Sofas & Strangers: An Adventure by Train Through Eastern Europe

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Sofas & Strangers: An Adventure by Train Through Eastern Europe

Follow us through our interrail across six countries in Eastern Europe where we were staying with hosts from the global network Couchsurfing.

Welcome also to our website www.sofasandstrangers.com

Stockholm-Berlin-Krakow-Budapest-Tolmin-Pula-Kněžmost

25/07/2026

Couchsurfing and Interrailing with kids – tips & tricks 😀🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️‍➡️🚉🧳

In the summer of 2024, we interrailed and couchsurfed through Eastern Europe with my 12 year old son. Many times, I have been asked: what is it like to travel with kids on a journey that requires a lot of hours on different trains, staying with strangers and not having the comfort that hotels and set holiday packages offer?

Most people seem to think it´s just a lot of hassle. At the same time, a lot of families and especially single parents like myself, don´t have a big budget to spend when going on holday. They are looking for a cheaper alternative but are afraid to jump into the unknown.

I would say both interrailing and couchsurfing is amazing ways to holiday with children. But you need to be prepared and have another mindset in order to make the journey a success.

1) Choose the right destinations
When deciding where you´re going, pick places which have activities that appeal to both children and adults. Is there a nice beach or a water park?
Are there any museums or other educational places that could interest your child (depending on age)? If your kid is into high adrenaline sports, find out if there might be activities on site where they could for example try rafting, climbing, kayaking or diving.

2) Stay longer
If you are about to explore different countries, stay at least a few days in every place. Travelling by train is fantastic but could also be demanding and a bit stressful at times. Make sure you have time to load the batteries before you set off on a new journey.

3) Stay with another family
Through Couchsurfing, we found a family in Kraków with two boys the same age as my son, and they immidiately became friends. When staying on a farm in the Czech countryside, my son became fascinated by gardening and animals thanks to their teenage daughter who taught him how to take care of chickens and grow tomatoes. Make sure you communicate with your host that you are travelling with kids and look for reviews from other families who have stayed with your host.

4) Prepare on the train
When travelling by train, prepare for long hours where the Wifi could be out of function.
Bring a card game, Yatzy, a travel size Monopoly or toys and download books, podcasts and films on an iPad. A powerbank is always handy in case the phone runs out of battery. And make sure you also bring water, fruit and snacks in case there is no bistro on the train.

5) Travel light
Bring small bags of washing powder and do a weekly laundry instead of bringing half the wardrobe.

In our book, Sofas & Strangers, you could read more about our interrail and couchsurfing adventure 😀
www.sofasandstrangers.com

15/07/2026

Eastern European food – a meal made to fill the tummy 🥕🥔🍗🍲

Do you also think that food is one of the primary delights of travelling? Do you also like experiencing the local food and drink traditions while you are in a new country?

When we went on our interrail and couchsurfing journey through Eastern Europe, we wanted to discover every country´s specialities.

The Eastern European food traditions are quite similar to the ones in Scandinavia, where we are from. Historically, the food was made to meet certain criteria: it should be cheap to produce, cooked to fill the stomach and provide a lot of energy during the long winter months. In other words – lots of potatoes, beets, cabbage, soups and meat.

When we came to Poland, of course we had to try pierogi – a sort of dumpling that could be filled with almost anything and could be eaten both as an everyday meal and for special occasions.

In Hungary we tried the no 1 street food: langós – which is deep fried bread with a topping of garlic, sour creme and cheese. In later years, you could also find toppings such as bacon, mushrooms and black caviar – but those are mainly popular among tourists.

In Slovenia, our host made the traditional dish Idrijski zlikrofi, which is also a sort of dumpling
Idrijski žlikrofi, traditional Slovenian dumplings from Istria, made with homemade dough and potato filling.
And my son, who is a big fan of meat, decided to have a schnitzel at every place we visited – which was to his great delight a common dish in most Eastern European kitchens.

Curious about our whole trip through Eastern Europe? 😀

Here you can read more about it: www.sofasandstrangers.com

04/07/2026

Staying with Strangers – Why Does It Feel So Strange? 😱

Have you ever tried Couchsurfing? Could you imagine doing it, or does the idea simply feel too strange, uncomfortable or daunting?

We´d love to hear your thoughts! 😀

In 2011, I hosted 35 travellers from all over the world on my sofa in my one-bedroom flat in Södermalm, Stockholm. They were families, couples and solo travellers. Some stayed for just a couple of nights, while others remained for an entire week. We would often sit down for coffee together. Sometimes we'd have breakfast, and I frequently cooked dinner for them.

They appreciated having someone who could tell them about Sweden and Stockholm from a local's perspective – the kind of things they would never have learnt if they'd stayed in a hotel. We talked about Swedish politics, customs and all those unwritten social rules. I recommended everything from flea markets and the city's best bars to its most beautiful walking routes.

It was an incredible experience. I had the opportunity to travel the world and discover other cultures without even leaving my own flat. We shared countless fascinating and deeply personal conversations, and several of the people who stayed with me back then, fifteen years ago, are still friends today. Those encounters eventually became the book *The Whole World on My Couch*.

Yet my friends and family often reacted with surprise and scepticism. How could I possibly invite complete strangers into the most private place of all – my own home? What if they stole something? What if they turned out to be violent or simply difficult? And what about having strangers sleeping in your own bed linen, brushing their teeth in your bathroom and entering your personal space? To most people, the whole idea seemed utterly incomprehensible.

Today, when my colleague Ylva and I give talks about our new book, *Sofas & Strangers*, which tells the story of our Interrail journey through six countries while Couchsurfing our way from one stranger's home to another - we encounter exactly the same scepticism.

Whenever we ask our audiences, "Has anyone here ever tried Couchsurfing?", almost nobody puts their hand up. Curious, we ask why they haven't tried this way of travelling – staying free of charge with someone generous enough to offer a spare bed, a sofa or even just a mattress, while saving hundreds of pounds that would otherwise have been spent on expensive hotels. The answers are often vague and hesitant: "Well...I don´t know...it's just not really my thing."

Are Swedes particularly reluctant to travel this way?
I suspect we are.
We Swedes value security. We place a particularly high value on our personal space (as anyone who has accidentally sat next to someone on a bus despite there being plenty of empty seats elsewhere will quickly discover). We find it difficult to let new people into our lives and friendship circles (something many immigrants to Sweden have experienced when trying to make Swedish friends). And when we travel, we've often spent the entire year saving for that one precious holiday, happily spending £2,000 to £5,000 on a week's getaway where the whole point is to relax and indulge ourselves rather than worry about money. We want to treat ourselves, hassle free.

But for those who are willing to step outside their comfort zone, overcome their fear of the unfamiliar and seize the opportunity to experience something genuinely different while travelling – perhaps even making lifelong friends along the way – we wrote *Sofas & Strangers*.

The book is packed with inspiration, practical advice and first-hand experiences, explaining how Couchsurfing works, what to bear in mind, and how to make the very most of this unique way of travelling.

You can find out more about *Sofas* here
www.sofasandstrangers.com

03/07/2026

Holiday tips: do voluntary work on a farm through WWOOF! 🐮🐷🐥🌱😀

At the end of our month long journey interrailing and couchsurfing through Eastern Europe, we decided to stay a few days on a farm in Kněžmost on the Czech countryside. We had found the family through the global network WWOOF – Worldwide Oppertunities on Organic Farms – which enables you to stay and eat for free in exchange for voluntary work.

If you are
* Travelling on a budget
* Interested in environmental and sustainability issues
* Like gardening and animals
* Dream of getting away from the hustle and bustle of big city living
..this is the perfect holiday!

