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A couple of friends and I are planning to spend a week to ten days in one city in Europe. We decided this was better than jumping from city to city for two reasons: (1) we want to get to know one place really well rather than do the tourist thing in a bunch of them; and (2) we're college students with a not unlimited budget.
We've all been to England, Scotland, and Ireland, so we're looking for something different. We'd like a place with a little bit of history, a little bit of culture, and a little bit of nightlife. Right now the three front-runners are Paris, Barcelona, and Rome.
Where have you been? What do you like? Where would you stay away from?
And if you have awful, inspiring, or ridiculous travel stories, this would probably be a good place to put them.
Posts: 866 | Registered: Aug 2005
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I've never been to Europe (the closest I've come being England and Wales), but I wholeheartedly approve of your decision to go to one place and stay there--that's how I like to travel as well. I like to stay in a place long enough to get a feel for the pulse of daily life there. I don't know if you can really do that in 7 to 10 days, but you can get a start on it.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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We did the tourist thing, spending a few days each in Amsterdam, Brugge, Paris, Florence, Rome, Venice, and the Munich area (not actually the city). My favorite cities were those in Italy, but that was largely a factor of the better weather while we were there. Of the tree cities in Italy, I like Florence the best. We spent three days there, saw several museums, some performances and cultural events, and generally had a good time. Regardless of which city you choose, I'm sure you'll have a good time.
Looking back the things that made the biggest impression on me weren't the museums or walking tours or cultural events, it was sitting by the banks of the Seine, eating pizza from a sidewalk vendor. Or hiking in the foothills of the Alps and coming across a spring-time training for ski jumpers. Or sitting outside the Sacre Coeur cathedral as the sun set over Paris. Or "Mad Max," a crazy Italian who sold me a leather chess set at the open air leather market in Florence. Those slice of life moments are what vacations are all about (at least for me).
Posts: 2926 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I've been all over England, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I also went to Cannes and Nice in France. And Copenhagen, and Oslo, and a city in Sweden.
Oslo is by far my favorite. It's amazing. It's absolutely gorgeous. Cannes is also pretty, and it was a lot of fun, but that's probably mostly because I was there for a music industry conference and got to play rockstar for a week. The nightlife was pretty great. Then again, how can it not be great when you kick off the week by going to a party that everyone neglected to tell you was red carpet? But Cannes is also expensive, if you want to stay in a hotel with hot water and electricity round the clock.
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I've been to Paris, London, Rome, and Venice. I really loved Venice, but I only stayed there a couple days. I probably wouldn't recommend it for 10 days. Rome was nice ... it would almost be worth it simply for the gelati. 10 days of gelati ... heaven on earth. The museum passes there are a pretty good deal. And if you're the type of person who gets a kick out of walking the same streets that Julius Caesar walked, etc etc, Rome is wonderful. I have to say though, out of my limited experience and personal tastes, I would recommend Paris. For the amount of time you're looking to spend, Paris seems to fit. Eating lunch on the Champ de Mars, watching the sun set from the Eiffel Tower, walking the Champ Elysees at night, reading "A Tale of Two Cities" in the Tuilleries ... I was able to be a tourist and see all the sights, but at the same time really enjoy myself and relax and just have a good time. Of course, I just remembered, this was before all the domestic troubles over there ... but still out of the four I've been to, I would recommend Paris.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I must admit to having only been to Rome, but it woulds still be my recomandation. It is totaly unlike London or Edinburough, although they are wonderful to. Rome has a life to it that, in my experience makes it seem closer to Vancouver, yeah, imagine Vancouver, only built largely in the sixteenth century with parts dating back to the third century B.C. and a Bernini every thousand paces.
Athens is good for three days, Rhodes for one, KusadasI for another day. Have fun.
Posts: 1332 | Registered: Apr 2005
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My favorite city is London, but I guess that's already been crossed off this list. I've been to all three of your top choices, and while I loved all of them, my order of personal preference would be:
1) Paris - I'd actually be willing to move there, so I'm rather biased. My favorites were the architecture (especially the Garnier Opera and the Pantheon), the art museums, the bread and pastries, and feeding sparrows by hand next to Notre Dame. And it was fun to realize how much of my high school French I still remembered. I still haven't gotten to see the catacombs there, or Pere Lachaise, but they're on my list for next time. (I'm not really morbid, but old cemeteries fascinate me.)
2) Rome - A very close second, maybe even a tie. The Vatican is incredible, the gelato even moreso (I had it at least twice a day while I was there, usually more), the Forum and the Coliseum are just awe-inspiring. The extent of its history is amazing, and if you wanted a break from Rome, then Florence and Naples, etc, are just a few hours (cheap) train ride away. I think Rome also has some cool catacombs that I haven't seen yet.
