Random european travel questions

[Earman]

Hey folks, I am going to be traveling to Europe next week, and wanted to pick your brains on a few things. I am going on a 34 day vacation to 11 countries, one of which is Greece (but will be on a cruise boat for that portion).

a) How much is disrupted in Greece due to unrest currently.

b) Does a euro approaching record lows mean that I will get a good value for the dollar, or am I going to get screwed.

c) Does anyone have any awesome travel advice in Venice, Rome, Florence, Prague, Munich, and Amsterdam.

Thanks,
Strange ex-gemstone playing lurker

[Gelston]

Well, for Rome, if you plan to see the Vatican book one of those tour guide things. The line to get into that place is sometimes over a mile long, and with the tour guide you can skip that. I think when I went we paid about $120 a person for a private tour guide, and it was well worth it. When I was going through Florence, the place was sorta shitty. Pompeii was awesome though, and well worth it. Expect a lot of walking though.

[Earman]

Yep, already got a vatican tour booked, and pompeii. Thanks for the advice though! Florence was shitty???

[Gelston]

Yep, already got a vatican tour booked, and pompeii. Thanks for the advice though! Florence was shitty???

Well, I didn't walk through it a lot, but when I was there the unemployment rate was astoundingly hide, so naturally... An Italian Detroit or something. I'm sure there are areas worth visiting, but I was only going through to get to Pompeii.

The train systems in Italy are awesome though, don't hesitate to use them.

[Archigeek]

Well, I didn't walk through it a lot, but when I was there the unemployment rate was astoundingly hide, so naturally... An Italian Detroit or something. I'm sure there are areas worth visiting, but I was only going through to get to Pompeii.

The train systems in Italy are awesome though, don't hesitate to use them.

If you were "going through to get to Pompeii" I suspect you are thinking of Naples, not Florence? And yes, Naples is kind of known for being shitty. It's just a dirty city, but does have a few charms: notably the pizza (they invented it, and it is teh awesome!) and that street full of Christmas stuff.

Also, Herculanium is cool too, and you'll go right past it on your way to Pompeii. The same eruption destroyed both cities: Pompeii with ash, Herculanium with mud. As for Rome, I never had any problems getting into the vatican, though you'll be there during peak season so it may be worse. It helps to get there early too though. When I was in Rome I rented an apartment about 3 blocks from the vatican and nearby subway station. It was an awesome location to go and see the city, and was cheap.

If you're traveling on your own and not part of some tour group, consider rail passes and subway passes. The subway passes are great, as they save you a lot of hassle when you're getting on and off a lot of subways while touring. I know in some cities they require passport-style photos, (watch Amelie), so make sure you have a couple of those in hand.

A cheap Euro should net you some very good deals while you are there.

When you're in Southern Italy, get fresh fruit grown locally. When you're riding on the train, it's hard to beat a kilo of fresh clementines or blood oranges from Sicily... for 1 euro. Those with fresh cheeses and salami made for awesome lunches on the train.

[Gelston]

If you were "going through to get to Pompeii" I suspect you are thinking of Naples, not Florence? And yes, Naples is kind of known for being shitty. It's just a dirty city, but does have a few charms: notably the pizza (they invented it, and it is teh awesome!) and that street full of Christmas stuff.

Also, Herculanium is cool too, and you'll go right past it on your way to Pompeii. The same eruption destroyed both cities: Pompeii with ash, Herculanium with mud. As for Rome, I never had any problems getting into the vatican, though you'll be there during peak season so it may be worse. It helps to get there early too though. When I was in Rome I rented an apartment about 3 blocks from the vatican and nearby subway station. It was an awesome location to go and see the city, and was cheap.

If you're traveling on your own and not part of some tour group, consider rail passes and subway passes. The subway passes are great, as they save you a lot of hassle when you're getting on and off a lot of subways while touring. I know in some cities they require passport-style photos, (watch Amelie), so make sure you have a couple of those in hand.

A cheap Euro should net you some very good deals while you are there.

