Opinions on vacation spots in Europe.

[trophyhunt]

Going to retire in about a year and half, wife and I are planning another Trip to Sicily, but while we are there, I was thinking about another country to visit.  Top of my head is Ireland or Germany, gonna spend 3 weeks in Italy and prob a week or so in the other place.  Am I missing a “must see” place??  Been to Rome, Venice, have no want to see Paris.  Thoughts??

[JimmyHoffa]

I always hear Iceland is great.

[trophyhunt]

Hmm, didn’t think about that!

[baldopepper]

Amsterdam and Brussels. Very friendly and almost everyone speaks English. Took one of the cruises up the Rhine River a few years back that was actually pretty nice

[3boys]

Portugal and Spain are amazing. Spent 17 days there last year and spending a month in Portugal again this year.

[Gentrys]

There's a lot to see in France, even skipping Paris.  Greece and Spain are also good choices.

[MADMAX]

Egypt
Amazing to see Giza

Barcelona and Majorca

Dubrovnik

[BD1]

Austria...without question. The only place in Europe I would consider living from the many places I have visited.

[Doublelunger]

Been to Spain, Greece, and Croatia. Croatia was my favorite, by a lot.

[Fidelk]

What do you like to do whilst vacationing? Lying on a beach and drinking? Being a culture vulture? Done many trips to Amsterdam and France......and a nice trip to Spain/Portugal. Amsterdam works for me.......better access to American jazz bands than in the US (Bimhuis).......the museums are awesome......Rijksmuseum and van Gogh museums.......the Brouwerij 't Ij brewery.......and you can go to the ticket window a bit before the start of the Concertgebouw concert that night and probably get a seat damn near IN the orchestra. Please note that I made no mention of the Red Light (Rood Licht) district of the reefer scene.

[Skillet]

Cinque Terre in Italy was one of my favorite spots I've ever been, but that was over 20 years ago and I've heard it's pretty busy now. Was pretty tame when I was there. I would go down at dawn and chat with the local commercial fisherman. We got invited to dinner by a local fishing couple at their home, and they broke out some of their homebrew limoncello. Fun night.

Even with Paris out of the equation, if you have any interest in history the channel coast of France is worth a month on its own.  I spent time in Normandy during a cold November, loved it.  The D-Day beaches, towns surrounding, and the Normandy American Cemetery should be a mandatory stop for any Americans in Europe, imho. As impressive as that was, nothing else in Normandy disappointed.

[HighCountryHunter88]

I think you would appreciate what Switzerland has to offer 👍

[JJJ]

You mentioned non France....

if you are into history, PLEASE don't overlook Bayeux France . one of the only towns not bombed in WWII on the coast to nearby normandy....an  absolute gem... TONS of history there....stay in a period original hotel and get up early to walk the cobblestone  streets before the others get up... enjoy French fresh incredible pasties served as they set up their stands.; enjoy the sunrise over this beautiful little town....... priceless memories.... Normandy beach is nearby. Get a good tour guide and go.. you will NEVER  regret it. Visit the US cemetery that overlooks Omaha Beach. Be there when they play taps at dusk and lower the flag. I assure you; unexpected tears flow freely without notice- not a dry eye there, and it's totally unexpected. Its a beyond powerful memory that I will NEVER forget. Unexpected, but is one of my most cherished moments of my life....God bless those brave souls on that hallowed ground.

[trophyhunt]

Now my heads spinning, lots of options to look at, good thing we have a year and half to research.  Appreciate it!

[Fidelk]

I think you would appreciate what Switzerland has to offer 👍

Beautiful country. Was in Zermatt in 1973.......rode a gondola up to a glacier and then walked up the glacier to the Italian border and a ski area......admiring the view of the Matterhorn as I climbed. Think I even had to go through Italian immigration. I really put on the raclette feed bag that night. You don't hear much about their food and wine scene but with a convergence of Swiss-French-German-Austrian-Italian cultures.......great chow and vino.

[ganghis]

I hiked the AV2 in the Dolomites in northern Italy a few years back.  Hands down one of the most beautiful places I've been.   I think the trail is about 100 miles long - most people take 10-12 days but I did in in 7.  Lots of ups and downs but you stay in alpine bunkhouses which come with 3 course Italian meals for dinner - so no need to pack tents and stoves.  Fascinating history too - most people start in the north where it's mostly German speaking, and then you end in the southern Dolomites where it's all Italian heritage.  And you're on all these trails that were made during WWI, with sections of cable you can hook a carabiner into (via ferrata) to get over sketchier parts.  Despite defending their homeland successfully, the german-speaking Austrians in the north got made to be part of Italy at the the end of the war and you get the feeling there is some resentment there!

[kselkhunter]

Cinque Terre in Italy was one of my favorite spots I've ever been, but that was over 20 years ago and I've heard it's pretty busy now. Was pretty tame when I was there. I would go down at dawn and chat with the local commercial fisherman. We got invited to dinner by a local fishing couple at their home, and they broke out some of their homebrew limoncello. Fun night.

