Travel EUROPE: Travel Tips & Tricks

[The Swans Blog]

I tell you something. You're probably going through Nîmes on your trip. It's about 30kms before Montpellier. Stop there instead of Montpellier and you can visit an extremely well preserved arena in the style of Rome's colleseum. Very well looked after and recently laser cleaned to restore it to it's original 'look' it's over 2,000 years old. That's the time of Jesus man! I saw radiohead there in 2012 and blew my mind to think I'm sitting in a stadium watching radiohead in an arena that existed in the days of Christ!

Nîmes has some of the very oldest Roman artifacts and best preserved in the world. It's also the home city of my wife.

Thanks! I'll check it out

 

[The Dice Man]

Thanks! I'll check it out

It's worth it compared to Montpellier, if you have the option to stop there instead.

 

[Dee Won]

For those that have travelled around Italy which cities did you chose, there's so many with seemingly interesting stuff.
Rome would be obvious but after that?
Bologna, Florence, Milan, Pisa (can it be done in a day trip from Rome?), Venice?

Thanks in advance

 

[The Swans Blog]

For those that have travelled around Italy which cities did you chose, there's so many with seemingly interesting stuff.
Rome would be obvious but after that?
Bologna, Florence, Milan, Pisa (can it be done in a day trip from Rome?), Venice?

Thanks in advance

I'm going to Italy in 3 weeks as part of my 7 week euro holiday. You're better off doing Pisa from Firenze because it's much closer than Roma, more than 3 hours closer by train in fact. When you say day trip - you're literally spending an entire day riding trains. And the train from Firenze to Pisa is something like 10eu, it's dirt cheap. Also, the train runs all the time during the day, compared to Roma when it runs I think every 90 minutes.

Rome > Pisa
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/...fb5a78478c8!2m2!1d10.4016888!2d43.7228386!5i2

Florence > Pisa
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/...ab80fb5a78478c8!2m2!1d10.4016888!2d43.7228386

Some info on trip advisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowT...Pisa_tower-Pisa_Province_of_Pisa_Tuscany.html

 

[Dee Won]

Thanks for the info. Which Italian cities are you travelling to and how many days in each?

I think I'm going to end up doing Europe in June-July 2016 having had a look at potential sporting events on during that time of year (Wimbledon, Tour De France, Silverstone GP and Euro 2016 in France).

 

[The Swans Blog]

Thanks for the info. Which Italian cities are you travelling to and how many days in each?

I think I'm going to end up doing Europe in June-July 2016 having had a look at potential sporting events on during that time of year (Wimbledon, Tour De France, Silverstone GP and Euro 2016 in France).

Napoli, Roma, Firenze and Venezia. I wish I had more time, like 3 months! I leave in 1 week, 6 days, 9 hours, 20 minutes.

 

[MaddAdam]

I tell you something. You're probably going through Nîmes on your trip. It's about 30kms before Montpellier. Stop there instead of Montpellier and you can visit an extremely well preserved arena in the style of Rome's colleseum. Very well looked after and recently laser cleaned to restore it to it's original 'look' it's over 2,000 years old. That's the time of Jesus man! I saw radiohead there in 2012 and blew my mind to think I'm sitting in a stadium watching radiohead in an arena that existed in the days of Christ!

Nîmes has some of the very oldest Roman artifacts and best preserved in the world. It's also the home city of my wife.

Good to see you "put a ring on it".

Visa?

 

[MaddAdam]

I'm heading back for two months from mid December, I'm also interested to hear if anyone has done Europe at this time of year and what tips and suggestions they have (and no I won't be skiing)

I really like Europe and surrounds in winter. Edinburgh for Hogmanay is great fun.

 

[manboob]

Austria and CH are pretty nice that time of the year.
Glühwein!

 

[The Dice Man]

Good to see you "put a ring on it".

Visa?

All paperwork is lodged with the French consulate in Sydney. Just a waiting game now.

 

[robbieando]

I really like Europe and surrounds in winter. Edinburgh for Hogmanay is great fun.

Hogmanay is an option I'm considering but also thinking of Paris and Berlin as I want to be at an event in Austria on the 4th. Don't want to be making any mad dashes.

Austria and CH are pretty nice that time of the year.
Glühwein!

Intend to go back to Innsbruck and also go to places I skipped last time.

 

[manboob]

Intend to go back to Innsbruck and also go to places I skipped last time.

Best mate lives there, so any questions hit me up
360 Bar is a nice place to spend the afternoon.

