Interrailing 2022 By The Pain Adventure Trust on 10/01/2023 (updated 10/01/2023) In Reports / 0 comments Thanks to the kindness of the trustees, we were able to visit a total of 10 different countries across Europe on our interrailing trip. Our trip was spread over almost 6 weeks, covering just under 4000 miles! Our interrailing route Our interrailing route, going clockwise Amsterdam (2 nights) Berlin (3 nights) Vienna (3 nights) Budapest (3 nights) Zagreb (2 nights) Split (3 nights) Ljubljana (2 nights) Bled (3 nights) Venice (2 nights) Rome (3 nights) Naples (4 nights) Milan (2 nights) Zurich (2 nights) St. Moritz (1 night) Zermatt (1 night) We used the app ‘Polar Steps’ to track it and add pictures and memories along the way (definitely recommend!). Our trip was full of so many unforgettable moments that we feel so grateful to have experienced, these are just a few of our favourite parts: Meeting new people At the start of our trip, we didn’t know what to expect when staying in hostels. However, we soon began to realise how easy it is to meet new people and make friends. Everyone we met was so friendly and keen to hang out. We really enjoyed meeting a variety of people from around the world, learning about their different cultures, and eating pizza on the beach with strangers! Visiting Historical Monuments We made sure to include lots of history in our itinerary because we both find it very interesting. We got to see amazing parts of history such as the Colosseum, Anne Frank’s house, the Berlin wall and Pompeii. It was very eye opening to see these places in real life and learn more about them from tour and audio guides. Food We found ourselves eating a lot of delicious food, especially in Italy and Switzerland. Our personal favourites were chimney cakes, which are found in the more eastern European countries, fondue in Switzerland (although definitely not in our budget!), and of course, pizza, pasta and gelato in Italy. We would definitely recommend always giving the local food a try! Nature We were blown away countless times by the stunning nature around us in some of the places we visited. Whether it was amazing waterfalls in Plitvice national park (Croatia), snowy mountains in the Alps, or turquoise waters in Lake Bled (Slovenia) and southern Italy. A highlight for us was rowing a boat in Lake Bled to the central island, surrounded by huge mountains and crystal waters. It was so relaxing to be out in nature with no other responsibilities. We made sure to go out of our comfort zones to make the most of our travels. For example, zip lining over beautiful scenery in lake Bled was terrifying but absolutely breathtaking. Exploring Europe as a pair has given us more confidence than we would have thought. Solving problems independently and figuring out things like foreign train systems, directions and languages has made us aware of our capabilities . Also, interacting with such a variety of people has improved our social skills greatly and we are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and the lessons it has taught us. 32-21 & 33-21 The famous ancient Roman ruin, the colosseum in Rome, Italy. A sheltered cove around ancient Roman ruins in Sorrento called Bagni Regina Giovanna. It was such a beautiful place to swim. Our favourite location on our entire trip, Lake Bled in Slovenia. It was so peaceful and secluded. We had to try cheese fondue in Zurich, Switzerland. It was very pricey, but worth it! The Széchenyi thermal bath in Budapest, Hungary. It’s water is supplied by two thermal springs and featured lots of inside and outside baths. Very relaxing! An amazing view of Plitvice National Park, Croatia. It has a chain of 16 terraced lakes joined by several beautiful waterfalls. We did the longest zipline in Europe over a river near Lake Bled. Terrifying but unforgettable! ur view of Matterhorn, one of the highest summits in the Alps (and the mountain on the toblerone!) from Zermatt, Switzerland. We visited the Natural History Museum of Vienna that featured the estimated 25,000 – 30,000 year old Venus of Willendorf figurine