Pierrew99

So my plan is to leave Sacramento on saturday 9/28 fly into Dublin 9/29 stay Sunday Monday Tuesday nights in Dublin, go to London early wednesday morning stay Wednesday - Monday. Take off to Prague Monday stay till Thursday, then go to Budapest Stay Thursday - Monday.

I know that's a lot to take in but what do you think?

Really just want to meet new people hang out in coffee shops go to pubs. A little site seeing but not to much touristy stuff.

This is my first time leaving the states, I'm 33 yo fella whos traveling alone. I'm not worried about relaxing I have a week off after my trip. I want to have as much fun as possible.

What do you think is it possible?

jan47ete

60ish female who has been traveling since age 16 to Europe but very interested in tourist sites and the unusual and different. Have been to all except Budapest and not a pub crawler/drinker. Certainly think you have given yourself a nice mix. What do you think of adding either Amsterdam or some place in Germany?

nytraveler

How are you planning on "meeting new people"? Will you be staying in a hostel so you have the chance to meet other tourists.

Just so you are aware europeans as a rule are more reserved than americans - and walking into the local pub and striking up a friendship with one of the regulars is not something that happens in a day. Usually one would have to frequent the pub for a while (a week or two at least) before you will get more than a nod or a hello.

So I would plan on meeting mostly other tourists - or else spending all your time in one place where you can get to know people.

Also, there is a popular scam in europe in which attractive young woman become friendly with single men, invite them to bars, ask them to buy drinks - and at the end of the evening the man has found that he has bought several hundred euros of "champagne" and the bar owner has heavies on the spot to enforce payment. So beware of unusually friendly attractive young women who expect you to pay for their drinks.

So - I think you need to decide what you want out of this vacation. If it is primarily meeting locals you will have to slow down a lot and probably rent an apt in a residential area where you can frequent the corner cafe or pub. Or decide you will meet mostly other tourists - which is very easy in any hotel.

BigRuss

<<Really just want to meet new people hang out in coffee shops go to pubs. A little site seeing but not to much touristy stuff.>>

Sounds like a waste of time considering all there is to see, especially in the last three cities on your itinerary. Fact is, Europeans have no real use for chatting up strangers or being chatted up whilst they're sitting in coffee shops or pubs. If you really want to meet people and hang out while touring, go take a Contiki tour.

janisj

>> A little site seeing but not to much touristy stuff. <<

I often wonder what people mean when they say things like this. By "Touristy" do you mean t-shirt shops, theme parks, olde tyme/costumed photos? If so -- of course you don't want to do that sort of thing.

But many sites in Europe are hundreds/thousands of years old and have attracted visitors for all that time. I don't consider places like the Tower of London or the British Museum or the Charles Bridge in Prague to be 'touristy'.

You are giving yourself 2.5 days in Dublin (one of which will be jet lagged), and 4.5 days in London (London has probably 100X more things to see/do than the other cities you are visiting), 2.5 days in Prague, and 3.5 days in Budapest. You'd meet more people at the State Railroad Museum, Capitol Park, Old Sacramento, or DeVere's pub than you will on this trip.The only place you might have time to settle in and maybe meet some like minded folks would be Budapest.

bilboburgler

While Dublin is a big city, you will find some friendly faces in the local bars, especially with music on, in London a little less so (just such a big city) but relax and you will be fine.

Prague may be harder just because of any language barriers, I'd certainly seek out Hostels to stay while there just to meet people but you will find loads of beer to get around.

Budapest is the hardest due to a very tricky language and social lives that are booze, music and spa orientated. I'd focus on the music a bit and use Hostels.

Padraig

I agree with bilboburgler about Dublin and London.

Your best chances of good encounters in Prague and Budapest would be fellow-visitors. Be careful of gorgeous Czech or Hungarian women who seem to find you irresistible.

Pierrew99

thanks for the input,

my main reasons for wanting to go to Prague and Budapest was 1 I have a fascination with ancient Celtic history. I did a report on Celtic migration in college. And 2, I'm kinda on a budget. I've been told I could get a lot more bang for my buck in Central and Eastern Europe. In Prague and Budapest on Airbnb I can get A a private studio to myself for the cost of a shared room in London and Paris.

Pierrew99

I want to see the different castles especially in Prague. I'm a jogger, so I want to go jogging in each l city really looking forward to Hyde Park, and Margaret Island. I'll go on the eye in London, and see the Tower of London. I may just skip Dublin and maybe do Berlin or Bratislava.