On 1 August 2025, our well-travelled DiscoverEU flag set out again, this time in the hands of five more young people with fewer opportunities.
The journey began at 06:00 on the first day of August at Tiszalúc railway station. The young people and their parents exchanged an emotional last glance before departure. Excitement and curiosity showed on their faces as they set off into the unknown.
This journey was different from previous trips: from Budapest Keleti station, the group travelled together with the National Youth Council's team of five young people and their accompanying adults.
The two groups' first destination was Munich, Bavaria's capital, reached after a six-hour train journey from Budapest. The journey was far from dull: the accompanying adults introduced tasks, including personalising DiscoverEU travel journals. Each participant also received paper and an envelope to write down their hopes and fears for the trip. They sealed and labelled the envelopes and handed them to the accompanying adults, who returned them at the end of the journey.
After checking into their accommodation, the groups took public transport to Marienplatz in Munich's historic centre. Rain made sightseeing harder but did not dampen their spirits. They chose a restaurant and shared their first dinner. On the way back, they encountered a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Marienplatz. Although it appeared peaceful and there was a substantial police presence, the accompanying adults guided the group around it for safety. That evening's reflection session explored this encounter alongside the day's other experiences.
Refreshed after breakfast the next morning, the young people visited the BMW Museum. Rather than a conventional exhibition, it offered a journey through the history of innovation. They explored how BMW's vehicles had become more sustainable over time and found possible inspiration for careers in the automotive industry.
The accompanying adults also set an interactive task to help participants reflect on what they had seen. It combined learning with enjoyment, an essential part of a ten-day journey.
After leaving the BMW Museum, the group stopped for a substantial sandwich lunch in an underground station passage, as time was short. They then visited the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum, exploring the history of transport through land vehicles and some aircraft, from horse-drawn carts to twentieth- and twenty-first-century designs. They examined early public transport and considered how modern electric vehicles can improve urban air quality. The two-hour visit highlighted greener travel, reducing one's ecological footprint and the time-saving potential of public transport in cities, something they experienced during the trip.
Back at Marienplatz underground station, participants began a period of independent exploration. As always, they were given a task requiring creativity and communication with other people.
The young people discovered landmarks such as the Frauenkirche and Hofbräuhaus. Dinner introduced local flavours, and the day also included tasting Bavarian beer.
On 3 August 2025, the group left Munich Central Station for Bern. After checking in, they explored the old town, including the famous Zytglogge clock tower and Federal Palace, the parliament building. The scenery, mountains, blue river and historic architecture impressed participants and accompanying adults alike. The city's statues and fountains brought its history to life.
The next day, participants visited the Einstein House to learn about the scientist's life, work and connections to Bern and Switzerland. They then explored Bern Minster and climbed its 106-metre tower for views over the city and surrounding snowy mountains. To enjoy a break from urban life, the group walked beside the River Aare and dipped their feet in the water at a designated riverside area.
Their final task that day was to find a statue of the city's founder without using the internet. With only a clue that it stood near a church, they had to speak to local people and other visitors. Exploring the city and working together, they succeeded. Their growing teamwork was already showing the project's impact.
On 5 August 2025, participants and accompanying adults travelled to Paris, arriving at Gare de Lyon after five hours and one change. After checking in, they headed straight out to explore. The many sights and crowds made a strong impression, and the accompanying adults took care to help with any culture shock. The group studied the Arc de Triomphe and its First World War memorial, then walked along the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde, discovering famous fashion houses and their cultural significance. Finally, they climbed the slopes and steps to Sacré-Cœur. The effort was rewarded by a magnificent view across the French capital.
The following morning, they set off for Notre-Dame. On the way, they encountered an anti-racism demonstration. Such events were unfamiliar to many participants, prompting questions that the accompanying adults took time to answer.
Notre-Dame's vast Gothic structure soon came into view, with long queues outside. Despite the crowds, the group entered the restored cathedral and explored it closely. Their task was to express what the building and its surroundings ‘said’ to them or how it made them feel. They chose a creative approach, filming it from different angles and recording sound. Editing and filtering the recordings would help them create a ‘storytelling building’ through light and sound.
The day's second stop was the Musée d'Orsay, with its extensive collections of paintings and sculptures. Among the famous works were paintings by Van Gogh, including the work described in the original account as ‘Starry Sky’.
Lunch became a culinary adventure: most participants tried French onion soup and Burgundy-style snails. As one put it, ‘It would be a shame to go home without having tried snails in Paris.’
After lunch, the group explored the Louvre's exterior, the riverside booksellers along the Seine and Les Invalides before reaching the Eiffel Tower as sunset approached. Following security checks and queues, they reached the second floor, took photographs and learned about the tower's construction, the nineteenth-century political debate surrounding it and the divided public opinion of the time. Tired and satisfied, they returned to their accommodation.
On 7 August 2025, the group left Gare du Nord for Amsterdam and reached their accommodation after several hours. They explored the canals and the city's well-known red-light district. The original account also discusses the local approach to cannabis: participants had been prepared before departure and warned against using such substances, enabling them to reject offers and outside pressures. That evening, a deeper-than-usual reflection session helped them process the unfamiliar situations they had encountered.
Amid the city's beauty and unusual experiences, the group also celebrated a participant's birthday with a surprise cake and singing in the city centre – a memorable birthday experience.
The next morning began at the famous flower market, tasting local cheeses and buying tulip bulbs.
After enjoying the cheeses, the group headed to the Heineken Experience with bags full of bulbs. The visit explored brewing's place in Dutch history, including its economic and political importance. A guided tour and interactive activities introduced professional beer tasting and pouring techniques.
Later, they visited the Van Gogh Museum, viewing work by its namesake and other artists while learning about Van Gogh's life. One participant was so inspired by the gallery that they planned to take up painting on returning home. For the association, inspiring someone to try something they had never considered was a major success. We hope to see their first works in the future.
This concluded the Amsterdam stay. The second evening's sightseeing was cancelled because the group had an early departure for Prague the following day, and rest was important for both wellbeing and safety.
In the early hours of 9 August 2025, the group boarded a train at Amsterdam Central for a long journey to Prague. After sixteen hours and three changes, they checked in tired but set out to explore, as they had only one night before travelling home. The early evening atmosphere revived them as they walked through the historic centre, crossed Charles Bridge past artists, musicians and stalls, and reached the castle gates. Their final dinner together recalled the trip's experiences in a fittingly railway-themed restaurant, where model trains delivered food and drinks.
On 10 August 2025, the young people and accompanying adults boarded the Budapest-bound train with mixed feelings: some homesickness, happy memories and sadness at saying goodbye to Prague, the journey and their new friends.
The trip brought experiences, learning and what may become lifelong friendships. Both the association's members and the young people intend to remain in regular contact after returning home.
This experience formed part of the Exploring Central and Western Europe journey, within the Adventures in Europe project, supported under reference 2024-2-HU01-KA155-YOU-000283430 and delivered in cooperation with the National Youth Council's team.