Guest Post: Interrailing Around Europe

Annie has kindly offered to write about her time spent traveling Europe a few summers ago. 

"In the summer of 2011, I went inter-railing in Europe and got to visit some cities I had always wanted to go to. It was only two of us who took the trip which was great because it meant we could truly suit ourselves. The first destination was actually my hometown of Paris so we stayed at my parents' apartment and planned the entire trip from there. As I grew up in Paris and he had visited the city many times we didn't feel the need to do tourist activities, apart from of course Disneyland! 

After Paris we headed to Amsterdam which was a city I had always dreamed of visiting and I was not disappointed. My favorite part of Amsterdam was how condensed the city was and how easy it is to get around. I really enjoyed visiting the Anne Frank Huis Museum, eating pancakes and the culture of the city. The people of Amsterdam are incredibly open minded and friendly and it really is a place I would love to go back and visit again sometime. We then headed to Berlin, here we spent most of our time visiting World War 2 related locations. 

Berlin was not my favorite place we visited as I felt like it wasn't the easiest city to get around so we wasted a lot of time getting lost! 

The third place we visited was Prague which was a really beautiful place and the weather was great. Prague is a great place to walk around because it is generally very pretty and there are plenty of interesting shops and building to visit, notably the clock tower. 

After Prague, we went to Italy. We went to three cities: Venice, Florence and Rome. I had visited Florence before and it's the best place in the world for a romantic stroll and a nice refreshing ice cream. Italy is one of my favorite places in the world (namely because Italian food is my absolute favorite) so I loved visiting Rome as well but Venice really was a dream come true for me. I got to go on a gondola, eat the most amazing pizza I have ever tasted and walking around the city at night really is magical.

Overall the highlights of my trip were Amsterdam and Venice because those were two places I was really eager to visit and I completely fell in love with the layout of both cities. I love the idea of strolling along the canals at night and taking a little boat trip down the street if I feel like it. 

Inter-railing was a fantastic way to visit Europe, we managed to see so many amazing places in a short space of time and traveling by train gave you a real sense of distance and freedom."

Annie

The Basque Country- lush and ancient land

"Everyone who has visited the Basque country longs to return; it is a blessed land." - Victor Hugo

The Basque Country is close to my heart, I have moved a lot throughout my life but for the last 8 years my family home has been there and I go back for the holidays. Nestled partly in South Western France and North Western Spain, this lush and green land has dual nationality and speaks three languages (like myself!). 

It is both mountainous and coastal. You can spend your days hiking or surfing, but wherever you go, the views are incredible.

St Jean de Luz- small French seaside town.

Hiking the Col d'Ibardin- one side of the mountain is France. The other is Spain! With wild ponies and stunning views, this hike is challenging but so worth the effort.

San Sebastian is a prosperous and beautiful coastal town on the Spanish side of the Basque Country. Fantastic for shopping and the culinary capital of the country, this is the perfect city for a day out!

The Basque language is said to be the oldest in the world with no tangible link to any other in the world. They have a rich heritage and a strong national identity. The Basques are hugely proud and rightly so- it is an ancient part of the world steeped in tradition and history.

La Fete de Bayonne (in Bayonne, naturally) celebrates Basque culture and is a five day street party in August with local music, drink, food and street party. Everyone dresses in white and red (colors of the city of Pamplona, also part of the Basque country) and enjoys the fireworks, fun fairs and party atmosphere. Even during the day it is pretty hectic, so at night it can get a little lairy! 

The Basque country belongs in part to France and in part to Spain, however, it is in reality very separate culturally and historically. There is so much beyond the few places I have mentioned that I hope to get round to writing about one day. Quaint rural villages and local traditions, it is a beautiful and truly unique part of the world.