First solo-trip advice (Anchor location vs. many countries)
Hi all! I know there are a lot of "This is my first trip, where should I go" questions, so I won't ask that (although I absolutely wouldn't turn down suggestions). My question is, for a first experience, is it better to anchor down somewhere (ish) or get on a train every other day and take the sample platter?
Here's my background:
(21m) fresh out of college, and my aunt is offering to buy me a plane ticket as a gift, pretty much anywhere I want to go. She regrets not traveling more, and wants me to have that experience before I get bogged down in a job for the rest of my life. It's a really thoughtful gift, and I want to make sure I make the most of it.
I would be traveling mid-July, somewhere between 1-2 weeks. While this would be my first solo trip, I've traveled with family plenty, mostly in the states, but we have gone to Serbia + Italy.
I really wanted somewhere or something where I get to experience good food (#1 priority), beautiful views (nature or architecture, ideally both), and good culture/music. For ease of exploration, I was planning on packing light with a hiking backpack, and trying the hostel life to push me out of my shell a little bit and meet new people. I'd also want to spend up to ~$150 a a day on average if possible, so that's a factor in it for sure. That also drives probably not looking to rent a car.
After some research, I'm leaning towards Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, etc). It seems like a "standard" safe option for first solo trips. In this case I have no problem being a sheep, a great experience is a great experience, and it really looks amazing!
But this leads me to my dilemma here...
My question:
For someone in my shoes, is it better to pick an anchor location (like Lisbon & Porto) and spend a lot of time taking it all in, doing daytrips, etc.? Or would you recommend going further into Europe where I can get a Eurail pass and hit a new country every 2-3 days on a whim (Thinking Berlin->Prague->Vienna->Budapest as rough sketch)
That second option is what my aunt did when she was in college, and it feels like the quintessential "I'm 20 and running across Europe" experience that I feel I've heard so many people talk about. I feel like somewhere like Lisbon, I'm a little more limited in my ability to do that spontaneously, but I also don't know which would be more enjoyable or worth my time.
Obviously everyone wants to take something different out of their travels, but any honest opinions or experiences would be great to help me narrow down my plans.
Thank you!