A BIT OF HISTORY
The WWOOF network began in the 1970s in the United Kingdom, founded by a small group of enthusiastic visionaries who wanted to spread knowledge about organic farming methods. Now, more than fifty years later, the project has grown significantly, and the community has hundreds of thousands of members in over 130 countries worldwide.
Each country has its own national WWOOF organisation, often involved in grassroots movements, organising events and meetings to raise awareness about organic farming and sustainable living.

WHAT YOU DO AS A WWOOF:ER
As a WWOOFer, you take part in the daily work on the farm alongside your host. You learn about sustainable ways of cultivating the land and experience a cultural exchange at the same time.
On the WWOOF website, you can choose which country and region you would like to visit. You can also filter your preferences through a variety of options:
staying with a family
type of farm
types of animals
activities you want to participate in

Maybe you’re interested in horse care and riding?
Want to learn beekeeping?
Curious about raising bison?
Or have you perhaps always wanted to learn how to make goat cheese, tap maple syrup, or bake bread the traditional way?
The possibilities are endless.

If you want to read more about our WWOOF:ing experience in the Czech Republic, along with our other stories from Eastern Europe, please continue reading at https://www.sofasandstrangers.com/about-wwoofing/

29/06/2026

Polish midsummer – a magical night worth experiencing 🥰✨

Last week, we celebrated one of the most beloved national holidays in Sweden – midsummer.

It happens at the end of June, during the lightest night of the summer, when the sun never seems to set.

All around the country we gather around a maypole, dance silly dances to traditional Swedish folklore music. I can guarantee it looks quite funny in the eyes of the foreign visitor!😆At night, the women then collect seven different flowers and put them under our pillow – believing that the boy/man that appears in our dreams will be our future love 💐

When we were interraling and couchsurfing across Eastern Europe, we were thrilled to discover that our stay in Kraków coincided with their midsummer celebration – that has a lot in common with our Swedish rituals. Together with our host family we decided to organise a Polish/Swedish midsummer feast. While we brought our addition to the dinner table – cured salmon, egg halves with caviar and meatballs – our host family added Polish pierogi, kielbasa (sausage), Chlodnik (red beet soup) and salad.

Midsummer is also celebrated in Poland, though not nearly as widely or uniformly as in Sweden. Here it’s called Noc Świętojańska, and just like back home, it’s celebrated on the year’s longest night – in Poland called Kupala Night – symbolizing fertility and the summer solstice. Bonfires are lit everywhere, and flower wreaths are woven, which the women wear on their heads. According to Polish tradition, boys should jump over the fire as a test of manhood, to prove their strength and courage in front of the girls. The wreaths are cast into the water, to be retrieved by the boys – and the girl whose wreath he picks is believed to become his beloved. This part of the celebration is called Wianki.

Do you want to read more about our trip?
www.sofasandstrangers.com

28/06/2026

The Soča Valley: a hidden diamond in the middle of nowhere 😍

Have you ever had the experience of ending up in a place almost by accident – a place you´ve never heard of, a spot so small it barely shows on the map, and you had one of the best times of your life?
That´s what happened to us when we came to Kanal ob Soči in Slovenia on our month long interrailing and couchsurfing trip across Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

We were staying with a Couchsurfing host and during our days here, we were thrilled to discover that there were a music festival going on that week. A fantastic oppertunity to get a taste of local Balkan music. We were completely blown away by the concert of Slovenian singer songwriter Boštjan Pertinač, who is one of the most promising names on the Slovenian music scene right now. According to my research, he is frequently played on local radio stations. Besides singing, playing guitar, and producing his own music, he has started a music school and runs workshops for seniors. On his latest album, he returns to his roots in the Karst region, which reviewers say is reflected in his music and lyrics sung in the distinctive local dialect.

