NT: Looking to go on an European vacation, gimme advice!!!!

[you right]

SupraTurbo619 wrote:

BTW stay away from Frankfurt Airport.  Avoid connecting there, place is insanely huge!


and they suck at helping out

 

[supraturbo619]

In Pisa, the tower and surrounding monuments/attractions was basically it, but it was worth the 2hr round trip to Florence.  I had a fun time taking pictures doing the cliche "hold up the tower" pose.  The city is pretty big actually, but I didn't have a desire to explore as much.

Here is the view from my Villa in Tuscany.  The food and wine was insane, hard as hell to travel out there.  95 degrees+baggage+bugs+1 hr train ride + 40 euro cab ride.

 

[AZwildcats]

I defientely recommend Brussels, Belgium. It is a great city with a lot to see and do. And from Brussels; you can take the train to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Frankfurt in less than 2 hrs each.

 

[engoi]

Originally Posted by AZwildcats

I defientely recommend Brussels, Belgium. It is a great city with a lot to see and do. And from Brussels; you can take the train to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Frankfurt in less than 2 hrs each.

if you want to know why EU-politicians are fat, try food in Brussels.Waffles...

 

[CJ616]

DO NOT STAY IN A HOSTEL. Unless you're really pressed for cash (Which you said you weren't)

 

[nocomment6]

Hmmm.

Eastern Europe is mad cheap. Hostels are the cheapest and most fun if you ask me. Just lock your stuff up and party. Prague is beautiful, so is Budapest, well worth a visit.

Germany and Austria are a whole lot more expensive.

Benelux countries are very-very expensive.

Netherlands are cool affordable. I'd fly in to Amsterdam. Check around, easyjet and Ryanair are very cheap if you book ahead.

Italy is also pretty cheap.

 

[PatRiley]

Originally Posted by CJ616

DO NOT STAY IN A HOSTEL. 

You can also choose anywhere from private rooms to 16+ people in a room depending on the hostel.  Hostelworld.com is reliable, you can see the most popular and best rated for the lowest price then book ahead if you know where you are going. 

Also easy to get bunz at some hostels from girls from all over the globe.

 

[me no pass]

whats wrong with hostels?

 

[CJ616]

If you can find a good one, then they're cool.  I had a bad experience with one this past weekend in Amsterdam, so I'm speaking with a bias

.

 

[me no pass]

tell the story man..I was thinking bout staying at the flying pig or whatever

 

[CJ616]

Basically, the room that we booked  wasn't cleaned at all before we checked in (there were old beer and liquor bottles on the mini shelves from whoever stayed there before).  The pillow cases we're dirty as $*#&, and we asked for cleaned ones, they told us that there weren't any left 

.  I have about 6 bites on my right knee from who knows what.  It wasn't that bad, but it was my first Hostel experience, and it surprised me. 

There were four of us that went, and we stayed in an 8 person room (The roommates we're surprisingly cool, though). 

Two guys from my study abroad group actually stayed at the Flying Pig, a week before we went to Amsterdam.  One of their roommates was a crackhead ****** with blue arms (I saw a pic, she really had blue arms).

But like heirjordan said,  just check the reviews before you book.

 

[elcatfisho]

didn't you make a thread like a week ago saying how money's tight in your household, etc., "I called my dad an #$#!!+# for talking behind my back" and now you're gonna use your spare cash to go vacation in Europe? whatever it's your money.

I'd like to go to Europe sometime. My friends went on a 2 week Europe trip and I kind of wish I went, but there's always time.

 

[mojodmonky1]

Originally Posted by ElCatfisho

didn't you make a thread like a week ago saying how money's tight in your household, etc., "I called my dad an #$#!!+# for talking behind my back" and now you're gonna use your spare cash to go vacation in Europe? whatever it's your money.

I'd like to go to Europe sometime. My friends went on a 2 week Europe trip and I kind of wish I went, but there's always time.

false brother... go while you have the chance.

i really regret not traveling more when I was younger, and now I'm playing catch up.  The wife and I are tryin to work on a baby sooner than later and we are trying to squeeze in one more Europe or Asia trip before she goes off the birth control.  Once we have kids its gonna be RIP for any big traveling for the next 18 years. 

seriously, see as much of the world as you can before you have to settle down and make a family and be locked into the rat race of life.

 

[hlfblkhlfnike]

The food in London is extremely subpar.  Eat at the cafe/restaurant at your hotel.  It is most likely the safest and best tasting.

