MUST DO's While In Europe - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Billy Vegas · 07-26-2006, 08:49 AM

So, we're planning on Europe Still... (Amsterdam, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany ((maybe Greece, Prague, and Copenhagen)) ).

So, to you seasoned travellers, I ask of you... WHAT MUST BE DONE while over there? I have my ideas, but you've done it, you know whats breathtaking, you know whats hot... let me know.

While we're at it with the DO's, for shits and giggles, why not some DONT's.

Rock and Roll.

Lets witness the full power of this fully armed and operational... thread.

Rock.

-Billy Vegas

**tumblezweedz** · 07-26-2006, 09:47 AM

Wow, that's a pretty intimidating question! Mine might be a bit general, but here goes:

Amsterdam - didn't like it much, the Anne Frank house was the only thing that I really felt compelled to see.

France - DO get away from the cities, check out smaller towns and villages for a much different experience than a visit to Paris.
DO see Mt. St. Michel if you are in the area - or at least check out the coast somewhere.
DO visit some of the smaller museums in Paris - the Paris City Modern Art Museum, Maritime Museum and Musee des Arts et Metiers were all hits on our last visit, and they were practically deserted, while the Louvre, Orsay and Pompidou were packed. At the Paris City Modern Art Museum, DO check out the "Salle Dufy", to see the largest painting in the world (it's claimed.) Entry to the standard exhibits is, I believe, free. Can't beat that.

DON'T take rudeness personally - Paris is a big city, big cities are like that. There are nice people there, too.

Spain - DO check out the south - Seville, Cordoba, Granada...somewhere with some Moorish influence. It's very cool.

DON'T eat tripe soup. Well, you can if you really want to, but there are better things on most menus.

Switzerland - DO get into the mountains, somewhere. Otherwise, what's the point? Again, I'd say get away from the major cities - some of them are beautiful, but when you find yourself in some little village nestled half way up a mountain, surrounded by lush green grass and cows, well, you'll definitely feel like you're in Switzerland.

DO check out southern Switzerland, the Italian cantons. It's an incredibly different landscape than the rest of the country.

Italy - if you have any interest at all in art, DO visit the Vatican Museums. Go early, and pay for a tour if you have to, then from the Sistine Chapel go back into the museums, rather than out to St. Peter's. You can spend the whole day there, even if you book a two hour tour. Either go to St. Peter's as soon as it opens (at 7:30 for Mass, I believe), or save it for another day - the museums are pretty overwhelming.

If you have time, DO visit Naples, and Pompeii - go to Vesuvius too if you can get there. It's pretty cool.

If you go to Venice, DO take a walk late at night after all the tourists go home, it's quite different and magical. It's best if you can get accommodations in the city, though they tend to be pretty expensive - but early morning in Venice was one of my favourite memories of the place.

DON'T pay for a gondola ride unless you're trying to romance the heck out of someone - take a vaporetto and save yourself major Euros. The view is the same! You can wander down little pavements alongside the smaller canals, DO give yourself some lost wandering time.

Germany - DO check out the Rhine or Mosel valleys, they're gorgeous. Again, DO get out from the big cities into smaller villages, many have interesting churches, castles and historical sights, and are less crowded (and hot) than the major cities.

Also, one big DON'T - DON'T try to do it all - you can't, and will enjoy yourself more if you relax for a few days in each place, rather than darting all over the place in a panic to see everything.

DO have a great time!

Cheers,

**worldwidemike** · 07-26-2006, 01:55 PM

Nice list, Tamara! That will be hard to match.

Hmmm...
ITALY
- DO try to check out the Amalfi Coast...gorgeous! Rent scooters, or if you're a veteran rider, vespas...
- DON'T sit down in Italian coffee places...the prices are more expensive that way. Stand at the little tables like the locals do, unless you're going to be there for awhile...
FRANCE
- Do check out Provence / southern France...lovely hilltop towns, Mediterranean scenery, Roman ruins...
- DON'T spend too much time in Paris. Most overrated city in the world, IMO...
SPAIN
- Do use Madrid for a base to take day trips from...Segovia, Toledo, etc...
- DON'T expect much from Spanish food...without a doubt, the worst of any Mediterranean country.
HOLLAND
- Do walk around A-dam and enjoy its layout...pretty city with concentric rings of canals and bridges...
- DON'T expect too much from the Red Light District...fairly touristy

Others...?
worldwidemike

**Brookers13** · 07-26-2006, 02:50 PM

hey i like the food here!

and as much as i tried not to, i found it impossible to not take the rudeness of the french to heart...they made me cry and i dont think ill be visiting france again....

but that said,

DO GO TO PORTUGAL! tons of people skip it and its the most wonderful place ever!

