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Post by davidineurope on Apr 10, 2009 11:46:59 GMT -5
I have been planning my extensive Europe trip for the past couple of months i plan to go mid may but have not booked anywhere yet (waiting on some money to come through).
I really want flexibility to stay on somewhere if i am enjoying it and move on if i am not which means i was only planning to book my first flight and accomodation.I plan to stay in hostels and travel by a mix of plane and train / bus i was going to write a list of hostels in each city to ring just before i am intending to arrive there obviously this is a gamble but as i don't have any time scale to work from that i can be away for anything up to 6 months if i am really enjoying the experience or i will ditch the second half or the trip if i find out that i am getting homesick ( i have not travelled like this before)
Anyway i am a 36 yr old male travelling on my own and intend to leave gatwick and fly amsterdam for 5 nights
fly to Basel and train to Zurich for 3 nights
Innsbruck 4 nights
Venice 3 nights
Florence 3 nights
Rome 5 nights
fly to Sofia 4 nights
Varna / Sunny Beach 7 days break at relatives flat
Bucharest 3 nights
Brasov 3 nights
Belgrade 3 nights
Zagreb 3 nights
Budapest 4 nights
Vienna 3 nights
Prague 4 nights
Warsaw 4 nights
Vilnius 4 nights
Tallin 4 nights
Helsinki 3 nights
Stockholm 4 nights
Oslo 4 nights
Copenhagen 4 nights
Berlin 4 nights and fly home
I have missed out Spain and Greece as i have spent lots of time on holiday at these places.
I have been thinking that maybe this long list of destinations is too much and maybe i should spend longer in each destination and miss a few out saving money on travel costs.
I am looking for a mix of culture, architecture and lively nightlife looking at my list can any experienced travellers give their advice on whether i have missed out any places that i should consider or if there are some places i could cut out (ie very similar to one another) or in general give any advice on locations and travelling.
Thanks in advance
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Post by madamtrashheap on Apr 11, 2009 3:51:08 GMT -5
davidineurope, welcome to the Boards.
May isn't far away at all, so can I suggest that you at least secure accommodation for your first few cities as you may find that the ones you'd prefer have already booked out. May isn't officially peak season, but it's already busy so the sooner you can secure your accommodation, the better your budget will be.
Just a note about staying in Europe for longer than 90 days - no doubt you've read through other Posts on these Boards about the Schengen Zone, which only allows non-EU passport holders to stay in teh Schengen Zone countries for up to 90days without a visa, after that you either have to have a Schengen Visa or leave the Schengen Zone to 'reset' your clock. As you have a few non-Schengen Zone countries listed, you'll reset your time in the Schengen Zone.
I understand the desire to be flexible and stay longer in some places, which you will be able to do, but this can affect your budget in the sense of not having the greatest choice of accommodation in your next destination if you leave it too long to book, thus you might spend more than you intended. You could always get to one place and make a few decision on the next stage of your journey and by thinking ahead you'll have a greater chance of securing the hostels you want. This is especially applicable in Austria, Italy, Prague and Berlin, whereas you'll have a little more flexibility in the central/eastern European countries as they tend to not book out in May and early June (July and August is a whole other matter). The issue lies in the latter half of your trip - you'll be in the middle of peak season (Summer) in Europe, and accommodation at that time is already booking out now.
It is a long list of destinations, and a bit of moving around in that time. What you need to ask yourself is would you prefer to see all these things, or base yourself in some cities and spend more time there, doing day trips and getting to know the area instead. Only you can answer this based on your interests and what you want to do in each plae. As far as getting homesick, it's always likely, but don't forget you'll meet lots of people along the way with whom you can share stories to keep your mind focussed on your trip, plus you can always email/call home as you need to as there are plenty of internet cafes and you can take a 'phone home' card from one of the telecommunications companies to allow you to call whenever you need to.
Happy planning!
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Post by herrbert on Apr 11, 2009 6:19:24 GMT -5
I think that a couple of these places can do with a few days less. Amsterdam, Tallinn and Copenhagen are pretty compact cities, and for both 3 nights (2 days) are enough. (unless you planned daytrips. If you are from the UK, you don't need the extra day for the jetlag.)
I would spend at least an extra day in Helsinki. (there are a couple of daytrips that can be made: Turku and Tampere are 2 hours by train, Porvoo, 1 by bus)
My only concerns would be 1) the travelling itself: There are some long hauls, and I am not sure how you planned the actual travelling part, and 2) the reservations: In May, June, July, August, rooms in the good (and cheap) places are full. You run the risk that the nice places are full, and you are left with second or third choice places, or an expensive hotel. (apart from the places the madam already mentioned, this is also true for the Nordics, and in Helsinki avoid the Olympic stadium)
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Post by davidineurope on Apr 13, 2009 6:22:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies, the list is still only a work in progress i think from the advice i have received i will shortly book the first part of my trip flights and accomodation, this will be from amsterdam to Sofia. Although i want to be flexible i really want visit all the destinations on this part of the journey and it will be more expensive if i don't get the hostels i want.
After arriving in say Sofia i can spend a day there and then look for accomodation in the next destination and only travel once it is booked this will of course be a risk but at least it gives me the option to stay somewhere longer and miss out a few places if i am finding the travelling too much.
Madam i didn't mention i am from the UK so that is not a problem for me, as for the latter part of my trip i am going to have to take the chance in getting what accomodation i can get as i really don't want to commit to booking places that far in advance and having such a tight schedule to work to i want to enjoy this trip and be open to changing my mind along the way.
Herrbert- thanks for the recommendations i planned the travelling just by mapping out where i wanted to to go and looking at the best possible routes by looking at which budget airlines flew from and to where but lots of the way i can take the train or bus.
A couple of questions i have are Geneva or Zurich? any advice on which i might prefer i am looking for somewhere quite lively and lots to see, the other thing is money i take it the only way is to get cash from machines or banks as i go along the way, carrying large amount of cash is a no go and i will need a few different types of currency as i go on my travels....any best suggestions.Thanks again
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Post by madamtrashheap on Apr 13, 2009 6:57:02 GMT -5
davidineurope, good that you have a UK passport, and that you will likely have a debit card that will work in the rest of Europe - just check with your bank that you can use it outside the UK, some require you to register your travels so you can access your account from non-UK ATMs. That way you won't have to carry large amounts of cash with you, but make sure you never leave a city without some Euro in your pocket (around Euro100 would be good). I say this because it would suck to arrive in a new place and not be able to access your account due to random non-working ATMs and other such issues you may encounter. Plus you may need cash during the day on your travels and it saves having to look for an ATM every 5mins. For the countries that don't deal in Euro, you may find you can still pay for things in Euro, but receive your change in the local currency - not always a good rate, but at least you know it's possible when you don't have the local currency on you.
For the Geneva vs Zurich question - neither! Of them both, Zurich is, IMHO, the more lively, but define lively. I'd stick with the flying plan, but rather than Zurich, why not train it to the Berner Oberland to Lauterbrunnen or Gimmelwald, or stay in Interlaken if you want a little more choice and are in to adventure sports.
I'm still concerned for you about the accommodation issue, particularly in the latter part of your trip. Perhaps you could work a week ahead at a time - not that this is an optimal amount of time, but at least you might pick up some last minute specials or get lucky with a hostel or two. Plus by that stage you'll know how you're travelling and what you still have left to do.
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Post by davidineurope on Apr 14, 2009 6:12:39 GMT -5
Hi Madame, thanks for the help again Lauterbrunnen is excatly the type of place i would love to see in Switzerland, so i figure i will go Easyjet from Amsterdam to Basel spend 1 night there and train down to Lauterbrunnen and stay 3 maybe 4 nights there.
I think my bank card allows to to withdraw anywhere i have before in Greece, going to take the advice and start booking some hostels and flights shortly.
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Post by Eagle on Apr 15, 2009 1:28:33 GMT -5
davidineurope, it sounds like your trip is getting sorted quite nicely!
As you seem to be interested in travelling in the Berner Oberland, I wanted to provide a bit of further information.
First, be sure you get the ATM question sorted with your Bank. While you can use Euro's in Switzerland, the exchange rate is not always "optimal" so you'll need to withdraw some Swiss Francs for your stay there. It's not a good idea to carry large quantities of cash. Also, be sure to wear a Money Belt!
From Basel you'll take the train to Interlaken Ost (east) and then transfer to the smaller local train. That will get you to Lauterbrunnen. If you decide you'd rather stay in Murren or Gimmelwald, then you'll need to take the Post Bus to Stechelberg, where you'll transfer to the Cable Car. That's not a big deal, it's a very short and easy trip. When you buy your ticket at Interlaken Ost, the ticket cost will include all modes of transportation to your final destination.
If you're interested in "adventure activities" while in that area, you could try Paragliding from Murren. It's a short ride and not inexpensive but lots of fun! If you need any further information, post another note.
Cheers!
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Post by davidineurope on Apr 16, 2009 8:54:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice Eagle i am going to stay in Lauterbrunnen and think i will do 4 nights there which will allow me to travel to the places nearby.
The train from Basel seems quite straight forward its the trip onwards from Lauterbrunnen to my planned stay in Innsbruck that is looking tough its 7 hours and takes me back to Bern and then through Zurich so maybe i will stay there aswell. Mind you the train journey will be a scenic one!
Good news is that i am able to book the flights and accomodation and will be doing that in the next 24-48 hours once i have got my route sorted
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Post by davidineurope on Apr 18, 2009 5:51:38 GMT -5
Ok update i have booked up
May 14th fly to Amsterdam stay 4 nights in Bulldog
May 18th fly to Basel stay 2 nights ymca
may 20th train to Lauterbrunnen 4 nights Valley Hostel
may 24th train to Innsbruck 4 nights hotel weisses kreuz
may 28th train to Venice 2 nights Alloggi Gerotto Calderan
may 30th train to Florence 4 nights Plus florence hostel
June 3rd train to Rome accomodation still to be decided will stay 4 nights and then fly to Sofia.I will book accomodation in Sofia and then book everything a couple of days in advance from there.
I have roughly costed the point to point tickets and it is much cheaper for the 5 train journeys to do that than buy a interrail pass at a cost of £431 also a swiss pass wouldn't really be worth it either.
But can i buy a ticket from Basel to Innsbruck via Lauterbrunnen that allows me to complete the journey over 5 days? The same question would be for my travel around Italy.
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Post by davidineurope on Apr 21, 2009 16:38:22 GMT -5
Hi All i am getting a bit worried about just how easy it is to travel by train or bus around Bulgaria and Romania.
I have booked up to and including my stay at Sunny Beach and now had intended to get to Bucharest but can't find any information the trains or buses i am not going to book anything else now in advance until i know that my route is possible, any help would be appreciated
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Post by madamtrashheap on May 4, 2009 8:51:27 GMT -5
davidineurope, check out the Romanian Tourism website www.romaniatourism.com for some preliminary information on travelling within Romania, and also check companies like Eurolines as they offer bus routes to many major towns and cities as well as between countries otherwise look at www.autogari.ro for travel in Romania. As for train travel, the system improves each year and is relatively cheap (always a bonus) compared to other European countries. The Romanian national rail site is www.infofer.ro and has info in English that should help you plan your trip. For Bulgaria, look at ETAP Bulgaria or Biomet (think they still operate) for busses and EAD National Trains bdz.creato.biz/en/persons for trains. Again, both methods of travel are cheap and the system and network is improving constantly, including fast trains on some routes. For Sunny Beach to Bucharest, there should be a bus (as opposed to a train) during the Summer months so keep checking, but it may also involve going to Sofia first (which is annoying, but go with it if you can't find anything else) or check the Sunny beach-Varna-Bucharest route. In fact, you could take a combination of bus (from Sunny Beach to Varna and even on to the border) and train (once you get over the border at Ruse). Have a look at www.visittobulgaria.com/FAQ/Dir.asp?d=faq-travel&q=99#q98 and see if that helps. Curious why you chose Sunny Beach? It's pretty "touristy" in terms of a beach holiday and doesn't have that old Communist look about the resort anymore (there are still "resorts" that do!). It kind of reminds me of places on the Costa del Sol, but at least it's a large resort so you'll have access to tourist info and assistance for travel and the beach itself is pretty fab. Just a note: travel between Bulgaria and Romania is still a lengthy process - they aren't big fans of one another (check out the story about the construction of the Giurgiu-Rousse "Friendship Bridge" ) and the route between Sofia and Bucharest, for example, can be up to 11hours by train (there are night trains too, and busses may take longer depending on border procedures as they aren't short), so just bear that in mind for your planning.
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Post by davidineurope on May 5, 2009 5:28:22 GMT -5
Hi Madam, thanks for your info i have researched endlessly the different train/plane/bus routes and whatever way i go i will spend an awfull amount of time in transit.I still haven't totally ruled out Romania as i will plan the 2nd leg of my route once i am on my travels which start next thursday.
But what is looking much more appealing is now getting a flight direct from Burgas or Varna to Budapest this will also mean skipping Belgrade and Croatia.
But from Budapest i can get to Vienna and maybe Salzburg and then onto Prague much easier, so the rest of my route could go Varna - Budapest
Budapest -vienna (maybe Bratislava first)
Vienna-salzburg
salzburg-Prague
Prague-Krakow
Krakow-Warsaw
Warsaw-Vilnius
Vilnius-Riga
Riga-Tallinn
Tallinn-Stockholm
Stockholm-Berlin
Berlin-home.
As for Sunny Beach a relative of mine has an apartment out there and i fancy a week out there relaxing on a beach to hopefully recharge my batteries for my 2nd leg.
Thanks also for making me book the hostels in advance i am very happy with the ones i managed to book so far and have already seen that the availability now has gone for the dates i am travelling.
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Post by herrbert on May 5, 2009 14:21:16 GMT -5
If you make it all the way to Tallinn I would suggest to give Helsinki a try as well. It's just a short boat trip, and in my view it's a very nice place to stat for a few days. before heading to Stockholm. (check Blue1, for cheap flights). If you are running out on time, you could do Helsinki as a daytrip, although the Fins themselves do it the other way round, as the alcohol is much cheaper in Tallinn.  |
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Post by madamtrashheap on May 6, 2009 7:09:45 GMT -5
I was going to suggest a flight, but wasn't sure if it would fit in to your plans. As you've seen, if you don't want to spend mountains of time on busses and trains in that part of the word then it might be your best bet.
Great that you have an appartment at your disposal in Sunny Beach. Like I said, it's a great beach, so if you don't mind sharing it with a load of people, you'll have a great time relaxing.
And I'm glad you booked some of your accommodation - you'll enjoy your trip that much more without stressing about finding places to stay every night. Don't forget to let us know about your trip when you return or while you're on the road if you find yourself in an internet cafe with a few spare minutes.
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Post by davidineurope on May 22, 2009 13:38:27 GMT -5
Hi all having a great time Lauterbrunnen is great thanks for the recomendation i am loving it!!!The swiss alps are so good pretty
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