THAT'S IT.....We've decided.....
 

Myself and a few friends are heading off into the pale blue yonder for 2/3 nights to celebrate my (gasp and shudder) 40th birthday.

We want to fly from either Cork or Shannon to some city in Europe...Paris is out,unfortunately,much as I love it.I've travelled there alot over the years and I'd like to discover somewhere new.We're leaving children behind and would love a great break .As we're a group of differing tastes/interests the place we select will have to have access to most things...ie. culture/shopping/gourmet food/good pubs.etc...



Please give me the benifit of your experience.I was considering Prague but one of our group was fairly put of by the seedier side of Prague,on her last trip there.There was prostitutes hanging around the lobby of her 5 star hotel (although the more cynical/well traveled of you may say that that occurs most places - though usually out of sight.In this case they were readily identifiable!!!)
Edinborough is a possibility...Any ideas?Anyone...Anyone at all?

Cheers
Runnerb

Barcelona or Berlin?
Amsterdam?

Hi R,

Rome
Salzburg
Vienna
Copenhagen

((I))

Give us a list of destinations reachable from Cork or Shannon.

It's Edinburgh.

Out of Cork there's the choice of Amsterdam,Barcelona,Berlin,Lisbon,Munich,Prague,Ro me,Carcassone,and Glasgow.

Out of Shannon there's Brussels,Edinborough,Milan,Turin and Venise.

Any thoughts?

Barcelona - will tick all your boxes.

At the moment I seem to have it narrowed down to either Barcelona or Rome out of Cork with Aerlingus or Edinborough out of Shannon with Ryanair.

Am I right in feeling apprehensive about traveling with Ryanair ?Their customer service record is abit daunting?
Cheers,
Runnerb

We loved our 5-night visit to Amsterdam. It's so charming, the people are very friendly, it felt safe 24/7.

Not at all what I expected re: pot-smoking and the red light district. It's easy to avoid those two influences, if you choose to.

And, the restaurants we found there were amazing. I have details in a trip report, if you're interested.

"Am I right in feeling apprehensive about traveling with Ryanair ?Their customer service record is abit daunting?"

I'd say it is inexistent but they are very cheap and you get what you pay for. Beware however, they don't fly to Barcelona but to Girona. You'll have to take a bus from Girona (90 jm).

You have some good destinations available to you. I don't use Ryanair but, to be honest, Aer Lingus is going the same way except that they don't seem to have the same forthright bloody-mindedness; they pretend to care.

Berlin offers some great value for money, lots to see for people of different interests, reasonable shopping (can't say too much, as we didn't shop a great deal there), good restaurants, good drinking.

Lisbon has loads of charm, great seafood, very good shopping (Herself is very fond of her "Lisbon coat"), a really great short excursion on local train to Sintra, fun trams, possibly gentler weather. I liked the people. Beware of pickpockets on Tram 28, but you should use it anyway because it is such a good route. Overall, it is relatively inexpensive.

I'm sorry your friend had a bad experience, but I wouldn't let it put me off the entire city of Prague. I just returned from there and loved it. Fortunately, I didn't notice any prostitutes around my five-star hotel (the Intercontinental Praha).

So If you were offered a free trip to one of these cities which one instinctively which one would you choose?What is it about this city that does it for you?The pastries, the buildings,the people..?

runnerB asked: "So If you were offered a free trip to one of these cities which one instinctively which one would you choose?"

Carcassone. Because it's the only one of them I have not yet been to. That's no help to you.

Bear in mind that if the trip is to happen before about March, some of the destinations might be very cold. That would bother some people. You know yourself and your friends.

By the way,I love it......"Herself is very fond of Her Lisbon coat"...Magic

We just returned from a trip which included Prague and Budapest. We liked Budapest more than Prague.
The Hungarian goulash soup is worth the trip to Budapest.

Budapest has the 2nd oldest metro line in the world. There are wonderful swimming pools and baths. The big market building with all the small kiosks was interesting and fun to go through.

We had dinner at The Spoon which is a restaurant on the Danube - not an excursion boat - just a restaurant.

There is much to see and do there.

Wow...Thanks for all the fabulous responses...The suggestions are great.....I have a number of questions so far...

BUDAPEST.

How far is Budapest from Prague?Is it possible to do in a 2/3 day visit?How did you travel?Is the Big Market Building like a bustling market with food and clothing or enclosed seperate shops under one roof?Are the people friendly and the atmosphere welcoming and safe ?What about night life?

EDINBOROUGH.

What are the must see castles/sights here,the must visit resturaunts and bars?Where is a memorable place to stay?

VENISE.