When you're in Southern Italy, get fresh fruit grown locally. When you're riding on the train, it's hard to beat a kilo of fresh clementines or blood oranges from Sicily... for 1 euro. Those with fresh cheeses and salami made for awesome lunches on the train.

Shit, yeah. Naples. I have no clue why Florence popped in my head... When were you last in Rome? I was there Octoberish of 2010, and the line to get into the Vatican (Not St Peters, that is easy to get in, the museum entrance and such) was well over a mile long... And they considered it an off season.

[Archigeek]

Shit, yeah. Naples. I have no clue why Florence popped in my head... When were you last in Rome? I was there Octoberish of 2010, and the line to get into the Vatican (Not St Peters, that is easy to get in, the museum entrance and such) was well over a mile long... And they considered it an off season.

It has been a while for me, probably 2002, maybe 2003. A mile long? Was something going on? That's crazy. The line was insignificant enough that I don't even remember it, other than it was entirely in the building and moved fairly quickly. I went in the early morning though, that may have helped.

[Gelston]

Yeah, I was there early morning also, Vatican wasn't even open yet and the line was wrapping back and around the wall. The sistine chapel was hella packed when I was in there... It might have just picked up in business substantially since then... I don't think the Pope was even in Italy at the time.

[Sean of the Thread]

Bring floss for the hairy women.

[Mohrgan]

Hey folks, I am going to be traveling to Europe next week, and wanted to pick your brains on a few things. I am going on a 34 day vacation to 11 countries, one of which is Greece (but will be on a cruise boat for that portion).

a) How much is disrupted in Greece due to unrest currently.

b) Does a euro approaching record lows mean that I will get a good value for the dollar, or am I going to get screwed.

c) Does anyone have any awesome travel advice in Venice, Rome, Florence, Prague, Munich, and Amsterdam.

Thanks,
Strange ex-gemstone playing lurker


Euro approaching record lows means you've got it made. Why the hell the euro had to wait until now to tank rather than 2006-2010 when I was living there (and it was record HIGH exchange rate) is probably because God hates me.

Florence is awesome, I thought it was the best out of those three Italian cities, to be honest. It's just really cool. Rome is all big city and Catholic (j/k the Vatican is, of course, awesome) and Venice smells like dirty canal water, but Florence has more of a well preserved old and cool feel to it, I guess. All three of those cities have enough amazing history to keep you occupied for as long as you need.

Amsterdam...you waited too long to go, they changed the laws and now its probably not as fun as it used to be, if you catch my drift. I wish I could advise you on which sites in Amsterdam are the best, but I...uh...didn't make it to any in the week I was there.

Prague is awesome. You'll see.

I was only in Munich for one night and it was during Oktoberfest. Needless to say, I don't remember. Berlin is also cool. They say Berlin is the new Barcelona...just a dynamic and awesome place full of awesome people doing awesome stuff.

You say 11 countries...gonna be in Spain at all? I spent a 3.5 yrs. in Barcelona, if you happen to be passing through there, I could PM you a ton of cool stuff to see.

-Cheers


And I'll echo that trains in Italy (and really all over Europe) are in general a great way to get around. For a long time the proliferation of cheap domestic flights made them look expensive by comparison but with the way airline tickets all over the world are so damn high right now, trains might be more competitive.

[Kuyuk]

Prague is indeed awesome.

The two squares and the castle are close enough for walking distances, and there's good restaurants on every corner.

Take a trip up Petrin hill (take one of the trolleys to get close, instead of walking), the views are great.

[Earman]

Thanks for the awesome advice folks!

@Gelston was the line for tickets to get into the Vatican? Because we got tickets already, apparently, so I think we can skip the mile long line.

@Sean- floss is packed, giggity.

@Mohrgan- I heard I'm not too late for amsterdam, actually. From everything i've heard, they just passed the law, but arent enforcing it yet in amsterdam, only on the border towns where it was a problem. (fingers crossed)

@Kyuk- Will have to check out the hill, as I'm basically doing this to fill up my photography portfolio.

