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Powerthirst posted:
Here, I fixed your plan in one possible way. One thing I didn't understand at all about your previous plan is why would you fly into London then immediately go to a train station in order to go to Paris/Brussels? I can guarantee you it's not that much cheaper to fly into Gatwick/Heathrow than it is to fly into CDG or Brussels.
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Oct 17, 2014 08:55
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Brussels or Paris is hardly a choice. I'm not sure why people always want to go to Brussels, it's a bit like going to Australia and visiting Canberra. If you do want to go to Belgium, I would suggest just about every other city, except the Walloon industrial hellholes.
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Oct 17, 2014 14:11
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I was looking at the rail map and picked a couple places to get off and I see with the time I have that's a bad idea. I really could do without Paris or Brussels and fly Italy instead using a train. The only things I really wanted to do on this trip is go to Maranello and spend time with friends in Athens. I was flying to London because I have Virgin Atlantic points and it's cheap flying in. Right now I have two people flying to London for 35k points and 250 bucks and flying out of Athens for 60k points and 150 bucks.
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Oct 17, 2014 15:29
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Powerthirst posted:I was looking at the rail map and picked a couple places to get off and I see with the time I have that's a bad idea. I really could do without Paris or Brussels and fly Italy instead using a train. If you're flying into London and have never been there, you might as well at least spend 3 days -- it's a unique city with something for everyone. But it'd be pretty reasonable to fly into London, take EasyJet from London to Bologna, then fly from Milan to Athens (Bologna does not fly to Athens, it will almost certainly be much cheaper to train up to Milan to fly to Athens than taking some other carrier, but check it out anyway).
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Oct 17, 2014 18:06
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Powerthirst posted:DNova posted:I'm fine with frenzied travel, but this is beyond what even I would consider enjoyable. He'll be so fast that mother nature will be like sloow... dooown. Then he'll kick her in the face with his energy legs.
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Oct 17, 2014 21:21
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I've been planning to get a Velib ticket before I arrive in Paris. But it's just occurred to me that Paris is a busy city. With all the road traffic and pedestrian traffic, is cycling around Paris actually a decent option ?
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Oct 18, 2014 01:28
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Istari posted:I've been planning to get a Velib ticket before I arrive in Paris. But it's just occurred to me that Paris is a busy city. Parisian traffic is really not all that bad. I don't know how they keep it from being particularly crowded, as it's not restricted access like London or Munich or wherever, but in any case it's nothing like Rome or Moscow.
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Oct 18, 2014 08:45
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Saladman posted:Parisian traffic is really not all that bad. I don't know how they keep it from being particularly crowded, as it's not restricted access like London or Munich or wherever, but in any case it's nothing like Rome or Moscow. Okay, thanks.
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Oct 18, 2014 09:05
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Where would be a good area to look for a place to stay in Paris, more local less tourist? I'd be spending most/all of the time at the museums (I could probably spend a whole week just on the Louvre), maybe day trips to Reims and Orleans. Don't mind having to take the Metro around.
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Oct 19, 2014 21:23
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dupersaurus posted:Where would be a good area to look for a place to stay in Paris, more local less tourist? I'd be spending most/all of the time at the museums (I could probably spend a whole week just on the Louvre), maybe day trips to Reims and Orleans. Don't mind having to take the Metro around. How long will you be there? If a week (or more) I recommend finding an apartment on VRBO / HomeAway / CouchSurfing (couchsurfing does rent entire apartments). This will be both substantially cheaper than even a 2** hotel, and way nicer and you can make yourself a good breakfast instead of the drip coffee and a stale croissant you'd get at a cheap hotel. Also for sure stay in one of the 20 arrondissements inside the highway loop. I'm partial to the Rive Droite (north side of the river) but arrondissements 5-7 are nice too. I'd say go for 1-11 and pay the little bit extra to stay in a more interesting/walkable area, even though there are easily-accessible metros everywhere. Try to avoid the areas near Gare du Lyon or Gare de Montparnasse. They're not dangerous but they feel sketchy and there's gently caress-all to do anywhere nearby either one of them. I spend 3-4 days next to Gare de Montparnasse every year for work and good god is it boring, I have to walk almost half an hour minutes to get anywhere remotely lively at night.
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Oct 19, 2014 22:26
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Saladman posted:How long will you be there? If a week (or more) I recommend finding an apartment on VRBO / HomeAway / CouchSurfing (couchsurfing does rent entire apartments). This will be both substantially cheaper than even a 2** hotel, and way nicer and you can make yourself a good breakfast instead of the drip coffee and a stale croissant you'd get at a cheap hotel. Also for sure stay in one of the 20 arrondissements inside the highway loop. I'm partial to the Rive Droite (north side of the river) but arrondissements 5-7 are nice too. I'd say go for 1-11 and pay the little bit extra to stay in a more interesting/walkable area, even though there are easily-accessible metros everywhere. I'm thinking something like 7-10 days, but I might split that with Amsterdam or something if I stay longer (of which I could ask the same question about). I've been looking at stuff in 5-7 arr, so that's good to know. I didn't think of apartments, so I'll check that out. I'm not looking to party or go clubbing, but an area that people don't abandon once the day is done would be nice.
