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Turin also has an Egypt museum for some reason, probably disreputable history. Cool mummies and statues. We had the museum pass and did that one, the cinema museum, and the auto museum, I think. All fun.
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Jun 25, 2022 15:06
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mobby_6kl posted:Any suggestions for day trips from Turin? I've spent two afternoons in the city so that's cool. I'm thinking Genoa, maybe some vine town like Alba and ??? No real preferences, but maybe something Apline for a different flavor. A 2 hour drive one way seems pretty far to me, but if you're going to Genoa you can also check out Portofino. I've heard Colle del Nivolet is nice for alpine. It's again 2 hours though. I think most alpine will be around that or a bit farther though.
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Jun 25, 2022 17:12
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For a lesser known recommendation in Berlin, check out the Boros Foundation. Some fabulously rich eccentric bought one of the old WW2 bunker towers and turned it into a modern art museum. The interior is a weird blend of beautiful and claustrophobic as some of the walls and floors were removed seemingly at random. The owner has a Batman villain style penthouse on top of the bunker
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Jun 26, 2022 07:13
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Carbon dioxide posted:I don't know what Italians do in this weather but Europeans further north would certainly be like "gently caress that, I'm going to the festival anyway and I'll just bring an umbrella". If you force yourself to stay inside whenever there's a drop of rain you'd never get anything done.  I was back in Torio the same evening and got to see the massive fireworks show and everything anyway. asur posted:A 2 hour drive one way seems pretty far to me, but if you're going to Genoa you can also check out Portofino. Saladman posted:Yeah, I don't see a scale for that rain, but since those wind speeds aren't super high, it looks just like drizzle? I'd go anyway. I would not go hiking in the Alps in that weather though, unless the weather is below the mountain line, but in summer, the rain clouds are usually quite high and hard to get above. Genoa turned out great. Yes it's about two hours away, but by train you can be barely conscious on it and catch up on sleep. Great city to visit, the old town, the sea, the hills, Boccadasse, etc. all make it a more diverse experience than Torinoi itself. The Alba/Borolo was mostly to see the wine region. Would've loved the alpine region too of course but I've been to the German, Austrian and Italian alps before fairly recently. Weird that there were no signs of Ferro Rocher anywhere even in town though. The trip almost turned into a disaster thanks to lovely public transport to/from Barolo. Getting there was easy by bus directly from the train station, but it turned out there were only two return buses that afternoon so I only ended up spending like an hour and a half there. Almost enough to see a small village and do some wine tasting (all tastes the same) also lol at those prices jesus christ. EricBauman posted:Not from Turin, but in Turin: the movie museum in the old synagogue (which was never actually used as a synagogue) is cool. I'm not sure you can still just sit in a lounge chair and watch the entirety of Cabiria, but that was just what I needed at that point in my trip. They probably change movies every once in a while smackfu posted:Turin also has an Egypt museum for some reason, probably disreputable history. Cool mummies and statues. Last day went to the car museum which was really good, and planned to hit the cinema one in the afternoon but was running short on time by the time I had lunch. The flight ended up being delayed by an hour so I could've made it but it's not something I could count on.
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Jun 28, 2022 10:59
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Hello thread! I've just arrived in Udine with my partner (local), we plan on basing ourselves here and travelling around Europe for the next three months. I've just read through the entire thread, so thank you all for the useful info and recommendations. What's the deal with backpackers/hostels being 'expensive'? I'm assuming it's because it is peak summer - is there a less mainstream chain of hostels throughout Europe where I can get some membership deals?
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Jun 29, 2022 13:23
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What’s expensive nowadays? Haven’t stayed in a hostel for five years now.
