Interrail Europe: Between Luxury and Adventure
Text & photos: Lisa-Lesunja Gräfin von Keyserling
Freedom on rails, luxury in the details, adventure at heart: an Interrail journey across Europe shows that spontaneity and style, simplicity and elegance can sit together beautifully – well beyond your twenties.
A New Look at Interrail
For a long time I had hoped to do the famous Interrail tour before my 26th birthday – “while you are still young”, as people always said. But work, everyday life and obligations never allowed this dream to happen. The longing, however, remained.
When I discovered how varied Interrail is today, a new world opened up: no longer a pure backpacker experience, but a freely chosen mix of adventure, comfort and style. Whether first class on the train, a boutique hotel in the city or a sleeper car under the stars – Europe lies along its rails, and every stage tells its own story.
Florence – Renaissance, Zeitgeist and Women’s Art
Florence welcomes me with the elegance of past centuries and the spirit of the present. Between Renaissance art, boutiques and the scent of espresso, a way of life unfolds that speaks to all the senses.
Palazzo Strozzi: Tracey Emin & Time for Women
Palazzo Strozzi presents two exhibitions that could hardly be more different, and yet both celebrate the female perspective.
Tracey Emin. Sex and Solitude – more than 60 works by the British artist show vulnerability and strength, body and emotion with radical openness.
Time for Women! – To mark the 20th anniversary of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women, international artists present poetic, socially critical works. Here tradition and modernity merge into an energetic tribute to women’s creativity.
Cuisine with a Show
Florence tastes of fire and cheese: at the Osteria del Gatto e la Volpe, fresh tagliatelle are prepared in a flambéed wheel of Parmesan – a spectacle of aroma, heat and pleasure. Alternatively, Trattoria Boboli and the Mozzarella Bar offer creative Italian specialities with a regional twist.
Luxury Is Time
At the end of the day I choose a walking tour through the lanes of Dante’s Florence. Between crostini, finocchiona and a glass of Chianti, I sense that luxury often lies in the art of enjoying time consciously.
From Florence to Siena – Middle Ages and Natural Wonders
The train ride through the Tuscan hills is a promise in itself. Siena welcomes me with red tiled roofs, narrow lanes and the majestic Piazza del Campo – living history that breathes.
From the Torre del Mangia, a panorama opens up over the golden landscape. In the evening the city glows in lantern light, filled with the sound of voices and the scent of wine.
The next morning I fulfil a long-held dream: a bath in the hot springs of Bagni San Filippo. Between steaming waterfalls rises the “Balena Bianca”, a vast limestone formation of white rock, shaped by centuries of flowing water. The warm, mineral-rich water envelops me like a gift from the earth – a moment of complete calm.
From Siena to Sardinia – Mysticism, Sea and Morning Magic
Pisa shows me a different side: at night, quiet, magical. The Leaning Tower, softly lit by the moon, seems almost mysterious. No crowds, no selfies – only the sound of my own footsteps.
The next day the journey takes me via Livorno to the ferry. On board Bobby Lines I spend a night at sea – the waves gently rock me to sleep. Sunrise off the coast of Sardinia is pure magic: a sky of gold, water of turquoise, the awakening of a paradise.
Breakfast in Olbia, right by the sea, marks the beginning of a new stage: here luxury lies not in abundance, but in the quiet connection between nature and pleasure.
Sardinia – Nature, Culture and a Culinary Soul
Neptune’s Grotto near Alghero is a cathedral of nature: arches of stalactites, glittering lakes, a play of light and silence.
With SardiniaTrek I explore the nature reserve of the Bay of Aranci – accompanied by a botanist who introduces us to the secrets of Sardinian plants: immortelle, mastic, mountain thyme, oregano. Scents that stay with you.
Between coastal paths and relics of the Second World War, the island tells stories of survival, healing and identity. The picnic by the sea – Sardinian bread, cheese, herbs, wine – becomes the essence of Mediterranean simplicity.
From Barcelona to Paris – Inspiration and Homecoming
The train journey from Barcelona to Paris offers time to reflect. Between notes, sketches and memories it becomes clear to me: every stop on this journey was more than a place – it was a feeling.
In Paris I check into a charming boutique hotel near the Gare de Lyon. In the evening I stroll through the streets, enjoy a menu full of French refinement and feel the creative energy of the city.
For me, Paris is not a final destination but a creative compass. Here history and innovation, tradition and style come together – just as in my work as a jewellery designer.
Back in Zurich, everything I saw and felt along the way flows into my work: the light of Sardinia, the colours of Tuscany, the elegance of Paris.
“Between the lights of the city and the quiet hours in the studio, jewellery with soul is created – carried by the passion that every journey rekindles.”
Freedom with Style
This journey shows that Interrail today is more than a ticket for young adventurers. It is an invitation to discover Europe at your own pace – spontaneously, sensually, inspiringly.
From medieval Siena across the quiet sea to creative Paris – luxury means feeling life in all its diversity.
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