Is it as magical as it sounds...Or should I save it to visit with Him indoors!!!?Is it the more expensive option...unfortunately money is a consideration.

ROME.

Architecturally /culturally sounds great but does it match the magic of Venise .Does it have good craic going on anywhere at nighttime.We're not wild but we're not dead yet either!!!

Unfortunately AMSTERDAM is out of the picture.....on account of one spouse casting suspicions over our motives for travel !!!!!!!!!....unfounded they may be,but nonetheless,for peace sake Amsterdam is out of the picture.Awgh.....Thanks anyway for the suggestion Peaceout.

LISBON.

Can you reccomend a memorable place to stay?How big a city is it?Luckily,we can travel anytime up until June so we should get at least mild if not warm weather in April/May.Thanks for the reccomendation Padraig,I just feel very ignorant not knowing anything at all about Lisbon.I'll definately look into it.
Cheers,
Runnerb

I love Rome - and would pick Rome over Venice for a 40th Bday... I got engaged in Venice, so I have great memories of that, but I LOVE Rome, and it is definitely a good friends city. I also would definitely pick that over Budapest - but I just think Rome is extremely interesting, and there is so much to do....

There is nothing as magical as Venice however I have visited it with my best girl friend and with DH and I much prefer to visit Venice with DH,the love of my life!

If you have not seen Rome it is a really amazing place.So much to see and the food is wonderful.

Don't feel bad about Amsterdam,I detest it.Way to seedy for me.

I would pick Rome over Venice too. Loved Venice, been there twice, but Rome has a different kind of energy. Budapest is close to Prague but you'll spend close to a day traveling by car. If you have 2/3 days, I would suggest pick one or the other. Budapest is beautiful and there are lots of places for day trips if you get tired of the city. The big market is one huge building with little stalls of merchants selling cheese, vegetable, meat, pastry, etc on the ground level, touristy stuff and fast food up stairs and seafood downstairs. Haven't been to the other 2 on your list so can't comment. We just flew Ryanair from London to Budapest last month. Nothing fancy about Ryanair, cheap, no seating assignments so board and take your pick. Didn't have any problem with the airline.

Budapest is one of my favourite cities, but I don't think it is a good project for a weekend if you cannot fly there directly; you end up spending too much of your limited time in travelling.

Venice is expensive -- even the Italians think so. It doesn't seem a natural destination for a girls' celebratory weekend. I suggest that you save it for a trip with your man.

I didn't find Rome particularly cheap, but it is very interesting, lots to see.

I know a lot of participants in this group like Lisbon, but I have an impression that Irish people are less conscious of it as a good destination than they should be.

You can get some ideas from my trip reports on some of the cities in which you are interested: http://www.iol.ie/~draoi/

[What sort of husband has suspicions about his wife going to Amsterdam? It's wives who should be suspicious of their husbands going there.]

First step would be to spell both Edinburgh and Venice correctly!!

The part that would dissuade me from Venice is that you are going on a weekend (I think) when crowds are likely to be at their worst.

But I would not put off visiting a city that interests you because you aren't going with a man. I have a friend who has been waiting for decades for a man to take her to Paris - guess what, it hasn't happened.

Given how short your time is, maybe Rome's the best bet, because you'll land at a nearby airport (in contrast to going to Girona and by bus to Barcelona).

I really appreciate all your replies and appreciate the almost unanimous vote for Rome.I've spoken with most of the group and they seem content to let me choose.Rome here we come....

Now that's settled,providing we can get flights,where to stay?Please suggest a great area of the city as a base for our few days?I hate large ornate hotels and equally travel lodge style accomadation.My choice would be usually something more authentic and unique to the place I visit.We love good gourmet food/pastry /cheese/speciality shops and pedestrianised streets with loads of bistro style eating choices and oppertunities to sit and watch the world pass by with a good glass(or three) of wine,surrounded in finr buildings!Please do reccomend THE must do/see sights...the ones we absolutely cannot miss,the ones perhaps others may have missed.I.e. the one that made the trip for you...Thanks for all the suggestions
Runnerb

WillTravel wrote: "But I would not put off visiting a city that interests you because you aren't going with a man. I have a friend who has been waiting for decades for a man to take her to Paris - guess what, it hasn't happened."

The Ballad of Lucy Jordan comes to mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KV-PTK0UZ4

runnerB and her man have already been to Paris, and I'd bet that if she wanted it, he would go to Venice with her (with the three children in tow).

I didn't go to Venice with a man. But Herself did.

