First Solo Adventure

Old Sep 19th, 2017, 04:00 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
First Solo Adventure

Hey there,
I am a 20-something planning a solo trip to Europe well in advance and I'm going to stay in hostels.
I've been to Rome, Tuscany, Lucca, Florence, Venice, Giverny, and Paris and I am very comfortable with public transport.
I love to learn about new cultures, I love architecture, I'm a huge foodie, and I'm interested in meeting new people. My goal is to have an adventure on my own. The trip is going to be about 18 - 21 days and I really don't want to cram everything in all at once which is why I want 4 - 5 destinations at most.
I do want to go to places that have good transportation systems because I'm not going to rent a car.. I'm up for a few of museums but I'd really like to just get immersed in the city and its locals.
One thing I'm looking forward to is visiting a few castles and going out more at night since my last trip was with my mom.
I definitely want to go to Berlin and Amsterdam and London.
Some other cities I've been thinking about are
Copenhagen, Denmark
Porto, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal
Madrid, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria
Dublin, Ireland
Nice, France

I'm just looking for some ideas either on the 1 - 2 cities to add, amazing things to see in any of these cities, and/or the three cities I've already decided on. Like I said I'm comfortable with public transport and I also have common sense. So anything helpful would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Darlinstein is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2017, 04:03 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,822
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
what's your budget per day? how many days do you want to spend in your "compulsory" cities?
menachem is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2017, 07:38 PM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Budget and time spent in each city depends on how many places I go/how many days I stay. Since I'm just beginning to plan my trip I'm really looking for ideas of places to go and which cities are recommended for what I'm looking for instead of breaking down my finances.
Darlinstein is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2017, 08:05 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All of your proposed destinations are huge cities.

Have you considered limiting your trip to one region with a few cities and some smaller places in between? You're young - surely you will have more trips in your future and don't need to go to all of these places on your first solo trip?

You seem very interested in Spain and Portugal (which I've not visited yet myself). How about a trip to either or both of those countries, with stops in between in smaller places?
Andrew is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2017, 08:23 PM
  #5  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All of the places you mention are, IMO, well worth seeing, but with the interests you mention, I would think Barcelona would provide a very interesting compliment to the other cities you plan to visit – and I would think you would want to limit yourself to JUST those 4 cities, as each has an incredible wealth of options.
kja is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2017, 10:30 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,822
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Darlinstein, do you expect us to google for you?
menachem is offline  
Old Sep 19th, 2017, 10:55 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,585
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No trip to Bruxelles or gent or Brugge ?
Whathello is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 05:14 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Copenhagen, Denmark--I was there last year and loved it. Went in May so sun did not set, sky at night just dusky, so really extended my day. Weather was fabulous so lots of walking, cafes, bike riding. Great young town.
Porto, Portugal-there about 5 years ago, Delightful and very friendly. Quaint, would go if going to Lisbon.
Lisbon, Portugal--we loved the city, elevators, trams, hills, history, vibrant.
Madrid, Spain--many years since we were there, lots to see but a big ,cosmopolitan city with the Prado.
Barcelona, Spain--made about 3 visits and we felt walkable, loved La Rambla, history, buildings and ability to stroll.
Budapest, Hungary--will be there on Oct 5 and can't wait.
Vienna, Austria--be there on Oct 3. Very Baroque, gold and white, walkable and very royal. Loved the Lipizzaners and going to do the Danube this time around.
Dublin, Ireland--very young, student town, walkable, great museums and library. Malahide Castle, outside the city was extraordinary.
Nice, France--loved the antique market, walkable, nice buildings and access to smaller towns. Seems out of the way from the rest of your journey.
jan47ete is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 05:37 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If under 28 look at various Eurail Youthpasses - especially if traveling several longer journeys - anyway for lots on trains and planning the rail portion check www.budgeteuropetravel.com (especially online European Rail & Planning Guide); www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

There are zillions of hostels and more convivial youth hotels - Let's Go Europe guidebook would be a valuable resource for clues on these and other things for young travelers (https://www.letsgo.com/).
PalenQ is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 06:21 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
also look at overnight trains that let you cover long distances at night - saves cost of a night in a hostel - like going between several German cities and Italy.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 06:23 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
>

Go googling. Your interests are extremely broad and no different than most other people who go to Europe - architecture, culture, food, etc. If you can't be more specific, you're best off helping yourself - we're here volunteering our time to help, none of us get paid for advice here.

And you're not going to be "immersed" with 4-day stays. That's dip-a-toe-in-the-pool level.
BigRuss is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 06:49 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have been googling which is how I narrowed it down - thanks - looking for personal experiences and advice, not sarcasm.

Please, if you like a city that isn't listed I would love information to change my mind and add it to my list. These are the ones I have been researching but research can only do so much..

I chose London, Amsterdam, and Berlin because they seemed to have a lot of different places of interest for me. However, I'm wondering if I should save London for a different trip where I stay in the UK for a few weeks as there is a lot to experience and see in that region. I'm thinking of flying into Copenhagen instead of London because they are pretty similar in price. From there I would go to Berlin, then Amsterdam, then catch a flight down south as to not waste a full day on the train. But I'm not 100% set on this.

It's either Spain and surrounding areas or Austria and surrounding areas to limit travel eating up a lot of my time - what do you think?

Spain is definitely of interest.
A lot of sites I have been on have said to go to both Barcelona and Madrid but I wonder if I should pick one destination and do a day trip to another - I know it wouldn't be nearly sufficient in seeing everything.

