Wendelin Discovers Europe

I was still in the middle of my European Solidarity Corps volunteering experience in South France when I read about the “DiscoverEU” programme. As the European Union gives away free Interrail tickets to 18-year-old EU citizens, I decided to give it a try – and as luck would have it, I was among the 15.000 winners that year.   

Thus, I extended my trip across Europe: I cycled from South France through Italy and Switzerland back to my home Vorarlberg, where I traded my racing bike for a backpack and hopped on a train that took me northwards. This way, a small dream of mine had come true as I was able to visit some friends that I had made during my year in France.

My journey started off with sightseeing and partying in Berlin, where I was able to catch a glimpse of life outside of a tourist’s point of view. Next up was Stockholm where I went to museums and boat rides and even got to visit some of my family there. My next stop was Tallin, a beautiful city of great contrasts with mesmerizing surroundings and hiking opportunities. After that, Couchsurfing in Kraków showed me the city from a unique perspective, and following that I reached my second to last stop in Prague which has way more to offer than just cheap and tasty beer. Last on my list was Vienna where I attended a homecoming event for Austrian volunteers – and ended up liking the city so much that I decided to study there.

I’ll remember this journey for a long time. Even though it was only a few weeks, this experience moved something inside of me. I developed a sense of ease that, up until then, I had never experienced. Moreover, I saw how easy it was to make friends with locals in all those cities and how manageable it was to get by. Other travelers I met were on the same level as me and occasionally accompanied me on my journey; some of them I even met again in different cities.

Everybody has to experience a DiscoverEU journey at least once. Especially, since the EU gives 18-year-olds this opportunity for free. Do it once and by the end of it, you’ll be coming back for more – I’ve already planned my next journey.

 

Updated on Dinsdag, 17/02/2026