Inter-railing round Europe summer 1986

Day 1 To Paris Saturday 19th July
Up at 5.15am, got the 6.52 HST to Kings Cross arriving 9.36am. Took the Victoria line to Victoria Station where we got the 10.20am train to Ramsgate, changing at Faversham to get to Dover. Got the free bus service from Dover station to the Hoverport at 12.20pm. Had some lunch. Our crossing was at 14.10pm but was delayed 40 mins. Booked a crossing for the return journey.

Arrived Boulogne (5.15pm) after a long wait then set off for Paris and arrived at Paris Nord at 7.20pm. We got on the RER underground direct to Cite Universitaire, then crossed the road onto the campus and booked in OK for the night. Had a walk round the park campus and found a small bar. Walked back to the Hostel and bed at 10.30pm.

Day 2 Paris Sunday 20th July
Got up at 7.30am left the hostel at 8.00am and checked in at Le D'Artagnan youth hostel and left our packs there. Got the Metro to near the Pompidou Centre and had breakfast in a nearby cafe (croissant & coffee). Looked round the Centre which contained libraries, details of future building works for the city, and a museum of art and sculpture. Went up in the glass escalator on the outside of the building to the restaurant on the top floor for a good view. Had lunch there.

https://www.paredro.com/50-documentales-de-arquitectura-que-no-te-debes-perder/

Afterwards we watched buskers and fire eaters in the square then walked down to Les Halles a massive shopping precinct, but this was closed. We looked around a museum of holography then walked down to the Seine past the Louvre and stopped in a cafe for a drink. Then walked across to Ile de La Cite to Notre Dame. Had a look around then joined a tour of the towers (350ft high approx.). Good view from the top.

Got the metro back to the hostel, had a shower and looked a restaurant in our guide book. Found one in Montmatre and went there by Metro. I had pate then duck and potatoes followed by raspberries and ice cream and 1/4 bottle wine for 56Fr. Walked down Rue Montmatre then up Rue d'Hauteville and down Rue La Fayette to the Opera House. Stopped and had a drink at a street restaurant, then back to the hostel.

Day 3 Paris Monday 21st July
Got up at 7.30am. Had breakfast at the hostel - coffee (in a bowl) and a croissant. Caught the Metro to Les Halles, but most was not open yet so we caught the Metro to the Place de la Concorde. Walked up the Champs Elysee looking in expensive shopping arcades on the way. Walked down a subway to reach the Arc de Triomphe and the tomb of the unknown soldier.

Caught the Metro to near the Eiffel Tower and then on to Montparnasse and came out near the tower. Had lunch (ham roll and cake) then went up the 56 floors in 38 seconds by lift and walked up onto the roof 205m high. We could see lots of famous landmarks. The Eiffel Tower was still a little taller.

Had a large ice cream in the restaurant at the top then caught the Metro back to Les Halles and looked around the four floors of shops. Went to the Gare du Lyon to reserve our places on the TGV. Went back to the hostel and had a shower, then went out again at 8.25pm to the Montmatre area again and found a Chinese restaurant. Had chicken salad, then pork chop suey and a biscuit 42Fr with a bottle of Beaujolais.

Day 4 Paris - Dijon Tuesday 22nd July

 Got up at 6.30am and went straight to the Gare du Lyon by Metro after checking out of the hostel. Had coffe and a croissant at the station cafe. Found our seats on the train and set off on time at 8.05am, arriving at 9.47am.

Left our packs in a station locker because the hostel did not open until 5pm. V hot. Narrow streets and old stone buildings. Looked around St Michel a gothic church but with gargoyles and a clock on one of the towers.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eglise_Place_Saint_Michel_Dijon.JPG

Some buildings had patterns of yellow and green tiles on their rooves. Had lunch in a park (ham roll and custard tart).

https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/france/burgundy/cote-dor/dijon

Walked around until 4pm then collected our packs and caught bus no. 5 from the town centre to right outside the hostel 3Km away. Booked in at 5.30pm then went swimming in the pool next door 3Fr. At the hostel we could only afford one meal at the restaurant, so we shared. Wrote postcards and played cards.

Day 5 Dijon - Fasne - Bern - Lucern Wednesday 23rd July

Got up at 7.00am and caught the bus into town and walked to the station. Booked a place on the TGV using the automatic computers. Had breakfast - coffee and croissant - at the station cafe. Caught the TGV at 8.54am for Frasne, changed there and got a TEE (Trans-Europe Express) to Bern. Spacious carriages with automatic window blinds. Stopped in Bern for lunch in a shopping centre restaurant. Had ham salad with many different vegetables 8.50SFr. Walked around Bern and saw the famous clock.

 Watched some Peruvian buskers playing traditional music. Got back to the station and caught an ordinary train to Lucerne, passing some good Swiss countryside and villages. Walked around the old town and over the river on a covered wooden platform.

