Best days of the week to arrive in a European city?
Jan 15th, 2003, 08:00 AM
#1
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Best days of the week to arrive in a European city?
Okay, I'm probably over-analyzing my trip plans, but does anyone have opinions on the best day to arrive? Is it better to arrive midweek and get a lay of the land, plus enough time to make weekend plans? If you arrive on a Friday, do the cities get deserted by locals and filled with tourists, and the place is not at its best. The only thing I know from experience is that I don't like to leave on a Monday, which means that my last day is Sunday. I do all my best last minute shopping on my last day, but the stores are closed.
Jan 15th, 2003, 08:11 AM
#2
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I like flights that arrive real early on a Sunday morning because it is less crowded getting into town from the airport. Sunday mornings always seem like a nice quiet time in most cities. I also really enjoy getting out and walking around as soon as I have checked in to my hotel while the city is still quiet. I find that an arrival time of 6am or 7am allows one to get into center, check in, and still have some good quiet Sunday morning time in the city. <BR><BR>That is what I like. So what do you think about that?
Jan 15th, 2003, 08:13 AM
#3
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This is not normally a big concern of mine, and I usually don't have much choice, anyway, but if I hd to choose I would also say Sunday morning for the same reasons - it's quiet, and easier and faster to get into the city and I'm not thrust into the hustle and bustle of a big workday scene when I get there.
Jan 15th, 2003, 09:27 AM
#6
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Since I am fond of trips that include a villa stay - - typically Saturday to Saturday, I prefer arrival on a Wednesday or Thursday. This allows fitting in one destination before heading to the villa, and getting over the timezone adjustment.<BR><BR>And there's nothing worse than arriving too late in the day at a villa, since there are usually things to be done - - groceries to buy among other things, and sometimes other initial exploration of the closest nearby town. There will often be a bakery open on Sunday, but best to scout out what is and what is not open on Saturday.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>
Jan 15th, 2003, 03:48 PM
#8
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We found out the hard way that Saturdays and Sundays can be a problem. Our luggage did not make it with us to Frankfurt. We arrived in Bamberg on Saturday afternoon with one change of underwear each and our toothbrushes. We were hoping to buy some clothes to get us by for a day or two. As we were checking into the hotel in midafternoon (I think it was around 3:45) the deskclerk told us all the stores closed in 15 minutes and none would be open until Monday. She led us on a mad dash to a department store and we slipped with under 10 minutes to spare. She said we'd better hurry, because when they say close at 4 they mean they won't ring up anything at 4:01. I grabbed a couple of cheap polo type shirts from the bargain bin, and a pair of socks. My wife got a blouse and skirt and some cosmetics. We reached the cashier just as she was opening the register to count her receipts. We made it, but by a whisker. And it was true that not one store was open on Sunday. This probably isn't typical everywhere, but we'll certainly be more aware of opening and closing hours on our next trip.<BR><BR>Those are a couple of ugly looking polo shirts, but they seemed popular in Germany.
