Other Activities > Other Adventures
Opinions on vacation spots in Europe.
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:
--- Quote from: Skillet on March 08, 2025, 09:07:30 PM ---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.
--- End quote ---
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.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version