**MeTurk** · 07-27-2006, 05:02 AM

I liked Spanish food too, I had a local food guru that showed me the good and cheep local places though.

I thought the french where a laugh, they wouldn't let me use the ashtrays in a resturant once, "use de floor"

Amsterdam
Do - Get really stoned
Don't - Remember what happened after that.

Prague - Go to Cesky Krumlov if you can.

VP. · 07-27-2006, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MeTurk@Jul 27 2006, 07:02 AM
Amsterdam
Do - Get really stoned
Don't - Remember what happened after that.

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**TheWills** · 07-27-2006, 07:28 AM

If you go to Prauge Dont get caught in a tourist trap strip club :S

karoshi · 07-29-2006, 01:16 AM

(Amsterdam, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany ((maybe Greece, Prague, and Copenhagen)) ).[quote]

I also loved the food in Spain, so cheap and so delicious! tapas rock.

My advice
General:
If travelling with two or more, consider doing a double room at 2 star hotels or pensions. usually around the same price per person for some privacy

Italy:
DO go to Cinque Terra. Absolutely amazing coastline of 5 villages with amazing food, beautiful scenery and sunny beaches.
DO read the menu to check how much extra you'll be paying to sit down and eat at any restaurant. In Venice we were charged an extra 8 Euro for an 8 euro pizza and a drink.

DO feel free to drink out of water fountains (TRY FIRST) instead of spending bills on water. Most of the time it's perfectly safe to drink esp in Florence
DO camp. LIterally so many camp sites that have great facilities and convenient locations. you don't have to bring a tent (call first). most of the time it's 2 cot style beds in a tent for as low as 6 euro. Do ask for extra blankets and bring bug spray.

Spain:
DO check out Parc Guell in Barcelona
DO stay at the Oasis hostel in Granada (absolutely amazing chill hostel with best food and ppl)
DON"T see the Alhambra late at night. Reserve far in advance and see it in the daytime
DO party in the mega clubs of Madrid
DO get lost in Sevilla

Germany:
DO visit Berlin and do a free walking tour (or a paid third reich tour (awesome!) and a pub crawl
DON'T fly into Hanh airport in Frankfurt. Three hours away from town

Prague:
DO determine a price before you take a taxi. You can get ripped off
DO try absinthe. ask how concentrated the wormwood is.
DON'T try to sneak on the bus w/out a ticket. Plenty of plainsclothes ppl checking fares.

DO consider croatia (dubrovnik and islands)

**TheWills** · 07-30-2006, 03:47 AM

I really wish I would have done the absinthe thing while Im over here but everyone tells me it just really gets you drunk and one wont hilucinate from it.......look at that poor spelling

rousseau5550 · 07-30-2006, 08:04 PM

I'm surprised noone's mentioned getting laid in a hostel

**Brookers13** · 07-30-2006, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rousseau5550@Jul 30 2006, 11:04 PM
I'm surprised noone's mentioned getting laid in a hostel*

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i suppose it goes unsaid

Billy Vegas · 08-01-2006, 06:21 AM

I'm glad we got so many responces... Keep 'em comin... these can all go on my list as far as I'm concerned.

-billyVegas

rae_of_sunshine · 08-01-2006, 11:13 AM

I say DO go to San Sebastian, Spain! There´s gorgeous beaches, it´s 6 hours from Paris on a train and 5 hours from Madrid, the hostel is 15€ a night, and SS has the most bars per population in Europe? the world? (i´m not very good at remembering facts

) Also the tapas are famous (but are called pintxos here) and you´ll experience the Basque Country! Ya...I´ve been here for 2 months and am leaving in 4 days, I´m gonna miss it.