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Baltic Seas, Estonia, Vienna, Berlin, Zurich, San Sebastián, Porto, Lisbon

Baltic Seas, Estonia, Vienna, Berlin, Zurich, San Sebastián, Porto, Lisbon

Old Jan 5th, 2014, 05:56 PM
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Baltic Seas, Estonia, Vienna, Berlin, Zurich, San Sebastián, Porto, Lisbon

I have a very bad habit of returning to the same paces too often. So September 2014 is my chance to catch up on places that I've never been to. I've got three weeks and a decent budget to work with so I would appreciate any and help you can give me as to how to plan my trip. I'm open to trains or planes but I have to admit a fondness for trains. I like smaller hotels and, just like everyone else, local restaurants.

I only want to go to cities and I don't need to spend more than two or three days in each, in some one full day would be fine with me.

I know that spending short a short time in some of the places is heresy but I will return to my favorite spots in the near future.

Thank you.
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Old Jan 5th, 2014, 06:04 PM
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Zurich is a sleep clinic
San Sebastian has the best food in Spain. You can walk the city in a day.
Vienna is imperious but has many interesting sights.
Oporto is near many beautiful towns.
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Old Jan 5th, 2014, 06:06 PM
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Wow, you are fast. Thanks.
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Old Jan 5th, 2014, 06:07 PM
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You have three weeks and want to hit places from Estonia all the way to Portugal/ Even only wanting a few days in each place, that is a lot of territory to cover - a lot of time will be spent in airports and on trains.
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Old Jan 7th, 2014, 09:48 AM
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Since it appears you have no real interest or knowledge of the places you've mentioned, get out a map of the world, hang it on your wall and throw a few darts. Most are bound to land somewhere you haven't been before.
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Old Jan 7th, 2014, 01:37 PM
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Well OP has precisely defined the type of travel he/she wants to do and understands that a torrent of criticism will follow but I for one say so what - ignore the naysayers and impertinent comments IMO and go for it and I have done several such trips and to me they were exciting and here is a possible scenario:

I'm open to trains or planes but I have to admit a fondness for trains>

Austria , Estonia , Germany , Portugal , Spain , Switzerland>

Ok your preference for travel is to travel and I like that too - staying in one place for several days has its pluses but so does sitting on a train IME and watching Europe roll by - now that to some folks is downright a waste of time and boring but like me you may love that.

Trains are also a great way to meet and talk with Europeans - mixing with the locals.

So a possible scenario would be of course to fly into Estonia (or Helsinki just a short ferry ride away) and work your way thru northern Germany to Berlin to Munich to Switzerland and then via French TGVs go to Barcelona - Madrid - Lisbon.

Use many overnight trains to save time and cover large swaths of ground and even save on the cost of a hotel though on your budget you could go in style with a private compartment, some even with a shower and WC in them.

A three-week straight - 21 day Global Eurailpass is a no brainer for this type of travel - it's first class and in all your countries except Spain and France you can just hop on any ole train anytime and in first class always IME find empty seats.

For lots of good stuff for planning such a rail trip I always highlight these IMO fine sources: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com.
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