The Grand Tour

[robinturner]

Nalan and I will be touring Europe by Interrail this summer (late July/early August). We're planning to do a circular route up through Bulgaria and Romania, across through Vienna and Prague, then maybe taking in Amsterdam and Paris before going down to Italy and winding up in Greece for a more normal, non-train-based holiday. So if you have any tips on places to see and stay, I'd appreciate hearing from you - and of course if you're going to be in that region, we might be able to meet up.

Comments

[sjcarpediem.livejournal.com]

Skip France. Do Spain or Italy or Germany instead.

[kristian.livejournal.com]

Croatia! If you're going to Greece for Islands/Beaches etc, skip it (I speak not from experience but enthusiasm for Croatia!)(Obviously you probably have to go through Greece to get home) You -must- visit Dubrovnik. The island of Hvar is also wonderful. It's small, and when I was there in May last year it was fairly un-infested with tourists. The island of Korcula looks wonderful too, a bit larger and busier (but the Fiancee contradicts this?), I only saw it from a ferry. You can get a ferry from Italy to Croatia!

In Romania don't make the mistake we did and plan to spend more than a day in Sigisoara (In |Transylvania), if you're going there! Brasov was a good town but it didn't quite live up to the guide-books description as "Gothic to its cobblestoned core" - hardly anyone was dressed in black! We spent four days in Brasov and had planned another four in Sighisoara, but in the end we dropped into the place on the way to Budapest (leaving our luggage at the train station for the day)

Have you been to Prague before? People seem to complain about it a lot! But it's my favourite city in the world, thus far. How long do you plan to stay? Whatever you do, don't be a british tourist and trawl the old town square for booze.

I found Germany a little dull, but Berlin! It's like London but actually lives up to the reputation of being a vibrant exciting diverse city.

Woah lots to suggest but I always hate suggesting places/things in case they suck! I'm pretty much convinced it's difficult to go wrong when touring Europe.

[solri.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestions! Croatia is a possibility, but we'll probably leave it until next year, when we hope to visit Kosovo. Prague is definitely on the itinerary. Brasov sounds cool, and is on the route.

[solri.livejournal.com]

France is a must because Nalan wants to go to the Louvre! We'll definitely be doing Italy (again) and Barcelona if we can squeeze it in.

[sjcarpediem.livejournal.com]

Well... okay.

But you should have a day in Lille if at all possible.... (It's on the way from Paris to Amsterdam.)