Euro trip

[Pumbaa]

My wife and I are planning our honeymoon together. But I have no idea where to start. We have look into expedia and some other sites. Non of sites give us how to book and plan our trips. I need more details, such as transportation, distance from cities to cities, sights to see, etc.

We have some idea of location & time.

Location : Italy (Rome, Florence etc)
Greece (Santorini island) maybe just 2 nights.
Maybe Paris if possible.

Total vacation time : 2 Weeks.

Budget : 2500$ / person. I have no idea how much I really need lol. Just an estimate.

BTW We are planning to go next month. Targeting mid Sept.

Any advise or infos will be great !
Thank you so much.

[Spoon]

If you need hand-holding, I suggest you go the traditional route and find a travel agent.

When I planned my Europe honeymoon, we did most of the homework on our own and still went with an agent to book some of our stuff. Albeit she was a family friend, it's just nice to have an extra resource.

Here are some sites we used from what I can remember:
Wikitravel - The Free Travel Guide (Gives you a summary of the destination and some local tips)
Google Earth or Google Maps (Helped a ton to find our way around and gives you a first person view when you do research)
Travel Europe with the Eurail train pass | Eurail.com (We trained from Rome to Paris, which honestly was a mistake looking back due to the length of the ride. But I'd highly recommend it for short distance trips to close by cities and if you plan on taking it more than once as the price gets better)

[iEatClams]

although i havnt been to europe. and am interested in this thread as I may be going next year in the spring. one thing to keep in mind when going outside of north america is to account for time to travel between countries cities.

ie. when traveling in asia - you got to account 1/2 day to go from one city to another depending on how far it is. I'm assuming it would apply to europe.

just curious, when abouts are you planning to go?

[Special K]

We are going to London, Paris, and Nice for our honeymoon in mid-Sept as well. Be prepared to fork out A LOT of money and effort to research. I have done about 6-8 hours so far. I'm slacking too.

$2500 pp seems to be okay. Save money by going www.airbnb.ca we have never done that before so it will be interesting.

So far we have spent about $4500 total.

Flight to London $1250 each. BnB in Paris (5 nights) $1400 total and in Nice (3 nights) $600. I still need to find hotel in London 4 nights ($1000) and airfare/train between cities ($750 each for 3 trips).

With food, shopping, and tours... It looks like we heading towards $8,000-$10,000 total for two weeks.

[Hondaracer]

Paying for one of our round trips with my visa points me and my GF spent 24 days in Europe flying in and out of Paris

Paris - south of France Staying in Nice - cinque Terre - Pisa - Florence - Interlaken - Paris

Over 24 days we stayed in 3 diff appartment we rented from airbnb (all excellent experiences) and 1 bed and breakfast

We did -everything- you could do in each place we went, ate out at least once a day, most of the time more and we ended up spending about 5500-6000 each total

I've got pretty good insight and did a shit load of research on all those destinations so feel free to ask any questions.

If you're going to Florence the "Florence card" is a must, it's literally invaluable, the cost is justified the first time you skip a 2 hour line.

Florence has tonnes of amazing sights but if you have to see one id 10000% say see the David at all costs. It's literally the craziest thing I've ever seen. I shit you not, It was actually like having an ephinany when I saw it, it's that crazy.

Also in Florence make sure you go have lunch at "Yellow" or "Yellow bar" it's about 5 minute walk from the ponte vechio, great prices and the pasta is made fresh to order, some of the better meals we had in Italy, went there twice for lunch while there

[Hehe]

It depends on what you plan to do for the trip.

In our case, we wanted to just spend some time to enjoy a city. We spent 10 days in Provence region in two separate places (6days in 2 AirBNB and another 4 in hotel) and really just avoided most of the tourist place. We went to local bars and met with locals with my broken French. Then spent the day time touring the restaurants or spots that they recommended and often just spent hours relaxing. For example, there was this little coffee shop that a older gentleman highly recommended me: "you people from America would know what a good coffee is once you try that place". And it was really really great. We spent an entire afternoon there just drinking 2 different coffee each and reading/browsing on iPad.

If that's something you have in mind, it's easy... pick up a city (ideally small-medium sized with some spot worth visiting nearby, our case was the lavender Route) and just go ..

If you like to visit the most amount of tourist spots, then I'd suggest using an agent as well. They can often plan it better.

[Ronin]

If you've never been to Paris, it's well worth going to. Other than London where you might get by a little easier since English, it's the best European metropolis experience.

