Originally Posted By HTHgal12 Hi Dave, I was told that you are familar with the surrounding areas around Disneyland Paris! What are the "don't miss" parts of Europe? Thank you!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Hi HTHgal12. There are a number of us who live here in Europe and will be happy to help. That's a really big question, as Europe is not that much smaller than the continental US. But a lot depends on time, budget, tastes and time of year. For me, the real stars of Europe are: London - shows, amazing Museums (do not miss the British Museum), architecture and history, plus a gentle start to Europe as English speaking. Also in the UK, we love Stonehenge and Salisbury; Stratford upon Avon (birthplace of Shakespeare) and Warwick Castle; York; Chester; and Edinburgh/Stirling. The UK is about the size of California. If planning a trip from Paris, and flying into the UK first, the Eurostar train is a must - a little over two hours and you are in Paris. The city is worth a couple of days exploring, with the Louvre and Orsay being a must for art lovers. DLP is about 50 minutes out of the city and is a must for any Disney fan, it is the most beautiful MK park WDI has ever produced. Just outside Paris and worthy of exploration is the 13th century UNESCO market town of Provins (with living history exibits in peak season), Chantilly is great with an amazing horse museum and a library in the Chateau that has Le Duc de Berry - a huge influence on Walt Disney in creating Sleeping Beauty's style. If War history appeals, Le Cople, the Normandy Beaches, and the Armistace carriage just outside Compiegne are great choices. And for Chateau, although Versailles is amazing, for a less crowded and as interesting experience, Vaux le Vicompte is pretty cool, and every saturday in Summer, it is candle lit! Other great places in France are Mon St Michel, Beyeaux to see the famous tapestry depicting the French conquering the English, one of the world's earliest pieces of known propaganda.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo For Spain, there are some amazing places often overlooked by American travellers. Barcelona is my favorite city in Europe and one of my favorites in the world. It has everything from high fashion to roman ruins, wonderful gothic architecture and the birthplace of amazing modernista architecture. Other great places in Spain include Monserrat, Madrid, Seville, Cordoda, and the Amazing Alhambra. It also an easy trip from southern Spain into Africa (we did that as a road trip when I finished in Uni).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo In Nothern Europe, I like Brugges (medieval canal city with more canals than Venice), Brussels is the capital of Europe and has an amazing vibe with great bars and restaurants. And of course Amsterdam has to be seen to be believed. Beside the very eye opening red light district and brown cafes, there are also great art galleries, diamonds, and Anne Frank's House. I love Denmark, especially Tivoli Gardens (inspired many elements of Disneyland) and the original Legoland (though best with kids). Norway and Sweden are great for exploring the country side, though for me, a Fjord cruise is the best way to experience this part of Europe.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Germany is a great place to visit. The Rhineland (particularly Ruddesheim), is a fantastic place to see fairytale villages and wineries. Then Munich and Berlin are worth checking out (and if venturing East, into Poland to see the concentration camps are life changing experiences). Neu Schwannstein is a do not miss if going into Bavaria in Germany, as it was the inspiration for Walt to build his castle in Disneyland. Austria is nice, with Vienna and Saltzburg both having excellent architecture and museums on offer. Geneva in Switzerland is also nice on the lake too, though not a must if visiting Austria. Though it is an easy ride to Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain, where you can use a cable car and elevator to go to the top. And there is a place where you can stand on the border of France, Switzerland and Italy.
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 wow Dave, thanks!! I am planning to go next May, I always like to do my research ahead of time. I am planning to go for about 2 weeks and getting probably a global rail pass. Have you ever been to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam? That was something that seemed interesting to me but I don't know if it's worth the train ride from Paris.
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 Dave you are AWESOME!!! Thank you!!! There is a legoland out in california that my husband loves because he grew up with legos so that might be worth a visit! Maybe I should go for 3 weeks!
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 do you know any good (inexpensive) branches of hotels to stay in so I can just stick with one brand the whole time?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Italy is often a must. Venice, Rome and Vatican City, Pisa, Florence, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast. However, beware in many parts of Spain and Italy, travel is slow going unless using the train due to the mountains. If you are planning a long tour though, you can get interrail passes that allow you to travel all around the continent at a lower price. And our trains are not like Amtrack (double edge swords). They are fast and frequent (trains typically travel at speeds between 120 - 190 miles an hour). Other places worthy of consideration are Greece - particularly Athens and Istambul Turkey. It is also easy to get to Morrocco and the Middle East from Europe. Also Russia is really interesting too. I have lived in Europe for 22 years now, and have only seen a small part (21 countries and several cities, but there is so much more to see). Any specific questions, just ask.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Anne Frank's house is quite interesting. It is a small house, and there are no furnishings. But you will go through the secret entrance and see lots of pictures and letters. There is a real creepy vibe, and then there is a tollerance museum at the end. It is a 30 min - 2 hr experience. But Amsterdan is pretty neat city anyway, so I would say that is worth while. As for Legoland, it is quite cool, but my fav is the one here in Windsor near to London.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo As for hotels, depends what you want and how you are travelling. If it is 2 of you, a chain that is safe and cheap, but no frills is etap. Or if you do not mind sharing a toilet, then F1 is even cheaper. For slightly nicer digs, then Ibis, and Holiday Inn Express are great choices for cheaper ones. That said, you may wish to look into non chains that are full of local character using trip advisor to help. For transport, the other option could be using Ryanair or Easyjet, these are our local cheap flight carriers.