Caught a bus to the Youth Hostel and after waiting for 50 mins got booked in. The hostel was divided into seperate areas about six rooms (2 bunkbeds in each) complete with showers etc. and also a locker. Had a good meal there 7SFr. Then it started pouring with rain and thundering so we stayed in and played table tennis and chess.

Day 6 Lucerne - Strasbourg Thursday 24th July

We had planned to stay two nights in Lucerne, but it was still raining heavily in the morning so decided to head for Strasburg. After breakfast (included) we packed up and put on waterproofs and caught the bus to the station. Caught the 9.46am train to Basel, then the 11.11am train to Strasburg arriving at 12.35pm. Weather was sunny now. Walked around the streets and got some sandwiches for lunch. Then went to the cathederal and saw the astronomical clock.

Maison Kammerzell

Caught a bus to the hostel later on and booked in OK. Caught a bus back into town and found a good restaurant near the cathederal. I had pork in mushroom sauce. Walked down to the river Rhine and watched a rowing contest where two children had to knock each other off a podium on their respective boats using a long pole as the boats were steered towards each other (joulsting on boats).

Had an ice cream in Place de Cathederal and watched some Peruvian buskers. Caught the bus back to the hostel.

Day 7 Strasburg - Hiedelburg Friday 25th July

After breakfast we decided to go to Hiedelburg, so caught an early train and arrived about noon. Left our packs at the station and caught a bus to the main shopping area. Walked along to the castle and got on the funicular railway up to it.

View from Hiedelberg Castle

Went into a museum of Pharmacology with old chemists shops and laboratory. Then went into the wine cellar where I bought a glass of wine (you could keep the glass). There were two massive barrels there, the largest would be about 15-20ft high and 30-35ft long.

Caught a bus back to the station and collected the rucksacks, then got a train to the hostel but that went the wrong way, so we got a bus instead. When we arrived at the hostel it was fully booked. We were advised to try Mannheim. As this was only 30mins by train we went there and arrived at 5.50pm. We went the wrong way three times on the way to the hostel but finally got there on the banks of the Rhine and booked in OK. Walked back into the centre after a shower and found a steak restaurant where we had a good meal.

Day 8 Mannhiem - Wurzberg Saturday 26th July

We checked out after breakfast (cheese/meat roll, jam roll and coffee) and got to the station in time to catch the 8.18am train to Frankfurt and then the 9.21am to Wurzberg. Weather was showery today. Had to change some money at a travel agent as all the banks were closed. Walked down the street and saw another band of Peruvian buskers.

Had lunch - steak in a vegetable sauce with rice. Got to the youth hostel about 2pm. It was a modern building, we were on the top floor in a dormatory of bunk beds, Rested for 2hrs before walking round the town to the Residence (looked a bit like Buckingham Palace) where the bishops of the town lived (also now used by the university). Looked around the back at the gardens and walkways.

Looked in some of the churches. The Cathederal looked drab on the outside but was quite ornate on the inside with a combination of traditional and modern design.

Went to McDonalds for tea then back to the hostel and played bar football. At 10pm the lights in the dormatory were switched off by the warden.

Day 9 Wurzberg - Regensburg Sunday 27th July

Woken up at 6.45am by a loudspeaker announcement saying it was 6.45 and breakfast was at 7.00am. Breakfast was sliced meat and also jam on bread with coffee. Got tot the station in time to catch the 9.43am to Regensburg. Had to pay a supplement as on the previous day because it was an intercity train. Arrived and left the rucksacks in station lockers.

Walked around the town, stopped at a cafe near the cathederal for a drink.
 

my postcard

There were alot of squares and narrow streets, like Dijon and alot of churches. Went in a few then walked back to the station and on to the youth hostel hich was on one of three islands on the river that through the town. It was an older building with dormatories. Rested for a few hours then went back into town and had a meal of soup, salad, then Jagerschnitzel with mushrooms, noodles and meat 10.90DM.

Day 10 Regensburg - Munich Monday 28th July

Got up at 7.00am for breakfast at 7.30 (2.90DM). Walked to the station to catch the 8.43am to Munich. Arrived 10.34am and used the underground to go to the hostel but as there was a long queue we decided to get some lunch first. Bought some cheese, meat, bread, water and biscuits at a local supermarket and sat in a square. It was very hot. Went back to the hostel but there was still a queue so we decided to go to the Olympic stadium from the 1972 games. We got there by underground and bus.

It had a unique glass and metal curved roof over the athletics track and swimming pool. Went in for a swim in the olympic pool. Then we went up the 200m communications tower and took these photos:

BMW building

Went back via the underground to the hostel and booked in. Later we went to Munchner Freiheit square for a pizza.

Day 11 Munich Tuesday 29th July
Woke up at 8am, had breakfast. We caught the underground to go to Dachau concentration camp. V hot day. We looked around the museum then walked around to some memorials. There felt like a definite chill in some of the buildings. We got back about 1pm and bought some bread rolls, cheese and meat and had lunch by a fountain. Walked down a pedestrianised area to the Cathederal, but there wasn't much to see inside. Walked along to the town hall square then along to the Residence (similar to Regensburg) a very luxurious stately house.

my postcard

Went back to the hostel and had a shower then went out again at 7.30pm to Munchner Freheit square and had a fish steak with chips and peas at a Nord See restaurant (DM6.95). Walked along into Odeonsplatz where there were lots of Porche's, Mercedes' & BMW's. Lots of exclusive shops selling jewellery, furs and perfumes.

https://www.selected.de/en/highlights/?layout=1&tx_selected_cardlisting%5Bcard%5D=581&tx_selected_cardlisting%5BlistPage%5D=17&tx_selected_cardlisting%5BurlPfadsegment%5D=tportalmpm&tx_selected_cardlisting%5Baction%5D=show&tx_selected_cardlisting%5Bcontroller%5D=Card&cHash=74faca399739fedd25d046d5d4f460f1

Walked back tot the town hall and watched some English buskers for a while and had an ice cream covered in hard chocolate.

Day 12 Munich - Innsbruck Wednesday 30th July

Got up at 7.00am and had breakfast and packed and went off to the station to catch the 8.20am train to Innsbruck which got in at 10.20am. Decided to walk to the hostel, but the hostel was not yet open for bookings, so we left our cards as reservation and left our packs in the left luggage room. Headed back to the station and after getting some lunch - cheese, meat, bread and a fruit pie, we got a tram to a village called Fulpmes. Very scenic route along the valley past other small villages. Then caught two chairlifts up the Kreuzjoch to 2100m.

Had a look around then came back down and rushed to the hostel for 5pm booking in. Good hostel with good view of the mountains. Had a meal at a restaurant near the hostel - ham salad - then went backto the hostel to get some clothes washed in their machine.

Day 13 Innsbruck Thursday 31st July
Today we decided to get a night train to Venice (leaving at 00.55am) so we had a whole day in Innsbruck. Looked around the town until lunch. Bought some cheese, meat and bread and walked to the Hungerberg funicular railway. It was too expensive to go right to the top so we just went to 850m. It was a hot day. We walked along then stopped in a field for lunch. Followed a nature path back down to Innsbruck. Walking back to the centre we stopped in a park to watch people playing chess on a large pavement for a board and over-sized wooden pieces. Walked around then went to McDonalds (cheapest). Afterwards went back to the park before going to see 'Pretty in Pink' at the cinema in german. It finished in time for us to get to the station OK.

Day 14 Innsbruck - Venice Friday 1st August

The train stopped at Verona delayed for at least an hour, so we got on an express and got to Venice about 10am. Managed to walk most of the way, crossing bridges and through narrow streets but our hostel was on a separate island so we had to get a boat across, but we got there OK. Checked in OK and left our packs.

 

Got a boat back to St Marks square, the most famous landmark in Venice and went to the Doges palace which had no furniture in but many paintings and carvings on the ceilings. It was a hot day. Part of the Doges Palace was Sighs bridge which we could walk through.

Walked around many streets and squares. Walked over the Rialto bridge.

photo from Rialto bridge

Went to the station to book a night train to Nice, but could only get seats, not couchettes. We bought a 24hr free travel ticket on canal boats (8000 lire (£4)). Getting back to our island was difficult and we got a boat going the wrong way but had a 1 1/2hr trip. Got back in time for a meal (pasta, burger & salad) at the hostel.

Day 15 Venice - Nice Saturday 2nd August
Went on a boat to Lido (island for the rich and famous). V hot day. Had lunch from a supermarket then walked along the beach and further along. V quiet and peaceful.

Had an ice cream then got the boat back.

Went inside the Bascillica in St Mark's square. A very different cathederal with many paintings in tiles outlined with gold on the ceiling. Saw the gold screen (a picture like a stained glass window set with gold, silver and precious gems). Took this photo of St Mark's church from the Bascillica.

Walked along the Grand Canal towards the station and stopped for a pizza and a Hawaiian ice cream. Got to the station and collected our packs and got on the 20.45pm train which arrived in Nice at 8.20am.

Day 16 Nice/Monte Carlo Sunday 3rd August

Arrived on time after a long journey. V hot. Got to the hostel and waited an hour to check in, but only got one night instead of the two we wanted. Left our packs and walked along. Had lunch from a supermarket as usual.

Nice

Went down to the beach for a while then went to Monaco on the train. Saw some of the roads used for the Grand Prix. Went on board a galleon that had been used for the Roman Polanski film 'Pirates'.

 

 Looked around the marina at the expensive boats.

Monaco Harbour

Came back to Nice on the train and had a meal at the station buffet - chicken & chips, then chocolate mousse and free water Fr24. Got back to the hostel for an earlier night.

Day 17 Nice - St Raphael Monday 4th August

Caught the train to St Raphael/Frejus along the coast. Hot day again. Walked to Frejus station and telephoned the youth hostel but it was fully booked. Walked back into St Raphael and got some lunch at a hamburger restaurant, Checked round a few hotels but all full. Walked round the town  then went on the beach for a few hours.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/les-dahlias.en-gb.html?aid=356980;label=gog235jc-1DCAsoTUILbGVzLWRhaGxpYXNIM1gDaFCIAQGYAQm4AQjIAQ_YAQPoAQGIAgGoAgO4AsjulvIFwAIB;sid=7bd11ecda9a0fab90e82627bbb0cdee4;dist=0&keep_landing=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

The sea was quite warm. Walked around and watched people playing boules. Had tea in a restaurant - omlette & bread plus 1/4 litre wine. Walked around and bought a bottle of red wine and sat playing cards near the harbour. Then left packs at the station. When it got darker we walked around some stalls selling jewellery and paintings along the front, then retired to the beach for a long night and not much sleep.

Day 18 St Raphael - Aix En Provence Tuesday 5th August

Woke up at 6.30am and got to the station to catch the 6.58am train to Marseille. Quite luxurious and good scenary. Had breakfast in the buffet car (croissant & coffee). Then caught another nice train to Aix. From the station we found the toursit office and then took the no.12 bus to right outside the hostel. Checked in OK and left the packs and went back into town. Got lunch from a supermarket - bread, cheese, meat, tomatoes, yoghurt and biscuits. Walked around the town and went in the cathederal. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Aix

https://www.completefrance.com/travel/what-to-do-in-aix-en-provence-1-6302097

At 5pm we caught the bus back to the youth hostel and had a shower. Had dinner at the hostel 31.50Fr.

Day 19 Aix en Provence - Nimes Wednesday 6th August

Had breakfast at 8.00am and then went to the station amd caught the 9.54am train to Marseille. We had 90 mins before the next train so we walked around and bought lunch at a supermarket. The train to Nimes was an express to Paris, v good and good scenary as well. Had lunch on the train with a bottle of Beaujolais. Arrived Nimes 1.30pm. v hot. Caught the no. 6 bus to the hostel but it was closed until 6pm. Left packs and went back into the centre. Saw the outside of the Roman amphitheatre and found out The Pogues were playing the following night, so we got tickets.

Walked around and saw the maison Carree an ancient temple, then walked up to the fountain garden.

https://www.do-tours.com/en//guide/3602-the-gardens-of-the-fountain.html

Caught the bus back to the hostel and booked in OK. Went to a supermarket and got ravioli and mixed veg, plus yoghurt to prepare in the hostel kitchen.

Day 20 Nimes - Thursday 7th August
Had breakfast at 8.00am, then caught the bus to the station and got on a coach to Remoulins. From here we walked to the Pont du Gard, a Roman aquiduct. We walked up and along the top.

Afterwards we went down to the river for a while as it was hot.

Walked back to the bus stop but had to wait 3hrs before finally we got the bus back to Nimes.

my postcard

Walked up to the amphitheatre after having pizza for tea. Saw Lloyd Cole & the Commotions and The Pogues. Finished about 1am. Walked back to the station.

Day 21 Nimes - Paris Friday 8th August

Decided not to go to Clairmont-Ferrand as originally planned, so we got on a crowded train to Lyon at 2.14am. At Lyon we were able to book onto a TGV to Paris, which arrived around 8am. Caught the metro to Cite Universitaire youth hostel around 9am and reserved places for the night. Left our packs and went to the Gare du Nord to change our hovercraft booking from Sunday to Saturday. Caught the Metro back to Les Halles. Had lunch at a sandwich bar. Afterwards we walked past the Pompidou centre and down to the Place de la Bastille. Then went back to the hostel and had a sleep for a few hours. In the evening we went to the Latin Quarter and had a meal there (Pate and a beef steak). Later we went to another restaurant and had a big banana split.

Day 22 Paris - home Saturday 9th August
Woke up at 7.30am packed rucksack and checked out. Got on the RER straight to Gare du Nord. Had a croissant and coffee before catching the train to Boulogne hoverport. V smooth crossing. At the other side we got on a bus to take us to Dover station and from there on a train to Charing Cross. Then got the underground to King's Cross. Had a beef burger before getting the 15.30pm train and arrived home at 18.56pm.