Backpacking - Blog Posts
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€
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!
See and eat seafood that you’ve never seen before!
The lagoon city has a long and glorious culinary tradition based on fresh seafood. A writhing, glistening variety of sea creatures swims from the stalls of the Rialto and Chioggia markets into local kitchens. Going with the flow ofla cucina veneta requires a certain spirit of openminded experimentation. Not everybody has eaten granseola (spider crab) before, or garusoli (sea snails) or canoce (mantis shrimps), but Venice is definitely the place to try these marine curios.
More information about: Rialto Fish market.
Add Ride the canal of Venice on your interrailing bucket list for Italy!
A certain must to do in Venice is to ride the canal in any different way. Take in and experience the Grand Canal by riding it is an extraordinary way to discover the city. There is different ways of take in the city from the canal’s point of view. The classic Gondol rides is a romantic and slow going ride where you can relax, bring some wine or cheese and prosciutto to eat and drink, thats awesome! And the Gondols are even able to get into the smaller and tighter canals which is flourished with old authentic buildings and bridges. Another way of view the city is by the Vaporetto, which is a rounded 230-passanger boat that goes on the Grand Canal and is not able to get in the smaller canals, but it’s still a great experience!
Vaporetto tickets can be purchased at most stops, at tabacchi (tobacconists, identified by a white T on a black or blue background) and at Hellovenezia offices. On board, you can only buy single tickets. Tickets are for single trips (€6.50 – valid 60mins on multiple boats), 12hrs (€16), 24hrs (€18), 36hrs (€23), 48hrs (€28), 72hrs (€33) or seven days (€50). The fare for a shuttle journey (ie one stop across the Grand Canal, the hop across to the Giudecca, or from Sant’Elena to the Lido) is €2.
For more information, see Tickets & passes.
Photo source.
Cicchetti crawl in Venice
Strolling around in Venice makes you want to try out some authentic Italian food. But although you're in the mecha of Italy it is actually quiet hard finding some really good Italian food. This is why we want to provide with some really good tips regarding great, authentic Italian restaurants. Cicchetti or, pronounced Chee-keett-eeeh, are Venice´s answer to Spain´s tapas or Milan´s appertivo. Small plates with food and often different kinds of dishes like fish, meats, cheese etc. A perfect meal together with friends and a glass of wine after a long day of walking around! A perfect place is All Arco to sit down at, genuin staff and greeaat food. In combination with good prices this makes an excellent choice!
Extraordinary view in Venice: The Campanile
As most of you already know, Venice is a beautiful city in the north-east Italy, but how beautiful is it? If you want to experience a more holistic view of the old city we really recommend you to walk the stairs of any high tower or viewpoints in Venice. The Campanile http://www.timeout.com/venice/attractions/venue/22472/campanile is Venice’s tallest building, at almost 99 meters (325ft) over the ocean you will perceive the city in a new dimension and you can point out where you want to go, where you think you will explore new sites of the city. The Campanile was built between 888 and 912, but collapsed in July 1902 and rebuilt exactly “as it was, where is was”, which the town council of that day promised. Back in 1451, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III rode his horse upstairs to the original top, but nowadays there is an elevator that takes you up, so forget the stairs! The view is superb, taking in the Lido, the whole lagoon and on a clear day the Dolomites in the distance.
For more towers and viewpoint please check out Timeout. http://www.timeout.com/venice/search/?tag_id=4252
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.
Budapest: Central Market Hall a Must do!
As in many capitals in the world have their own Market Hall, Budapest's Central Market Hall is a must to discovery, during your inter railing escapes in Europe. Here you can find the authentic food that has flourished Hungary's history and culture. Everything from Hungarian smoked sausages, cheese, meat, langos, soups, spicy dishes with paprika and all kind of pastries and confectionery, such as Hungarian Bukta, warm pastry filled with jam, delicious! But here, in the central market hall of Budapest, its not only the food that is interesting, the hall, designed by Samu Pecz, is an authentic building, built in the end of the 19th century. With its open and high ceiling space that creates an experience that you want to discover. This market is the largest indoor market in Budapest and there is four other markets like this one in Budapest, which were all built in the same style. And some show off information about these markets is that they all opened on the same day, on February 15th 1897. Just browse around, find something that interest you, maybe you find some souvenirs such as hungarian spices, which is a perfect gift! Specially when you are inter railing with limited backpack space.
Perfect backpacking hotel, value for money
The Three Corners Hotel Art is a comfortable hotel that has a great location with walking distance to all the main tourist attractions in Budapest and is only minutes away from the historical city center. The rooms are extremely comfortable with modern facilities, including a sauna and gym. There is a 24-hour reception, with friendly staff that makes sure the necessary inquiries are provided. This hotel is a great hotel for the budget minded traveler. For more information please visit: http://www.threecorners.com/index.php?page=hotel&hotel=93cfce01-9afe-464e-afdf-162c81228c0f&dest=hu
Have you started saving for your next interrailing vacation? We will provide you with the best escapes for your route! 👊👍✌️💃
Undiscovered Budapest next up on our interrail checklist!
In the heart of Europe you find the beautiful capital of Hungary, Budapest! The city with about 1.7 million residents is commonly known for the rolling Donau that splits the city in two halves. With a rich history the city have always been an interesting option to visit. Nowadays the city is so much more than its past history with museums or the traditional baths. Parallels are often drawn to Berlin and its more alternative neighborhoods, but with a more sophisticated touch and much more unexplored. In general, the city is a hidden pearl that in greater extent only have been visited by the travelling vagabond rather than the general mass. Hopefully, the city can keep its charm although we hope that more people can enjoy its beauty!
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!!
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!
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
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.