If I visit Europe only once...what do I HAVE to see?
Oct 10th, 2010, 01:58 PM
#24
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ParisAmsterdam- funny!
I told an acquaintance once that we went on the "Bellini Tour" of Italy. She said that she would check up on that and add it to her list for her next trip. She didn't know a Bellini from a glass of water but sure didn't want to miss out.
I told an acquaintance once that we went on the "Bellini Tour" of Italy. She said that she would check up on that and add it to her list for her next trip. She didn't know a Bellini from a glass of water but sure didn't want to miss out.
Oct 10th, 2010, 02:00 PM
#25
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My favorite is Germany but that is because I lived there for six years while serving in the Army. I still like it better than the other countries that visited while assigned there. I have been returning there every year lately.
Setting my connection aside, I would visit Italy: Florence, Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano and a hill town or two. We stayed in Cortona and visited Assisi for our hill towns. I would visit Italy in the fall after the weather has chilled a bit. Italy is (for me) the best antidote for being too serious about the wrong things in life.
Regards, Gary
Setting my connection aside, I would visit Italy: Florence, Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano and a hill town or two. We stayed in Cortona and visited Assisi for our hill towns. I would visit Italy in the fall after the weather has chilled a bit. Italy is (for me) the best antidote for being too serious about the wrong things in life.
Regards, Gary
Oct 10th, 2010, 02:27 PM
#26
I'm totally confused -- you tagged this for 4 specific countries -- but don't seem to have any interest in those and none of them have much to do w/ your criteria.
Do you want to go to Czech Republic, or Germany, or Ireland, or Switzerland or were those just 'for fun' tags?
"However, thanks for taking time out of your day to try and belittle someone."
Schuler wasn't rude or belittling you. Merely trying to explain how utterly unanswerable your original question was.
Everyone has their own "Absolute musts" -- my personal list runs to maybe 60-70 major sites in Europe (not counting the hundreds of smaller ones). Since you only have a few days, you need to focus a bit. Pick whichever country (or 2 countries max.) appeals to YOU the most and then we can help you find the "musts".
Do you want to go to Czech Republic, or Germany, or Ireland, or Switzerland or were those just 'for fun' tags?
"However, thanks for taking time out of your day to try and belittle someone."
Schuler wasn't rude or belittling you. Merely trying to explain how utterly unanswerable your original question was.
Everyone has their own "Absolute musts" -- my personal list runs to maybe 60-70 major sites in Europe (not counting the hundreds of smaller ones). Since you only have a few days, you need to focus a bit. Pick whichever country (or 2 countries max.) appeals to YOU the most and then we can help you find the "musts".
Oct 10th, 2010, 02:51 PM
#27
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I don't know if you are willing to rent a car. If you are, I suggest that you go to Paris and the Loire Valley. You will only need the car in the Loire Valley. It is lovely there and
you will have the feel of being in a foreign land. You can visit the wonderful chateaus and sip some wine, too. There are reasonable places to stay and small towns along the way.
If you are not willing to rent a car, then I suggest Italy or
Bavaria. Both are serviced by a good train system and you can map out an interesting trip on public transportation.
Pat
you will have the feel of being in a foreign land. You can visit the wonderful chateaus and sip some wine, too. There are reasonable places to stay and small towns along the way.
If you are not willing to rent a car, then I suggest Italy or
Bavaria. Both are serviced by a good train system and you can map out an interesting trip on public transportation.
Pat
Oct 10th, 2010, 02:59 PM
#28
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If what yuo want is culture shock I would head for Russia - it's the most different from the US at this point. Although a lot of the food isn;t very good.
If you want great food - at all price points - my choice woud be Belgium - hands down. Plus a hot of history and culture.
In your limited time I would pick parts of 2 countries - and decide on 3 or 4 things that you MUST see- the Eiffel tower or the Colosseum etc - then build from there.
No one can organize this trip for you - you'll have to make some hard choices.
If you want great food - at all price points - my choice woud be Belgium - hands down. Plus a hot of history and culture.
In your limited time I would pick parts of 2 countries - and decide on 3 or 4 things that you MUST see- the Eiffel tower or the Colosseum etc - then build from there.
No one can organize this trip for you - you'll have to make some hard choices.
Oct 10th, 2010, 03:24 PM
#30
"That's why an organized tour might make sense here, someone will organize and pick the top sites at multiple locations, and get you to/from."
EXCEPT a guided tour will not allow >>eating, sleeping, and commuting like the locals
EXCEPT a guided tour will not allow >>eating, sleeping, and commuting like the locals
Oct 10th, 2010, 03:25 PM
#31
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Lots of folks here don't like Rick Steves, but for a first time overview I'd recommend his 14 day Best of Europe tour. It's really well organized to make the most of a two-week time span. Or follow his route and do the same tour on your own.
