Interrailingescapes - Blog Posts

City Bike Tour to kickstart your stay in Rome!

Vacation is of course about relaxing and having a good time but some exercising in combination with touristing is an excellent to get to know Rome a bit better! Taking a city bike tour is a perfect way to kick-start your stay in the capital. On your 4-hour tour, discover Rome's secret passages through ancient walls and ruins, stopping every now and then for amazing photo opportunities or to enjoy a cappuccino or gelato. So if you feel that you have been a bit lazy so far on your vacation this is the thing for you!

Enjoy!  

Stroll around in the Brera district of Milan

Interrailing is all about finding new destinations and spots where you can soak up as much new culture as possible. The Brera district in central Milan is really a spot like the ones you are searching for! Strolling around finding second-hand markets, restaurants, cafés while enjoying the sun and the atmosphere makes this a great place visiting!

Hotel Windsor: Epic breakfast!

Hotel Windsor located in the center of Milan and offers an exclusive combination among tradition, design and innovation. The genuine elegance and the attention to detail enhance the maximum comfort and the vocation for hospitality offering first-rate services. The hotel is close to the main tourist attractions and shopping streets, besides it’s easily reachable from any area of the city. This hotel is the ideal destination to discover the trendiest venues and the most prestigious spots in Milan. . For more information please visit Hotel Windsor Milan.

Prices from: 65€

Ostello Bello Milan Hostel

Ostello Bello is a hostel with a great location close to the Duomo and other main attractions of Milano’s vibrant downtown, with distance to all its historical points of interest, the city's nightlife and world famous shopping neighborhood. If you're looking to meet people while travelling, this is surely one of the best places in town to do so. Highly recommended to anyone visiting Milan. For more information please visit their site Ostello Bello Milan Hostel

Prices from: 25€

Colonne di San Lorenzo

Enjoy life and get interrailing experiences at Colonne di San Lorenzo in Milano! 

The checklist of interrailing escapes 2015 continues, next up Milano!

Located in the northern part of Italy you find the fashion city Milano. The city is the second biggest city in Italy primarily known for fashion and luxury stores, but the city has soo much more than this to offer! Architecture, fashion, football, restaurants and great looking people are some of the things that the city is really famous for. Traveling to Milano is really easy and the railway station located centrally in the city simples things. Going here gives you opportunities to enjoy the true fashion spirit that Italy has developed and is originated from Milano. Strolling around watching all beautiful people in costumes, sipping espresso and eating at great restaurants is truly worth a visit. Besides that we will provide you with some other really interesting tips when visiting Milano.

So don´t forget to bring a nice shirt when backpacking for your visit in Milano!

Budget hotel close to Ponte di Rialto!

Hotel San Samuele Venice is a great budget-friendly hotel, with a great location less than 5 minutes from two of the most stunning attractions in Venice: Piazza San Marco and Ponte di Rialto. The hotel is surrounded with great small restaurants and interesting art galleries. Hotel San Samuele Venice is a great choose for the traveller looking for great room rates. For more information please visit their site. 

Prices from: 35€

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Next interrailing stop: Venice!!

With its shimmering gondolas, canals, amazing restaurants, and unforgettable romantic ambiance, Venice is definitely a city for one's bucket list. A worth site to visit in case you want to sit back and capture the view in painting . To have an unforgettable  experience in  Venice opera and the classical music are a must go. No one can resist the fresh pastas and italian food when it comes to visiting Venice. The best time to make a trip is in spring and summer. you might get captivated by its classic grandeur and classical paintings. Visit the oldest cafe in venice Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) and have a delightful cup of coffee , San Mark’s Basilica, Fondamenta della Misericordia, and Galleria dell'Accademia are a must to visit.

Venice a beautiful city in the northeast of Italy located with a group of 117 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. Venice is renowned for its beauty, canals, artworks and romantic sites. The historical city of water is an amazing vacation site. the weather average in January is 3.3 °C (37.9 °F), and for July this figure is 23.0 °C (73.4 °F). Stay tuned for more pearls that Venice has to offer!! 

