s nothing more delicious than a pasta dish made with tomatoes picked just a few hours before.
Eighth stop: Provence region of France
After two weeks of traveling and with the current heatwave hitting Europe, some rest in the countryside in the south of France was more than welcome! We drove to the delta of the Rhône river, where one can find wonderful beaches, explored Provence and most of all — we made some new friends called Marilyn and Towanda, two adorable Silkie chickens.
Seventh stop: Nice, France
We spent the morning exploring Nice, looking for treasures at the flea market and wandering through the narrow streets of the Old Town. We recommend climbing up the Castle Hill (Colline du Château) to enjoy the magnificent view over the seafront. If you're here in summer, beware of the heat and bring enough water to drink! If all of this doesn’t help, there’s one way to go: Take a dip in the sea!
Seventh stop: Nice, France
Fin de siècle opulence, year-round sunshine, buzzing street life and seaside location — Nice is like no other city in France! After a long evening stroll along the city’s seaside "Promenade des Anglais", we sat at the beach and watched the late-night swimmers take a dip, even at 11 p.m. Despite her concerns about the water’s quality, Luisa dipped her feet in the sea — it was wonderful!
Sixth stop: Cinque Terre
We grew up in France and Italy so summertime also means: beach time! We rented out a sunbed in Monterosso, and hung out at the beach all day, taking the occasional dip and reading the books we’ve brought on our trip. There is so much to explore in Cinque Terre, which is also known for its beautiful hiking trails along the cliffs. We’ll certainly come back in spring or fall!
Sixth stop: Cinque Terre, Italy
We arrived in the region of Cinque Terre — a string of five ancient villages tucked at the feet of magnificent cliffs that one can only reach by train or by foot. We were looking forward to this location because of its famous beaches, local wine and wonderful seafood. It took quite a hike to get this high — but it was definitely worth it for the view of the lovely village of Vernazza!
Fifth stop: Venice, Italy
We're not the only ones who think Venice is wonderful! Every year, over 30 million tourists visit the city, which today is home to only 53,000 permanent residents. With so many people, it was difficult to enjoy famous sights such as the Rialto Bridge (picture). Our tip: take a walk after dusk when most daytime tourists are back on the mainland and enjoy some chicchetti, Venetian fingerfood.
Fifth stop: Venice, Italy
Visiting in the summer? Head to the Venice Biennale — one of the biggest contemporary art shows in the world. It takes place every two years and many of the exhibits are in otherwise inaccessible parts of the city. We went to the Arsenale district to see a unique opera performance called "Sun & Sea" — an award-winning Lithuanian piece and commentary on climate change anxiety.
Fifth stop: Venice, Italy
Venice is known for its canals, bridges, carnival celebrations, seafood and more! One of our highlights was the Grand Canal, which winds 3.8 km (2.4 mi) through the heart of this maze-like city. The view from Ponte dell'Accademia bridge was our favorite, but tourist hotspots like this one can get quite busy! Our tip: head to the northern district of Sestiere Cannaregio to escape the crowds!
Fifth stop: Venice, Italy
We took an early train from Ljubljana to Venice — one of the stays we were looking forward to the most. Although we’ve only spent one afternoon strolling around so far, it's difficult to overlook the charm of this incredible city. Every corner, every street, every bridge has its own postcard-like magic. We are excited to explore Venice over the next few days!
Fourth stop: Ljubljana, Slovenia
In Ljubljana, you can’t skip a stop at the city’s famous Dragon Bridge. Built between 1900 and 1901, it is a beautiful example of Art Nouveau. We took a few photos and marveled at the beautiful dragon statues. They look so impressive we were almost a bit frightened! The dragon is a symbol of Ljubljana and has been on the city’s coat of arms since the Middle Ages.
Fourth stop: Ljubljana, Slovenia
A perfect afternoon in Ljubljana! After a slow morning of working and recovering from our travels, we took a leisurely stroll along the Ljubljanica River. We sat down and had iced tea in one of the many nice cafes that line the river banks. Be sure to walk a little further to get away from the crowds. And try counting the bridges — there are 17 of them, one more beautiful than the next.
Third stop: Maribor, Slovenia
A trip to Slovenia is not complete without a hike in the country's beautiful mountains. From Maribor, we took the cable car to Pohorje mountain. It's a popular skiing spot in Slovenia and also a great summer hiking destination. Our three-hour hike took us through thick forests and offered great views of Maribor. But we have a little confession to make — we got a little lost along the trails!