3) Barcelona - Not very far behind the other two. The Gaudi buildings and Parc Guell are awesome, and the city has a really cool vibe, but I don't know if I could spend 10 days there. Then again, I was only there for 3 days, and I know a lot more about Paris and Rome than I do about Barcelona. I was fascinated by the signs in Catalan - to me, they looked like Spanish words with French punctuation. Barcelona's also a bit cheaper than Paris/Rome, or at least it was 4 years ago.
Another place I might recommend are one of the Greek islands, but I'm not sure which...Crete would probably be good for a full week. I've only been to Athens, which is good for a weekend, but not for much longer than that. Croatia is also really high on my European to-go list, as are Prague, Budapest, and Istanbul/Turkey. (Okay, it's not quite in Europe, but it's close!) And I'd love to go to Berlin or Munich too, amongst myriad other places.
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That was two years ago, so pre-bird flu. But yeah, probably not a good idea now. But it's such a cool memory!
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I've always wanted to spend time on Kos, but that's more for reasons of archaeological interest than because of anything that most people would consider worth spending a vacation doing. Looks like it has become a popular tourist destination, though, so there must be stuff to do beyond cheking out the ruins of the Asklepion.
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When we were at Stonehenge a bird swooped down and grabbed a bite of my scone as I was lifting it to my mouth. Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I agree with those who suggested Rome and Paris, there is plenty to see and do in each of those cities to keep you busy for 10 days.
I liked Florence and Pisa alot as well (Pisa was awe inspiring to me) but I think with those you'd have to do a region thing, the train system is fantastic for that. It's been a long time since I was there but we saw what we were wanting to see in one place and then took the train during the night to the next place. Somthing like that might really work out well too if you decided that you wanted to cover more of a region.
I only spent a day or two in Geneva, Switzerland when I was there but it was an interesting place. I also really enjoyed Nice (Southern France on the Mediterranean Sea).
How fun for you. Be sure to let us know what you decide to do.
Edit to remove about 6 "as well"s Posts: 697 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I was once attacked by a moorhen. I had to fight it off with a book.
But I wouldn't have thought that bird flu would be much of an issue. The odds of catching it from a random French sparrow are pretty tiny at the moment.
Posts: 1528 | Registered: Nov 2004
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My personal favourite was Galway. But since you want somewhere else - I'd go either with Florence, Venice or Prague.
I would avoid Rome at all costs, it's sultry, crammed with people on the streets during summer and transportation there is an absolute nightmare. I will never enter the underground system there again, unless it's renevated, has more and larger carriages or if the population decreases to roughly 1M. Trams are also rather annoying, and I did not enjoy the few days I spent there; luckily I didn't have 10 there.
Venice I was at for a few hours, don't know about much more than that. You'd know better than me what to visit, too.
Florence is a beautiful place I spent - at times - almost two weeks there. I prefer Florence to Rome (a) because it's not so crammed with people; (b) because the weather was far nicer to me when I was there, and I was there several times; (c) because the artwork's just as good and (d) because it's not such a huge place, and you really feel in the centre of the city that you're living half in the 21st century and half in the 16th. You probably know better than me what there's in Florence to see.
Prague will be tough if you don't have anyone with you who knows a slavic language, Czech well-recommended; you will have difficulty with English, but you can manage. Again, I was there about 5 years ago the last time, so it might've changed, but back then prices were ridiculously cheap and the city was absolutely gorgeous. I would recommend visiting the Hrad, the palace of Troja up north (take the red Metro line, line "A" I think, up to the northernmost station, and ask for the palace location, I don't know if they have tours in English, though), Petřin (large park near the Hrad), Stromovka (forest near Troja), and the area inbetween the Metro stations of Naměsti Republiki and Karlovo Naměsti on line "B".
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Other, smaller places in Italy I would recommend are Impruneta (near Florence); Perugia (in Umbria - gorgeous place); Paestum (south of Salerno) - and taking a trip one day by car along the amalfi coast, travelling north to Salerno, then Amalfi, Positano and finally Sorrento, then going back, the best of Campagna; perhaps something on the Adriatic, though I've only been as far as Montelago (in Le Marche); and, obviously, Como up in the north.
Hope this helps, Jonny
[ April 17, 2006, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Jonathan Howard ]
Posts: 2978 | Registered: Oct 2004
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Am I the only person who fell in love with Budapest?
I stayed there for 10 days and wasn't bored a second: cultural sites, great restaurants and bars, less touristy, and awesome cafes. Oh yeah--it's really cheap and Vienna is only 4 hours away!