Make sure you keep some coins on you throughout most of Western Europe.  You have to pay to use most public restrooms. 
I concur with most of the comments on Italy.  Florence has some amazing architecture and cuisine.  Rome is nice but a bit touristy.  If you get a chance, grab a slice of pizza or stop and get some gelato around the Vatican.

  IMO Venice is a place that is great to see once, but it's a tourist trap for sure.  Water is mad dirty as well.  I'm convinced the toilets from all of the boats gets flushed right into the sea...so humid in the summer too.

Amsterdam is

.  I've only flown into London and Paris, but this is def a must stop.  If you make it there, hit the red light district, check out some of the museums (including the Heineken Museum), and take a canal tour.  Also watch out for cyclists.  They have bike lanes everywhere.  If you're caught sleepin' you will get run the @#! over.

Oh and if you are traveling with women, keep close tabs on them.  Especially when alcohol is involved.  From my experience, the movie "Taken" is a fairly accurate illustration of the shady business that goes on in some parts of Europe.

Remember you can only bring so much back trough Customs when returning to the states.  Learned this the hard way...

Take pictures!

 

[capricdragon]

Originally Posted by AZwildcats

I defientely recommend Brussels, Belgium. It is a great city with a lot to see and do. And from Brussels; you can take the train to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Cologne, and Frankfurt in less than 2 hrs each.

^^

 

[PabloSanchez]

amsterdam

 

[carlos tevez]

To the dude planning his Italy vacation...I havent been to Venice but 3-4 days there sounds like a bit too long. I've heard that its a very small city so you might be better off spending 1-2 days elsewhere than in Venice.

In general I think that Rome and Paris are absolute musts. If you're pressed for time then 3 days in Rome minimum, otherwise 4-5 days is good. Paris is a beast, even a month there wouldnt be enough. To enjoy it you probably need about 5 days in Paris.

London aint that special IMO but its a huge city, one of the most famous in the world and probably worth checking out. London also needs time so you'd probably need atleast 3 days there and even that wont be enough.

Florence IMO is extremely over-rated. Not that much to see or do there IMO...the dome, the river, the museums, and the Machiavelli park (where you can see the entire city from up a hill). I think 1 day in Florence is enough and 2 days is plenty. If you're in that part of Italy then spend some quality time along the Mediterranean coast...I havent seen much there but Cinque Terre is awesome and I highly recommend spending a full day there...go early in the morning and leave around sunset. Pisa is just 1 hour away from Florence by train and worth checking out for a few hours.

I think Vienna is an extremely under-rated city, one that offers much of what you'll find in more popular cities but without as much fanfare. Other than hotels, the city is reasonably price, extremely clean and with a lot to offer tourists. I think 4 days in Vienna is the perfect amount of time.

Overall, it depends on what you want out of your Euro trip. Do you want to party? Do you want to walk around cities for hours on end or do you just want to lie down and relax? Are you a fast traveler or do you like to sight see at a slow pace? After figuring all this out you will get a better feel of how to organize your trip. IMO, anyone that goes to Europe must go to Paris and Rome, but everything else is up to personal interests.

 

[mrkittles20]

This is a great thread for me. I'm planning on doing a one month trip to Europe next summer after I graduate nursing school. Starting in Barcelona for the running of the bulls and ending in London for the Olympics. Gonna go as much couch surfing and traveling in between the events and do it as cheap as possible.

 

[airjordanseattle23]

would normally say the netherlands but with the weed pass in effect in every city aside from amsterdam not sure i can reccomend it anymore that said

london: greatest city in the world imo..which is why i plan to move there sooner rather than later
prague: havent been but everyone i know who has loved it
barcelona
copenhagen denmark
istanbul
various greek isles
marseille france
monaco
Edinburgh scotland

 

[dam itz lou]

I need to go on my first European vacation 

 

[money making a]

my list for the places I want to go:

barcelona
ibiza
greek islands
amsterdam
berlin
prague
croatia

 

[ryair max 1]

people sleep on Eastern Europe...I really want to go next summer for Euro 2012 but I don't think I'd get tickets. I'd only really want to see Poland play anyway to vibe with the home crowd.

I've been to western Europe and by far the best place was Spain. I still want to see French Rivieria though.

 

[tupacsback]

Go watch El Classico in Spain.

 

[crumps brother]

how soon in advanced should plane tickets and hotels/hostels be booked in advanced??

considering next year around September/October

 

[timcity2000]

get yourself to barcelona.