|
Me, a big dumb fat american is going to Portugal in about 3 weeks and have some passport control questions as I'm looking over my itinerary that have proven remarkably tricky to search. I fly from the USA -> Charles De Gaulle -> Lisbon. I need to clear passport control/customs/whatever in Paris correct? Is a 2 hour 55 minute layover sufficient to do that or should I look at changing that? Similarly, the way back is Lisbon -> Charles De Gaulle -> USA with only a 90 minute layover, is that relatively straightforward connection or will I need to do anything like passport control/etc? Maneki Neko fucked around with this message at 04:15 on Sep 4, 2023 |
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 04:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 25, 2024 19:23 |
|
|
I feel like 3 hours is a healthy layover to clear passport control. I usually go for 2-3 hours in my plans but don't know if cdg is especially bad. You will have to clear exit controls in cdg on your way out. It should be faster than your way in but I had a 90 minute wait in Frankfurt recently.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 04:16
|
|
|
Maneki Neko posted:Me, a big dumb fat american is going to Portugal in about 3 weeks and have some passport control questions as I'm looking over my itinerary that have proven remarkably tricky to search. Did you book one ticket (ie you’re flying USA to Lisbon with a stopover in Paris), or did you buy two separate tickets. If you bought a combined ticket, I don’t think you would do passport control in Paris, you’d do the international transfer and go straight to the gate for your Lisbon flight. I think? I haven’t been to CDG in a few years. If you’ve got separate tickets you’ll need to clear immigration to get your bags and check in again, so yeah a 2.5 stop is probably cutting it fine, especially if your inbound flight is delayed a bit.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 05:23
|
|
|
webmeister posted:If you bought a combined ticket, I don’t think you would do passport control in Paris, you’d do the international transfer and go straight to the gate for your Lisbon flight. I think? I haven’t been to CDG in a few years. Wouldn't you be going out of the international flights zone and into the Within-schengen zone though? Seems like that's where the passport control would be (and Paris would be the passport control airport for the return trip too).
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 06:49
|
|
|
Usually the international terminal is separate and allows international transfers without hitting passport controls for every country you would connect through. If you aren't leaving the international terminal security, you likely won't be hitting passport control. Consider that instead of flying into another Schengen country you flew through Paris to the middle east, you wouldn't get a stamp or do passport stuff in Paris. You'll be doing your passport stuff in Portugal. Wait, you might be right here: mmkay posted:Wouldn't you be going out of the international flights zone and into the Within-schengen zone though? Seems like that's where the passport control would be (and Paris would be the passport control airport for the return trip too). Disregard!
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 06:57
|
|
|
Yeah, this is one ticket booked all the way through on the same airline which looks makes the airline more helpful. For some reason the CDG website refuses to load for me but as far as I can tell from Air France info I could find there is dedicated airside terminal transfer lines and we'll have to do passport control both ways because entering/leaving schengen but can skip a security checkpoint on the way in. They suggest a 25-35 minute average travel time, hopefully that is all true.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 07:13
|
|
|
Maneki Neko posted:Yeah, this is one ticket booked all the way through on the same airline which looks makes the airline more helpful. For some reason the CDG website refuses to load for me but as far as I can tell from Air France info I could find there is dedicated airside terminal transfer lines and we'll have to do passport control both ways because entering/leaving schengen but can skip a security checkpoint on the way in. They suggest a 25-35 minute average travel time, hopefully that is all true. Yes, on both the way in and out you will do passport control in Paris. On the way out you will also have to do additional security screening in Paris because the US requires security screening directly before every flight to the US, even though you will also have just done security in Lisbon. The CDG international terminal is physically separate and yeah it’s like 15-25 minutes to get from an international gate to a Schengen gate depending on how far they are and how fast you walk. On your way in 3 hours is absolutely enough time. 90 minutes on your way out is tight but doable, assuming no flight delays. 90 min is the tightest connection I would ever buy in CDG, but if you miss the flight you’ll be put on the next one with seats available since you bought the flights on the same ticket. E: it is like this for literally 100% of European airports by the way. Any flight within Schengen is a domestic flight, meaning you will always clear immigration at your point of first entry into any Schengen country.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 07:53