Thanks again!

[Allereli]

Prague is so much fun. Crash a stag party

I'll take the Barcelona tips. Places with fewer pigeons would be great. I have issues when there are thousands of pigeons. I'm not kidding

[Gelston]

Thanks for the awesome advice folks!

@Gelston was the line for tickets to get into the Vatican? Because we got tickets already, apparently, so I think we can skip the mile long line.

@Sean- floss is packed, giggity.

@Mohrgan- I heard I'm not too late for amsterdam, actually. From everything i've heard, they just passed the law, but arent enforcing it yet in amsterdam, only on the border towns where it was a problem. (fingers crossed)

@Kyuk- Will have to check out the hill, as I'm basically doing this to fill up my photography portfolio.

Thanks again!

Mmm.. No, it wasn't tickets line (Although you do buy them after the line). The tour guide had a special pass that got us past the line, and then you could go buy tickets if need be. I believe the line is because they only wanted so many people inside the Vatican at a time. It was still packed either way.

[Darkwynde]

Agreed on the tour guide group for Vatican City. One follows the chipper man-with-flag past all the other groups and you get to see all sorts of photo worthy things.

If you take a bus anywhere in Italy, do NOT leave anything on said bus. The gypsy children are trained to sneak on and steal. Every cathedral has beggars. Florence is lovely for taking pics if you get out in the countryside. Oh, and go to where the Senate was in Rome. They have protected the feral cats there and it makes for some interesting pics.

Also, eat a real pizza. ;)

Munich was disappoint, but then again I had just come from Hamburg and Cologne.

Take trains/trolleys everywhere you can. You will save $ and love the people, especially in Prague.

Which brings me to the marionette capital of the world... you will adore it. The cobblestone streets, the beauty, Charles Bridge, Petrin Hill. Get up by the monastery and take awesome pics. I loved Prague in winter, covered in snow, and I will definitely go back. You will buy a lot of neat stuff VERY cheaply there. Make sure you get to the museum (the one with Wenceslas on horseback in front).

Take lots of pics. Come back and share!

Safe travels.

[Earman]

@Gelston- Ill be sure to look into if the tour i have booked will get us past the line. Thanks for the heads up.

@Darkwynde- I hadn't had the museum planned for prague, will have to check it out.

The whole trip is as follows...

Venice for a few days, then a cruise through Dubrovnik, Greek Isles, Ephesus, Naples for Pompeii, ends in Rome (12 days). We stay in Rome a few days, then Florence, then Slovakia, then Prague. Then 5 days from Heidelburg to Munich going through the Rhine, Black Forest, Castles, Salzburg, and Munich. Then onto Amsterdam for a few days, then our flight home heads through Iceland and has a 20 hour layover.

I think I am going to find out I bit off more than I could chew and am not giving myself enough time anywhere.

[Gelston]

I did a week in Rome, soooooo much stuff to see there. Definitely go see the Forum and the Coliseum and stuff. Buy tickets for both at the Forum's ticket booth, then you can skip the ticket line at the Coliseum.

[Delias]

Prague is so much fun. Crash a stag party

I'll take the Barcelona tips. Places with fewer pigeons would be great. I have issues when there are thousands of pigeons. I'm not kidding

In D&D once my necromancer created a large force of undead pigeons to serve as his air force.

[Keller]

Amsterdam is a great town. Make sure you visit the Riiksmuseum (spelling fucked, I'm sure). Make it outside of the central canal district. Jordan (I think it was like Jordaaansplein or something), at least the parts I walked through, were nice. The rowhouses are really neat, less cluttered with touristy facades, and the coffeeshops are very laid back. On the coffeeshop issue, I'm fairly certain it doesn't impact Amsterdam and that the politicians pushing for it to have effect in Amsterdam are going to be voted out. There are wayyy too many businesses that rely on the tourism brought in by the coffeeshops (like Al's Fish and Chips - make sure you eat at Al's once).