Posts: 484 | Registered: Feb 2006
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Prague and Budapest have been highly recommended by many people, so I'm looking into both now. Keep the suggestions coming! I really appreciate the detailed responses. I knew I could count on Hatrackers. I mean, I've read travel guides and done some research, but it's not the same as hearing about actual experiences people have had.
pH, when are you going? Mid-August by chance?
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I have never been there, but a friend I have highly recommends Prague. He stated going there for 3 weeks a year a few years ago (two to stay in Prague, one to move about a bit) and loves it.
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Celaeno, I'm going sometime between when I finish undergrad and when I start grad school. So July 18-August 26. It'll probably be early to mid August because it's dependent upon when my boyfriend can get a week off work, and I think they're going to be really busy through July. He's supposed to request a specific week by the end of the month, so I'm praying that it all works out.
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My favorites: Luzern, Swizterland; Como, Italy; Aosta, Italy. Aosta is where my husband and I plan on planting ourselves next European vacation. I'd also like to go spend more time in Florence. We definitely needed more time there and in Milan. Oh, and Cinque Terre is a very cool area. I was sickish when we were there, but we were told by many Europeans along our journey that it was their favorite. You get to hike and explore the "five lands" all in one region.
Posts: 161 | Registered: Jul 2002
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I spent 12 days traveling in Italy a few summers ago. I loved Florence. Venice was okay, but I think it would get boring very quickly. My favorite city, though, (and I've travelled a bit around the rest of Europe as well) is, by far, Rome. It's got history, it's got art, it's got great food (gelato is the best stuff in the world). It's got a pretty exciting night life. I just love it there. Definitely my recommendation.
Posts: 340 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Why bother with Rome when you can to a real ancient city like Athens?
History? Check. Don't really need to explain that one.
Culture? Check. With the Olympics a couple years ago, there was a boom in promoting modern Greek culture, so Athens is definitely the hotspot for anything current. Also, the shopping on Ermou (Street) is quite exciting.
Nightlife? Oh, that's a big check. From the relaxed bars and tavernas where you can look out at night to see the Acropolis all lit up to the crazy clubs that don't really get going until 3 am, there's something for everyone.
And... if you get bored, Piraeus (the port) is only a cheap train-ride away. From there, the Greek isles are another fairly cheap ride. And lots of crazy stuff goes down on the islands...
Conclusion: Go to Athens! You'll love it, I promise. And the pistachios on Aegina (an island just off the coast of Athens) are second to none.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Skip Pisa. The tower is pretty much the only thing there. Florence and Rome are gorgeous (as is the food - I could live there just for the food. I'd be huge and happy.). And I like Granada, although I'm not sure how good the nightlife is - we just sat around in bars and drank sangria. The Alhambra is amazing.
I'd pick Paris, though, especially if you've never been. It's just indescribably wonderful.
Posts: 1528 | Registered: Nov 2004
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DO NOT spend the whole Ten Days in Barcelona. I spent half a summer there (admittedly longer). And there just isn't enough to occupy you there for more than 3 days.
The other thing is that during the summer, barcelona shops and bussinesses shut their doors, and many are closed for a month or more, so the city is half closed all the time.
DON'T go there for the whole ten days, you'd get bored.
Edit: if you hadn't been to london I would recommend it to you- because it is HUGE on things to do, especially if your into museums and concerts like me, as well as theatre, bars, and whatever you want.
Also think about amsterdam as a possibility, you could easily enjoy ten days there... and its NOT all about the pot, the city is great for museums and music, walking, nightlife, etc. I would personally do 5 days in Paris and 5 in Amsterdam, or all 10 in london.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Go to Paris. If you've got ten days and you are going to spend it all in one European city and you've never been to Paris, then Paris is simply the most obvious choice. You could spent a month in Paris and not get bored. Museums, restaurants, night life, monuments, parks.
Amsterdam and Prague are lovely. Vienna's a fascinating city. Munich is worth the visit. But if you want to spend 10 days in one spot, Paris is simply the place to do it.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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If you're on a limited budget, don't overlook the possibilities of Tirana. All the Mediterranean beauty of Greece or Italy, but you can literally live like a king there for about $50/day or less. There's tons of history, it's less than an hour from Durres, if you want to lay out on the beach, or Kruje, if you want to see the rolling hills and castles, and if you want to get a little further out of town, Saranda is gorgeous and fascinating. And it's totally unique.
Posts: 563 | Registered: Feb 2006
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Btw, if no one has recommended it to you or if you don't know about it, get Rick Steves book. Can't remember the exact name right now, but its a must have.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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You could do worse than spend your time in the Czech Republich. Prague is just fantastic (don't get hussled by Kammeny Most, a floating Irish pub with lot of hidden charges) and once you've seen all that you want in the city, there's a of great day-tripping to do.
