Travel EUROPE: Travel Tips & Tricks

Oct 9, 2001
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Where do people think the best spots for New Years are? Chances are I'll be in London but I'm flexible and could be back on the continent or somewhere like Ireland.

Anyone spent New Years over there and have any recommendations?

Spent New Years in London in 2014/15 as I had a flight to Austria on the 2nd

Worst decision ever, everywhere in London was expensive to stay, the rain ruined the fireworks. Should've spent it in Edinburgh for the party or gone to Berlin and had the day to make my way to Austria rather than rushing it on the 2nd.
 

wadistance

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Sep 17, 2011
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Hmm not sure I'd want to line up for 5 hours just to get rejected.

Probably the last place in the world you’d want to go on NYE. The fact that you can’t differentiate if it’s midday or midnight inside is just the start. Unless you’ve been before and been recognised, you’re not a big chance of getting in

Go to the centre of any German city with 50€ of fireworks from your local corner store and do something you’d never do in Australia.

And if you do want to go to Berghain - know who’s playing inside and go on Sunday at 8am


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Jun 2, 2014
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Germany sounds like the place to be. Think it might be too difficult/expensive to get there from London which is where I will be from Christmas but we will see. Been starting to form a rough itinerary. Any feedback or suggestions welcome.

Flying in on the 6th of October.

Amsterdam 7 days
Hamburg 3 days
Berlin 5 days
Prague 4 days
Krakow 5 days
Budapest 5 days
Salzburg ?? 3 days
Ljublana 3 days
Split 2 days
Florence 4 days
Bologna 5 days
Nice 4 days
Barcelona 5 days
Porto 5 days
San Sebastian 2 days
Bordeaux 5 days
Paris 7 days
Brighton 4 days
London 2 weeks
UK 2 weeks

It may seem quite planned out but the truth is I’ve only booked my flights in and out of Amsterdam. The rest is just a rough idea of places I want to see and how long I think I’d like to spend there. It’s pretty loose and open though as that is how I intend to travel.

The only thing I’m tied into at this stage is meeting my GF in paris in mid December and then being in London over Christmas.
 

getthefooty

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Spreading yourself a bit thin there I reckon. I always regret holidays where I'm jumping around every few days. You've got the right idea settling down in the UK for a month at the end. It is very tempting to just try and fit in as many places as you can but it ends up being a much shitter holiday. Half the time is spend jumping on planes etc and you fatigue extremely quickly.

Depends on how you want to do it, but for e.g. when I was 23 I loved partying and Berlin was the scene for that. I would've stayed there for a month if I had the choice. Give Berlin a couple of weeks, there's heaps to do outside partying too. Could go e.g. do Germany for a month, Eastern Europe (Krakow-Prague-Budapest-Ljubljana) a month and then finish with UK for a month.

Yes you won't have as many stamps in the passport but you will have a far more enjoyable holiday.
 

revo333

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I assume it's probably better to buy all the clothing for walking around when it snows when you are over there instead of cramming it into your suitcase when you leave?
 

wadistance

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 17, 2011
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Germany sounds like the place to be. Think it might be too difficult/expensive to get there from London which is where I will be from Christmas but we will see. Been starting to form a rough itinerary. Any feedback or suggestions welcome.

Flying in on the 6th of October.

Amsterdam 7 days
Hamburg 3 days
Berlin 5 days
Prague 4 days
Krakow 5 days
Budapest 5 days
Salzburg ?? 3 days
Ljublana 3 days
Split 2 days
Florence 4 days
Bologna 5 days
Nice 4 days
Barcelona 5 days
Porto 5 days
San Sebastian 2 days
Bordeaux 5 days
Paris 7 days
Brighton 4 days
London 2 weeks
UK 2 weeks

It may seem quite planned out but the truth is I’ve only booked my flights in and out of Amsterdam. The rest is just a rough idea of places I want to see and how long I think I’d like to spend there. It’s pretty loose and open though as that is how I intend to travel.

The only thing I’m tied into at this stage is meeting my GF in paris in mid December and then being in London over Christmas.

I’d go 4 days in Hamburg and 4 in Berlin so you can do a day trip to Lübeck.

Also I’d split Porto into 2 days there and 2 days Lisbon with a day travel between. It’s not really that far but they’re both amazing cities in their own right, and Sintra national park is a must. I would have said spend more time at SAN Sébastien but it’s not summer so you won’t be beaching as much.

Could probably do a bit of trimming there - maybe lose one of the eastern cities, Nice or Bologna, and perhaps Salzburg (this time). Add each of those saved days onto another city and you get a bit more time to relax instead of cramming everything in


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wadistance

Norm Smith Medallist
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I’d go 4 days in Hamburg and 4 in Berlin so you can do a day trip to Lübeck.

Also I’d split Porto into 2 days there and 2 days Lisbon with a day travel between. It’s not really that far but they’re both amazing cities in their own right, and Sintra national park is a must. I would have said spend more time at SAN Sébastien but it’s not summer so you won’t be beaching as much.

Could probably do a bit of trimming there - maybe lose one of the eastern cities, Nice or Bologna, and perhaps Salzburg (this time). Add each of those saved days onto another city and you get a bit more time to relax instead of cramming everything in


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Also if you’re planning on coming to Hamburg send me a PM and I’ll give you a good list of things to do/see


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wadistance

Norm Smith Medallist
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It’d also be super cheap to fly to Hamburg or Berlin just for NYE and go home again. Could even argue you could just rent a hostel dorm so you’ve got somewhere to store your stuff.

If you can get to Germany for the Christmas markets before 24th December you’d have a blast but again, depends on what time you have. Both that or NYE would be great Chichester

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ash_1050

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Consider grabbing a smog mask in Krakow, you'll need it. Also if you're after a long list of things to do there hit me up.

Consider putting Nimes in there somewhere if you can, gorgeous and overlooked city that appears to be in your travel path.
 
Jun 2, 2014
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Cheers guys.

Pretty set on bologna as a mate is studying over there for 6 months and keen to visit him.

I know what you mean about packing too much in and it seems easy and straightforward now but I don’t want to get burnt out and may shuffle things around. Like I said nothings booked so can just stay longer in places if I feel like it and skip a place if it’s gonna be too hard etc.

Not set on Nice or Salzburg and a few other places, will look into Nimes.

Obviously open to recommendations on individual cities too and what to eat, where to stay, what to do etc.

NYE is still the big question mark and I think I’ll sort of just go with what I’m feeling, booking last minute flights might be difficult though
 
Apr 6, 2005
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My wife is from Nimes and I have spent plenty of time there and apart from the Arena which is 2,000 years old and in pretty good shape, I wouldnt really go out of my way to stop there. It has an interesting history though as a real intersection for Roman travels, and of course where denim was born (de Nimes). It's a terribly hot city in summer, and terribly cold in winter.
 

wadistance

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Cheers guys.

Pretty set on bologna as a mate is studying over there for 6 months and keen to visit him.

I know what you mean about packing too much in and it seems easy and straightforward now but I don’t want to get burnt out and may shuffle things around. Like I said nothings booked so can just stay longer in places if I feel like it and skip a place if it’s gonna be too hard etc.

Not set on Nice or Salzburg and a few other places, will look into Nimes.

Obviously open to recommendations on individual cities too and what to eat, where to stay, what to do etc.

NYE is still the big question mark and I think I’ll sort of just go with what I’m feeling, booking last minute flights might be difficult though
Think youll actually find its kind of easy to book last minute NYE flights as most people have plans and FOMO when it comes to NYE. We're flying back to Australia and arriving around 9pm on NYE and man, its dirt cheap
 

revo333

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Germany sounds like the place to be. Think it might be too difficult/expensive to get there from London which is where I will be from Christmas but we will see. Been starting to form a rough itinerary. Any feedback or suggestions welcome.