Originally Posted By u k fan <<<For transport, the other option could be using Ryanair or Easyjet, these are our local cheap flight carriers.>>> Beware of luggage restrictions and other charges that other carriers throw in for free though!!!
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 thanks Dave, one other question that I can think of at this moment. Do most places speak english? Or should I study some other languages?
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 oh I am very familiar with Holiday Inn. I think I am a member of their rewards program. That could be perfect... So Dave and UK fan...How many countries do you think I could see with a rail pass and 3 weeks? And a very hectic pace I am all about crunching in as much as I can
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Good point Kiz. Hmmmm, well you could fit in one a day really, but that would be crazy and not very enjoyable. The pace in Europe is very different. In fact, if you want to enjoy meals properly in Europe, allow 2-3 hours. And in places like Spain, some parts of France and Italy, some museums and Stores close for Siesta. Let us know a little about the things you and your husband enjoy, and I am sure we can come up with an interesting itinerary for you. I would suggest you allow a few days for London and Paris. Ideally 2 days min to get the most out of DLP. Amsterdam depends on what you want to see - 1-2 days. Rome and Barcelona need a few days each to scrape the surface. Do you like museums, dining out, history, bars, theme parks, shopping, art, walking tours, nature? What bits of history capture your imagination? What are your favorite foods? Let me know, and we can advise.
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 our top 3 things are probably Museums, Art and Theme Parks. Neither one of us drink alchol at all. I like zoos and botanical gardens as well. As far as history, anything world war 2 is interesting. We both enjoy walking and will walk wherever we can. We recently got back from New York and walked to almost every place we went Favorite foods...this is a toughie, I am really picky (there was a lot of foods I couldn't eat when I was little so I still don't like them) I really like italian food, I could eat spaghetti every day, chinese food is good and a plain old hamburger and fries (chips in the UK right?) is good for us. I think the countries we are most interested in are: france (for sure), germany, UK, netherlands (amsterdam)and Italy. Spain would be fun too but if we don't have time, that's where I would cut first. Thank you so much!!!
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 I am not sure I could take 3 weeks off work so it might just be 2 weeks
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Ok, that is helpful. Then I would recommend this itinerary roughly. Fly from the US to London - don't plan anything but a brief walk on first day, the jet lag is a killer. Allow 2/3 days for London - be sure to tour the city (Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, London Eye). See a show, they are often cheaper than Broadway in New York, and I find we have more variety here. Do not miss the British Museum - it is awesome - parts of the Acropolis, the Rosetta Stone and huge Egyptology exibit, Medieval finds - it is an amazing museum). If you like costume and soft furnishings, the Victoria and Albert has clothinging and rooms set up over 1000 year history. And the Science Museum is cool to a degree, the world's 1st steam engine, computer and many other things found here. The beauty is, the museums in the UK are free! Let me know more on food tastes and budgets and I can recommend eateries. Though if you like spicy, Indian food is a great choice in the UK that is hard to come by in the US. Also there are some major cultural changes here too (longer meals, no free refills, waiters come when called, not automatically etc.).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Then I would be tempted to take the Eurostar from London to Brussels for 1 night, and enjoy the capital of Europe, then on to Amsterdam for a couple of days (if you like the romantic view of Tulips and windmills, if in early May, you could book a cycle tour). Then pop down into Germany (if time on a three week trip) or go to Paris. In Paris, visit Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Orsay, Sacre Cour, Versailles, and DLP for a few days (that's at least 5 days if not more). You could do a jaunt to Germany or Italy, but if only going for 2 weeks, unless a prearranged tour, I would stick to the UK, Netherlands, France thing, and you would only scratch the surface. Or if you are crazy, you could do London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lyon, Paris/DLP - but you would need a vacation to recover.
Originally Posted By HTHgal12 "if in early May, you could book a cycle tour)." Like bicycle tour? Cool!! As far as food, cheaper is better, I LOVE spicy food. I have heard that Indian food in the UK is the best. I will have to try that out. If I go to Germany, what are the best things to see? I dont think I am as crazy as the last line of your post but maybe crazy enough to try to fit in Germany or Italy as well Thank you so so much!
