Eurotrip

[SummerStar]

Next summer a group of friends and I are planning a trip to Europe? Anyone (preferably from there, or have been there) have some sights that are must see? I really don't like playing the typical tourist, waiting in line for hours to see some monument and snap a few pictures, I really want to see what the people that live there see. I already have my heart set on seeing Greece, and one of my friend's wants to see castles, but other than that, not sure where to go.

Also, what do the rates of public transportation and places to stay go? We're not planning on anything fancy...shady places will do, we figure we'll be safe enough since we're going in a group of 5 with 2 guys.

 

[SweetErika]

Do you have at least one Let's Go book yet?

If not, you can probably find one of the Europe and some of the country or region-specific versions at your library if you want to check it out before spending the $20 or so on it.

There are lots of other great books and resources on traveling through Europe out there, too. I'd suggest figuring out a general idea of where you want to go before getting specific recommendations.

Costs are country- and city-specific, just like anywhere else. Guidebooks like Let's Go will give you an idea of accommodation and transportation options and costs. If you want to travel between countries via train, check into the Eurail Pass options. Sometimes that's cheaper, sometimes it's not; it all depends on where and when you're going.

ETA: Traveling with two men doesn't mean staying in bad places is a good idea or you'll be safe. Men can be whacked in the head by a heavy object by a passing moped, have their bags stolen, be pickpocketed and conned just as well as women can. I've traveled extensively and the ONLY reasons I've never been victimized (unlike 99% of the other travelers I've known) are I've ALWAYS used a lot of common sense, taken lots of safeguards and been vigilant. Everyone in your group should read up on the types of cons and theft techniques used in the countries you'll be visiting and take care to protect themselves and their stuff at all times. You should be able to find affordable accommodations in safe enough areas if you do your research and keep yourselves safe if you use a good amount of common sense.

 

[SummerStar]

Thanks, Erika. Helpful, as always I think you might be my favorite Lit-goer.

 

[NativeSexuality]

wow thats good advice i can use too!

 

[DarkBee]

Exactly where in Europe are you going to? Makes a big difference...
You see, Europe has 50 different countries, each with it's own customs, mentality, a lot of different languages, etc. I lived in the western part all my life, and when I travelled to the eastern countries, it felt like a different part of the world sometimes.

 

[SummerStar]

We're formulating a rough plan day by day. So far, I think we are going to go to Greece, travel by boat to Italy (is that commonly done?), and go up Italy to see Poland, Switzerland, and Germany.

 

[ShyIndependent]

...............

 

[xPoisonx]

If it's two men travelling together be careful where you are going to stay, a lot of places in Europe, particularly family-owned hostels/B&Bs don't allow two men to share a room even if it's a twin.

I'm from Scotland so I'm going to be partial and tell you to visit here Edinburgh and Glasgow are quite unmissable.

I recently visited Paris and completely fell in love, there's so much to do and see

Madrid and Barcelona are incredible, if you're into sports you have to visit the Bernebeau and the Nou Camp, both incredible stadiums with a lot of history.

Unfortunately most of Europe with the exception of Turkey, UK and Bulgaria is in the euro and the prices of food and stuff can be really expensive so make sure you're set money-wise.

I also recommend the movie Eurotrip just because it highlights how much can go wrong lol.

 

[KokopelliRises]

If you're going to be in Italy, I'd recommend Siena. It's not considered one of the bigger cities, and as long as you aren't there during the busy tourist times (beginnings of July and August because of the festivals) it's a wonderfully peaceful city. The city is very walkable and when I stayed in a hotel there it wasn't too expensive. The city was a major trade city in the Renaissance and some of the most beautiful buildings I saw when I was in Italy. It was the place I went there that I felt safest walking as a single female at night. PM me if you want to know more about it or any other good places in Tuscany; I stayed in the region for five weeks last summer, so if you're looking for something in particular I'm pretty sure I can help.

 

[silverwhisper]

2amlullaby: does the group have any shared interests? castles should be a lot of fun, and germany is certainly a good place for that. if you don't mind my asking, why that particular itinerary?

ed

 

[SummerStar]

2amlullaby: does the group have any shared interests? castles should be a lot of fun, and germany is certainly a good place for that. if you don't mind my asking, why that particular itinerary?

ed

We're still in the very basic stages of planning. My friend just said he wanted to see those countries...and I really want to see Greece. Seemed the easiest way to make it from Greece, to Poland, Switzerland, and Germany, would be to go over and up through Italy. I think the common interest is just wanting to get out and see the world. My heart isn't set on one particular thing...that's why I came here, to know if there were any MUST SEES if we were heading over that way.