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Jun 29, 2022 13:38
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I've only backpacked around NZ and Australia (Also south east Asia but yeah) where I was paying the equivalent of ~€17 a night (mixed dorm) - everything on Hostelworld is x2 or x3 that price. Just trying to budget for 3 months of accommodation and it's looking quite expensive with my measly kiwi dollars. We will be staying at friends houses in several countries so it will average out I guess. We are looking at Barcelona in 3 weeks time and the cheaper dorm rooms are around €40 - 50 each per night. First time in Europe so was wondering if it's because of the summers
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Jun 29, 2022 14:20
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RoRz0r posted:Hello thread! oh hey my grandfather immigrated from there. I've never been please post pics especially if you see anything with the name Vidoni on it. I believe there's a fountain in the square with that name? Or just pics sorry
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Jun 29, 2022 15:00
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RoRz0r posted:I've only backpacked around NZ and Australia (Also south east Asia but yeah) where I was paying the equivalent of ~€17 a night (mixed dorm) - everything on Hostelworld is x2 or x3 that price. Everything travel related is insanely expensive at the moment for a variety of reasons, but yeah Barcelona in mid summer is always going to be super pricey even at the budget end. I can’t give you estimated dollar figures since I haven’t backpacked in 15 years, but if you’re travelling as a couple consider looking at cheap hotels too. From memory Airbnb is awful in Barcelona and maybe illegal too?
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Jun 29, 2022 15:13
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You can absolutely get rooms for ~€30 per night or even less in the Netherlands, but it's not going to be in tourist hotspots.
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Jun 29, 2022 15:42
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Hostelling International are a chain and you can save a few bucks per day if you get a membership. Most touristy places are already sold out, but things could be cheaper in a nearby, less popular location. I was able to get reasonable rates in Turin on short notice, while Genoa was all sold out because it's on the sea. Some locations are just going to be always expensive. I think Barcelona was pretty bad even a few years pre-covid, and German or Austrian options weren't very cheap either. A few months back I pad like 30EUR even for a camping spot. Barcelona in July's gonna be hosed either way. If there are two of you, you'll likely be better off with a cheap hotel room (or apartment) than hostel dorms. Things will be cheaper if you go to Eastern Europe instead. So maybe consider Albania instead!
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Jun 29, 2022 16:18
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kiimo posted:oh hey my grandfather immigrated from there. I've never been please post pics especially if you see anything with the name Vidoni on it. I believe there's a fountain in the square with that name? Or just pics sorry quoting myself since I neglected to say he's actually from Treppo Grande about 50 miles from Udine. I have no idea if it is worth a visit though. I'll definitely go someday
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Jun 29, 2022 19:05
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kiimo posted:quoting myself since I neglected to say he's actually from Treppo Grande about 50 miles from Udine. I have no idea if it is worth a visit though. I'll definitely go someday Is the fountain in Treppo Grande or Udine the 'city'? I'll go and have a look tomorrow.
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Jun 29, 2022 21:22
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RoRz0r posted:I've only backpacked around NZ and Australia (Also south east Asia but yeah) where I was paying the equivalent of ~€17 a night (mixed dorm) - everything on Hostelworld is x2 or x3 that price. I find that for a couple hostels are almost never worth it in Europe. In a large mixed dorm room, they are slightly cheaper than renting a room in a shared AirBnB, but often just barely. Also in a place like Barcelona in summer, you are like 75% likely in a mixed dorm to have your sleep hosed up by people stumbling in drunk at 3am, even if they are trying to be quiet.
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Jun 29, 2022 21:46
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RoRz0r posted:Is the fountain in Treppo Grande or Udine the 'city'? I'll go and have a look tomorrow. I don't know honestly there's Vidoni poo poo all over that area 
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Jun 29, 2022 21:49
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webmeister posted:Everything travel related is insanely expensive at the moment for a variety of reasons, but yeah Barcelona in mid summer is always going to be super pricey even at the budget end. I can’t give you estimated dollar figures since I haven’t backpacked in 15 years, but if you’re travelling as a couple consider looking at cheap hotels too. From memory Airbnb is awful in Barcelona and maybe illegal too?
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Jun 29, 2022 22:53
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I just realized OTC melatonin is banned in parts of Europe. What the heck, I've used Melatonin 5-10mg to sleep every night for years. I read the I can buy 1mg tablets there in Italy without a problem, but would it be bad judgement to bring my giant tube of 5mg melatonin gummies?