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The Hostel Celica in Ljubljana is a great hostel for travelers traveling in groups. The Hostel was formerly a military prison, but is today designed in a colorful and lively way with double and triple rooms available. The Hostel Celica is located in a great area near the main universities and is a great place to stay for nightlife and making new friends. Don’t miss out on this unique accommodation experience. For more information please visit Hostel Cecilia's website. 

Prices from: 50 €

Trend Hotel in Ljubljana

For the traveller who wants to squeeze the most out of its money, its worth considering the Austria Trend Hotel. This hotel has a great location with clean, elegant bedrooms with great amenities including wellness centre, sauna and whirlpool. Great accommodation option for the traveller looking for a top-quality hotel with attractive prices. For more information please visit their site.

Prices from: 85€ Photo source.

Ljubljana: the unidentified pearl of interrailing

South-west of Budapest we find the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. With train the trip between the cities take about nine hours, perfect opportunity to catch up with your sleep or a photo-session of the nature traveling through. Ljubljana is a city not very well known by the general mass making it perfect in terms of finding new, unexplored escapes. The city itself is mid-size and has around 280 000 inhabitants. It is a very unique city dotted with pleasant picturesque places where you can expect all kinds of nice little surprises. The city has two different features: on the one hand the city is full of history with old houses and various traditions. On the other hand the city has a young and modern touch which makes it very dynamic and full of life. All in all, a Ljubljana is super nice city with a great setting in which you can breathe out and explore its escapes.

Prague: Continuing…

In Prague, it’s beautiful everywhere and you will enjoy walking! Even if you could easily spend a whole week in the city, I had enough of three days. The morning I arrived, I dropped my backpack immediately and I crossed Charles Bridge to go see Prague Castle in Lesser Town. Since I’m more of an outside person than a museum person, I spent the whole day walking in the small streets around the castle and I came back in the Old Town Square to eat. You’re going to love those buildings which are representatives of Gothic architecture (like the astronomical clock) and I suggest you try to find David Cerny’s controversial sculptures hidden in the city! Unfortunately, I only had one day of sun and it was raining on the second day, but that didn’t stop me from renting a bike to ride along the Vltava River and reach the New Town to see the dancing building. I also went to Petrin Hill for fresh air and since I had a little extra time on the third day, I took a train to go see the Sedlec ossuary in Kutna Hora. It’s worth it if you’ve never seen so many human skeletons, but the journey was a little long for such a short visit. Prague is definitely a must-see city and you don’t even have to plan your stay before going there; just walk the streets and you’ll see great things everywhere!   

“I almost decided to stay in Prague forever” Alexia mentioned in one of her Instagram posts, check it out @me.myself.and.a.backpack. 

Alexia traveled around in Europe during the summer of 2014 and she is studying master in Pharmaceutical Science not Medicine! :D 

Thank you so much Alexia for sharing your experience in Prague! Please join her journey on Instagram and have a splendid weekend!

Prague: me, myself and a backpack

We at Interrailingescapes 2015 are proud to present our first guest blogger! Alexia, 23 years old and full of traveling experience. Alexia is from Qubec, Canada and a Master student in Medicine at the Université de Montréal and a world traveler. You can follow her journey on Instagram @me.myself.and.a.backpack . There she grasp Instagram in a different approach by telling her whole traveling experience in imperfect, since she started this account after the journey, check it out!

I had been told that Prague was awesome, so I had high expectations. I took an overnight train from Warsaw and for those who are afraid they wouldn’t sleep well in an overnight train…well you’re not true backpackers! You can save money by doing that and all you need is a mask, earplugs and wine before going to sleep (please reserve a bed and not a seat or you’ll spend the worst night of your life) That way, you arrive early and well rested in a new city, and let me tell you that waking up in Prague is a nice feeling! I booked a bed in a hostel called Hostel DownTown which was cheap, clean, convenient, and offered a nice breakfast as well as a nice view of Prague Castle. The name speaks for itself; the location is perfect (in the Old Town)! Even in small cities like Prague, I tend to book my hostels the closest to the ‘’city center’’ because I’m not a fan of public transportations. I walk a lot... maybe too much (I have to walk my heavy meals off), but that way I discover streets and building I would miss if I was stuck in a bus … to be continued…

Interrailing Escapes Competition!