 

[robbieando]

Best mate lives there, so any questions hit me up
360 Bar is a nice place to spend the afternoon.

Can I sleep on his floor for 2 nights during the Four Hills event

Loved Innsbruck when I was there in late October 2012 and I wish I had spent more time there. Such an easy place to walk around and your right around the 360 Bar

 

[ptrg]

Off to euro in Aug/sept, hitting up Reykjavik/Berlin/Zurich-Liechenstien/Paris/Barlcelona/Venice/Piran,Slovenia/Rome/xxx (5 days free).

Got all the flights/accomo booked, just need tips on cool things to do in each city!

Know the obvious ones, but hoping people can shed their experiences of the more random or hidden gems..

Cheers!

(Also any ideas where I could go for last 5 days from Rome would be great)

 

[manboob]

I don't really see the point of Zurich-Liechenstien, unless you are going there on your way from Berlin to Venice?

 

[ptrg]

I don't really see the point of Zurich-Liechenstien, unless you are going there on your way from Berlin to Venice?

Plan is Berlin->Zurich->Paris.. Isn't that roughly a continual trip west? (Liechenstien for a day trip only)

 

[manboob]

Yep more or less. Be warned Switzerland is bullshit expensive. Live there now. PM with any questions.
Have a play around on the SBB site and have a look at this link.
http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/home/tickets-en/ticketfinder-en/swiss-pass-en.html

 

[ptrg]

Yep more or less. Be warned Switzerland is bullshit expensive. Live there now. PM with any questions.
Have a play around on the SBB site and have a look at this link.
http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/home/tickets-en/ticketfinder-en/swiss-pass-en.html

Cheers! Yer, prices were ridiculous, but found a decent place on airbnb that seems to be pretty close to everything..

 

[jd2010]

Travelling to Italy with the missus for a month in a couple of weeks for a wedding/holiday. We are headed to Milan, Rome, Sorrento, Florence and will do day trips to Pisa, Venice and Pompeii most likely. Anyone got any tips on what's good and what to look out for?

Amazing part of the world the Amalfi Coast. I suggest a day trip to Positano while there restaraunts all have postcard views and great food. The gelati shop in Sorrento with a Balotelli shrine is a must as is the meat platters in Southern Italy!

 

[The Swans Blog]

Amazing part of the world the Amalfi Coast. I suggest a day trip to Positano while there restaraunts all have postcard views and great food. The gelati shop in Sorrento with a Balotelli shrine is a must as is the meat platters in Southern Italy!

I'm trying to decide whether or not to spend 2 nights in Amalfi Coast or 2 nights in Napoli. I have to skip 1 because I only have 2 nights in that region!

Problem is, I have a train booked from Napoli to Roma at midday... :/

 

[neng]

Amazing part of the world the Amalfi Coast. I suggest a day trip to Positano while there restaraunts all have postcard views and great food. The gelati shop in Sorrento with a Balotelli shrine is a must as is the meat platters in Southern Italy!

Just got back a week ago, and can confirm everything you mentioned! Positano, Capri and Sorrento all fantastic.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to spend 2 nights in Amalfi Coast or 2 nights in Napoli. I have to skip 1 because I only have 2 nights in that region!

Problem is, I have a train booked from Napoli to Roma at midday... :/

Don't bother with Napoli my friend, not much to see and is a bit meh compared to the other cities you'll be visiting. Staying in Sorrento is probably easier than Amalfi Coast, and it's easy to get transport from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi. Loved Sorrento, almost my highlight of my entire trip.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Might do that then, day trip to amalfi coast, thanks!

 

[jd2010]

I'm trying to decide whether or not to spend 2 nights in Amalfi Coast or 2 nights in Napoli. I have to skip 1 because I only have 2 nights in that region!

Problem is, I have a train booked from Napoli to Roma at midday... :/

Napoli I've heard mixed things about. I went to spend a day there but we got a massive storm so skipped through. I ended up staying 6 nights in Sorrento with day trips all around the area. Fantastic place

 

[robbieando]

If you had 3-5 days in the beginning of January and you were heading into Italy from Austria would you skip the North and head to Rome or would you base yourself somewhere in the North before heading into France? If so where?

 

[James_Blues]

If you had 3-5 days in the beginning of January and you were heading into Italy from Austria would you skip the North and head to Rome or would you base yourself somewhere in the North before heading into France? If so where?

Depends what your interests are, right in the north of Italy is the Dolomites and that's an incredible area to ski/snowboard. If thats not your kind of thing, then theres both Venice or Milan which are interesting places in their own right.