CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE INTERRAIL TRIP
AUGUST 2021
Europe never ceases to amaze me with its wide and diverse range of cultures that ooze out of every street corner and worn cobblestone. Central and Eastern Europe has always sparked my curiosity. The regions hold countless amount of cultures, traditions and unique histories, and this summer I delved into discovering some of it for myself. This part of Europe can often be overlooked as a travel or backpacking destination, however after spending some time living in Poland in 2020, and Budapest in 2019, I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to love this trip.
As one of the most well connected continents via railway, for this trip I partnered with Interrail (also known as Eurail), which was the perfect way to get around with ease and efficiency. Travelling by train gave me the opportunity to see these countries overland in a way I wouldn't have been able to in another way. The trip in total was a little over a month and I travelled to 7 countries during this time, so it was definitely a busy, but unbelievably fun, trip.
WHAT IS INTERRAIL
Interrail/Eurail is a European train pass that gives you access to the rail network of 33 different countries. You pre purchase the pass for a certain amount of days within a certain time frame (for example - 4 days in 1 month). On those specific ‘travel days’, you can travel as far as you like over that day as the distance doesn't matter. Europe is so well connected by train that you have endless options for an itinerary, and having an Interrail pass gives you a lot of flexibility on time and route, which is why I like it so much.
11 DESTINATIONS
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25 - 40 DAYS
SOFIA (4 NIGHTS)
One of Italy's food capitals, a historic gem hidden in the heart of the country.
BUCHAREST (1 - 2 NIGHTS)
Place yourself in a romantic novel and wander the streets of Florence, there is so much to do and see in the city.
BRASOV (2 NIGHTS)
Fall in love with the mountains, Como's sparkling blue water and the immaculate feeling of being at one of Italy's most renowned lakes.
SIGHISOARA ( 2 NIGHTS)
A short stop off in Turin never hurt. With views of the Alps and a very chic city feeling, Turino holds a very special charm.
BUDAPEST (2 - 4 NIGHTS)
The city doused in love. Get lost in the hundreds of tiny alleyways, sit by the canal and watch gondolas glide by, fall in love with Venice.
KOSICE (2 NIGHTS)
ZAKOPANE (2 - 3 NIGHTS)
KRAKOW (3 NIGHTS)
WARSAW ( 2 - 3 NIGHTS)
VILNUIS (2 - 3 NIGHTS)
RIGA ( 2 - 3 NIGHTS)
CURRENCY
Bulgarian Lev
Romanian Lei
Slovakia Euros
Polish Zloty
Lithuania and Latvia Euros
DAILY BUDGET
Eastern Europe is on the more affordable end of the scale when it comes to travelling through Europe. I noticed Bulgaria, Romania and Poland were the cheapest options, while Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia were noticeably more expensive and were comparable with other countries in Europe like Italy and Croatia.
While travelling Bulgaria, Romania and Poland, it's easy to travel for cheap, with street/local food ranging from £0.50 - £3, hostel beds as cheap as £6 and activities or entry costs being as low as £2. Budapest is also very affordable, but does have some more expensive spots, especially considering how busy it is with tourists all year around, you can read more about my Budapest recommendations here. Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia were the most expensive stops on my trip, which surprised me. You can still find some very affordable things to do and places to eat, but hostel beds are a little more expensive at £10 - £13 per night and a restaurant meal between £8 - £15.
Recommended daily budgets:
Bulgaria, Romania & Poland: £20 - £45
Hungary: £30 - £50
Slovakia, Lithuania & Latvia: £30 - £60
TRANSPORT
As I previously mentioned, I was travelling through Central and Eastern Europe by train, and while it was convenient, some journeys were a little long winded, especially on the old trains that date back to the 1970's and 80's. At some points of the journey it would take 4 hours to travel 50km, which is painfully slow. Unfortunately some of the countries I travelled to don't have the wealth or infrastructure to accommodate faster train service, so you have to be prepared for delays and slow journeys, which I think is part of the experience when you're travelling.
BULGARIA
BULGARIA
My Interrail trip began in Sofia, Bulgaria. From Athens (you can read my 2 days in Athens blog post here) I caught an overnight bus to Sofia, which took a little under 12 hours and cost €44. The bus was as comfortable as you could imagine any overnight bus journey could be, and of course a bus journey wouldn't be complete without a stressful border crossing between countries.
At 3am we arrived at the border between Greece and Bulgaria, and being the only non native/tourist on the bus, I was nervous. While everyone had swiftly crossed between the two crossings, my passport had been handled by 3 different police officers before finally being allowed to cross through.
You can book your bus journey here
WHERE TO STAY IN SOFIA
I used Sofia as my base while in Bulgaria. I had 4 nights to explore and during my time in the city I stayed at Hostel 123. The hostel was simple, but did the job. The beds were singles, instead of bunk beds, each floor had their own bathrooms and shower, downstairs you could find a small kitchen and reception, and a little garden with seating.
HOW I SPENT MY 4 DAYS IN BULGARIA
My first and last days in Sofia was dedicated to exploring the city. Like most post-Soviet cities, you can find a unique mix of architecture ranging from different time periods. As I walked through Sofia I noticed a lot of statues capturing the struggles of the people as well as Bulgaria's independence, something that I found very striking about the city. I enjoyed my time in Sofia, it was very hot when I went, so it was hard to stay outside during the middle of the day, but it was an interesting city that I would love to revisit.
During my second day in Bulgaria I embarked on the Seven Rila Lakes hike. The hike is a full day excursion, located a little under 2 hours away from the heart of Sofia. I did a self guided tour with a company called URCA Travel, a local Bulgarian company. The tour price was €39.99 and included a private transfer to the hike and then the Rila Monastery. The 'self guided' tour meant that you could do the Seven Rila Lakes trail at your own pace, which I personally preferred and thought it gave the hike a lot more freedom to stop when you wanted, take photos and choose which trail you preferred.
The trip included a very informative guide that drove in the mini van with us, sharing some background information about Bulgaria's history, the lakes and their significance. I really loved this tour and would definitely recommend it, you can get to the lakes via public transport but it's a lot more difficult and takes closer to 3 - 4 hours each way from Sofia.
On my third day in Bulgaria I took a bus to Plovdiv, the cultural capital of Bulgaria. Plovdiv is an ancient city built in between seven hills. The city is home to a range of ancient Roman ruins, 17th century colonial homes and some stunning views of the surrounding nature. Unfortunately while I was there it was 42 degrees celsius, which made the day unbearably hot when exploring.
ROMANIA
The next leg of my Interrail journey was Romania, a country that completely surprised me. I spent 5 nights in Romania, including, 1 in Bucharest, 2 in Brasov and 2 in Sighisoara. Romania was my favourite country on the trip and I could easily go back and spend a few weeks there. I was nervous it was going to be hard to travel and also hard to find vegan or vegetarian food, however I was completely wrong. People were friendly, welcoming and more than happy to go out of their way to help me. There was always at least a few vegetarian meals on the menu and the country in general was absolutely stunning.
I chose to spend most of my time in Transylvania as the scenery and history
WHERE TO STAY IN ROMANIA
For my first night in Romania I stopped in Bucharest and stayed just outside the old town in a hostel called Sleep Inn. I was seriously questioning if I was in the right place, as the road is covered in roadworks and is filled with potholes, however once I located the right place I really liked my night's stay. The hostel was simple but had friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere, which is always important. You can book your stay here.
Brasov was the next stop in Romania and I stayed at a cute little hostel called JugendStube. It wasn't the most social but was in an ideal location (right in the heart of the old town), helpful staff and the best bit... €2 for laundry services, including wash, dried and folded. You can book your stay here!
My last stop in Romania was Sighisoara and because it's such a small town, there were no hostels to choose from. Instead I booked a hotel just outside the old town, AM Goldberg. For 2 nights I paid £68 for a loft room which overlooked the old town
HOW I SPENT MY 5 DAYS IN BULGARIA
I arrived just before dinner time into Bucharest and quickly dropped off my things before heading to dinner at Caru' cu bere, one of the oldest restaurants in the city. The food is traditional Romanian cuisine and is absolutely delicious, I recommend you try zacusca, which is a tasty eggplant dip.
The next morning was dedicated to exploring some of Bucharest's old town before jumping on the train to Brasov.
HUNGARY
Hungary wasn't on the original planned itinerary, but I decided to stop off to break up the journey between Romania and Slovakia by spending a night in Budapest. The journey from Sighisoara was long, and my train ended up being delayed due to bad weather between the hours of 2am - 5am.
WHERE TO STAY IN HUNGARY
My one night in Budapest was spent at The Hive hostel. The Hive is famously known to be one of the best hostels in the city, and I would have to agree. Social, in the heart of District 7/Jewish Quarter, rooftop bar and more. For my first night in Romania I stopped in Bucharest and stayed just outside the old town in a hostel called Sleep Inn. I was seriously questioning if I was in the right place, as the road is covered in roadworks and is filled with potholes, however once I located the right place I really liked my night's stay. The hostel was simple but had friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere, which is always important. You can book your stay here.
