Are These Day Trips "Do-Able"?

[danielscott]

Hi guys,

As you no doubt know by now I'm gearing up for a trip to Europe.

Interestingly, on a side note, I found that the raileurope.com website is HIDEOUSLY expensive when compared to the individual country's website - for example, booking via raileurope.com.au costs me approx $200 (around 95 pounds, I think) return from London to Bath.

However, doing it via the UK train website I can book tickets for a crazy 23 pounds!!!

So almost three quarter savings.

Anyways, I'm planning some day trips, so I need to know if these are doable. First, though, some background:

I love experiencing the "culture" of a place - not necessarily tourist traps. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see the Louvre, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Colliseum, Anne Frank's House etc etc but I'm only interested in visiting the ultra top-notch ones - I have a 6 week trip so I don't really want to see every freakin' museum I come across - just the great ones.

I'm a pretty hardy traveller so my days will be LONG and I don't need any "relaxation" time (get enough of that on planes/trains etc!)

Having said that, here are some suggested trips I'm thinking of doing... if you could give me your comments I'd be very grateful:

LONDON

I'm staying here 5 nights (although one of those I get in at 4 in the afternoon, so I'm going to use that night to check out the city at night... which I expect will be beautiful.

I'm thinking of taking a day trip to Bath, and POSSIBLY one to York... but two days might be not enough to see the best of London, I'm not sure. I thought about Stonehenge but it doesn't particularly interest me... I figure it'll be a very touristy place and I would get a lot more out of absorbing the culture of an extra city instead, but Maybe York and Bath are very similar, I don't know.

Ideas?

PRAGUE (4 nights)

I definately want to go to Kutna Hora. I figure the rest of the time will be well-spent exploring the city.

VIENNA (4 nights)

I'm spending three full days here, and the Vienna website has a great itenary for 3 days in Vienna. However, would it be worth just chatting some chaff and spending two days here and doing a day trip somewhere instead?

VENICE (4 nights)

I don't have any day trips booked for this one... and if there is one, it might work well, because Florence and Rome are getting a little tight!

FLORENCE (4 nights)

Definitely want to take a half-day trip to Pisa, and a day trip to Siena.

I wanted to check out the Cirque Terre but just don't have the time... and I'm not sure if it's do-able in a day trip anyway. My understanding is it's close to Pisa, so maybe I should ditch that (which I'm not particularly fussed on) and spend do a day trip to Cirque Terre... thoughts?

ROME (5 nights)

Thinking about taking a day trip to Pompeii then onto Sorrento, and another day trip to Naples. Obviously I'd spend the remaining 3 days checking out Rome... but like I say, there are only so many churches/museums I can visit before I go insane.

NICE(3 nights)

Day trip to Cannes, maybe a half day trip to Monaco.

BARCELONA(3 nights) and MADRID (4 nights)

Nothing planned for these... should I think about doing one?

PARIS

Planning a day trip to Versailles... but that's it. Figure this city will take up PLENTY of my time, and of course it's a great place to actually do the exploring of a heap of museums etc.

Now, for what it's worth, I have flights booked from London to Amsterdam, Rome to Nice, and Madrid to Paris. So I have to be there for sure. But rail I haven't booked yet... and although I've booked accomodation, it's far enough in advance if I want to cancel some of them without losing my deposit.

Hence, if you think I should be spending a night somewhere ELSE instead of doing an actual day trip, please let me know.

Thanks again for all your help (especially the knowledgable and helpful MTH, Eagle and Herrbert),

-Dan

[madamtrashheap]

danielscott, have a scan back through some of your other Posts and the replies/suggestions we've given as many of the answers to these questions will lie therein (esp on Spain and Nice day trips)!

As for actually booking your train trips - the Raileurope site is good for rail passes, but not so much for individual tickets, as you have found, hence recommendations to check country rail sites for pricing. I'm a little confused - at one point you were thinking of purchasing a rail pass, has that changed? If you're not getting a rail pass that covers a few countries, then perhaps book only those legs of the trip which travel from country to country (eg Vienna to Venice) and buy P2P tickets for the day trips, etc. For example, there are frequent trains to Bath, York, etc from London so you won't need to book a seat unless the NationalRail site shows it (and it probably won't on these legs). Perhaps you could book a day or two ahead when you first arrive in London.

Speaking of arrival, you will be jetlagged so try to stay up until at least 8 or 9pm on that first night, then you'll adjust better from the next day onwards. Both Bath and York are well worth a visit, but as you've noted, if you visit both you won't have much time to explore London, and that would be a shame. Perhaps stick with Bath (good Cornish Pasty shop near the baths, plus great fudge shop too!) this time around. Stonehenge is an amazing place, and as for "touristy", well I guess that applies to most of Europe, but if you are interested in the history of the site then visit, otherwise just head straight to Bath.