Even with Paris out of the equation, if you have any interest in history the channel coast of France is worth a month on its own.  I spent time in Normandy during a cold November, loved it.  The D-Day beaches, towns surrounding, and the Normandy American Cemetery should be a mandatory stop for any Americans in Europe, imho. As impressive as that was, nothing else in Normandy disappointed.

Cinque Terre is pretty sleepy still.  Not much different.  I've been 4 times in the past 30 years, including last April.  It's truly a special place. 

[kselkhunter]

@trophyhunt

The Rick Steves guides are useful.  I've been using them since the early 1990s.  He's from Seattle, and you can see his videos on public broadcasting.  I've been all over western Europe many times using his guides, frequently returning to my favorite areas so feel free to PM with questions.  Eastern Europe is my next focus.  With Croatia and Slovenia coming up next year. 

[Stein]

I would echo some previous posts, Bayeux is an absolute can't miss spot.  I would spend 3 days there to see it all, we only spent two and were rushed.  Overlord Tours is the one to go with, our guide was a Brit living in France with a Ph.D. in French history.

I loved Istanbul, they subsidize flights so you can sometimes get amazing deals on Turkish airlines.  We flew Paris, Istanbul, Seattle for about 40% less than any other return I could find.

Junfgrau region is probably my favorite place in the world.  Murren would be my choice for sure.  Switzerland is spendy, I didn't care for Zurich as much especially given the cost.  If you like mountains, it really is like nowhere else I've been.

Germany is hard to beat, we visited Dachau, very tough mentally but highly recommended.  Munich is a nearby place to stay and the Hoffbrau Haus is really fun and great food and beer.  I love Cologne, the cathedral is beyond words and if you're into some exercise climbing to the top is amazing.

Amsterdam was one of my family's top choices, the tourist canal tours right outside the train station are affordable and a great introduction to the city.

I liked Paris, great food and the Eifle tower at night is very special and really fun to go up and walk down.  My family wasn't as impressed as I was.

Pamplona is another top spot I love for the old town charm and unbeatable tapas but really out of the way for the rest of the continent.

[Widgeondeke]

I just landed at SeaTac, returning from Spain. I would recommend Valencia & Madrid for sure. 
Norway is another spot that English is spoken by most people. Bergen was great and of course the train to Flam
In Italy, I prefer Florence, Pisa and Forte de Marni.

[trophyhunt]

I'm more of a relax and enjoy the food and drink guy.  Don't really care for big cities or traveling too much when I travel.  Last year we went to Rome, took tours of the coliseum and the vatican, both amazing places.  We went to venice for a couple nights, the food and churches were great, but the city wasn't all that great, dog poop and graffiti all over.  Then we stayed 1.5 weeks in Sicily in Ortigia, the fish market was pretty cool, the food again was amazing and our place was right on the water.  That trip had too many stops for me, this next trip we are gonna keep it to two places.  One is back to Sicily but the north coast line this time. 

[IDWAHunt]

Highly recommend Iceland to anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Even if it is only for a few days during a stopover yo a destination in Europe. Icelandair offers that feature among others im sure. The food is better than expected and the hot springs are nice to relax in.

Haven’t been to southern Europe but Tallin, Estonia was cool. Long history of conflict there with a less touristy old town nestled in the heart of a small modern city.

[farmin4u_98948]

I would echo some previous posts, Bayeux is an absolute can't miss spot.  I would spend 3 days there to see it all, we only spent two and were rushed.  Overlord Tours is the one to go with, our guide was a Brit living in France with a Ph.D. in French history.

I loved Istanbul, they subsidize flights so you can sometimes get amazing deals on Turkish airlines.  We flew Paris, Istanbul, Seattle for about 40% less than any other return I could find.

Junfgrau region is probably my favorite place in the world.  Murren would be my choice for sure.  Switzerland is spendy, I didn't care for Zurich as much especially given the cost.  If you like mountains, it really is like nowhere else I've been.

Germany is hard to beat, we visited Dachau, very tough mentally but highly recommended.  Munich is a nearby place to stay and the Hoffbrau Haus is really fun and great food and beer.  I love Cologne, the cathedral is beyond words and if you're into some exercise climbing to the top is amazing.

Amsterdam was one of my family's top choices, the tourist canal tours right outside the train station are affordable and a great introduction to the city.

I liked Paris, great food and the Eifle tower at night is very special and really fun to go up and walk down.  My family wasn't as impressed as I was.

Pamplona is another top spot I love for the old town charm and unbeatable tapas but really out of the way for the rest of the continent.

