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My old ski racing coach won two world cup downhill races at Val Gardena.
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Mar 22, 2017 01:14
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Saladman may well be describing me, I lived in Bolzano for two years and Trento for one. Ask me anything.
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Mar 22, 2017 06:55
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WaryWarren posted:Saladman may well be describing me, I lived in Bolzano for two years and Trento for one. Ask me anything.
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Mar 23, 2017 20:16
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Here are some Bolzano recommendations, with the caveat that I never ate at any really expensive places due to being a poorly-paid researcher: For pizza: Muflone Rosa (Via della Roggia, 22) - either make a reservation or get there right when they open at 18:30, small place that fills up fast. Service wasn't that great the last time I went there but was decent all the other times I went; nussbaumer (Via dei Bottai, 11) - get the pizza here, skip the rest, better people watching on a somewhat busy pedestrian street (as opposed to muflone rosa) For traditional Südtirolean: Cavallino Bianco Weisses Rossl (Bindergasse, 6); Franziskanerstuben (Via Dei Francescani, 7); Wirsthaus Voegele(Via Johann Wolfang von Goethe, 3) For a brewpub: Batzenhäusl (Via Andreas Hofer, 30), they serve typical South Tyrolean fare as well as beer, large area outside for dining For an apertivo: Exil Lounge Cafe (Piazza del Grano, 2A) For gelato: Avalon (Corso della Libertŕ, 44) Ferdinand Bardamu fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Mar 24, 2017 |
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Mar 24, 2017 00:59
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For Cinque Terre, are hiking boots/shoes really necessary?
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Mar 24, 2017 02:32
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liz posted:For Cinque Terre, are hiking boots/shoes really necessary? I haven't done it myself but my arthritic, double hip replacement mum did it in the regular walking shoes she brought for travel, so you'd probably be fine with a decent walking shoe
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Mar 24, 2017 03:12
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liz posted:For Cinque Terre, are hiking boots/shoes really necessary? Depends on how much hiking you want to do. If you want to do more than just walking in the villages I'd certainly recommend good hiking shoes, it's really hilly. It's definitely worth going hiking in that area by the way.
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Mar 24, 2017 11:23
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Thanks for the help guys, gotta another random question for ya.... I've never done VRBO before and we found a place in Riomaggiore that doesn't accept online payments so we'd have to pay cash in full upon arrival... I know alot small places do business this way, but just wanted some perspective so we don't end up without a place to stay? She said that she usually does a small security deposit by bank transfer but understands that fees can be high and that we can pay the full balance when we arrive if that works better.. She just needs to know which way so she can write it into the rental agreement. Is this the norm for VRBO properties in Europe or something fishy?
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Mar 24, 2017 13:42
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You are over thinking things and it's fine. Then again serves you right if you get screwed over for not picking a hotel
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Mar 24, 2017 14:14
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hackbunny posted:Well I've been researching a Prague trip and there's a lot to see in Prague, but I'm not sure if there's enough for a full week. What are you planning to see? I'd love to compare notes with you I won't be trying to cram as much possible into this trip - i'll definitely be trying to relax in addition to doing typical touristy stuff. Will spend 1 day each in Cesky Krumlov, Pilsen, and Kalovy Vary as well. I haven't created an itinerary yet, but when I do I will definitely share in here.
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Mar 24, 2017 15:25
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liz posted:Thanks for the help guys, gotta another random question for ya.... Even many hotels make you pay in cash on arrival in Italy. I guess it helps them avoid paying taxes. This is super normal and does not set off any scam bells unless there are additional warning signs. Hotels in touristy parts of Italy are usually much more than expensive and less nice than VRBO/Airbnb and I would never recommend them to anyone staying more than one night somewhere. I can only assume Caberham's family owns hotels somewhere in Italy to recommend otherwise. You don't need hiking shoes if you're just doing the main hiking path connecting through the villages. Running shoes will be fine. It's hilly but all on paths and many paths are improved (stairs etc), it's not like hiking in the alps. You could even do it fine in converse if you're just doing the path between cities and it's not raining. I mean your feet would probably hurt after but it's not like you'd slip and die or break your ankles. The path has been closed for a significant section in the middle for many years now due to landslides in like loving 2010, unless it's finally reopened this year. Even if their repair crew is a single guy with a shovel I don't know how it took him this long. Saladman fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Mar 24, 2017 |
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Mar 24, 2017 17:38
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liz posted:For Cinque Terre, are hiking boots/shoes really necessary? Depends on the difficulty: if you only plan to take paths rated T (tourist), regular shoes are fine. See the official website of the park for the list and difficulty ratings of all the paths. By the way, many of the coastal paths, including Via dell'Amore, are currently closed
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Mar 24, 2017 19:38
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arbybaconator posted:I won't be trying to cram as much possible into this trip - i'll definitely be trying to relax in addition to doing typical touristy stuff. Will spend 1 day each in Cesky Krumlov, Pilsen, and Kalovy Vary as well. There are good free walking tours in Prague, usually leaving from the main square around 9 or 10 in the morning - I'd look into that, since we really enjoyed it. We did one of the castle as well. The main old town and the castle are probably a bit over a half-day each, so maybe try and split them into separate days. Note that although it's "free", you're expected to tip the guide at the end. Climb the clock tower as you get a great view from the top. The Astronomical Clock in the main square is nice, but I thought it was a bit underwhelming to be honest. If you're interested in cultural stuff, shows at the national theatre are often very cheap. We saw the Nutcracker ballet just after Christmas in perfect seats (front row centre of the dress circle) for about 1/4 of the price it'd be back in Australia. Beautiful theatre as well. There's the Sedlec Ossuary (bone church) not far outside Prague either, where there's a chapel essentially decorated with thousands of human bones. We thought it sounded super touristy so we skipped, but I figured I'd bring it up since you didn't mention it. Maybe try and stay overnight in Cesky Krumlov? It's really beautiful, and the best part is in the evening when all the day-trippers have gone back to Prague and its much less crowded.
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Mar 24, 2017 20:10
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My mom has a friend who is getting married in Vidago, Portugal. She asked my girlfriend and I to come with her, but we are stuck with making the plans. Looking into it, it seems like kind of a pain to get to. The closes airport appears to be Porto, which is a little over an hour away, so we'd have to rent a car. Last year I was thinking about driving from Paris to Amsterdam and everyone in this thread told me to not do that for various reasons and take a train instead, which I did. Is it the same thing here? We were considering renting a car, driving it from the airport to Vidago for the wedding, then driving the car down to Lisbon which is like 4 hours away. Is this a terrible idea? I'm also considering telling my mom we won't be able to make the wedding and just going to Lisbon instead for a trip, since this whole thing seems like a big pain to plan and execute.
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Mar 25, 2017 20:06
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sausage king of Chicago posted:My mom has a friend who is getting married in Vidago, Portugal. She asked my girlfriend and I to come with her, but we are stuck with making the plans. Looking into it, it seems like kind of a pain to get to. The closes airport appears to be Porto, which is a little over an hour away, so we'd have to rent a car. Last year I was thinking about driving from Paris to Amsterdam and everyone in this thread told me to not do that for various reasons and take a train instead, which I did. Is it the same thing here? Take the bus? Santos Viagens seems to run several buses a day from Porto to Vidago. And if you cannot take the bus due to being American, just get a taxi from Porto - a hundred euro between three people isn't that much.
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Mar 25, 2017 20:42
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Renting a car is fine in Portugal, and the driving is pretty sane though (guessing you're American) the narrow streets in towns might be a bit terrifying for you. Note as well that car rentals in Europe are 90% stick shifters, and you'll have to pay close to double rates to get an auto. I personally wouldn't drive from Porto to Lisbon in one hit although it's definitely doable. Break it up a bit - there's loads of beautiful places in the Portuguese countryside. Douro valley wine region, Coimbra, Evora to name a few.
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Mar 26, 2017 00:09
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webmeister posted:Maybe try and stay overnight in Cesky Krumlov? It's really beautiful, and the best part is in the evening when all the day-trippers have gone back to Prague and its much less crowded. Seconding this. The castle's gardens are also open on evenings and you may be able to enjoy the sunset from up there. At least it was a few years back. Maybe check out this restaurant, it's right by the river and a cheap and charming place to have lunch or dinner. Spending 3 days in Lisbon next week, is it worth trying to get transportation to one of the natural reserves around (Arrabida Natural Park ?) We probably won't rent a car.