 

[silverwhisper]

well, that's kinda problematic, because you could easily spend a whole week exploring just one city. having said that:

greece: i would think that the ruins in athens would be a great place, and i hear mykonos is gorgeous but pricey.

italy: you guys don't seem very interested in italy as a destination in its own right, so perhaps a visit to the northern part, like milan, might be more suitable?

switzerland: i believe you can take a tour of the victorinox factory, makers of the famous swiss army knives. and of course, there's the famous swiss chocolate makers...

germany: given the interest in castles, i understand that you absolutely must see neuschwanstein, the palace built by ludwig the mad which served as the inspiration for snow white's castle.

poland: i understand krakow is lovely, my parents were there a few months ago.

ed

 

[SummerStar]

I'm viewing this from a backpacking perspective. If you are doing tours and staying in hotels this advice is not applicable.

How long are you planning to be there?

Personally I find that you need at least three nights in each place you stop at. Otherwise you spend all of your time trying to get someplace else instead of actually experiencing anything. Don't rush.

Are you planning to take the train from Italy to Germany/Switzerland? If you do, get a sleeper car. Shell out the little bit extra for a bed. Honestly, it is worth it.

Something to note: if you buy a eurorail pass you still need to book your seat in some countries. In Italy the nice/fast trains cost extra. Book your seat or you get fined in Italy. If you are going a long distance, the pass is still much cheaper than buying separate tickets. For short distances it isn't worth it.

In Italy my favorite place was Cinque Terre. Five villages on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Perfect place to relax, eat, swim, hike. Lots of tourists, but most of them don't actually stay there overnight.

The very best advice I can give you is to take less than you think you need. I have traveled with a suitcase, a huge hiking backpack, and a small backpack. The small backpack was the right size. It's the one I used in high school. I bought a strong one at a luggage store when I was 16 and I've used it ever since.

I use stuff sacks. Mesh bags you get at a hiking store that you can stuff things into. They are really strong so you can cram things in tightly. I can cram more than I need into a small backpack. Whatever you bring, you need to be able to carry it all day, up and down stairs, be able to run with it. Otherwise it is a drag. Seriously, don't make the mistake of bringing too much. Bring less stuff and more money!!

We're staying for two weeks, at the very least. Decided it wouldn't be worth it if it was for any less. I don't think we're going to do the backpacking thing. I think the plan is to just get a hotel in whatever city we're at, and then just kind of explore the surrounding area for a few days. So...almost sounds like backpacking...except with a lot less lugging around everything we've brought.

Cinque Terre sounds awesome. Thanks for mentioning it, I will definitely look into it.

How far in advance do you need to book your seat for the pass?

 

[ShyIndependent]

..........

 

[Firebrain]

www.bled.si - you have to visit Slovenia. There's a gorgeous castle, some great hotels and the lake is beautiful.

Venice is overrated. Go way south in Italy instead.

 

[fire_breeze]

Lucky you! I would love to revisit some of those places that you've mentioned. Erika's recommendation is fantastic, I've used it several times. I'd also would like to add to pick up Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring. It's a great reference book with ideas on what to do cheaply, what's worth the money, what's not, places to see and stay at - and they do not just provide hostels, but inns and hotels as well. Furthermore, if you plan to see London, VelvetDarkness did a great post, here's the thread.

The Acropolis in Athens is a must (well, I'm an archaeology nerd) - the entrance fee gives you 5 tickets along with the visit to the Parthenon, and there are a lot of free sites within the grounds. Athens is great to just wander around and to discover the small quirky streets and market places. If you have the time, Delphi is also fun. If you are going to Crete, try and see if you can't stop by Knossos. Bring some food, climb around and then have a picnic among the ruins.

I love Berlin, it's a vibrant and beautiful city, and if you or any of your companions are into art of any kind (theatre, cabaret, fine arts, opera, etc), then this is a place to go. The literary and artistic history of the city , especially if you are into the more alternative, edgy or avant-garde arts, is astounding and very well worth the visit. The same could be said of Vienna, although it leans more to the Classical and light side of the artistic spectrum. Vienna has always been one of my favourite cities, precisely because of the ever present joie-de-vivre atmosphere.

I'm a little biased though, but if you have a chance to check out Budapest, do so. It's stunning and absolutely breathtaking, fun and vibrant in the summer. The castle district itself is worth the trip and Andrássy Avenue gives you that taste of late 19th century central Europe. Central Pest is hip and chic , the cafes are a joy to be in, and the surrounding areas is filled with history, ruins and lest we forget, wine . But then again, as I said before, I'm biased . Prague is a also a good spot for castles.

If you want to take a boat from Greece to Italy, check this. The one thing I would strongly suggest is to get there in plenty of time. If they suggest to be at the port 2 hours before, be there 3. Trust me, the hassle and disorganisation is astounding. However, if you are just going for two weeks, then you might want to look into no-frills airlines. They are often cheaper than rail, especially now, when the competition is fierce. Air Berlin and skyscanner.net are good places to start browsing around.

Violent crimes in areas that you mentioned in one of your posts (shady areas) is about medium and in some cases low. Pickpockets is more likely, so proceed with caution. That means no fanny packs, and don't dress as an obvious tourist (there is a difference between being a traveller and a tourist). Be very careful with backpacks and anything that hangs from your necks - they are like calling cards to pickpockets. When in Greece, my travelling companion and I were staying in a good hotel in the outskirts of the red-light districts (we had no idea when I booked). We were polite and respectful with the hookers and the pimps and they were really nice to us. While it's really not recommended, if you use caution and are polite and mind your own business, they will probably leave you alone. I realise I was very lucky in that respect.

While this may not apply to you, the men in your group might want to exercise caution when they go to a bar or pub (or being invited in by the owner). The scam is that they go in and sit and a beautiful woman will come in and chat them up. She may ask for a drink or order one herself. Eventually, they will get the bill which could amount to 90 euros presented by an unfriendly bouncer. What they can do is pay it up and go straight to the tourist police or tell them to call said police.

After all this rambling, when you are going? June? July? August? The time you go will change how much you have to budget and the wait time. If you have any questions on Central or Eastern Europe or anything, please don't hesitate - I'll be more than happy to help out.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[SummerStar]

After all this rambling, when you are going? June? July? August? The time you go will change how much you have to budget and the wait time. If you have any questions on Central Europe, please don't hesitate - I'll be more than happy to help out.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Will definitely keep you guys posted. Everything everyone has written has been really helpful so far! The two weeks thing isn't for certain...that's just the bare minimum amount of time we will be there. Hopefully it will be closer to 3 to 4 weeks. The dates we're going are flexible too, when is the cheapest to go? We all get done with school around the middle of May, and go back in the first couple of weeks in September...so any time during those months work.

 

[Firebrain]

If you can, avoid the last two weeks of July and all of August - school holidays mean everything is more expensive. Do May/June instead. It'll be quieter in the touristy places too.

 

[LeChatNoir]

For things to do in Germany, I'd really recommend seeing Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It's an old city that time forgot after the 30 Years War in the mid-1600s (until a WWII bombing rather devastated it, but it's been very tastefully rebuilt). Somewhat tourist-y, but if you stay there overnight, the tour buses leave in the evening, and then you have the place to yourself.

-LCN

 

[SumLightCat]

Well, your itinerary seems a bit ... hasty. Europe is a big place, and densely covered in things and places to see. From Greece, you get to the rest of Europe in one of three ways:

1) by train (or bus) across the Balkans, which lets you see Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia, Hungary or Croatia (depending on the direction you are heading) - Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey (Istanbul) are also relatively nearby. Go this way if you want: low prices, interesting sights, a close-up of areas affected by recent wars, strong drinks, something different. You will end up in either: Slovenia or Hungary if you go this way. Slovenia borders Italy (west) and Austria (north), while Hungary borders Austria (west) and Slovakia (north) ... and the Ukraine to the east, but you're probably not going there.

2) by ferry up the Adriatic and to Italy or Croatia - depends on which coast you pick. You can hit Italy in Bari, which is just across from Albania, and then train and bus your way up Italy, past Naples, Rome, Florence or Bologna, to places like Venice, Milano or Verona. The Cinque Terrae is cute, but very touristy and really nothing *that* special, especially for the price. On the Croatian coast you have the seaside towns of Dubrovnik (Ragusa), Split and Zadar, which are all nice to see - especially if you're with a ferry. In Venice you probably won't be swimming, because the lagoon is, ahem, revolting. By ferry and train you will probably end up in Italy, around Venice or Milano, the two main northern hubs. Milano for France and Switzerland, Venice for Austria and Slovenia.

3) by plane to just about anywhere.

From there you have to know what you are looking for. For castles, I can assure you the Czech republic, Slovakia and Poland have lots, and usually much cheaper than further West. But from experience I can also say that of the three, the Czech republic has the best beer, but Poland has better food and really friendly people and horribly expensive coffee (not very good either) ... but the pastries are good. And the north Polish coast is very beautiful too.

Not sure if I would go visit Switzerland ... it's a bit boring. I mean, mountains, villages ... if you want to go hiking, I guess ... and also very, very expensive.

France is huge, so is Germany, so is Poland ... so is Spain (Barcelona is beautiful, if thief-ridden). Portugal is pretty, the Basque country is fine ... when in Europe try to see some WW1 sites, e.g. in Flanders, and have a look at Hitler's defense network if you can - e.g. the French Atlantic coast. Awesome. Berlin is a wonderful city to visit as well. Amsterdam is fun. And pretty. The Cote d'Azure in southern France, Provence ... Vienna is a bit stuffy and quite expensive.

Hmm ... tell us more about what you want to see, easier to help with itineraries!

 

[Etoile]

You simply must see Turkey. If you're going to Greece, don't bother with Ephesus (which is visited through the port of Kusadasi), it's just more of the same. But definitely go to Istanbul...such an amazing city.

 

[wicked woman]

Your list of 5 countries for a 2 week trip is excessive unless you want to do a Tuesday it's Italy, Wednesday it's Switzerland type of trip. If you want that just sign up for a bus tour. There are all sorts of them.

I've done a lot of travelling and honestly I'd suggest for 2 weeks that you're better to limit your locations and really explore. I'd do one country maximum. You might want to push it to two adjoining countries. Do some research yourself. There are all sorts of travel guides and the internet has more info than you'll need. Decide on a country that interests all of you.

If you decide on Greece, I'll second Etiole's comment on Turkey. Turkey is my favourite of all the countries that I've visited. Took a 3 week tour of the western half of it, plus a couple of trips to Istanbul. Personally I enjoyed Ephesus (but I saw it in December when there were no crowds of tourists), but Istanbul is definitely worth a trip.

Have fun.

 

[shiny5437]

Have you ever heard of couch surfing? You sign up to a website and people, out of the goodness of their own hearts, let you stay at their house. Bit like school exchange but for grown-ups.

If you're staying with locals then they can point you in the direction of where to go plus take you off the tourist path so you can see the real bits of the country that you're visiting

It might be something to think about if you're brave.

www.couchsurfing.com

 

[Etoile]

If you decide on Greece, I'll second Etiole's comment on Turkey. Turkey is my favourite of all the countries that I've visited. Took a 3 week tour of the western half of it, plus a couple of trips to Istanbul. Personally I enjoyed Ephesus (but I saw it in December when there were no crowds of tourists), but Istanbul is definitely worth a trip

How funny, that's exactly what we did! Ours was a three-week trip of the western half as well. I bet we saw a lot of the same places. We went in March and April 2001. Had a wonderful time. The whole country was incredible - Ephesus, Istanbul, Cappadocia - I highly recommend it.

The only reason I advised against Ephesus is because it's ancient ruins, which is pretty much what you have in Greece as well. But by all means see as much as you can!

I hope to go back and see the eastern half someday.

 

[wicked woman]

How funny, that's exactly what we did! Ours was a three-week trip of the western half as well. I bet we saw a lot of the same places. We went in March and April 2001. Had a wonderful time. The whole country was incredible - Ephesus, Istanbul, Cappadocia - I highly recommend it.

The only reason I advised against Ephesus is because it's ancient ruins, which is pretty much what you have in Greece as well. But by all means see as much as you can!

I hope to go back and see the eastern half someday.

ah you went before 911; my first trip was that fall. Yes sounds like a similar trip. I loved it too. I see your point about Ephesus and Greece now.

Agree about wanting to see the eastern half as well. Less touristy but still magnificent, I'm hoping.