Other notes:
- The Cinque Terre are not worth trying to visit in a day, better to spend 3 nights here or save it for another visit.
- Naples is on the way to Pompei and Sorrento, in fact you'd have to change trains there to continue further down the coast, so I don't suggest doing two seperate day trip. Either spend the bare minimun in Rome (3 days) and have 2 days on the Amalfi Coast, or just do a full day trip to Pompei and Naples from Rome and spend the rest of the time in Rome. Is there anything specific you wanted to see in Naples?
- remember, that train trip from Nice to Barcelona is almost 12hrs and is only available during the day, so look at a flight as per previous Posts.

[danielscott]

Hi Madam,

Thanks heaps for your reply.

When I say "touristy", I mean the kinds of places that isn't really all that interesting but gets talked up a lot... "tourist traps", perhaps.

Regarding the rail pass, I may still purchase one, but it's not looking like a good option.

Regarding the train to Bath... I checked on the nationalrail.co.uk website, and a round trip ticket is 23 pounds if I book now... or anywhere from 100 to 150 pounds on the day!!! I tried to book ahead but my credit card keeps getting declined... no idea why.

There's nothing specific I wanted to see in Naples.... Just have heard a lot of good things about Sorrento/Pompeii, and thought it might be nice to check out a less intense city while I'm in Italy. It was more an afterthought, though, as I've heard fantastic things about Sorrento.

I know the trip from Nice to Barcelona is freakin' long, but a plane flight is 200 EUR AT LEAST, 400 EUR being far more likely. If it was a day either side (ie. Friday 07/08 or Sunday 09/08 instead of Sat 08/08 I could get one for about 70 EUR. Maybe I could tweak my schedule a little to leave a day later?

I'm a little surprised that you would suggest 3 days in the Cirque Terre. My understanding was that it was just a heap of small towns, without anything to really see in them. I figured I could get there about 11, check them all out and be back in Rome before midnight. If I was going to spend a few days here, what kinds of activities would you suggest? I could always shave a day off Venice (4 seems excessive to me, but of course I've never been) and maybe even shave a night off somewhere else, somehow... perhaps Prague?

Apologies for any redundancy - I just re-looked over my other post and have taken your thoughts on board RE: Toledo.

Kind regards,

-Dan

[madamtrashheap]

danielscott, a couple of things that you really need to know before you plan any further:

Naples is the MOST intense city in Italy! Having said that, there are some great things to see/eat, but if you have no particular interest then I'd just change trains and continue on to Pompei. If you're interesting in learning more about Naples, the most recent information published about the situation there is a book called "Gomorrah" and a film of the same name was released in Australia (that's where you live, yes?) a little while ago so track it down.

The Cinque Terre are indeed 5 (cinque) villages/lands (terre) perched on the edge of the Mediterranean, but there is plenty to see, do, eat, drink, hike along, hence my recommendation for a minimum of 3 nights (ie 2 full days). Plus, to get there takes longer than just an hour or so. For example, if you travelled from Rome as you noted, you'd still take almost 4 hours by train one way. The villages are good for hiking trails (easy and hard), swimming or boat rides, sitting and relaxing, eating all things Ligurian.

I can assure you that buying a train ticket for London to Bath on the day will not cost £150. Not sure why that's coming up on the National Rail site, but a ticket will cost around £30 one way when purchased on the day or a few days earlier. There are Saver Tickets, but they aren't valid during certain times, so just check at any train station when you're first in London. You could take the National Express bus for around £5, but the journey will take a long time, especially returning in the afternoon as traffic is a nightmare.

Venice - if you have 2 full days (ie 3 nights) then that will be a good amount of time for you. Keep your time in Prague as it is as you'll find lots to see and do and also still have time for that day trip to Kutna Hora.

It's up to you, but I'd really look at flying Nice-Barca. If you want a day to sit and look at the scenery, then the train will be fine, but you'll have a numb bum by then end! Vueling doesn't fly on the 8th August, as you've seend, but flights on either August 7th or 9th for €69 but Iberia has flights on 8th August only in Business, hence the high prices. Are these the ones you were looking at? If you can alter your schedule by a day either side in Nice then go for Vueling, otherwise the train it is.

With all that in mind, perhaps if you re-post your new itinerary (in a previous post is fine) we can keep up with the changes and see if there is any room to move/additions/alterations.

[danielscott]

Hi MTH,

Thankyou SO much for your advice... I really, really appreciate it.

If it's okay, I will make a few clarifications to my itenary and post it in this thread... and perhaps you could let me know what you think.

Thanks again - I cannot express how thankful I am for your help.