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Mar 26, 2017 09:20
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sausage king of Chicago posted:My mom has a friend who is getting married in Vidago, Portugal. She asked my girlfriend and I to come with her, but we are stuck with making the plans. Looking into it, it seems like kind of a pain to get to. The closes airport appears to be Porto, which is a little over an hour away, so we'd have to rent a car. Last year I was thinking about driving from Paris to Amsterdam and everyone in this thread told me to not do that for various reasons and take a train instead, which I did. Is it the same thing here? Did your mom's friend actually invite you, or is your mom trying to drag you along as an uninvited +1 and +2? Seems kind of weird to invest all that time and money in going to a wedding that neither you nor your partner are really invited to, for people you mostly won't know (?). Also, won't your mom be pissed if you go to Portugal at the same time and don't go to the wedding? Just make up some bogus work reason and then go on vacation two weeks after the wedding.
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Mar 26, 2017 10:13
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unpacked robinhood posted:Seconding this. The castle's gardens are also open on evenings and you may be able to enjoy the sunset from up there. At least it was a few years back. I can't speak for the reserves, but I would definitely go for a day in Sintra. The Pena Palace is like a Disney castle but real, and it was a great thing to explore even though I'm not usually into castles and such. It has pleasant grounds and absolutely stunning views.
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Mar 26, 2017 14:07
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Yep, definitely visit Sintra if you're in Lisbon. Even on the miserable wet and windy day we visited it was incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgVFhtQNYDo
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Mar 26, 2017 16:15
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What are your guys thoughts on the Georgia / Armenia / Azerbaijan? Worth it to check out?
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Mar 26, 2017 23:05
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Busy Bee posted:What are your guys thoughts on the Georgia / Armenia / Azerbaijan? Worth it to check out? I've heard that getting around Azerbaijan and Armenia on your own can be kind of hard to get around in / communicate with anyone unless you speak Russian, while Georgia is relatively much easier. I know a bunch of people who have been to all three and enjoyed their trips, but OTOH except for Mongolia and India, I rarely hear of someone who went to a not-commonly-visited country and who didn't enjoy their trip. If you're good at hand signs and waving then I guess you'll be okay anywhere. Georgia Saladman fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Mar 27, 2017 |
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Mar 27, 2017 21:30
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I was in Georgia for 10 days 2 years ago. Beautiful country, friendly people, low prices. People in this forum warned me against driving there, but it wasn't THAT bad.
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Mar 27, 2017 23:06
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I was in Armenia for a week or so, just Erevan and trips from it. Outside of the capital's center everything is depressingly poor. Not crowded, 10 people in a hut poor, more like depopulated villages disintegrating since the Soviet era poor. Also Armenian is hard and has its own alphabet and few people speak English. There were some interesting sights and it wasn't expensive but I don't plan on returning - unlike almost all my other travels.
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Mar 28, 2017 00:18
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Saladman posted:I know a bunch of people who have been to all three and enjoyed their trips, but OTOH except for Mongolia and India, I rarely hear of someone who went to a not-commonly-visited country and who didn't enjoy their trip. This also applies to non-touristy bits of touristy countries, from my experience. People are generally a bit curious why you're there of all places, but you always get treated quite well.
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Mar 28, 2017 05:42
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unpacked robinhood posted:Seconding this. The castle's gardens are also open on evenings and you may be able to enjoy the sunset from up there. At least it was a few years back. Definitely go to Sintra but don't bother with the natural reserves if you mustn't absolutely visit them. I'd suggest visiting Lisbon itself, going to some flea markets (LX Factory on sunday mornings, for example), strolling around Alfama, taking the Tram 28 (eletrico 28, but take it at like 7 am or else it's filled with a shitload of tourists), checking out Martim Moniz, going out at night in the Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré (definitely do this and talk to everyone, you'll have a blast), go to Lux (best club in Lisbon). Timeout is pretty invested in Lisbon, so you'll probably get some good info here: https://www.timeout.com/lisbon Regarding restaurants get Zomato and you'll get all the hottest stuff around. Also, if you want to visit a natural reserve the Tapada de Mafra is closer to Lisbon than Arrábida. And definitely go to Oceanário de Lisboa.
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Mar 28, 2017 16:48
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orange sky posted:Definitely go to Sintra but don't bother with the natural reserves if you mustn't absolutely visit them. I'd suggest visiting Lisbon itself, going to some flea markets (LX Factory on sunday mornings, for example), strolling around Alfama, taking the Tram 28 (eletrico 28, but take it at like 7 am or else it's filled with a shitload of tourists), checking out Martim Moniz, going out at night in the Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré (definitely do this and talk to everyone, you'll have a blast), go to Lux (best club in Lisbon). You've probably given me enough to fill all the time I'll be there, thanks a lot !
