European Sampler, 4 weeks, 6 countries?
Jul 27th, 2017, 01:02 PM
#161
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In Edinburgh climbing Arthur's Seat was a real thrill to me -
https://www.google.com/search?q=arth...w=1920&bih=950
great rambling right from the city (starts at Holyrood Palace Park) if into longish up and down walks!
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/loth...urs-seat.shtml
Calton Hill is right in Edinburgh and makes a much easier climb and also good views:
https://www.edinburghguide.com/parks/caltonhill
Edinburgh ranks IMO of seeing nearly all of Europe's prettiest cities - right up there as the most throughly comely (in city center) city - be sure not to cut it short in an often mad rush it seems to see the "Highlands" - nice as they are. Go down to Leith to see the Royal Yacht Brittania: (I scrambled down there via a series of paths and stairs along a creek bed. Great walks right in Edinburgh!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vhw_kK7rog
don't spend all your time on the Royal Mile! And if into hiking you hardly have to leave the city.
https://www.google.com/search?q=arth...w=1920&bih=950
great rambling right from the city (starts at Holyrood Palace Park) if into longish up and down walks!
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/loth...urs-seat.shtml
Calton Hill is right in Edinburgh and makes a much easier climb and also good views:
https://www.edinburghguide.com/parks/caltonhill
Edinburgh ranks IMO of seeing nearly all of Europe's prettiest cities - right up there as the most throughly comely (in city center) city - be sure not to cut it short in an often mad rush it seems to see the "Highlands" - nice as they are. Go down to Leith to see the Royal Yacht Brittania: (I scrambled down there via a series of paths and stairs along a creek bed. Great walks right in Edinburgh!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vhw_kK7rog
don't spend all your time on the Royal Mile! And if into hiking you hardly have to leave the city.
Jul 27th, 2017, 01:04 PM
#162
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This apartment is not in Hampstead but in West Hampstead.
PixieGal,
There is an added transportation cost to staying in Zone 2 rather than Zone 1 but what would be for 3 of you I don't know. Other people do, but I don't. Devil/details. But again, it's also the question of how you plan to spend your time in London. One of the more recent visits I made to London, I spent money to get out of Zone 1 to go sightseeing in areas of London that are closer to West Hampstead. Not every thing of real interest in London is near Big Ben or Oxford Street. Far from it.
But when people know you are a "first timer", they assume -- not without reason -- that you will be hitting the sidewalks every day to see a lot of famous buildings located near Big Ben or Oxford Street, etc, in Zone 1. So that's up to you. And you should do what you want.
But some locations in London have zippy connections to those touristic sights. You might spend more time on the tube but NOT that much more time. Devil. Details. But you have a 11 months to figure it out!
PixieGal,
There is an added transportation cost to staying in Zone 2 rather than Zone 1 but what would be for 3 of you I don't know. Other people do, but I don't. Devil/details. But again, it's also the question of how you plan to spend your time in London. One of the more recent visits I made to London, I spent money to get out of Zone 1 to go sightseeing in areas of London that are closer to West Hampstead. Not every thing of real interest in London is near Big Ben or Oxford Street. Far from it.
But when people know you are a "first timer", they assume -- not without reason -- that you will be hitting the sidewalks every day to see a lot of famous buildings located near Big Ben or Oxford Street, etc, in Zone 1. So that's up to you. And you should do what you want.
But some locations in London have zippy connections to those touristic sights. You might spend more time on the tube but NOT that much more time. Devil. Details. But you have a 11 months to figure it out!
Jul 27th, 2017, 11:25 PM
#167
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So Italy will be hot and crowded in the summer. Personally, I'd rather do Ireland anyway, and my daughter said she's good with that also. So for our second (or is this third?) draft, it's looking like London, Scottland, Ireland, Netherlands, and Germany, although the order remains up in the air. Would it make more sense to start in Germany at the beginning of June and end in Ireland at the end of June, as it gets hotter?