Third stop: Maribor, Slovenia
Known locally as the "Stara Trta" or Old Vine, this is the oldest vine in the world still bearing fruit, according to the Guinness Book of Records. This vine is over 400 years old — it survived the Ottoman occupation and World War II. They still make wine with its grapes — and the vine even has its own museum. Quite an interesting discovery in Maribor!
Second stop: Budapest, Hungary
The Flódni is the traditional Hungarian Jewish cake. It is made of five sweet cake layers and four different fillings: plum jam, walnuts, grated apples, and poppy seeds. We both had a big slice of Flódni for breakfast on our last day in Budapest. It gave us a good sugar kick and kept us full for hours! If you're looking for a tasty Hungarian treat, get yourself a slice, it goes great with coffee!
Second stop: Budapest, Hungary
The Hungarian Parliament is THE symbol of the city. It’s one of the largest parliament buildings in the world and made of 40 million bricks! Wherever you go in Budapest, it dominates the skyline. On our second day we learned that there is a law that no building can be higher than the parliament in this city. It's definitely a sight to see — if you get the chance, take a guided tour!
Second stop: Budapest, Hungary
Bathing à la Turque! The weather wasn't so nice so we decided to try out one of the Hungarians' favorite pastimes: relaxing in a thermal bath house! Budapest is famous for its baths, but the trick is finding one that's not crowded! Our tip: Head to the Kiraly baths (picture). They date back to the Ottoman occupation of Budapest in the 16th century and frankly, they haven't changed much since then.
Second stop: Budapest, Hungary
A must-do in Budapest is a night stroll along the Danube: Monuments along the river sparkle with light and create beautiful reflections in the water. On our first night in town, after a lovely dinner, we did just that. We walked over the impressive Széchenyi Chain Bridge (picture), which connects Buda and Pest, and sat down by the river to take in the night with locals and tourists alike.
Second stop: Budapest, Hungary
After a long and restless night train, we finally arrived in Budapest — known as the Pearl of the Danube River! And that's not an overstatement either — this is truly one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe. Luisa used to live here! We've been revisiting her favorite haunts from years past and seeing some familiar faces. We can't wait to relax in one of the famous bathhouses tomorrow!
First stop: Prague, Czech Republic
In the evening, we boarded the night train to Budapest. Though we did not exactly get a good night’s rest, there was something exciting about leaving from Prague’s beautiful train station (picture). As the train slowly made its way through Central Europe, we felt like we were also traveling back to the times of the Habsburg Monarchy. Goodbye Prague — Hello Budapest!
First stop: Prague, Czech Republic
One of our highlights from Prague was the historic Old Town Square. When you take a closer look, there is a wide range of buildings and architectural styles, from Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque. On our free walking city tour, our guide gave us some good advice: Never forget to look up!
First stop: Prague, Czech Republic
Our first full day in Prague! We spent it wandering around the city, exploring its many faces. Its beautiful Old Town, the famous Jewish Quarter — a place full of legends. As we walked by the river Vltava, sipped on lemonade and looked upon the Charles Bridge (picture) we came to realize: Prague is indeed one of the most beautiful cities of Europe. It's definitely a must-see!
All aboard — the journey begins!
Our first train is here, ready to take us to our first destination: Prague in the Czech Republic. The platform and train were packed! But we already befriended some fellow Interrailers from all over Europe from countries like Denmark and the United Kingdom. On the board restaurant, we enjoyed typical Czech food and took in views of the impressive Czech countryside. Great start to our trip!
It's all part of the plan
12 cities, 7 countries, 22 days. Our Interrail is going to cover some of the most beautiful spots in Europe. We wanted a mix of Europe's main attractions and places a little more off the grid. After a few hours and several cups of strong coffee, we finally had a plan. The excitement about the trip is growing!
Getting ready for an Interrail train trip through Europe
A train trip through Europe — there are so many options! Luckily, with an Interrail ticket, you have access to a vast network of trains all across the continent. Interrail allows you an incredible degree of liberty, but planning your route ahead can also be helpful — and make sure to pack light and smart! Clothing for different climates, good walking shoes, and a good book to read.