2 Month Solo Trip through Europe
Sep 18th, 2016, 11:20 PM
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2 Month Solo Trip through Europe
so I have around 5000 saved up for a solo trip to Europe... I'm hoping I can be there for 8 weeks! I'm looking to go to Germany, France, Greece, Slovokia, London, and Ireland. Looking for any and all advice... planning to be backpacking through most of the countries. Also would love some comments from solo travelers and their experiences!!!
Sep 18th, 2016, 11:57 PM
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5000 what? Dollars? Which dollars: US, Australian? Euros? Pounds?
What time of year?
What interests you?
Your request is so vague as to be not answerable. You need to hit the guidebooks and internet sites. No one can make any reasonable guesses given the paucity of information you've provided.
You've got 6 countries listed in 8 weeks' time. All of them very, very different, with loads to see and do. Get busy with the research.
What time of year?
What interests you?
Your request is so vague as to be not answerable. You need to hit the guidebooks and internet sites. No one can make any reasonable guesses given the paucity of information you've provided.
You've got 6 countries listed in 8 weeks' time. All of them very, very different, with loads to see and do. Get busy with the research.
Sep 19th, 2016, 12:24 AM
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As some negative poster said not long ago, we are all old people her. With no imagination and no recollection of our younger days. As for me I've never been young, so...
Better for you to go to forums like Lonely Planet for such questions.
But they will ask the same : how many what, your interest and whether you already have opened a paper guide or looked at a map of Europe.
And yes, I do hope you have 5000 pounds instead of 5000 yuans. It can make some difference. And does it include airtickets (from where ?) and do you speak some of the languages ?
Have a nice trip - a trip like that must be organized.
Better for you to go to forums like Lonely Planet for such questions.
But they will ask the same : how many what, your interest and whether you already have opened a paper guide or looked at a map of Europe.
And yes, I do hope you have 5000 pounds instead of 5000 yuans. It can make some difference. And does it include airtickets (from where ?) and do you speak some of the languages ?
Have a nice trip - a trip like that must be organized.
Sep 19th, 2016, 02:01 AM
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Nope Spark. You are reasonably polite ;-)
You also have a good sense of humor.
I'm referring for somebody living in the dark side of the moon. Albeit I've seen recently 1-2 posts that could be interpreted as positive !
You also have a good sense of humor.
I'm referring for somebody living in the dark side of the moon. Albeit I've seen recently 1-2 posts that could be interpreted as positive !
Sep 19th, 2016, 04:16 AM
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Will I'm more the age of parents, not grandparents, but you do need to realize that we are not mind readers. Obviously you have alo of things in mind but we have no clue.
So, as a basic, where are you from?
What currency is your budget. Does it include airfare and have you found a good one (or you could spend more than 20% of your money just getting to europe.
What time of year are you going?
What are your interests? Which places are must sees for you? Do we assume you have no experience traveling abroad.
Agree to look at the Let's Go Student Guide for info on super budget travel, as well as online resources for the places that interest you most.
For perspective, our younger daughter, 19, went for about 8 weeks 2 summers ago and she/her friend did 6 major cities (not countries) and she spend about $8,000, not including transatlantic airfare but including train between cities. They felt that they would have liked more time in several places. And between them they could manage French and tourist Spanish and German.
They did not stay in hostels (which would be a saving) but in modest hotels in order to get guaranteed AC in the summer. This included only the most modest shopping (local guides from sights, etc) and only student nightlife (wine or beer in casual places - not hard liquor which tends to be very expensive). But she and her friends did in-depth planning for a couple of months before hand, including reserving hotels and some trains and they all had access to significantly more fund if needed via credit cards and debit cards.
So, as a basic, where are you from?
What currency is your budget. Does it include airfare and have you found a good one (or you could spend more than 20% of your money just getting to europe.
What time of year are you going?
What are your interests? Which places are must sees for you? Do we assume you have no experience traveling abroad.
Agree to look at the Let's Go Student Guide for info on super budget travel, as well as online resources for the places that interest you most.
For perspective, our younger daughter, 19, went for about 8 weeks 2 summers ago and she/her friend did 6 major cities (not countries) and she spend about $8,000, not including transatlantic airfare but including train between cities. They felt that they would have liked more time in several places. And between them they could manage French and tourist Spanish and German.
They did not stay in hostels (which would be a saving) but in modest hotels in order to get guaranteed AC in the summer. This included only the most modest shopping (local guides from sights, etc) and only student nightlife (wine or beer in casual places - not hard liquor which tends to be very expensive). But she and her friends did in-depth planning for a couple of months before hand, including reserving hotels and some trains and they all had access to significantly more fund if needed via credit cards and debit cards.
Sep 19th, 2016, 08:18 AM
#9
Ok, my penny worth
1) Come in May, June and early July.
2) Go south first as it gets hot in the south
3) Book flights and trains early to get the best deals
4) Go veggie to save a fortune and drink what the locals do, looking for American Beer in Slovakia will cost a fortune and be lousy anyway
5) Don't bring lots, use washing machines and buy in charity shops if you need new stuff, it evens the load with your budget which I'm going to guess is US dollars (as others would say if not).
