Europe Summer 2019
Mar 31st, 2019 | 09:49 AM
#41
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Hey everyone! As one last advice request. My cousin and I are flexible with the locations and are choosing Munich as one of our last destinations (Even though I already went, I have to go again as I enjoyed that place wayy too much). We were thinking of taking a train to a different city from Munich that isnt too far away (7 hours max), and spending our last days there and flying from there. While Vienna would be a good choice, I just feel like (and I know this isnt true) that it is just a continuation of Germany and I’m looking for a different experience. So somewhere like Lauterbrunnen or Zurich in Switzerland would be a good example as it is totally different from our other destinations. Let me know what you would recommend!
Apr 1st, 2019 | 08:02 AM
#42
Joined: Jan 2019
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Bear in mind how expensive Switzerland is. My wife works in Zurich and she is often shocked by how expensive it is but as she can claim expenses it's not too bad for her. I would be inclined to look at more Central European countries.
Apr 1st, 2019 | 08:35 AM
#43
Joined: Jan 2003
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I haven't been to Lauterbrunnen for several decades, so won't comment, but I doubt you'd find Zürich appealing - kind of a large city filled with stern parental types - probably not what you're after.
And yes,, Switzerland is insanely expensive (by my standards).
And yes,, Switzerland is insanely expensive (by my standards).
Apr 1st, 2019 | 10:00 AM
#44
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So Forget Swtizerland, but would Vienna be a good option? What would you people recommend? Either Paris-Amsterdam-Munich, or Paris-Munich-Central Europe (Help me find a place)?
Apr 1st, 2019 | 10:29 AM
#45
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I would head to Eastern Europe. At your age I found Vienna rather staid and severe.
I would look at Poland - Krakow, for example. Your money will go far there
I would look at Poland - Krakow, for example. Your money will go far there
Apr 1st, 2019 | 10:38 AM
#46
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I would look at Poland - Krakow, for example. Your money will go far there[/QUOTE]
That is a good option. Some of my friends have also been to Zagreb and Budapest, and they have said nothing but goof things about them. I also heard budapest is a cheap destination. What are your opinions on Amstersdam though? The whole idea of bicycle riding, stroopwaffels, and other freedoms sounds kind of nice.
Apr 1st, 2019 | 12:04 PM
#47
Joined: Jan 2003
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I used to love Amsterdam - these days, not so much. In fact, even though I live relatively close I'm not eager to ever go back again. For one thing, it's become insanely expensive. For another, the bike and tram traffic is really annoying. I like Rotterdam, Den Bosch, and other small towns in the Netherlands much better. And many of the smaller towns in Belgium.
We were in Budapest for 8 nights year before last and except for some historical sites, the sunagogue, and the main market, hated it. You could hardly find a more oppressive, anti-immigrant regime in Europe these days. Not a fun place. BUT that's just my opinion - plenty of people here love Budapest.
We were in Budapest for 8 nights year before last and except for some historical sites, the sunagogue, and the main market, hated it. You could hardly find a more oppressive, anti-immigrant regime in Europe these days. Not a fun place. BUT that's just my opinion - plenty of people here love Budapest.
Apr 1st, 2019 | 12:45 PM
#48
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I used to love Amsterdam - these days, not so much. In fact, even though I live relatively close I'm not eager to ever go back again. For one thing, it's become insanely expensive. For another, the bike and tram traffic is really annoying. I like Rotterdam, Den Bosch, and other small towns in the Netherlands much better. And many of the smaller towns in Belgium.
We were in Budapest for 8 nights year before last and except for some historical sites, the sunagogue, and the main market, hated it. You could hardly find a more oppressive, anti-immigrant regime in Europe these days. Not a fun place. BUT that's just my opinion - plenty of people here love Budapest.
We were in Budapest for 8 nights year before last and except for some historical sites, the sunagogue, and the main market, hated it. You could hardly find a more oppressive, anti-immigrant regime in Europe these days. Not a fun place. BUT that's just my opinion - plenty of people here love Budapest.
That is crazy. Yeah I can relate to your experience in Budapest. While sight-seeing the museums and other attractions can be cool, I want to have a better experience as one of the locals. For instance, on my last trip, my father and I were walking through the neighborhoods of Paris, went to a few “hole-in-the-wall” bakeries, spoke broken French and shared some laughs with the locals. We also bought some bread and wine, and sat in the Louvre park (Which in my opinion is much better than the park under the Eiffel tower) and drank together which is very illegal to openly drink in the US so we were hesitant at first. Also in Munich, We would talk with Germans and other people (like one from Finland and another from Romania) about life in Germany and other cool topics, ride bikes in the Englischer Garten, buy some fruit from the Farmers market and sit in the square and eat under the warm sun. I want places where I can do things like that. Of course sight seeing is a part of it, but this I believe is the other half. So any places similar to this?