-Dan

[herrbert]

From Madrid you must go to Toledo, and when you find the time go to Segovia as well. Both are 30 minutes by train. To Segovia that's the AVE, which is fast but also a bit more expensive, if you like cheap go by bus, but than you'll need more time just under 2 hours.)

For Vienna I wouldn't plan a daytrip yet, but if you feel that you've seen everything, you can make a trip to Bratislava very easily. check out this boattrip: www.twincityliner.com/english/fahrplan.shtml

On a personal note: I think you need most of your time for Vienna, Barcelona, and London, and because of all the daytrips, some other cities might become tight as well. (and even a hardy traveler needs time to do the laundry.)

I am not the expert on Rome and Italy, but my feeling would be that you might be wanting too much. I would go to Rome, and decide there what to do. If you have the feeling that you have seen the city, than do a daytrip, but if not leave it for a future trip. It's not like Pompeii is going to disappear ... although that might be a bad example

For Nice - Barcelona, you can check Clickair, but they are in an alliance with Iberia, so these flights should have turned up. if that doesn't work, check flights from Marseille.

[aussiechick007]

trains ARE that expensive in england if not booked in advance... I know this well

also, do go to bath, its an amazing place, so pretty

[madamtrashheap]

Jun 2, 2009 15:16:49 GMT -5 aussiechick007 said:

trains ARE that expensive in england if not booked in advance... I know this well

Well that's odd. I've bought many a second class ticket just before (well, 30mins) travelling on routes like LDN-Bath, LDN-Liverpool and LDN-York and paid between GPB30 and 50 depending on the route (different train companies operate different routes) and if travelling off-peak. Obviously if you choose to travel during heavy commuting times (ie 7.30-9am and 5-6.30pm) then you'll pay more. Perhaps do as I suggested earlier and book your ticket the afternoon you arrive in LDN for the day you want to travel and ask at the ticket counter for assistance, they'll help you out. If you buy them online at National Rail (if your card is working again) then you have to take the train you book on, not an earlier or later one ASAIK, so that makes things less flexible. Oh, if you do decide to buy online and they request a UK address, just put your hostel/hotel address as that's acceptable, even if you are collecting the ticket from the Fast Ticket machine in Paddington (easy to spot, just near the platform entrance and near the ticket booths).

crystal, can you shed any more light on this so we can sort things for danielscott? I know we've all mentioned how cheap rail travel in the UK isn't.

[danielscott]

Hi guys,

I'm about to post my updated itenary (see the end of this post).

It has a VERY ROUGH idea of what i want to do each day, and sights I want to see in each city. I may cut down/expand on it, but hopefully should give a rough idea of what I'm aiming for.

I thought about the day trips, as you guys suggested, and cut most of them out. There's a LOT in Italy, in particular, that I want to see... but I'm thinking I'll use this trip as a taste, and go back again next year and probably spend more time in the smaller areas (I'm thinking in April, so it's not so tourist crowded too).

For example, I'd love to see the Cinque Terre, Sorrento, the Amalfi coast, etc etc etc... but it's just not feasible in this trip (as you all rightly pointed out!).

To be honest I think I'd like to LIVE in Europe next year... I have a British passport so it shouldn't be too hard for me, so this trip is kind of a "scouting expedition" to get a feel for where I might want to go.

Regarding the rail thing... it was showing me about 50 pounds each way if I took an "off peak" train. I'm now going to take a day tour from London to Bath/Stonehenge for 50 pounds, which sounds like a good deal to me!

If there's any MUST SEES that I have to do, let me know. I enjoy any historical/cultural/natural kind of thing... not really partying though.

Also not sure if I should stop in Naples for a while on the way to Pompeii... or just keep going (it sounds like a scary place!)

And I know the train ride from Nice to Barcelona is crazy long, but I'm sure the scenery is nice, and plane flights seemed to be about 6 hours and at least a few hundred Euros. There WAS one cheap flight that left at midnight and took about an hour to get there, but my feeling was that I'd just rather take the train and see the scenery than to have to get there in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar country and have to try to find my hostel.

The only question left that I can think of is RE: Venice. I have three and half full days there (well, three days and one afternoon/night), which I'm thinking may be overkill, particularly as Florence and Rome look so amazing. Do you think I should cut that down by one, and add an extra night to either Rome or Florence (and if so, which one)? As you can see in my below itenary, I was planning on going to the "islands" as a day trip, but could always cut that too if that time would be better spent in Rome/Florence.