That's some memory you have there,Padraig...and yes of course Him indoors would give his eyeteeth and fast disappearing hair folicals to go to Venice(spelling corrected) with me on a romantic trip/or with the entire brood in tow.Unfortunately,ithere's not a chance of it at the moment.....My thanks for setting the record straight though...

I think Rome is a great choice. Very good shopping! Lots to do no matter the weather. (You don't say what time of year you're traveling. But the weather's got to be better than in Ireland.)

It's hard to recommend a hotel without knowing your budget. Most of us prefer the area around the Pantheon/Piazza Navona/Campo dei Fiori. It's central and walkable to all the main sights. Look at www.tripadvisor.com or www.venere.com. The latter site has the hotels placed on a map.

As it's a girls' weekend, and at least one has an untrusting husband, perhaps you should check out the possibilities of being accommodated in a convent. They offer some of the best value for money.

You have got to be joking,Padraig...I know that the convents are are much used form of accomadation but this will be my one and only trip away from the kids and I will not bow to his long documented and vile controling behaviour...which incidently he has used for years on my friend.She recently returned from a trip with her aged mother(unable to travel to visit relatives on her own)and her husband and all the sons refuse to speak to her and leave the room whenever she enters,because she "left the Family"...five days of silence and counting.Words on this site would not be permitted to describe my exact feelings towards this individual.....I wouldn't put him out if he was on fire!Luckily,I have one of the very good ones,who trusts me regardless.

Ok. rant over..but I do appreciate the suggestion.I don't think it's for us.I believe they have a curfew and I quite fancy a late night stroll when the streets are quite or an early morning run before the crowds.I'd like to get my own feel for the place.

Thanks for the help with the areas to stay, Mimar.I think our Budget will have to be Three star or less..I don't want to add ammunition to the fire with this particular husband(for her sake,not his)
I would really appreciate any suggestions you may have...I have been checking out the other threads on this forum and the Hotel Parlamento or hotel San Carlo seem reccomended.Any ideas?

Cheers

Most of the posters like to stay in central Rome. When we go to Rome we prefer Hotel Villa del Parco on Nomentana. The bus is within a block and another bus in 2 blocks. One goes straight to the Vatican and points in between. The people at the hotel are so helpful. It has a good breakfast.

www.hotelvilladelparco.it

There is a small restaurant with wonderful pizza and other Italin entrees not far from the hotel. There is also a supermarket a few blocks away and we manage to go there each time.

We like it there because it is not "touristy" and is welcoming.

runnerB, I am very sorry to hear about your friend's mistreatment. I didn't mean to comment on your own situation, so I hope it wasn't taken that way.

Padraig, I had never heard of the "Ballad of Lucy Jordan" - very intriguing, thanks.

As for Rome, I think you couldn't go wrong with Hotel San Carlo or Parlamento. I stayed at Hotel Julia, not far away from either, and I was fine with that. Also look at Domus Julia.

DH and I stayed at the Hotel Smeraldo last May. The location is absolutely perfect within easy walking distance to The Pantheon,Piazza Navona and only 1 block from Campo Di Fiori.It was great to be able to walk everywhere. The price was excellent too and the room large by Europeon standards. I suggest you check out hotels on tripadvisor for reviews.We always find our hotels in Europe using tripadvisor.Be sure to get a pizza at Da Baffetos which is also within walking distance to the Hotel Smeraldo and right next to the Piazza Navona. Da Baffetos is said to have the best pizza in Rome.Don't expect fantastic service though but it was definitely quick if abrupt service and the best pizza I have ever had.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/trave...els/index.html

Here is a link for an article that discusses some budget hotels in Rome.

Remember the number of stars doesn't necessarily correspond with the price. I can recommend the 3-star Albergo Cesari, very centrally located on a quiet pedestrian street. I really like walking in Rome (and other foreign cities). You can see so much along the way.

And a hotel in a central location is handy for a group if you want to split up and then meet later.

If you want somewhere with an Irish flavour one night you could try Mad Jack's on Via Arenula. They do great cocktails (and Guiness) and it's a fun relaxed atmosphere.

The restaurants around the Pantheon have a good atmosphere especially at night.

Thanks so much for all the advice on accomadation...it's exactly the information I needed.Unfortunately,over the weekend two of the kids were sick so I wasn't able to check out the various options yet...so that's on the list for today.
So,if I may be so bold to take advantage one last time of your traveling experience,I need a reccomendation for a really good meal on the" celebration /commiseration night"!!

Don't worry about it Willtravel...no offence taken and thanks again for all the ideas.They're much appreciated.
Cheers
runnerb

As an aside about 'Lucy Jordan' - I didn't know it until it featured on the soundtrack of one of my favourite films, 'Thelma & Louise'.