Barcelona is the perfect city to visit on an Interrailing trip, according to a new piece of analysis.
Since 1972 the Europe-wide pass has allowed young and old to make the most of the continent's train network to explore.
The current ticket now lets you visit more than 40,000 stations across 33 countries from Spain and France to Latvia and Sweden.
While the three month mega-pass essentially allows you to visit every country on the list, the £626 price tag may put some people off.
If you have one of the tickets with less flexibility to travel and a shorter window to do so, then knowing where to go to make the most of it is key - and Barcelona should be top of the list.
The Spanish city came out top in a new study that looked at European cities you can visit on Interrail tickets, with factors such as the number of hostels available, safety scores and overall nightlife.
Barcelona’s whimsical modernist architecture attracts travellers from all over the globe, in part due to the 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites including La Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell.
It scored highly thanks to the impressive amount of restaurants, attractions and hostels on offer, making it ideal for those after exciting city breaks.
Barcelona Saints is the central railway station in the city and is considered one of the most utilized transport hubs in Spain.
It is the primary station for national and international arrivals and is therefore a popular choice for interrailing.
Interraillers looking for their next destination may want to opt for Porto, which is 560 miles away from Barcelona via train and second on the list.
The Portuguese city ranks as the second-best European city for interrailing, with a score of 8.22 out of 10.
Interrailing in Portugal is arguably one of the best ways to discover its amazing beaches, coastal areas, and wine regions.
Porto scored high for its number of restaurants (50.6 per km2), and attractions (31.39 per km2).
Given its status as a rail hub, it is no surprise that Paris finds itself at third on the list.
The French capital is notably a city of romance for lovers and adventurers alike, however, it is also a popular destination for those wanting to travel by train.
Paris is arguably one of the culinary capitals of Europe, and perhaps even the world, home to a wide variety of restaurants (168.09 per km2).
The city also boasts a series of world-class attractions (77.34 per km2), including the iconic Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and countless museums. Meanwhile it's also a short train journey across to Disneyland Paris.
The French capital's stations stations were built in the 1800s to the early 1900s, and as a result, they are grand and beautiful.
You can catch the Eurostar to London, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands from The Gare du Nord, an ideal station for interrailing opportunities.
If you are looking for tried and tested routes across Europe - whether they be scenic, through the Mediterranean, designed for romance or in the Balkans - the Interrailing website has loads of great suggestions.
Europe's best interrailing cities
City; Country; Hostels Per km2; Attractions Per km2; Restaurants Per km2; Bars & Clubs Per km2; Safety Index Score; Google Searches Dec 2021 - Nov 2022; Interrailing City Score
- Barcelona, Spain: 0.84; 46.46; 97.55; 5.24; 49.74; 437,000,000; 8.48
- Porto, Portugal: 0.89; 31.39; 50.60; 1.59; 64.55; 39,480,000; 8.22
- Paris; France; 0.32; 77.34; 168.09; 4.03; 42.86; 81,260,000; 8.04
- Amsterdam, Netherlands: 0.21; 13.78; 18.42; 1.20; 67.61; 56,020,000; 7.63
- Milan, Italy: 0.15; 11.35; 42.86; 1.62; 50.57; 109,220,000; 7.56
- Lisbon, Portugal: 0.56; 29.14; 52.03; 1.95; 70.49; 9,129,000; 7.55
- Valencia, Spain: 0.11; 9.64; 31.01; 1.00; 67.67; 32,060,000; 7.33
- Athens, Greece: 0.74; 62.40; 71.10; 4.47; 43.95; 9,433,000; 6.97
- Bordeaux, France: 0.12; 18.62; 51.78; 0.83; 52.39; 17,423,000; 6.74
- Florence, Italy: 0.11; 21.48; 21.43; 1.02; 61.20; 14,766,000; 6.70
You can find out more on usebounce.com.
