Europe

[Chi Town Sox]

Will be going to Europe for 10 days in August, flying into and out of London/Heathrow which is where we would like stay the longest. Most likely 4-5 days in London but we would also like to visit Paris, Amsterdam and possibly Brussels. Can anyone share any experiences/remarks on restaurants, pubs, clubs, shops, etc. and on an idea of how many days needed to spend in the last 3 towns (if at all)? I understand that ideally you would want to be in each city for multiple days but that may not happen but I am half Dutch so would love to get myself to Amsterdam

 

We are not much into the artsy/museum type stuff, more into the dining, pubs, clubs and visiting the main sites in each town and maybe a random day trip for a little (yeah right) wine tasting or something of that matter. Thanks

[kapkomet]

I know this isn't one of your cities on the list, but Barcelona is fan-freakin'-tastic for its night life.

 

[DBAHO]

Yeah I've heard great things about Barcelona also.

 

Ibiza is also pretty good at this time of year (well getting into the European Summer) but it's expensive as hell and probably more for the club / dance type of scene. If not that, then another big Spanish Beachside City such as Valencia is meant to be really nice. Spain in general is just a pretty cool country to see.

 

With Paris, you'll be able to take the train from London (if it doesn't break down like it did about a year and a half ago IIRC).

 

Amsterdam obviously go and see the red light district part of town.

 

I myself may be moving to London within a month so I may have more to offer on that going forward. The exchange rate should be pretty good ATM (considering it's 1 pound for 62c for us which is the best it's been for a while).

[bmags]

Croatia is the s***.

[SoxFan1]

Croatia is the s***.

But the people suck.

[SouthsideDon48]

Whatever you do... don't travel to Slovakia to visit a brothel. :-/

[FlaSoxxJim]

You don't have much time I know, and I love London but I'd urge you to get out into some of the rest of Great Britain as well. Bath, Avebury, Salisbury, Stonehenge, York, etc., are all a short BritRail ride from London and it's a completely diferent feel, lots of history, good pub life, etc.

[Chi Town Sox]

You don't have much time I know, and I love London but I'd urge you to get out into some of the rest of Great Britain as well. Bath, Avebury, Salisbury, Stonehenge, York, etc., are all a short BritRail ride from London and it's a completely diferent feel, lots of history, good pub life, etc.

 

That's exactly what we were going to do with 1 or 2 of our days there, should be pretty awesome

[ChiSox_Sonix]

You said you aren't into museums and stuff but if you are in Paris the Louvre is pretty much a must do.

 

Also, avoid Brussels, it's a waste of time. If you are set on going to Belgium visit Bruges or Antwerp. Personally, i'd just spend that extra day in the Netherlands or France instead however.

[Chisoxfn]

Whatever you do... don't travel to Slovakia to visit a brothel. :-/

I hear a story coming?

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I hear a story coming?

Hostel

 

[Chi Town Sox]

You said you aren't into museums and stuff but if you are in Paris the Louvre is pretty much a must do.

 

Also, avoid Brussels, it's a waste of time. If you are set on going to Belgium visit Bruges or Antwerp. Personally, i'd just spend that extra day in the Netherlands or France instead however.

 

Right, I have no problem visiting the Louvre and other large must-do landmarks like that. I meant to say with maybe the extra free time, we would be more into eating at a great restaurant or going to a nice pub instead of visiting a random museum or art gallery. Thanks for the information on Brussels, I have heard great things about Bruges - have you been to Brussels and Bruges?

[Chisoxfn]

Hostel

Gotcha. I was thinking Hostel, but when he specifically mentioned not staying in a brothel, I thought maybe he was referring to some sort of personal experience or funny story he had heard of.

[Chisoxfn]

I'm going to piggy back a bit off this. Also, Sonix, I'll be there, barring volcano issues, in about 3 weeks for 10 days. England and France. So I'll pass along some info of what I liked, didn't like, etc.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Right, I have no problem visiting the Louvre and other large must-do landmarks like that. I meant to say with maybe the extra free time, we would be more into eating at a great restaurant or going to a nice pub instead of visiting a random museum or art gallery. Thanks for the information on Brussels, I have heard great things about Bruges - have you been to Brussels and Bruges?

