Europe Sept/October 2011

[tamillahh]

Hey guys,
My best friend and I are planning 2 month trip in the fall to Europe. We both have some friends sprinkled around Western Europe and we want to visit them, along with taste yummy local food, visit museums and historic centers (especially battle grounds) and get in some sun on the beach. We are trying to minimize our budget ( staying with friends and couchsurfing mostly). We would love some advice on routes, money savers and sites we should not miss ( already ordered europe through the backdoor to read!)

Details: We bought cheap tickets round trip to London so we fly in and have to end up there.


Here are couple countries we are looking at:

England - London
Germany - Frankfurt, Berlin ( Oktoberfest)
France - Paris, Caen
Switzerland - Bern, Geneva
Spain - Madrid, Catalunia, Barcelona, Mayorca
Czech Republic - Prague

Austria - Vienna
Hungary - Budapest
Greece/Albania/Croatia

Would love some advice thanks!

[madamtrashheap]

tamillahh, welcome to GFE.

If you're planning to travel in Europe during Autumn/Fall, then there are a few points you should know first:

Weather - it can be getting cooler by the end of September, so pack clothes you can layer, and a light rain jacket as well. You'll need this at night as well as if it rains (which it often does in Sept/Oct).

Oktoberfest - this is in Munich, not Berlin. Berlin has some great beer gardens, but the Oktoberfest you're thinking of is in Munich. If you want to go to it, then drop Frankfurt (drop it anyway, unless you have friends there) and replace it with a few days in Munich. And sooner rather than later (ie now!) book accommodation. It's not cheap, and much of it will be booked already, but look at The Tent to see if they still have places. Berlin needs 3 full days and if you are interested in WWII, don't miss the Topography of Terror museum/information centre.

Greece/Albania/Croatia - better visited in the Summer months as by the end of September, many of the resorts/islands are closing down and lying on the beach can be a chilly/windy affair. If you still want to go, particularly to Greece and Croatia, then perhaps look at starting in these countries to get the last of the warm weather.

Spain - ditto for beach weather (Majorca esp), but there is plenty to see in Madrid and Barcelona (which is the capital of Catalunya).

As for Battlegrounds (WWI and II), Caen is really the only place on your list applicable to this category. There are a few other places, in France and Belgium, which may be of interest to you, but that will mean adjusting time in other cities to incorporate these. Hopefully Eagle will see this post and offer some suggestions on this.

Switzerland - Bern is pretty, Geneva really only needs one day (not much fits your interests,but again if you have friends here that will help), so consider some time in the mountains of the Bernese Oberland district. Look at towns like Lauterbrunnen, Gimmelwald or Murren as they are scenic and have B&B/hostel accommodation. Switzerland is not cheap, so plan your time here well.

Czech Rep - Prague needs 3 full days, but if you plan a day trip to Kutna Hora then add one day. If you want to visit somewhere else, Cesky Krumlov is stunning. Plan this part of your journey well as train connections around the Vienna, Budapest, Prague section can be tricky.

Austria - Vienna needs 2 full days, again depending on your interests. Another part of Austria that is very scenic is the Tirol, the mountains around Innsbruck.

Hungary - Budapest needs 2-3 full days.

Take into consideration the information about O'fest and weather and restructure your itinerary based on that. Let us know when you have and we will be able to offer more information and fill in the gaps.

[Eagle]

tamillahh,

I agree with all of the points mentioned by MTH (of course). However I have a few specific suggestions relating to "battle grounds".

Could you clarify what type of battle grounds you're most interested in - WW-I, WW-II, Napoleonic War, 100-years War, etc. You mentioned Caen so I assume WW-II sites are at least part of your interest.

If that's the case, I'd suggest staying in Bayeux rather than Caen. Not only is it a much nicer small town, but staying there presents better options for touring. For a start, you can see the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts a much earlier battle. There's also an excellent WW-II Museum in Bayeux, and the Gun Batteries at Longues sur Mer are only a short distance outside town (however, I don't know if there are any Buses that go there - I had a rental car).

For the absolute best tours of D-Day sites, I'd highly recommend one of the excellent tours in that area. Some are full-day tours and others can be booked for a half-day. At first glance, they may seem a bit expensive, but I feel they're very good value. Taking one of the tours is by far the best way to get to the most important sites in a reasonable amount of time. Keep in mind that the battle front covered a distance of about 50-miles and extended some distance inland. The Guides know where the most obscure sites are located, so this avoids wasting a lot of travel time. Also, I've found that a tour provides a much more interesting and rewarding look at the history.

I'm glad to hear that you've ordered a copy of Europe Through The Back Door. It will answer a lot of your questions and provide good information to help your trip go well.

As you're travelling this fall, you'll need to get the details sorted fairly quickly. It's a bit unfortunate that you have to fly into and out of London, as that means you'll require both time and money to return there.

I agree that it would be a good idea to skip Greece this time (and possibly also Albania and Croatia, unless you have friends there). Greece is somewhat "distant" from your other stops, which means it would cost both time and money to get there and back. As you're on a tight budget, keep in mind that each change of location will require both time and money.

In addition to the Berner Oberland in Switzerland (which is outside Interlaken in the Lauterbrunnen Valley), you might also consider Lucerne. It's a beautiful smaller city with some nice Pubs and restaurants along the river. If you decide to stay in Gimmelwald, the best option for accommodations would be the famous Mountain Hostel (it's a great place!). As MTH mentioned, Switzerland can be expensive so you'll need to budget accordingly!

For a route, you might consider London - Berlin - Prague - Vienna - Munich (Oktoberfest) - Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, etc.) - Switzerland - Paris - back to London via EuroStar.

You might also consider adding Salzburg to the list as there are some good "battle sites" in that area, in addition to one of the most beautiful, scenic and historic places I've seen in Europe, Hallstatt (the town is older than Rome because of the Salt Mines there, and they can be toured). From Salzburg you can take a day trip to Berchtesgaden and visit the Dokumentation Centre and Bunkers and perhaps the Eagle's Nest (if it isn't snowed in).

The best method to get from Munich to Spain and Spain to Switzerland is via budget flights. It will be easier to make more specific suggestions once you get your route somewhat "roughed out".

You might also have a look at some country or city-specific Guidebooks, in order to plan your sightseeing, accommodations, etc. in each of the places you'll be visiting.

Good luck with your planning!