Tips for 2 week travel in Europe of college students
Apr 2nd, 2013, 07:13 PM
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Tips for 2 week travel in Europe of college students
My friend and I will be traveling in Europe for about two weeks in June. Thinking about going to Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, and Florence. We are looking for some tips because this will be our first time abroad! Thanks!
Should we bring a pack or rolling suitcase?
Any suggestions for hostels, restaurants, hot spots?
What will the weather be like?
How long should we stay in each location?
What are the must see's/do's in each city?
Should we bring a pack or rolling suitcase?
Any suggestions for hostels, restaurants, hot spots?
What will the weather be like?
How long should we stay in each location?
What are the must see's/do's in each city?
Apr 2nd, 2013, 07:44 PM
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What to see in each city?
What drew you to that particular city in the first place?
For a first trip to Europe, Florence would have been on my list, but none of your other choices, so what appeals to you about these places?
Get some good guide books because your must sees will be different than other's must sees.
How long? Depends on what you want to see/do in that city and if you are taking day trips to areas/towns nearby. Are you a "get a quick glimpse" kind of traveler or a "café sitter, explore museums & small villages" traveler? You may not know yet and have to think about it.
Some of the places you list are kind of far apart, so you might use up a good bit of time (and money) getting from city to city. In two weeks, I would probably do bits of one or two countries; or two areas; or two or three cities with day trips. You are young though, so probably want to go faster than me. Still, with travel times considered, you won't have much time to really see places this far apart. Get some train schedules and decide how much time you want to sit on trains or in stations.
I never use rail passes, but others do and could help with that.
Weather - warm to hot - summer clothes
Leave it for others to rec hostels, etc. Check Lonely Planet and Thorntree.
I prefer smaller bags with wheels.
Do multi-city flights: into your first city, out of your last city - no backtracking.
What drew you to that particular city in the first place?
For a first trip to Europe, Florence would have been on my list, but none of your other choices, so what appeals to you about these places?
Get some good guide books because your must sees will be different than other's must sees.
How long? Depends on what you want to see/do in that city and if you are taking day trips to areas/towns nearby. Are you a "get a quick glimpse" kind of traveler or a "café sitter, explore museums & small villages" traveler? You may not know yet and have to think about it.
Some of the places you list are kind of far apart, so you might use up a good bit of time (and money) getting from city to city. In two weeks, I would probably do bits of one or two countries; or two areas; or two or three cities with day trips. You are young though, so probably want to go faster than me. Still, with travel times considered, you won't have much time to really see places this far apart. Get some train schedules and decide how much time you want to sit on trains or in stations.
I never use rail passes, but others do and could help with that.
Weather - warm to hot - summer clothes
Leave it for others to rec hostels, etc. Check Lonely Planet and Thorntree.
I prefer smaller bags with wheels.
Do multi-city flights: into your first city, out of your last city - no backtracking.
Apr 2nd, 2013, 08:04 PM
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Good advice above. In 3.5 weeks, I only saw parts of Bavaria and parts of Italy on my big backpacking trip after grad school. I wouldn't trade my memories from that trip for the world, and am so thankful tht my travel partner had spent a lot of time in Europe previously and knew how to pace us. I found a pack to be easier to maneuver on and off public transportation, though it is heavy once fully packed. If you've got any old underwear/ socks, pack that and throw away as you go - extra room for souvenirs.
Apr 3rd, 2013, 07:53 AM
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On my first trip, I would have thought nothing about doing as you propose. If those are the places you really want to see, then do all of them.
However.....
Be aware that every day of travel between the cities will essentially a day spent just in travel. That will leave you about 10 days for 5 cities - 2 days each.
2 days each was was fine for me (for a first visit) for Amsterdam, Vienna, and Florence (haven't visited the others).
If you don't know the major must sees in each city, then why have you chosen these?
I like rolling bag of carry on size. That is enough for a trip of that length.
If you go the backpack route, then pack it as you will for the trip and walk a mile of so with it on your back. See if that makes a difference in your choice.
If you have some clothes that have 'one more use' in them, then take them and toss them as TexasAggie suggests. On one trip, I tossed half a suitcase's worth of clothes - reduced my final luggage to 6 pounds. (My traveling companion bought books on the trip and his weighed 60! - fortunately they weighed ours together and he avoided overweight charges!)
However.....
Be aware that every day of travel between the cities will essentially a day spent just in travel. That will leave you about 10 days for 5 cities - 2 days each.
2 days each was was fine for me (for a first visit) for Amsterdam, Vienna, and Florence (haven't visited the others).
If you don't know the major must sees in each city, then why have you chosen these?
I like rolling bag of carry on size. That is enough for a trip of that length.
If you go the backpack route, then pack it as you will for the trip and walk a mile of so with it on your back. See if that makes a difference in your choice.
If you have some clothes that have 'one more use' in them, then take them and toss them as TexasAggie suggests. On one trip, I tossed half a suitcase's worth of clothes - reduced my final luggage to 6 pounds. (My traveling companion bought books on the trip and his weighed 60! - fortunately they weighed ours together and he avoided overweight charges!)
Apr 3rd, 2013, 09:27 AM
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I think for a first trip you could make a very nice visit in two weeks with just Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague. Enough diversity but not so much travel time lost between each. And time for a daytrip or two outside the cities (Europe is not just big cities).
You can browse guidebooks in your local library for ideas of what to do.
Or here are some good websites:
www.fodors.com (the "Destinations" section, not just the "Forum" section)
www.frommers.com
www.lonelyplanet.com (geared for more "youthful" style of travel)
www.seat61.com (for travel between by train)
www.whichbudget.com (for travel between by air)
www.timeout.com (it's an online magazine with different editions for different cities with local listings for restaurants, sightseeing, entertainment, etc.)
Have fun planning!
You can browse guidebooks in your local library for ideas of what to do.
Or here are some good websites:
www.fodors.com (the "Destinations" section, not just the "Forum" section)
www.frommers.com
www.lonelyplanet.com (geared for more "youthful" style of travel)
www.seat61.com (for travel between by train)
www.whichbudget.com (for travel between by air)
www.timeout.com (it's an online magazine with different editions for different cities with local listings for restaurants, sightseeing, entertainment, etc.)
Have fun planning!
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