|
|
|
I'm looking for a breakfast recommendation in Amsterdam. We've got tickets to the Rijksmuseum at 10:15 and will be walking from our hotel (Kimpton De Witt, near the central train station). Looking for something along the way that's open at 8:00 on a Monday morning.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 14:37
|
|
|
Easychair Bootson posted:I'm looking for a breakfast recommendation in Amsterdam. We've got tickets to the Rijksmuseum at 10:15 and will be walking from our hotel (Kimpton De Witt, near the central train station). Looking for something along the way that's open at 8:00 on a Monday morning. Two that are close to Centraal that I like are Pancakes and Omelegg. Both should be open at that time. The latter in particular has something different every week as a special, and some of them are excellent. They're both popular so they can get busy very quickly, but they're generally quite good at getting people out when necessary. If need be, you can easily get a tram to the Rijksmuseum from Centraal.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 14:49
|
|
|
Both of those are exactly what I was gonna suggest, seconding.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 15:03
|
|
|
You can also eat some in the museum if everything goes south. In fact there's a Michelin starred restaurant in there, so you might try to snag a lunch reservation for some extra points with your partner.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 18:42
|
|
|
So I totally whiffed on getting the Vatican / Colosseum tickets, those things are sold out way in advance (the Vatican more so than the Colosseum). That being said, the website to book the Vatican tickets is archaic, confusing and a royal pain in the rear end. I went ahead and booked an Airbnb tour that has the tickets included for £64 (the skip the line tickets cost £19). The reviews are phenomenal and I'll actually be immersed in the museum rather than just waltzing about staring at stuff blindly like I usually do at museums. The tour already pays for itself because it got me in to see the Vatican museum when the tickets were sold out. I'm looking forward to it. I have another tour booked to see the Colosseum. This Airbnb experiences thing is actually quite nifty!
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 18:48
|
|
|
Wear very very comfy shoes for the Vatican tour; it's not that it's gruelling, more that there is just So Much to look at and try to absorb that even the slightest added discomfort should be avoided. I remember walking down a long, panelled corridor between wings, and saw the most glorious carved wooden figures built into the walls. They weren't even mentioned, they were just considered background noise. Stuff that would be front and centre in another museum is just "bleh" in the Vatican.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 18:55
|
|
|
After the Vatican I had no interest whatsoever in visiting other churches or seeing other religious paintings - got a bit Jesus’d out. So if you’ve got a few stops planned to galleries and such, maybe do the Vatican after them.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 19:07
|
|
|
There are tours galore with reps just standing around the Vatican waiting to sign up
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 19:44
|
|
|
I’m sure this will be an unpopular opinion but I wouldn’t even bother with the Vatican Museum, St. Peters is so much more impressive than anything in the museum and it’s free. We did the whole museum (well as much as you can see in several hours) and the sistine chapel, and then we debated skipping St. Peters. I’m glad we didn’t because my jaw dropped as soon as we stepped in there. The rooftop tour was cool too. Elysium fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Sep 4, 2023 |
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 19:50
|
|
|
I was balling my eyes out when I entered the St Peter. Didn't help that I walked 90 days to get there and they were having an active mass with some angel like choir, but it's really impressive.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 20:22
|
|
|
if you can get a tour under St. Peter's, Peter is actually buried there. The nativity animatronic thing is awesome at Christmas too
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 20:29
|
|
|
Elysium posted:I’m sure this will be an unpopular opinion but I wouldn’t even bother with the Vatican Museum, St. Peters is so much more impressive than anything in the museum and it’s free. They’re just different categories. Vatican Museum is still largely just a museum, even if a one with a good collection St Peter’s is the world’s most extravagant and impressive piece of Christian religious architecture and is substantially more grand than any other cathedral. If you had to pick one or the other though for sure St Peter’s is the right choice. I’ve been to the Vatican Museum once and don’t intend to ever go back, but I go to St Peter’s every time I visit Rome (6 or 77 times? Not all that many) and I’m not even vaguely christian.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 21:33
|
|
|