Apr 1st, 2019 | 12:48 PM
#49
Joined: Oct 2013
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Slow down, Butterfingers! You initially said you have one week, maybe two. You can't see very much in that time. Try to pick a few places. Fly into one city and home from another. For example, you could fly into Paris and home from Berlin. If you need to take any other flights, use European budget airlines. You can usually find cheap fares on www.skyscanner.net . If you have two weeks, I would concentrate on three places, with maybe a short stopover in a fourth place. If you have only one week, choose two places. I would kind of like Paris and Copenhagen.
Apr 1st, 2019 | 01:46 PM
#50
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Slow down, Butterfingers! You initially said you have one week, maybe two. You can't see very much in that time. Try to pick a few places. Fly into one city and home from another. For example, you could fly into Paris and home from Berlin. If you need to take any other flights, use European budget airlines. You can usually find cheap fares on www.skyscanner.net . If you have two weeks, I would concentrate on three places, with maybe a short stopover in a fourth place. If you have only one week, choose two places. I would kind of like Paris and Copenhagen.
SkyScanner is a very good website indeed. And also most likely we are going for 10 days (A week when you take out the plane travel days), so we have time for 2 cities, and maybe a short stop in another that is along the way or near one of them. Paris is definitely one of the two, and the other will be a German City (Either Munich or a city that has similar vibes as it). And we can either stop at Amsterdam along the way for a short amount of time, or take a train to somewhere from Munich. So it can either be LAX-CDG, MUC-LAX and stop somewhere in between, or LAX-CDG- ?-LAX and fly out from wherever we go after Munich.
Apr 2nd, 2019 | 12:39 PM
#51
Joined: Oct 2013
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Amsterdam is not on the way between Paris and Munich. If you want a stopover en route, Strasbourg, a very attractive city, would be right on the way
Zurich is also very little out of the way, and in spite of what people say, it has a very active nightlife. Switzerland is expensive, but they do have youth hostels and cheap places to eat. If you make a brief stop of two nights, it probably wouldn't break your budget. Basel is a very nice Swiss city, which is right on the border between France, Switzerland, and Germany. We went there a few years ago to see an art exhibit, and I found myself wanting to return for a longer stay.
Zurich is also very little out of the way, and in spite of what people say, it has a very active nightlife. Switzerland is expensive, but they do have youth hostels and cheap places to eat. If you make a brief stop of two nights, it probably wouldn't break your budget. Basel is a very nice Swiss city, which is right on the border between France, Switzerland, and Germany. We went there a few years ago to see an art exhibit, and I found myself wanting to return for a longer stay.
Apr 2nd, 2019 | 09:22 PM
#52
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Joined: Mar 2018
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People PLEASE help me find some affordable tickets. My maximum price is $1,100 but the less the better. I for sure want to fly into Paris (LAX-CDG), but I need some help finding an outbound flight that will cheapen things a bit. Flying out of Munich is very expensive. I’ve been searching for a solution all day but have been coming up dry. Either a round-trip to paris and when Im done with munich I can take a train back, or if you kind people could help me find some cheap airports to fly out of near munich. (6-7 hours max by train)
Apr 3rd, 2019 | 02:15 AM
#53
Joined: Oct 2013
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Frankfurt is about 3 hours by train from Munich, and is a much bigger hub.
Make sure you're looking for multi-city trips, not two one-way flights. If you're using Skyscanner, also try Expedia. Just don't let them direct you to their flight+hotel page, which never shows all their flights and is rarely a bargain.
Make sure you're looking for multi-city trips, not two one-way flights. If you're using Skyscanner, also try Expedia. Just don't let them direct you to their flight+hotel page, which never shows all their flights and is rarely a bargain.
Apr 3rd, 2019 | 04:39 AM
#54
Joined: Sep 2007
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What are your possible dates? One trick you might try with Skyscanner is to type "Everywhere" in the destination box. You can quickly see the least expensive places to fly in and out of. Then you can work from there. Although open jaw flights can be best (in one place, out another), they also can be very expensive. We often fly in and out of the least expensive place (sometimes for half the price of the alternatives) and use inexpensive European discount airlines/trains to get us to and from the desired locations. It will take a little more of your time, but perhaps you have more time than money for this trip?
Apr 3rd, 2019 | 06:48 AM
#56
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Yea i am booking multi-city flights and LAX-CDG, CPH-LAX is very cheap but copenhagen is far from Munich.
Apr 3rd, 2019 | 06:54 AM
#57
Joined: Oct 2005
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You are going to be one busy kid with your extended college visit trip through the South also in June. Your head must be spinning with all the planning.
Apr 3rd, 2019 | 07:58 AM
#58
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oh you have no idea. I was originally planning to go to Europe June 8-22, but my Senior GradNight was postponed to the 11th so I have to go the following week.
Apr 3rd, 2019 | 10:43 AM
#59
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Im actually in a mental gridlock right now on figuring out the configuration of the tickets.
Apr 4th, 2019 | 12:59 AM
#60
Joined: Oct 2013
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In your position, I would visit Copenhagen instead of Munich. You're young, you'll have lots of opportunities to visit Munich in the future. Copenhagen is a great city, and you can even take a short train ride (or a longer ferry trip) to Sweden, where you can see Lund, another great city.