Hello you all world travelers out there! We at Interrailing Escapes 2015 wants you to get a convenient start on your interrailing trip! That is why we are proud to announce that we are starting a competition where the price is, see picture, FREE accommodation on perfect spot in Malmö, Sweden, for a weekend! It is an one room and kitchen apartment on 50 square meters, worth 400 SEK per person and night, (maximum of beds 4). All YOU have to do in order to participate in the competition is: #1 Follow and Like us on Instagram and Facebook #2 Share our tumblr page (www.interrailingescapes2015.tumblr.com) with your friends on Facebook. #3 Post a #tbt (throwback thursday) picture that reminds you of your best interrailing experience on Instagram. #4 Hashtag with #interrailingescapes so we can pick out our winner! The competition starts at the 29th of January and continues to 6th of March, so that makes it 6 weekly competitions and the winner of every week will be able to compete with each other. The winner of the six “nominees” will be chosen by us, on friday the 6th March.

Prague our next destination for interrailingescapes2015

Lets take you to the beautiful fairy tale and cultural city of Prague located in the center of Czech Republic. The city comprises of 10.28 million inhabitants, and covers an area of 78 866 square km, The temperature in prague for summer can vary from 24 degree centigrade to 30 degree centigrade, but the nights are cold and can be up to 15 degree centigrade. The beautiful old city offers everything from theater, museums, sightseeing, historical places to bars and restaurants, The city depicts the true bohemian lifestyle. Never the less the nightlife in prague has everything that vacationers are looking forward to. The city has a well developed metro system that makes it easier to move around, if you do not want to pay those extra bucks for taxi. One of the wonder of city is that you can almost reach all the must see by foot. Prague is bustled with tourist 365 days a year, visit the famous places like the prague castle, Old town, Letna Park, Jazz boat are a few must see for Prague. Stay tuned, we might have a little surprise for you in Prauge!! :D

Teufelsberg: “Berlin as a little island of dreams”

If you are getting tired of city life has to offer, that this route of Interraling begins with (we are coming to more warm and fuzzy beaches later on, stay tuned). Teugelsberg is the perfect expedition to do and experience an extraordinary perspective of Berlin. Teugelsberg is an old spy facility, located in the west part of Berlin, whereas the facility is build upon an artificial height in Grunewald. The top of the height is 120.1 meter above the sea level, making it Berlin’s highest point. And the spy facility with its towers makes the view exceptional. To get there you will have to take the metro out to west Berlin and walk for 20 minutes but it is totally worth it! You can walk around in this old and abandon spy place and go up to the towers and experience the most incredible view over Berlin. And as our interview person said “Berlin looks like a little island of dreams” since berlin is surrounded with its green forest. You think that Berlin is an on going city that never ends, but up here you can see the city in a new perspective. Great excursion to do with your friends or family!

Next destination will be revealed tomorrow! Stay cool!!

Stay cool to a cheap price when interrailing!

When out interrailing you only have your small bag with to carry clothes in. This thought has come to us when deciding to post this tips, buut this is a real favourite so we just need to post it anyway.. This place is called Pick & Weight and sells vintage clothes at kilo prices. So, bring an extra bag or only your old clothes so you are able to update your wardrobe because this place don’t only provide cool, vintage clothes but also to great prices. Fashion in its best! Stay cool!

Cool activity in Berlin to add to your checklist, for free!

Visiting Berlin is challenging in terms of picking activities since you have so many cool places to chose between fitting your interrailing checklist. Although, one that we find as a really good option is the former airport Tempelhof which nowadays functions as a public park. The airport itself closed down year 2008 and has a eventful history being for example the most important airport for the Nazis during Second World War. Today the field is a perfect spot for relaxing, barbequing or inline skating, doing all this at an old airport creates a unique atmosphere. Aaand, best of all, for free of course!

Kimshi Princess: Best Korean Food in Berlin!

As you can see we and Berlin are into the asian food culture. Kimshi Princess is known for their Kimshi, which is a korean dish made with cut cabbage, radish, and scallions and a seasoned paste of red pepper, garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, salted shrimp, or kelp powder. It is a easy going food to do yourself just chop the vegetables and add some more ingredients and it will get pickled in over some days. But if you are on your traveling journey to experience authentic food and local restaurants, Kimshi Princess is the perfect place to eat! Kimshi Princess is located in Kreuzberg, Skalitzer Strasse 36 / Manteuffelstrasse. Whereas you can explore and experience a lot of local bars and restaurants. The restaurant also serve korean barbecue, as you can see in the pictures, they put the grill on the table and the meat and the belonging vegetables with the korean seasoning is delicious! If you are into that, otherwise you have to try it! The meat can be decided to be beef, pork, chicken, seafood or vegetarian, so it is a place for everyone!

If you have not already, check out our Facebook page and Instagram @interralingescapes2015

In the center of Berlin you will find The Circus Hostel that is located near Rosenthaler Platz station. This trendy hostel is within walking distance to Berlins historical tourist attractions like: Museum Island, Unter den Linden, Alexanderplatz and the shopping district around Hackescher Markt, as well as the gallery quarter of the Scheunenviertel. The rooms are totally renovated with own bathroom, kitchen and terrace to enjoy the view over the city center. In the basement of the hostel you will a bar that offers karaoke parties on Wednesday nights, as well as a courtyard that gives the traveller a perfect opportunity to reflect on its Berlin experiences. For more information please visit: http://www.circus-berlin.de Prices from: €77 for 2 people

The Pfefferbett Hostel is located in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg district in the central part of Berlin, within minutes from the Senefelder Platz Station. The hostel is originally an old brewery that was transformed into a new trendy hostel, which got nominated as one of the 10 best hostels in Germany in 2010. Amenities includes large terrace, billiard table and the possibility to rent bicycles from the hostel. This hostel is really a great choose for the traveller looking for a cheap room, within a location that is only a shot walk from great nightclubs, bars and restaurants. For more information please visit: http://www.pfefferbett.de/home.html Prices from: 15 Euros pr. person

All interrailers, next up is Berlin!

Often referred to as the capital of culture in Europe, with a unique history this city is definitely one of the top destinations on your interrailing vacation! With the 25-years anniversary, 2014, to the fall of the Berlin Wall in close memory this event is the most significant in German history and not least for the development of the city. Today the city is a cultural bomb and it is rather you own time limit and imagination that sets boundaries. Whether you want history, shopping, art, food, sports, clubbing or fun activities this city has all opportunities. So don't miss out our upcoming posts of Berlin to learn more about this city until your next interrailing vacation. Enjoy!

Escape by bike in Amsterdam!

As told in the previous post, bicycling is one of the most effective and experience filled ways of taking you forth in the city of Amsterdam. There is a lot of bike renting places in the city and all of them can give you the tour that suits you! And of course you may draw your own tour in order to fulfill your preferable targets! There is many old churches to discover and neighbourhoods with genuine bar, restaurants and clubs to visit and enjoy. A preferable district to visit, if you prefer to escape from the typical tourism districts, is Jordaan and De Pijp, these areas flourish with bars, cafés and restaurants whereas most of the locals hang out.

For further information please visit likealocalguide.

King's Day: 27th of April

King´s day or formerly called Queen’s day is a open air event in Amsterdam where the whole city celebrate and honour the Dutch Royal family by dressing and decorating everything in orange to show the pride of the “House of Orange-Nassau”. The date for this event may change slightly from year to year, but in 2015 the date is 27th of April! In the spirit of Amsterdam tradition, whereas the city was build upon trading, the streets also turns into The Vrijmarkt (literally ‘free market’), which gives everyone and specially their mothers the chance to sell, bargain and trade in the streets and parks of Amsterdam. This creates one of the largest flea market in the world. You can’t miss this! During this event the whole city is filled with great activities, since the flea market and festivities are ongoing, the gridlock traffic makes it difficult to get around by car. We suggest to rent bikes, not only during this event but also when you are visiting during another period, since the city is very bike friendly! Another way of taking you through the mass of people is of course by the channels! The channel boats are also decorated in orange and the celebrity goes on the boats as well. And you can take part of the festival by watching the whole spectacular event from the boats!