Thanks for the recs Hedgehog Pie, My Lovely Horse, and Rojkir! Both of the spots near the Centraal look great, and I will definitely check out the restaurant at the museum.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2023 22:51
|
|
|
Qubee posted:So I totally whiffed on getting the Vatican / Colosseum tickets, those things are sold out way in advance (the Vatican more so than the Colosseum). That being said, the website to book the Vatican tickets is archaic, confusing and a royal pain in the rear end. I went ahead and booked an Airbnb tour that has the tickets included for £64 (the skip the line tickets cost £19). The reviews are phenomenal and I'll actually be immersed in the museum rather than just waltzing about staring at stuff blindly like I usually do at museums. The tour already pays for itself because it got me in to see the Vatican museum when the tickets were sold out. I'm looking forward to it. I have another tour booked to see the Colosseum. Getting a tour is a good call anyway imo, a good one is way better than just walking around yourself unless you really know what you want to see
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2023 19:00
|
|
|
Saladman posted:Yes, on both the way in and out you will do passport control in Paris. On the way out you will also have to do additional security screening in Paris because the US requires security screening directly before every flight to the US, even though you will also have just done security in Lisbon. The CDG international terminal is physically separate and yeah it’s like 15-25 minutes to get from an international gate to a Schengen gate depending on how far they are and how fast you walk. Yeah, CDG can be extremely complicated with all the separate terminals that are a long way from each other. Not sure if I'd try a 90 min transfer there, if you do not know which terminals you are in, especially if you cannot check the luggage through and need to do US pre-immigration stuff. OTOH even worse are transfers CDG <->Orly (for French "inland" flights).
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2023 14:17
|
|
|
Looking for a couple of other Amsterdam recs: Coffee shop. Are there good options within walking distance of the Centraal that aren't super touristy? Looking for something that my non-partaking partner won't mind too much, so something that isn't 420 SMOEK WEED EVERY DAY. And for that matter I'm looking for something that's a cool experience. Is an authentic coffee shop an oxymoron in that part of town? Cafes. In the same area, where are a couple of spots to get good espresso drinks?
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2023 14:43
|
|
|
Every coffee shop in Amsterdam is touristic. Locals hardly make use of them. If they do it's the one in their own neighborhood which usually don't have any seating area but is just to take out and take home. I was going to recommend one on Haarlemmerstraat with a bit of a different style but it seems to no longer exist. I don't really know anything about coffee either. Some of the best one is at Caldi e Freddi, an Italian sandwich shop, but you just get it in a cardboard cup to go and there's always a huge line. e: perhaps also try De Koffieschenkerij at the Oude Kerk. Not sure if there is seating, but well, espresso is supposed to be consumed while standing anyway. Entropist fucked around with this message at 14:59 on Sep 9, 2023 |
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2023 14:54
|
|
|
Coffeeshops can open and close rather quickly (and often have unusual opening hours to boot), so I'd recommend checking the Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory (https://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/index.htm) before venturing forth to any of these, though to my knowledge these are all still open. The directory also has pictures of menus and interiors for some places, which might help. As has been said, pretty much all central Amsterdam coffeeshops are touristy to some degree, and the ones closest to Centraal are tied with those in the RLD for being the worst of the lot. My favourites are typically a little further out: Spirit, out towards the Jordaan, has a larger-than-usual smoking area with pinball machines and a pool table, which might be nice for non-smokers; Bluebird, out towards Waterlooplein, has some really nice staff and better-than-usual social seating areas. Goa is only a block removed from the RLD but is often fairly quiet, and they also have nice sofas, a TV, and an awesome curated hip-hop soundtrack playing non-stop. Tertulia is spoken very highly of (it's run by a mother and daughter and has lots of plants and chessboards inside), but I've never managed to get over there myself. None of these are especially close to Centraal, but the centre of Amsterdam is compact and walkable (just stick to the pavements, or else you'll face the wrath of cycling locals). There used to be a lot more, especially down Warmoestraat, but most of these have since closed. Haarlemmerstraat has the greatest concentration now, but reviews for them tend to be mixed. Some miscellaneous notes that have been repeated ad nauseum but it never hurts to repeat: not all coffeeshops sell lighters/matches/grinders/etc, but you can buy lovely disposable lighters at pretty much any gift shop or