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Just booked my very first flight to Europe ever! So excited! Coming from Toronto and arriving at CDG on August 14. Leaving on the 26th. Probably going to go Paris -> Amsterdam -> Gröningen -> Berlin -> Paris. I know I want to be in Berlin for Friday & Saturday night to see Sasha & Monolake at Berghain/Panoramabar. I don't even know where to begin planning but thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread so far. I've already absorbed a lot of useful info here.
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Aug 4, 2011 20:32
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What do people insist on hopping around so much in such a short period of time to big spots like Berlin and Paris? Do you want to say you've been somewhere, or do you actually want to go somewhere and absorb it?
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Aug 5, 2011 13:09
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mzandrea posted:What do people insist on hopping around so much in such a short period of time to big spots like Berlin and Paris? Do you want to say you've been somewhere, or do you actually want to go somewhere and absorb it? I'm sure it's the former. Coming back and telling people, "Yeah, I was in Europe and visited 9 countries!" sounds more impressive (to those people) compared to saying "I spent a week in Berlin."
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Aug 5, 2011 14:44
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Sand Monster posted:I'm sure it's the former. Coming back and telling people, "Yeah, I was in Europe and visited 9 countries!" sounds more impressive (to those people) compared to saying "I spent a week in Berlin." A lot of people only travel to Europe once, maybe twice in their entire lives and aren't fortunate enough to take months to do it in. There is a lot they want to see and it is a tradeoff between absorbing the culture and seeing things they may never have a chance to see again. Also, there's probably some percentage of people who don't give a poo poo about absorbing anything and are primarily interested in hitting the highlights. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for this forum to understand.
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Aug 5, 2011 15:12
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I have friends I want to visit. They (and the Monolake show) are the main reasons behind my trip. That's why I'm trekking all the way up to Gröningen and Friesland! It's nice that Amsterdam is on the way for some  , and the best flight I could get was a round trip from Toronto to Paris for $600. I wouldn't assume based on someone's itinerary that they're "doing it wrong." Not everyone is on a fast paced trip for the bragging rights. I hear what you're saying though and I've often said something one step further: You can't really get to know a place as a visitor who doesn't deal with the same challenges as the residents. You have to live there. Travelers would do better to be humble about that. There's also a lot more off the beaten path. Everyone's seen the Eiffel tower. I'm way more excited about my friends' offer to take me out of the city in their car for a day. Still, it is good advice to tell people to slow the gently caress down and be wary of ruining their vacation with their ambition.
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Aug 5, 2011 18:32
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transient posted:Also, there's probably some percentage of people who don't give a poo poo about absorbing anything and are primarily interested in hitting the highlights. There is nothing wrong with maximizing your sightseeing potential but by doing all of europe in two weeks people don't really do that. What they actually do is spending a lot of time on boring train rides and getting miffed because what was supposed to be a cool vacation turns out to be a tour where the only thing they see are equally miffed tourists that stand around looking at something they have no context for and a lot of train stations where the same miffed tourists get even more miffed when they realize that they have no idea how long the next ride will take. Bonus points if they get pissed if somebody doesn't speak english or isn't in the mood to help someone that didn't even bother to research where he is headed. So yeah, I really don't understand the attitude that it's great to check of some arbitrary list, it doesn't make you a better person, it doesn't make you cultured, it doesn't even make you well traveled. The only thing you accomplish by rushing through a city, country or continent is that you waste a whole lot of time getting from one place to the next without ever really knowing why the place you rush to is important and missing all the good spots because nobody has any incentive to help you make your trip worthwhile if you yourself don't even feel the need to make it worthwhile. If you come to my country on a sightseeing scavenger hunt feel free to do so, but don't expect the people on the streets to think of you as anything else than an annoying tourists that doesn't get the concept of walking on an escalator or the basic idea of not stopping in the middle of the sidewalk because you found a random church or a Starbucks and need to have a picture of it so you can show your friends how you found this little gem/oddity in the middle of this mysterious country called Europe. Don't bother to remember where you actually took the photo, like your vacation, the whole continent is just a blur of crazy moonspeak and people that push you out of their way with no discerning features between countries.