We did Turkey last year. Istanbul. Ephesus. Cappadocia. 5 weeks. If you love old world history it’s incredible. Fly Turkish air. We really felt like our dollar went a long way. From Istanbul you can hop to most anywhere in Europe easily and not costly. We did it in April. Great time of year to beat the crowds and the weather was still ok

[trophyhunt]

Not quite comfortable enough to go to places like turkey, or those other places I can't even pronounce lol.  The wife is really set on a week in florance, do a tour of the wineries, then spend a couple weeks in Sicily.  Nothing set in stone yet so I am gonna look into Bayeux, that place looks really cool and seeing the beach would be amazing.  Lots of ideas on here though, some of you guys are way more adventurous than I am, getting old sucks.

[OutHouse]

trophyhunt:

Go to Ireland. Stay in Dublin and take a bus up to Belfast. Do the taxi cab tour to learn about why northern Ireland is technically owned by the UK and all the history of that. Very informative and very cool. It's surreal to cross into the british section of belfast with a huge razor wired wall. You can sign the wall too!

[pianoman9701]

I think you would appreciate what Switzerland has to offer 👍

What a beautiful country. I've stayed in the Jungfrau region in Lauterbrunnen and Wengen. The 4K' waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen are not to be missed. Mt. Eiger in Wengen has some restaurants and hotels where you can sit and watch the climbers in the infamous north face. Bruge Belgium is home to many 400-600 year old cathedrals. The Belgian people are very nice. Holland, Amsterdam specifically, has lots of history, music, and art. The Rijksmuseum contains the world's largest collection of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh works. Even if you think you're not into art, the displays are incredibly moving. Vaya con dios!

[scotsman]

If you are in Italy, try to get to Bolzano, in the Alps kind of where the German , Swiss, Austrian and Italian borders meet. Why Bolzano? It’s the home of the Iceman museum! Absolutely fascinating to stand next to the still frozen body of a 5,000 year man, a hunter who died from an arrow wound trying to cross the Alps. All of his remarkable clothing and gear is there too. Unforgettable..

[wadu1]

Well, I like the UK so here goes see the following Stonehenge, Cotswolds, Bath, Warwick Castle (family history), Salisbury Cathedral at Rurunny Mead to see the original Magna Carta, then north Endinburg Castle, Wallace Monument (has William Wallace's Claymore) then over to the Isle of Lewis to see the Black Houses and the Standing Stones of Clanains (older than Stonehenge).  Both circles have Blue stones that are always warm to the touch. So many more it would take a travel guide to list them all. 

[jstone]

Ireland

[addicted1]

Romania

[spin05]

Amsterdam and or Germany.  Really a lot of the country's are so small and close. You can take the train and be there in no time.

[skipjack]

Do you recommend getting a e sim for the phones? Trying to plan details for a trip we are taking in a few months. I have been looking into it and I find you can buy an e Sims for multiple areas but can't figure out how you switch each time..
Itinerary is...
2 day layover in iceland
4 days Barcelona
10 day cruise France, 3 stops in Italy, 3 stops in Greece, 2 stops in Turkey.
5 days istanbul
2 day layover in london.
Input and advice appreciated.. also questions about experience shipping stuff home.. got a bad feeling about the wife and shopping habits.......

[pianoman9701]

Call your mobile company. There are fairly cheap plans for calling in and from Europe.

[Stein]

 

We have T-mobile and got every country we needed for free.  Some plans allow you to add a bunch of countries for a few bucks, much easier than juggling sim cards every time you cross a border.

[3boys]

We use Verizon and get the travel pass.  Works in 210 countries.  Better coverage than in the US.

[JBG]

Do you recommend getting a e sim for the phones? Trying to plan details for a trip we are taking in a few months. I have been looking into it and I find you can buy an e Sims for multiple areas but can't figure out how you switch each time..
Itinerary is...
2 day layover in iceland
4 days Barcelona
10 day cruise France, 3 stops in Italy, 3 stops in Greece, 2 stops in Turkey.
5 days istanbul
2 day layover in london.
Input and advice appreciated.. also questions about experience shipping stuff home.. got a bad feeling about the wife and shopping habits.......

Turkey is cool but just be aware that every "tour" will have a stop where they try to sell you a rug or pottery. 
If you do make it to Bayeux I recommend eating at "La Rapiere" https://www.larapiere.net/

[skipjack]

As for France we are going to Nice and will be doing a day trip to monaco... kind of want to throw down a bet at the monte carlo casino and the race stuff will be cool to see... that's good news about verizon I will give them a call.. thanks for the input..

[3boys]

As for France we are going to Nice and will be doing a day trip to monaco... kind of want to throw down a bet at the monte carlo casino and the race stuff will be cool to see... that's good news about verizon I will give them a call.. thanks for the input..

if you have time stop in Eze. It’s between Nice and Monaco.  Cool little city in the hills.

[Stein]

In Istanbul, definitely hit the Hagia Sophia.  Buy both passes, the mosque and the museum and hit the museum first.  It's an incredible museum that gives background on the history of the building which helps to better appreciate what you see. 

The grand bazar is pretty lame, I only went to walk through the same entrances that Marco Polo did.  There are tons of better places if you want to buy anything or just stroll the streets.