Paris is horrifically overpriced sometimes but wine is cheap and even the shitty wine is good. It also contains the best of two things you'll probably want to do when sightseeing in Europe: palaces and museums. You don't need to look at another palace or anything for the rest of your trip because Versailles is the most ridiculous, extravagant and history filled of them all. You also don't need to go to another art gallery after seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.

That sort of sightseeing eats up a lot of time and after you've seen the best of those two, there's no need to waste your time on the B-team where you'll line up for years.

If you're into churches, visit the Vatican. Still one of the most interesting places I've ever been if you're into history. If you're not religious, just pretend you're in the Da Vinci code or something. Otherwise, it's Notre Dame in Paris or the Duomo in Florence, both of which provide spectacular views of the amazing cities they're in and have worthwhile artwork to check out.

As for food, whenever I visit somewhere new, I take tips from Anthony Bourdain and other similar travel shows. Get thee to a torrent site and find some episodes to brush up. They usually have some fun, less touristy things to do as well as great restaurant suggestions. He usually suggests local food or exceptional examples of foreign food in the area so even if you don't go to the exact place, you'll be eating in an area that's less touristy so probably better and less pricey.

I've been to the UK (all four parts), France (Paris, Nice, Marseille, Provence), Brussels, Amsterdam, Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich), Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa), Austria (EAGLE'S NEST OMG), Monaco (supercar heaven), Copenhagen (the new food capital of the world), Oslo, Estonia, Zurich, and Rekejavi...Rejeiv...Re...whatever the capital of Iceland is. And I researched the crap out of them before hand so if you wanna know about any of those places, gimme a shout.

[bcrdukes]

Use Wikitravel - The Free Travel Guide as a reference.

[Hondaracer]

As per Ronins post, different strokes for different folks but I found Versailles utterly boring and completely underwhelming. Sure the scale is insane but after the 5th room looking at Bed spreads I wanted to jump out the window. Also the louvre is pretty much a joke outside of the statues IMO it's so fuxking massive and crowded it's stifiling. Mona Lisa I found to be a huge disappointment as well but it might just have been that Paris was the last stop of our trip and I was museumed out but people elbowing eachother in the head to get make room for a selfie with Lisa left a bad taste in my mouth.

I'd recommend the orangerie and checking out the monet's or even the Orsay over the Louvre personally, but obviously when youre in paris its kind of the thing to do.

Also well worth getting the Paris pass for. Although picking it up in person is kind of a pain in the ass. For us we were staying in the Latin quarter right across from Notre Dam and the office where you have to pick up the Pass is about a 40 minute walk from there. For us, Paris was also overwhelmingly large, Basically everywhere ive been in Europe including London we've always tried to get around by foot, but in Paris you've got to be smart about your planning and at the very least utilize the metro to get into central areas. Ie. Walking from Notre Dam to the Eifel tower is over an hour brisk walk.

If youre into Churches and those weird folding things where Jesus's head is propped down looking at you, then Europe is for you lol. If your going to be in both Florence and Paris I'd say skip going up the tower at Notre Dame and hit up either the Tower at the Duomo, or even go to the top of the Duomo instead. IMO even though both are huge wordly sights, the Duomo is wayyyyy crazier than Notre Dame, both inside and out.

[sonick]

As mentioned above, for what you are looking for in terms of a guide of where to go/see/highlights, a travel agent is very useful rather than scouring and reading through pages and pages of forums and websites or just showing up at the destination and going in blindly. You also get tips that you might not have found out from searching, like how you can buy pre-buy a ticket that gives priority access for all three Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Forum without having to wait in line to buy tickets at the destination.

Below is what I sent to my friend when he had a few days pre-cruise in Rome; doesn't really apply to you since you have more days.

The Ron in Rome site is really good for everyday tips and stuff (e.g. how to use bus ticket machines, etc.). Rick Steves audio tours were nice at the main monuments.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions.

This is where I got tickets for Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman Forum:
(click on "COLOSSEUM" option) Biglietti Online. Musei, Mostre, Parchi divertimento, Eventi in Italia.

For St Peters at the Vatican, you can reserve your time here:
Hours and tickets

Here's that site I was telling you about for info on rome:
Ron in Rome!Ron in Rome! | Assistance, Coaching, & Thoughts on Visiting & Living in Rome!

Here is some good info on the rail system:
Rome Trains and Stations With Prices, Maps, Passes & Ticketing

The train to Civitavecchia cruise port you'll take train route FM5, it takes about 1hr if I remember right.

Here are Rick Steve's audio tours: Audio Tours for Europe by Rick Steves | ricksteves.com

Here's a good outline of what to see, the two/three day schedule is kinda what we ended up doing inadvertently: Planning Your Time in Rome by Rick Steves | ricksteves.com

I would recommend this itinerary:

Arrival day just wander around and get the lay of the land. You will probably run into a few landmarks randomly, there's so much history around every corner. Also it's fun to see all these weird car models we don't get here. Especially the cheap economy cars from BMW and stuff lol.

Day 1: (going from South to middle of Rome)
Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman Forum
Piazza Venezia
Campo di Fiorini
Piazza Navona
Pantheon
Trevi Fountain

Day 2: (going from North to middle of Rome)

Vatican/St Peters
Piazza del Popola (take metro rail from Vatican to Flaminia station, saves time)
Spanish Steps
Walk South down Via Del Corso, where you'll end up in the area where you ended off Day 1
Other notable neighborhoods and places I recommend checking out:
Trastevere & Piazza di Santa Maria
Sora Lella | Il Ristorante dell'Isola Tiberina Michelin restaurant on Tiber Island
Pizzeria ai Marmi in Trastevere
Jewish Ghetto

Missing from list above: Borghese Gardens.

A bit of info on Venice & Florence etc. from my previous coworkers that went (I haven't been):

ROME

Rome I stayed in Trastevere, it's a less touristy area just over the bridge, about 15 mins walk into the main area. It's kinda like the Gastown of Rome vs. downtown. Tons of little mom & pop restaurants and locals just hanging out walking the streets in the evening. Super quaint.

We stayed here, it's like a B&B, the owners make coffee and cornettos each morning.
http://www.zentrastevere.com
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Revi...ome_Lazio.html

Coworker stayed here said it was also good: www.romefromhome.com at the Falegnami apartment. Apparently it is near the big local farmer's market (Campo di Fiori) in the main area in that opens up during the day, for fresh fruit/veg it is great.

Also this is a great website for basic day-to-day advice in rome: http://www.roninrome.com/


SORRENTO/AMALFI COAST

Amalfi Coast is kinda like the french riviera of the area. Small towns, chill and relaxing. The nearby towns are known to be super baller, but very nice sights. Sorrento is where most tourists stay with hotels and such. There's tours that go to each nearby island each day that pick you up directly from the hotel. This area is where Limoncello is made.

We stayed here, they say it's a hostel but it's actually really nice www.ulissedeluxe.com


These other places I haven't stayed at before but are recommendations from coworker:


VENICE
In Venice we got there a couple days after it flooded so we were fine! Just late going into port because on the way we passed by a liferaft! Luckily no one on board! But they had to turn the ship around and check it out to make sure. Venice was beautiful! Stayed at the Hotel Papadopoli just a short walk from the terminal and beside the train station. We did the Secret itineraries tour at Doges palace which was really neat! We got to see the old jail cells and the story about Casanova! Supposedly he was put in jail because of his reputation with the ladies. The story was that found a metal bar and piece of marble and was digging his way out. The day he was going to escape he was transferred to a new jailcell. The guard seen his hole and then Casanova blackmailed the guard. Once he was in his new cell he made friends with a priest where they both ended up escaping! Then years later Casanova was part of the secret service.

FLORENCE
We took the train to Florence and spent 5 nights there. I rented a apartment overlooking Saint Maria Novella square. I loved Florence! Can’t wait to go back. The shopping was incredible if you are a male! I went shoe crazy and bought 5 pairs since it Is impossible to find my size! And went to the Accademia museum and saw the real Michelangelo’s David Statue! It truly was awe inspiring! ( and not for that reason!)

Our apartment in Florence – http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p11939

[Ronin]

I can't imagine the Orsay would be interesting to someone that doesn't find the Louvre interesting. I mean, art isn't for everyone. I'm just saying the Louvre is probably the one you want to go to given that it has the most recognizable and history filled artwork around. Personally, my favorite is the Tate Modern in London. Seeing how people think outside the box is more fun than some old paintings for me but I do think everyone should see the Mona Lisa if they're in Paris. It doesn't take as long to line up at the Louvre as other places in Paris, like the Eiffel Tower (which I would skip. The line is HUGE and it looks prettier when you aren't on top of it).

Versailles also isn't for everyone. Personally, I could skip it as well but I'm saying that chances are, you might be checking out some European palaces and after looking at Versailles, you can skip all the rest. Hell, you could skip this shit entirely if you want.

The best part about Paris is...being in Paris. Just walk around and see how different it is there than here. Eat their amazing food and drink cheap wine til you have to stumble back to your tiny hotel to get some...because there's no girl on the planet that can resist Paris.

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

As per Ronins post, different strokes for different folks but I found Versailles utterly boring and completely underwhelming. Sure the scale is insane but after the 5th room looking at Bed spreads I wanted to jump out the window. Also the louvre is pretty much a joke outside of the statues IMO it's so fuxking massive and crowded it's stifiling. Mona Lisa I found to be a huge disappointment as well but it might just have been that Paris was the last stop of our trip and I was museumed out but people elbowing eachother in the head to get make room for a selfie with Lisa left a bad taste in my mouth.

I'd recommend the orangerie and checking out the monet's or even the Orsay over the Louvre personally, but obviously when youre in paris its kind of the thing to do.

Also well worth getting the Paris pass for. Although picking it up in person is kind of a pain in the ass. For us we were staying in the Latin quarter right across from Notre Dam and the office where you have to pick up the Pass is about a 40 minute walk from there. For us, Paris was also overwhelmingly large, Basically everywhere ive been in Europe including London we've always tried to get around by foot, but in Paris you've got to be smart about your planning and at the very least utilize the metro to get into central areas. Ie. Walking from Notre Dam to the Eifel tower is over an hour brisk walk.

If youre into Churches and those weird folding things where Jesus's head is propped down looking at you, then Europe is for you lol. If your going to be in both Florence and Paris I'd say skip going up the tower at Notre Dame and hit up either the Tower at the Duomo, or even go to the top of the Duomo instead. IMO even though both are huge wordly sights, the Duomo is wayyyyy crazier than Notre Dame, both inside and out.

[Hondaracer]

Yea good points..

We avoided the Eiffel Tower line by hiking to the second level, it's about half the price (which full price is only 10 euro each or something) but in exchange for the 700 stairs you climb you get a far shorter elevator line than the huge snake of a line at the bottom

On the fodors forum (which is one of the most ignorant, pompous forums I've ever been on) most people will say skip the top of the tower. The thing is, when you're standing at the bottom and you don't know when you'll be back in Paris, you might as well spend the two hours and go up.

[the_law82]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions, keep them coming!

The wife and I are planning a Euro trip next year as well. However, we are thinking of doing a split between a cruise and city (try and get the best of both in terms of cost and number of places to visit).

We will likely plan around the docking city of the cruise and would like to visit Rome/Italy and Paris/France. 3/4 days in each city and a 7-10 day cruise in late April.

Is late April a good time to be visiting Italy, France or Europe in general (weather, crowds, price, etc.)? It's the best time for us to get away from work. Otherwise, it'd be in the middle of summer (July/August), which I figure would be way hotter and crowded.

Appreciate all the feedback.

[Pumbaa]

Thanks guys for so much infos !! Now I just need like two days to look through them lol.
As for as destinations, we gave up on Santorini island since its not open during Late Sept/Early Oct. So we are focusing on France / Italy / and maybe Spain.
I recently got some infos from frds as well. They told me to book flights from airtransat, and from european airlines such as Ryanair, easyjet etc. Not sure if you guys did the same as well. As for hotel & sights, I will definitely look into airbnb / wikitravel and all those you guys mentions.

[Pumbaa]

Originally Posted by sonick

As mentioned above, for what you are looking for in terms of a guide of where to go/see/highlights, a travel agent is very useful rather than scouring and reading through pages and pages of forums and websites or just showing up at the destination and going in blindly. You also get tips that you might not have found out from searching, like how you can buy pre-buy a ticket that gives priority access for all three Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Forum without having to wait in line to buy tickets at the destination.

Below is what I sent to my friend when he had a few days pre-cruise in Rome; doesn't really apply to you since you have more days.

The Ron in Rome site is really good for everyday tips and stuff (e.g. how to use bus ticket machines, etc.). Rick Steves audio tours were nice at the main monuments.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions.



Missing from list above: Borghese Gardens.

A bit of info on Venice & Florence etc. from my previous coworkers that went (I haven't been):

Thanks for your input.
its a handful, but I like it

[Pumbaa]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

As per Ronins post, different strokes for different folks but I found Versailles utterly boring and completely underwhelming. Sure the scale is insane but after the 5th room looking at Bed spreads I wanted to jump out the window. Also the louvre is pretty much a joke outside of the statues IMO it's so fuxking massive and crowded it's stifiling. Mona Lisa I found to be a huge disappointment as well but it might just have been that Paris was the last stop of our trip and I was museumed out but people elbowing eachother in the head to get make room for a selfie with Lisa left a bad taste in my mouth.