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Aug 5, 2011 18:49
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transient posted:A lot of people only travel to Europe once, maybe twice in their entire lives and aren't fortunate enough to take months to do it in. There is a lot they want to see and it is a tradeoff between absorbing the culture and seeing things they may never have a chance to see again. There's packing a lot into a trap, and then there's absolutely moronic schedules that are the equivalent of me saying "I'll be in the US for ten days and I want to visit New York, Boston, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Seattle. What should I do in these places?"
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Aug 5, 2011 21:58
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Dudes, I'm going to Rome in late August and I come from a country where it always rains. Am I going to die of exposure, lonely and baked to a crisp on some beautiful side street?
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Aug 5, 2011 22:45
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dum2007 posted:I have friends I want to visit. They (and the Monolake show) are the main reasons behind my trip. That's why I'm trekking all the way up to Gröningen and Friesland! It's nice that Amsterdam is on the way for some It's Groningen. The Dutch don't do umlauts.
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Aug 6, 2011 18:27
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NihilismNow posted:It's Groningen. The Dutch don't do umlauts.
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Aug 6, 2011 19:16
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I'm going to Europe (from Australia) in October / November. Am going to spend 2 weeks in Berlin then few days in Amsterdam and a week in London. I was thinking about getting the ferry from IJmuiden to Newcastle then the train to London. Is this a stupid idea after two days of partying? Will I want to kill myself when I realise I'm stuck on a boat for 15 hours or however long it takes. The other option is getting the train from Amsterdam - Bruxelles - London. I already know I should just get the train like a normal person but I want to make sure I'm not missing out on a great travel exeperience by not getting the ferry.
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Aug 8, 2011 01:48
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You would be missing out on a great travel experience by taking the ferry. 15 hours is a long time, everything on the ferry is overpriced and there is nothing to do besides getting drunk.
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Aug 8, 2011 01:55
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Haha, well put. Thanks for the advice. The train it is. Are there any attractions in Bruxelles that are worth a look while I'm passing through?
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Aug 8, 2011 02:18
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Brussels' historical centre is a must-see, although filled with tourists. The grand place is a beautiful part of the city, go see it. I always recommend the Comic Book Walk through the city. Throughout Brussels, there are houses decorated with huge drawings from famous Belgian comics. Even when comics are not your thing, it's a good way to see the city centre. A map can be found here: http://www.brusselslife.be/en/article/brussels-in-comics I also think the Atomium is worth a visit, but it's quite far from the centre. There is a good connection by subway, if you really want to see it. For diner, go to Place Saint Catherine (Sint-Katelijneplein in Dutch). I also like to go to Mer du Nord for lunch, a fish store that serves small plates of great sea food. I don't think it's well known by tourists, but people living and working in Brussels love it and it's a good place to meet locals. It's also at Place Saint Catherine. Afterwards, you can grab a beer in the pubs around the square. malder fucked around with this message at 13:52 on Aug 8, 2011 |
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Aug 8, 2011 13:47
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mzandrea posted:What do people insist on hopping around so much in such a short period of time to big spots like Berlin and Paris? Do you want to say you've been somewhere, or do you actually want to go somewhere and absorb it? Speaking from personal experience, being in Australia means that it's a lot of money just to fly to Europe and back from here. So I guess there is this mentality of trying to see as much of it as possible while you are there, because most people I know simply couldn't afford to go there often (if you go once you're lucky!!) or for very long. Question for the thread... Does anyone have any recommendations for restaurants in Rome? In particular fine dining or degustation-type menus?
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Aug 9, 2011 03:17
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mzandrea posted:What do people insist on hopping around so much in such a short period of time to big spots like Berlin and Paris? Do you want to say you've been somewhere, or do you actually want to go somewhere and absorb it? I'd love to stay in Paris, Berlin and Rome for weeks at a time. Unfortunately, time, effort and money trump all that. A flight from Sydney to London is 23.5 hours. I also have work commitments, so could only go for a few weeks at a time. I don't really want to spend 47 hours on a plane, return, and spend $AU2000+ on airfares to see one city in order to get to know it (that isn't even including the spending money to stay in Europe for an extended period of time). As someone who is doing an around the world trip for 6 months, I've got 10 weeks in Europe. I know I'm not going to see everything, do everything or really deeply experience the culture. I would love to do each city for longer, but time and money don't allow me to. I want to see the Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, Prague Castle, the Louvre, a football game in Barcelona, the casinos of Monaco and so on in those 10 weeks. If I really fall in love with a country, I can put it on "the list" for a future trip and get to know it better then.