Jul 28th, 2017, 05:45 AM
#169
>>London, Scottland, Ireland, Netherlands, and Germany, <<
That is much more doable - still very quick paced but you'll get a decent taste. Have you mentioned your actual dates (I don't want to wade through this whole thing to look
)
You do NOT want to be in Edinburgh from the end of July through August -- it is very exciting with several festivals and the Tattoo, but the city will be jammed and accommodations will charge 2 to 3 times their normal rates. A decent travelodge in the center of the city that you can get for £100 triple in June would cost about £200 a night in August. There is university lodging in old town Edinburgh - but you'd never get it in August because many performers are booked in there.
So if part of your trip is in Aug., arrange your itinerary to be in some other country then.
That is much more doable - still very quick paced but you'll get a decent taste. Have you mentioned your actual dates (I don't want to wade through this whole thing to look
) You do NOT want to be in Edinburgh from the end of July through August -- it is very exciting with several festivals and the Tattoo, but the city will be jammed and accommodations will charge 2 to 3 times their normal rates. A decent travelodge in the center of the city that you can get for £100 triple in June would cost about £200 a night in August. There is university lodging in old town Edinburgh - but you'd never get it in August because many performers are booked in there.
So if part of your trip is in Aug., arrange your itinerary to be in some other country then.
Jul 28th, 2017, 05:52 AM
#170
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Or pay the Edinburgh piper and take in yes one of Europe's most exciting scenes - maybe day trip in from say Stirling?
But janis makes a good point -if not into the festival and all avoid the town like the plague.
But janis makes a good point -if not into the festival and all avoid the town like the plague.
Jul 28th, 2017, 05:52 AM
#171
"London, Scottland, Ireland, Netherlands, and Germany"
Looks good, although I couldn't work up much enthusiasm for the Netherlands.
Germany - Netherlands - England - Scotland - Ireland
For trains and ferries: seat61.com
For planes: skyscanner.com, Easyjet, Ryanair
Looks good, although I couldn't work up much enthusiasm for the Netherlands.
Germany - Netherlands - England - Scotland - Ireland
For trains and ferries: seat61.com
For planes: skyscanner.com, Easyjet, Ryanair
Jul 28th, 2017, 06:20 AM
#172
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Personally, with the time you need to allow for travel, I think it is too much.
Just seeing a major city like Dublin gives you little to no taste of Ireland and Ireland takes time to get around. You can use trains some, but really need a car to see or do most things. With time getting there and back, it will eat up a week.
Just seeing a major city like Dublin gives you little to no taste of Ireland and Ireland takes time to get around. You can use trains some, but really need a car to see or do most things. With time getting there and back, it will eat up a week.
Jul 28th, 2017, 07:10 AM
#173
>>Or pay the Edinburgh piper and take in yes one of Europe's most exciting scenes - maybe day trip in from say Stirling?<<
Anywhere w/i a reasonable commute of Edinburgh would not fit in the OP's budget. The festivals are wonderful/exciting/not to be missed at least once in one's life -- but not on a bare bones budget.
Anywhere w/i a reasonable commute of Edinburgh would not fit in the OP's budget. The festivals are wonderful/exciting/not to be missed at least once in one's life -- but not on a bare bones budget.
Jul 28th, 2017, 07:44 AM
#175
>>No chance of booking an Edinburgh hostel a year in advance?<<
Sure -- but the rates will be high. Booking far ahead is sometimes a good way to get reduced rates - But August is a special case in Edinburgh. Booking ahead would guarantee you'd have a place to sleep -- but it won't save ££ Plus many hostels black out blocks of rooms for those participating in the Fringe.
Sure -- but the rates will be high. Booking far ahead is sometimes a good way to get reduced rates - But August is a special case in Edinburgh. Booking ahead would guarantee you'd have a place to sleep -- but it won't save ££ Plus many hostels black out blocks of rooms for those participating in the Fringe.
Jul 28th, 2017, 11:34 AM
#177
OK -- great -- August/Edinburgh isn't an issue (was just trying to give you a heads up)
Yes, you might need a car -- but maybe consider this company (in both Ireland and Scotland). They do pretty cheap 1 to multi day small group tours and you get to pick the level of accommodation. Some in the group will stay in posh/higher end places while others will stay in simple B&Bs or even hostels in the same town. So you get to determine your costs.
https://www.rabbies.com/en
OR a lot of places in Scotland and Ireland can be reached by train or bus - though it will limit you a bit. Car rentals can be expensive -- especially in Ireland because of the insurance situation.