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Mar 29, 2017 17:50
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I'm planning to spend 8 or 9 days in Andalusia solo and I enjoy history, architecture, (sea)food, wine. I'm especially interested in some of the Moorish history / influences that Spain has to offer. As of now, I'm planning to spend time in Seville, Granada and Cadiz; are there any other cities/towns that are recommended instead?
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Mar 31, 2017 02:13
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^^^ guy above me, definitely get a tour of the Rock of Gibraltar. And a day trip to Tangier Morocco is totally doable. WaryWarren posted:Here are some Bolzano recommendations, with the caveat that I never ate at any really expensive places due to being a poorly-paid researcher: Oh my god thank you for this. I'm headed to Bozen for 3 days during the second week of April on vacation with a couple friends and was just about to throw a line into this thread. I was wondering if there are any WWI sites around there, like old bunkers in the hills? And of course I need to see old Ötzi. Jedi Knight Luigi fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Mar 31, 2017 |
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Mar 31, 2017 02:15
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Heh, one of my old apartments was behind the archaeological museum that houses Ötzi. I never made it inside, friends told me it was a thing to do if you're bored on a rainy day. I hiked plenty of times in the Dolomites. I didn't see any skeletons or any bullet casings because many of the fronts the Austrians and Italians utilized require climbing skills. I remember seeing a massive monument dedicated to those lost in the Dolomites between 1915-1917. Incredibly beautiful place, rivals anything I've seen in the US. One of my friends/colleagues/coworker's great-grandfather was a decorated Alpini. He took me to a few drinking clubs that only family members of Alpini may drink at (sort of like an Italian VFW). Ferdinand Bardamu fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Mar 31, 2017 |
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Mar 31, 2017 03:00
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ColdBlooded posted:I'm planning to spend 8 or 9 days in Andalusia solo and I enjoy history, architecture, (sea)food, wine. I'm especially interested in some of the Moorish history / influences that Spain has to offer. Cordoba has the grand mosque and a lovely old town - I definitely wouldn't skip it if you're into history, particularly Moorish history. The bus route from Cordoba to Granada is pretty scenic too.
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Mar 31, 2017 10:47
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ColdBlooded posted:I'm planning to spend 8 or 9 days in Andalusia solo and I enjoy history, architecture, (sea)food, wine. I'm especially interested in some of the Moorish history / influences that Spain has to offer. Cordoba is good for a couple of days, La Mezquita there is beautiful. Ronda is a really nice spot too, though heavily touristed - make sure you stay in town for a night to see it after everyone has left. Further east you can check out Nerja and Frigiliana along the Costa del Sol. It's not quite in Andalusia, but Merida is a couple of hours north-west towards Lisbon and it has really well preserved Roman ruins if you're into that. Funnily enough I've been doing a YouTube video series on the UNESCO World Heritage sites in southern Spain over the past month, shoot me a PM if you're keen to check it out. edit; Definitely don't skip Seville or Grenada though!
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Mar 31, 2017 22:42
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webmeister posted:It's not quite in Andalusia, but Merida is a couple of hours north-west towards Lisbon and it has really well preserved Roman ruins if you're into that. Merida is cool, we ended up there randomly when trying to figure out how to get from Evora to Sevilla, had never even heard of the place before. There were like no other foreign tourists there, weirdly. All the storks making noises in their nests on top of the aqueduct ruins were maybe my favourite bit about our whole three week Portugal & Spain trip.
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Mar 31, 2017 23:05
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ColdBlooded posted:I'm planning to spend 8 or 9 days in Andalusia solo and I enjoy history, architecture, (sea)food, wine. I'm especially interested in some of the Moorish history / influences that Spain has to offer. I loved Jerez de la Frontera, personally speaking, and it's not very far from Cadiz so you could probably stop there for a night without going too far out of your way. It's also wonderfully inexpensive for the most part. The historical sites are less crowded and no less impressive in my opinion, and the wine is loving phenomenal. I've never been to Cadiz, so I can't recommend replacing it as such, but I certainly wouldn't drop either of the other two cities. My experience with Granada was that you don't need as long to see it as you think you will. I spent five days there, and by the fifth day I'd really had my fill, but then again I get frustrated with crowds more than the average person, I think. I know some folks disagree with this opinion.