6) Don't bring loads of electronic toys, just a phone. Rest of the time you'll find talking to people is great. Hostels, and it is worth splurging on good ones, get by by offering loads of info on what is on. Use them.
Looking at your list you have Slovakia in the pot, an odd one so why? Do you have family? Is there a logically good time to visit?
read up seat61.com on trains, the best site to understand it all
1) Come in May, June and early July.
2) Go south first as it gets hot in the south
3) Book flights and trains early to get the best deals
4) Go veggie to save a fortune and drink what the locals do, looking for American Beer in Slovakia will cost a fortune and be lousy anyway
5) Don't bring lots, use washing machines and buy in charity shops if you need new stuff, it evens the load with your budget which I'm going to guess is US dollars (as others would say if not).
6) Don't bring loads of electronic toys, just a phone. Rest of the time you'll find talking to people is great. Hostels, and it is worth splurging on good ones, get by by offering loads of info on what is on. Use them.
Looking at your list you have Slovakia in the pot, an odd one so why? Do you have family? Is there a logically good time to visit?
read up seat61.com on trains, the best site to understand it all
Sep 19th, 2016, 08:38 AM
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I too am old so can't help with hostel-type things. And I'd second the suggestion for good phone pre-planning. As technology has evolved, we encountered fewer and fewer internet cafés. That being said, I did find a coffee shop in Paris that rented a computer! Something else to pre-google?
My info is older but Eurail Pass is more expensive than buying train tickets at the stations. My DH (dear husband) and I often bought our tickets for the NEXT destination when we first arrived at any given base. That way, we were ahead of the game if there was some holiday that might make things crowded (like Easter). Of course, we know the exact date we were leaving so make sure you know how far in advance you can purchase an open train ticket. Remember to validate it when you do travel.
Fly into the most distant country and fly home from the closest if that is possible.
My best advice is to read, read, read about the places that interest you. Come back here with specifics about any towns that call out to you. If you don't have a lot of travel experience, I think Rick Steves has some good info about the logistics of getting into towns by train or car.
Please report back and so much good luck!
My info is older but Eurail Pass is more expensive than buying train tickets at the stations. My DH (dear husband) and I often bought our tickets for the NEXT destination when we first arrived at any given base. That way, we were ahead of the game if there was some holiday that might make things crowded (like Easter). Of course, we know the exact date we were leaving so make sure you know how far in advance you can purchase an open train ticket. Remember to validate it when you do travel.
Fly into the most distant country and fly home from the closest if that is possible.
My best advice is to read, read, read about the places that interest you. Come back here with specifics about any towns that call out to you. If you don't have a lot of travel experience, I think Rick Steves has some good info about the logistics of getting into towns by train or car.
Please report back and so much good luck!
Sep 19th, 2016, 10:05 AM
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Some great sites for planning a rail trip - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - check their free online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of sample itineraries by rail all over Europe.
And do not dismiss a railpass out of hand as some here do- full fare tickets at stations cost a lot of money and if taking several long-distance trains as likely in 8 weeks a Eurailpass may well be a great deal.
And do not dismiss a railpass out of hand as some here do- full fare tickets at stations cost a lot of money and if taking several long-distance trains as likely in 8 weeks a Eurailpass may well be a great deal.
Sep 19th, 2016, 11:31 AM
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My info is older but Eurail Pass is more expensive than buying train tickets at the stations. My DH (dear husband) and I often bought our tickets for the NEXT destination when we first arrived at any given base>
But things have changed - whereas once tickets were a fairly flat fee now there are many discounts available much cheaper than walk-up fares - and indeed now anyone taking several longish trains rides and wanting flexibility to take what trains they want once there will often find a railpass of some kind a good deal.
What once was true now is the opposite it seems.
But things have changed - whereas once tickets were a fairly flat fee now there are many discounts available much cheaper than walk-up fares - and indeed now anyone taking several longish trains rides and wanting flexibility to take what trains they want once there will often find a railpass of some kind a good deal.
What once was true now is the opposite it seems.
Sep 19th, 2016, 12:57 PM
#13
Let's say your budget is $5,000 USD. Let's subtract $1,500 for your plane ticket. Take the remainder of $3,500 and divide it by 60 (how many days in 2 months).
That leaves you $58 USD per day to pay for a place to stay, transportation between countries and cities, food, admissions, etc.
That is not enough $$$.
If you make your trip only 1 month and cut down the list of places you are trying to visit, you could make it work. That would give you $116/day. Which is not living the high life, but could get you a bed in a hostel, train tickets between places, modest food and entertainment budget.
That leaves you $58 USD per day to pay for a place to stay, transportation between countries and cities, food, admissions, etc.
That is not enough $$$.
If you make your trip only 1 month and cut down the list of places you are trying to visit, you could make it work. That would give you $116/day. Which is not living the high life, but could get you a bed in a hostel, train tickets between places, modest food and entertainment budget.
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