convenience store in central Amsterdam. Amsterdam also has a few smoker-friendly bars (this seems to be a begrudged exception you don't really find elsewhere in the country), which are also listed in the directory - you buy your weed at a coffeeshop and then smoke at the bar/cafe in a designated area. You're not supposed to smoke joints mixed with tobacco indoors, though lots of people do it anyway. If all else fails, you can go to a large park (like Vondelpark) on a nice day and smoke in a secluded spot, just check first that there are no children around, as this is a big deal for the Dutch authorities. The rule of thumb, in my experience, is that if there are only other smokers around, you'll be fine, especially if they're locals, but you definitely shouldn't just smoke in the street. Hedgehog Pie fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Sep 9, 2023 |
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2023 16:22
|
|
|
On the other side of town and also not central, we really enjoyed going to Katsu in De Pijp. Chill place, they sell hot and cold beverages, sell paraphernalia, and have indoor and (sometimes covered) outdoor seating. And it’s about a block and a half from the Albert Cuyp (street) Market. About 15 minutes (5 stops) from Centraal station taking the number 24 tram.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2023 16:42
|
|
|
Ooh yes, I've heard good things about Katsu too. I've never been, but considering how much easier it is to get to De Pijp on the metro now, it might be one for next time.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2023 16:59
|
|
|
I haven't been to Amsterdam for a few years now, but Tertulia was much more like a cute café than a coffeeshop when I went. I've also always had a soft spot for Abraxas because of its tasty hot chocolate and being able to sit upstairs, it is very much a coffeeshop though. Lost in Amsterdam has been a firm favourite, you can take your own weed there and smoke as well as have pizza and cocktails and stuff. Getting an alcoholic milkshake from here was a tradition for me every trip.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2023 15:17
|
|
|
Bollock Monkey posted:Lost in Amsterdam has been a firm favourite, you can take your own weed there and smoke as well as have pizza and cocktails and stuff. Getting an alcoholic milkshake from here was a tradition for me every trip. I'm going to assume they don't sell weed then? Since it's not legally allowed for the same shop to sell both weed and alcohol.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2023 15:52
|
|
|
Carbon dioxide posted:I'm going to assume they don't sell weed then? Since it's not legally allowed for the same shop to sell both weed and alcohol.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2023 17:06
|
|
|
Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do/see in Krakow/Warsaw? It's been years since I've been, and my wife will be visiting each city for the first time ever. I know Krakow fairly well, but haven't spent much time in Warsaw.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2023 21:35
|
|
|
Residency Evil posted:Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do/see in Krakow/Warsaw? It's been years since I've been, and my wife will be visiting each city for the first time ever. I know Krakow fairly well, but haven't spent much time in Warsaw. Oh, I had a post somewhere on the forms with a bunch of suggestions. I'll quote it here if I find it. For Warsaw in addition to the obvious historic center with all the stuff there, I remember the highlights being the Neon museum, the Jewish history museum, and going up the Palace of Culture. In Krakow there's a Schindler museum, Polish Aviation museum, game/arcade museum, Wieliczka salt mines, day trip to Zakopane or Auschwitz if you've never been. If you make it to Katowice there's a cool regional museum in an old mining installation. mobby_6kl fucked around with this message at 14:27 on Sep 11, 2023 |
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2023 14:22
|
|
|
I'm looking at Copenhagen transit options and I'm a little iffy on it / confused. Hard to get a grasp on the options. I'm there for 4 days and I'm mainly going to parts that are touristy and in the central parts of town. I prefer to just have a set-and-forget ticket / city-wide travel pass that's valid for the time that I'm there. The DOT Billetter app - which as far as I understand it is the main transit app for Copenhagen - has terrible reviews in the app store and almost all of them say it's not friendly for tourists and visitors. I've gone through it partially, up to the point where I would actually have to buy the "City Pass Small", and I haven't run into any major problems. So maybe I'm just lucky. Anyone know about what makes it so bad? The other angle is the Copenhagen Discover Card. A little more expensive, but it includes free entry into a few places I'm going to while I'm there. It's straddling the border on "worth it", and would really depend on me taking transit everywhere. Anyone have any experience with Copenhagen transit or anything to do with this? I know Copenhagen is a very walkable city, but I like having the backup in case I'm running late, or my fat butt needs a rest on a tram after huffing through a museum.