 

Yes I have. I've been all over western europe (minus the Iberian Peninsula). I lived in Stuttgart for 3 years. Brussels just has nothing to do there. They have a couple famous statues, Mannekan Pis and Hannekin Pis (I'm sure i butchered the spellings) but aside from that it's a boring city. Bruges is kinda considered the "Venice of Northern Europe". It's a much prettier city, but again, if you'd rather have more of an experience, it'd be worth it in my opinion to spend an extra day in the Netherlands (Rotterdam, The Hague), eastern France (Strasbourg, Loire Valley) or do something in Germany (Ruhr Valley or the Rhineland).

[DBAHO]

What was your favorite city in Germany Sonix?

 

I speak a little Deutsch, so it's somewhere that I definitely want to go check out when I eventually make my way over to the UK.

[Chi Town Sox]

I'm going to piggy back a bit off this. Also, Sonix, I'll be there, barring volcano issues, in about 3 weeks for 10 days. England and France. So I'll pass along some info of what I liked, didn't like, etc.

 

Appreciate it, this is scaring me as well as they are saying on the news this morning that the ash can be in the skies for 10 years and that this could very well trigger volcanoes more and more often in the time coming

 

[ChiSox_Sonix]

What was your favorite city in Germany Sonix?

 

I speak a little Deutsch, so it's somewhere that I definitely want to go check out when I eventually make my way over to the UK.

 

I liked Munich probably the most of places in Germany. But of everywhere I visited, Paris and Switzerland were probably my favorite.

 

My German has gone to crap as well. I'm fairly fluent in French but my German was barely conversational at best and is now essentially gone.

[Chisoxfn]

While in London, what are the key things to see/do based upon people's personal experiences?

 

Same question about Paris?

[FlaSoxxJim]

Yes I have. I've been all over western europe (minus the Iberian Peninsula). I lived in Stuttgart for 3 years. Brussels just has nothing to do there. They have a couple famous statues, Mannekan Pis and Hannekin Pis (I'm sure i butchered the spellings) but aside from that it's a boring city. Bruges is kinda considered the "Venice of Northern Europe". It's a much prettier city, but again, if you'd rather have more of an experience, it'd be worth it in my opinion to spend an extra day in the Netherlands (Rotterdam, The Hague), eastern France (Strasbourg, Loire Valley) or do something in Germany (Ruhr Valley or the Rhineland).

 

I have yet to make the Belgium pilgrimage, but advising that it's ok to just give the place a miss sounds like advice from a non-beer person. How can you not go to the Disneyland of beer if you have the opportunity?!??

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

While in London, what are the key things to see/do based upon people's personal experiences?

 

Same question about Paris?

 

You pretty much have to do the touristy history stuff. Parliment, Tower of London, Clock Tower, Tower Bridge (which isn't the London Bridge as most people think), changing or the guard at the palace, Piccadilly Circus, double-decker bus tour, Westminster Abbey, pubbing and clubbing in Soho. . . and drinking as much Real Ale as you can while the getting's good.

[southsider2k5]

You pretty much have to do the touristy history stuff. Parliment, Tower of London, Clock Tower, Tower Bridge (which isn't the London Bridge as most people think), changing or the guard at the palace, Piccadilly Circus, double-decker bus tour, Westminster Abbey, pubbing and clubbing in Soho. . . and drinking as much Real Ale as you can while the getting's good.

 

Out of curiosity, is there any kind of market for Beatles type tours?

[ChiSox_Sonix]

While in London, what are the key things to see/do based upon people's personal experiences?

 

Same question about Paris?

 

In Paris, I'd recommend the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame, Pantheon, Champs-Elysees, Conciergerie, Sainte Chappelle. Palace of Versailles is slightly outside of Paris, but very much worth it. Bayeux is a doable day trip as well that has a lot of history. The Champagne region is also very close.

 

I have yet to make the Belgium pilgrimage, but advising that it's ok to just give the place a miss sounds like advice from a non-beer person. How can you not go to the Disneyland of beer if you have the opportunity?!??

 

 

Oh I love Belgian beer. But when I go back I'd go to Bavaria, Netherlands, Ireland or England for the "beer experience" before stopping in Belgium. I mean if I was going to be there for a few weeks i'd go to Belgium for a day or two, but on a budgeted schedule I just feel there are way better places to use your limited time there.

 

[ChiSox_Sonix]

You pretty much have to do the touristy history stuff. Parliment, Tower of London, Clock Tower, Tower Bridge (which isn't the London Bridge as most people think), changing or the guard at the palace, Piccadilly Circus, double-decker bus tour, Westminster Abbey, pubbing and clubbing in Soho. . . and drinking as much Real Ale as you can while the getting's good.

 

That is now in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

[LittleHurt05]

Prague FTW