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Ok, I have started to type some info in order to help people that are traveling to Europe for the first time and don’t have a clue! I have posted tips for first time backpackers on many websites and some of my tips and suggestions have been printed in different travel guides (some of which give me credit and others present the information as their own). Anyway, here are my suggestions/advice after many backpacking adventures:
I have traveled extensively (over 40 countries) and have been to Europe many times and even lived in Holland while I “studied” a fall semester. Anyway, I have backpacked multiple times all over Europe and have been to most of the typical places. I can give you the point of view from either a solo traveler (as I have traveled solo 4 times) and I have traveled with another friend of mine (two college guys on a party trip) a few times, and I even traveled by car twice with a family. By far, my most helpful insights will be from my backpacking adventures. Don’t worry about asking me about out of the way places like Turkey, Bulgaria, Estonia etc, as I have been from Spain to Russia.
You can e-mail me questions directly at [email protected] if you like.
I suggest also viewing a few websites that give tips. One good site to look at is http://www.oldcontinent.com/faq/index.html this site probably has the answer to many standard questions. A good site for questions about how to use the trains, visit http://www.eurorail.com/planindx.htm Also, I highly suggest visiting some of the European travel forums. Whenever I have a question, that is where I go for an answer. Also, when I have time, I try to answer questions on these sites that others have asked. These forums are question and answer format that really cover most issues. I suggest the following order as most helpful:
http://on.starblvd.net/meet/Sports_and_Recreation/Travel/backpacking/
http://www.eurotrip.com/forum/ (very active board with very experienced
guests)
http://lonelyplanet.com (look in the thorntree section)
http://guideforeurope.com/ (scroll down and click on message forum)
http://messages.independenttraveler.com/
Please keep in mind that many people ask the exact same question that is posted by others, which kind of annoys some of the people that frequent these boards, so please spend some time reading other posts and also USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION. I bet that 99% of your questions have already been asked, and many experienced backpackers have already given answers.
After you have done several hours of planning, you can create an itinerary and post it on some of the above boards for input from other experienced travelers. It is very helpful to do this (for instance, others can tell you quickly that budgeting more than half a day in Pisa is too much).
The prices listed in this information may not be in your currency. Also some of the prices are referenced in older currency (pre-Euro) so you might have to figure out the conversions on some of those things (I have converted all of the prices that I found in a quick search). In an effort to help you, all prices that are stated in U.S. Dollars in this document can be converted to Euro. The conversion rate is
1.00 US Dollar = 1.016 Euro
1.00 Euro =
.984 US Dollar
Also, here are some other conversions that you might find
handy:
Australia 1.00 US Dollar = 1.81 AUDollar
1.00 AUDollar = 0.552 US Dollar
1.00 AUDollar = 0.561 Euro
Canada 1.00 US Dollar = 1.56 CDN Dollar
1.00 CDN Dollar = 0.64 US Dollar
1.00 CDN Dollar = 0.65 Euro
Keep in mind that the currency conversions change daily. Any prices quotes in US Dollars might have changed slightly due to the current value of the US Dollar, so I have attempted to give price quotes in Euro when I could.
If you need to check different currency conversions, many websites offer this function. Two such websites are http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi
and http://etravel.org/exchange These curency conversion websites are also good to check the current conversion rates because the rates fluctuate daily and I do not update this document that frequently.
Generally, I can give you some advice after you have started your homework. First off, you should recruit someone to travel with you as it is more fun and easier to get lodging (and you can save money) if there are two or three people. Then you should buy some books. You should plan on bringing one or two guide books with you such as Berkley Europe 2002, Let’s Go 2002, Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestring, Rough Guide’s, Rick Steves’ Europe through the Backdoor or Frommers (In general Rick Steves’ books are not for backpackers, but rather for older folks who want to travel independently but have no clue how (and they usually only list one hostel). Also Frommers focuses a little more on the traveler with a higher budget). There are also other guides that specifically tell you all of the youth hostels in Europe, but this may or may not be a wise investment. I suggest seeing if your library has a copy of Frommers and just adding a few names and numbers (to whichever travel book that you do buy) for the countries that you will be visiting (or if you go to out of the way places) as backups in case you need them. Beware that the older the books are, the more likely that the material contained therein (prices/telephone numbers) is outdated. The same is true for old postings in the Internet. You can also do plenty of this research in the Internet before you leave the USA. Hostel listings are widely available on the Internet and if you have time, get as many hostels and pensions added (or updated) to your Let’s Go book (written in by hand) as you can find before you leave America (especially for the smaller towns that you plan on visiting (or anywhere in Eastern Europe). Throughout this document I will refer to Let’s Go for ease of making my point, but I am simply referring to whichever travel guide book you decide to buy and bring. I personally prefer Berkley’s over Let’s Go because most college students will have Let’s Go and when you want a place to sleep, if everyone is using the same book, those places will fill up first and you will be SOL. Don’t worry, all of the main books suggest the same sights to see & places to go, so you will not be missing out on sightseeing or partying by choosing one book over another. Keep in mind that if your travel guide book describes a hostel as loud, noisy or festive – expect that it will be a party hostel.. A good idea is if there are 2 of you travelling, then one can carry Let’s Go and the other will carry Berkley or Lonely Planet. If you have trouble finding the Berkley book, here are some tips – its official title was: Fodor's Berkley Budget Guides - Europe 2001 - On the Loose – On the Cheap - Off the beaten path. I think that they have dropped the reference to “Berkley” and changed the name to something like “Up close,” but it is still made by Fodor's. The ISBN number that I have on an older version is 0-679-03176-6 and the book is published by Fodor's travel publications, Inc. and you can visit Fodors on the web at www.fodors.com. I do not work for them, just that is my preference after years of traveling.
I will also make reference to doing things before you leave the USA, this assumes that you are an American. Obviously, if you are not American, then just replace USA with your country and the meaning will be relevant (the point is that I suggest that you do certain things while you are in your home country before you fly to Europe – such as getting a Eurail pass!).
That being said, now read the front of these travel books and you will see what you will need to buy (backpacks), money/passport hiding spots, how to get cheap airline tickets, and what a Eurail pass is and which one is best for you. These books go into detail and are very helpful in this area.
http://www.raileurope.com/us/ and http://www.eurorail.com/ are helpful sites to find out about the Eurail pass. The last time that I visited the latter webpage, they even had a link for “rail rookie starting points” that gave general info for people that have never purchased a Eurail pass. Depending on what type of trip you are planning, you can tailor your railpass for that. Also, some trips will be more economical if you do not buy a rail pass and just buy a point to point ticket. The less that you travel, the better the point to point tickets are. Go to this link if you think that point to point traveling might be for you. http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/timecostmap.htm When you are ready to buy your railpass, visit http://www.railpass.com/ and you will get a good price (or use your student travel agency such as STA Travel). They specialize in selling railpasses so they can answer any questions that you have about the different passes.
In general, most backpackers should buy some type of Eurail pass (whether it is a flexi-pass or an unlimited pass) since most backpackers will travel to multiple countries. Although a Eurail pass is expensive, it is usually cheaper than buying separate train tickets for each leg of travel that you will do. Also, the biggest benefit is that with a Eurail, you do not have to wait in any lines to buy a ticket (there are some exceptions such as getting a couchette, sleeper or a seat reservation). I have used several different types of Eurail passes depending on my particular situation & timeframe. For instance, if you are in Europe for a month and you have no plans at all or plan on seeing as much as possible and probably will do a whirlwind tour of all of the major cities (and just stay a short time in each city) then you probably will make good use of the unlimited pass. However, if you will be in certain towns for days at a time without train travel, then probably a flexi-pass is better. If you will only be in a few countries, then there are passes that specialize in just certain countries. If you do not have an unlimited pass, then you may want to pay for any small daytrips with cash instead of using a whole day of travel. For instance, Florence to Pisa one way costs about $4 USD. If you are staying in Florence for 2-3 days and take a day trip to Pisa, just pay for the ticket at the train station rather than validating the flexi pass for a whole day.
In
general, second class is the way most backpackers go. Usually there are less first class cars and the seats are more
comfortable, usually bigger and the cars are usually air-conditioned. Sometimes you must buy a 1st
class Eurail (depending on you age).
You can always sit in 2nd class if you have a 1st
class pass, but never the other way around.
Also, after you buy your Eurail, expect to pay a little extra on some of the tickets in Europe (not every ticket will be included in the price of the Eurail) such as when you take the fast trains (TGV) you will have to pay a $5 supplement and you will have to make reservations on some of the trains (also a few extra bucks), and most of the ferries charge a port charge of a few dollars. I used to take my chances and sometimes just walk the trains and sit in between the carriages (if no seats were available), but this is only in emergency situations because the conductors can kick you off at the next stop (and sometimes do). In fact, my last time in Greece, the train was full on the day that I wanted to leave and the next train didn’t depart for about 10 hours and I decided to get on with my Eurail and no reservation (even though the boards indicated that a reservation was required), but the conductor just happened to board the train right behind us and when he saw we didn’t have a reservation he kicked us off right at the station before the train even left. We were pissed, but some other guys that were traveling with us (also without reservations) did not appear to get kicked off. Well, the next day when we arrived at our destination, we actually saw the other guys and they told us that the conductor eventually caught up with them and kicked them off the train at some little po-dunk town with nothing (no food, no bathroom) and they had to wait until the next train came by (the same one that we got stuck on). So, learn from my lessons – if at all possible, opt to travel with reservations (if they are required) rather than rolling the dice.
In general,
you can make seat reservations right before you board the train, or a few days/weeks
before. However, if you pull into a town and you already know that the next leg
of your trip will require a reservation, then while you are at the train
station, just make your reservation at that time - when you make a reservation,
the only choices that you have is smoking or non smoking and 1st or
2nd class. FYI in many countries the ticket people (where you make
the reservation) may not understand English (or not too well) and I find that
it is easiest to spell everything out for them. Make sure that they see that
you already have a Eurail pass and that way they will not try to sell you a
ticket for the journey. For example, if
you want a train from Amsterdam to Berlin on June 15, 2002 and the train departs
Amsterdam at 7:00 a.m. and arrives in Berlin at 5:30 p.m., and you want non
smoking then I would get a sheet of paper and a pen and physically write this
out for the person at window (before you are waited
on) and just hand it to them with your Eurail and also tell them in English
what you want to do. I would write the above information like this:
15/6/02
Amsterdam --> Berlin
7:00 a.m. -----> 5:30 p.m.
and then draw a picture of a cigarette with a slash through it
Remember that when you write the date in numerical fashion
in Europe to
write the DAY first and then the MONTH and then the year.
If you are in France and you want to take a fast TGV train, make sure to write
TGV on the paper that you give the window person. I always write this stuff down and hand it to the person at the
window, even if I am fluent in the language.
That way, they don’t mix it up by mistake. As soon as the attendant gives you your reservation or whatever
you just bought, look at it and make sure that it is correct.
I am a great believer in using
credit card whenever possible to save hassle (especially if they do not charge
a service fee). If possible, I always
pay for any surcharges or couchettes with a credit card (some places require
cash). I prefer credit cards so I can
make less trips to the bank or money exchange, especially if I have almost run
out of money for that country and I am about to leave (always keep a few bucks
so you can buy some food for the train). In general Visa and Mastercard will
charge 1% fee for currency conversions.
Make sure to check that your credit card company (whichever bank is
sponsoring your card) does not also charge its own fee. I have heard that Chase and First Card
charge an additional 2%.
(actually I hear that there are no conversion fees for Chase Visa but 2%
for Chase Mastercard). US Bank
(Northwest Airlines card) charged a whopping 3%. I know that MBNA does not charge the extra fees.
If you do not have the time to make
your reservation when you arrive in a town – no biggie. You can make it anytime
before you leave. Be aware that in the
summer months for the most popular routes, sometimes the train will actually
run out of seats, so it is wise to try to make a reservation as far in
advance as possible. However, when I pull into a new town, my main
priorities are changing money, and getting lodging lined up. Then I can
swing by the train station later (but this usually wastes time in that
city) or just get to the station before the actual departure time and hope
there is an available seat. I highly suggest that you line up your lodging
(at least call around and find a place that is still vacant) before you
stand in any line to get a reservation out of that town. After all, who
knows, you may meet some cool people and stay longer or change your plans,
and then the reservation will have been wasted. I usually only get a reservation if it is required.
Getting
back on track, then buy the airline ticket and Eurail pass (and if you think it
is worth it, you can get a youth hostel card).
I have mixed feelings and I am not sure that the youth hostel card is a
good buy for everyone. I suggest
researching hostels prior to your trip if possible and try to determine which
hostels you would like to stay in for each city that you plan on visiting. Then look to see what type of hostels the
majority are. Then maybe buy that type
of hostel card (there are different types of hostel cards). My experience has varied and 2 of my trips I
had spent more on the hostel card than I would have spent had I not had the
card and just paid the small fee at the hostel for not having a card. Then again, some hostels do not accept you
at all during the busy season unless you have the card (but in my experience,
that is rare). Bottom line, I will not
ever buy a hostel card again. There is an age limit in official German (DJH)
youth hostels of 26 - but only in Bavaria. Not in the other German states. Check http://www.backpacker-network.de
for independent hostels in Munich if you are older than 26 (they don't have any
age limit).
Then you should buy your International Student ID card (available at most university travel shops or with your Eurail stuff). This card will get you a 10-20% discount at museums and other attractions in Europe. In general, this card is worth the cost because you will get discounts at things such as museums and I believe that I also go discounts at other attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Pompeii, the Tower of London tour, etc. Years ago, I used to just bring by normal University ID card with me, and places used to give me the discount with that, but in the last several years, more and more places have required the International Student ID card, so you better get it (you still may be able to use a normal College ID in way off places like Bulgaria, but I would just suggest getting the standard one (you will need another passport picture for student ID card too!)
Then start discussing the MUST-visit places with your travel companions. This will be fun or stressful depending on the people you travel with. If nobody cares where you go, great - you will be flexible and that is great for your first time traveling. Usually people will want to go to a few places (like if your parents are Italian, then you probably want to go to Italy). This is good too because you will probably have a few places to stop and visit relatives. I strongly advise you to contact anyone that you even remotely know that lives in Europe well before you go and get invited to stay with them (at least it will be a free night stay and maybe even a free meal and laundry). I stayed in Geneve for free for 2 weeks with relatives that I had never met before. Great luck for me in that very expensive country.
After you select your MUST-SEE cities, then plan on a ball park itinerary that you may like to hit and keep an open mind, because chances are that when you are actually in Europe, you may run across some hot chicks/guys or some cool people that you enjoy and want to travel with for a little bit. Anyway, if you are looking at backpacking for 4 weeks or less, then be realistic about what you plan on seeing. You probably should not expect to see more than 10 cities. This is because you will want to hit the big cities and each big city takes a few days. If you have more time or this is not your first time, then you can see more because you will probably see smaller areas.
Generally, expect that Western Europe (France/Switzerland) is quite expensive and will really tax your budget. A good ballpark figure should be realized depending on your budget ($40-$60/day to include all expenses like lodging, food, transportation (subway/trams, reservations and supplements on trains) & attractions). When I say $40-$60 includes food, that means that I can usually eat out (at a restaurant, cafeteria, university or vender food) and very occasionally will involve a grocery store or cooking in the hostel. By making a budget, you can see how much you should be spending. When you are in Europe, you will try to keep to this budget, and if you realize that you are in fact spending more, then expect to run out of money! You will know if you are spending too much very easily if you exchange $200 for 4 days in a country and you run out of money in 2 or 3 days. I say this because I suggest seeing Western Europe (or Scandinavia if you really, really want to) first because they are the most expensive. Generally, if this is your first trip, you will probably not go to the extreme parts of Europe (Scandinavia is the extreme north).
Some guy asked me if $67 per day (after purchasing airline and Eurail tickets) would be sufficient. I told him the following:
There is no question in my mind - $67 is plenty. If you have that much cash, you can have a blast and go out drinking frequently, eat lunch and dinner out (never needing to cook in a hostel) and also see many museums. Don't let anyone let you think otherwise. The most expensive cost you will incur is lodging. If you find yourself spending more than $67 per day, then you are probably spending too much on lodging.
If you see that you are spending
too much cash and you cannot comfortably reduce your spending, change your
itinerary and spend more time in eastern Europe. You can live like a king on
$67/day. (I have done Western Europe on
budgets of varying ranges ($25 - $60) on about 10 different backpacking trips.