|
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 15:00
|
|
|
I was there recently and just used a DOT City Pass Small for a 3-day pass. Was extremely convenient and worth it, didn't have any app problems (except that it was a bit annoying to have to get a text message code when first installing the app, but it was the most minor inconvenience possible). With the DOT City Pass you also don't need to worry about using the little check in/check out scanners at the stations, just show the app in case you're ever checked by a conductor. I was also considering the Discover Card but honestly for four days I don't know how much you'd be using it. Copenhagen has so many museums and we only ended up visiting one during that entire time just because of all the other stuff to do.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 15:29
|
|
Drone posted:I was there recently and just used a DOT City Pass Small for a 3-day pass. Was extremely convenient and worth it, didn't have any app problems (except that it was a bit annoying to have to get a text message code when first installing the app, but it was the most minor inconvenience possible). With the DOT City Pass you also don't need to worry about using the little check in/check out scanners at the stations, just show the app in case you're ever checked by a conductor. Alright, I'll just go with the app, all good. Thank you! 
Captain Hotbutt fucked around with this message at 16:23 on Sep 13, 2023 |
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 16:18
|
|
|
Captain Hotbutt posted:Alright, I'll just go with the app, all good. Thank you! Also go to Reffen Street Food, place owns.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 16:48
|
|
|
Just back from my 7 days in Italy: gorgeous place, Rome was stunning, and I didn't get around to exploring the Amalfi Coast / Positano / Capri Island in the end, but got to stay in lovely old Castellamare di Stabia and I did a day trip down to Sorrento. I was pleasantly surprised by Rome, as I usually hate the hustle and bustle and much prefer peace and quiet, but I think the sheer volume of history everywhere made each day feel so exciting. I booked way too many tours, walked way too many kilometres, and ate way too many pizzas. My legs are iron from the amount of walking I've done, seriously. Gave me a sick appreciation of the human body and how quickly it can adapt, cause I went from aching horribly each day to churning out kilometres without breaking a sweat by the end of the trip. As an aside, I found it absolutely bonkers how people were just casually living their lives and going about their regular boring activities that we're all so used to, but with the backdrop of a colosseum or ancient ruins. There were some stunning scenes and it was an interesting thought experiment to see how it had just become background noise to residents. The one thing I will say about Italy, gently caress the taxi drivers, they are all grifters and scammers. Fixed fare of 50 euro to Rome from Fiumicino airport, a journey of 31km and 30 minutes, but they were all - to a man - trying to charge me 30 euro for a 6km journey and a 10 minute drive to a nearby Airbnb. It's borderline criminal, I've never experienced cabbies that brazen about it before. I even had one guy forcefully take my bag and start loading it into his car before I grabbed it back, asked him how much, then said no thanks and walked off. He proceeded to curse me out and threaten me. Great first impression of the country. I loved the history, and I fell in love with the place. I am definitely going to visit again, but this time I'll go up to Tuscany / Florence. With regards to the pickpockets, I am actually shocked at how easy they were to spot? I saw my first one on an evening tour, and it was interesting to see how the guy operated. He looked like a tourist, with the fannypack and everything. Whilst we were all busy listening and looking towards our guide, he slid in from behind and started to blend in. But the entire time, his eyes were scanning everyone's belongings. I shuffled over to him to make sure he didn't steal anything as he seemed pretty focused on someone's