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Aug 9, 2011 06:49
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malder posted:Brussels' historical centre is a must-see, although filled with tourists. The grand place is a beautiful part of the city, go see it. I always recommend the Comic Book Walk through the city. Throughout Brussels, there are houses decorated with huge drawings from famous Belgian comics. Even when comics are not your thing, it's a good way to see the city centre. A map can be found here: http://www.brusselslife.be/en/article/brussels-in-comics hey thanks for this man, I'm going for the second time in Brussel in two weeks! Also would you have more museum or stuff to see recommendation? Not necessarily in Brussel, will be moving around to Bruges, Louvain and stuff around maybe you have recommendation on places to visit! Also if anyone is interested about coming to Switzerland, shout any questions my way. I'm a Swiss citizen from the french part and I'll gladly give advice or recommendation. Also be aware that the Swiss franc is VERY strong against euro/dollar at the moment and we are already a very expensive country.
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Aug 9, 2011 15:02
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Bruges is nice, but not very exciting for a younger audience. I think Ghent is a good alternative because it has a beautiful historical centre, good restaurants, a great nightlife and high-quality musea like the SMAK (museum for modern art). Louvain has a stunning city hall and the university library is worth the visit, but I don't know if it's open to the public. It has the biggest and oldest university in the country, so nightlife is good (don't know for sure, I tend to go to Brussels and Ghent). If you have the time, visit Ypres and neighbouring Passendale. The war musea and the British cemeteries are worth the visit, especially Tyne Cot. I also like the german cemetery in Langemark. A good way to visit this region is by bike, but it can get very windy and cold. Heuvelland (close to Ypres) has some interesting biking routes, too.
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Aug 9, 2011 16:37
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Just wanted to thank the thread for alerting me to Mostar. Incredible sights - the river, the mountains and of course all these beautiful, war-torn buildings. Amazing and sad town.
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Aug 9, 2011 19:09
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The university library in Louvain (Leuven)is definitely open to the public and has some of the most beautiful woodcarving I've ever seen. I can also speak highly of the nightlife and food (French cuisine at student prices).
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Aug 10, 2011 00:34
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Mortley posted:The university library in Louvain (Leuven)is definitely open to the public and has some of the most beautiful woodcarving I've ever seen. I can also speak highly of the nightlife and food (French cuisine at student prices). Ah that's a pity, not two days ago a friend was in Leuven asking me what there was to see.
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Aug 10, 2011 00:52
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How necessary and worthwhile are one of the ISIC international student cards? Will I save enough over just using my american university ID card and looking 21?
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Aug 10, 2011 02:14
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Masturbatory Manatee posted:How necessary and worthwhile are one of the ISIC international student cards? Will I save enough over just using my american university ID card and looking 21? In my experience: no. There was exactly one place I remember that would only take the ISIC card, the House of Terror in Budapest. Highly recommended even at full price, however.
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Aug 10, 2011 04:58
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malder posted:Bruges is nice, but not very exciting for a younger audience. I think Ghent is a good alternative because it has a beautiful historical centre, good restaurants, a great nightlife and high-quality musea like the SMAK (museum for modern art). Mortley posted:The university library in Louvain (Leuven)is definitely open to the public and has some of the most beautiful woodcarving I've ever seen. I can also speak highly of the nightlife and food (French cuisine at student prices). Thanks for this guys!
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Aug 10, 2011 08:24
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Masturbatory Manatee posted:How necessary and worthwhile are one of the ISIC international student cards? Will I save enough over just using my american university ID card and looking 21? Magic Underwear posted:In my experience: no. There was exactly one place I remember that would only take the ISIC card, the House of Terror in Budapest. Highly recommended even at full price, however. From my experience as long as it clearly says "student" and "university" on it somewhere along with your picture, you're good to go and nobody ever asked me twice for an ISIC card.
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Aug 10, 2011 11:03
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Ziir posted:From my experience as long as it clearly says "student" and "university" on it somewhere along with your picture, you're good to go and nobody ever asked me twice for an ISIC card. I can say it's the same in Switzerland, my GIRLFRIEND finished her study a few months ago and she still shows her card around to get the discount for students.
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Aug 10, 2011 17:04
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Where should I stay in Berlin from Friday Aug 19 until Tuesday Aug 23? Cheap is good. Young is good. Safe and clean is really preferable. I'm coming in on Train from Groningen and leaving via SXF to Paris on a flight. Planning on doing Fuckparade (anybody else?) Thanks again for all the great info guys... This thread is huge but it's a serious cheat sheet.