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Oct 19, 2014 23:10
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I don't see how Gare de Lyon or Gare Montparnasse feel sketchy, especially compared with like, Gare du Nord. I've lived in the 15th, 18th, and 12th arrondissements; you can get to Bastille / rue de Lappe pretty quickly from Gare de Lyon, and the area in front of the Gare Montparnasse (where the cinemas are) is also decent at night. As Saladman said I'd look for a hotel inside Paris, and then I'd try to avoid the 18th, 19th and 20th arrondissements, which are the worst. Depending on your budget, the 1st to 8th are the nicest I guess. The 16th is probably the most boring. I'm not actually sure what you mean by "more local less tourist". Most touristy places are in the center of the city, which is the nicest part where all the rich people live (unless they live outside Paris in Le Vésinet/Croissy/etc...), students go to University and features some of the busiest nightlife and daylife. So they're both touristy and local.
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Oct 19, 2014 23:12
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Yeah, Gare du Nord and Gare de L'est are WAY sketchier than Gare Montparnasse and Gare de Lyon. Pylb has given you good advice.
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Oct 20, 2014 00:46
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Yeah, but at least Gare du Nord is near Montmartre. Gare de Montparnasse isn't near anything even remotely interesting for a local or for a tourist. I always feel like I'm going to get murdered when I walk to Gare du Lyon at night, especially the stretch up past Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere until I get to the station. It's more that it's just so completely devoid of people at night, unlike Gare du Nord, which always has hobos. E: Anyway in general, European train stations in major cities are the worst parts of the city for whatever reason, for people who are looking for areas to avoid in [City X].
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Oct 20, 2014 08:14
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Next summer we are staying in my great uncles apartment in the 9th arrondissement for 10 days, hope we don't get stabbed. Any suggestions for easy day trips? We didn't make it to versailles last time, so that's on the list. I would prefer not to get a car while we are there, but....
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Oct 20, 2014 21:56
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Saladman posted:Yeah, but at least Gare du Nord is near Montmartre. Gare de Montparnasse isn't near anything even remotely interesting for a local or for a tourist. I always feel like I'm going to get murdered when I walk to Gare du Lyon at night, especially the stretch up past Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere until I get to the station. It's more that it's just so completely devoid of people at night, unlike Gare du Nord, which always has hobos. Yeah, the sketchy people are always more terrifying to me than the empty streets, at least empty streets can't attack you out of nowhere! I wouldn't really call Gare du Nord near Montmartre though. Like it's not realllllly walking distance, and you have to go all the way up the hill if you do want to walk it. It is definitely closer to stuff than Montparnasse though, for sure. Unless you really, really like the Jardins Luxembourg haha. bathhouse posted:Next summer we are staying in my great uncles apartment in the 9th arrondissement for 10 days, hope we don't get stabbed. Any suggestions for easy day trips? We didn't make it to versailles last time, so that's on the list. I would prefer not to get a car while we are there, but....
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Oct 20, 2014 22:06
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I'm in Paris and bought a Navigo Decouverte this morning and charged it at the machine. But when I swipe it at the barrier, I get a 'Pas titre chargé' error message. Anyone know why or what to do about it ?
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Oct 23, 2014 10:54
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I don't have any experience with the Découverte. Sounds like it wasn't actually charged. I'd try to bring it to one of the "charging" machines and see if there's an option to do it (without paying again). Otherwise I'd ask at an information booth (if there's one in a station near you). e: I'm in Paris, so I could also take a look at it if you want. pylb fucked around with this message at 12:12 on Oct 23, 2014 |
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Oct 23, 2014 11:06
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pylb posted:I don't have any experience with the Découverte. You were right; it wasn't charged. I took it back to vendor and she charged it for me. However, my bank statement has it listed twice (both still pending), so I really hope one of those disappears.
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Oct 23, 2014 11:43
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Looking for some feedback on this Spain itinerary: -Dec 25: Arrive mid-afternoon, wander around Madrid, hopefully find a place open for dinner -26: More Madrid -27: Early train to Cordoba, sleep there -28: Early train to Seville, sleep there -29: More Seville -30: Seville Con't -31: Early train to Granada, sleep there -1: Train to Madrid -2: Madrid -3: Madrid -4: Fly home Plus possible day trip to Toledo on 2/3 if we feel like leaving the city. Too much too fast?
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Oct 27, 2014 19:09
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ThetaOmnikron posted:Looking for some feedback on this Spain itinerary: Doing Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada is probably a bit much. Depending what interests you most, and depending on how important the size of the city is for you, I'd probably pick one of the three, give myself three days there, and spend the rest in Madrid. If you really can't decide, then select two. A single day for Granada seems very hectic, especially considering the Alhambra alone takes a decent amount of time unless you want to run through it. Add perhaps the Cathedral, the Albaicín and the city centre and you won't be able to do much of anything properly. Decide what's most important, and then give it enough space, instead of doing a checklist!
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Oct 27, 2014 20:36
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ThetaOmnikron posted:Looking for some feedback on this Spain itinerary: I did a very similar trip to you last Easter -- arrived in Madrid, spent 3 days there, then 2 in Cordoba, 2 in Granada, then flew out of Malaga. Looks like you have a couple extra days than my trip so should be manageable but busy. It sounds messy if you're coming from the US (hi jetlag) but fine if going from UK/Europe/whatever. One thing to think about : you get in to Granada on the 31st and sleep there, but then go back to Madrid the next day? I mean basically the only thing there is the Alhambra, but it's big and will take you 3-4 hours to walk around, and the town is also nice enough to walk around in (Ferdinand and Isabella are buried there too). You'll probably want to spend the 1st there too, otherwise taking the quite long train back to Madrid the same day is going to suck. Granada has pretty poor train/bus connections to the rest of the country, even to Madrid, and I bet it's worse on new year's. Spanish distances are not what they seem due to the inconsistency of high speed trains and how basically the entire country is connected in Madrid and then nowhere else. e.g. getting from Cordoba to Madrid by public transit takes the same amount of time as getting from Cordoba to Granada by public transit even though it's like 1/3rd the distance, because Granada is so poorly connected to the rest of the country. MAKE SURE TO BUY ALHAMBRA TICKETS ONLINE WELL IN ADVANCE as they will 100% sell out during the holidays. You do not have to wait in the (hour-long) line at the entrance either, if you pick up your tickets at one of the kiosks in town beforehand. You can't self-print tickets which is annoying. Spend your extra time in Madrid rather than going to Toledo, unless you've spent significant time in Madrid first.
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Oct 27, 2014 20:57
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Spend more time in Granada. Add that full day the next day at the VERY least. If not another day. As mentioned, The Alhambra is easily a day, and bring good shoes and take the Cuesta de los Chinos (the back way) up to it, or down from it. Exploring the Zaidin, checking out the Teterias in Caladerias, the Sacramonte, the Cathedral and the older bits of town, exploring Calle Elvira, hitting all the best tapas joints for a "tapear," that's easily another 2 days there. Plus the music scene there can absolutely rock. BoogaClub does/used to do jazz. Tapas: Los Diamantes II, feel free to avoid most of Calle Navas except for Diamantes, any of the places over by the Plaza de Toros are mostly good, of note being El Nido del Buho for the size/price/quality ratio. Don't eat Paella from anywhere with a picture of it that says "Paella Hoy!" on a sign in front of the place. Fun plazas to ramble around: Plaza bib rambla Plaza de los lobos (good little cafe for menus del dia somewhere in here, forget the name) Plaza mariana pineda Plaza nueva Plaza isabela la catolica Get lost in the streets around the streets surrounding the cathedral. Don't be afraid to get lost during the day. There's some really cool markets between the cathedral and plaza de los lobos and around there. edit: Saladman posted:basically the only thing there is the Alhambra Disagree. Ally McBeal Wiki fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Oct 28, 2014 |
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Oct 28, 2014 03:51
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FaceEater sounds like he's actually lived there, so listen to him. I spent 3 days there so I'm not particularly the expert, it's just that the Alhambra is the only "thing" I did. Everything else was just walking around and enjoying the city--which was really nice--I'm just not sure how it will be in early January. It's heavily a student town, so it might be pretty dead (but maybe FaceEater and C/D). Also the El Albaicín neighborhood is really nice to walk around and has great views of the Alhambra from equal elevation, and the riverfront walk on Carrera del Darro is nice too. At least in spring. Not sure about January 1st, probably everything will be closed and dead, but at least you can walk up the hill and get a good view of the Alhambra.
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Oct 28, 2014 11:11
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While we are on the topic of Spain, I'm planning a Europe trip from around April to July/August where I'll be spending roughly a month and a half in Spain (the rest of the trip being London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Croatia and Turkey) and I would love some advice on Spain in particular. So basically I have a fascination with Spainish language and culture. I've been learning Spanish for a few years on and off and hope to have enough to be able to converse (someone what brokenly) when I go over and use the opportunity to immerse myself in the language, culture, and just have a great time. So far my itinerary is basically just the major cities that I know very little of but they seem like a good place to start. Not sure on amount of says spent in each place yet but here is the rough outline. I'll be travlling (I think) mainly by bus/train if available and online car-sharing services (hopefully). Madrid Toledo Cordoba Seville Arcos Ronda Malaga Granada Murcia Valencia Barcelona Basically looking for advice on how much time I should spend in each, or any I should cut or add. Keep in mind I don't just want to see the tourist sights and leave, I want to hang around, go out, meet people and explore, so that may make some cities more, or less appropriate. Basically if there is anywhere worth spending a while in, then I can afford to spend the time there and cut any of the more touristy locations, though seeing some of the sights would be nice. I also love art and history museums so any of those, or locations of historic interest, are places I want to spend time too. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Oct 28, 2014 14:32
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Any advice on Istanbul/Turkey please? Going for 2 weeks in early December. What will the weather likely be? I'm from the UK so not worried about cold but hoping it'll be at least a bit warmer. We're staying at an Air BnB place near Istiklal Avenue for the first five days. Probably just do the whole city exploring, mosques, museums etc then go down to Troy for a few days then back up. I'm also slightly tempted by Gallipoli if it's worth it but the female half isn't keen on battlefields (philistine). How is the train network in Turkey or will we be on buses? We are pretty seasoned travellers and to be honest we're just going for Istanbul so the itinerary is pretty non-existent. Any advice appreciated. Teşekkür ederim!
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Oct 28, 2014 14:52
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On Friday, I'll be catching a train to the south of France from Gare de Lyon. I'll be taking the metro to Gare de Lyon. So my question is this: How far is the metro platform from the train platform, and how long should I be allowing myself to walk the distance (with luggage) ?
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Oct 28, 2014 20:14
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Istari posted:On Friday, I'll be catching a train to the south of France from Gare de Lyon. I'll be taking the metro to Gare de Lyon. So my question is this: How far is the metro platform from the train platform, and how long should I be allowing myself to walk the distance (with luggage) ? Edit: I was thinking Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu in Lyon, sorry ShutteredIn fucked around with this message at 20:21 on Oct 28, 2014 |
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Oct 28, 2014 20:18
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Istari posted:On Friday, I'll be catching a train to the south of France from Gare de Lyon. I'll be taking the metro to Gare de Lyon. So my question is this: How far is the metro platform from the train platform, and how long should I be allowing myself to walk the distance (with luggage) ? I just did it a week ago in the opposite way (coming from Nice) and I seem to recall it only being about a 5-10 minute walk from the metro to the train station. Not terribly precise I know, but it's not too bad of a walk. I think there were even some moving sidewalks. Also, how the hell is Versailles always so damned busy? I went there last summer and stood in line for about 3 hours and thought that was the worst it could be, but on Sunday it was pretty much the exact same length. I mean, I spent less time in line at the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Catacombs combined this trip. Although, now that I think about it, it probably had something to do with going on DST day with a bunch of tourists (myself included) not knowing to turn the time back and the line starting an hour earlier than it normally would. MagicCube fucked around with this message at 20:36 on Oct 28, 2014 |
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Oct 28, 2014 20:31
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Istari posted:On Friday, I'll be catching a train to the south of France from Gare de Lyon. I'll be taking the metro to Gare de Lyon. So my question is this: How far is the metro platform from the train platform, and how long should I be allowing myself to walk the distance (with luggage) ? I agree that it should be around 5-10 minutes to get from the Metro to the train station. Gare de Lyon is pretty big with 3 different platforms, and going from one to the other probably takes another 5 minutes. Haven't used it in a very long time however so I could be wrong. ^^^^ It's also the holidays in France right now, so you got both local and foreign tourists. pylb fucked around with this message at 20:46 on Oct 28, 2014 |
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Oct 28, 2014 20:44
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Okay, thanks.
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Oct 28, 2014 20:57
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The Slippery Nipple posted:Madrid Do you dislike Northern Spain for some reason? If you take that much time, check it out too!
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Oct 28, 2014 21:39
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Saladman posted:FaceEater sounds like he's actually lived there, so listen to him. I spent 3 days there so I'm not particularly the expert, it's just that the Alhambra is the only "thing" I did. Everything else was just walking around and enjoying the city--which was really nice--I'm just not sure how it will be in early January. It's heavily a student town, so it might be pretty dead (but maybe FaceEater and C/D). All good man. I did, and it was groovy. Granada I can't believe I forgot Albaicín! Saladman is 100% right. Head up to the Mirador de San Nicolas for a really killer view of the Alhambra. And also spot on about Carrera del Darro. That's actually where part of Cuesta de los Chinos (The Chinese Way...) cuts off along the trickle of a river that still flows there. So incoming is a massive fuckall wall of text, with some notes that were cribbed from here, but a lot if it from living there or travels. It was originally written for family, so excuse any lovely jokes or references to family poo poo. There's a freaky young hippie vibe in much of the town, with puffy pants and rasta colors, dreadlocks (known as "rastas" in Spanish) and noserings, chicks with mostly shaved heads and rat tails, and everything in between. So let's see...the must do/must see/must eats... Absolutely check out the Alhambra, and linger there. It is stunningly beautiful. There is a "secret" back passageway called the Cuesta de los Chinos: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuesta_de_los_Chinos that requires some pretty good walking shoes, and has some steep inclines, but if you're looking for a cool way to get lost on your way (only do this walk in daytime, it turns shady at night) and see some cool little areas at the back of the Generalife/Alhambra, this is one groovy path. Whatever path you choose, I also highly advise walking to the Alhambra. It's good exercise, will easily kill a few hours and you'll see some really well-made gardens along the way. Just make sure you do it with plenty of energy and zeal; it can be pretty tiring to hike all the way to the top and then have to spend the whole time with a tour group appreciating the intricacies of the whole place. And definitely pay for admission. There is a paid part, and a free part. It is absolutely worth every penny to see the interiors of the palace. http://www.turgranada.es/cultural-monumental/cultural-monumental-nivel3.php?id_seccion=509&tipo=secciones&id_idioma=2 Good info there. Granada is an excellent walking city because there is just so much to see, do, taste, and smell, Moreover, cabs can be pricey at any time of day. They have a little number indicating their fare price, which is calculated by time of day I believe. I think it was fare number 2 that was the extra expensive one, and operates between like 8 PM and 8 AM. Whatever you do, DON'T rent a car to drive around town unless you really like learning how insane European driving can be, and circling the "block" turning into a 5-hour parking challenge. I did it once, and it was fine, but never again. For the best views of the Alhambra, go to the "Mirador de San Nicolas," a plaza up in the Albaizin (the old Moorish neighborhood) where the dusk/early evening view of the Alhambra is stunning to say the least, breathtaking to be generous: http://g.co/maps/csmc2 Navigating there is half the fun, with my suggested route being that of walking northeast from the statue of Isabela la Catolica past the Plaza Nueva, through the Plaza de Santa Ana, along the little river via Carrera del Darro, and along the Cuesta de Chapiz. Here's some directions, but take them loosely, as there are many, many MANY ways to get there, and all offer good/weird things to see/smell. http://g.co/maps/83mqc Sneak a little bottle of wine/beer/booze up there, and spend an hour or so lingering. It's really special. There's also a restaurant just below the little plaza, but it can be pretty pricey. Also, watch your step. Dog poo left behind is very, very common, and with poop on your shoe it can be downright dangerous to try and climb the stairs and slick cobblestoned streets of the town. Also, watch out for if/when it rains. The sidewalks/cobbles are SLICK, and even the best boots/walking shoe might leave you slipping and falling on your rear end, much to the amusement of locals. Overwhelmed? You should be. It's an awesome city. Check out the Puerta de Elvira on your way to Calle Elvira, a street which runs parallel to but is totally distinct from Gran Via just a block down. The part closest to the Puerta (or gate/archway in English) is kinda lame, but it gets cooler and cooler, with some funky little shops and such. The real attraction, however, is at the other end of Elvira, where you'll turn into Calle Caldereria Nueva ( http://g.co/maps/59xab ). There you'll find an awesome selection of little spots to plop down and have a pot of tea. They do an incredible mint tea in almost all the places, and I highly recommend picking one that DOESNT have some big obnoxious menu in badly written English on an A-frame wooden chalkboard type thing out in front of the place. Pick one that looks like it's got a quiet little nook for you to sit down in and sip some tea and chill for a bit. (There's one place way up at the top of the street that does dynamite crepes, if I remember correctly. However, they don't serve tea, but they do have an outdoor patio. Good for a beer/snack.) Around the Cathedral (which, in my opinion, is missable - don't pay the admission but rather stay outside of it unless you just gotta see the tombs of kings who aren't actually buried there anyway...) there are great views, especially from the plaza Cathedral just to the southwest of the main cathedral. The Plaza Bib-Rambla features some really neat flower displays during spring and early summer. The Plaza de Toros: Granada's Plaza de Toros is pretty cool, actually. But the subject of the toros (bulls) is really in question in this day and age in Spain. There may or may not be a corrida (or bullfight) while you're there. Again, you could ask your concierge. Be warned: They're bloody, they really do kill the bulls, and the bulls really do get eaten. Not the coolest thing in the world, in my opinion, but certainly a cultural curiosity. There are also some really good restaurants/bars in the area, which I'll list in the next sections. Food notes! So much of my travels and knowledge revolves around food and drink, so if that ain't your thing, I'm sorry, but that's kinda what I know. Eat the ham. Eat all the jamon you can. And the manchego cheese. And the tortilla espanola, which is basically cold slices of potato and egg omelet served with a slice of baguette bread. If they offer salsa picante, take it! Ask for a recommendation on where to get the best from your hotel. Breakfast is light, consisting of a pastry or muffin or "barras tostadas," meaning toast. But not just any toast. My absolute favorite breakfast ever is "pan con tomate." Aka "tomaka." It's literally a half a loaf of baguette style bread, toasted, and served with mashed fresh tomato, olive oil, and salt. It is awesome. Coffee in Spain is also really, really good. Everything is espresso-style, and can be ordered in a couple different ways. Cafe solo is just an espresso shot, served with sugar on the side. Cafe cortado is an espresso shot with a splash of hot milk, and is great for a quick pick me up. The milk cuts the bitterness down quite a bit. And cafe con leche is the indulgent way to go. It's espresso and a big splash of hot milk, and it's AWESOME. Read this to get an idea: http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/4482660-pan-con-tomate-in-andalucia-simple-pleasures-at-candela-caf-granada-?tab=buzzing Lunch is HUGE. And late. Like, 1-2 PM late, sometimes at 3. And it's traditionally the biggest meal of the day. Various restaurants will do multiple courses known as a "menu del dia," where you get to choose from some different options like a salad or soup, then a main course, then dessert. Bread and beverage can be included sometimes, other times not. Depends upon the place. And it's designed to be a loooooong meal. Spanish siesta happens after lunch, so stores are very often closed completely between 1 and 5 PM, as people go home for lunch, and then possibly nap/watch TV til they slowly trickle back out, and everything reopens slowly. But lunch is delicious, and the best meals are in there. A note about paella: If there's a picture on a sign out front of some brightly colored paella, it's touristy garbage, don't bother. It's frozen, they're going to microwave it, and charge you like 30 euros per person to eat microwaved yellow rice with mediocre veggies and bad shrimp. Dinner is also late, like 9 PM or later. It's generally a bit smaller, and can often be made entirely of tapas. You can (and should!) feel free to eat something in between. There's awesome gelato places on Gran Via. Dinner can be made of a big shared plate of meats and cheeses (known as raciones or tablas), or paella can be a perfectly acceptable alternative in a fancy restaurant (which I suggest against, personally. Paella is a lunch thing). I think you'd be doing it wrong if you didn't have at least one night made of a tapa bar crawl for dinner. Granada/much of Southern Spain is known as a bigtime tapas. Tapas are the free/included snacks you get with your beverage at a given bar, so a lot of the following advice can easily get you through. It works like this: You go up to the bar, and ask for a drink. Drinks can include: soft drinks (coca-cola, fanta naranja/limon, sprite (pronounced ehhsprytuh)), beers (of which you should just simply ask for a "KAHN-ya" (spelled caña, if you habla the Spanish already) which will be a nice pour of the house beer. Most bars stock only one beer on tap, and that's probably what you should be drinking if you're in the mood for beer. You'll see the tap probably in the center or at the corner of one of the bars. If the beer is Alhambra/Mahou/Estrella Damm/almost anything else, drink that beer. If the beer is Cruzcampo, do NOT. Cruzcampo is the foulest poo poo ever brewed and should be discontinued and buried with toxic waste in the Nevada desert. It's THAT bad.) Beer is also viewed as a refreshment here, and you can order a little something called a "clara" that will be half beer and half Fanta Limon. It can be very refreshing, but Alhambra is such a good beer I think it'd be a sin to mix it with pop like that. Also, a "corto" will get you a tiny little pour of beer, just a couple mouthfuls really, to wash down your food order. wine. Wine is an interesting subject in bars and can get you into all kinds of hilarious misunderstandings if improperly ordered. There are various ranks and ways to order your wine, which makes sense for a country that produces roughly 2/3 of all the red wine in Europe. You should absolutely drink red wine while in Spain. A 'vino tinto' will get you a pour of the standard house red. These reds are considered young (joven), and will have a wilder taste, much like any younger wine. A 'crianza' pronounced cree-AN-tha (they lisp some of their z's) will get you a slightly more aged, higher priced but generally higher-quality and mellow-er wine. And then there are the "reservas" which are the really pricey glasses, but they'll be the nicest wines you can get, that might be a good idea with a big dinner. sangria. Sangria is for tourists. It's refreshing, it's often overpriced, and generally corner bars will not serve it, but you can always ask if you really want. I personally find it to be a waste of time when they've got so much good wine that doesn't need the addition of a bunch of fruit and sugar and Kool-Aid knock-off flavorings, but whatever. 'tinto de verano.' THIS is the stuff to drink at a bar if you're feeling like a girly drink. Sangria is for tourists. Tinto de verano is for real people, and will get you bonus points for ordering that instead of sangria. Seriously. Read the wiki on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinto_de_verano mosto. Mosto is basically white grape juice, with zero alcohol content, served over ice with an olive garnish. It's delicious and if you're in the middle of a tapas crawl and need a break from boozing, it can be a nice alternative to soda. agua. Just ordering "agua" will often get you bottled water, which you'll have to pay for. If you want to just wet your whistle, it's "agua del grifo' (pronounced GREE-fo), meaning "water of the tap." Water quality in Spain is generally very good and you shouldn't be afraid to drink from the taps. GENERALLY. There's also "agua con gas" which is bubbly mineral water. Also refreshing. Tapas: So, you got all that? Good. Now here's the good bits about the food. So you ordered your drink. You'll probably eat while standing, which is recommended. Depending on the place you walked into, you will be served anything from a small plate of olives to a little container of nuts, all the way up to a full platter of sauteed shrimp with the shell still on, to a small pot of steamed mini clams. Some places even have a menu you can choose your tapa from. Offerings can range from a burger and fries to a giant croquette (basically a breaded ham and cheese deep fried and delicious) to tempura fried vegetables. A note about sitting: "We set off for tapas today, but ended up with main meal only. Some restaurants/tapasbars in Granada tend to reserve the majority of the tables for main meals, or dinner if you like, only. That means they have 10 tables or so with good comfortable chairs reserved for this. While only a couple of tables with hard wooden chairs, are for having tapas." It won't be hard to figure out. Do NOT go for tapas near Plaza Bib-Rambla, as Central Granada has more pure restaurants and not many real "tapa" bars. Google map some of the suggestions I have below, and try walking it to and from those zones. Don't feel like you're missing out (too much) if you don't make it to the ones that are too far away. I HIGHLY recommend Los Diamantes for EVERYTHING. They choose what you get, but whatever they make is awesome. Bodegas Espadafor is pretty tasty too if only for their rustic options. Stop in for one drink and a quick snack. Bodegas Castaneda is considered the premiere tapa spot, serving up authentic goodness, and is totally awesome for a nice sit-down dinner of tapas, raciones and wine, if you can manage to get a table... They do waitservice here, but always make sure first (link). Bodega la Antigualla is also a hit, but a bit off the beaten path. This list: http://offtrackplanet.com/inspiration/best-tapas-bars-in-granada/ I can personally vouch for 2/3 of it. El Nido del Buho is incredible for cheap food, and El Reventarero is a-ma-zing for the quality and portions. Make a point to visit El Laborador also, if only to see all the goddamn ham hanging from the ceiling. Avila is worth it, and so is Om Kalsum, and Bar Niza. You're going to have to google map these places, and you're going to have to invest some time in getting there, but it's worth it. If you're looking to get lazy and just have all your tapa bars one after the other, Calle Navas (Navas Street) is only kinda worth it. Los Diamantes is here, but so are a bunch of other, more touristy places, and often they'll only serve you a plate of olives or a tiny scrap of bread with a crumb of cheese on it. Go to Diamantes, then go somewhere off the street. If your hotel tells you to go to Navas, tell them you will go to Diamantes, but would like another, more special suggestion. Breakfast: Cafe Futbol - Stupid name, serious "churros con chocolate." It's more of a dessert than a breakfast really, but lightly fried churros with the thickest, goopiest cup of melted delicious chocolate you can find. It's a proven hangover cure, if only for its ability to induce a nap. But seriously, don't miss it if you want some real granadino food. Get breakfast here, especially on their front terrace if it's open. It's worth it. Their tostadas / pan con tomate is also okay. Cafe Candela - Great spot for great coffee and very good tostadas. I think they also rank highly for good tortilla espanola. Also, juice in Spain is very often fresh pressed from real oranges. Lunch: Sorry, I can't specifically remember anywhere, but I know I went EVERYWHERE for lunches. Again, being a poor student was different from a family vacation, so find somewhere you can get some seriously good paella one day, and maybe a good menu del dia. (Remember, a "menu" means the daily special, a "carta" is the actual menu itself). Dinner: See above for tapa suggestions. I ate tapas religiously for dinners. It was one of the best ways to get to know the town. Bars/late night: Bar Loop - awesome music, great place to hang out. Not necessarily your parents cup of tea perhaps, but a cool little joint to have a beer or five. Bar Dakota - http://www.dakotagranada.com/foodmenu.html Good beer selection, though I think it might've been a different place while I was there. El Perro Andaluz - Metal bar. Not for your parents. Jesus, maybe not for anybody now that I think about it... Blus Bar - Good rock. Boogaclub - sometimes live, sometimes djs, always fun El Son - http://www.granadainfo.com/elvirag/son/index.htm - Can be okay sometimes. Cordoba: Go see the mosque. Get a guide if they offer one, because it is incredible. Go early in the day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mosque_of_C%C3%B3rdoba Also check out the Calleja de los Flores. Lots of pretty flowers hanging from little windows. Grab a coffee/refreshment from the little bar nearby. Check out the Plaza Mayor as well, but don't stay to eat. Food's not that great there at the places with terraces. Cool stuff at the alcazar on the banks of the rivers too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alc%C3%A1zar_de_los_Reyes_Cristianos Sevilla: Go see the Plaza de Espana by day. Quite cool for a stroll. Watch out for beggars/pickpockets here. The Cathedral is worth a visit, if only to see where Christopher Columbus is (said to be) buried. The view from the tower is spectacular here, and you should certainly climb up it. It WILL give you a workout. The Alcazar is also worth a visit. This huge thing wasn't built while I was there, but looks awesome and I'd go see it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropol_Parasol Do some looking around for good food in Triana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triana,_Seville The local cuisine across the river can vary quite widely, and is really tasty from what I remember (sorry, no specifics. Been too long.) Barcelona: Walk Las Ramblas during the day, and check out La Boqueria market. It's incredible. Do NOT stop for any of the street performers unless you're feeling like paying a bit, and watch your purses/wallets. For some awesome archetecture, check out Parc Guell, designed as a neighborhood by Gaudi, but never finished. Also designed by Gaudi but never finished, La Sagrada Familia. The craziest drat cathedral that might never ever be finished. It's a cathedral being built before your eyes. Go see it, pay the admission to go in. I thought it was really cool, despite some people who say going inside isn't worth it. Also, Casa Batallo, designed by Gaudi, is worth admission. Barcelona has some pretty drat good seafood too. There's an ultra-tacky tourist bar here called Dow Jones Bar. Google it. If it's still there, it's good for a couple drinks if only for the novelty of the thing. San Sebastian: This town is beautiful, with two beaches both worth visiting. Walk the beaches, climb to the top of Monte Urgull and enjoy some of the views. Here in the north of the country, tapas are known as Pinxos (pronounced peen-chos) and cost a little bit of coin on top of the price of your beverage. I suggest checking out Gandarias: http://www.restaurantegandarias.com/en/ Touristy, but tasty. Also, these are all the things you really should know about eating and drinking here: http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2011/04/pinching-pintxos-in-san-sebastian.html If I had had the cash, I would go to any/all of the above suggested places in a heartbeat. San Sebastian is also home to some of the absolute greatest chefs in the world that are on the cutting edge of cuisine. If anyone feels like splurging on a big fancy multicourse meal, this town might be the way to do it. Google around to see who is working, to see what's up with food and modern chefs there these days. If you're into the foodie thing, that is. There's also a "Museo del Whisky," the Whiskey Museum. Good for a cigar and some tasty scotches/whiskeys. Be warned, it's pricey. Also, an awesome tip: Check out Bar Gemini. If you can find it. I can't