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Mar 31, 2017 23:13
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Thanks for the advice all. Merida looks pretty great and it's somewhere I'd never even heard of until now. I'd also debated Jerez de la Frontera since I've heard the Spaniards keep all the good Sherry to themselves, so it'd be interesting to see if that's the case. Everywhere I've read has recommended the Alhambra as a must see, what are you guys' thoughts on that? If I go to Merida, I could probably just travel directly to Lisbon and skip Madrid for my flight back home. Just took a quick peak and it looks like if I do that, it's even cheaper to fly back to Toronto. I've never booked a flight 6 months out from a vacation before but I'm really tempted to do it here. Is a day trip to Cordoba feasible from Sevilla? Or is it worth spending a few days there? ColdBlooded fucked around with this message at 05:33 on Apr 1, 2017 |
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Apr 1, 2017 05:30
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Don't skip Alhambra. Pre-buy your tickets and get an early morning access to the Nasrid palace (like 10am, early by Spanish time). Note that the museum inside the Charles V palace is closed on Mondays, so take that into account if you're into that sort of thing. I can't recommend it either way because we were there on a Monday! If you can, book for a day that has good weather as it's not quite as impressive on cloudy days. I can't actually recommend anything in Grenada itself, we didn't stay in town and only drove in late afternoon after finishing at Alhambra. The cathedral is OK from the outside but we didn't go in as I have a philosophical objection to paying one of the world's richest organisations money to look in a building, no matter how impressive. You could definitely do a day-trip to Cordoba from Sevilla - if you get a high-speed RENFE train it's only about 40 minutes between them.
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Apr 1, 2017 09:03
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ColdBlooded posted:I'm planning to spend 8 or 9 days in Andalusia solo and I enjoy history, architecture, (sea)food, wine. I'm especially interested in some of the Moorish history / influences that Spain has to offer.
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Apr 1, 2017 09:17
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ColdBlooded posted:If I go to Merida, I could probably just travel directly to Lisbon and skip Madrid for my flight back home. Just took a quick peak and it looks like if I do that, it's even cheaper to fly back to Toronto. I've never booked a flight 6 months out from a vacation before but I'm really tempted to do it here. It's not entirely convenient to get to Lisbon from Merida, though not difficult either. We were coming from the other direction and what we did was take the train from Lisbon to Evora (where we stayed for two nights), then a bus to Elvas, a taxi to Badajoz (cos it was a sunday and the cross-border buses didn't run then; the taxi cost like 20-30e, so no big deal) and a train to Merida. Elvas is a weird little hill fort town, and Evora is worth a visit too if you're into history, there's some Roman ruins and a gorgeous 12th century cathedral (the view from the tower over the countryside is beautiful). And yeah, if you're in Granada you absolutely must go to the Alhambra. The ticket system is kinda weird, but even if you haven't pre-booked (because your dates aren't set or for whatever reason), you can get in by going to the tourism office in Granada and buying some kind of more expensive pass (I think it was 35e).
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Apr 1, 2017 09:39
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ColdBlooded posted:Merida looks pretty great and it's somewhere I'd never even heard of until now. I'd also debated Jerez de la Frontera since I've heard the Spaniards keep all the good Sherry to themselves, so it'd be interesting to see if that's the case. The sherry in Jerez de la Frontera isn't necessarily better than what you can get elsewhere (although there's definitely stuff there that you can't find in Canada -- Urium springs to mind), but it's much less expensive and more readily available. There are little bars called "tabancos" that basically specialize in sherry and tapas, and they have actual casks of sherry direct from the producers (they refill bottles from the cask and then pour from the bottles so they can chill the bottles). If you enjoy food and sherry, you will enjoy Jerez. It's definitely a hidden gem, in my opinion. The alcazar was also super uncrowded compared to similar sites in Sevilla and Granada, so I enjoyed it more. The Alhambra is a must-see, but it's extremely frustrating, because like so many sites in Europe, you can't help but feel it would be so much more pleasant to enjoy if there weren't so many loving people getting in the way and herding you along. By contrast, wandering around the alcazar in Jerez was peaceful and relaxing because there were perhaps 10 other people in it at the same time I was, so you could take your time and actually appreciate what you were looking at. The other place in Granada you have to go is Calle Navas, for tapas. You can go to Sacromonte and see a flamenco show in a cave if you really want, but I wouldn't do it again. It's expensive and your main view will be primarily douches trying to tape the whole fuckin' thing with an iPad.
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Apr 1, 2017 21:28
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PT6A posted:
Bar Diamantes II. You're welcome. Many of the rest on that street are kinda not great. Also, find the little dark place next to El Fogon that serves the tiny baby clams flash fried and covered in salt and olive oil. If it's still there, Bar Loop for drinks and decent tunes afterwards.
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