Oct 10th, 2010, 04:08 PM
#33
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ean, our first trip to Europe was planned for us by someone else and had us flying all over the place. It was not how we would have done it ourselves, but - wow! I am grateful for the opportunity to get a taste of so many places!
So, based on that limited experience, I'd say:
* Go to ROME!! We live in California and nothing is old here. So arriving in Rome was absolutely mindblowing. The history! Right there in the middle of the block! The architecture! The art! Food, too! (We're going back, of course)!
* PRAGUE!! Nothing like it. It was the only European city not destroyed during WWII and the architecture and the history are amazing. (And I learned to love Becherovka there).
Well, we loved every place we visited (also Paris, Austria, Germany) - but our greatest fondness was for the places where we spent the most time and got to know people and visited with them in their homes.
So I guess you need to decide if you want a brief overview, or if you want to spend some time in perhaps 2 or 3 places so you can get to know the people and the culture a little better. Have a great time sorting it all out!
So, based on that limited experience, I'd say:
* Go to ROME!! We live in California and nothing is old here. So arriving in Rome was absolutely mindblowing. The history! Right there in the middle of the block! The architecture! The art! Food, too! (We're going back, of course)!
* PRAGUE!! Nothing like it. It was the only European city not destroyed during WWII and the architecture and the history are amazing. (And I learned to love Becherovka there).
Well, we loved every place we visited (also Paris, Austria, Germany) - but our greatest fondness was for the places where we spent the most time and got to know people and visited with them in their homes.
So I guess you need to decide if you want a brief overview, or if you want to spend some time in perhaps 2 or 3 places so you can get to know the people and the culture a little better. Have a great time sorting it all out!
Oct 10th, 2010, 04:19 PM
#35
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People are mentioning Turkey, I assume, because the OP mentioned eating was a priority. Turkish cuisine rocks.
But yes, the original post is totally unanswerable and totally confusing, being tagged the way it is. Besides which, no one actually succeeds in living like the locals on a first trip to anywhere. They may think they are, but it's delusional.
And thanks to nytraveler for mentioning Belgium, which I totally forgot. Possibly the best food in Europe.
But yes, the original post is totally unanswerable and totally confusing, being tagged the way it is. Besides which, no one actually succeeds in living like the locals on a first trip to anywhere. They may think they are, but it's delusional.
And thanks to nytraveler for mentioning Belgium, which I totally forgot. Possibly the best food in Europe.
Oct 10th, 2010, 04:57 PM
#36
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Have to say I'm surprised at the number of people mentioning Turkey. Yes it's in Europe (partially) but certainly not even close to the most "European" feeling place. It's wonderful, I've been there, but for a first trip to Europe it would be way, way down on my list.
The suggestion to do Rick Steves best of Europe in 14 days is a good one if you don't mind tour groups and can afford it. He certainly knows how to plan an itinerary to show you the "best of". Unfortunately it's almost impossible to try and do the same itinerary on your own in that amount of time because you spend all your time with public transportation logistics. That's the one (and as far as I'm concerned, only) good thing about a tour. It allows you to cover a lot of ground.
So given you are 1) a first timer, 2) want a culture different enough from the US to feel you are in a new place, and 3) like food - I think the obvious answer is Italy and or France. If only 10 days stick to one country, if 14 (try as hard as you can to make it 14), then you could do both. But stick to 4 or 5 different cities/towns at the most.
Does looking at pictures help you decide. Here's a link to my gallery which covers about 20 European countries - http://www.pbase.com/annforcier
The suggestion to do Rick Steves best of Europe in 14 days is a good one if you don't mind tour groups and can afford it. He certainly knows how to plan an itinerary to show you the "best of". Unfortunately it's almost impossible to try and do the same itinerary on your own in that amount of time because you spend all your time with public transportation logistics. That's the one (and as far as I'm concerned, only) good thing about a tour. It allows you to cover a lot of ground.
So given you are 1) a first timer, 2) want a culture different enough from the US to feel you are in a new place, and 3) like food - I think the obvious answer is Italy and or France. If only 10 days stick to one country, if 14 (try as hard as you can to make it 14), then you could do both. But stick to 4 or 5 different cities/towns at the most.
Does looking at pictures help you decide. Here's a link to my gallery which covers about 20 European countries - http://www.pbase.com/annforcier
Oct 10th, 2010, 07:15 PM
#40
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"Since when are Rome, Paris and Barcelona, must sees?
Does anyone else see the futility of approaching the subjective nature of travel this way?"
If it is all so futile, and choosing destinations, hotels,restaurants etc... is totally subjective why is anyone bothering posting here and asking for suggestions?
Does anyone else see the futility of approaching the subjective nature of travel this way?"
If it is all so futile, and choosing destinations, hotels,restaurants etc... is totally subjective why is anyone bothering posting here and asking for suggestions?