seem to on Google.. http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Sebastian Use this travelguide. Wikitravels are awesome. Also, try the Kalimoxo (pronounced like cali(-fornia) mo-cho). Silly drink. Madrid: Check out the Prado Museum. Get there early, as lines are long, and it takes a LONG time. And you better seriously like art to go there. There's like, a ton. I don't know how else to phrase it. Check out the Plaza Mayor for a stroll, and as always, watch your belongings. Wander around in the plazas in front of the various big palaces, but don't pay for admission. By this point in the trip, seeing grand splendorous buildings might be losing its charm, anyway. Unfortunately, in Madrid, I really have very few recommendations. Check out Bar Trocha for caipirinhas and jazz. Also in a plaza near that general area is a really great beer bar (German themed) with great Spanish traditional fare (stews, ham, etc.) It's a big enough town that I think every experience can be really individual here, so my suggestions unfortunately wear thin. Edit: elbkaida posted:Do you dislike Northern Spain for some reason? If you take that much time, check it out too! I've got Northern Spain suggestions as well! Santiago de Compostela, Logroño, Oviedo, Bilbao, you name it! (all are suggested/recommended btw) Ally McBeal Wiki fucked around with this message at 01:06 on Oct 29, 2014 |
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Oct 29, 2014 01:02
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elbkaida posted:Do you dislike Northern Spain for some reason? If you take that much time, check it out too! It just kinda looked easier to do a loop around the south and east seeing as I'll be pretty much backpacking around. But like I said I'm open for suggestions on places to go and how much time I should spend, I'm really not sure if a month and a half is too long or not long enough! That timeframe includes 2 weeks staying with a family (hopefully around Madrid) working for board using http://www.workaway.info/ FaceEater posted:Amazing info Wowza tha'ts a lot of info! Thanks a bunch for putting it together. The Slippery Nipple fucked around with this message at 02:31 on Oct 29, 2014 |
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Oct 29, 2014 02:29
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I have a long inquiry, it is about France solely, but it appears this thread speaks about travel with light settling, forgive me, but I must start a thread.
Pachinko fucked around with this message at 10:02 on Oct 29, 2014 |
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Oct 29, 2014 09:48
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FaceEater posted:The sidewalks/cobbles [in Granada] are SLICK I'd forgotten about that but good god is this true. I almost fell like 8 times walking around the cathedral and old town, and the ground wasn't even wet. I can't imagine how many old ladies break their hips falling in Granada every year.
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Oct 29, 2014 10:33
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Entropist posted:Brussels or Paris is hardly a choice. I'm not sure why people always want to go to Brussels, it's a bit like going to Australia and visiting Canberra. If you do want to go to Belgium, I would suggest just about every other city, except the Walloon industrial hellholes. While it's definitely not Paris, I happen to think Brussels is a very nice and enjoyable city, but it's not quite so easy to grasp where the good stuff is as it is in Paris (Montmartre, Tour Eiffel etc.) In Brussels you need to look a bit more, but it's beautiful and full of expats so there's a shitton of nightlife. Of course, I live there 
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Oct 29, 2014 15:09
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Every time I've visisted Brussels, I didn't enjoy it. What's so special there that you can't find in Antwerp / Ghent? Besides the EU behemoth.
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Oct 29, 2014 16:02
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Jeoh posted:Every time I've visisted Brussels, I didn't enjoy it. What's so special there that you can't find in Antwerp / Ghent? Besides the EU behemoth. I think everyone should get out at Schumann just once to witness the horror of those buildings. It makes my heart all fuzzy  For one, the Magritte museum is amazing, as is the Horta House, the sunday market at Midi, the Wednesday market at Chatelain, hanging out Thursday evening on Place Lux with the Euro-crowd, the Grand Place is loving amazing (and you don't find that in Antwerp or Ghent), going out in the area around Place. St. Catherine, the Bois de Cambre/Foret de Soigne to the South is beautiful as gently caress, lots of amazing little places to eat, the African Matonge neighbourhood, the Art Nouveau/Fin-de-Siecle parts of Ixelles between Chatelain and Bois de Cambres, the Beaux Arts museum, the amazing musical instrument museum (must have lunch of their rooftop terrace in summer), the spectacular waste of time and money that is the Atomium, registering (just for the fun of it) to an EU-related conference and seeing what the gently caress they're up to (boring, but as far as I'm concerned an important civics lesson for Europeans), late night drinking at Cafe Delirium, coffee in the sun at Cafe Belga on Flagey, the best guts and entrails dinner at Viva m'Boma, the fake beach and delicious cocktails of Brussels les Bains in summer, serious beer drinking at Moeder Lambic (both locations). I may have missed a few things.
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Oct 29, 2014 16:47
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I have another question about French trains. I booked my ticket on the SNCF website, and have an e-ticket, which I've printed out. Do I have to get the e-ticket validated at the station, or can I just walk on the train with this piece of paper ?
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Oct 29, 2014 19:53
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