Yes, you might need a car -- but maybe consider this company (in both Ireland and Scotland). They do pretty cheap 1 to multi day small group tours and you get to pick the level of accommodation. Some in the group will stay in posh/higher end places while others will stay in simple B&Bs or even hostels in the same town. So you get to determine your costs.
https://www.rabbies.com/en
OR a lot of places in Scotland and Ireland can be reached by train or bus - though it will limit you a bit. Car rentals can be expensive -- especially in Ireland because of the insurance situation.
Jul 28th, 2017, 11:45 AM
#178
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So we'll need a car for Ireland?>
Depends on what you want to do - Dublin of course no and you can take trains and buses to any town or city BUT what 'doing Ireland' means to many is traipsing up or down the remote West Coast where public transit is spotty many places.
Like from Galway down via Cliffs of Mohair - The Burren - Dingle Peninsula - Connemarra especially - and you can get to cities near these like Galway and Tralee and Dingle by train or bus and then take bus tours of the hard-to-access remote places but a car is much more convenient.
Point -unless you want to spend at least a week on the West Coast you shall not need a car. Same for Scotland though trains and buses go more places there but to do the whiskey trails or Highlands a car is best (though again bus tours are always available from larger cities nearby).
Depends on what you want to do - Dublin of course no and you can take trains and buses to any town or city BUT what 'doing Ireland' means to many is traipsing up or down the remote West Coast where public transit is spotty many places.
Like from Galway down via Cliffs of Mohair - The Burren - Dingle Peninsula - Connemarra especially - and you can get to cities near these like Galway and Tralee and Dingle by train or bus and then take bus tours of the hard-to-access remote places but a car is much more convenient.
Point -unless you want to spend at least a week on the West Coast you shall not need a car. Same for Scotland though trains and buses go more places there but to do the whiskey trails or Highlands a car is best (though again bus tours are always available from larger cities nearby).
Jul 28th, 2017, 01:32 PM
#179
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PixieGal,
I've no interest in persuading your family to visit Italy, but Italy is no more "hot and crowded" in the summer than anyplace else in Europe in the summer, with very few exceptions. The rest of Europe gets heatwaves too, a
As for crowds, it depends on where you go in any country. Some places in August draw lots of visitors -- including vacationing Europeans -- others are off the radar.
I only say this in case someday you do want to visit Italy and the only time you can is summer. If you do research and learn from people who know the country, you can have a blissful experience.
I've no interest in persuading your family to visit Italy, but Italy is no more "hot and crowded" in the summer than anyplace else in Europe in the summer, with very few exceptions. The rest of Europe gets heatwaves too, a
As for crowds, it depends on where you go in any country. Some places in August draw lots of visitors -- including vacationing Europeans -- others are off the radar.
I only say this in case someday you do want to visit Italy and the only time you can is summer. If you do research and learn from people who know the country, you can have a blissful experience.
Jul 28th, 2017, 01:49 PM
#180
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but Italy is no more "hot and crowded" in the summer than anyplace else in Europe in the summer, with very few exceptions>
temps south of Alps are noticeably higher than north of Alps- Rome, Florence avg hi July 90 F
Munich - Amsterdam 72 F
There is a heck of a lot difference between 90 and 72 F - a lot!
every place north of Alps about same as Amsterdam and Munich - Venice hi only 82 but still significantly higher than 72.
Have you ever been to Italy in mid-summer - I have and it is noticeably hotter than most places in northern Europe.
Stats don't lie.
As for crowds yes all mega tourist cities have crowds in July and August but Venice with small land area is much much more densely crowded than most.
so crowds about the same but temps way way hotter in most of Italy.
temps south of Alps are noticeably higher than north of Alps- Rome, Florence avg hi July 90 F
Munich - Amsterdam 72 F
There is a heck of a lot difference between 90 and 72 F - a lot!
every place north of Alps about same as Amsterdam and Munich - Venice hi only 82 but still significantly higher than 72.
Have you ever been to Italy in mid-summer - I have and it is noticeably hotter than most places in northern Europe.
Stats don't lie.
As for crowds yes all mega tourist cities have crowds in July and August but Venice with small land area is much much more densely crowded than most.
so crowds about the same but temps way way hotter in most of Italy.
