Summer 2010 - Advice?

[julie2472]

Hello!

I've spent a fair bit of time reading posts on this site and it has already been very helpful. Thank you! I'm hoping to take more advantage of everyone's advice.

I am planning on spending about 2 months in Europe this summer. 1 month of that time will be through a study abroad (you can still do this in law school!) and about another month of travel on my own. Some of the time will hopefully be with a friend or two, some by myself. I'm 27 and have had some travel experience. I traveled to Guatemala for a month by myself and last summer I was in Israel and Egypt (Egypt on my own). The rest of my travel experience has been with groups.

I am hoping to get suggestions for places to see and other tips. I am hoping to collect connections (and possibly couches to crash on) before I go, and my destinations will partially depend on that - but I'm up for suggestions. My program will end in Strasbourg, France. I'm currently thinking of flying from Paris to Barcelona. I'm thinking of spending a week to a week and a half in Spain (hopefully with a side excursion down to Morocco - can anyone give me advise about that part?). I would love suggestions. My plan is then to take trains East and depending on suggestions and friends, make stops as people suggest.

Hopefully that's enough/not too much info to get started. Thanks again!

[Eagle]

julie2472,

First of all, welcome to the Boards! I have a few comments to begin with.

If this is your first trip to Europe, my first suggestion would be to pre-read the Guidebook Europe Through The Back Door. That will provide you with a lot of good information on how to travel well, and it includes sections on Itinerary planning, money, languages, and especially "rail skills".

As your plans are still a bit "vague" at this point, it's difficult to offer much specific advice on destinations (especially as the places you're visiting will depend on "couch surfing").

Taking a flight from Paris to Barcelona is absolutely the best option, as it's a LONG trip by train. One option would be www.easyjet.com/asp/en/book/index.asp?lang=EN from CDG to BCN. One point to mention is that the European airlines usually have VERY restrictive baggage limits, so be sure to pack LIGHT or you'll pay a surcharge! Also, in most cases only ONE carry-on item is allowed. That doesn't mean one carry-on plus a "personal item" such as a Purse, it means ONE ITEM ONLY!

The easiest way to get from Paris to CDG is usually the Metro and RER, but note that the RER "splits" at the end so be sure to board the correct train! You could also ask your Hotel to book a (shared) Shuttle. That's also a good option as long as there are no "traffic issues" at the time you're travelling.

I'll leave descriptions of things to see in Spain to our resident expert, herrbert. Generally speaking for travel in Europe, and especially in Barcelona it's a good idea to wear a Money Belt under your clothing, as the city has a bit of a "reputation". For a good example, type the words "Barcelona Scams" into Google and see how many "hits" you get!

As you have a limited time for travel, you might consider a more structured Itinerary rather than making "stops as people suggest".

Good luck with your planning!

[herrbert]

With some common sense you will do fine in Barcelona. With you experience in Guatamala that should not be a problem I suspect. Avoid crowds, and be careful in the metro and on busses, and near the major tourist spots.

I would skip Morocco. If you go in Summer it will be hot, and you will likely only see a bit of Tangier, which by all means is not the best place to go in Morocco. If you want to go there. Go earlier or later in the year, and take your time.

For Barcelona I would take about 3 full days, which leaves a week for the rest of Spain. That means making choices. In summer the south is hot, but if you still feel like crossing over to Morocco it is the way to go. Check a flight to Granada (check the Alhambra, Albaysin) from Barcelona and then onwards to Sevilla (Cathedral, Alcazar Reales, Macarena). From Sevilla you can get south to Tarifa, where you can take the boat to Tangier. From there you can get back to Spain, maybe visit the UK (Gibraltar), Cadiz or Jerez de la Frontera, and Cordoba before heading to Madrid. From there you can take cheap flights of head north.

In summer my choice however would be to go Galicia, Asturias and/or Cantabria. This is the other (green) part of Spain. Less traveled but also a bit cooler in summer. Check places like A Coruña, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Santander and if you like hiking: the Picos de Europa. From there you can get to San Sebastian, and head into France from there.