Traveling with DiscoverEU

My name is Kamėja Lukoševičiūtė. I’m from Vilnius, Lithuania, but at the moment my life is split between studying, working, and living in Amsterdam. Last summer, however, my centre of gravity shifted completely. I packed my backpack, boarded a series of trains and planes, and began what became one of the most defining journeys of my life.

I didn’t travel alone. I went with a friend I’ve known since middle school, and together we won DiscoverEU tickets, an opportunity that still feels a bit unreal. The pass meant that most of our travel costs were already covered, and if you’re quick and clever with your itinerary, DiscoverEU even includes flights to island countries. For two students on a budget, that kind of freedom is priceless.

Portugal was an obvious starting point. We wanted to begin as far from Lithuania as possible, and I already had a strong connection to the country from a previous visit. I had unfinished business with Portugal - memories to revisit, places to explore, and a quiet thought that I might live there one day. Knowing that Festas dos Santos Populares takes place in June only confirmed the decision.

Before arriving, I associated Portugal with surfer culture, pastel de nata, bacalhau, and festivals. Once there, those ideas gained depth and texture. We visited Porto, Lisbon, Faro, Vilamoura, and several towns in the Algarve region. To our surprise, Porto became my favourite. What was meant to be a one-night stop turned into a longer stay, as we shortened our time in Lisbon instead.

Porto felt calm and intimate - a city I imagine as an old man enjoying a slow life. Lisbon, in contrast, felt like an artistic girl in her twenties, loud, energetic, and curious. I loved both, but in very different ways.

Starting our Interrail journey in Portugal came with challenges. Seat reservations couldn’t be made online, meaning we often had to take our chances at train stations. While reservations were cheap, usually around 5€, this wasn’t the case elsewhere in Europe, where they could cost much more. It taught us flexibility early on.

Portugal proved to be a great starting point, although distances were long. We chose to fly from Faro to Madrid to save time, and mixing trains with flights made the journey more realistic and affordable.

The main Interrail lasted three weeks, covering Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, and Italy. After returning to Lithuania for my graduation, I used my last DiscoverEU day to travel with my mom through Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest, followed later by another short family trip.

This journey changed me. It became my Roman Empire - a summer of constant movement, new people, and unforgettable cities that I still carry with me.

My advice to future Interrailers is simple: plan ahead. Preparation takes time, but it’s also part of the journey. Researching routes, finding hidden gems, and imagining future experiences makes the adventure start long before the first train departs.

Updated on Þriðjudagur, 17/02/2026