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Aug 10, 2011 21:27
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I'm gonna be in Berlin on the weekend of the 19th too. What the hell is a fuckparade? 
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Aug 10, 2011 22:20
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dum2007 posted:Where should I stay in Berlin from Friday Aug 19 until Tuesday Aug 23? Wombats Hostel! I'll even be there for a bit (flying into Berlin on the 15th). http://www.wombats-hostels.com/. A lot of people think its the best hostel in Berlin.
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Aug 10, 2011 22:23
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Ziir posted:I'm gonna be in Berlin on the weekend of the 19th too. What the hell is a fuckparade? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1V5ImNBJH0 http://www.fuckparade.org/ ...if that's your thing you're welcome to come with! The Viper posted:Wombats Hostel! I'll even be there for a bit (flying into Berlin on the 15th). Nice. Great location. Anyone ever heard of Jetpak Alternative? dum2007 fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Aug 10, 2011 |
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Aug 10, 2011 22:58
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I'm in berlin from 23-27 so we just miss the fuckparade. BUT, we might make PleasureIsland in Prague the 27th. Any suggestions on hostels in prague? They don't have a wombats? Also, I figure its safe calling the hostel the day I plan on arriving to get a room, is this misguided?
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Aug 11, 2011 04:45
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Masturbatory Manatee posted:Also, I figure its safe calling the hostel the day I plan on arriving to get a room, is this misguided? Doing that at ANY hostel in Europe in the summer can be a bit dodgy, so make sure you have back-ups. Source: It has happened to me and people I've met a bunch of times the past two months.
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Aug 11, 2011 08:19
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Masturbatory Manatee posted:I'm in berlin from 23-27 so we just miss the fuckparade. BUT, we might make PleasureIsland in Prague the 27th. Berlin is the love of my life and anybody who doesn't party there is losing out. Try to get into Berghain but good luck in getting in!
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Aug 13, 2011 01:10
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Enigma89 posted:Berlin is great for the night life scene. Get properly drunk by 1am and go to the clubs and don't come home until 9am. There is a great website called unlike.Berlin you should check that out for events that are going on. When you dont get into Berghain, and you wont, go to Tresor. It's amazing.
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Aug 13, 2011 01:23
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dum2007 posted:Nice. Great location. Anyone ever heard of Jetpak Alternative? I stayed there a year ago - right next to the u-station, lots of great bars and restaurants nearby (one especially great vietnamese place). Would definitely stay again. I think they overplay the alt-aspect, it was reasonably clean and the huge basement dorm i stayed in was quiet.
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Aug 14, 2011 10:07
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The Viper posted:When you dont get into Berghain, and you wont, go to Tresor. It's amazing. I prefer Villa and Berghain over Tresor, but Tresor is pretty loving cool. It's just so far out of the way. Then again Villa was in the most desolate area ever...
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Aug 14, 2011 10:15
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Enigma89 posted:I prefer Villa and Berghain over Tresor, but Tresor is pretty loving cool. It's just so far out of the way. Then again Villa was in the most desolate area ever... Yeah actually now that I remember we all got freaked out at how deserted the place around Tresor was. I was loving blown away by it though, for all those who haven't been there, it was a coal power plant, and it was converted into a nightclub. I have vivid memories of going to the toilets in the basement, and being asked alternately, if I was selling E, or if I wanted some E. In a friendly, good-natured way.
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Aug 14, 2011 12:23
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Goddamn I really want to go back to Berlin now. I was recovering from a cold when I was there and despite loving clubbing and almost all electronic music we kind of failed to do proper night out. Club De Visionaires had some great minimal techno and was right on the waterfront but it was REALLY cold as it was March and we were standing around burning bins to keep warm and that.
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Aug 14, 2011 14:06
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Ok friends, flying out tomorrow morning. Thanks for all your help. If anyone is in berlin for the next few days, hit me up! jackosiochain (at) gmail (dot) com. Later.
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Aug 15, 2011 00:11
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In terms of hostels, I'm looking at Wombats and alternatively Heart of Gold in Berlin but I don't have any recommendations or leads in Prague. There's something about the hostel review websites that I don't trust.
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Aug 15, 2011 20:24
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