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Jul 3, 2022 00:29
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Cheese Thief posted:I just realized OTC melatonin is banned in parts of Europe. What the heck, I've used Melatonin 5-10mg to sleep every night for years. I read the I can buy 1mg tablets there in Italy without a problem, but would it be bad judgement to bring my giant tube of 5mg melatonin gummies? So, this will be different per country so I can't really give full advice here, but in general the rule is you can bring any medicines for personal use across without trouble unless they fall under the local equivalent of the opioid law, in which case you need to bring a paper proof of medical necessity. I wouldn't think melatonin is in an opioid law anywhere since it's not an addictive substance. You should be fine bringing it along. Just don't go explicitly pointing it out to customs or whatever. If they ask say your doctor recommended it or whatever.
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Jul 3, 2022 07:05
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Cheese Thief posted:I just realized OTC melatonin is banned in parts of Europe. What the heck, I've used Melatonin 5-10mg to sleep every night for years. I read the I can buy 1mg tablets there in Italy without a problem, but would it be bad judgement to bring my giant tube of 5mg melatonin gummies? There are multiple categories of restricted drugs in Europe, and I’m not sure if melatonin is even on it at all in any country, but for instance there are drugs like psuedoephedrine where a pharmacist in many countries can give it to you on their "pharmacist discretion" which is not a real legal prescription. Then there are things like Ritalin where a pharmacist does not have discretion to dispense, then things like paracetamol that are completely OTC and you don’t have to beg a pharmacist to give you a box (unlike eg pseudoephedrine). It also changes even within EU countries and its very confusing. Anyway I personally regularly travel with melatonin and wouldn’t give it a second thought in the EU, although probably it would be a good idea for most things like that to take no more than one bottle, and also ideally less than 30 days’ worth according to the bottle’s instructions. But yeah for melatonin I don’t think it is restricted at all since you can buy it in most places in Europe completely OTC, but often just as 1mg tablets, which is annoying because you need to take like 3-5 for it to do anything, and I don’t even take it regularly. If you really care then search for the names of like 10 common drugs in Italian, pdf, and the Italian word for law or something.
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Jul 3, 2022 16:49
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Does anyone have experience with cannabis clubs in Spain? There seem to be a few reputable ones here in Seville, but I'm not sure how a tourist would go about joining one.
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Jul 3, 2022 19:27
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I brought in straight up THC edibles from NY, as long as you don't get caught by the customs it should be fine 
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Jul 3, 2022 21:12
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I joined a club in Barcelona the first day I moved here  . I just showed a passport, didn't have to prove I was a resident (didn't have those papers yet anyway). An invitation was required to join, but I was invited after only emailing (or Facebook DM, I don't remember) to ask how to join. There was a one-time fee, maybe to discourage tourists, somewhere in the 20-50 range.So, there might be an element of not wanting tourists, but as long as you're not obnoxious it l doubt it would be a problem. That said, the attitude/policies probably vary a lot, I've only been to one. But I think just try to find how to contact them, and ask how to join.
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Jul 3, 2022 21:35
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Awesome, thanks! There's a well-regarded club a fifteen minute walk from my flat, so I'll go down there in person and see what I can find out.
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Jul 3, 2022 21:57
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Barry Bluejeans posted:Hello thread! I'll be starting a month-long (potentially up to three months) stay in Seville, Spain starting next week. My Spanish is okay so I don't foresee any issues getting around, and I've got the Lonely Planet Andalusia guide to direct me to the main points of interest. Besides that, anything else I should be sure to see/do/experience while there? Suggestions in and around the city would be greatly appreciated as I'm not going to be able to afford renting a car - more than willing to travel a couple hours by bus or train for something special, though.
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Jul 3, 2022 23:05
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Thank you for the suggestion! Sounds amazing. Looks like it's about three hours by train from Seville to Ronda, so I think I'll do it over some future weekend. My mom is interested in visiting me while I'm here and she'd really enjoy the both the town and the gorge, so maybe I'll save it for when she comes.