During the summer there are also lots of other fun events in Kanal, such as:

The annual jumping competition from the Kanal bridge
A film festival under the trees in the forest
Theatre plays in the Kontrada Square
The Kerafest international ceramics festival
The Soča Outdoor Festival

We would really recommend a visit to the lovely Kanal ob Soči this summer! ❤️

28/06/2026

Our book Sofas & Strangers is now available on Amazon😍

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H6647BFP/

We would be very happy if you wanted to read it and leave a review 🌷

28/06/2026

Travelling by train in Eastern Europe – where do they run smoothly and where can you expect delays?

What is your experience travelling by train in Eastern Europe and the Balkans?

When we – two women and a 12 year old boy – were interrailing through Eastern Europe, we were very impressed with the train services in each country. Most of them were on time, they offered bistro or restaurant service, and they were reasonably clean. The only time we really had a problem was when travelling from our home town Stockholm to Denmark – this route is notorious for being delayed for several reasons. Having a connection for travelling further south could therefore be a nightmare, but miraculously, we succeeded in getting on the train from Copenhagen to Hamburg – last minute.

This is what we experienced:

Germany – although many people (mostly Germans!) complain about the constant delays of the trains here, we had an excellent experience. Fast, efficient and on time – what more could you ask for? Or maybe we were just lucky? :-D

Poland – the train between Kraków and Budapest departed on time, and we were blown away by the restaurant on board, with white table cloths, table service and a great variety of meals, cooked in the train´s kitchen. Simply top notch and train travel at it´s very best.

Hungary – well, the ride from Budapest to Ljubljana was not our greatest experience to be completely honest. The old and squeky train was rather scruffy. No toilet paper in the dirty loos. No bistro on board. But – what compensated for all that, was the magnificant view from the window when we entered Slovenia with snow clad alps, turquiose rivers and green meadows, making us all forget about the discomforts of the train.

Slovenia – all the national trains we took through the country as well as intercity train to Croatia were clean, comfortable and on time. And as mentioned before – with that scenic landscape outside the window, who could ever complain?

Czech Republic – at 4 in the morning, we had to make several train changes in order to reach our final destination Bakov nad Jizerou. It was a tricky task. Would the trains be on time? Would we be quick enough to make all the changes on different stations on the Czech countryside, in the middle of nowhere? We were pleasantly surprised that not only did the train system work like a charm – even though some connections were replaced by buses – we actually arrived in Bakov nad Jizerou on time.

02/12/2025

Dear followers! Our book, that has been given the Swedish title "På spår och soffor genom Östeuropa - möten mellan Kraków and Kněžmost", will be released in the beginning of January 😍🥳This first edition of the book will be sold on our website. More info about this later. Our idea is to have it translated to English during the spring. If you happen to be in Stockholm on January 7, we would be so happy if you could join our celebration at our release party:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1653172269422886

22/10/2025

EFTERLYSNING ‼️

Hej alla följare! Nu behöver vi er hjälp (and sorry for writing this in Swedish, the post is aimed for our Swedish followers) 😀
Vi är just nu i färd med att färdigställa vår bok och om allt går enligt plan kommer den att anlända från tryckeriet den första veckan i januari 😍🎊
Boken – som alltså dokumenterar vår tågluff genom Östeuropa förra sommaren – är tänkt att inspirera framförallt barnfamiljer att tågluffa, couchsurfa och uppleva mer äventyr och genuina möten med lokalbefolkningen under sin semester. En resa som både berikar, bildar och är snällare mot miljön ☘️🚂
Men vi har ett litet gissel – vad ska boken heta?! Vi har länge jobbat med arbetsnamnet ”Från Kraków till Kněžmost – en mamma och son på tågluff med couchsurfing genom Östeuropa” men det är ju ganska krångligt. Vi söker efter någonting mer koncist, rappt och säljande.
Kom med förslag! 😍
Antingen här under inlägget eller i ett PM.
Den som kläcker det bästa, mest kreativa förslaget som sedan blir titel på vår bok vinner 3 böcker som tack! 🎁💝
/Ingrid & Ylva

Adresa

Knezmost

Internetová stránka

https://www.hedmanbergmanforlag.se/tagluffarbloggen/

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