i am setting aside 9 days to travel to/from europe towards the end of april '07. that includes travel time from nyc. my budget is under $2000 for the entire week (airfare, lodging, etc).
without proper knowledge,
i can't decide between a trip to
PRAGUE
OR
BARCELONA/SOUTH OF FRANCE
OR
ITALY (cinque terre, rome, florence, venice...maybe not cinque terre specifically but i wanted to spend my 30th birthday on a cliffside/seaside town on the mediterranean)
after i arrive at my destination i plan on taking trains to explore the other locations.
any advice out there?
30 in europe
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Hiya... oh to be 29 again, and anticipating the delights of an upcoming 30th. Given your interest in spending your birthday in a Mediterranean coastal location, I'd cut Prague out of the list. Bohemia has never been great on coastlines. As a city to visit (particularly for Europe first-timers) Barcelona is hard to rival. From there it is just an easy hop to the coastal community of Collioure on the French coast (just north of Spanish border) which might be a very fine place for a birthday celebration. It has none of the dowdy undertow of the Riviera resorts, but is a hip and lively spot. A stunning old town. Late April is one of the loveliest times of year in that part of France. I fear that if you pursue your Italian option, and go to Cinque Terre, you may find yourself surrounded only by other tourists. Collioure, on th other hand (and the commnities around it), retain heaps of local colour and culture. Hope these few thoughts help.
Nicky
editor / hidden europe magazine
www.hiddeneurope.co.uk
Hi Travelbug! I'll also be turning 30 in Europe. I created my screen name when I thought the big event would happen in Venice - instead it will be Paris. No complaints here!
Venice would be my pick - not that I'm biased of course! It does tend to be expensive though. Prague could be a good bet for beauty without breaking the bank.
Happy planning
The South of France would be my pick, specifically home base in Nice.
That's HOT!! 
The weather should be comfortable, with great variety of sightseeing activities. Nice has excellent train connections to wonderful day trips within the region. Delta has a non-stop JFK-Nice which I believe is one of the few remaining European routes reasonably priced for April travel. You can rent an apartment/studio, which should help in saving by preparing your own meals (although many restaurants in Nice are fabulous!).
To welcome your 30's in the French Riviera!!
P.S. The best is yet to come!!!