Final EuroTrip Itinerary!!

[bs1313]

Okay I have done a lot of thinking!! This is what I am going to do (and I promise its my last time I will change) I am going to stick to just the major cites and only a few of them...here it is...

Fly to Madrid - 5 Days
Paris - 4 Days
Amsterdam - 3 Days
Munich or Berlin - 4 Days
Rome - 5 Days

Now I just have to do all the research on all of these places and figure out where to go and what to see. If anyone has any suggestions about my itinerary or things to see in these cities PLEASE let me know. Once again thanks for all of your help.

Bret

[Eagle]

Bret, a few comments on your proposed Itinerary.

> You'll have to allow at least half a day (probably more) for travel from Madrid to Paris, due to travel times to & from airports, check-in, wait times, etc. I'd suggest taking a bit of time from Madrid for this, as you only have four days scheduled in Paris.

> For your time in Germany, I'd suggest that you consider Munich this time, as it will provide a somewhat shorter travel time to your next destination, Rome.

> Where to go and what to see? I can't recall from your previous posts whether you provided any details on what you're interested in? Do you mostly want to see great historic sites, Museums, Art galleries OR mostly partying and clubs? If you could provide some details it would help. I'd suggest that you read a couple of Guidebooks, as that will help to "fill in the details" and give you some ideas. Check your local Library or Book stores for Lonely Planet, Rick Steves, Rough Guides or whatever. There's LOTS of information available!

> I assume you're using "open jaw" flights, and returning home via Rome?

Good luck with your planning!

[herrbert]

As they say on the cookery shows: "Here's something we prepared earlier." These are things I liked and like in Madrid:

Upon arrival in Madrid, get yourself a 10 viajas ticket (6,40) for the Metro, you will find machines at every station, and a lot also have a box office. Also grab a map of the metro! If you arrive at the airport you need to pay a fee for the transfer to the city, this you can do by buying a seperate ticket (1 euro) or to add 1 transfer to you 10 viajas ticket. These tickets are tiny. (keep them in your wallet.) If you would arrive by train, you would be at Chamartin or Atocha Station. From either station you can get to the city very easy.

If you want to see the museums, I would suggest the Prado for a good collection of art through the centuries, and the Reina Sofia for Modern Art (starting somewhere early 20th century). The Prado and the Reina Sofia (near to Atocha Station.) have no entrance fee on sundays (until the close at 14.30). There is also the private owned Thyssen museum (opposite the Prado). It has also a more general collection.

There are a couple of things in Madrid (like in every other city) that you must have seen: The Plaza Major, The Palace and the new Cathedral, the Plaza de Cibeles. At this moment they are (still) doing a lot of work at Atocha Station and on Sol. So at this moment these places are not the prettiest. Also Retiro Park is a good place to relax. In the weekend you can see a lot of performances by musicians etc. There is also the even bigger Campo de Casa (behind the Palace, which I still haven't seen as something always came up, usualy involving seeing friends of my friend, and some alcohol).

To get away from the really touristic places, you should walk into the barrios south of the center. Here you will find La Latina (where on Sunday you can find El Rastro, the fleamarket. which is more a professional market that is occupied for 90% with professional vendors. Watch you pockets, here!). And you will also find the multicultural barrio of Lavapies. (on the calle de Lavapies you will find about 6-7 Indian restaurants next to eachother, as I always forget the names, but look out for one with a vegetarian menu of 19.95 for 2 persons. That's lovely. And of course in Madrid ... eat outside.

If you would like to try more Spanish food, try a Spanish restaurants, and pick some things, that are on the racionnes list, and pick some things. (it would be handy to have a little dictionary, so you know what you order). If you are alone order 1 or 2 racionnes, with 2 persons order 3, that will be enough. (my favourites: Croquettes de Jamon, Tortilla and Patatas Bravas. A couple of weeks ago we had a lunch at the Calle de Agrumosa (you will find it between Lavapies metrostation and the Reina Sofia Museum.)

For a second breakfast around 11.00/11.30, choose Churros. They are deepfried sticks, that are really greasy, and you need to dip them in your coffee or hot chocolate (which is really thick! I always add a little bit of water). My favourite place is just south of Sol. If you are on Sol, enter the Calle de Carretas. (a smaller street than the big shopping streets on the other site of Sol, like the Calle de Carmen). On the Calle de Carretas, you will find a lot of shoeshops, and also Zara and Lefties (clothes), if you see them you will know you are on the right street. Turn left at the first street (Calle Cadiz?), and you will find some cafés. I think the place you need to go is called Valladolid (but again I am not sure, I just walk in everytime). It is on the left, after about 50 meter, and is colored brown (and has a big window on the front.) it's not big, but it's really typical.