I'd recommend the orangerie and checking out the monet's or even the Orsay over the Louvre personally, but obviously when youre in paris its kind of the thing to do.

Also well worth getting the Paris pass for. Although picking it up in person is kind of a pain in the ass. For us we were staying in the Latin quarter right across from Notre Dam and the office where you have to pick up the Pass is about a 40 minute walk from there. For us, Paris was also overwhelmingly large, Basically everywhere ive been in Europe including London we've always tried to get around by foot, but in Paris you've got to be smart about your planning and at the very least utilize the metro to get into central areas. Ie. Walking from Notre Dam to the Eifel tower is over an hour brisk walk.

If youre into Churches and those weird folding things where Jesus's head is propped down looking at you, then Europe is for you lol. If your going to be in both Florence and Paris I'd say skip going up the tower at Notre Dame and hit up either the Tower at the Duomo, or even go to the top of the Duomo instead. IMO even though both are huge wordly sights, the Duomo is wayyyyy crazier than Notre Dame, both inside and out.

Not going to check out too many churches, maybe just one is enough lol.
I think its inevitable to check out Versailles, but I will discuss with the wife. As for walking, I think its also inevitable, even though my wife hates walking long distance. What are the cost for cabs in Paris? lol? ridiculous?
Thanks for your input sir !

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by the_law82

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions, keep them coming!

The wife and I are planning a Euro trip next year as well. However, we are thinking of doing a split between a cruise and city (try and get the best of both in terms of cost and number of places to visit).

We will likely plan around the docking city of the cruise and would like to visit Rome/Italy and Paris/France. 3/4 days in each city and a 7-10 day cruise in late April.

Is late April a good time to be visiting Italy, France or Europe in general (weather, crowds, price, etc.)? It's the best time for us to get away from work. Otherwise, it'd be in the middle of summer (July/August), which I figure would be way hotter and crowded.

Appreciate all the feedback.

My trip I described above was done from May 3rd to 29th. During that time and those destinations we had a total of 45 minutes of rain. The majority were blur bird days and in terms f crowds it was perfect. Places like Florence, Paris, etc will be busy year round

[Ronin]

The underground in Paris isn't as good as the one in London but it's great for getting around. Not a LOT of walking but Paris is a walking city so I'd expect to walk like 10 minutes from a station to wherever you're going. Cabs are always going to be more expensive and given the traffic, I doubt it would be much faster.

If you've never driven in Europe before, DO NOT RENT A CAR.

[Pumbaa]

Originally Posted by Ronin

If you've never been to Paris, it's well worth going to. Other than London where you might get by a little easier since English, it's the best European metropolis experience.

Paris is horrifically overpriced sometimes but wine is cheap and even the shitty wine is good. It also contains the best of two things you'll probably want to do when sightseeing in Europe: palaces and museums. You don't need to look at another palace or anything for the rest of your trip because Versailles is the most ridiculous, extravagant and history filled of them all. You also don't need to go to another art gallery after seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.

That sort of sightseeing eats up a lot of time and after you've seen the best of those two, there's no need to waste your time on the B-team where you'll line up for years.

If you're into churches, visit the Vatican. Still one of the most interesting places I've ever been if you're into history. If you're not religious, just pretend you're in the Da Vinci code or something. Otherwise, it's Notre Dame in Paris or the Duomo in Florence, both of which provide spectacular views of the amazing cities they're in and have worthwhile artwork to check out.

As for food, whenever I visit somewhere new, I take tips from Anthony Bourdain and other similar travel shows. Get thee to a torrent site and find some episodes to brush up. They usually have some fun, less touristy things to do as well as great restaurant suggestions. He usually suggests local food or exceptional examples of foreign food in the area so even if you don't go to the exact place, you'll be eating in an area that's less touristy so probably better and less pricey.

I've been to the UK (all four parts), France (Paris, Nice, Marseille, Provence), Brussels, Amsterdam, Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich), Italy (Rome, Florence, Pisa), Austria (EAGLE'S NEST OMG), Monaco (supercar heaven), Copenhagen (the new food capital of the world), Oslo, Estonia, Zurich, and Rekejavi...Rejeiv...Re...whatever the capital of Iceland is. And I researched the crap out of them before hand so if you wanna know about any of those places, gimme a shout.

