Joanna and Peter's honeymoon in Europe
Exploring Europe with a European rail pass is becoming an increasingly popular way to spend the perfect honeymoon – one of the most memorable vacations you'll ever take! Many couples are choosing to go for a more adventurous-style of honeymoon over the typical relaxing beach retreat. Europe has heaps to offer newlyweds from romantic cities like Paris and Prague to blow-you-away scenery such as in the Alps or in the depths of the Scandinavian wilderness. Joanna and Peter Benjamin, both 21, got married in August and spent their honeymoon traveling through Italy, France and Switzerland with their Eurail pass. Joanna is a speech therapy student and Peter is an ambulance worker in Detroit, U.S.A, where they now live together.
We asked them to tell us all about their European honeymoon adventure...
Why did you choose Europe for your honeymoon?
J: Peter loves to travel, I have always wanted to go to Europe, and our honeymoon was a great time for us to travel together.
Why did you decide to get around Europe by train?
J: We wanted to go several places during our time in Europe so we figured it would be the easiest and cheapest way to get from city to city and country to country. Also, the train is a great way to see a lot of scenery in a short amount of time. I feel that we saw a lot more of the Italian, French, and Swiss countryside thanks to the great views from the train windows.
Which pass did you use and which cities did you visit?
P: We used the 3 country Eurail Select Pass and visited Rome, Paris, Lyon, Cinque Terre, and Brig in Switzerland.
What was the highlight of the trip?
P:The highlight of the trip, I think, was visiting the French countryside! The rolling hills, vineyards, quaint towns, and amazing wine took this trip to the next level. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is considering touring France during a trip to Europe.
What was the most romantic place you visited and why?
P: I would say the Swiss Alps were the most romantic place, not just because my wife loves the movie "The Sound of Music", but also because of the breathtaking views. It also doesn't hurt to bring a picnic along for the hike.
J: The Swiss Alps were absolutely beautiful, but you can’t really beat drinking champagne on the lawn under the Eiffel Tower either!
What was the most challenging moment?
J: We accidentally left a backpack containing our Eurail passes, tickets, and $500 on a city bus in La Spieza (Cinque Terre area). We went to the bus station for help but had trouble finding it. And, as we don’t speak any Italian,we had to try and communicate with locals to ask for directions. The bus station had not found our bags so we waited at a stop to try and intercept the bus we had left the backpack on. While we were waiting, an Italian man we had never seen before motioned for us to follow him. We walked with him for about 15 minutes to a small café. He went inside and came back out with the backpack with all the money and our belongings still there. We were so thankful for the kindness of this stranger, but it was definitely the most challenging few hours of the trip.
What are the advantages of exploring Europe by train?
J: There are several advantages, but one is that, unlike airports, train stations are usually right in the center of the city making it easier and saving time when you’re ready to move on to the next city. If you have a Eurail pass, the price is also an advantage.
Can you share any tips for other Eurailers?
P: Make sure you write your travel days on your pass! We had to pay for a full price ticket from La Spieza to Rome because we had not written in the dates of our past travels.
J: Also, try not to buy food and drinks at the station as this can get expensive.
Would you recommend other honeymooners to go for a European rail adventure?
J: Definitely! We had a great time and the train was an easy way to see many things and go to a lot of places in a short time.
Everyone at Eurail.Com wishes Joanna and Peter a very happy future together!
