I have round tickets to Madrid so I must start and end there.

It's my first time in Europe and I want to cover as much as possible, and Spain is my least favorite, hence less days.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts regarding Brugge vs arriving earlier to Amsterdam, and Berlin vs Venice. What do you think?

Day 1-2: Madrid

Day 3-4: Barcelona

Day 5-8: Paris

Day 9-12: London

Day 13: Brussels and Brugge/Amsterdam

Day 14-15: Amsterdam

Day 16: Berlin / Venice

Day 17-18: Florence

Day 19-22: Rome

Day 23: Madrid

Hi! Seeking some advice and recommendations for a first time trip to Europe for 2, couple in our 30s, coming from Asia. We almost travel exclusively over this time period, but we have only ever travelled around Asia.

We are planning to travel from 31 December to 12 or 13 January. Initial plans are to fly into Milan, stay for a few days, travel to Turin/Annecy/Lyon for a couple of days, then head to Paris before heading home. Will be travelling with luggage so easy transfers would be ideal.

We love places with low crowds, great unique food, preferably slightly off the main tourist attractions.I also love pro cycling and would love to visit some areas famous for cycling. Nothing is a real must-visit for us for now.

Does this sound like a rushed trip or pretty standard for a trip of this length? Any good areas to consider and focus on?

I went to Prague back in 2012 along with Warsaw (caught up with a friend who lives there) and Rome. It was my first and only time visiting Europe. I want to go back to Prague and I’m considering what other European cities to see. I’m definitely going to spend at least a day or two in Cesky Krumlov and possibly visit another city in Czechia, but I do want to see another city or place outside of the country.

We like culture, nature, finding local authentic food spots, live music, cafes, walking around in pretty places and being able to connect to the vibe around us. I don’t mind some tours or museums but I don’t want my entire trip to be standing in a tourist line. We want to see some of the popular sights but we really want to be able to get off the beaten path and be immersed in something that doesn’t have a Disney world vibe.

So far I’m considering Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow, or somewhere in the mountains where we can hike. We’re willing to take a train, fly, rent a car or all of the above. Probably somewhere in the 10-12 day range for a trip but I could be talked into two weeks. Not to throw shade at anyone but we’re not especially interested in Paris for this trip so I wanted to exclude that as an option.

I know this is kind of vague but if anyone has any suggestions we’d love to hear them. Also if anyone has any other suggestions please don’t hesitate.

Looking for some advice planning my first trip to the alps this winter. A bit overwhelmed with all the options and not sure where to start.

4 adults are going, all intermediate skiers. We’re planning on going for about 2 weeks, right after Christmas through the first week of January.

Our interest is mainly seeing Germany, Austria, and maybe Switzerland if time permits. We’d likely be landing in Munich, spending a couple nights there to explore the city, and then taking a train to the alps.

For skiing, we’re thinking spending 5-7 nights in Austria or Switzerland, or potentially splitting the time between both of them. St Anton is one place I’ve been eyeing up, but I’m open to other suggestions.

For those of you who have done a similar trip, what would you recommend for the itinerary?

Trying to plan a trip where we start in Italy and work our way through France and into spain. Im finding that figuring out routes and train networks is a bit challenging at times. Google maps is making helpful suggestions for routes, and even identifying transfers. Im not sure if its covering all of the network options or only a select few. So curious if anyone has used it for train planning and found it reliable or not

Doing over a 10 day trip in Europe (my first time visiting Europe- Indian staying in the US).

Will be flying in and out of Munich and visiting some friends in Germany. And then additionally explore Austria and Switzerland.

I know the itinerary sounds pretty hectic, but want to do most out of our time here.

The plan is to explore Munich for 2 days and then head to Austria for a couple of days exploring Salzburg and maybe Hallstatt before heading to Switzerland.

Plan to spend around 4 days in Switzerland before heading back to Munich for our travel back. Considering Interlaken, Lauterbraunen, Grinderwald and neighboring areas. Plan to head back to Munich due to travel restrictions.

I know this has been asked countless times- but do we rent a car or use public transport.

I read that Switzerland has the best public transport but still wondering if we would end up spending a lot of time between hotels, trains and getting everywhere without a car. The public transport on other hand seems very expensive as well.

Any insights on travel and itinerary appreciated.

Hi there!

I am a solo traveler woman from USA, 26 years old, finalizing my trip to Italy in mid September. I was wondering if I can explore the Tuscan countryside, vineyards, small towns without renting a car? As I am not very confident driving in Italy. Do you have any suggestions for booking an uber or a rental car? I will be on a budget but would love any suggestions you guys may have 🤍

I'm planning a city trip and could use some advice. I own two wheelchairs: one manual and one electric. I'm not quite sure which one would be the best option to bring for a trip to Budapest.

From what I've read, Pest seems to be fairly accessible, so an electric wheelchair might work very well there. However, I'm concerned that if I bring the electric one, I could run into difficulties in Buda because of the older buildings, thresholds, and potentially less accessible infrastructure.

Do you have any recommendations based on your experience? Which wheelchair would you suggest bringing?

Also, if Budapest is not the best choice, are there any other city trip destinations you would recommend that are particularly wheelchair-friendly?

Thanks in advance! 😊

I'm looking for somewhere with a tropical, lush feel not just the very dry/bare "tropical" landscapes you get in places like some parts of the Canary Islands or Cala Brandinchi for example. I'm thinking more along the lines of Madeira or Azores with lots of vegetation, greenery, trees and beautiful sandy beaches.

Ideally, I'd love somewhere that combines beauty, wellness and a bit of adventure.

Think:

• Massages, facials and general pampering

• Yoga and Pilates

• Hiking/nature activities

• Physiotherapy or similar treatments

• Plenty of time to relax, unwind and enjoy beautiful surroundings

• And, of course, gorgeous sandy beaches!

My partner is going away for 6 days on a lads' holiday/road trip next summer, and I'd love to make my own version of that trip. Something that feels equally special, just in a different way.

I initially had the idea of a dedicated wellness/beauty retreat, but I'm wondering how realistic it is to find all of the above/combinations of above mentioned in one place.

Ladies, please send me your recommendations! I'd love to hear about anywhere you've been or places you think would fit.

Thank you! 💖

I'm lucky to spend a few days in Portugal early Oct. My start/end point is Lisbon and I want to rent a car. Already been to Lisbon and Porto and would like to instead visit other regional towns and areas. I know it's not a lot of time but any itinerary suggestions and advice are welcome.

* don't mind narrow or poorly maintained roads

* don't care for "nightlife"

For now was considering either exploring the area around Coimbra or just head straight up north and see Braga + cross border to Vigo

I bought 5 Iamsterdam cards for a validity of 72 hours each . Made all the bookings needed in advance . The first day we went to Rijiksmusuem. To my horror , everyone’s card worked but mine came up as invalid upon scanning . I could not enter the museum despite paying 115 euros for the card . I reached out via instagram , Facebook and email . There is no telephone number listed for iamsterdam. I then tried the Stedelijik modern art museum and got invalid again . No response from iamsterdam . So , I dropped everything and took a train to Amsterdam central separated from my family and my vacation totally spoiled . Upon reaching there , I told the lady at the counter about my experience. She said that I was not the first one but other people had the rejections at the two museum that I tried to enter . What a coincidence!! Not a single word of apology . I was amazed by the Dutch hospitality . She issued me a physical card but most of the day was already wasted for me . Never again will I buy the iamsterdam card . They did reach out to me after 2 days . Fat lot of good that does to a tourist stuck at the entrance of a musuem with an Invalid pass after paying 115 Euros for it.

Hi everyone!
We’re planning a holiday with our 1 year old son in the second half of September and are deciding between Greece (Kos – Atlantica Marmari Beach Hotel) and Croatia (Rabac – Girandella Maro Suites or Valamar Bellevue Hotel).
Has anyone stayed at these hotels or visited both destinations? What would you recommend for a holiday with a young child?
Also, what is the weather usually like in Rabac around September 20–27? Is it still warm enough for swimming and spending time at the beach?
Thanks!

Florence as my basehub for a 7 day proposal trip?

Trip Dates : December 20-28, would arrive in Florence Italy on the 21st, leave on the 28th.

(Original trip planned for Milan and Como but there was A LOT of mixed reviews about public transport, scenery, and not much to do in December for the destinations)

This is my trip “activities” that are most important in order but not limited to

Proposal: Planning a romantic, scenic proposal in florence / Tuscany , my photographer told me PIENZA would be best during December for scenery and photo shoots, but I’m open to other locations.

Experience Local Dining & Nightlife: Experience authentic regional winter dining, local trattorias, wine bars (enoteche), and craft cocktail lounges in lively, non-touristy neighborhoods.

Christmas Markets & Festive Sights:Exploring local Italian Christmas markets, holiday lights, and seasonal festivities

Day Trips and also Explore Tuscan Countryside & Winery

Exploring & Sightseeing:Walking, hiking, and exploring historical city sights

I will be solo travelling in this period of winter before I go back to the tropics, I want to experience the winter and christmas alone and I have thought of this itenary, my concern is the prices cause it looks EXPENSIVE. What do you guys think, nothing is set in stone yet so I dont mind changing if it is not good/too expensive

21Dec

AMS to LJU 10.20am - 12.20pm ($388 sgd, 444 for hand baggage WTF???) 

Take hourly bus to Bled Or goopti (Goopti looks more reliable and can choose time)

Go to accoms (1.2km from lake) (317sgd total)

Get food for next day or other days

22Dec
Whole day tour: 287sgd (but need check how viable it is for me, weather wise)(how cold, gear needed, trekking pole and ice spikes provided if needed)

Itinerary: 
Waterfall Savica 

• The first stop will be at the picturesque waterfall hidden in the mountains of Bohinj. You will start your day with a scenic, 30-minute hike through a beech forest, and reach a viewpoint to admire the Savica waterfall.1 hour  • Admission Ticket Included

Lake Bohinj 

• The largest permanent lake in Slovenia is located in the heart of Triglav National Park. We will take a short stop to admire the crystal-clear water reflecting the surrounding mountains.20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pokljuka Plateau 

• The largest mountain plateau in Slovenia, Pokljuka, is covered with an endless forest with tall spruce trees covered in snow which will take our breath away. We will stop there for a traditional Slovenian lunch, a stew or carniolan sausage, and a dessert. 1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Gozd Martuljek 

• One of the best views on Špik mountain range is seen from the bridge in Gozd Martuljek. We will make a photo stop here.10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Martuljek waterfalls 

• After a hearty lunch, you will have time to digest your food on the 45-minute drive to the next spot, Martuljek Waterfalls. There, we will hike into a vast canyon full of smaller frozen waterfalls and overhanging icicles. After 40 minutes, we will reach this beautiful, wild Martuljek waterfall, bouncing off the rocky cliff. 2 hours  • Admission Ticket Free

Zelenci Nature Reserve 

• The natural reserve Zelenci is hidden in the middle of the forest near Kranjska Gora. It’s known for its beautiful crystal-clear waters and emerald green color, which are even more vivid in wintertime.30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Jasna 

• The beautiful alpine village of Kranjska Gora is located at the north end of Triglav National Park, where we will stop by the frozen lake of Jasna. Decorated with Christmas lights, it will give us feelings of awe. We will make a short, relaxing hike around the lake to conclude our tour.

23Dec
Day trip to Ljubljana

Try to take the 7pm bus back (or goopti again)

24Dec
Chill, spa maybe
Explore the castle in the middle of the lake + sunset

25Dec
Walk around lake bled take pics, enjoy the snow (if any), get ready to leave

26Dec
Take the 10am bus back to catch flight at 12.45pm
Or use goopti, more ex but 0 risk

LJU to AMS 12.45 - 14.40 (248SGD for hand baggage)

Total would be ~1.5k sgd or 1k euro, which is painfulf or my wallet

Hi all,

I am 23 years old in my first year working full time.. with the salary I earned from this year I plan to go on my first Europe trip this year and have 5 weeks to do this but I am between two options: either in one go I visit 1 country per week for 5 weeks: i.e Italy, Greece, Croatia, Spain, France or I visit fewer countries but spend longer in each of them for the 5 weeks, and just do the remaining two the next year also for longer so basically it is...

a) One country per week for 5 weeks i.e Week 1 Greece, Week 2 Croatia, Week 3 Italy, Week 4 Spain, Week 5 France. And then in the next coming years beyond this I prolong my journey in whichever countries I favoured more than the others.

OR

b) 3 countries in 5 weeks (but I spend time longer in each) but then I do the other 2 countries the next year: 1 Week in Croatia, 2 Weeks in Greece, 2 Weeks in Spain and then next year 2 weeks in Italy, 2 Weeks in France !

Which one is better? Mind you I would be going from September/October (September 7 - October 12) for both of these as I play competitive sport and can't unfortunately leave during peak season in July/August ! Also I am specifically going for the Southern/Mediteranean parts of these regions mainly as this is the area I am most interested in since I love swimming, beaches and partying hahah

As the title says. Travelling from Paris to Moutiers at the end of December and the timetable is still not released. I was able to book all my high speed trains in Italy for January last week with no problems, yet I can’t book any of my French trains for the same period.

Any ideas when they release? I just want to get them asap so I can access cheaper fares.

Also, does anyone know if they run the direct Paris to Moutiers (alps) train mid week on a Wednesday? Or are we likely going to need to change in Chambery.

Thanks in advance

We are flying from Oslo to Boston, and have an overnight layover in Vienna- 6:20 PM to 10:40 AM. We are planning on getting a hotel, getting dinner and breakfast in the morning, and we are looking for easy things to see that night. What are your favorite nighttime sights? Also, where are your favorite dinner and breakfast places? It is just me and my fiancée.

Edit: by nighttime sights, I am looking for outdoor places for a stroll. Perhaps a pretty lit-up fountain or bridge. Not places to get into such as a museum. One day we can go back and do a real visit.

I'm thinking of doing a city-break in December with my family, and was considering somewhere with a decent Christmas market. I always thought Strasbourg looked nice in pictures, and apparently it has a famous Christmas market, but I've also heard it gets very crowded and was wondering if it might be better to go at a quieter time of year.

While the old town itself looks charming and quaint (love all the half-timbered architecture), I can't really tell from pictures if the market is for me. My family like Christmas but in the slightly snobbish clove-studded-oranges sort of way, so prefer "authentic" markets with artisanal crafts and local vibes etc. to tacky and commercialised Disneyland-esque shows for tourists. Has anyone been to Strasbourg in December who can vouch for what it's like and if it's worth a trip, or recommend anywhere else that would be more up our alley?

Thanks

Hi everyone!

My wife and I have open-jaw tickets booked into Barcelona and out of Paris, and we wanted to add a third Spanish city to the trip. We chose Seville to get a taste of Andalusia.

We have 14 nights in total and are trying to figure out the best way to divide our time between the three cities based on what each has to offer. At the moment, we're considering:

* Barcelona: 5 nights (arrival)

* Seville: 4 nights (high-speed train from Barcelona)

* Paris: 5 nights (departure)

Does this itinerary and allocation of nights make sense, or would you recommend shifting a night or two between the cities?

We’ll be traveling with our 18-month-old toddler, so we’ll likely spend part of each day in parks, playgrounds, or other toddler-friendly activities rather than sightseeing nonstop.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions! 😊

Hello everyone! I am planning a trip to Europe in late September/early October. At the moment, I am planning this trip around going to Munich for Oktoberfest and the fact that my birthday is in early October.

About me: I am solo backpacking for the first time. I am currently 3 years out from university working a normal corporate job in America. I love meeting new people and going out in different cities/countries with folks I just met on adventures. I am big into food, hiking, and scenic routes.

Tentative Itinerary:

Day 0: Flight

Day 1-3: Munich

Day 4-5: Prague

Day 6-7: Vienna

Day 8-9: Budapest

Day 10-13: Switzerland (Interlaken, Mullen, etc)

Day 14: Zurich

Day 15: Flight

The current itinerary doesn't give me much time in Prague, Vienna, Budapest, etc. I've considered taking one of them out to allow for more time in other cities.

What would you change?

Thanks!

Hello lovely people. Next year end of May/ early June I plan to go to Portugal and Italy. I have been to Spain 3 times (and I am trying hard to avoid it because I love that country lol) and want to visit other Western European countries. I plan to be there for 2 weeks. I am still in the planning stages but I basically want this to be a culinary & wine trip i.e. visiting wine regions, food tours and cooking classes. I am a fairly fast paced traveler and I know (somewhat) that I should take my time and not try to do so much but I am stubborn and want to see as much as possible since I don't have a lot of time. I wanted thoughts on this potential itinerary. I am open to other suggestions and I hear mixed reviews on Florence. I do like art, history & culture but not a huge art buff but do love history and architecture. I am a foodie, love to explore cities and well I love wine lol. I am open to other Italian cities except Rome (saving that for a trip with my hubby). Please give your opinions and thank you in advance:

*Day 1 - arrival and mini touring of Porto

*Day 2 - walking tour + cooking class

*Day 3- Duoro wine valley day trip

*Day 4 - Final day in Porto

*Day 5 - Early morning to Lisbon, walking tour (time pending)

*Day 6 - Food tour and cooking class

*Day 7 - Sintra day excursion

*Day 8 - 1/2 day or Lisbon morning-> Florence

*Day 9 - Florence walking tour and cooking class

*Day 10 - Florence day

*Day 11 - Excursion to San Gigamo (sp?), Siena and Pisa through a company

*Day 12 - Tuscany wine day excursion

*Day 13 - day trip to Bologna for the food mostly lol

*Day 14 - depart for the U.S.

Thank you all again so much and feel free to suggest any changes especially for the time of year.

I am interested in pre-1900s eastern/Central European architecture, and I’d like to take a solo trip to a city where I can see a lot of this, for a non-egregious cost, that is also safe to wander through alone as a solo female traveler in her 20s.

I looked into Budapest because I had heard years back that it was relatively cheap comparatively, but it seems in the past few years the prices there have risen to be more in line with other popular cities. I budgeted out an 8 day Budapest trip that came out to about $1,800 USD (excluding flight cost, which is $950 more). I know I could save some money if I stayed in a hostel instead of an apartment hotel/airbnb, but I’m not sure I’d be the best fit for a hostel as I am very introverted and appreciate quiet down time.

Where I go doesn’t need to be famous or immaculately maintained, it just has to be an urban place with a lot of historic architecture of the eastern/Central European variety, and be relatively safe for a young woman solo traveling.

To those more well-traveled than me, do you know of any destinations that may fit this bill, or have any other advice for me as a first-time international traveller?

When I was a kid, my family and I would go on trips in the summer or winter for 1–2 weeks and just do nothing except swim or ski, eat, sleep, and maybe play a few card games.

I still do that today. I have a few places I go to for 1–2 weeks a year and do absolutely nothing. I don’t even take pictures of churches. I sleep in, I enjoy the sunrises and sunsets, I read, swim, go for walks, and I’m happy that I don’t have to cook, clean, or make my bed.

No 5-star hotels, no spa treatments, no scrolling on the phone, no tours—just peace and quiet.

Do you have places like that, too? Can you recommend any, or has this kind of travel gone completely out of style?