Thanks Ronin.
Only possibility of visiting Britain is if we flew from London. May have to leave it for next time.

[iEatClams]

Thanks for all the great posts. Making me excited for the trip next year.

Of any of you guys have discovery channel? Check out the shoe Next Stop Paris. Its pretty interesting and gives a guide of ALL of Paris by their metro stops.

If I'm planning to go to england and France. What other countries can I see if I only have three weeks? I don't think I can do Italy as tat will another separate trip some other year. Plus I don't want to spend a lot of time traveling between countries.

[Ronin]

Not Italy. Amsterdam is close enough, as is Spain but there's more than enough stuff to do in England and France to cover three weeks...and the two are only a Eurorail away.

The rest of England isn't really worth seeing unless you're a big Man U fan or manage to score Top Gear tickets. London is where it's at if you only have a short time in the country. Scotland is also amazing and full of history. Edinburgh is gorgeous and after a summer of breathing in London's 40 degree heat, it's a welcome change in climate...much cooler like Vancouver.

You could easily do a week in Paris but I would split my time between Paris and Nice. From there, you can do a quick day trip to Monaco as well. Beaches, patio food and watching helicopters land on boats.

[Hondaracer]

Switzerland is also within reach but it's $$$

Me and the GF spent $500 on trains in one day

[iEatClams]

Sorry I meant London and France. I don't really care for the other parts of england.

What about Belgium? Yea I heard Switzerland is too $.

Perhaps ill just stick to those two countries.

[Ronin]

Belgium is...meh? I mean, it would probably be cooler if it wasn't surrounded by much better vacation destinations. If Belgium was a Victoria's Secret model, it wouldn't be Giselle or Heidi or Alessandra Ambrosio. It would be one of the lesser known ones...still hot but...c'mon, that time is better spent looking at Adriana Lima.

[pastarocket]

I highly recommend a trip to Eastern Europe because of the affordability and beauty of the cities.

My family and I went with friends to Prague (Czech Republic), Budapest (Hungary), and Croatia as part of a 19 day vacation across central and Eastern Europe.

-recommend booking tours with the local tour guides through this agency:

PRAGUE INTERNATIONAL Travel Agency | Incoming services | Conferences Congresses

The local tour guides are very knowledgeable about tourist attractions. -will schedule tours in times of day when there are less tour groups so that you don't need to fight the crowds to take a picture.

good places to visit in Prague: Prague Castle. The president's office is located here.

Wenceslas Square. A big public square with beautiful Gothic churches and King Charles Bridge.

Croatia: Plitvice (Plee Veet Say) Lakes National Park. This park has some really beautiful lakes. -16 lakes of various blue, green and grey colours because of calcium carbonate deposits on the lakebeds. We went for a 3 hour hike along the trails. Gorgeous waterfalls and lakes full of rainbow trout and some ducks. I heard about the beautiful beaches in Croatia. This park is breathtaking!

Budapest, Hungary: Take a Danube River tour at night. This is a "Must do" activity with the spectactular view of the Hungarian parliament buildings along the Danube. You can see birds flying over the parliament buildings (see picture below). Some river boats give you a glass of champagne or a beer as part of the river tour admission.

Food is quite affordable in Hungary. Example: a plate of turkey breast stuffed with ham and cheese, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut was only $5 in this restaurant in the "Buda" side of Budapest. Buda means "water fountain".

Czech pilsner beer is awesome!

Alcohol: Check out this beer garden in Vienna. The Schweizerhaus. Their Budweiser Budvar (premium lager) is one smooth beer. -much better than the weak Budweiser we get from the U.S.

http://www.schweizerhaus.at/


If you want to see palaces, the Schonbrunn palace of the Habsburg royal family in Vienna, Austria is a good place to visit.

Warning: Many train stations in Eastern Europe have thieves that wanna pick pocket your money. If you want to take a train, make sure you wear a money belt that is tight around your waist. Some of the pretty girls in Prague or Budapest were frisking me to see how much Euros I had when I was boarding a train.

-If you want to avoid the train thieves, spend the extra money to fly between countries. Airports are much safer than Euro train stations.

Public transit is reliable and pretty affordable in European cities. We bought an all day pass to take streetcars and buses in Vienna and Budapest.

Plitvice Lakes National Park:




Danube river tour at night in Budapest:



Wenceslas Square, Prague

Gothic church in this Square:





Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna:



Schweizerhaus beer garden in Vienna: