Berlin was one of the stops I was most excited for — not only because of its massive historical significance, but because my visit happened to land on my 26th birthday. I arrived ready to explore and ready to celebrate.

The city itself felt unlike anywhere else: a fascinating blend of gorgeous pre-war buildings standing beside modern post-war reconstruction, plus a scattering of brutalist architecture that I personally love (even if not everyone does). I visited the Brandenburg Gate, admired surviving Berlin Wall segments, grabbed currywurst from a street vendor, and made the most of Berlin’s excellent U-Bahn and S-Bahn systems.

After Brussels, I made a short and slightly hungover train ride north to Amsterdam. This was one of the cities I had been most excited for. My hostel was in Amsterdam-Oost, a bit away from the center, but easy to reach by tram and in a quieter neighborhood of its own.

I spent my first morning wandering along the canals, eating stroopwafel fresh from a street store, and taking in the picturesque bridges and tilted houses. The afternoon was dedicated to Vondelpark, relaxing in the grass with music and sunshine filtering through the trees. In the evening, it was the usual Amsterdam scene of cafés, coffee shops, and then a little bar hopping. I even made a new feline friend at The Old Bell off Rembrandtplein.

Brussels wasn’t a city I knew much about and that made arriving from Paris by train feel like a blank slate. I planned to stay only a couple of quick nights on my way to Amsterdam, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much Brussels had to offer: striking architecture, great food, and excellent beer everywhere.

My hostel was on the edge of the city center, but Brussels was easy to navigate and walkable. I took full advantage of the *etro, and even more advantage of the waffles and beer. One night, a group from the hostel went out to Delirium, where we sampled far too many Belgian brews from their famously massive menu.

My second stop on my solo European rail trip was Paris. I wasn’t originally planning to meet anyone here — but by sheer coincidence, a few friends happened to be in Europe at the same time, following Bruce Springsteen on the European leg of his world tour. Our paths crossed in Montmartre, and I ended up going to the show. It was unexpected, energizing, and the perfect morale boost early in the journey.

In the spring of 2023, I kicked off a solo backpacking trip across Europe — traveling entirely by train once I landed. My only flights were into London Heathrow and out of Budapest a few weeks later. Everything in between was up to me. It was thrilling, a little daunting, and exactly the kind of challenge I wanted.

Arriving early in the morning, I had the entire day ahead of me before checking into a hostel near St Pancras Station. I jumped right into the essentials: wandering the halls of the British Museum, strolling past Parliament, and standing in the crowds outside Buckingham Palace. The city was still dressed in banners and flags from the recent Coronation of King Charles III, giving everything a celebratory shine.