Interrailing in Europe

Good evening. Once a student rite of passage, the Interrailing trip around Europe has now moved into the mainstream as more of us embrace the joys of overland travel. The introduction of flexible Interrail passes has seen a boom in people of all ages embarking on a grand tour of Europe. With the whole of the continental rail network at your disposal, it’s tempting to pack in as many cities and sights as possible. But as our writer Sarah Kovandzich discovered after embarking on her own whirlwind tour, a rich diet of endless sightseeing, eating and drinking can quickly lead to fatigue: “Less than two weeks into our trip…we found that our experiences were already blurring into one.”
Feeling the effects of overindulgence, Sarah and her husband went in search of a swimming pool in the Slovakian capital, Bratislava. And so the idea of taking a swim in every destination was born. Not only did the exercise leave them feeling “invigorated and ready for the next leg of the journey”, but their search for swimming pools and leisure centres took them to corners of cities that were off-the-beaten tourist track and gave them a chance to immerse themselves in local life.
Tempting though it is to fill up a European itinerary with showstoppers such as the Louvre, Sistine Chapel or Acropolis, perhaps we’d appreciate them even more if we allow ourselves to build in time for some “palate cleansers,” whether it’s a walk in the park, a trip to the cinema or a dip in the local pool.