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Jul 4, 2022 15:02
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Yeah Ronda is great, and Seville is one of my favourite spots in Spain. If you want another weekend trip, try and head over to Granada and the magnificent Alhambra, and of course La Mezquita in Cordoba as well.
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Jul 4, 2022 15:21
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Much obliged! Do you feel Cordoba can be seen in one day? It doesn't take long at all to get there and I'd prefer to not have to pay for a hotel for the evening if possible.
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Jul 4, 2022 18:58
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Barry Bluejeans posted:Much obliged! Do you feel Cordoba can be seen in one day? It doesn't take long at all to get there and I'd prefer to not have to pay for a hotel for the evening if possible. Yes imo. The cathedral is awesome but the rest of town I found unremarkable and the bridge very ehhh, although there is a decent view from down there. I thought the city was by far far the least interesting of the major tourist attractions in southern Spain; if not for the cathedral, it would get like 5% as many visitors.
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Jul 4, 2022 19:53
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Agreed that Cordoba is worth a day, the cathedral is fantastic but there wasn't anything else that was unmissable. Granada was very cool and the Alhambra is incredible but be advised that you absolutely must get tickets for the Nasrid Palace in advance and they are typically sold out weeks in advance year round. Although I'm checking now and there seem to be plenty of tickets available which is surprising. When I visited pre-covid, everything was booked out for 6 weeks and I had to refresh the page at midnight on Sunday when they released extra tickets back into the wild or something like that. You can also book a tour with getyourguide and they'll have the tickets for you. The Nasrid Palace was stunning though so don't miss it. Here's the info from Alhambra and here's the ticket agent they use.
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Jul 4, 2022 21:46
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I really appreciate the advice, thanks everyone! Here's some of better pictures I've taken since arriving, shot mostly during my walk to and from the Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa.         
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Jul 5, 2022 11:24
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Barry Bluejeans posted:I really appreciate the advice, thanks everyone! Here's some of better pictures I've taken since arriving, shot mostly during my walk to and from the Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa. Man that looks cool as poo poo! Seville is the only major spot I didn't hit on my Southern Spain roadtrip in 2020 (went just before the autumn wave hit). I still have some markers on my map, unfortunately they're not part of a custom map so I can't share them directly but maybe this will be helpful. Lots of cool stuff in Andaluscia.  As for the Nasrid Palace, I'm pretty sure I've done gently caress-all planning in advance but didn't have any issues getting a ticket. It was during covid times though.
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Jul 5, 2022 16:30
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I'm Travelling from Bordeaux to Venice in August. I'd like to take the train, even though it's slower and more expensive. This seems to be the best option: A bit concerned with the transfer in Paris. Looks like it's 20 minutes by transit, which runs pretty frequently. Is catching the metro as straightforward as it would be in, say, Montreal? Do the trains arrive and depart reliably on time? Am I missing anything altogether? Never left North America before.