Kutna Hora is a must-see, about 70kms west of Prague. A town with some great architecture and history, but the Kostnice Ossuary (where thousands of human skeletons have been turned into wall-art) is not to be missed. You could take a trip to Cesky Krumlov, which is apparently insanely beautiful - and you'd pass through the region famous for Budweiser when you do.
There's plenty of historic villages around the Czech Republic and you could easily soak up ten days doing it.
My partner and I stayed in the old town right next to Charles Brigde in a place called "Bishop's House" - fantastic.
Although with 10 days, you could spend about 6 or 7 in and around the Czech Republic and 3 in Budapest. You can see a lot there in three days.
Posts: 2245 | Registered: Nov 1998
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As for London, Orincoro...before we meet up, I'll spend a few days in London by myself. I briefly visited, but my trip was cut short by the bombings.
I'm dissapointed that you didn't feel safe there. I was there during the bombings taking classes, and we all stayed. I felt completely safe after that first day, and I stayed in London for another 3 weeks, then came back once more for a week at the end of the summer. You can easily occupy yourself in London for a month, so a few days will either be boring, or really exciting. Problem I always felt was that the people who go for 2 days see nothing but other tourists and the typical overated stuff. On the other hand you could spend 10 days packed full of interesting experiences, but most tourists aren't really willing to venture beyond the typical offerings. I was disgusted at how some of my fellow international students "ran out" of things to do. As if that were possible. It's not!
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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As far as where to go, I'd definitely say Paris or Rome. You can spend a week in the Louvre easily (the complex is a mile long,) and another weekend in the Musee D'Orsay (where the impressionist paintings live).
Rome, however, was my absolute favorite city, followed closely by Munich (but that was because of the beer) Rome is absolutely fantastic. You can't spit without hitting Roman ruins or a church/building that Michelangelo had something to do with. And, the Sistine Chapel is the most gorgeous building I've ever been in, more impressive than St. Peter's, I think.
If you do go though, brush up on your Italian. They're very accomodating when it comes to speaking English, but they LOVE Americans who can speak passable Italian.
As far as the French go, make an effort to speak French and they'll be fine with you, though it might be worth learning how to say "I'm a Canadian" just in case.
Posts: 681 | Registered: Feb 2004
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The Italians love Americans who speak Italian, but the Spanish will look at you like you just took a wiz on the sidewalk. Why is that?
I speak very good Spanish for an American, and it was the wierdest experience of my life in Barcelona trying to explain that I really didn't need the waiter/shop-keep/cashier to speak to me in English, since my Spanish was far better. It never worked because they would only listen to my English, which they couldn't understand... very strange people.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I pretty much never try to speak Spanish to Spanish-speakers. I use my powers mostly to discern what men are saying about me in a language they don't think I can understand.
Otherwise, I try to be very polite, but I don't try to speak the language of the country I'm in because I don't want to butcher it and offend people.
I never had any trouble not speaking French in France, but I was also mostly in Cannes. I met some guys from Paris while I was there, and they tried to have a threesome with me, and thus, I am terrified of Paris now.
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Orincoro, I felt safe, but it wasn't my call. (In fact, we felt so safe that we took the tube to the Imperial War Museum the next morning before we headed out. It was eerily deserted.) We were in a group and the director decided we'd be safer at our next destination. It only cut our trip short by two days, so it could've been worse.
pH, I am real. I met KetchupPrinceConsort. That counts, right?
And yeah, I'm leaning toward Paris or Rome right now. The three of us are meeting on Thursday to figure it out. I'll let you know what it'll be and maybe those of you who have been there could give me suggestions of what the must-sees in the city are. (I'm totally using all of you.)
Posts: 866 | Registered: Aug 2005
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You see, in France, all I had to do was try and say "bonjour" and then they'd look at me funny and say in English, "Are you American?" and then they would try vainly to correct my pronunciation.
Generally, I just found people were more rude if I didn't try.
Posts: 681 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thinking about it, I am real...sort of. I've met MacKillian and I know T_Smith, but I knew him before either of us had even heard of Hatrack, does that count?
Posts: 681 | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by pH: Everyone was really nice to me even though I didn't try. Actually, in every country I've been to, everyone's been pretty nice to me.
-pH
Well I know one lurker in real life... ok that doesn't count. Look there's only 10,000 people registered, so even if all were in the U.S. that would be only 200 people per state right? California is a very big state.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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And it was fun to realize how much of my high school French I still remembered. I still haven't gotten to see the catacombs there, or Pere Lachaise, but they're on my list for next time. (I'm not really morbid, but old cemeteries fascinate me.)![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
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But it's such a cool memory!
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