One last tip: is something that I found to be beautiful, is a small (kind of) mausoleum, near the Cathedral de Atocha. It has a small Rosarium, and is just a beautiful little place, where you normally will find nobody else. If you are a the Atocha Station (which you also need to see from the inside) you can find to walk south on the Avenida de la Cuidad de Barcelona. (Keep right, at the new monument in remembrance of the 11th of March attack at the Metro, and the gasstation). It's a broad busy street. You will see the tower of the Cathedral on the leftside of the street. Turn left after the Cathedral into a street called Calle de Julian Gayarra (uphill), you will find the entrance to the place, after about a 100 metres on your left.

For some action at night, you can especially in the weekend, find a lot of entertainment in the gay area of Chueca. You will also find a lot of mixed bars and clubs. But also in Lavapies and La Latina you will find a lot of bars with a good atmosphere. But then again you will find bars all over town.

Toledo is a must see if you are in Madrid. You can reach it very easy by taking the train at Atocha Station. On the Southside of the walls around the old city of Toledo, you will find escalators to take you up the hill. But you can also choose just to climb the hill. My advise, you be just to wander these streets. For some reason, on our visit, we didn't visit the Cathedral and the Alcazar (I need to go back there, myself again). But we saw the Old Mezquita (a 1000 years old), but not really worth the visit, although the people where you buy the ticket (across the street) was very nice to recommend a place to have lunch. (again I can't recall the name). We also visited the Synagoge, and the home of El Greco (which was not the home of El Greco!, but has some of his paintings, including a beautiful painting of Toledo.)

Segovia is also beautiful, and if you find the time, don't hesitate to go there. I did the trip by train, which took me 2 hours, as the train stops at a million stations between Madrid and Segovia. It is faster to go by bus. (from Chamartin). In Segovia you will find a beautiful Alcazar (Castle), which you can visit. You will get a leaflet in English, that explains the things you see in the rooms you visit when you enter the Castle. The view from the tower is great. Segovia has a small beautiful Plaza Major, with a lot of options to have a drink, or a meal. Here you will also find the Cathedral. But the most amazing structure in Segovia is the Roman Aqueduct.

[herrbert]

On the other cities:

Fly from Madrid to Paris, and don't use Ryanair! Try Vueling or Iberia instead.

In Amsterdam for sure go and see the Anne Frank House, and the van Gogh Museum. I think that those two places are the absolute must-sees in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a really compact city, so you can walk most of the time. If you stick to the center, there not really a need to buy tickets for public transport. (in other big cities you need to).

Other fun stuff can be to rent a bicycle (and do like the natives ) Take a canal tour, and see if there are some nice exhibitions at the Stedelijk Museum or the Rijksmuseum (both are under going renovations at the moment.)

I don't know if I would choose Munich above Berlin. I think Berlin has more to offer then Munich. But if you want to visit the Castle(s) near Füssen, you need to go to Munich. I think that if you can take a flight, the travelling time between Berlin and Rome is maybe 1 hour longer then a flight from Munich, so that wouldn't stop me from going to Berlin.

[me]

herrbert said:

van Gogh Museum.

off thread topic: Some years back, Dallas Museum of Art <http://dallasmuseumofart.org/> had a truck/van thing which had words painted on the side, it said "Go van Gogh!" [in America, van Gogh's name is usually mispronounced as "van go"]

there have been many puns based on that fact. there's a band called Go van Gogh. a dance troup called Van Gogh-gos. among others.

[herrbert]

me said:

herrbert said:

van Gogh Museum.

off thread topic: Some years back, Dallas Museum of Art <http://dallasmuseumofart.org/> had a truck/van thing which had words painted on the side, it said "Go van Gogh!" [in America, van Gogh's name is usually mispronounced as "van go"]

there have been many puns based on that fact. there's a band called Go van Gogh. a dance troup called Van Gogh-gos. among others.

And there is a Spanish band called: La oreja de van Gogh.

[me]

herrbert said:

there is a Spanish band called: La oreja de van Gogh.

i'd heard that van Gogh cut his own ear off! self mutilation just seems unimaginable to me. i could understand someone being in such despair that suicide becomes an option - but i don't understand self mutilation.

[pointofnoreturn]

Yup, he was suffering from a mental illness so he proceeded to cut his ear off

[bs1313]

Yah I want to see like historical sites, musems, famouse things. Things like that, not gonna be too much into the partying seeing as I will still only be 17. I also figured out that it is usually cheaper to fly into London, so I am adding London to the beginning of my trip. And what is an open jaw flight? So i'm not sure if I am using open jaw flights or not.

Thanks

[pointofnoreturn]

Open Jaw flight: Fly into one city, fly out of a different city - both on the same ticket.