Travel EUROPE: Travel Tips & Tricks

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Indeed! Always check the rail provider of each country - the one you are exiting and the one you are entering.
 
Hey guys,

Heading off in about a month to the following, in order:

London - 5 nights
Prague - 3 nights (day trip to Cesky Krumlov)
Athens - 3 nights
Santorini - 3 nights
Rome - one night (gf been there before and wasn't keen to spend too much time there again, found a really good central location amongst all the tourist spots so hoping to cover them in a day)
Florence - 3 nights (planning on taking a half day or longer trip to Pisa out at least)
Venice - 2 nights
Barca - 4 nights
Home

Not much I can change by way of flights and accommodation but any tips/half day trips to consider appreciated. Has anyone done a day trip to Edinburgh out of London?
 
DT_fanatic said:
Rome - one night (gf been there before and wasn't keen to spend too much time there again, found a really good central location amongst all the tourist spots so hoping to cover them in a day)
Florence - 3 nights (planning on taking a half day or longer trip to Pisa out at least)
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Sounds like a great trip, you'll have a blast.

Just on Florence/Pisa. What I did one day I was in Florence was this:

- Woke up early and got to the train station in Florence around 7.30-8 and caught the train to Pisa (I think it was about 1 1/2 by train to Pisa). I walked from the train station in Pisa to the Leaning Tower and took some photos. Seriously, you only need about 30 minutes there. Get your photos, have a quick look and then move on.
- From Pisa I caught a train at about 12pm to the closest town in Cinque Terre. I spent the rest of the day visiting 3 out of the 5 towns that make up Cinque Terre. It is really beautiful and I highly recommend it, even if it is just a day trip. I stayed in the area til sunset and then caught the train back to Florence, getting back at about 10pm at night.

It is a big day, but I think it is well worthwhile.
 

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DT_fanatic said:
Hey guys,

Heading off in about a month to the following, in order:

London - 5 nights
Prague - 3 nights (day trip to Cesky Krumlov)
Athens - 3 nights
Santorini - 3 nights
Rome - one night (gf been there before and wasn't keen to spend too much time there again, found a really good central location amongst all the tourist spots so hoping to cover them in a day)
Florence - 3 nights (planning on taking a half day or longer trip to Pisa out at least)
Venice - 2 nights
Barca - 4 nights
Home

Not much I can change by way of flights and accommodation but any tips/half day trips to consider appreciated. Has anyone done a day trip to Edinburgh out of London?
Click to expand...
Your GF is selfish and should give you more time in Rome.
 
DT_fanatic said:
Hey guys,

Heading off in about a month to the following, in order:

London - 5 nights
Prague - 3 nights (day trip to Cesky Krumlov)
Athens - 3 nights
Santorini - 3 nights
Rome - one night (gf been there before and wasn't keen to spend too much time there again, found a really good central location amongst all the tourist spots so hoping to cover them in a day)
Florence - 3 nights (planning on taking a half day or longer trip to Pisa out at least)
Venice - 2 nights
Barca - 4 nights
Home

Not much I can change by way of flights and accommodation but any tips/half day trips to consider appreciated. Has anyone done a day trip to Edinburgh out of London?
Click to expand...
Santorini is pretty boring. Other than the one picture of the town over looking the sea, it's pretty average really.

Should have cut it down and spent more time in arome, the history of the place is amazing
 
Stronzo said:
Your GF is selfish and should give you more time in Rome.
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Yes. You should be spending 3 or 4 nights there. No point even going for 1 night.

Day trip from London to Edinburgh will see you on the train for 8-9 hours. That's mental and not worth it. Better off doing a day trip to Brighton, Oxford, Cambridge, Winchester etc...

I think people often over stretch on these trips and try to do too much, I.e 2/3 nights each city/country. You're better off limiting the number of locations but spending more time at each to actually get a feel for it. It's all a matter of taste and personal preference of course but if I was you I would be doing:

London - 5 nights
Rome - 4 nights
Florence 3 nights (yes, you can do a day trip to Pisa)
Barca - 4 nights
Prague 3 nights

If you're going to do Greece as well, then you need another week to do Athens and the islands at an absolute minimum. Maybe park it for next time and get off the beaten track a little bit in Italy or Spain.
 
DT_Fantatic, I'm being blunt, but Rome is massive. To think you'll do everything in under a day is just not right. I've spent probably in total about one month there and I've still got stuff to do when I return. Also June will be summer so queues will be horrendous. Goodluck though, just don't let the GF sway you like that next time. You may as well add an extra night to another location and not go at all.
 
Thanks for the tips/info guys, yeah probably will regret spending just a day in Rome. Oh well, I've already booked everything so will try and absorb as much as I can. Looking forward to the towns in Cinque Terre, saw some pics, looks amazing. Will avoid Edinburgh for the day trip.
 
As mentioned by other posters it's mental to do a day trip to Edinburgh as you'll spend more time travelling than actually there. Plus it's such a great city you really need a few days there to properly enjoy it. Do a day trip to Oxford, Bath or Cambridge instead.
 

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Going to Europe next year and loking at doing Croatia. Has anyone here been? I was thinking of basing ourselves in split and doing daytrips, but now I'm reading Split can be done in a day, and is perhaps not worth staying in. Am I better off staying somewhere such as Zadar or Trogir instead? I think Dubrovnik might be too packed with tourists so was thinking somewhere else...
 
hirdy_is_champ said:
Going to Europe next year and loking at doing Croatia. Has anyone here been? I was thinking of basing ourselves in split and doing daytrips, but now I'm reading Split can be done in a day, and is perhaps not worth staying in. Am I better off staying somewhere such as Zadar or Trogir instead? I think Dubrovnik might be too packed with tourists so was thinking somewhere else...
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Yeah that's a good idea. Think outside the square.
 
For those in London; The Fullers Brewery tour was ridiculously good. With a good pub meal at the pub next door.

The tour ends with 45 mins of free for all beers, trying up to a dozen odd beers!
 
hirdy_is_champ said:
Going to Europe next year and loking at doing Croatia. Has anyone here been? I was thinking of basing ourselves in split and doing daytrips, but now I'm reading Split can be done in a day, and is perhaps not worth staying in. Am I better off staying somewhere such as Zadar or Trogir instead? I think Dubrovnik might be too packed with tourists so was thinking somewhere else...
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Its all packed along that coast. Eurotrash and cruise ships all the way down through Montenegro. But they are there for a reason.

Split can get you to the islands easily and other places in the hinterland. Trogir is a nice small town but you'll need to go to Split to get to the islands or anywhere else. The islands are pretty of course, but you know what Australians make of beaches in europe....

I'd stay in Dubrovnik, outside the walls where most people actually live. Walk around and find someone's house advertising rooms (sobe,zimmer) - can do this anywhere in Croatia.

FWIW, if you want to get away from the coastal high season madness go inland after Dubrovnik and spend some time in Mostar, Sarajevo and the bosnian mountains. Some very backwoods villages and lovely rural places.
 
I was told people in Europe would pickpocket myself.

No one in London or Amsterdam tried and the attempts in Paris have been woeful!
 
ThePezDispenser said:
I was told people in Europe would pickpocket myself.

No one in London or Amsterdam tried and the attempts in Paris have been woeful!
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The Catalonians have it down to a fine art.
 
ThePezDispenser said:
So carry no cash or phone when we reach Spain?
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Hardly have to worry that much, just have some self awareness. Front pocket of jeans for wallet and phone. Don't let hawkers get too close.

Don't let the guy you're buying weed from exchange said goods in a bro hug.... As a friend learned.
 
Dagless said:
Hardly have to worry that much, just have some self awareness. Front pocket of jeans for wallet and phone. Don't let hawkers get too close.

Don't let the guy you're buying weed from exchange said goods in a bro hug.... As a friend learned.
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Yeah, I felt this was the case but the missus was fairly paranoid.

Had a guy try to get into my pockets today by showing me a string to wrap my hands in.... Not sure how anyone would fall for it. And if so there would be no chance the bloke could outrun me with no public transport or cars in sight!
 
ThePezDispenser said:
Yeah, I felt this was the case but the missus was fairly paranoid.

Had a guy try to get into my pockets today by showing me a string to wrap my hands in.... Not sure how anyone would fall for it. And if so there would be no chance the bloke could outrun me with no public transport or cars in sight!
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I was in Paris on a school music tour, and they tried doing that to a whole bunch of students but we'd been warned about it beforehand so no one fell for it. When everyone refused, they just became abusive and started swearing at everyone which I thought was hilarious.

I find the best thing to wear is one of the lanyard cases around your neck, more or less guarantees no one will be stealing your stuff
 
Allan Shorty said:
Its all packed along that coast. Eurotrash and cruise ships all the way down through Montenegro. But they are there for a reason.

Split can get you to the islands easily and other places in the hinterland. Trogir is a nice small town but you'll need to go to Split to get to the islands or anywhere else. The islands are pretty of course, but you know what Australians make of beaches in europe....

I'd stay in Dubrovnik, outside the walls where most people actually live. Walk around and find someone's house advertising rooms (sobe,zimmer) - can do this anywhere in Croatia.

FWIW, if you want to get away from the coastal high season madness go inland after Dubrovnik and spend some time in Mostar, Sarajevo and the bosnian mountains. Some very backwoods villages and lovely rural places.
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Thanks for the advice mate. Mostar does look lovely, and is only a couple of hours from Split. Just thinking now Split might be a bit closer to things such as Plitvice lakes. I love natural beauty, even if it goes against what I said before about swarming with tourists... Anyway nothing is set in stone yet. Looking at doing this next year.
 
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