I would definitely avoid the Anne Frank Museum. It's a waste of money. Red light district is a must see. Hard to imagine it till you've been there.

[WRoss]

If your plans are not set in stone, you have to see Croatia. For me, the most beautiful place on earth.

[nocturnix]

Hey folks, I am going to be traveling to Europe next week, and wanted to pick your brains on a few things. I am going on a 34 day vacation to 11 countries, one of which is Greece (but will be on a cruise boat for that portion).

a) How much is disrupted in Greece due to unrest currently.


b) Does a euro approaching record lows mean that I will get a good value for the dollar, or am I going to get screwed.

c) Does anyone have any awesome travel advice in Venice, Rome, Florence, Prague, Munich, and Amsterdam.

Thanks,
Strange ex-gemstone playing lurker

a) - I have a friend going there right now, its not that bad. I wouldnt worry about it. But depends on how paranoid you are. If you are

b) - The exchange rate is good for USD. 1.27 usd to a euro, used to be 1.3-1.4 the past few years so you will get a bit more than usual. However the dollar is still weaker than the euro so it will feel more expensive.

c) - Are you going alone? there are some definite romantic spots, well most of it is romantic. I've been to all of those places, and in the end there are some big differences but also alot of similarities. In general everything feels old, and you will see alot of cool and crazy old churches. Amsterdam they are about to outlaw the selling of pot to non-locals, but that shouldnt affect your ability to get it that much, it will just be sold on the streets. However, it looks like this may not go through anyways. Amsterdam is a really cool city besides the pot and hookers. Munich > englischer garten, go to biergartens, eat schnitzel, drink helles and hefeweisen, eat bratwurst etc. Rome, crazy old, so are the hotels and bathrooms. But some cool ruins and the coloseum is neat. Venice in my opinion is a bit overrated unless you are there with your partner, then it can be kind of romantic, minus the smell and tourist traps. Prague is pretty awesome, definately do some tours, lots to see there with a crazy cool gothic church at the top of the hill. When you go to the higher point in the city where the gothic church is (forget the name). There is also a street with these funny looking close kind of medieval houses, check those out too. Ask your tourguide about the weapons and armor museum near there if you are into that. It is inside the ramparts of the wall and there is tons of armor and cool weapons. Should still be there. Florence i dont remember very well, it was a long time since i was there but I remember mostly art related things.

hope this helps. Plus there is always berlin (where i live now) which is also a really cool city especially in summer.

Also stay in hostels if youre on the cheap, or check airbnb.com for renting apartments on the cheap.

[Earman]

Ross, only place in Croatia i get to see is a cruise stop in Dubrovnik, unfortunately.

nocturnix- our plans are pretty set in stone unfortunately. I actually had a budget for the trip (lottery money OMGWTF!!!!) , so we are staying in some badass hotels, and a few hostels. We didn't go too crazy or anything, but really researched out how to stay the closest to town in the cheapest nicest places. I'm going there with my sister, so not really interested in the romantic areas as much with my travel partner... Will have to find women there. Thanks for the info on Greece!

[4a6c1]

I recommend Samothraki, Greece if the boat will take you. Unique, cheap, exciting. I happen to know they are treating the tourists like royalty right now. Enter isolated black sand beach after sundown and glowy plankton for an experience that will change your life.

Enjoy!

[Nuc]

Dubrovnik is awesome if you like history and architecture.

You can also skip the line at the Vatican if you go late in the day. Tourists line up early in the morning but are gone by 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

Everything in Europe is super expensive on the euro, don't expect to bring home any souvenirs. Food and drink should be cheap though because they don't import that from China.

In Venice, pretend you're a wealthy tourist and get a factory tour of the Murano glass factory. It won't cost you anything if you pretend to be wealthy (because they hope you'll buy something, but its very low pressure) but it truly is the most amazing thing about Venice.

Most important tip: watch your pockets. Europeans have some serious pick pocketing skills.