Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

places that surpassed your expectations

Search

places that surpassed your expectations

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 2nd, 2007, 05:55 PM
  #121  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,298
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Climbing Stromboli the volcano with some crazy vulcanologists and spending the night at the top.
TravMimi is offline  
Old Mar 2nd, 2007, 06:02 PM
  #122  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Santorini - the first view of the Aegean from the Caldera in Fira. Jaw dropping colors and a sight that looked EXACTLY like all the pictures and photos I had seen.

Israel - don't consider myself an especially spiritual person but the impact of standing in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem and feeling, for the first and only time in my life, the accumulated weight of all the prayers said there.

Buenos Aires - had to be talked into going and, once there, started imagining myself living there. Fell in love with the food (and the wine), the stylishness of all the window displays and the warmth and energy of its citizens.

Venice - arrived Christmas Eve and spent a rapturous 5 days there, wandering in and out of the fog, deliberately getting lost, finding magical sights and shops in the least expected places.

Ravello - peaceful, serene but bursting with color from all the ceramics displayed and the flowers. Exploring narrow winding streets with hidden courtyards filled with terra cotta pots and silvery green olive branches.
ready2travel is offline  
Old Mar 6th, 2007, 06:48 PM
  #123  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lago Maggiore - Stresa, Baveno, so tranquil

Amalfi Coast - Sorrento, Positano

of course without the crowds

I'm going house shopping there soon
chrispet is offline  
Old Apr 10th, 2007, 07:05 AM
  #124  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,401
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
TravMimi: I would love to hear more about your hike up Stromboli!

I was there in May 2005 and totally intrigued by the island!!
bettyo70 is offline  
Old Apr 10th, 2007, 07:51 AM
  #125  
carolinetaylor
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Nessebur in Bulgaria, a beautiful little island filled with churches and restaurants.

Bruges, Arriving from Brussels, i didn't have high expectations, but i was enthralled, such a pretty town.
 
Old Apr 10th, 2007, 10:17 AM
  #126  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fun thread; For us, while we have simply loved everywhere we have been lucky enough to travel too, Venice just blew us away. The people, the sites, the ease of getting around the city... How fun to just walk and walk and walk and never worry about being so far off track that you can't get back in a timely manner! Perhaps it was also how very friendly everyone was and how safe we felt in the city. Look forward to returning soon. Shirley
LuvToRoam is offline  
Old Apr 10th, 2007, 09:54 PM
  #127  
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just reading about all of these wonderful places is great!
For me its been:
Slovenia - WOW! Loved Logarska Dolina and Lake Bled area
St. Petersburg
Dobrovnik (I was there before the war and hope to take my husand to see it sometime. Hopefully it is as beautiful as I remember)
Looking forward to seeing some of the other places described here!

jnt1985 is offline  
Old Apr 11th, 2007, 01:08 AM
  #128  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Budapest was my personal favourite on a recent trip to central Europe. It had a wedding cake quality similar to that of Prague and Krakow but there was a pulsating vibrancy about the place. Something tangible in the air. I would certainly recommend going there, the Danube is incredibly romantic at dusk.

http://www.travel--guide.org/Budapest
danny1980 is offline  
Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:30 AM
  #129  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 824
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Paris - I had heard many comments about Americans being treated badly in France. In fact, Paris seemed warm, friendly and beautiful.

Loire Valley - Same comments as Paris.

In der Pflaz (Palinate) - Some areas have to be lived in to appreciate. This might be one. It is a rural, quiet, backwater place; but, through the seasons it produced one endearing sight of nature and rural living after another.

Regards, Gary
Gary_Mc is offline  
Old Apr 15th, 2007, 07:43 AM
  #130  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rome--We spent a week there in late March and early April. We had been there before and certainly had no objection to going back with our son who wanted to see it. But this time for some reason it was especially wonderful.

Others I can think of off-hand:
Barcelona
Cordoba
Chartres
Durham
Paestum
Padova
Prague
Vttraveler is online now  
Old Apr 29th, 2007, 04:11 AM
  #131  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Also Lubeck
Vttraveler is online now  
Old Apr 29th, 2007, 07:41 AM
  #132  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Memories, memories.

St. Andrews (and all of Scotland)
Switzerland, esp. Berner Oberland
Israel
Kenya
Tanzania
Hallstatt
Vernazza
Pont du Gard
Amazon River
Stuttgart Kriskindlmarkt
Siena Palio
Grossglockner
American cemetary in Normandy

Cheers,

Jinx Hoover
_jinx_ is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
KelseyB
Europe
11
Apr 5th, 2013 01:47 AM
DetroitGirl602
Europe
6
Feb 7th, 2012 10:43 AM
Jstrauss
Europe
5
Jan 12th, 2006 05:23 PM
xoxo
Europe
7
Oct 27th, 2005 06:35 AM
kell
Europe
14
Jul 19th, 2002 08:18 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Your Privacy Choices -