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Jul 11, 2022 00:01
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Spelling Mitsake posted:I'm Travelling from Bordeaux to Venice in August. I'd like to take the train, even though it's slower and more expensive. This seems to be the best option: I see you noticed that it is two different Paris train stations. Paris has like five major train stations, all separate. 20 minutes by transit, if you're lucky and everything is running fine and you know exactly where to go at all times, and the metro is there when you get there instead of having to wait 4-5 minutes because you just missed it. Also you will need to buy a ticket for the transfer, because changing train stations in Paris is not included in your train ticket from Bordeaux to Venice, so that'll probably take you another 3 or 4 minutes to figure out. To be honest I'd be impressed if you would make that connection. I'd be impressed with myself if I made it and I've spent a ton of time in Paris. I think I'd give myself an hour minimum. Paris is absolute garbage to transit through by train, because all of the loving Paris train stations are scattered across the city except for Gare du Nord and Gard de l'Est which are next to each other. And I see there's not even a direct metro from Gare de Lyon to Gare de Montparnasse, because of course there isn't. There's metro line 6 but that's a significant walk, especially if you don't know your way around and don't notice the secret entrance to Gare de Lyon on the west side, hidden in a sketchy underpass that smells like urine. I would not touch that itinerary with a ten foot pole. You are on the hook for a new train ticket and an extra night in the hotel if you fail to make the connection (unless your arrival train is significantly late) and 40 minutes is incredibly tight even if you knew your way around. You're already flying across the Atlantic, buy some carbon offsets and a plane ticket, it'll still be cheaper and easier than taking that train route. Volotea does a direct flight twice a week, and it's about 10-30% the price of the train depending on your travel date (~€70-200), and there are a ton of flights that have one change that are also like €100-€200. Trains in Europe are awesome, but this particular itinerary is a nightmare from hell. Take a train somewhere else, or change your itinerary to spend 3 or so days in Paris. Saladman fucked around with this message at 14:53 on Jul 11, 2022 |
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Jul 11, 2022 14:39
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I checked the man in seat 61 for old times sake and found what could be a nice idea (if you have the time) for the Bordeaux - Venice train. Transit through Paris really is a pain in the rear end even when everything is working correctly. It's doable, but obnoxious. Here's what he says about the options you have (from the link in the first sentence): quote:Option 1, via Paris. Fastest & can be cheapest, if you don't mind changing stations in Paris I edited out some of the info from the link (the prices seemed so outrageously low that I wondered how old the page was, but the timetables are reasonably accurate) but you can check tickets on https://www.raileurope.com/ or https://www.thetrainline.com/. I just put Marseille to Venice on thetrainline and it gave me an itinerary for $80-90. You'll still need a ticket to Marseille and a hotel there so it won't be cheap but it seems like a nicer journey if you're prioritising that over time.
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Jul 11, 2022 15:28
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greazeball posted:I checked the man in seat 61 for old times sake and found what could be a nice idea (if you have the time) for the Bordeaux - Venice train. Transit through Paris really is a pain in the rear end even when everything is working correctly. It's doable, but obnoxious. Here's what he says about the options you have (from the link in the first sentence): This. Either get a cheap plane, or do the slow scenic train ride. Changing trains in Paris is always a hassle, I've done it often enough that I know that it is not for people that just flew in from abroad.
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Jul 11, 2022 16:46
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Seconding transiting between stations in Paris sucking if you have luggage etc. I do ones from/to Bordeaux all the time, Montparnasse metro is miles from the tgv part of the station. Not viable by metro if you or someone you are with can't use stairs, Montparnasse is probably the least disability friendly metro station I've ever used. However, if you are able bodied and happy to lug you luggage around for half an hour It is totally doable and if you're prepared to improvise between metro, buses and cabs pretty reliable. distortion park fucked around with this message at 17:25 on Jul 11, 2022 |
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Jul 11, 2022 17:22
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Thanks for the advice everyone. Guess I'll start checking out flights so my wife doesn't kill me.
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Jul 11, 2022 17:34
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It's worth pointing out as well that all major airports in Western Europe are various degrees of hosed due to staff shortages, and are likely to remain this way throughout the summer. So you have a higher than normal chance of cancellations and delays, long queues at security, missing luggage etc.
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Jul 11, 2022 17:42
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Spelling Mitsake posted:Thanks for the advice everyone. Guess I'll start checking out flights so my wife doesn't kill me. Also just to double check since you said this is your first trip abroad: spend a minimum of 3 nights in every location. You effectively lose a day every time you travel, even if it's only from like Venice to Florence. Most people's first trip to Europe tends to follow horrific Rick Steve's style schedules where he tries to fit the entire country of France in like 15 days, a schedule which is only reasonable if you're on an arranged tour bus and only care about checklist traveling. But yeah Bordeaux and Venice are definitely good places to hit!
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Jul 11, 2022 19:40
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Bordeaux is an incredible city visit, great and very large historic centre full of fun restaurants and bars. Definitely check out Chartrons and walk along the waterfront up to the wine museum (then get the boat back). Battery powered trams and a pedestrianised town centre, what more could you want!
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Jul 11, 2022 21:46
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