Explore the most unique brunch place during your interrailing

When traveling and discovering new cities the food is an essential part for a successful backingpacking trip. Because of this we are providing you with some excellent spots to check out when visiting Amsterdam. First out is maybe the coolest brunch place ever, Gs brunch boat. Yes, exactly as the name says this is a boat where you can enjoy a great brunch while exploring the small channel system of Amsterdam. In other words a unique experience that you don't want to miss out! Check out for more info: http://reallyniceplace.com

The Flying Pig Hostel

Are you searching for a hostel during your traveling, that is known for its great community with their customers, in Amsterdam? The Flying Pig hostel is recommended from one of our friends who lives in Amsterdam. And he says that the place is very price worthy, with cool interior and nice people to hang out with. The Flying Pig have three hostels placed in different areas of Amsterdam. One of the most preferable is the Flying Pig Uptown Hostel which is placed in the middle of Amsterdam, Vossiusstraat 46, next to the warm and welcoming Leidseplein square with loads of pubs and clubs. The hostel is known for its great mix of funky and relaxed atmosphere and really flourish the Amsterdam party vibe! If the uptown hostel is full, you can always try out the Flying Pig Downtown hostel, Nieuwendijk 100, placed close to the central station. If your prefer something less expensive, we highly recommend the Flying Pig Beach, hence it shows its best side during the warmer part of the year. Whereas there are many beach and water activities to take part of. For more information please visit The Flying Pig Hostel.

Prices from: Uptown 25.90 €, Downtown 27.90 €, Beach 13.50 € per person.

Amstel Botel: The boat Hotel

Amstel Botel is a unique hotel that offers simply-furnished rooms on a boat in the center of Amsterdam. Amstel Botel is located on the River IJ and includes a bar and is just within 10 minutes of the central station. Every room has either land or views over the River IJ, with private bathroom that has the needed accessories. A continental and English-style breakfast buffet is served each morning with sausages, eggs and other warm dishes, which is a great way to start the day for travellers living on a tight budget. To find out more, click here.

Prices from: 93 € for 2 people.

Heart Hotel Amsterdam

Heart Hotel Amsterdam is a hostel located in the Red light district and is just a few minutes away from the central station. This hostel has everything you need close by: nightclubs, cinemas, shopping centers and Amsterdam’s main attractions. At the hostel you will find good beds, with own personal safety and electric socket. There is a 24-hour reception, with friendly staff that makes sure the necessary inquiries are provided. To find out more click here

Prices from: 20 € pr. person

Next interrailing escapes stop, Amsterdam!

A new destination with new possibilities! Now we have reached to the next city in our interrailing escapes - Amsterdam! Which is the Netherlands largest city by inhabitants, hence Haag is their real capital city. Amsterdam is well known for its culture and flourish of museums such as van-Gogh museum, Anne Frank house, Rijksmuseum and Rembrandt museum. Nevertheless, we want to fulfill this destination with the most experiential and authentic accommodations, bars, cafes, restaurants and activities.

So, have you ever wondering why the Netherlands is also called holland and why the people is called Dutch? Well in Old English dutch meant nation or people, which also explains why Germany is called Deutschland in German. In the early 1500s, parts of Germany and the Netherlands, along with Belgium and Luxembourg, were all part of the Holy Roman Empire. And over time, English-speaking people used the word Dutch to describe the people from both the Netherlands and Germany. Hence, they specifically phrased High Dutch, referring to people from the mountainous area of what now is southern Germany. Low Dutch referred to people from the more flatter lands, what now is the Netherlands. The Netherlands was back then used to describe people from the low-lying (nether) region (land). The term was spread and widely used in the whole Europe, and when they became a separate and formal country in 1815, they became the Kingdom of the Netherlands. However, the word Holland literally meant wood-land in Old English and originally referred to people that were from the northern region of the Netherlands, and over time it came to apply to the entire country. Now you have some background knowledge to impress the Dutch with when you are in Amsterdam! Stay tuned for hostel, bar, restaurant and activity tips and tricks!

Denmark is known for its beer mentality which has generated some very strong brands, Carlsberg for example. Because of this you should definitely explore the beer culture that you can find within the country and its capital city. A good way to do this is through visiting the old brewery of Carlsberg and take the tour. Besides having a look at the old brewing facilities you will be able to do beer tastings, explore the magnifique art collections and get the true history of this world-wide beer brand. Visit homepage for more info: http://www.visitcarlsberg.com