At the same time Vienna interests me as the city of music and Budapest looks like a really great experience. Or I could do Munich with a day trip to the castles in southern Germany and then Vienna for the end of the trip. ?
Darlinstein is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 06:56 AM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you feel you are wasting your time by replying to my post then don't take the time to tell me that and just don't reply.
Darlinstein is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 07:10 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Darlinstein: It's either Spain and surrounding areas or Austria and surrounding areas to limit travel eating up a lot of my time - what do you think?

Great idea! Either one.

In fact, I like to plan multiple trips (at least at a high level). Plan both trips a little, see which one appeals to you now, and take that one first.

As for me, after visiting London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna...the area I keep going back to is the Balkans. I love Slovenia and Croatia. Slovenia especially doesn't seem that touristy, and it isn't just big cities; its capital city, Ljubljana, is charming but small and has very few American tourists compared to all of the European tourist hot spots in the west. Croatia has a lot of tourists along the Dalmatian coast, but outside of Dubrovnik it still seems less spoiled than other places.
Andrew is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 07:35 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,566
Received 22 Likes on 8 Posts
Everyone in our family, including two twenty something's and an 18 year old would tell you to add Istanbul. Quick, inexpensive flights of less than three hours. Culture, food, adventure all available.

If not, Spain. Have fun.
xcountry is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 07:46 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,067
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All the places you list are 'worthwhile' and would probably be fun. And most have good public transportation and enough to see to keep you busy for close to a week (in some cases more). So I'd go by practical things like transportation connections but also budget. Copenhagen for example is much more expensive than some of your other choices like Spain.

I think London is just such a great city and easy to get to from the US (you don't say where you are coming from) that I would go there first. Allowing about 5 days you could easily fill it in the city or take a day for a day trip - very easy on trains. As for castles, Tower of London is a biggie. But there are a ton of castle day trips from London including Dover and Warwick - also Arundel, Rochester, etc.

Very easy to get from there to Amsterdam. I'd plan 5 days there as well but figure on doing day trips (Haarlem, Delft, Leiden, Gouda, etc.). Or could even stop in Belgium on the way for a day or two (Ghent, Brugge, Antwerp).

Berlin would be next - the only place on your list I've not been.

So then I would check where you can fly to from Berlin. Look at easyjet, ryanair and skyscanner. But I'm pretty sure you can fly to Spain and that would offer a different feel and culture to the other cities which are all northern European. I agree Barcelona would be my first choice but Lisbon would be good too. I would pick which one depending on flights home. Lisbon has a great castle.
isabel is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 07:57 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Balkans suggestion is great. My first solo trip was for three months around Europe - saw a lot, but the Balkans are still what linger on my mind. I do have to say, they are not breathtaking like Western Europe. They're harder to get and I understand why a lot of people don't - but check them out. You could even stay in Berlin for 5 days, head to Budapest for 4 days and then make your way down to the Balkans and spend a couple of weeks exploring them. You can start in Slovenia and make your way up to Bosnia.

Spain is also fantastic. These are both extremely different trips. Spain is enjoyable, fun, outgoing, delicious - the Balkans are a bit different. This depends on what you are looking for.

The idea of making Madrid or Barcelona your base and then take a day trip to the other one makes no sense whatsoever. Both are amazing, complex, interesting cities that demand AT LEAST 3 or 4 full days.

You could do something like 4 days in Barcelona, 4 days in Madrid (you can add a day trip to Segovia), 3 days in Granada, 2 days in Seville, 4 days in Lisbon and 4 days in Porto. Or skip Seville and use those 2 days to make up for travel time.

But I do have to agree with previous posters, your interests and questions are waaaaay to broad.
jimenal is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 08:33 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,422
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
I don't see Barcelona and Madrid as being very much alike. Both are very interesting on their own front and I might add Bilbao, and Santiago. Oh and Seville/Cordoba (one base two cities) and then Grenada and Cadiz.

Right now I think you are just bouncing around with little aim and no real attempt to get down with the guys.

Berlin, well I wasn't really that excitied by Berlin until I hooked up with the canal manager and her family. Maybe you should be looking at how you will interact with these people you want to connect to. Perhaps do a bunch of language courses/art courses etc...

I also note you are going to cities, why? For me the best way to meet people is on a bike, have a look at the main european bike routes and see if you could hire bikes for a bit. Cities are a bit dull.
bilboburgler is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 09:15 AM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I loved Copenhagen and have gone there several times - check out Christiana - a remnant of 70s communes: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copen...ve-christiania

Can take night train/boat/train from nearby Malmo to Berlin - one of my favorite cities in Europe too - so many varied things to see and do - then Amsterdam

Perfect - Amsterdam is my favorite city in Europe. Music of all types; culture of all types great place young people especially.

You don't mention Switzerland but consider it and a place like Interlaken or Grindelwald to experience the high Alps at their most awesome - Balmer's Hostel is legendary -meet folks from all over the world - a joy of traveling when I was your age as was seeing the sights:

http://www.balmers.com/

You can take an overnight train Amsterdam to Zurich, with short connecting train to Interlaken.

Then shoot up to Austria or fly to Spain.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Sep 20th, 2017, 10:21 AM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
>

Amazing that you whinge about the tone of my response, but it resulted in you doing exactly what you needed to do - provide specifics. You get better advice if people know how to tailor it to your needs.
BigRuss is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -