Must Sees / Hotels: Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna, Stutgart,
 

Hi everyone,
we are heading to Europe at the end of August and are wanting to make sure we see all the sights these cities have to offer. We enjoy sightseeing, shopping, dining out, learning about the history in places, meeting locals etc.
We like to stay at 4 star hotels or B&B's in good areas close to shops and restaurants if possible.
We prefer clean and comfortable accommodations.
It will just be my husband and I . ( We are in our 40's )
We will then be flying to Venice to take a cruise.
Our flight from Australia goes to and from Copenhagen.
Look forward to your replies.
Donna

Hi Donna,

I think we need a few more infos before you can get any meaningful advice:

How many days will you have to make your way from Venice to Copenhagen?

Do you plan to visit just those four cities or will you have time for anything in between?
e.g. you can fly Vienna-Stuttgart, or take the train and spend 1-2 nights in Munich halfway to Stuttgart.

Hi again,
we will be in the cities for 3-4 days each. We will start off from Copenhagen and then fly to each of the other cities.
Copenhagen to Vienna
Vienna to Stuttgart
Stuttgart to Venice
2 week cruise
Venice to Paris
Paris to Berlin
Berlin to Copenhagen
We have been to Venice and Paris before.
Thanks again
Donna

Any ideas???????

In Copenhagen you might consider Hotel The Square. It is in a fantastic location, it is very modern and it is comfortable. I enjoyed it very much. FYI, expect Copenhagen to be expensive.

Thanks hpeabody,
I will check out the Hotel The Square.
Is Copenhagen more expensive than other European countries?
What are your tips for must sees?
Thanks
Donna

What is the weather likely to be at this time of the year?
Any other suggestions?
Donna

The Admiral Hotel in the Nyhaven area of Copenhagen meets your requirements. Copenhagen was more expensive than other European countries , similar to Stockholm, less expensive than Oslo.

Hi lordy,

as a couple of us have said on another thread, the Hotel Austria in Vienna is very central, well-placed for transport, and very comfortable, with nice large rooms and bathrooms. It's about a five minute walk from the cathedral, and the same from a main transport hub.

here's the link:

http://www.hotelaustria-wien.at/

I did find Copenhagen to be more expensive for a visitor than the other major european cities, especially eating places. My favorite memories of Copenhagen are roaming the Rådhuspladsen (main public square) shopping on the Strøget, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Nyhaven and the most delicious soft serve ice cream in Tivoli Gardens

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and ideas.
I will check out the variuos web sites.
Thanks again
Donna

Thanks again.
Have checked the hotels you suggested and will book in the near future. Any other ideas for the other places I mentioned.
Thanks
Donna

Any other ideas

Learn how to say "Rødgrød med fløde", it's hilarious, and hopefully it will impress the Danes:). I'm headed to Scandinavia in June and will be spending five days based in Copenhagen. Some of the things I've come up with are:

Nyhavn area (canal tour and strolling)
Rundetaarn (Round Tower, it apparently offers great views of the city)
Frederiksborg and Kroneborg castles to the north of the city
Church of our Saviour (you can climb the spirally outside-of-the-spire staircase to get some more great views)
Strøget (the main shopping street)
Amelienborg Palace and Square (Royal residence)

Plus a range of museums etc.

Hope you have a good trip:)

P.S. You really will laugh yourselves silly trying to pronounce the aforementioned phrase....

OK, you want really "high end" or at least high priced in Copenhagen? Check out the Nimb hotel which is actually part of the Tivoli Gardens.

I've stayed there once; place is unforgettable if you like that sort of situation.

Donna,

Do you mind my asking which guidebook you are using? Doesn't it answer the questions you've asked? Usually, that is exactly what a guidebook does: it lists the top attractions, give the details about when they are open and how much they cost, and offers suggestions for comfortable lodgings to fit all budgets, resraurants and shopping, and places for nightlife and socializing. It also provides a compact history of the country.

In other words, if you are a traveler who enjoys "sightseeing, shopping, dining out, learning about the history in places, meeting locals etc. " , your guidebook should be able to tell you that.

It would be good to share with others which one you are using so the rest of us don't make the mistake of buying it.

PS: Your guidebook should also have information about the weather in the places you've mentioned. If it doesn't, honestly, toss it and get a good one.

You need to define the budget better for your lodging requests, especially for Copenhagen which is one of the most expensive cities in the world due to the Danish tax system. And 4-star means different things - you need to know how the ratings are done because some systems rate based on amenities and features available over comfort, cleanliness and quality of furnishings (this is especially true in the UK).

You might want to try to find this book: Peter Fritzsche and Karen Hewitt, <u>Berlinwalks</u>, 1994 which divides Berlin into 5 different walks in different neighborhoods. It is excellent on explaining the nature of the neighborhoods and weaving in the history of modern Germany.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623174831107/

There is a Vienna walks book in the same series, but I was not impressed by it. The Michelin Green Guides are quite good at introducing the history and architecture of the location they are covering.

To whet your appetite:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622927111169/