First Time Backpacking--Where to go? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

toutlaw24 · 05-24-2005, 04:16 PM

Hello Everyone,

This will be my first time backpacking in Europe this summer and I really need some help. I will have approximatley 2 weeks to travel within Europe, but I am very confused on where I should go first? or what I should particularly see? etc. Since this will be my first time, does anyone recommend a certain path of countries I should visit and the particular order??? Like which country should I fly into....and where should I go from there.....remember I only have about two weeks.....

Anyones expertise in this area would be much appreciated........

**space virgin** · 05-24-2005, 04:38 PM

Hi there, welcome to the boards!

First of all, you should go to the library or book store and thumb through various travel guides and see which countries appeal to you. This is YOUR vacation!

Usually it's cheaper to fly into London, Amsterdam or Paris, depending on where you're coming from. Those are the major "gateway" cities. If you want to go this summer you haven't left much time to do research though!!

What do you want to do? Soak up culture? Check out castles? Meet lots of other travelers? Party all night? There are plenty of places to do that in just about any country.

Generally speaking western Europe tends to be more expensive than eastern Europe, with the UK being the leading wallet drain.

Basically I am not going to tell you where you should go-- that's entirely up to you. I found something to love about each place I've been in Europe, with my favorite *cities* being Barcelona and Paris (so far). But really, get thee to a library or book store STAT and check out the travel guide sections!

**Esterina** · 05-24-2005, 04:52 PM

Welcome to the board toutlaw24 !

Space Virgin's advices are judicious.

This is the basic to any travel. Wether you're a newbie or a veteran doesn't make a difference, you'll always have to figure out your goals and specific interests, then be realistic about it budget and timewise.

I would only add to her post to decide if you'd better not travel thorougly in one country, instead of racing to hop from place to place. Changing cities is really time consuming, and 2 weeks is a very short trip.

Consider this : 2 days-3 nights per city is the minimum I personnaly recommand. Major cities like London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, or Paris, for example, are worth a whole week or more.

So why not go to one country, see 2 major cities, and a bit of the countryside to complete the picture ?

toutlaw24 · 05-24-2005, 05:28 PM

thanks space virgin.....however.....

I am looking for a general guideline of what countries I should visit? Clearly I would like to do the touristy type of things to do......partying!!!.....checking out the sights....meet travellers......etc. I was initially asking to see if there was a route by which I would save the most money......railways....flights..etc. Basically get the most bang, experience, culture, partying for my buck.......

Has anyone taken a route that has proven successful within a limited budget and time......

I am a recent college grad and would like to experince things as a new college grad would..............

**space virgin** · 05-24-2005, 06:31 PM

Well, see, that's the thing-- there isn't really a specific "route" to take, it just depends on what *you* want to see and do.

(Really-- what would be the point of following someone else's itinerary unless you KNEW, without a doubt, that the places on said itinerary were places you really truly wanted to visit?)

And since you only have two weeks you should probably limit yourself to 3 cities or less. It'll save you time *and* money. Try to figure out what SPECIFICALLY would appeal to you. Do pubs, standing stones, green rolling fields and english speakers sound perfect? Try the UK or Ireland.

Have you always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower? Party all night in hot weather in Spain? See the Vatican or the Coliseum in Rome? It's research time, baby!

**tumblezweedz** · 05-24-2005, 11:13 PM

Cost wise, Scandinavia and the UK are generally the most expensive, eastern and southern Europe are by and large the cheapest, though it's possible to survive on a budget even in the more expensive countries.

The travel guides usually have suggested itineraries for different lengths of time - you could pick one country to explore at leisure, or two or three small, neighbouring countries to sample. For example, with two weeks in France, you could spend a few days in Paris (perhaps making a daytrip or two), a few in a nearby region (wine lover? - Champagne, history buff? - Normandy) and then a few in Provence or the Alps to get a different view of the country.

Or, with two weeks in the Baltics, spending four days each in Tallinn Estonia, Riga Latvia and Vilnius Lithuania, with perhaps a daytrip from each would give you a good introduction to each country and a sense of the different cultures.

If you try to do too much, zipping all over the place, you'll be exhausted and won't appreciate the things you see. And may well get turned off travelling, which we definitely don't want to see happen!

Bottom line is, no matter where you go there will be parties and other travellers, so you can't go wrong in that respect wherever you choose. But you could drink and hang out with fun people in your home country. It's possible to live and get around reasonably cheaply in most countries, so that shouldn't affect your decision too much. So WHY do you want to go to Europe? What fires your imagination? Think about your own interests - did you like history or loathe it? Do you speak any other languages? Would you rather go somewhere where you can speak English? Does the thought of an art gallery full of famous paintings bore you or set your mouth watering?

We can give you a zillion tips once you've narrowed that down a bit, but unfortunately until then none of us can tell you what YOU will enjoy in Europe, because none of us is YOU!

travelguy · 05-25-2005, 09:59 AM

looks like a frew greek islands or spain would be perfect for you toutlaw

**omisan** · 05-25-2005, 11:36 AM

Watch Rules of Attraction and follow that one dude's itinerary through Europe. Should take you about 46 seconds

living my adventure · 05-25-2005, 10:27 PM

as a recent college grad i realize the library is the last place you want to go, but you should check out travel books as suggested. i leave in the morning to head over for a month and i can't tell you how many times i changed my mind over where to go. anyway all that to say in almost every book i found it said x city in 1,3,5 days and gave itneraries. although i will be gone longer than two weeks, a friend that is going w/ me will only be there two weeks, and she is going to spend 2 days in london, 2 days in paris, 1 day and night in nice, then the rest in italy and fly out of rome. good luck w/ the planning and the trip. and post where you decide to go.

Solo_Traveller · 05-26-2005, 02:51 AM

I would head to France - there is everything there that you want whatever you are in to!

Don't try and see too much if you only have two weeks...