Here's the itenary (WARNING: LONG):


=======================

London (5 nights – 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10h)

STAYING AT: Torquay Hotel (1 Torquay St, Bayswater – Near Royal Oak Stn)

Mon 6th: Arrive ~1600, check in, dinner, wander around city at night

Tues 7th: Sightseeing

Wed 8th: Daytrip: Bath/Stonehenge (Anderson Tours)

Thurs 9th: Sightseeing

Fri 10th: Sightseeing

Sat 11th: Breakfast, check out, get to Stansted airport (be there by 10:30) (London Stansted, departs 12:40)

Things to see: British Museum, Big Ben, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, National Gallery, St Paul's Cathedral, London Eye, Covent Garden, Buckingham Palace, Globe Theatre play, Hyde Park, Tate Modern, Camden,

Notes: Oystercard makes public transport cheaper.

Amsterdam (3 nights – 11h, 12th, 13th)

STAYING AT: Hotel Slotania (Slotermeerlaan 131. Directions from Schipol airport: You can easily find the train underground of Schipol Airport. You take the train direction to Amsterdam Sloterdijk Station, and from there bus 19 to the hostel (stop 'Plein 40-45') )

Sat 11th: Arrive ~1500, check in, lunch, laundry, check out city, dinner, see RLD

Sun 12th: Sightseeing

Mon 13th: Sightseeing

Tues 14th: Sightseeing, have early dinner, TRAIN to Prague (OVERNIGHT – departs ~1900 arrives 0900)

Things to see: Van Gogh Museum, House of Anne Frank, Jewish Historical Museum, floating flower market,

Prague (4 nights – 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th)

STAYING AT: Hostel SPUS Ladvi (Davidkova 443/114, Prague , DIRECTIONS: Buy one ticket for 26,-CZK for each person and take a bus no.119 from the airport to final station 'Dejvicka'.
Than take an underground - green line 'A' - and go to station 'Muzeum' here change the line to the red line 'C' and go to the station 'Ladvi' on this station get off and just walk straight - just few steps in the front of you - nice yellow building is our Hostel SPUS Ladvi. Welcome in.)
Wed 15th: Breakfast, get bearings/see some of the city, lunch, check in, more sightseeing

Thurs 16th: Sightseeing

Fri 17th: Daytrip: Kutna Hora

Sat 18th: Sightseeing

Sun 19th: Check out, breakfast, take train to Vienna

Things to see: Museum of Communism, House of Terror, Prague Castle, Jewish Quarter,

TRAIN to Vienna on the 19th (4.5 hrs, trains every 1.5 hrs)

Vienna (4 nights – 19th, 20th, 21th, 22st)

STAYING AT: Palace Hotel (Savoyenstrasse 2, A-1160 Wien).

DIRECTIONS: from AIRPORT 'Wien Schwechat' (1h)...
- take rapid train S7 (cheaper) or C.A.T. to 'Wien Mitte'
- change into subway U3 (orange line) to 'Ottakring'
- bus line 46B or 146B will take you to 'Schloss Wilhelminenberg' (bus stop is right in front of the hotel)
- the hostel has the same property entrance as the hotel and is located next to it on the left (look out for sign 'Hostel Schlossherberge') )

Sun 19th: Arrive ~1500, lunch, check in, laundry, see some of the city at night

Mon 20th: Sightseeing

Tues 21st: Sightseeing

Wed 22nd: Sightseeing

Thurs 23rd: Check out, breakfast, train to Venice (7hr journey, leaves ~0600)

Notes: Great 3-day itenary at www.vienna.info

Venice (4 nights – 23nd, 24rd, 25th, 26th)

STAYING AT: Camping Della Seranissima first 23, 24, 25, Plus Alba D'Oro Camping on the 26th

Thurs 23rd: Arrive ~1500, eat lunch, check in, do laundry, see city at night/have dinner

Fri 24th: Sightseeing in Venice itself

Sat 25th: Murano, Burano, Torcello

Sun 26th: Sightseeing, do laundry

Mon 27th: Check out, breakfast, Train to Florence (departures at least every hour, 3.5hr trip)

Things to see: Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge, Doge's Palace, Grand Canal, San Marco Basilica, Accademia Bridge, Campinile de San Marco, Bridge of Sighs, Rialto Bridge

Florence (4 nights – 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th)

STAYING AT: Hostel Santa Monaca (Via Santa Monaca 6) DIRECTIONS: From the main train station you can walk here in about 15/20 minutes or simply get bus N° 36, 37 or 11, second stop after the bridge (SERRAGLI - OSTELLO SANTA MONACA). By walk, you have to locate Piazza Santa Maria Novella next to the main train station. From there you should walk down to the river Arno going through Via de Fossi. Cross the bridge 'CARRAIA' and go stright ahead to the second traffic light (about 200 mt from the bridge) and then turn right into via S. Monaca. We are on number 6. Check also for the signs indicating 'OSTELLO' after the bridge.

From 'Campo di Marte' Railway Station by the bus N°12 to the main central station.

Thurs 27th: Arrive, lunch, check in, wander around city, dinner

Fri 28th: Sightseeing

Sat 29th Sightseeing

Sun 30th: half day trip to Pisa, lunch, more city, dinner,

Mon 31st: Breakfast, check out, Train to Rome (Trains very often, 4 hr trip)

Things to see: Uffizi, Duomo, Basilica del Santa Maria Novello, Santa Croce, Casa Buanorotti, Palazzo Vechio, Ponte Vecchio, Orsan Michelle, San Lorenzo, Biboli Gardens, Piazza Del Signoria, Piazza Michelangelo, Mercada Centrale,

Rome (5 nights – 31th, 1st, 2st, 3nd, 4rd)

STAYING IN: Hostel Pink Floyd, Via Principe Amedeo, 85/A Scala D, Rome

Mon 31st: Arrive ~1400, lunch, check in, laundry, check out city at night/dinner

Tues 1st: Sightseeing

Wed 2nd: Sightseeing

Thurs 3rd: Day trip: Pompeii

Fri 4th: Sightseeing, early night!

Sat 5th: Check out, breakfast, FLY To Nice (depart 8:30 Rome Fiumcino Terminal B; arrive 9:30)

Things to see: Coliseum, Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, Palatine, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Roman Forum, St Peter's Basilica, Spanish Steps,

Nice (3 nights – 5th, 6th, 7th)

STAYING AT: Hotel Belle Meuniere, 21 avenue Durante, Nice.

Wed 5th: Get into Nice, breakfast, do laundry, lunch, check in, second half of day and night for sightseeing

Thur 6th: Day Trip: Cannes

Fri 7th: Day Trip: Monaco

Sat 8th: Check out, breakfast, train to Barcelona (eaves 10 am, 10hr trip)

Barcelona (3 nights - 8th, 9th, 10th)

STAYING AT: Mediterranean Youth Hostel, Diputació 335 principal, Barcelona

Sat 8th: Arrive ~2000, Check into hostel, find something to eat, check out a little of the city at night

Sun 9th: Sight-seeing

Mon 10th: Sightseeing

Tues 11th: Check out, breakfast, train to Madrid (departs every half hour, 3 – 4hr trip)

Madrid (4 nights – 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th)

STAYING AT: Pop Hostel, Espiritu Santo Nº18, 1º floor, Madrid.

Tues 11th: Arrive ~1400, lunch, check in, laundry, explore city at night

Wed 12th: Sightseeing

Thurs 13th: Daytrip: Toledo

Fri 14th: Daytrip: Sergovia

Sat 15th: Check out, breakfast, laundry, early lunch, get to airport, fly to Paris (Vueling, Depart Madrid 13:45)

Paris (5 nights – 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th)

STAYING AT: Absolute Paris, 1 Rue de la Fontaine au Roi, 75011, Paris.

Sat 15th: Arrive ~1400, Check in, See city at night/have dinner

Sun 16th: Sightseeing (want to go to Notre Dame in afternoon)

Mon 17th: Daytrip: Versailles

Tues 18th: Sightseeing

Wed 19th: Sightseeing

Thurs 20th: Check out, breakfast (also buy food for flight home), get to CDG by 10:00 at the LATEST, fly home (12:00)

Things to see:Louvre; Musee d'Orsay; Champs Elysees; Arc de Triomphe; Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise; Eiffel Tower; Cathedrale de Notre Dame; Sacre Coeur; Montmartre; Moulin Rouge; Ile de la Cite; Latin Quarter; Opera Garnier; Tuileries Gardens; flea markets, catacombs

==========================

Again, I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me. I'm going to write about my experiences, put it in a .pdf, and hopefully offer it to other forum members as a download (if such a thing would be welcome).

Kind regards,

-Dan

[madamtrashheap]

Well danielscott, for a rough draft your itinerary is looking good...which is a good thing considering you leave in a few days, or are you going in July now?

A few points for consideration:

London
Torquay House isn't a great property, but it's in a good location in terms of being close to the Tube station. Just note that there's a busy road nearby (Westway) that you'll have to go under (there's an underpass) to get to and from your hostel. When you first arrive, if you take the Heathrow Express from the airport to Paddington Station, you could easily grab a black cab (follow the signs to the right of the platforms where you exit on to the concourse) to the hostel for around £7-10.

Great that you decided to take a tour to Bath instead, and that it includes Stonehenge. Yes, they are rocks in a field, but they are interesting and you'll fit a lot into your day if someone else is driving/doing the organising. Plus, if you don't want to do things that are part of the tour (although you should get a discount ticket into the baths in Bath as part of a group) then you don't have to. And if the audioguides are included, take them - better to have one and understand what you're seeing than wander aimlessly, and you can always press stop if you don't like it.

Allow more time than you think you'll need to travel on the Tube - delays can occur and they are pretty packed during peak hour travel times. Good that you're getting an Oyster card too - they are convenient and will be good for the time you're spending in London. Just ask at the ticket counter at Heathrow Tube station, or at the first Tube station you encounter and they'll help you understand how they work.

Amsterdam
Hotel Nieuw Slotania is a fair way out of the city centre and the area it's in isn't super pretty, but it's fine, and at least there's a Febo underneath (you'll understand when you get there - take coins!). For reference, a taxi from Centraal Station/centre of town will cost around €15 back to the hotel (15mins), otherwise there is also a tram from Dam Square (just called Dam in Dutch) that drops right outside the hotel. From memory it's tram 14, which is on the right of the palace if you're facing it (just outside Cafe am Dam, heading away from the Palace past Westerkerk). Or Tram 7 from Leidseplein (about 5-10mins walk from the Rijskmuseum and Van Gogh Museum). You can take a bus, which also drops outside the hotel, but tram is even easier and quicker.

Prague
You'll have just enough time to see things in the city as well as go out to Kutna Hora, so don't add any more day trips here. Another area to walk through in the city is Mala Strana (the old quarter) which is just to the left of Charles Bridge (Karlov Most) as you walk towards the Castle (Hradcany). It's a pretty part of the city, check out the little bars with great Czech food, and the Devil's Stream with the water mill. Also make sure you get to the Jewish Cemetery (not on a Friday) for a moving part of the city's history. And if you want anothe side fo the history, have lunch or dinner in either U Pinkasu pub (behind Wenseslas Square and the Church of Our Lady - first place Pilsner Urquell beer was served. Can be full of tourists, but the food is good and the beer is better) or a very local pub called U Èerného vola, which is up behind the Castle.

Vienna
The itinerary on the website you've quoted is quite good, so go with that. If you don't get out to a Heuringer (trains go to Grinzing, but the other areas may be difficult), then you can always get a Schnitzel in the Restaurant Figlmüller (sorry herrbert!). They are huge and I love them, but it's a popular place, so you could also try Restaurant Gutenberg (happy herrbert?!!) where the schnitzel is just as big and just as tasty. You could also visit Prater, the huge amusement park close to the city. Don't be put off, it's a great place with excellent and cheap Austrian food and a few rides if you're feeling up to it. It's on your itinerary, and well worth an evening visit in the Summer. There's also a tour of the crypt under St Stephan's Dom you can take which is interesting and a little creepy. And for just odd, try visit the Mozart toilets located in the U-Bahn under the Opera House. Pay your entry fee and listen to Mozart’s music while you do your thing!!!

Venice
The camping places you've listed are a fair way from St Mark's, but the bus rides to get there will be a good way to get an idea of the configuration of Venice (mainland and islands). Camping Plus Alba d'Oro is out near the airport, so quite a way out. If you can change your accommodation to somewhere near the train station in Venice (around Pz Roma) that would be better for you on the last day to reach the train station for your trip to Florence. If not, then just allow time to get to the station. If you find you've done enough sightseeing on your last day, you could take a train to Verona or Bologna or Padova, but I think you'll still find enough to do on that second day of sightseeing - wander past the Arsenale area into the residential and old harbour sections for something different. Murano, Burano and Torcello are beautiful islands, all different, but you may find that Murano is full of glass factories and not much else. Good if you want a tour, but don't spend long there as Burano and Torcello are much prettier.

Florence
I'm a bit confused with your dates as you suddenly go from a Monday to a Thursday with the same dates. At any rate, it's good if you travel on a Monday as most museums in Italy (make that Europe) are closed on a Monday, so don't plan any visits when you first arrive.

The hostel you're in is on the opposite side of the river to the Duomo, but it's just near a great square called Piazza Santo Spirito which has great little cafes, bars and trattorie and a great vibe, as well as backing on to the Basilica of Santo Spirito which has amazing frescoes by Lippi and Sansovino among others and the current church was designed by Brunelleschi to be built around the old existing church. You could walk to the city centre in around 20mins from the hostel if you don't want to take the bus, and you're near the Boboli Gardens if it's hot and you want some shade with views and sightseeing.

Make sure you have at least one lunch in the Mercato Centrale - great and huge market with local produce and specialities. Not sure you'll enjoy Casa Buonarotti, perhaps try to visit the Museo Bargello instead (it has odd opening hours, so plan to go in the morning as it often closes around 1pm). It's a hidden treasure and has an amazing collection, particularly if you like Michelangelo. If you want to treat yourself to a Bistecca Fiorentina or other Tuscan specialties, have lunch or dinner in Trattoria Dei Fagiole (Corso dei Tintori) - traditional Florentine restaurant that hasn't changed in decades, great food, good people.

Rome
The hostel you're in is right near the main train station (Termini) so easy to get around, but just watch it for pickpockets. If you wanted to take a day away from Venice, then you could add it to Rome, depending on what you want to see/do/eat.

As for visiting Naples, you sound like you want to, so perhaps you could take an hour to walk from the train station to Gran Caffe Gambrinus (across other side of town, near the port) for a great pastry and coffee. You get to see a bit of the city and have something very Neopolitan (grab a pizza if you see one too!) on your way to Pompei. As it's a day trip, you won't have to worry about schlepping luggage so that can only be a good thing in Naples. But don't worry if you don't get there, you can save it for next time and the day is already long if you wnat to spend time in Pompei.

Geting to the train station to get out to Fiumicino airport will be easy as your hostel is nearby, but allow time as the station is always busy.

Nice
You probably won't need all day to visit Cannes, so you'll have more time to explore Nice the afternoon you return, or perhaps lay on the beach for a bit. As I've mentioned before, watch your security when you're in Nice, there are a lot of pickpockets day and night all over the city, not just near the train station.

Your hotel isn't far from the station at all, just watch your personal security when you walk there as there are the usual dodgy elements around the station. It's a typical old Riviera property you're staying in, very beachy and a little older, but it's quaint and at least it's central.

I understand that you had to take the train - at least you'll get a rest and see the countryside along the way. Make sure you pick up some snacks/food from one of the markets or supermarkets in Nice before you take the train - not a lot on offer on the train that isn't expensive.

Barcelona
Your hostel is located quite centrally located - easy 10min walk to Placa de Catalunya or take the Metro down to the port and visit Columbus' column before walking back up Las Ramblas.

Get yourself to the La Boqueria market for lunch or tapas (pinchos in Catalan) or both! It's just off La Ramblas and is an amazing labyrinth of fresh food sells and stalls as well as great little places for cheap meals. Also make sure you wander through the Gothic Quarter (great sights and good little cafes and bars), the Picasso Museum, to Park Guell and Sagrada Familia for Gaudi's works and watch for pickpockets in the city too - they are everywhere. The metro is a great way to get around and is air-conditioned!

Madrid
I'm glad you're doing a trip to Toledo and Segovia, but you may find that one full day + a half of sightseeing isn't enough for Madrid - add that to the list for the next trip!

Paris
You'll use the Metro a lot in Paris to cover the ground you need to, so grab yourself a map of Paris with the Metro and RER on the back as soon as you see one (they are usually free in stations and hostels/hotels).

Versailles may not take all day, but it will take a good chunk of your day if you want to see most of it. Don't forget that a Monuments and Museum pass will cover parts of Versailles, so work out if you need a 3 day pass. Oh, and note that Versailles is closed on Monday, as are most other museums except the Louvre (closed Tuesday) so you may need to re-jig your days in Paris. There are a few sights that aren't closed on Mondays, the Eiffel, Sacre Couer, Louvre (lines will be long, so either get there early or arrive after 3pm and see if they've died down. Failing that, go on Wednesday), Sainte-Chapelle, Concergierie, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Orangerie (Monet's Waterlilies collection). So all is not lost, just needs to be adjusted.

If you want to see a show (eg Moulin Rouge), book a few days in advance as they are popular and sell out. You can do a meal and show or just a show, both of which aren't cheap but well worth it. You'll have to dress up a little (no trainers, button-up shirt required) so keep that in mind. Notre Dame has services on Sunday afternoons, so make sure you get there in time if you want to hear the choir and organ, but you may need to check the signs as they don't let visitors in during services, you'll have to get there around 4pm so you can stay inside.

Id' also consider arriving at CDG at 9 instead of 10 as the lines can be long to check in and it's a bit of a trek around the airport.


I'm glad you've re-thought Italy. It's tempting to try to see it all, but I lived there for years and still haven't seen it all (a good chunk but not all!) so plan to spend more time there on your next trip. Good that you have a UK passport, you can live and work anywhere in Europe and use this as a "fact-finding" trip to see where you might like to stay. Yikes, my answer is almost as long as your itinerary!

[danielscott]

MTH,

WOW! Is there anything you don't know?

A few Q's:

When you say that Torquay House "Isn't good", what do you mean? If it's just a little old that's fine, but if it's dodgy then I can always book somewhere else... are you able to provide a little more info on this one?

RE: Amsterdam, I specifically chose a place a little further out of the city. Not only was it cheaper, I thought it would be a little easier for sleeping... I wasn't sure if sleeping right at the RLD would allow me to get any shut eye!

As you noticed I screwed up days in Florence... which had a nasty run-on effect... so I'll fix that.

I am indeed leaving in July... so still time to get everything sorted, make booking changes etc if need be.

I have decided against Naples for now, although I may change my mind when I get there.

Thankyou so, so, SO much for your input... so much great stuff there. Let me know if I can ever repay the favor!

-Dan

[madamtrashheap]

Jun 4, 2009 6:49:32 GMT -5 danielscott said:

MTH, WOW! Is there anything you don't know?

Product of a mis-spent youth!

To answer your questions:

London- I said Torquay House "isn't great" which is another way of saying don't expect a palace. I don't believe it's dodgy, just not super luxe.

Amsterdam - fair point about the sleeping, the RDL can get very noisy, so can the area towards the train station and also on Damrak, so I understand the choice. Just wanted you to be aware that it's not 5mins from the centre. The hotel is fine, nothing flash, and the tram details I gave you will work fine from different points in the city. There's also a large shopping mall across from the hotel called Plein 40-45 so you could stock up on snacks for train journeys and lunch if you need to. If you get back to AMS, check out some of the hostels near Vondelpark - they aren't far from the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseums and are also quieter.

Glad you're going in July now - would have been a bit of a rush if you left tomorrow!

Naples - go with how you feel on the day. As I've said, it's a chaotic city, but there are still things to see. Don't, however, jeapodise your time in Pompei. Do Pompei first and then see how you're going for time on the return journey.

To repay the favour - make sure you have a ball! ;D And write a "Just Back" report when you return.

[herrbert]

Jun 3, 2009 22:45:41 GMT -5 madamtrashheap said:

Well danielscott, Vienna
The itinerary on the website you've quoted is quite good, so go with that. If you don't get out to a Heuringer (trains go to Grinzing, but the other areas may be difficult), then you can always get a Schnitzel in the Restaurant Figlmüller (sorry herrbert!). They are huge and I love them, but it's a popular place, so you could also try Restaurant Gutenberg (happy herrbert?!!) where the schnitzel is just as big and just as tasty. You could also visit Prater, the huge amusement park close to the city. Don't be put off, it's a great place with excellent and cheap Austrian food and a few rides if you're feeling up to it. It's on your itinerary, and well worth an evening visit in the Summer. There's also a tour of the crypt under St Stephan's Dom you can take which is interesting and a little creepy. And for just odd, try visit the Mozart toilets located in the U-Bahn under the Opera House. Pay your entry fee and listen to Mozart’s music while you do your thing!!!

Madrid
I'm glad you're doing a trip to Toledo and Segovia, but you may find that one full day + a half of sightseeing isn't enough for Madrid - add that to the list for the next trip!

The Mozart toilets? (must make a note for the next time I am in Vienna.

To explain our Figglmüller dispute, you need to understand that Figglmüller does indeed serve the largest schnitzels in town, but (and for me it's a big but.), they also are the thinnest schnitzels you have ever seen. They mangle the schnitzel! (stripping it from it's texture and taste.) until it is really flat, but big. And then they add the breadcrums around it. So in fact your layer of breadcrums is just as big as the meat inside. A bad ratio.

The good thing is, that you have your food in no time, as they just keep baking schnitzels (they know everybody will order a schnitzel.) When I was there I had the feeling that it was not a nice atmosphere as we were kindly asked to pay and make room for new guests. Which is something I really dislike.

But if you want to do us a favour, and when you want to eat 2 schnitzels, just go to both places and compare the schnitzels. I have been to a couple of places in Vienna, but so far Gutenberg is my favourite. You can find near to the Stephansdom, on a small street/square called Lügeck (which I think is also vert close to Figglmullers')

I always have to add one thing: also go for an icecream to one of the Italian icecream shops at the Mariahilferstrasse. Ask for the flavour Marillen. (on a hot day ... the best!, on a cold day as well.)

For Madrid:

You will be staying at the Malasaña neighborhood which has a lot of bars and clubs. The metrostop at Tribunal is pretty close.

When you arrive at Atocha, you can just take line 1 to Tribunal. That should take you 15 - 20 minutes. When you arrive it's best to buy a 10 rides ticket, that you can use in the following days. (and grab a free map of the metro as well, you'll need it - heck after 6 months I still need them, sometimes)

I would keep the Segovia trip as a reserve for the moment. Just decide if you want to go, when your in Madrid.

If you feel like meeting up in Madrid (in the evenings, as I will be working during the day, send me a PM.) It would be nice to hear about your adventures before everybody else hear does