Brasov was the next stop in Romania and I stayed at a cute little hostel called JugendStube. It wasn't the most social but was in an ideal location (right in the heart of the old town), helpful staff and the best bit... €2 for laundry services, including wash, dried and folded. You can book your stay here!
My last stop in Romania was Sighisoara and because it's such a small town, there were no hostels to choose from. Instead I booked a hotel just outside the old town, AM Goldberg. For 2 nights I paid £68 for a loft room which overlooked the old town
HOW I SPENT MY 5 DAYS IN BULGARIA
I arrived just before dinner time into Bucharest and quickly dropped off my things before heading to dinner at Caru' cu bere, one of the oldest restaurants in the city. The food is traditional Romanian cuisine and is absolutely delicious, I recommend you try zacusca, which is a tasty eggplant dip.
The next morning was dedicated to exploring some of Bucharest's old town before jumping on the train to Brasov.
Gelato from Gelateria Guidi
Takeaway pasta from L'ora della Pasta
WHERE TO EAT IN COMO
L'ORA DELLA PASTA
After a friend raved over L’ora della Pasta, there was no way I could pass up on trying some of this magical takeaway. Located on 33 Via Lambertenghi, you have the option to choose what type of pasta, sauce and extras you want for under €7. The pasta is as fresh you could imagine and it’s a great option to grab and eat by the lake.
GELATERIA GUIDI
Again, you can't go to Italy without indulging on gelato after every meal. Gelateria Guidi is one of the best spots in Como town, with a great range of flavours! I opted for raspberry and coconut and was definitely not disappointed.
TURIN
TURIN
I barely had a chance to properly explore Turin during my 18 hours in the city. I arrived late afternoon before quickly getting ready and heading out to dinner with a couple of friends, however I got a chance to wander the streets the next morning and I was disappointed I didn't have more time to explore. With a very chic almost 'Parisian' feel and the Alps surrounding the outskirts of the city, it doesn't really feel like Italy.
VENICE
VENICE
Venice is one of Italy’s treasures and is a spot most people don’t miss during their Italian travels. I have been to Venice plenty of times before and although I do feel it’s unique magic, I personally prefer a lot of other cities and areas in Italy (Tuscany. Lake Como and Florence to name a few). Nevertheless it a vital spot to tick off the bucket list and if I'm being honest, I always get a little giddy to see the canals, gondolas and gelato shops on every corner.
The train from Lake Como to Venice took over 5 hours, with 3 change overs along the way and costing me just under £50 (by far the most expensive train trip). By the time I got to Venice Mestre it was late afternoon, and my flight back to London was mid afternoon the next day, so I only had around 18 hours to explore before heading off to the airport.
Venice is a city that is designed for you to get lost. The area of Venice is made up of more than 100 small islands, none of which have roads (apart from Venice Mestre). Locals travel by Venice's iconic canals, which are typically packed with tourists riding down on gondolas. As you wander around you'll notice the main streets lined with Renaissance and Gothic architecture. then, as you venture further into the maze of streets you'll find Venice's tiny alleyways leading to bridges, leading to squares, back into little alleys and so on, so don’t be scared to wander through the streets and discover the secret little back lanes, because that's part of the cities charm.
WHERE TO STAY IN VENICE
For my night in Venice I booked to stay at ANDA hostel, right near Venice Mestre train station. ANDA isn’t located on the island of Venice, and you’ll find that most of the accommodation in the heart of Venice is at least €40 a night, compared to the £13 I paid for a 6 bed dorm. I hadn’t heard of ANDA before but I was really pleased with the hostel and its facilities.
WHERE TO EAT IN VENICE
Much like any major cities there will be some spots that are designed for tourists, which are accompanied by tourist prices, so to save your budget a little more try venturing out of the 'hot spots' like the main canal and try and find a little back alley restaurant to dine at!
GELATO DI NATURA
Yet another gelato shop to absolutely drool over. There are a few gelato di Natura's spotted around Venice, all with delicious flavours for you to try, I personally went for peach and the vegan vanilla.
BELLA & BRAVA
I stumbled across Bella & Brava while walking around trying to find a spot for dinner. They offer a vegan pizza with vegan cheese, which was absolutely divine! I was also a big fan of their octagon shaped boxes.