Flying in on the 6th of October.

Barcelona 5 days
Porto 5 days

Shave 3 days off these two and have 3 days in Valencia.
 

Peter Sidorkiewicz

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Anyone got any shopping tips for London? Want to stay away for the majors like Harrolds or Selfridges which I know clothes will be expense.

For those who have been to New York, kinda want to find a Century 21 equivalent in London.
 

ash_1050

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My wife is from Nimes and I have spent plenty of time there and apart from the Arena which is 2,000 years old and in pretty good shape, I wouldnt really go out of my way to stop there. It has an interesting history though as a real intersection for Roman travels, and of course where denim was born (de Nimes). It's a terribly hot city in summer, and terribly cold in winter.

You're spoiled for choice over there Dice ;) Pont du Gard, Maison Carree, Nimes amphitheatre, Jardins de la Fontaine, tour magne. Plenty of ancient roman sites to explore with none of the tourist crowds. But you're right, if ancient rome isn't your preferred travel pornography then you won't get much out of the city.
 
Jan 31, 2010
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Germany sounds like the place to be. Think it might be too difficult/expensive to get there from London which is where I will be from Christmas but we will see. Been starting to form a rough itinerary. Any feedback or suggestions welcome.

Flying in on the 6th of October.

Amsterdam 7 days
Hamburg 3 days
Berlin 5 days
Prague 4 days
Krakow 5 days
Budapest 5 days
Salzburg ?? 3 days
Ljublana 3 days
Split 2 days
Florence 4 days
Bologna 5 days
Nice 4 days
Barcelona 5 days
Porto 5 days
San Sebastian 2 days
Bordeaux 5 days
Paris 7 days
Brighton 4 days
London 2 weeks
UK 2 weeks

It may seem quite planned out but the truth is I’ve only booked my flights in and out of Amsterdam. The rest is just a rough idea of places I want to see and how long I think I’d like to spend there. It’s pretty loose and open though as that is how I intend to travel.

The only thing I’m tied into at this stage is meeting my GF in paris in mid December and then being in London over Christmas.

Don't need 5 days in Krakow IMO. I'd dump 2 days and add them to Prague, which could give you the time to go and see Cesky Krumlov or Brno.
 
Apr 6, 2005
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You're spoiled for choice over there Dice ;) Pont du Gard, Maison Carree, Nimes amphitheatre, Jardins de la Fontaine, tour magne. Plenty of ancient roman sites to explore with none of the tourist crowds. But you're right, if ancient rome isn't your preferred travel pornography then you won't get much out of the city.
You sell it well and maybe I've just spent too many looooong weekends there with the inlaws and forget its charms, as it does have them like you listed. If you go during one of their Ferias you will be treated to packed streets full of sidewalk bars where beer or rose will sell for 2 euros.

I take it back, you are right, it's an often over-looked city with plenty of history, especially roman porn. Oh and rich in bullfighting.


741341
 

ash_1050

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Don't need 5 days in Krakow IMO. I'd dump 2 days and add them to Prague, which could give you the time to go and see Cesky Krumlov or Brno.

5 days in krakow is about right, plenty to do:
1 day zakopane (outdoors and nature)
1 day auschwitz (outdoors, depressing but a must do)
1 day wieliczka salt mine (underground, lick the walls)
1 day Ojcow (outdoors and nature)
1 day nowa huta/schindlers factory/Zakrzówek (if warm)/plenty of walking tours to suit every taste

If you're not a nature person then yeah you could trim it down to 3 but you'd be doing yourself a disservice to miss out on the nearby national parks.

741361


741362


With that said if you're there November-January then 2-3 days is plenty as you'll likely find it bleak, smoggy and depressing, especially if you don't have a decent jacket or shoes.
 
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