handbag in the group. Thankfully he left without doing anything. Second were a pair of young girls in the subway. I was leaned up against the wall and I immediately noticed them because they were barely looking up, their eyes were at hip-height the entire time just scanning the crowd constantly. As soon as the subway train pulled in, they shuffled up behind a woman's bag and had a puffer jacket over their arms (in the sweltering heat?? it was silly) and started to pickpocket. I tapped the woman on the back, told her she was being pickpocketed, then sternly told the two girls no, like I was their upset parent. They started acting offended and immediately left. Then about 4 more women from inside the traincar all got up and left in sync, which made me realise they're actual roving groups that work together. I did find it a tad frustrating how so many people lacked awareness of their surroundings. The lady who was about to be pickpocketed was wearing really fancy clothing and had a nice bag and it was open-topped and behind her. How oblivious do you have to be? Especially when it's so easy to spot them. Qubee fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Sep 13, 2023 |
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 21:06
|
|
Drone posted:Also go to Reffen Street Food, place owns. Funnily enough, I already planned to! Walking around Freetown Christiana and grabbing a Smorrebord brunch on my last full day, seemed like a good place for a snack and a pint the end of the route.
|
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 21:09
|
|
|
Qubee posted:The one thing I will say about Italy, gently caress the taxi drivers, they are all grifters and scammers. Fixed fare of 50 euro to Rome from Fiumicino airport, a journey of 31km and 30 minutes, but they were all - to a man - trying to charge me 30 euro for a 6km journey and a 10 minute drive to a nearby Airbnb. It's borderline criminal, I've never experienced cabbies that brazen about it before. I even had one guy forcefully take my bag and start loading it into his car before I grabbed it back, asked him how much, then said no thanks and walked off. He proceeded to curse me out and threaten me. Great first impression of the country. You can say "gently caress the taxi drivers" about literally everywhere. I find it hilarious when internet people complain about Uber due to its effects on local jobs. Oh noooo, snake oil salesmen are losing their jobs and being replaced by underpaid actual pharmacists. Now how will a bunch of grifters feed their families now?! I’m sure there are issues with Uber, but it taking income and jobs away from taxi drivers is not one of them. Also in most countries Uber vehicles are way nicer and safer than taxis, in addition to being more convient and scam-free. Taxi drivers can eat a dick, in any country. The rare times I haven’t been scammed by a taxi driver - usually in countries like Switzerland or Luxembourg where they’re so expensive the scam price is the normal price - I’ve instead gotten a normal price and a racist diatribe about immigrants or whatever while sitting in the back seat. I’ve heard maybe five or six racist diatribes from random people IRL in the past decade, 3 were from taxi drivers which is impressive since I’ve probably only taken 10 or 15 taxi rides since 2013.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 22:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 25, 2024 19:23 |
|
|
Qubee posted:The one thing I will say about Italy, gently caress the taxi drivers, they are all grifters and scammers. Fixed fare of 50 euro to Rome from Fiumicino airport, a journey of 31km and 30 minutes, but they were all - to a man - trying to charge me 30 euro for a 6km journey and a 10 minute drive to a nearby Airbnb. It's borderline criminal, I've never experienced cabbies that brazen about it before. I even had one guy forcefully take my bag and start loading it into his car before I grabbed it back, asked him how much, then said no thanks and walked off. He proceeded to curse me out and threaten me. Great first impression of the country.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2023 23:36
|
|