Eastern Europe (Prague, Budapest, Sophia (Bulgaria) are significantly cheaper, but be careful because the Eurail pass does not include some Eastern Europe countries (but the train/bus tickets aren’t too expensive).
The South of Europe is nice. If you are traveling in the summer, then expect it to be hot! If you want to hit Greece (great to party) then expect to take the ferry from Brindisi (Italy) to Patras (Greece) and calculate that down time (it takes a long time to get from Italy to Greece and is a little bit of a pain in getting on the ferry in Brindisi, but it is worth it if you have been thinking about it. Although the point of this document is not to get into detail on how to get to any one place, getting from Brindisi to the correct ferry is tricky. Be careful in Brindisi because the vultures will be out to trick you and confuse you. You may be told that the ferry is not running, has been cancelled or that there is a strike - this is B.S and is an attempt to make you stay another day or night in Brindisi at the vultures’ accommodation. Many of the Brindisi locals also try to sell you a ticket with the ferry line they represent (your Eurrail ticket should give you free travel with only a small surcharge for port taxes). You will probably be tired and hungry upon arrival in Brindisi which leads to vulnerability.
FYI – there are several ferry companies in Brindisi but Adriatica lines is not part of Eurail any more, and although Hellenic Meditteranean Lines is running – it does not have a regular schedule yet. Blue Star Ferries is the new line that accepts Eurail and runs daily (all year long). Get there a minimum of 1 hour ahead of departure so you will have enough time to get the boarding pass, pay your port tax and be driven to the ferry by the company’s mini bus. To get from the train station in Brindisi to the ferry, avoid misleading arrows and signs that say (Eurail - Interail). Instead, you should walk straight down the main road (450 meters) towards the port where you will find the ferry embarkation offices. This is crucial because as you exit the train station in Brindisi, you will see advertisements for boat/ferry passes and most backpackers will go there (and many people think that others must know what to do and just follow the other backpackers, but the reality is that most backpackers have never done the Brindisi/Patras crossing).
One backpacker told me his experience involving American Express Travelers Cheque. Since he brought these things, he felt that it was worth his while to find an American Express agency to exchange money (no commission and a good rate). Well, right next door to the boat merchant, (near the train station) there is a big American Express sign. This guy gave the company $300 and took the drachmas they offered in exchange. Since the backpacker did not know what the exchange rate should have been, instead of getting around 390 for $1, he only got 305, losing about $70 in the exchange. In fact, this turned out to not be an AmEx agency at all, just a big sign that said AmEx and suggested it was an agency. Clearly this error could have been avoided, but this is an example of how you can get ripped off by being off guard coming off the train all tired and pressed for time. The really bad thing is that this guy even had read my advice about Brindisi and emailed me after he returned!
Also, the ferries are rarely so full that they turn you away – even in middle of August (peak of the tourist season) there is still availability on the ferries.
In general, when you travel by ferry (which is included in the Eurail pass for ferries between Italy and Greece, France and Ireland, on some lakes in Switzerland and from mainland Europe to Scandinavia) expect to sleep on the deck of the ship (although the ferry in Scandinavia provided cramped cabins). There are some inside seats, but even then, most backpackers do not sleep in the seats, but select to sleep on the floor near the seats. Don’t worry, you will not be the only one on the deck – there will be HUNDREDS of backpackers with you. For this, you will be happier with a sleeping bag than a sleepsheet. Many will sleep; many will party all night. Remember to buy some food at the port if you have time before getting on the ferry.
Regarding the sleeping bag, if you can afford the space and weight that a sleeping bag takes up, then you may want to bring it. Sleeping bags do take up space and weight and if you will always have lodging reserved and will never camp and will never have to sleep on the deck of a ship or in a train station, then don’t bring a sleeping bag. I have always brought mine, but that is because I rarely make lodging reservations. Be aware that most hostels do not permit you to place a sleeping bag in their mattresses, but rather, they require you to use sleep sheets. (by the way, hostels do not provide soap, shampoo or towels in case you were wondering). Sleep sheets are either sheets that the hostel provides, or that you provide (really it is just 2 sheets that are sewn together in the shape of a sleeping bag. However, if you use the Eurail for any ferries in Europe (perhaps with the exception of Scandinavia), you will sleep on the deck (floor) of the ship – and a sleeping bag is nice for that. In general, most first time backpackers probably should buy or make a sleep-sheet and bring that instead of a sleeping bag.
So as for creating an itinerary, make one but expect to change it as you travel. It is generally cheaper to fly into Amsterdam or Brussels or London, so why not start there. If you have to return to USA at the end of your vacation by returning to that same city, then you better plan on saving time at the end of your trip to do this (you do NOT want to try to get from Athens to Amsterdam in 36 hours). Some people want to get an itinerary down – ok here is a sample one: Amsterdam, Brugge (Belgium), Paris, Geneva, Florence (Pisa – daytrip), Rome, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam. However, considerations should be made for weather (south is warmer) and you may decide to do the south first and then all of the north – kind of in a zig zag fashion (my sample itinerary above kind of does a loop). Regardless, if you will have a lot of time (6 weeks or more), then consider including Greece and Ireland and Scandinavia. Otherwise, you probably should skip these areas for your first trip to Europe, since they take extra time (since boats are involved) and Scandinavia is expensive and kind of cold.
The books will tell you all about the countries, but FYI – do not expect to fly to London and then travel all around the British rail lines on your Eurail – since you need a special Brit Rail pass to do that in British areas (except, the Ireland ferry is included) This explains why I did not see London until my 5th trip to Europe! In Britain, suburban and intercity rail tickets are expensive. Therefore, if you are planning on taking more than 2-3 rail trips, you should purchase a Rail Pass.
Anyway, in order to get from Britain to “the continent” by train, you would need to buy a separate ticket. If you took the Eurostar through the Chunnel and into Paris, plan on it costing about $100 for a roundtrip ticket. The Eurostar leaves about every half-hour (with a few exceptions) to Paris Gare Du Nord station. If you're planning on doing this on a Friday/Sat/Sun you probably should buy the ticket beforehand, if possible.
Other options are to fly. The following companies offer very cheap flights from European cities to other European cities: RyanAir (http://www.ryanair.com
or EasyJet (http://www.easyjet.com) or Europe By air http://www.europebyair.com.
I suggest visiting http://travel.state.gov/ prior to your departure to review any travel warnings. This is important for recent terrorist threats and such. This is a website for Americans who travel outside of America (because certain threats might be directed towards Americans).
Also visit http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html to see which countries require visas from American visitors. There has been talk about the US restricting foreigners to having a 30-day visa, and several European countries have threatened to reciprocate if the USA imposes such a restriction. So, make sure that you know the current visa requirements (especially if you plan on being in a country longer than 30 days. If you want to find out what hostels are in a specific city, I suggest visiting http://www.budgettravel.com/hosteleu.htm
and just scrolling down.
Languages:
If the only language that you speak is English – don’t worry, you will get by just fine in most places in Europe. I speak German and Dutch. I found that German was very helpful in Eastern European countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. French is really only helpful in France, Southern Belgium Western Switzerland (like Geneva), and Morocco. In Italy, English will get you by, but the further south that you go, the less English will be spoken. If you know Spanish, some Spanish will help you understand the Italian – but there is enough English spoken that you will be able to get by. I suggest learning a few key phrases for each country that you will be visiting (learn them just prior to entering the country). The guidebooks usually give some examples, but “thank you” is always useful. In general, you can usually request the location of the bathroom by asking for the W.C. or the toilet (sometimes pronounced toilet – ah). Expect that you may have to pay for toilet facilities and/or toilet paper. Sometimes you can go to a fancy hotel or a McDonald’s and use their bathrooms for free.
Regarding languages, when you start getting towards the former Soviet Union, you will have trouble. I traveled with a guy that was fluent in Russian and the countries like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all used to be part of the Soviet Union, but they hate Russia and when we tried to speak to them in Russian, some people refused to speak to us in Russian (even though they all were fluent in Russian). They wanted us to speak Lithuanian or Estonian! Anyway, Russian helped somewhat in these countries, as few people spoke English.
Backpacks – you will have to shop around for what you need, but the books that I referenced above give some tips. Basically, an internal frame is the way to go for the average college student that is backpacking. I noticed a lot of girls with interior frame backpacks that even had wheels and they could wheel them around like luggage when they got tired! I never had one with wheels, so I do not know whether they are great, but I do wonder whether they are as sturdy as the backpacks without wheels. Also, I have heard that they are heavier than most other backpacks, and I have heard people complain about the fact that since there are so many cobblestone streets in Europe, that the backpack on wheels just bounces all around and makes lots of noise.
Regardless, expect to spend $150-$300 for a good backpack. Maybe you can borrow someone’s and save money, but make sure that it fits you first! It should feel comfortable when you try it on in the store (and the salesperson should adjust the straps depending on your body size). Basically, buy the backpack and then start to fill it up. Remember that everything that you bring will be heavy at the end of the day. Even if you are only going to the beaches in Greece, still bring some long pants. If you like cargo pants (they zip off into shorts) that might be a good idea. Likewise, even if you only plan on being in the cooler north, bring some shorts. I suggest dark colors for pants/shorts since they may get dirty sitting on things and you may have to actually wear them for a few days in a row. As for tops, if you will be in the hot areas, light colors are better, but they don’t hide dirt too well. Some people are worried about looking like a tourist if they wear shorts. My advice is who cares? You will obviously be a tourist when you have a huge backpack on your back, and also as soon as you open your moth and speak.
People often ask me about what type of backpack is best to buy – read the books and try some on, but I suggest getting one with an internal frame and a detachable daypack. You will really be foolish if you don't get a day-pack. Many good quality backpacks are sold with a detachable day-pack - get one of these. However, if you don't want to (maybe because the detachable day-packs are smaller than normal small backpacks), you can get a normal large backpack and bring along a smaller backpack (like the kind that you used in school) and just place it inside of your large backpack, or strap it to the top or back of your big backpack. The bottom line is that you WILL need a daypack. Some people take the large bag type thing that only has one strap. I do not suggest this because they are too large and only have one strap. The whole point is to bring something small and comfortable. If you are worried about theft, when you are in a crowded place, just move your small backpack (daypack) off of your back and put it in front of you.
Your backpack will be heavy and most people will get sore shoulders (where the straps of the backpack touch your shoulders/chest). Some people try to minimize this pain by wrapping their straps with cushioning. I have seen people use foam padding, towels, and even maxi-pads to cushion the straps. In addition to the shoulder straps, you should also have a smaller strap that crosses your chest. I suggest using that strap for anytime that you plan on walking more than ½ a block. When you board a train, sometimes it is easier to walk through the narrow passageways if you take off your backpack and carry it like luggage.
Some people ask me about the electronic alarms for the backpack – what a waste! If someone wants to get something from your bag, they will either take the whole bag, or cut the bag and get in. The same is true for the PACSAFE thing that is made of “indestructible” metal net – if a criminal wants to break through it, all s/he has to do is take a lighter to the little metal pieces that hold together the indestructible metal net. Besides, you will never see any other backpackers with this contraption. Therefore, the people who do use it will be sending a signal that there MUST be expensive stuff in that backpack. There, I just saved you about $50-60. My advice - Just put the little locks on the zippers as a deterrent, but if someone wants in badly enough, they will. I suggest using the combo locks, because while you can remember a combo, you might lose a key. Even if you don’t lose the key, it wastes time looking for the right key for each lock. Another option instead of locks is to use those plastic ties to lock your zippers together. These are pretty cheap and you can use your knife to open them when needed, but then again, so can a thief.
Use common sense about where you leave it (and what you leave in it).
Music – you may want to bring a CDplayer and some cd’s – they don’t really weight THAT much and can be very helpful for long train rides. This is personal preference. If you are very people friendly, then you may find this a waste of space as you will be able to talk to many people on your travels and you can get great info (especially other backpackers that you run across). If you meet others on the trains, that is a great way to get multiple people able to get discounts for lodging (especially in the poorer countries). Long train rides are also a good idea for reading your guidebooks about the next city that you will be visiting. You should always have read about the city that you are visiting BEFORE you even arrive in that city, especially if you do not have lodging lined up.
Get some waterproof spray such as Kiwi Camp Dry.
I got this stuff at Wal-Mart for about 1/2 of the
price that they charged for Scotch or 3M. Anyway, the Kiwi stuff was real good.
Make sure to spray your backpack several times (especially the top) before you
leave for Europe (spray it when it is empty). Also spray your shoes (boots if
you bring them) and your jacket (I only bring a windbreaker). A windbreaker should be enough if you also
bring a sweater (which can double as a pillow). You will not use an entire can of spray. If you do, then realize that you probably
put on too much.
A
good way to reduce the size that bulky clothing takes up is to place it
into a zip-lock bag and squeeze out the air.
The weight will not change, but a bulky sweater will take up less
space. Take this concept a step further
and you will see the value of compression straps (especially if you bring a
sleeping bag).
People
wonder about Swiss Army knives –
bring one. I used to say “don't worry about a little ole Swiss Army knife at
the airport” but in light of the terrorist stuff that happened, please make
sure that you place any knife in your backpack that you check (not carry-on)
and if it can be taken apart, do that.
I always brought mine because it was great to fix my backpack when it broke and it was a nice bottle opener and scissors. As for a weapon - not many people would be intimidated. Weapons are not good ideas when you try to get into the Louvre or the Kremlin etc. I did pick up one of those cheapo switch blades that they sell in Berlin for $5 and that is great to whip out when you have to spend the night in a train station and the dirtbags come around. Just use it to cut up an apple or something and the dirtbags will take notice and will leave you alone. Just remember to not show a switchblade (even if it is a crappy one that looks real but wouldn't really hurt someone) when a police officer is around - you could have problems.
Camera – I have several and once made
the mistake of bringing a big fancy Nikon (SLR) and it sucked because it was
heavy and took up space. Just bring a
small camera and get pictures developed back in the USA (save lots of $ and you
can get them the same size prints in the USA so they fit in your photo albums).
As for film through the x-ray machines at airports, I used to say don’t worry
unless you had 800 or faster film.
However, since September 11, Fuji Film has posted an announcement
regarding the upgrading of X-Ray machines in airports, and as used in the US
Postal Dept. Some of the machines will wipe your film as if it were exposed to
daylight! For more info, visit
http://fujifilm.com/filmsafety/xray.pdf
Do not put any film in your checked luggage.
If you are considering between a fancy camera with several lenses and a point and shoot, here are my thoughts. I have bought SLRs and point and shoots and I determined that it is just better to bring a lightweight point and shoot. unless you are a photography student or something, you really don't need the fancy lenses. Just buy a print or postcard - they will have the best lighting and least amount of people in the pictures. My only other camera advice is to try and make sure that at least half of your pictures have you in them. A photo album of a bunch of old buildings begins to all look the same when you get back home.
Also, don’t carry your camera around your neck. It actually makes it easier to steal, and announces that you are a tourist. Rather, keep it in your daypack. My goal when traveling is to look like a local college student rather than a tourist, but I don’t try extremely hard.
FYI - my favorite pictures are of me in front of landmarks such as St. Basels in Red Square, the Berlin Wall, the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, the leaning tower of Pisa, the Parthenon, Lucern's lion, Prague’s St. Charles Bridge at dusk, in front of the Mermaid outside Copenhagen, having a beer in the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, in front of those huge doors of that church in Florence (also on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence), the Coliseum in Rome. Also the small (non landmarks) are great such as cobblestone streets in Brugge.
Before you have a stranger take your
picture, tell them exactly where to stand and make sure that you stand only far
enough away from the camera so that you are visible from the waist up. No point in seeing your shoes, and besides,
your face will be too small if your feet are visible. I also suggest asking two different people to take your
picture. That way, if one screws it up
(and cuts out the top of the monument) then you can still have a shot at a good
picture.
DRUGS- If you do drugs (smoke pot) you will surely run across plenty of others who will share your likes (especially in Amsterdam), but a word of caution, many countries take a very hard stance on drugs and have very harsh penalties if you are caught with any drugs (such as after you leave Amsterdam -–you best smoke it all before you get on the train to Italy!) People keep asking me how to smuggle it back to the states, and I can’t help you there. I suggest that if you are gonna do it, just do it as you come across it and not transport any of it with you. Some places will toss you in jail for a very long time even if you just have a small amount. Try to explain to your parents why you missed the fall semester because you were stuck in a Turkish jail.
Traveling with another person who shares your intentions can be a very good way to see Europe. If 2 people both want to party – great. If 2 people both hate partying and want to see every church and museum in Europe – great. The point is, if one person is a party-animal and the other is a nun, you will have problems.
Backpack storage – Sometimes you will just stop in a town for a few
hours (like Pisa) and you will not want to lug around your big backpack. Hell, you will not want to wear your big
backpack ever if you didn’t have to! The best place to store the backpack is right at the train
station. When you arrive at a town and
you will only be there for a number of hours & then you will be leaving the
town, just put your backpack in a locker at the train station for a few dollars. Generally these lockers are fairly safe and
some places don’t offer lockers (or only offer small lockers) and you will have
to give your backpack to an attendant and he will place it on some shelves
behind him. I have NEVER had any
problems with theft like this, but if you can select which locker you place
your bag in, choose one that is close to the attendant (to deter someone
breaking in). Also, make sure to know what time the luggage room closes (after
it closes, you can not get your bag back until the next morning). A problem is that if there is a terrorist
(bomb) threat, the lockers are the first things that are closed. I suggest that you opt for leaving your bag
with the attendant at the “left luggage” section (costs you about $1 more than
a locker). If you will be staying in
that town, then as soon as you arrive, you should call the hostel and go there
& dump off your bag and then see the town with just your day pack (with
your Berkley or Let’s Go book, camera and a water bottle). Make sure that you know the name and address
of the hostel that you ended up checking into so that you can return to
it. (Make a note in your book to
indicate which one you ended up at in case your first choice was booked when
you arrived.) Some hostels provide you
with a locked area that you can put your backpack into. Sometimes I just leave it on my bed. Generally, you will never leave anything
important in your backpack, so even if it is stolen (and that would suck) you
will always have your camera, guidebook, money and passport.
Stuff to pack – read the books I suggested. I’d also like to suggest that you find a small towel that is not too thick and use this as your bath towel. See, you will usually use the towel just before you leave the hostel and you may have to let it dry on the outside/top of your backpack – so the smaller and thinner that it is, the more likely that it will dry! Give some consideration to buying one of those “Viscose towels” such as the brand name Pack Towel - it weighs only 2 oz. (57 g.), Viscose is a form of rayon that absorbs ten times its weight in water, then wrings 98% dry with a few twists. These towels don't smell bad as a cotton towel would. I also found a similar MicroFiber towel that is 39 x 19 inches and weighs 6 oz and costs $20 and I saw it at Magellan’s for sale http://www.qksrv.net/click-711188-1481194
In
general, when people say they wash clothes in a hostel, many people mean HAND
WASH clothes in a sink and hang to dry.
Some hostels have laundry facilities, but sometimes you may just have to
go to a laundromat in the town that you are in. Yes, it sucks to waste time on your vacation doing laundry. I have done a little of everything and
suggest the following: In general plan
on visiting a laundry machine once a week and doing everything at that one
time. If you are getting close to the
end of the week and you realize that you will be on a train for 20 hours, or
you are in a small town with no laundry facilities, then hand wash a few things
(socks, undies, and maybe a shirt). The
main thing to keep in mind is when you handwash stuff, it takes time to dry
(even if you wring it out very well).
If you are in an area where it is hot and not humid, your stuff will dry
quickly. Otherwise, be realistic and plan
on washing when you have a few days at one location or else you will have wet
clothes (to repack in your backpack).
Learn from my experience – do not hand wash a week’s worth of stuff all
at one time. You will not have enough
line to hang it all up on. Also, even
if you bring enough line and can even find enough things to tie it to in the
hostel room, the sheer weight of the wet clothes may cause some damage (I
caused a 300 pound chest of drawers to nearly come crashing down on my travel
partner).
I once
traveled with a friend who brought an electric razor. He was happy that he had it because he never shaved with a
non-electric. But it seemed like a
waste of space and weight to me when I compared it to my non-electric
razor. However, he pointed out that if
you have a non-electric razor, then you can save space/weight because you will
not need any shaving cream. So, it is
up to you (but you will need to mess with electricity adapters).
Bring some detergent (such as single use sachets of Woolight – or if you will do lots of handwashing - Dr Bronner's –which is super-concentrated) and clothesline and clothespins and that way you can handwash some stuff if needed in a crunch (probably more times that you plan on!). A rubber sink stopper (or rubber jar opener) is helpful too and very cheap at the hardware store (although I've also just stuffed a sock in the drain which works okay).
MONEYBELTS - Some
people wonder if they should get a money belt.
Read the books and decide for yourself, but here is what I think –get
one! You need a place to hide your
passport and cash and credit cards and you want them on you at all times except
when you are taking a shower! Anyway, they sell normal-looking belts that you
can unzip and actually stuff things into the belt itself - but they are too
small for a passport. I suggest either a bag-like pouch that goes around your
waste (under your pants) or the kind that you wear around your neck - the one
under the pants is safer! Regardless, you do not ever want to leave anything
like a passport in your day pack - things get lost and stolen. I have heard that American passports go for
up to $10,000 on the black market, so there is a big incentive for people to
steal your passport. If that occurs
then you have to waste a few days at the nearest American embassy (which may be
hard to do if you need to travel by train (and a conductor asks you for your
passport) to get to the city in which the embassy is located!)
Shoes – make sure that you bring shoes
that you have already broken in. I
don’t care how cute your brand new boots are, if they are not broken in, don’t
bring them. I suggest teevas or berks
and brown casual/dress shoes for guys (that way you can get in the
discos/clubs) Although I like
comfortable crosstrainers, they are heavy and require you to bring more pairs
of socks, and they will not grant you access to clubs. People keep asking me if
they can bring brand new $150 Nike Air max or Shox for clubs, and the answer is
NO. Unless you are going to a very
select few clubs that allow trainers/tennis shoes (such as some on Ibiza or
other rave/techno clubs) you will be laughed at when you try to get in the
club.
Even if you bring teevas or berks, still bring some socks because your feet will be cold sometimes. The key is that shoes are heavy and the less weight that you bring, your back will thank you. I like crosstrainers and wear them all the time, so I have usually brought those and lightweight dressy leather shoes (for clubs). If you normally wear crosstrainers, then go ahead and bring them, because the weight will not be a factor (because they will be on your feet all of the time and not in your backpack- and when you go to a club, you will not have your backpack anyway). Oh yea, bring some real cheap lightweight flipflops/shower shoes for the showers so you don’t get athlete’s foot in the hostels (when you leave the hostel, the shower shoes will be wet and you can place them on the outside of your backpack). I opted for shower shoes and my friend just wore his teevas in the shower (and then they were wet for the rest of the day and squeaked).
HOW TO GET LODGING – there are many ways to do this. First off, read the books! They suggest the best hostels and pensions and the ball park prices. Expect the prices to be a little higher than what the books say. If you will be going June-August, this will be the peak tourist season and you may want to call ahead to some of the hostels in the bigger cities (such as Paris). Otherwise, generally, as soon as your train pulls in, the first thing that you want to do is get into your lodging. During the summer months, if you travel solo, it is easier to just show up (or just call a hostel when you arrive in that city) than if you are traveling with others. This is because many people are not gutsy enough to just show up and they make hostel reservations. So, many of the doubles will already be reserved. If you are traveling with another and you did not make a reservation, you may still be able to both stay at the same hostel by choosing to stay in a dorm (with several other people). Some people reserve their hostels for every day of their trip. Some make no reservations and wing it. Both have risks. If you reserve, you are locked into an itinerary that is very hard, if not impossible, to modify. If you do not make reservations, it is possible that you will not have lodging in a particular city. In general, if you arrive early in the day/morning, you should be able to find some place to sleep. It may not be your first choice (as it may be full) but then again, some hostels get booked months or a year in advance. All of the best hostels listed on the internet and in the books will probably be full if you just show up without a reservation, so if you MUST stay at a particular hostel, make a reservation as far in advance as possible . Also, there is nothing to stop you from calling a few days ahead of time to reserve a room with a credit card. If you do that, make absolutely certain that you understand how to use your calling card to call one European city/country from a different European country.
Either exchange money so you can make a call, or use your calling card (this will be quicker but more expensive) and call the hostel of your choice and ask if they have any vacancies and how much it costs. If they do, you are a happy camper! My cell phone does not work in Europe, but some people have a fancy type of plan that does work in Europe. If this is what you have, then bring your cell phone and you will be a KING! You may want to look into calling Voicestream at 1-877-666-4246. This company lets you rent a phone for $50 / month and you only pay for calls you make and just mail the phone back to the company upon your return home. I also hear that VoiceStream has another deal: for $20/month. Just ask for the “International Rate Package,” buy a GSM phone and then you can use it anywhere in Western Europe for $1/minute incoming or outgoing. I have also heard things about a company called IntouchUSA (call 703-620-0879 for information) (NO monthly charge, it is an unlocked SIM card, works in any country just about, even US. Flat rates - regardless of country, and prepaid - $1.60 outgoing, $.80 incoming. And you can email or call them and have your account “reloaded” as needed.
Being able to make calls to hostels with a cell phone would
mean that you would not have to hunt for a payphone that works, you would not
have to find coins or a vender selling calling cards, and would not have to
dial a U.S. operator to use your American calling card. Another option that is
cheaper (but more time consuming) is to buy a pre-paid phone card when you
arrive in a country and use it in a local pay phone.
FYI – some people think that they can bring their pre-paid calling card that they bought at Wal-Mart and use that in Europe. Well, that won’t work. The reason is that most of those cards require the user to dial a 1-800 number. Well, you cannot dial any 1-800 numbers from Europe. (This is also important because if you lose your credit cards/bank card and the only contact number that you have written into your Let’s Go is the 1-800 number that was on the back of the credit card, then you will be SOL. Some credit cards will tell you a number to call collect from Europe – get that info. All of the big companies like AT&T, Sprint, and MCI have global calling cards and you even get a little wallet-sized slip of paper that has the number that you have to dial (each country has a different number) in order to be able to use your calling card.
One other option is to use a pre-paid calling card that you buy in a country in Europe. Each country has its own cards and usually only work when you are in that country, but these can often provide you with good rates to call home. Ask the venders how many minutes the card provides. Be careful because some European cards are rip offs to call USA and are only good deals for local calls.
Calling home – you have to follow the above directions and either use a pay phone or a cell phone which you bring with you that is compatible with the European Union’s plan. Some places have little offices set aside for you to make phone calls. Usually the best places to call home are from post offices. Many post offices have phones set up in ways that are strange for Americans. For instances, it is not uncommon for you to approach the attendant and give her the telephone number that you wish to dial, and she dials it for you from behind the counter when she has a free line, and when she gets your party on the line, then you pick up the phone and you get to talk. Sometimes you have to wait a while for the operator to get a free line. When you are finished making your call, you see the attendant and pay her for the call. Generally, you can expect to pay about $1 - $1.50 per minute to call the USA from Europe. In fact, if you do it this way, you can ask the operator at the post office for a “call back” number to give to “Mom,” so she can call back. The rates are much lower to call from USA to Europe than vice versa.
If you buy a phone card while you are in Europe, keep in mind that it can be a pain in the butt if you are just in town for a day and moving on. Sometimes you can use the phone card anywhere in the country. Other times you have to be in that particular city (or else it accesses a long distance number). This sucks if you have to buy the card in increments (say $5, or $10) and if you leave the country the next day then you get screwed (especially if no one is home when you call!) I suggest planning on calling home once per week at the most. Many hostels have internet connections for cheap or even free (or visit an internet café). Send some mass emails when you can and that will cut down even further on phone calls.
If you get a calling card from home, you can arrange for a global calling plan and that may reduce the per minute charge. When I was in Russia, it cost $20 per minute to call the U.S.A., but if you bought one of the Russian calling cards (for a block of time, such as 20 minutes), then the price dropped to $5/minute. That was the most expensive call I have encountered in Europe.
Anyway, when you call to get your lodging, make sure to get directions (even though they are in the book, get them from the hostel too). Expect that you may be speaking with someone on the phone that does not know English too well. If your first lodging choice is full (or no answer) then just go down the list in the books. Also, in some places (like Budapest and Greece) there will be many college age guys and girls that are paid by the hostels to find customers and they will hook you on the train and then walk you from the station to the hostel. Do not worry, generally these are pretty safe (they will usually have brochures to prove that they are legitimate). The more people that you have traveling with you will usually give you an advantage in getting better rates.
It is easiest to get into crowded hostels if you call or show up first thing in the morning as opposed to the late afternoon. Learn from my mistakes - once I arrived in Nice, France at 11 at night & nothing had any room available. I was walking down to the beach to sleep on the beach and I met some American ladies and after a quick chat, one let me sleep on the floor in her hotel for free! The key is to be super friendly to everyone and doors will open. Don’t get me wrong – I know that I was very lucky. But generally, yes, either call ahead (phone numbers of hostels are listed in all of the travel books like Let's GO) or arrive early and call as soon as your train comes in. Even if you make a reservation, you will not really feel comfortable until you actually drop off your bag in the room, so take care of lodging first when you arrive in a town. The further south and east that you go, you will find that pensions and hostels compete for your business and have people soliciting for your business on the trains and at the stations. When you get south and east, the pensions and cheap hotels (2 stars) will be higher priced than hostels, but they will be worth the extra money (which will still probably be within your budget).
FYI - I stayed in this one hostel; in Budapest that was recommended in Let's Go and man it was a dump - it had bed lice and they even had a storage locker for your backpacks, but it was a joke because there were about 50 keys that floated around and many people had stuff stolen from their bags. Just remember to not leave anything in your big backpack that you would miss if stolen. I had a friend who actually left his backpack on a train! He had to buy a new backpack and all new stuff to fill it back up & that cost him a lot of travel time and money! Use common sense and if you travel with another person, always make sure each other has their stuff.
Getting annoyed with your travel mate. Well, this WILL happen! Unless they know some languages that will be helpful to you, then in the worst case scenario, you two can part ways. This happens more than you imagine. You spend so much time together, some things that you do will piss off your companions, so realize this and prepare for the possibility (don’t let one person carry all of the passports or money).
SUBWAY / UNDERGROUND / METRO – you will know how to use the subway after your trip to Europe. Hopefully you already know how to do this if you have been to DC or New York. Otherwise, the travel books have some sample metro maps in them and you should seek guidance from someone you know that can help you learn how to read a subway map before you leave the USA. I learned in Paris (which is a fairly complicated subway). My opinion is that the subways in Russia are the most challenging because they are all written in Cyrillic! Anyway, it is crucial that you (or at least someone that you travel with) know(s) how to navigate on a subway. As I implied above, if you get on someone’s nerves and they ditch you, you better be able to get around by yourself!
Make sure to buy tickets for your Metro (or bus) before you get on the train (or bus). Although it is possible to cheat and ride for free (which I have done many, many times) the cost for a ticket really is not that much and should not be a problem. Besides, if you are caught riding public transportation without a ticket (or with a ticket but without validating it), you will get fined (in Budapest the fine was 1200 times the price of the ticket), or worse - in Warsaw I was taken to jail because although I bought a ticket for the tram (and I even punched it properly), apparently the sign (which was written only in Polish) required a separate ticket for my backpack (which I did not buy). I eventually bribed my way out of jail for $25, but some friends of mine spent the night in jail.
If you would like to see what a subway map looks like, look in your travel book, or look at some of the following sites:
http://www.metropla.net/eu/euromet.htm (great site - lists many cities)
http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~europrail/smaps.htm (lists many cities)
Paris - http://www.paris.org/Metro/gifs/metro01.map.jpg
London - http://www.londontransport.co.uk/images/jp_big.jpg
Berlin - http://www.berlin-tourism.de/english/anreise/index.html
Athens - http://www.athensguide.com/metromap.html
Budapest - http://www.talkingcities.co.uk/budapest_pages/sights_metro.htm
Moscow - http://www.moscow-guide.ru/Transport/mmap.gif (in script as opposed to Cyrillic)
LISTEN TO FELLOW TRAVELERS – this will be the key to having a great time! For instance, when I was in Poland, Aerosmith was there on tour and tickets went for $12. Some guy at the hostel told me about it! Also, you will get great tips about which hostels were good and which ones sucked. Also, that is the best place to get numbers of hostels or pensions that are not listed in your guidebook! Also, you might be able to secure lodging in your next city if you meet people on the train that are more prepared than you. Also, if you meet someone that lives in a country in Europe, maybe during your trip (or even on a future trip) you can stay with them for free! As a general rule, you will find out that Australians and New Zealanders (Kiwis) are all over the place in Europe and are usually into partying. Generally they travel for very long periods of time (1 year) and may be on a tour of the world – not just Europe.
FOOD – generally there are plenty of meat dishes for cheap. Also, bread and cheese sandwiches can save money if you like that. I am a carnivore, but if you are a vegetarian, you will have a harder time in some locations (as well if you are a picky eater), but plenty of people before you have done it. I suggest that before you leave home try to get some people who speak other languages to help you write down "I am a vegetarian-I don't eat meat or fish" in as many languages as you can. This will help you when you are in Europe in case there is a language problem. If you will go further east than Germany, German will help, but also try to get it in the local language (such as Polish or Hungarian). I ran the above quote through one of the Internet translators, and it claims that the equivalent phrase in:
- German is: “Ich bin ein Vegetarier-Ich esse nicht Fleisch oder Fische “
- French is: “
Je suis un végétarien-Je ne mange pas la viande ou des poissons”
- Spanish is: “Soy un vegetariano- no como carne o pez”
- Portuguese is: “Eu sou um vegetarian-I não como a carne ou os peixes”
- Italian is: “Sono un vegetarian-I non mangio la carne o i pesci”
- Norwegian is: “Jeg er en vegetarianI ikke eter kjøtt eller fish”
One website that might be of interest is http://www.happycow.net/europe/index.html and it lists vegetarian places all over Europe.
I suggest buying a 1.5 liter bottle of soda at one of the first countries that you visit (Holland has some with real strong plastic). Then use that for the rest of your trip and keep it filled with water (from locations that are safe) and you will always have water for the train or towns. Drinking water (as opposed to soda) will save you tons of money since Coke is usually the same price as beer (or more) and usually you will get VERY small quantities and no ice. Forget the “free refill” policy that we have in the USA! Even if you visit a Taco Bell in Europe (which has free refills in the USA) you will not get free refills.
If you know that you will not like the taste of water everyday, then bring some light weight powder mix like Crystal Light with you and mix it in with the water (the packets are small enough that they aren’t heavy & don’t take up that much space). In general one Crystal light packet yields 2 liters. Actually, you can save even more space by repacking each Crystal Light packet into a separate zip-lock bag. It may be a good idea to bring a few granola or protein bars and there will come a time during your travels when you will be really happy that you packed them. Just make sure the next time that you pass a grocery store, that you buy a few more so that you always have an emergency supply of 2 or 3.
Try to avoid McDonalds in Europe because there is better local food worth trying. FYI – yes some McDonalds’ do sell beer.
Some other tips – in Europe they call Diet Coke “Coke Light”; you will pay for each packet of ketchup or mayonnaise at most fast food restaurants in Europe; many restaurants place bread and salad on the table and only charge you if you eat any (some charge you even if you do not eat it – so if you know that you do not want to eat it, tell the waiter before you even order and then make sure you did not get charged for it); if you ask for water with your meal, expect to pay for either carbonated (with bubbles) or non carbonated bottled water (they tend to usually bring the carbonated crap by default); when describing money, instead of using a period, you will often see a comma used (something that costs two and a half will be posted as 2,5); when using an elevator and you push the “2” you will go up one flight (the “ground floor” is what Europeans refer to as the 1st floor); eating while standing up is sometimes cheaper than eating the exact same thing while using the café’s chair; when Europeans write out the number “one”, expect to see something that resembles an upside down “V” rather than a single vertical line; when ordering something and you use your fingers to indicate “one” you should use your thumb (because some places interpret a single raised index finger as meaning “two.”
PARTYING / SEX – if you are into partying and want to have fun, there are several places that you should keep an eye out for and plan on visiting (and avoiding if you are not into that lifestyle). First off – bring condoms from USA as the ones available in some locations are of questionable quality. I am not saying that you WILL have sex, but many college-aged students travel to Europe in the summer and it is fairly easy to hook up if you want to (especially if you are planning on it).
Plenty of sex will happen in the hostels. I don't care how many people are in the room. USUALLY, people will have the courtesy of seeking out a private area, but many hostels also have "common areas." Let's just say that you may want to reconsider sitting on those couches! Sex in dorm-style hostel rooms is not the norm, but it is possible that you may encounter it once on your trip.
As for the Greek islands of Ios, or Corfu, sex on the beach is not just a drink! Also, as an example, depending on where you stay at the Pink Palace on Corfu (if it is real crowded, they let you stay in a nearby white motel down the beach). Well, that white motel has all of the rooms kind of connected by having some bricks near the ceiling that are open to the adjoining room (for air circulation). Well, if you don't pass out every night, then you will probably not even go to bed before 4 a.m. or so. Anyway, you can tell which people that did go to bed early, because the next day you will hear them talking about how they could hear people having sex all night long (you can hear people that are several rooms down from you do to this air ventilation feature).
For some reason many girls seem to have no problem with unprotected sex. I am not sure why, maybe it is the whole vacation thing, but I suggest bringing good quality condoms from home, because you have no clue how old the supply is when available in different places in Europe.
My travel partner took the cake when we stayed at the Pink Palace. He told me about one of the girls that he had sex with and how he had sex with her right on the stairs that are adjacent to the disco. Oh yea, I almost forgot – it is possible to have sex on the decks of the ferries (such as from Brindisi to Corfu/Patras).
FYI - One female traveler emailed me to complain about the above (and below) descriptions. She claimed that I was essentially explaining how guys can get away with treating women like dirt. I have no intention to offend women. Rather, my goal in being so descriptive is to paint a realistic picture of what can be expected from some of your fellow travelers. Please don’t think that Europe is filled with college kids hell-bent on hedonism, but that is what some travelers expect from such a trip. Simply put – you have been advised.
Let me share some information with you. I have come across guys in college that were having a great time partying around Europe. They were playing a game where they kind of had a contest as to how many girls they could fool around with. They even had points for different things such as 1st base was 1 point, 2nd base was 2 points etc. They also had increasing points for scoring with girls that spoke English as a second language or did not know English at all. (double points if English was not her 1st language and triple points if she didn’t know English at all). Anyway, there are plenty of backpackers out there and some are definitely in Europe to have fun and that’s it. If this sounds fun to you, then make sure that you go to the Pink Palace on the Island of Corfu (Greece), anywhere on Ios (Greece) and YoHo (Youth Hostel) in Salzburg, Austria, and probably Ibiza and Interlaken (but they are a little more expensive). There are plenty of other places that have great potential, but these are the ones that have the strongest reputation (of which I can confirm) that attract a certain type of traveler.
PLACES – I will give you some brief comments about places in case you are considering some places but are not sure whether they are worth visiting. I have been to all of these places (and others) so I am not just telling you to go to the places that I have been to & avoid all the places that I avoided. I have selected some of my comments specifically for those first time travelers or those with 1 month in Europe or less and thus, would have to choose one place over another. I have listed the following countries in alphabetical order and listed the main cities for that country. The cities that I have listed are listed in the order that I think the average traveler should visit them (for example, if you only had time to visit one place in Austria, I think the average traveler should see Vienna. However, if you had time to see 2 places, see Vienna and Salzburg. I have listed the countries alphabetically.
AUSTRIA –
Vienna
Salzburg
Innsbruck
Graz
BELGIUM (although there are many other nice places in Belgium, these are pretty much all that the average traveler will probably see)
Brugge – probably the best city to visit in Belgium
Antwerp
Brussels (yes the capital city is on the bottom of the list)
BULGARIA
Sophia
Varna
CZECH REPUBLIC
Prague – make sure to visit Hotel Axa to get a massage $4
Ceske Budejovice
Cesky Krumlov
Canadians are required to pay about $85 for a visa to visit the Czech Republic
DENMARK
Copenhagen
Roskilde
ESTONIA
Tallinn
FINLAND
Helsinki
FRANCE
Paris – make sure to see Saint Chapelle (amazing stained glass) located near the Notre Dame)
Nice/Monte Carlo
Marseille
Annecy
GERMANY
Munich
Berlin
Neuschwanstein (the Castle upon which Walt Disney based Cinderella’s palace) which is located in the Bavarian Alps (actually there are 2 castles there (the yellow one is less famous and about a 30-minute walk from the big one). www.allgaeu-schwaben.com/cneuschwanstein.html
provides info.
The Rhine Valley (from Frankfurt north to Kolne (Cologne))
GREAT BRITAIN
London
Ireland (see below)
GREECE
Athens (1 complete day is enough – but it is tough to get a complete day because when you wake up you will be real tired from the ferry ride from Italy)
Island of Corfu (stay at Pink Palace to Party)
Island of Ios (party)
Island of Santorini
Island of Mykonos
Island of Paros
Island of Naxos
Thessaloniki (if passing through)
HUNGARY
Budapest
Lake Balaton (Balatonfured) – relaxing
IRELAND
Dublin
Killarney
Cork
ITALY
Rome
Venice
Florence (and can do Pisa in a day trip)
Sienna (if the season for the horse races)
Brindisi – - this town sucks but probably will go here if taking the Eurail ferry to Corfu or Athens)
LATVIA
Riga
LITHUANIA
Vilnius
NETHERLANDS (A.K.A. Holland)
Amsterdam – I lived in Holland so I can tell you a lot more, but the average traveler will probably just have time for Amsterdam
NORWAY
Oslo
POLAND
Krakow (Auschwitze and Birkenau nearby)
Warsaw –
PORTUGAL – out of the way, so most travelers will not go to
Lagos
Lisbon
ROMANIA – high crime and dirty so most travelers will avoid (but dirt-cheap)
Bucharest
SPAIN – Although I have listed many great places, most backpackers will only have time for Barcelona.
Barcelona
Ibiza (to party)
Madrid
San Sabastian/Bilbao
Seville
Valencia
Salamanca
Malaga
Mallorca
SWEEDEN
Stockholm
SWITZERLAND
Geneva
Lausanne
Luzern
Zurich
Neuchatel
Interlaken (for expensive partying)
TURKEY
Istanbul
Ephesus (stay in Selcuk) /Kusadasi
Izmir
Pamukkale
Rather than trying to give a review of each city that I have been to (that could take forever) I suggest the following: Select the general places that you feel you MUST go to first and then select some places that you would LIKE to go to and then create an itinerary that includes your MUST locations and also your LIKE locations and then come up with an idea on how to see them (do not forget that you can save time by traveling to far away locations during the night time & catch some sleep on the travel. However, night travel has its drawbacks –
1) you either will still pay for lodging if you get a couchette (so you really would only saving time and not money) or you can save money and just sleep in the seats (which pull out so that you can fully recline – but if you travel during the busy season & to popular countries, then expect to have to share the compartment and others may want to sit up (or there may be too many people to recline) – either way, you will not get good rest;
2) you will not get a shower –
3) you will have to plan ahead and bring food and water on the train for your travels (or pay the expensive prices charged in the dining cart (if it is even available!)
4) also, depending on the distance traveled (if you cross several boarders) you MAY be waken up by conductors if you are in a couchette, and you WILL be waken up if you are a cheapskate and just in the normal seats. When I first traveled, I was real cheap and never got a couchette. As I learned, I got couchettes when I could afford it. Usually the conductor takes the passports for all of the people that are in the couchette as you board and then if your couchette is full (or if nobody else will be sleeping in the compartment), then you will be able to sleep without interruption from the conductor and without interruption from other passengers looking for a seat. This is because other passengers cannot enter any of the “sleeper cars” because they are locked. However, expect that on the Czech/Slovak/ Hungarian/Austrian crossings you WILL get woken up, because the conductor doesn't collect the passports on these routes.
Also, when the train crosses the boarder, the boarder
police just look at the passports that the conductor took from the people
sleeping in the couchettes, and he has no need to disturb the sleeping people.
The only exception to this that I have experienced was once when I had a pass
that did not cover Austria and I changed my route from Florence to Munich at
the last second and I went trough Austria and I forgot that my particular pass
did not cover that portion (that went through Austria). Well, the guy came in
and explained this to me (in German) and I had to pay right then. This event
woke up everyone in the couchette.
Some people tell me that they are worried about theft in a couchette. This has never bother me in the past. You can reduce your chances of theft in a couchette by requesting the bottom bunk (if you travel solo). That way you can stuff your backpack under your bed and greatly reduce any chance that someone will steal stuff from your pack. Also, sleep with your money belt either on (under your clothes) or in your pillow. Be very careful if you put it in your pillow so you do not forget it and leave it on the train.
Couchettes and sleeper compartments are not included in a Eurail (you must pay extra to use a couchette or sleeper). In general, couchettes are cheaper than sleepers. If you are only traveling on a train does not cross any boarder, then you can get a sleeper for a domestic price. This can be affordable in eastern Europe. However, if you are going from, say Bucharest to Vienna, then you will have to pay the more expensive “western” price, and a couchette might be the most that you can afford.
Here are some final thoughts and tips that may help.
In general, there will be many places that charge some change to use the toilet. Also many places will have an attendant in the restroom and they will give you a napkin as toilet paper and you have to pay extra for each additional napkin. I suggest bring about a ½ roll of good quality toilet paper from the USA and keep it in your daypack. Also, some places do not have toilets at all and just have a hole in the floor and little gripper areas for your feet (so you don’t slip) and you are required to squat over the hole. This is very odd for Americans – so don’t be surprised if you see it the further East that you travel and the further South that you go.
It will rain at some point while you are traveling. Some prefer a big poncho so they can just throw it over their backpack too. Others prefer umbrellas – to each his own. I now believe that the poncho is pretty much a waste of space and weight. My reason? My personal preference is to bring a windbreaker (which I have previously sprayed to make it water repellant) and I just spray water repellant on both my big backpack as well as my daypack. (I just use my hood on my jacket to cover my head). This way you can use the jacket when it rains, and it is not extra weight – since you will have brought it anyway. The only way that this saves space is if the jacket is waterproof – so make sure to buy one that is waterproof or to spray your windbreaker down before leaving home. I also like to bring a waterproof clear plastic zip-lock type bag that is specifically made to hold a normal sheet of typing paper. That way, you can just rip out the part of the Let’s Go that has the map of the town that you are visiting and carry around the map (in the plastic) so it doesn’t get wet when it is raining. This is also what I do if I arrive in a town and I get a hostel lined up and I am making my way to the hostel and it is raining (this way, your directions don’t get smeared).
In Greece – if you are going to the Islands of Santorini, Ios (to party)
Island of Paros, and the Island of Naxos, be careful to not oversleep on the ferry. You will probably party on the ferry (and may even hook up) but if you do not get off the ferry (such as on Ios) because you are passed out, then the ferry just keeps going to the next island. This happened to my travel partner (since we kind of were separated do to the festivities on the ship) and I was able to get off the ferry but he slept through it. I got us lodging on Ios, hoping that he would return. I was nice and waited by the docks when the ferry returned later in the day and he was on it. But he was lucky that I got us lodging, because when he arrived, it was about 2pm and all of the good lodging was gone. When the ferry pulls into port, there will be a bunch of people waiting and soliciting you to stay at their hostel.
Also, in Greece you will find out that there is a big problem with the plumbing (especially on the islands) and they forbid you from placing dirty toilet paper into the toilet when you are finished. That’s right! They expect you to place it into a trashcan (to stink up the room).
Exchanging money – read the books, but generally, when you first arrive in a country, the first thing that you will want to do is exchange some money. It is a good idea to have already figured out a budget (such as $50/day). Then you estimate how long you will be in that country (not just that city!) and exchange enough money for your whole time in that country (that way you do not get charged multiple commissions). You can exchange money in many places, but generally, the locations in the train stations are more expensive than a normal bank. Also a Change Bureau will usually cost more than a bank. You can tell this because either your exchange rate will be lower or that you will be charged a higher commission. Although considered safer than cash, traveler’s checks probably will cost you more to use than cash because they are often charged an additional commission to change and some places do not accept them (rare). If you decide to bring traveler’s checks, make sure that they are in Euros. Some Americans still try to travel with traveler’s checks in US Dollars. This is a bad idea. The other option is to use an ATM machine & get money out that way. BUT you should be good at converting and be aware of what the current exchange rate is, because when you take out money from an ATM, it will ask you what amount in that country’s currency! FYI - you can locate ATMs by going to www.visa.com
for “Plus” ATMs, or www.mastercard.com for “Cirrus” ATMs. It may help if you are in a crunch and have the time for that. Make sure that your ATM code is a FOUR-digit NUMERICAL code. There are still a lot of ATM's in Europe that don't accept 5 digit codes and most do not list the alphabet next to the numbers on the keypad of the ATM. Also, ATMs in Europe do not allow you to withdraw cash from a savings account, only a checking, so make sure that your checking account if full! If you have at least one month before you depart for Europe, contact your credit card companies and your bank and have them issue new cards with brand new magnetized strips. That way, you minimize the chance that the strips fail to work when you need them.
It is possible to exchange small amounts of money before you even arrive in Europe if you have a bank in your hometown that carries foreign currency. It is amazing how many American banks do not have this feature available outside of the big cities. Regardless, you will ALWAYS be able to exchange money in the airport (departing or arriving) but it will cost you more. Do not assume that you will always be able to exchange money in a train station when you arrive in a country. Usually you will be able to (if you arrive in that country’s capital) but if you arrive in a smaller town, there may not be anyplace to exchange money. This is very important to notice when traveling overnight. I once flew into Amsterdam and took a night train to Bari, Italy. Well, when I arrived the next day, it was Sunday and all the banks were closed and I could not exchange money. I had to hop on the next train and leave that whole town because I couldn’t get any currency to buy food! When you leave a country, try to spend most or all of that country’s currency (unless you have a lot (such as over $40) or unless you will positively be returning to that country later on. If you will be returning, then place all of that country’s coins and bills into a zip-lock bag (keep all the different currency in different zip-lock bags). Although you can usually exchange a country’s currency with the neighboring country, you will lose because a SECOND commission will be charged and they will not exchange coins or small denominations.
Make sure that you don’t spend ALL of the money before you are ready to leave the country (this does not apply if you will only be in countries that use the Euro). In Bratislava, Slovakia I had exchanged $20 and discovered what a mistake that town was in a few hours, so I decided to buy some CDs and have a 5-course meal to spend the rest of my money and leave town (the meal only cost $12). Anyway, After buying my CDs, I left all of the remaining money as a tip for my meal, but I forgot that I was about a mile from the train station and had 15 minutes to catch my departing train. I had to run back to the train station because I didn’t even have the 12-cents that it cost for a trolley (actually, I would have just hopped on a passing trolley without a ticket and taken my chances, but a trolley didn’t even come by at all!) So there are really 2 lessons to learn – leave enough money and time to get back to the station. The time factor was also problematic the last time that I was in Prague when I only left 30 minutes to get from my lodging to the train station. I figured that I had no problem because my lodging was close to a metro stop. Well, I normally would have been ok on time, but the metro train skipped a stop that I had planned on using to change lines (because of a bomb threat at that stop), so I missed the train that I had planned on taking and had to wait a few hours for the next one. Also, if you leave a country that has a bad economic system (such as if you travel through Serbia or any other part of the old Yugoslavia) then expect that NOBODY will take that money. I once tricked a salesman in Prague to take $8 worth of Yugoslavian Dinars for something that the salesman was charging $12 for. This was a very rare thing, since the salespeople usually know the exchange rates better than you. However, there are a bunch of tourist booths all over (kind of like a flea market) and you can always bargain with them, but you better feel comfortable bargaining with them, or else you will be ripped off.
When I was at the Pink Palace in Greece, someone stole my swimtrunks (granted, I had left them on my balcony to dry in the sun) and I had to buy new trunks at a shop in town & they were cheap by American standards (they asked $12) and I talked the lady down to $8. She was mad at first because she assumed that I was a “rich” American and I should have paid the full price just because I could afford it. I lied and told her that I was Canadian and the Canadian currency sucked and I was not rich like Americans. The bottom line is even if it is a good deal for you, bargain, because only the old American tourist on the tour groups pay full price in Europe. That $4 that I saved ended up being an extra couple of drinks at the bar that night. Granted, the big fancy shops on the Champs-Elysees in Paris are just like New York - bargaining will get you nowhere.
Also, all of the above talk about changing money each time you enter a country may not be relevant to you if you only travel in places where the Euro is accepted. The official change-over to the Euro began in January 2002. So, unlike those who traveled last year, if you travel in the summer of 2002, you will have it a little easier since you will have less of the hassles associated with exchanging money. The parts of “western Europe” that do not use the Euro: are the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway & Switzerland. Check out www.ecb.int/ for info in English.
Also, some places in Eastern Europe and Russia will prefer hard currency (USD, pounds) to their crappy currency and you can just pay with your hard currency (especially in the flea markets (where you can get some bootleg music)). However, I think that plenty of travel books mention this because I saw some older Americans in a tour group that paid $2 in US currency for a cassette tape in a flea market in Warsaw. Although these people thought that they were getting a good deal, the vender initially asked for a price in Polish zloty (the local currency) which converted to only 90 cents. So, remember to know your conversions before you try to bargain. I have a very small lightweight calculator that I always bring with me so I don’t make conversion mistakes by trying to do it in me head.
Also regarding exchanging money – it is wise to rip out the section of the USA Today (on your flight over to Europe) that lists all of the current exchange rates and put it in your Let’s Go. When I arrived in Russia, I knew that the exchange rate was $1 equals something like 15,000 Rubles. Well, when I arrived at the train station, I looked around and I saw a long line where people were exchanging money and I waited in line and when I got to the front, they had posted the exchange rate as being $1 equals 1,500 Rubles. That means that they were ripping you off and giving you only 10% of what you were due! That is an example of black market exchanges. Although it was set up in a room and looked official, when I past by a few days later, nothing was in the office at all! Usually, black market exchangers will approach you in the train station and ask if you need to exchange money – avoid them. Also, misunderstanding the exchange rates will really hurt your wallet. Also when I was in Russia, I met this other guy who told me that when he arrived he received his proper exchange but that when he was figuring the prices of stuff, he did not really understand the rate and he forgot one decimal and when he went to Baskin Robins he thought that the cones were 40 cents and later realized that he paid $4.00 for an ice cream cone!
On the flight to Europe you will probably be able to drink beer for free. Resist the urge and do not drink alcohol. Opt for water. The reason is that flying for that length of time will tire you out and dehydrate you and you should drink water not alcohol (which further dehydrates you). Also, your flight will most likely arrive in Europe in the early morning (European time) and it will probably be very late your normal USA time, so try to sleep on the plane, because you will have to stay up for the whole first day you arrive (well you don’t have to, but you should in order to get over the jet lag. You might be pretty excited and unable to sleep on the plane. If that is the case, read up on the first town that you will be arriving in and make sure you know how to get from the airport to the train station (or to your lodging). When you arrive in Europe, you will have to navigate to your place of lodging for that evening (or drop your backpack in a locker and see the town with your daypack and catch a night train out of that town). But don’t forget that if you are taking a night train, you may need to make a reservation (if sleeping car or couchette) and you will not have a shower or free food, so prepare for that. However, I would not suggest spending your first night in Europe on a train. Even if you fly into a crappy town like Frankfurt or Stuttgart and you do not want to spend time there, travel during the day to another town and sleep in the other town. Even if you do not want to make any hostel reservations because you are a free-spirit, you should try to get hostel reservations for your first night in Europe (especially if you will not be sleeping in the city into which you fly).
Before leaving the USA make a list of all the home phone numbers and addresses that you will need when you are in Europe (to call or to send a post card to) and write or type them either in your Let’s Go book (because you will never lose that) or onto a piece of paper – this is much better than carrying along an address book or palm pilot.
Guidebooks suggest photocopying your important documents (such as passport, visa documents, immunization documents, drug and eyeglass prescription, Eurail pass, airline tickets and credit cards). If you do that, leave one copy back home (with the parents or a friend that you can get in touch with), one copy in your big backpack, and one copy in your daypack. If any of these are stolen/lost you will have the info in the other bag (but if any bag is stolen/lost, make sure to notify the credit card company so that the thief does not use your photocopies to charge something to your credit card). Also, a great idea is to scan these documents in on the computer and email them to yourself. You'll be able to make a printout in almost any Internet café in the world, saving yourself time and expense of calling back home and having it faxed to you.
Some people have a real aversion to destroying books. I have sometimes brought the whole Let’s Go type book and ripped out all of the countries that I was absolutely positive that I would not be visiting. That way my guidebook was about ½ as thick and lighter. However, be aware that if you do this, 2 things will happen. The book will start to fall apart (and you may lose pages) and if you ever change your mind and want to visit someplace else or want to reference a different country to help someone else, you will not be able to. Also, sometimes people throw away the parts of the books after they have left that country. This is also problematic for the same reasons. The one thing that I almost always do is that when I am in a town and I am sightseeing, I rip the map out of the Let’s Go guidebook and just walk around with the map in my hand/pocket (and I still have the Let’s Go book in my daypack for reference to places to see and eat). When you meet people on your travels, ask lots of questions about places that they have been (that you are planning on going to) and when they give you useful information, write it down in your book, either at the front or the back of the book, or right in the area on that country. Even if you think that you are all set for your arrival in Berlin, ask questions from people that you meet about it, just in case your lodging gets screwed up or that they tell you that everything is flooded from a week of rain (in which case you may wish to reschedule that part of your trip.) A few years back, huge areas of Poland and Germany were flooded and although this made the newspaper, the average backpacker does not read the paper while traveling and is kind of out of touch. Thus, information learned from fellow backpackers can be very helpful, especially if you come across someone who has a book that you do not have (such as Lonely Planet) and their book has listed different hostels. This may not be helpful, but if you arrive in a country and your choices of hostels are limited or all full, then this may help! It is also wise because other travelers will be able to tell you the up-to-date prices (such as if the books are not correct about how much the rooms cost) and whether the place is a real dump or a real far walk, etc.
If you are into partying, you might want to visit any of the following websites since they list the festivals and parties going on all over the world during particular times: www.world-party.com and www.holidayfestival.com
Bring a watch because you will need to make sure that you do not miss your trains. Also, if your watch has an alarm, then you will be able to use that to wake up in the morning when you either want to get up early to see sights or when you have to get up early to either make the free breakfast (at some pensions) or to make your train! If your watch does not have an alarm, bring a small alarm clock (battery powered).
Another good use for Ziplock bags (in addition to reducing space and preventing things from leaking) is to bring them with you to hostel breakfasts. Some hostels (especially in Germany) put out a bunch of food for all of the people who slept in the hostel. If you are on a very tight budget, bring some Ziplocks with you to breakfast and sit in a corner, and fill them with food from breakfast. The hostel workers do not always like you to do this, so don’t draw attention to yourself if you do it.
Another thing that helped me was earplugs (nice when you need to sleep and others are partying). My travel mate ran into a bout of diarrhea – it was hard to find some stuff for him. It taught me to bring a few of those small packets with me in my first aid kit. Also, some aspirin is a good idea.
Bring some duct tape (not a whole roll!). Also a small flashlight can be handy if you need to do something in a hostel and others are already sleeping in the room. Also a deck of cards comes in handy when bored.
Bring a small bottle of insect repellant (and wrap it in a zip-lock bag). I needed this in Venice (as well in northern Europe where it rains frequently) when I slept at a Hostel that had open windows (in the middle of summer) and plenty of huge mosquitoes bit travelers at night. Many places in Europe have armies of starved blood-sucking mosquitoes, so bring a small bottle of pump spray.
If you want to bring reading material (such as books) to help pass the time, ok, but they are heavy, so when you finish reading them, give them away or leave them in a hostel. Your most valuable book that you will bring along will be the book that comes with your Eurail ticket. That is your train timetable. This book will tell you the times that all of the trains in Europe are scheduled to run. Generally, these times are accurate. However, it is possible (and I have run into this many times) where some scheduled trains have been canceled or additional trains have been added. However, you can pretty much count on the timetable to be correct. What I suggest doing is plan a few cities ahead and when you arrive in one city by train (such as Amsterdam) go to the end of the platform and look at the time that the table says trains leave for your next city (such as Paris) and make sure that the time that you planned on is still listed. FYI – most train stations have timetables in 2 places. Usually a real big one is somewhere overhead, but those will just be the trains that are arriving and departing in the next few hours. However, if you look around, on the walls somewhere (or maybe even on the platforms) there should also be timetables posted for all trains departing and arriving in that station for any time of the day. Make sure that you are aware of which table you are looking at because the arrivals and departures are different colors (departure is yellow and arrival is white). The timetables use 24 hour (a.k.a. military time), so if you see that your train leaves at 17:15, that means 5:15 p.m. Also keep in mind that some cities have multiple train stations (Paris has 6).
In the South (Spain, Greece) they sell these cheap mats made out of wicker-type stuff that you can use to lay on at a beach and roll it up when you are done. They only cost about $1 so you can just throw it away (or give it away) when you are finished, but if you are continuing your travels, just strap it to the outside of your big backpack (nobody said that your backpack has to look all nice and contained). Many experienced backpackers have lots of crap on the outside. But when you start your trip, your backpack should not have anything on the outside (use that area only as a last resort if you begin to accumulate stuff).
If you plan
on going to the Pink Palace in Greece, then visit http://www.thepinkpalace.com/ and
click on the link for coupon and get 15% discount on mopeds, jetskis,
water-skiing etc. They even exchange
money for you at their hostel. Don’t
worry about making a reservation for the Pink Palace because there is always
availability. This hostel is located
on Agios Gordios Beach, which is the other side of Corfu from where the ferry
drops you off. There is a Pink Palace
bus that will meet you at the port and drive you for free to the Pink Place
(but you have to pay a few dollars to get the bus back to the pier on your
morning of departure).
As a tip, you can get mopeds on Corfu about 100 meters down the beach from the Pink Palace. They will be in better condition and cheaper.
Another tip comes in handy if you are reading this document at least a week before you fly to Europe. If you have some old clothes that you are going to throw out – do not throw them out. Set them aside and place them into ziplocks and pack them into your backpack at the top (so that they will be the first clothes that you encounter when you open your backpack). Wear this old clothing for your first week in Europe. When it is dirty, just throw it away or leave it in a hostel. This allows you to lighten your backpack and also allows you to travel for about 2 weeks without doing laundry (at the end of your second week you will only have 1 week’s worth of dirty clothes to wash (because you have discarded the other week’s worth of clothes).
If you are reading this document more than 4 months before you plan on leaving for Europe, then consider taking a college class on European history or art. This way you will appreciate some of the amazing places that you will be visiting and some of the priceless pieces of art. If you don’t have the time or money to do that, at least buy a few books on the topic. If you are too cheap for that, spend a few hours downloading some text on European history and art. If you are from the USA, chances are that your schooling really did not prepare you too well for what you will be seeing (of course there are exceptions and this would not apply if you are a history or art student).
If you are considering backpacking with others, great. However, many people want to go, but few actually will go. Be prepared to go solo if your friend(s) back out on you. Even if you plan on backpacking with others, since you are the one who has taken the initiative to look around on the internet, most likely, it will be you who will probably be in charge of making the whole thing happen. I suggest talking about backpacking and finances long before you are planning on going. The more excited someone is, the more likely that they will actually go. The main reasons people back out of backpacking Europe are money, a need to work, or a significant other. If you have enough money to go, no other reason (besides a dying relative) should prevent you from going.
This entire document assumes that you will take trains. However, a company called Busabout is increasing in popularity. Two of my friends used this when they took the obligatory college trip. These two friends were American ladies that have never traveled outside of America, and felt that their blowdryer was their best friend (and brought one with them). In their case, I think that the Busabout was the perfect way to go. I have never done Busabout myself. but from what I understand, Busabout could be a good deal as long as you stick to the routes planned by the company and stay at the hostels that they suggest. In general, Busabout has very limited routes and frequency. Most of their departures are every 2 days, and some lines are only every 4 days. They only travel by day. And they only have a full schedule in June-August. They cut their service in April-May and September-October, and shut down altogether November-March. They only go to major, popular destinations – so if you want to go to smaller, off the beaten track places, they are of no use. They pick up and drop off at hostels, which is good if you like to stay at those hostels. It's not that good if you stay elsewhere.
By the way, Contiki and Busabout are operated by the same company, so Contiki's budget tours will stay at many of the same places that Busabout does.
You might hear about certain night trains being dangerous (such as the ones through Czech republic, Hungary, former Yougoslavia, Bulgaria or Romania. Although I have traveled all over Europe multiple times on trains, I have never encountered the infamous night-time train robbers. I have heard the urban legends and horror stories about people gassing the whole compartment and taking your stuff, and also stories about people entering your compartment while you sleep and taking your stuff. The latter scenario can easily be prevented a myriad of ways. I have never personally met anyone who has been subjected to the gassing. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that you should NOT skip traveling to a country for fear of muggings on night trains. Use common sense. If you travel with a partner and you are very concerned, take shifts sleeping so that one of you is always awake. If you sleep in a compartment (not a couchette) lay across the seats right next to the door and keep your bag far from the door and strap it to the overhead rack (with the belt clip).
The following is some info that I have compiled as answers to the many e-mails that I have received lately. I simply put it all together into one document and I am sending this to you. I hope that it gives you more information. The last part of this document will give some more tips and advice, whereas the middle gets into some detail about specific cities and lodging options.
Just because I have information about a specific city, that does not mean that it is a great city to visit. You should decide which cities you would like to see and then use the information that I list to supplement your guidebook.
The following couple of websites should be at the top of you list if you are looking for hostels in specific locations: If you want to find a list of hostels for a specific city, I suggest visiting http://www.hostels.com/ or http://www.budgettravel.com/hosteleu.htm and just scrolling down, or http://www.europeanhostels.com/, www.eurocheapo.com. Another web site that has many reviews of different hostels is available at http://www.eurotrip.com/hostels/ Also, you can book hostels online at such websites as http://www.hostels.com/europe.html, or http://www.hosteleurope.com/ or http://www.hostelworld.com or http://www.members.home.net/guideforeurope/bookeurohostels.html
Also check www.inyourpocket.com for hostel listings in many cities and general info for the cities (such as weather and places to eat).
You should not have a single problem finding a hostel if you use all of the resources provided: your travel book, the above websites, and the information contained in this document.
If you make reservations through the Internet for a hostel, have your reference number handy when you arrive at the hostel for a faster check-in.
Be aware that it is possible that a hostel that you hear about in a Let’s Go type of book (or from the Internet or a fellow traveler) may no longer be in existence by the time that you arrive in that city. Some of the info listed in the books or internet is not verified each year and even if it is, some of the hostels go out of business. So, keep that in mind if you are using old books from a library and copying down phone numbers, or reading old Internet postings.
All prices that are stated in U.S. Dollars in this document can be converted to Euros. The conversion rate changes daily but is about
1.00 Dollar = 1.016
Euro (€)
1.00 Euro = .984
Dollar
Visit the following website to convert any currency http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi
You can find almost all train timetables in Europe at http://bahn.hafas.de/ (click on English at the top right side). They just updated the summer timetables on June 15, 2002. Visit it at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?newrequest=yes&protocol=http:&
About Boarders – Nowadays when you
travel by train in Europe there is almost no way to tell that you are going
across the boarder sometimes. The conductor and sometimes a few police officers
will walk around the train and check passports as you cross the boarder between
2 countries. Some countries are more
lax than other countries. Nowadays, if
you want your passport stamped, you have to ask them to stamp it (and even
then, they may not stamp it).
London - while you are in London, you will use the metro (they call it the TUBE http://www.thetube.com/ ) on a pay as you use it method and that means that your Eurail doesn't get used when you travel on the Tube. However, in London they do have plenty of different TUBE plans (unlimited , one week, etc) so when you are there, figure out how often you will travel via the tube, and buy accordingly. There are 287 Tube stations and the most popular route for tourists is Leicester Square to Covent Garden (on the Piccadilly line) but it is quicker to walk this distance than travel on the tube. The price of your Tube ticket depends on how many zones you travel through. The city center is in Zone 1, where many of the attractions of London are found. The busiest times to ride the Tube are between 08.00 and 09.30 and 17.00 to 18.30, Mondays to Fridays. The Underground runs until approximately 00.30. After this time you can use the Night Buses.
This city is very much like New York City (the British will argue that New York is like London because London is an older city) and if you are an American and this is your first time traveling abroad, London is a good place to get your footing (if this is your first destination) because there is no language barrier. However, because the Eurail pass does not include the U.K., you will have to pay extra for any travel in the U.K., so if you want to save money maybe visit the U.K next time since it is not covered on the Eurail pass.
Regarding lodging. Many people have friends in London and try to get some free lodging if at all possible because this is an expensive city (just like Paris) As for other lodging, I found that the Chelsea Hotel was an okay hostel and that the Euro Tower was a dump. I also hear that the Grenada Hostel is a dump – no hot water, some lights not working, toilet paper not replaced, and smells pretty bad.
Consider the Hyde Park Inn at 48-50
Inverness Terrace - good location, fairly new, and a reasonable price (4-bed
dorm room costs 16.50 pounds each).
Recently there have been reports of it being dirty (wear your flip flops
here). It has a bar, friendly staff and
a tourist office next door. Try and get a room in the basement (quieter and
away from the foot traffic and has its own shower).
If you want to party, go to St. Christopher’s. It is a famous hostel and has many locations
and one is located at: 161-165 Borough High Street, London SE1, UK Tel:
44.(0)207.407 1856 Fax: 44.(0)207.403 7715
Take the Tube lines Jubilee Link or Northern Line and
get off at Borough or Shared small room (4-6 people) 16-17.5 Pounds. Room 8-12 people – 12-15 Pounds. St. Christopher’s Village is the biggest of the different
St. Christopher hostels and it has it's own bar in it and the bass thumps late
into the night, and this is the party hostel. – Tube is 3 minute walk from the
Village hostel. FYI St.Christopher's
Inn is one half a block away from St. Christopher’s Village.
Also
http://www.astorhostels.com/ provides many hostels and you can get directions
and make reservations.
The Ashlee House http://www.ashleehouse.co.uk/ costs the following prices during the high season: £15 for a dorm, £17-19 for a 4-10 person room, £24 for a double, £36 for a single (price includes breakfast). They have 24-hour reception, no curfew, and a kitchen. It is located in an OK area (it’s well lit and plenty of people around). The contact information is: address: 261-265 Gray's Inn Road; Tel; 44 (0) 20 7833 9400; Email: [email protected] It is close to Bloomsbury and Russell Square, and near the British Museum. It’s about 300 steps from Kings Cross tube (which is serviced by 6 different tube lines). Ashlee House is clean, comfortable and OK, but the shower controls were bad (hard to get hot water). If you choose this hostel, make sure you get a dorm facing away from the street, the traffic is noisy there starting at 7:00a.m. From Victoria train station take the underground (Victoria Line) direct to King's Cross (four stops). Trains depart every 5 minutes and tickets cost £1.20 single
A
huge party place is the Generator http://www.the-generator.co.uk ,
(near Russell Sq.) It is a huge Hostel (It used to be a police barracks and now
houses 800 beds) with a bar that stays open until 2am. Only go here if you want to party. This place used to be listed as one of the
top 5 hostels in Europe, but it has been taken off the list. It can be quite dirty and loud. If you can
afford it, consider paying the $35 for a single. If you want less noise, get in a room with less people (try for a
4 bed instead of 10 bed room). To get
there, go straight out of the Russell Square tube station, walk up Marchmont 2
blocks (past the Internet café) ahead to Tavistock Place street, turn right and
its just ahead on your left.
There is a new hostel (started
in summer of 2001) called the Eurotrip Inn http://www.eurotripinn.com/
which is located in the center of London.
Email [email protected]
Rooms are limited and only available from July 15 - September 12. Reserve and
pay online by May 31st and you can get a private room for $35.00 US
(£25.00). This place has a full-service
restaurant and bar. There are cheaper
places in London to sleep if you are on a tight budget, but this Eurotrip Inn
is a good place if you can afford it and you want a single. The Tube less than
5 minute walk away. To get to the
Eurotrip Inn, take the Tube to the Barbican stop. When you get out of the station, you will see small cafe on you
right side. Cross the street and through the underpass. You will see an Italian restaurant and the
Eurotrip Courtyard is on your left.
FYI - from the EurotripInn, expect that a taxi to Waterloo will cost
£10.
There is a hostel called the Barmy Badger. It is located in Earl's Court (good location). It is cheap for London (about 12 pounds/night). But, it has very small rooms but owner is very enthusiastic.
Also consider Trek Inn Hostel http://www.trekinnhostel.co.uk which is located at 59 Mount Pleasant (10 min walk from Covent Garden). Email: [email protected] Phone: +44 (020) 813 2326 ¦ Fax: +44 (020) 813 5237. They have 24-hour reception and email availability. Expect to pay £20 per person in a double room, and £12.50 per person in a dorm (they also offer female only dorms).
Also consider the London House Hotel, located at 81-83 Kensington Garden Road. It is a 6-min bus ride to Oxford Street, (2 minutes from two major train lines). Expect to pay £10-12 pounds per night for a dorm room. The singles and double prices jump to £40. Don’t expect good service, but this is a cheap place that serves free breakfast. This place is a 3-minute walk from Bayswater tube station. When you exit the station, turn left and walk towards the shopping center. At the traffic lights turn left and the hotel is on the second road on the right.
Ireland – you can visit Ireland for free with your Eurail pass by taking the ferry from France (Le Havre) to Rosslare, Ireland. Then take a train up to Dublin and have some Guinness at one of Dublin’s thousand pubs or at the Guinness brewery
Go see the Trinity College and the famous Book of Kells. I remember a pretty cool metal sculpture outside that kind of resembled a globe that was disintegrating.
Regarding lodging in Dublin,
avoid the Chelsea House (also known as Backpackers CitiHostel) – it is a
dump.
The Avalon House www.avalon-house.ie is nice - big, cheap, clean and safe (near Grafton Street) and has security (it has lockers). Great free breakfast, too. It is located at 55 Aungier Street; Tel: 353-1-4750001. From March – October, expect to pay 15-17 Euro for a dorm; 32-37 Euro for a single; 30-35 Euro for a double; 25-30 Euro for a quad; or 28-30 Euro for a six bed room.
Barnacles (or the Temple Bar Hostel) http://www.barnacles.ie/templebar/accommodation.htm is right in the middle of Temple Bar, where none of the English go to get drunk (there will be tons of tourists here). Barnacles (Temple Bar House) is located at 19 Temple Lane. From May – October, expect to pay the following: 16.50 – 23 Euro for a dorm (depending on how many people in the room), 37 Euro for a double, and 74 Euro for a single. Email [email protected] Tel: Tel: +353 1 6716277
Isaacs allows alcohol and is lively and has a jukebox.
Another lodging option is the
Litton Lane hostel (located at 2-4 Litton Lane; tel: (01) 8730826; fax:
(01) 8720039; web site:
email: [email protected] Clean co-ed rooms,
but the bathrooms were not so clean. It has a great location about 1/2 block
from the river and Temple Bar is on the other side. During the high season,
expect to pay 22-23.50 Euro for a dorm room or 65-70 Euro for a double. Breakfast is included in the price. They
have internet access.
If you need your laundry done for you, they will do it around the corner at the Abbey Lane Hostel.
Consider doing the Backpacker’s Pubcrawl. It leaves every night from the front gates of Trinity College at 8pm. During the peak season you can expect 20-80 backpackers from different hostels to show up. Expect to visit between 6-8 different pubs.
Consider Paddy’s Palace http://www.paddywagontours.com/ppalace.html where you can get a dorm from £10. (Private rooms available). It is located on the corner of Lr. Gardiner Street and Beresford Row. Officially 5 Beresford Place, Dublin 1, it is a 2 minute walk from Busaras (Dublin’s primary bus station). Telephone 01 8881756 (inside Ireland) 00 353 1 8881756 (outside Ireland). Fax 01 8881684 Email [email protected] If your goal is to be near the bus station, this is a good choice. Although there are cheaper nearby hostels (on the same street) they are a worse choice than this one.
If you are up for it, head north to Northern Ireland. It was not my thing, so I headed south and saw the Killarney and Cork and the Blarney Castle. It is funny because tourists bend over backwards and kiss the Blarney stone, but the locals get drunk and piss on that stone at night! If you have a week or less, stick to Dublin and then head west such as Galway city.
Galway – Consider the Barnacles Hostel http://www.barnacles.ie/quaystreet/accommodation.htm It is situated on the main street in Galway (full of pubs and restaurants) at #10 Quay Street. Tel: +353 91 568644; email: [email protected]. In fact, directly across from the hostel, there is a pub called “The Quays” that plays Irish Music and can become very noisy. As for hearing pub noise while you are in the hostel, the worst time is at 8 a.m. when the kegs of beer are delivered to the pub. If you can deal with that, the hostel is clean and safe. From May- October, expect to pay 15-19 Euro for a dorm, 20 Euro in a quad, 25 Euro for a double and 50 Euro for a single.
There is
another hostel called the Galway hostel that is right next to the train/bus
station at Eyre Square. Tel: 91
566959. This place has a friendlier
staff than the staff at Barnacles.
In Cork City there are a couple of budget hostels. Sheila's hostel is a 5-minute walk from the bus and train stations (where there is a regular bus service to Blarney). http://www.sheilashostel.ie/ Expect to pay 19-21 Euro for a double, 14-15 Euro for a quad, or 13.50 Euro for a 6 bed dorm.
Another lodging option in Cork City
is Kinlay house (in the city center (10-minute walk to the bus station)). www.kinlayhouse.ie/usitaccom/kinlay/cork/index.html tel: 021-4508966 Email: [email protected] Expect to
pay the following 14-15 Euro for a dorm, 18 Euro per person in 3-6 bed room,
20-22 Euro per person for double, and 25.50 for a single. They have free breakfast and have internet
access.
If you come down to deciding
between Dingle and Blarney – choose Dingle.
If eating haggis is not your thing, a great Chinese restaurant is in the center of town that is called China China and has all-you-can-eat buffet menu which costs £4.99 noon-5pm; £7.99 5pm-7pm and £9.99 7pm-midnight. It is located at #10 Antigua Street (five minutes from East Princes Street) Tel: 0131-556 9791.
As for lodging, consider staying at the Castle Rock hostel – right at the foot of the Edinburgh Castle. Located at 15 Johnston Terrace,Tel: 44.(0)131.225 9666 Email: [email protected]
Another option is the High St hostel. Located at 8 Blackfriars Street Tel:+44 131 557 3984 email: [email protected] (They play a movie each night). It is located right on the Royal mile.
Another few ideas are the Royal Mile Backpackers located at 105 High Street, tel: +44 131 557 6120; email: [email protected] Or try Broadies hostel.
Amsterdam – you will find that if you speak English you will do just fine here. This is because the Dutch all learn several languages in school (because nobody in the world, except for me, learns Dutch!). Anyway, when you are in this city, make sure to visit the Red Light District (even if you don’t want to solicit a prostitute) because it is really an experience to see it. Don’t worry, I have even seen tour groups go through it! My advice is to go through it during the day first if possible, as the night is not as safe (there is a police presence, but there is plenty of crime in that area). If you want to buy drugs (pot and hash are sold in most coffee shops) you can do so in Amsterdam. Drug dealers walk all over the place (especially in the Red Light District) and offer any type of drug you can imagine. If you do some drugs, make sure to finish them all up in Holland because most other countries in Europe have some pretty tough penalties (big trouble if you are caught on a train with drugs). The boarder police often scrutinize backpackers and even look through packs of cigarettes to look for drugs. I have even seen some drug-sniffing dogs on the trains a few times.
FYI – all coffee shops and other hash/pot bars also sell other stuff (like coffee or beer) so you don’t have to smoke if you don’t want to. One of the most famous places to go for a smoke or a beer is called the Bulldog. Another very famous place is called the Grasshopper. There are several Bulldog and Grasshopper locations scattered around Amsterdam.
I spoke to some ladies that had decided to skip Amsterdam because they had heard that it was unsafe. That was a shame because Amsterdam is a capital city and is no more unsafe than Paris or Rome (in fact, I would argue that the latter two capitals are less safe than Amsterdam). Granted, the Red Light District (a section of Amsterdam) has prostitutes and drugs, and that tends to encourage certain types of crime. However, keep in mind that common sense will keep you safe. A female walking around at night in the wrong area is not a good idea in any large city!
Amsterdam also has some cool art museums (Rijksmuseum and the Van GoghMuseum) and even a sex museum (on Damrak (the main street that runs between the Dam and Central Station) and a hash/marijuana/hemp museum. Although some guidebooks suggest the Heineken brewery tour (7.5 Euro) www.heinekenexperience.nl if you do that, please understand that Amsterdam is the location for the OLD brewery and the real brewery (the 2nd largest in the world and the largest in Europe) is not in Amsterdam, but rather it is just outside of Leiden. Anyway, if you go on the Heineken brewery tour in Amsterdam, get tickets early in the morning and return later in day (after the tickets are sold out) for your tour. From Central Station take trams, 16, 24 or 25 and get off the tram at Heinekenplein. Keep in mind that they are closed on Mondays.
Heineken is
a premium beer which is like Budweiser in America. If you want a more authentic experience, consider touring the
brewery called “IJ.” The brewary is called Brouwerij 't IJ and is located at
Funenkade 7 in Amsterdam. Tel:
020-6228325; E-mail: [email protected] IJ is open for tastings Wed-Sun from 4 to 8
pm (but the bar actually opens at 3:00). You will find it at the far end of
Sarphatistraat. It is a good place to meet real Dutch people and taste some
nice beer.
If possible, go to one of the
diamond cutting places and see the amazing stones. Although most backpackers will not care, if you are in the market
for diamonds, this is one of the best places in the world to get some.
Very near the Costor (sp?) diamond factory is the Rijksmuseum, which has great Dutch art and is small enough to enjoy. Many visit the Van Gogh museum – 3 floors of Van Gogh, but it was not as interesting as the Rijksmuseum to me.
Some of the current clubs in Amsterdam are “More” (especially on Thursday) or “Marcanti” (on Saturday). When I lived in Holland, and visited Amsterdam, the good clubs were Melkweg, Paradiso or Arena Hotel for live music.
You can get free internet access at in the public library @ Prinsenchacht.
If you want to buy something
really fragile (who wants to do that?) then buy some delft pottery – make sure
the bottom says hand-made. Amsterdam
sells the real stuff but it originates in a small town in Holland called
Delft. If you do buy some of this –
make sure to do it immediately prior to leaving Europe or else you should mail
it back home because it will break in your backpack.
One of the most famous hostels in Europe is the Flying pig. There are 3 locations in Amsterdam and the downtown location is Nieuwendijk 100, 1012 MR Amsterdam, Tel: 31.(0)20.420 68 22 – email – [email protected]
Web – www.flyingpig.nl From Central Station walk towards Damrak. Past the Victoria Hotel, first alleyway right. Small shared rooms (4-6 people) are (20.50 – 30.00 Euro €($18.50 – $26.75) and large shared rooms (6-30 people) cost 15.80 - 20.50 Euro €($14 - $18.50).> One of the other locations for the Flying Pig is Vossiusstraat 46-47, tel: 020-400-4187; and the third location is at Vondelpark. I suggest the location at Voldelpark (which is still in the center of Amsterdam) over the one near Central Station.
Also the Bulldog has a pretty good reputation and is centrally located near the RLD at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 220, Amsterdam 1012 GJ, tel – 020 620 3822, email – [email protected] Web – www.bulldog.nl Expect to pay 20 € (Euro) for a dorm bed if it is available. This price includes breakfast.
You may also want to consider staying at Bob’s Youth Hostel (Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 92, tel: 020-623-0063) – caution – lots of smoking goes on here.
A newer option is Budget Hotel Clemens which is located at Raadhuisstraat 39, 1016 DC AMSTERDAM, Tel.: ++31(0)20-624 60 89, Fax: ++31(0)20-626 96 58, E-mail: [email protected] http://www.clemenshotel.nl/ This place is not that much of a budget ($30 in the off season), but if all of your other options are booked, this may be good to know about.
I have heard good things about Hostel Cosmos. http://www.hostelcosmos.com/. Tel. +31206252438; email: [email protected] (minimum 2-night stay on weekends)
Check out http://www.noord-holland-tourist.nl/nl/amsterdam/content.htm It’s the Dutch tourist bureau’s list of 400 hotels. Although it is in Dutch, you might still be able to figure it out. There’s quite a few 1 star hotels that are less than US $30. Postal codes in the 1013 to 1017 range are in Central or canal zone Amsterdam.
Also if you go to www.ignatzmice.com and click on accommodation and then red light district hotels you’ll get a list of 40 hotels in the RLD. If you want to stay in a hotel in the RLD, consider Durty Nelly’s. Email them at [email protected]
If you want a quiet hostel in Amsterdam, consider NJHC City Hostel Vondelpark. Or the Globe Hostel (right across from the main train station on a canal near the Red Light district. It has a 24-hour bar, and clean rooms.
Consider the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel http://www.hans-brinker.com/. It is located at Kerkstraat 136-138. Tel: +31 (0)20 622 06 87. Dorms cost 21-24 Euro, which includes breakfast and linen. No curfew. They have a new MP3 jukebox which allows you to download your favorite music and play it in their disco. From Centraal station, take tram 1, 2 or 5, Get off at the Keizersgracht (5th stop). Walk in the direction of the tram to the Kerkstraat (on your left).The hotel is on #136. Another way to get there is to take tram 16, 24 or 25. Get off at the Prinsengracht (5th stop). Walk back to the Kerkstraat (on your left). The hotel is on #136. It has a nice bar.
Some people consider staying in the Amstel Botel (cross between a boat and hostel). Don’t expect too much. You might get stuck in a room with a view of the land and you might hear people walking above your small room. The botel is located right beside the train station, which is a bit seedy. If you are determined to go, try and get a room on the top floor to eliminate the walking sounds. It is located at 2-4 Oosterdokskd. Prices are very expensive as this is considered a 3 star place, and it is only reasonable if you are traveling with 2 other people (114 Euro for a single, 117 Euro for a double, 132 Euro for a triple)
If you use an old travel book, it might suggest the Arena Hostel. That place is located just outside the centee, but it was renovated in 2001 and they made it into a real hotel now (with hotel prices. www.hotalarena.nl).
There is a
Christian hostel called the Shelter.
Actually there are two. One is
called Shelter City and the other is called Shelter Jordan. Do not expect to party at either of these
places. Regarding the one in Jordaan,
expect to pay 14 Euro per night, and it is about a 10-minute walk to Dam
Square. The hostel is located on the street opposite the Anne Frank house (on
the other side of the canal). From the
train station, take the tram (13 or 20) to Westerkerk, it is only a short walk
from there. The hostel has a strict no
drug policy (so you cannot smoke pot in this hostel). Expect to be invited to bible study, but you don’t have to go if
you don’t want to. Expect small showers
with no dressing area.
If camping is your thing,
consider Camping Zeeburg www.campingzeeburg.nl. (they even offer cabins) To get there from
Centraal Station, take bus 22, which leaves, from platform ‘C’ in front of the
station. Take the bus till the
“Kramatweg”’ (ask the driver), get out and walk in the direction of the
Shell-gasoline-station. From there you follow the signs, cross the bridge and
immediately you’ll see the campground on your right side. In total, it takes
about 30 minutes to arrive from the station at the campground.
If you are having trouble finding lodging, you will have a better chance of getting a room if you sleep in Haarlem (another Dutch city), and it is not as crazy Amsterdam.
Outside Amsterdam – If you are into
flowers, then you may want to visit the Keukenhof, which is a flower park that
is in bloom in from mid-March to mid-May
each year. This park is located
south west of Amsterdam in the town of Lisse.
If you have heard about Floriade, that is not exactly the same as
Keukenhof. Floriade is billed as the
greatest horticultural show of the decade.
Every 10 years this event takes place.
In 2002 you can see this from April 6 – October 20. Visit www.floriade.com for more info. Expect to pay 17 € (Euro) for a one-day ticket to
Floriade. Email: [email protected] tel: +31 172 428629. This
event takes place about half way between Schiphol airport and Haarlem.
Den Haag (The Hague) offers a neat tourist trap called Madurodam. It is a miniature version of Holland (really neat, you walk around and see these 2 foot high buildings and trains and oil barges with fires and everything). The address is: George Maduroplein 1 2584 RZ Den Haag (The Hague). Phone (+31) 704162400. Their website is: http://www.madurodam.nl/default.asp?lng=en
The following link is a map with the public transportation: http://www.htm.net/smartsite.dws?id=23
Belgium – although many people visit
Brussels, I suggest visiting a smaller town named Brugge 90 minute train ride
from the center of Brussels). If you go to Brussels, after you see the
Mannequin Pis (small statue of boy taking a leak) you will realize that
something is wrong when this is arguably the most famous thing about the
city! In fact, I even suggest seeing
Antwerp over Brussels. If you must
visit Brussels, then consider staying at
A hostel called the Center Van Gogh (CHAB) – the rooms are nice and the people friendly. Good central location too. The contact numbers of some hostels are:
-
Center "Vincent Van
Gogh"(tel:0032/2/217.01.58)
http://www.ping.be/chab/ email: [email protected] (you must be between 17 and 35
years old to stay at this YOUTH hostel).
- "Bruegel"(tel:0032/2/511.04.36) (dorm 12.50 Euro)(sheet rental 7.50 Euro) (300 meters from the train station) http://www.vjh.be/E/JHB/brussel.htm
email: [email protected]
- Jacques Brel (tel:0032/2/218.01.87) - very clean and it has a bar and terrace
http://www.laj.be/en/hostels/brussels_brel.htm email [email protected]
- "Sleep Well" (tel:0032/2/218.50.50) (12 Euro) http://www.sleepwell.be/index.html
email: [email protected]
- "Jean Nihon" http://www.laj.be/en/hostels/brussels_europe.htm
(tel: 0032/2/410.38.58) (The Jean Nihon Youth Hostel recently changed its name to 'Generation Europe Youth Hostel').YHI - Email: [email protected]
(Sleep well/Van Gogh/J. Brel are not
far from each other)
I have read some reports recently about a bunch of guys (from Muslim countries) in the city center (especially around La Grand Place (one of the most tourist spots)) that yell at and grab women. So be very careful if you are a solo female traveler in Brussels. However, I have never witnessed this myself on any of my trips into this city.
As for Brugge, it is really a cool town. The downtown area of Brugge is really neat and has a big square with amazing architecture (in the wintertime they make the square into an ice-skating rink). On Saturdays there is a market on Langestraat and they sell vegetables, lace, and also some stuff that you would expect to find at a flea market. Although the big tourist thing to buy is lace (such as doilies) the prices are not that much better than you would find in the Caribbean or even in the USA. There are some cool windmills on the outskirts of the town and provide backgrounds for really nice pictures. I once stayed at the Europa International Youth Hostel (20 minute walk from the town) because the Bauhaus was full. Even then, I distinctly remember hanging out at the Bauhaus hostel (has a bar) and some place called the Fire Mill or Red Mill (Moelen in Belgian). Also try the Brugges Beertje for a quaint pub. While in Brugge, try the Belgian waffles and the Pomme frites (French-Fries). Although many Belgians eat their fries with mayonnaise, try some pinda saus (peanut sauce) as it is excellent.
The most
popular hostel in Brugge is called the Bauhaus (no curfew or lockout) http://www.bauhaus.be/youthhostel.html
– Langestraat 133-137, Tel.: +32(0)50.341093. Right inside the train station there is a special telephone that has a
direct line to this hostel and you just pick up the phone and you are
automatically connected to the hostel for free!
Take bus 6 or 16 from the train station (direction “center”). The bus driver will point out the Bauhaus stop. Expect to pay 11 Euro for a dorm, 12.5 Euro for each in a quad, 13 Euro for each in a triple, and 14.5 Euro for each in a double. There is a coin operated laundromat next door to the Bauhaus.
There
is a new hostel in Brugge called Charlie Rockets. http://www.charlierockets.com/ Expect
to pay 13 Euro for a dorm, or 42 Euro for a double room and 3 Euro for
breakfast. Email [email protected]
Tel: 0032-50/33.06.60.
it is located at 19 Hoogstraat.
Just take any bus from the train station to the market square and walk
to the hostel from there. The hostel also has a bar and even sells meals.
Some other hostels in this
town are listed at http://www.brugge.be/Verblijf/en/heeme.htm
If you have more money, consider Hotel
Nicolas, located 100 meters from Markt (town center) at Niklaas Desparstraat
#9. Expect to pay 55 Euro for a double
or 40-45 Euro for a single.
In Brugges, you can take a canal ride
for only about 5 Euro. Also, you can rent a bike next door to Bauhaus and you
can get a guide with 5 bike paths.
Antwerp – if you
have a short layover you might want to visit the zoo as it is near the train
station. This city has a new
International Youth Hotel.
Leuven . This town does have some amazing architecture that was not destroyed in WWII. It is 20min from Brussels. Ask anyone (=student) where to go for a quality bite and drink; you’ll have a cheap, time in a swell Belgian town. This is the hometown of the beer known as Stella Artois. Visit Leuven’s Oude Markt (Old Market Place) for more than 20 bars/pubs within 100 yards or so. This is sometimes referred to the largest bar in Europe. There is a student hostel located in the center of Leuven next to the Aula De Somer.
Ghent – this city
is located between Brussels and Brugges.
During July 20-29 the city has the famous Ghent Festival (Gentse
Feesten) which is 10 days of partying, big free open-air parties on medieval
squares. But otherthan this 10 day
period, Antwerp has much more night-life than Ghent. One lodging option for Ghent can be found at the youth hostel, http://www.youthhostels.be/E/JHB/gent.htm.
This new hostel is located right in the heart of old town-center; only 100
meters away from the well known "Castle of the counts of Flanders".
They have 24-hour reception, Expect to pay 17.50 Euro per person in a double
(breakfast and sheets included), 14.50 Euro per person in a triple or quad. A dinner costs 7.50 Euro, and lunch costs
4.50 Euro. The hostel is 3 km from the
Gent St. Pieters train Station. You can
take tram numbers 1, 10, or 11 to the Gravensteen stop (which is 300m from the
hostel).
Located at St. Widostraat #11; Tel: 09 / 233 70 50 - Fax: 09 / 233 80 01
e-mail: [email protected]
The VJH hostel in Antwerp is OK but about 5 km out of town in the middle of a high rise housing estate
Another lodging option is through the university renting student rooms http://www.rug.ac.be
Luxembourg – this is another country that you can visit to add another country under your belt, but there is very little to see in Luxembourg city. I wouldn’t spend more than a day there, as you can easily see the “sights” in one day. The tourist information in the center of town will give you a map with an excellent walking tour, but make sure to follow it in the direction they suggest, or else you will end up doing a lot of climbing.
There is a HI there which was about a 10-minute bus ride from the center & the hostel itself is okay. Expect large dorm facilities (no doubles, triples or quad rooms), and a decent meal for fairly cheap. Expect the shower stalls to be open (you cannot be seen when showering – only when drying off and dressing) but they do have very strong water pressure.
Some cheap hotels are as follows: in the city : Airfield hotel, 6 routes de Treves, 43 19 34; E-mail: [email protected] URL: http://fly.to/eaa1231
Also consider In the ardennes:Star
Hotel, Diekirich,2-4 avenue de la gare, 80 36 36 0; Hotel Bissen,
Heiderscheidergrund, 1 route de Bastogne, 26 88 92 91; also there is camping
available in Diekirch, Camping de La lure, near the river.
France –
Paris – Anticipate that France will be pretty expensive. Generally, Paris will kill your budget if you are not careful. Drinking and hitting the clubs (discos) in Paris gets expensive. If you are a solo traveler, a hostel is the best priced. If you are traveling with others then you will probably do better in a 2 star hotel. If you are on a very tight budget, Paris may be a good place to party at the hostel or just rest for the night. There is so much to see in Paris, you really should dedicate about 4 days to see it all. However, sometimes that is not possible and what I is suggest is to look in your Let’s Go type book and pick out the things that look interesting to you and just try to see as much of that as possible. It is hard to suggest what is the best thing to see, because if you hate art, then the world-famous Louvre museum will not be that interesting to you, but may be the most interesting thing in Paris for another. Regardless, if you have no clue and maybe only one or two days, I suggest trying to see the following: Eiffel Tower (you can pay and go up to different levels), Notre Dame (church) it is free to enter and you can pay to go to the roof, Arc de Triumphe (free to walk around and under and you can pay to get on the top – 284 stairs to climb), a white church that is called the Basilique du Sacre-Cour (free to enter and authentic painters nearby – in an area of Paris known as Montmarte), the Louvre, Sainte Chappelle (church near the Notre Dame and has the best stained glass in Europe – small fee), stroll down the Champs-Elysees (big shopping street).
Keep in mind that Paris has 6 train stations (each one handles trains that go to a certain area of Europe), so keep that in mind when making plans. This is important because when you arrive from Amsterdam, you will arrive at one train station, but if your next destination after Paris is Spain or Italy for example, then you will NOT be returning to that same train station for your departure. So, if you obtain lodging close to the train station at which you arrive, that does not mean that you can leave your lodging right before your departure, because chances are that you will have to cross the whole city to get to your departure station. Expect to pay for a reservation (and a supplement if you take the TVG) for most trains out of Paris.
When buying metro tickets, unless
you buy one of the passes, you should probably ask for a carnet (10 metro
tickets). But, if you’ll be in Paris for 4-7 days,
don’t bother with a carnet and opt for a “coupon hebdominaire.” This is a week pass, and you can get it at
the machines in most stations, using a credit card or cash, as well as at the
customer service window. (the machine accommodates multiple languages). This
week pass is only ($11-12USD) for unlimited travel on metro and RER, for seven
days—Monday to Sunday—so it’s a great deal, even if you’re not there an entire
week.
In Paris there are three types of trains: 1) trains that will take you to other cities; 2) the RER, and 3) the Metro. I want to make clear that the metro and the RER are not the same thing. However, there is some useful information about the two that most travelers do not realize. If you stay within Zone 1 (basically, central Paris, within the Peripherique), you can use your regular Metro tickets on the RER. However, for destinations outside the central zone, you will either need a regular train ticket purchased in advance or a rail pass. FYI - the RER is a good way to travel across Paris in a hurry; the RER makes fewer stops and travels more quickly than the regular Metro. Regardless of whether you use the RER or the Metro, make sure to hold on to your ticket as inspectors can ask you for them up until you exit the station.
Paris’ public transportation system in runs 24 hours but, the underground subway system shuts down about 12am and reopens at about 5:00 am. Some of the buses run all night, but their frequency is significantly reduced.
If you are just in Paris for a few hours, leave your big backpack at the train station (don’t forget that there are 6 stations) and I suggest that you head to the metro stop for Place du Traocadero. This is a neat place to get great pictures of the Eiffel Tower (especially at sunrise). If you arrive via an overnight train, you may arrive very early (such as 7a.m.) and this should be taken into account because most tourist sites will not be open (such as the Notre Dame) so you should take advantage of the time and obtain a croissant and take in the view of the Eiffel Tower.
Paris has a great metro system (you will note how quiet many of the trains are because they use rubber tires instead of metal wheels). However, make sure that you keep in mind that the metro stops around midnight.
A neat idea to do some cheap sightseeing without walking is to take the city bus that runs from Place de la Bastille to the Eiffel Tower. It provides a nice tour along the Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre, thru the Left Bank, then to the D'Orsay and on to the Eiffel. Tip – do not take the bus during rush hour (or else you will not see anything). Maybe try Saturday around 9 a.m.
If you are in Paris on July 13 or 14, expect the city to be packed. July 14 is Bastille day and there is a parade down the Champs Elysees and also a party at the location of the former Bastille. There are fire works at the Trocadero in front of the Eiffel tower (The left bank is the best location to see it.) Obviously plan to be at both the parade and the fireworks early to get a good spot.
A great place to eat fondue dirt cheap in Paris is located in between the Sacre Coeur and the Moulin Rouge. I think that it is called something like “Au Refuge des Fondues.” It is located on Rue des Trois Freres a few blocks from the Abbesses metro stop (from the metro stop entrance you kind of walked (up hill) directly towards the Sacre Coeur as the bird flies (which is not exactly the same way that you would go if you actually wanted to get to the Sacre Coeur). I remember it was a pretty small restaurant and I remember climbing over the tables (kind of like a long row of pick-nick tables all packed next to each other). They used to have bread fondue and all-you-can-drink wine (from baby bottles) for dirt cheap (about $5 per person). I have been told that it now costs about $12 for either a cheese and bread fondue or a meat one with one free drink (yes, wine in baby bottles), a starter and a dessert.
The most famous hostel to stay at in Paris is called the Three Ducks http://www.3ducks.fr/ , has its own bar and is located at 6, Place Etienne Pernet, 75015 Paris, France, Tel: 33.(0)1.48 42 04 05 Fax: 33.(0)1.48 42 99 99. Email [email protected] Expect to pay 24 Euro for a double or 21 Euro in a dorm. , Take the Metro to ‘Félix Fauré’ station. Walk against the traffic at the left hand side of the church. Keep in mind, if 3 ducks is already full, you can always sleep at a different hostel and visit 3 ducks to party.
Another hostel worth trying in Paris is Le Village Hostel http://www.villagehostel.fr/ in the shadow of Montmartre (great view of the Sacre Coeur) – it is clean and has a nice staff. tél : 00 33 1 42 64 22 02; Email [email protected]
Expect to pay 21.5 Euro for a dorm, 25 Euro per person in a double and 23 Euro per person in a triple. These prices include breakfast. The hostel is a block from the metro
Another option is “Auberge Internationale des Jeunes” http://www.aijparis.com/ (10 rue Trousseau ) Tel : 01.47.00.62.00 E-mail [email protected]. The prices here are cheap for a decent hostel. Expect to pay a minimum of 14 Euro per person (breakfast & linens included). This is located in the Bastille district. Take the subway to the metro station Ledru Rollin (line 8). The building was rebuilt in 1994, but the luggage storage in the basement retains an authentic atmosphere.
Another option is the Lucky Youth hostel in Montmartre www.luckyyouth.com or in the Latin area, there is no curfew, and a hostess comes and pick you up free at the Gare du Nord at 1:00, 3:30 or 6 pm. You must be between 18-27 years old. Email: [email protected] Open from April 1 – September 1. Expect to pay 24 Euro per night to sleep in a room with 4 beds. This is not really a hostel as much as backpackers sharing an apartment.
Another option is the Aloha Hostel. http://www.aloha.fr/ Tél.01 42 73 03 03 - fax 01 42 73 14 14 Email: [email protected] They have a foozball table, drink machine, bar, kitchen, phone and internet access. You can see the Eiffel tower from the street on which the hostel is located and from some windows in the hostel. They do not have any lockers. Expect to pay 21 Euro for a bed in a dorm, or 25 Euro per bed in a double. Breakfast is included in this price. The hostel has a fully equipped kitchen. Unfortunately it also has a 2 a.m. curfew. There are nearby supermarkets, laundromat, fruit store, pharmacy, bakery, post office, and bank. It is located near the Volontaires Metro stop. The hostel has some trouble with scalding hot water, so I suggest using the second floor showers. Think about getting a cot on the floor (they are cheaper and just as good as a normal bed).
Another option is the Blue Planet hostel http://www.hostelblueplanet.com/
expect to pay about 18.30 Euro (breakfast included). It is located near the Gare de Lyon (5-minute walk) and it is a 10-minute walk to the Bastille, and a 15-minute walk from the Gare D’Austerlitz. No curfew, no lockout. Some rooms have toilets and showers at no extra charge. Email: [email protected]. Address: Metro Gare de Lyon. # 5 Rue Hector Malot. Tel: =33 1 43 42 06 18. It has a blue awning and a bunch of flags around the front door. Keep in mind that this hostel is 5 floors and there is no elevator. I have heard some bad things about this hostel, so don’t make this place your first choice.
If you want to party consider Woodstock hostel www.woodstock.fr. This hostel is located in the Montmartre neighborhood (by the Basilique du Sacre-Cour) at Internet access(not free), bar until 2 am, kitchen, commission-free currency exchange. During peak season expect to pay 19 Euro for a dorm, 22 Euro per person in a double, and 23 Euro for a single (prices includes breakfast but not sheets (2.5 Euro to rent sheets)). Email: [email protected]. Expect to hear a lot of noise from the bar downstairs. There is only one toilet & shower on each floor (approx 30 people use it), but there is a sink in every room. There is a supermarket just 2mins walk and a mini-market just 100m down the street.
Also the Young and Happy hostel (80 rue Mouffetard near the Latin Quarter) has gotten some good reviews. It is a small hostel but has a great location. You probably should assume that you will need to reserve ahead for this place.
Normandy – this is a nice area for WWII buffs.
Provence region (Avignon, Aix-en-Provence) (and even Nice) – these towns offer great Southern French food and culture (the band called the Gypsy Kings are actually from the South of France, as opposed to Spain as many people think) For lodging in Aix-en-Provence, visit http://www.aix-en-provence.com/ (for example, see one star hotel (Hotel Paul)).
Nice – make sure to see the Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall (a.k.a. the Chagall Museum). There is a hotel information desk right outside the train station and can hook you up in a cheap hotel. The more people you have, the cheaper the rates can be. Antares Backpackers Hostel in Nice (Tel: 04 93 88 22 87 Fax: 04 93 16 11 22) has 6 person dorms for about $16 US a night, or as much as 42 Euros for a small, private room. Not really a bargain unless you are in the dorm. It is located one block from the train station, which is about a 20 minute walk from the beach. Located at 5 ave Thiers, in central Nice. No lockout and 3 am curfew.
Another option is Hotel La Belle Meuniere. It is located at 21 Avenue Durante, just down the street from the train station (towards the water). Tel: 04 93 88 66 15 fax #:04 93 82 51 76. A dorm without bathroom will cost 13-13.50 Euro /night plus 2 Euro for a shower. A dorm w/full bath is 18 Euro /night. All prices include breakfast. There is no lockout or curfew, the staff is friendly, and every night the courtyard fills up with guests conversing and drinking (until 10p when they all move on to either the beach or a pub in old town). Laundry service is available for 5.50-9.50 Euro /load. Also there is a fridge for your use. Try and reserve because it is popular.
Another option is Chez Patrick Backpackers (near the station), tel: (04) 93 80 30 72; email [email protected] low season 18 Euro ($16), high season 20Euro ($17.50) http://www.backpackingeurope.com/hosteldetail.asp?ID=36
And yet another option is the Comfort Hotel Azur Riviera, 19, rue Assalit (56 Euro with AAA for single; or 3 beds 71 Euro), 0033 4 93 62 94 36.
Another option is Hotel Baccarat (near the station and is about a 15 minute walk to the beach).http://www.hotel-baccarat.com/ tel: 33 (0) 4.93.88.35.73 Fax 33 (0)4.93.16.14.25. dorm = 14 Euro, single = 29 Euro, double = 36 Euro, triple = 44 Euro, quad = 56 Euro, 5 persons = 66 Euro.
A good deal to keep in mind is the bus ride from Nice to Monaco - fantastic views and it only costs $1.50, because it is sponsored by the casinos.
In the Nice train station keep your eyes open for the beautiful stained glass window with a Gubelin clock.
The beaches in Nice suck. They are very rocky. Most people lay on chairs if they go to the beach. However, you do not HAVE to lay on a chair – even in front of a resort or hotel. All beaches in France are owned by the government so as long as you stay off the chairs, there's not a lot the hotels can do. That doesn't mean, however, that they will be nice to you
I've heard (but not experienced) that Juan les pins and Antibes are better places to party than Nice. You can even see a Picasso museum in a 12th century castle, and a 16th century fort where Napoleon was once a reluctant resident. A hostel to try is Youth Hostel (RIJ) Caravelle, 60 boulevard de la Garoupe - Cap d'Antibes - 06600 Antibes Juan les Pins, tel: 04 93 61 34 40
Chamonix and Annecy – two nice places to visit if you have extra time in France.
Avignon – there is a cheap place to stay called the Squash Club Hostel, 32 Boulevard Limbert , 04-90-85-27-78, no e-mail, 10$US, not that great of a place to stay at all, but it is cheap.
Another hostel to try is called Chateau de la Barbiere, ave du Roi Soleil. Tel 33 4 90 87 18 06
Visit the following link for cheap
hotels
http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/avi/gb/tourisme/heb/hebc2.htm The hotels are listed by the number of
stars, so you can just click on the one star and you will get info on all of
the one star hotels.
For $30, you can get a room in a 1-2 star Avignon hotel (150-250F) ($20.50 –
$34.25), such as the Innova and Mignon hotels—See www.hotel-mignon.com (rooms
quoted at 150-300F ($20.50 - $41.00),. For a list of 1-2 star hotels, go to
www.avignon-et-provence.com, accommodations section. Here is a good URL for general travel info for France and cheap
places to stay, this is the section on Avignon which mentions those two
hotels:http://www.jack-travel.com/Provence/Html/avignon_Hotel_recomm.htm
Another option may be the Etap
hotel (this brand of hotels are usually located in the suburbs, but this one is
right at the entry of the old town). The price is about 150F.($20.50)
I have also heard that there is a pretty cheap campground on the other side of the river in Avignon.
ITALY – If you plan on staying at a hotel in Italy (as opposed to a hostel) then there is something that you should know. Many hotels in this country have these little ropes that hang down from the ceiling (usually near the shower). Do not pull that rope. I have warned my travel companions to not pull the strings, but on two separate occasions, people with whom I was traveling felt the need to pull the string. One guy thought it was the way to flush the toilet. Regardless, both times the owner of the hotel rushed to our door and asked whether we were ok because he received the emergency signal. Do not pull the string unless you are having a heart attack or something.
. if you plan on going to Florence, you can leave you big backpack in the hostel in Florence and take a quick day trip to many places such as San Gimignano, Sienna, Lucca, or Pisa. If you are considering such a day trip, look into http://www.fs-on-line.com because it lists the train schedules you'll need.
In San Gimignano check out the torture museum. Also check out the chapel at the top of the square (it has some amazing frescos including a depiction of the seven deadly sins). Spend the night in Sienna and do a day trip to San Gimiano. I think that one day is the max that should be spent in San Gimigano. Combine it with another city. Maybe 2-3 days in Sienna with a day-trip to San Gimigano.
In Pisa
the luggage storage is on platform # 1. If you are facing the station from the
tracks it is on your right. They have large lockers and baggage storage. Also
there is a new McDonalds in the Pisa train station (good for you to be aware of
in case you run out of time) but you should try to grab local food (pizza a few
blocks from the leaning tower)..
You can walk from the train
station about 30 minutes and see the leaning tower (or else take bus # 1 which you can board just opposite the train station (across the
street) – remember to buy your bus tickets (before boarding) from the station
newspaper kiosk or bar for about 69 cents or .77 Euro). If you walk to the leaning tower, there are
signs that have a picture of the tower and an arrow. Just follow the signs and you will end up at the tower (remember
how to walk back to the station!). To walk there, you will exit the station and
kind of go to the left and straight. Here is an option for brave souls: Take
the commuter train that runs from Florence, to Lucca and then Pisa. You can hop
off at some small suburban station at the next to last stop, from where you can
see the tower. It is closer than walking from the main station. I can’t remember any more facts than that,
so if you are conservative, then follow my directions above from the main train
station.
They have reopened the tower to visitors (to climb up) but the crowds are limited to groups of 30. The tour lasts approximately 30 minutes and tickets cost 15 Euro per person. Reservations may be made via email at: [email protected] Further information available at L'Opera Primaziale Pisana at: Telephone: 050 560547 or 050 561820 Fax: 050 560505
I have heard about people getting the view from another tower in Pisa. (The Guelf Tower along side the arno in Pisa).
There are a bunch of tourist vendors outside the leaning tower. They sell all kinds of trinkets. Some of the cooler trinkets are small statues of the tower or a leaning coffee mug.
If you want some good Italian gold, Florence is a great place for great quality stuff – there is a bridge in Florence called the Ponte Vecchio http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/ponvec.htm and http://www.pontevecchio.net/
and it actually has jewelry stores on the bridge – most is pretty expensive for backpackers (but you will get good deals if you are planning on buying jewelry anyway) – I got my fiancée a nice bangle made from 18k gold. FYI – almost every piece of gold in Italy is 18k. S. Viaggi & Co on the Ponte Vecchio has good deals and are honest (deal with Roberto for the best prices since he is the owner). If you are concerned about the shops on the Ponte Vecchio being too touristy and maybe a rip-off (due to the high rents these shops have to pay to be on the bridge), try the square in front of Santa Croce – especially The Gold Corner and another shop that is directly across the street from the Gold Corner.
Florence has some cool museums but they are kind of expensive. You can see the statue of David if you pay and go inside, or else you can see a replica just outside the building. FYI – there is a campground on the outskirts of Florence that is near the top of a hill. There is another replica of the David up there too. Keep in mind that the main museums (Uffizi and Accadamia) are closed on Mondays.
Also, silk ties and leather goods (purses/backpacks/belts) are really good buys in Florence. I also saw music boxes for about 1/3 of what they charge in the USA. You can get excellent silk ties for $8-15 each right from venders in the street. Make sure to haggle with them (the more you buy, the cheaper it should cost (I bought 10 ties and spent $75). This might not fit into a backpacker’s budget, but if you can afford it, get such a souvenir.
Regarding the Uffizi (museum) make sure to get your tickets in advance (or else you will have to wait in a long line). So, if you are planning 2 days in Florence, reserve tickets the first day that you are in the city for the following day.
If you were
curious as to how far Rome is from Florence, it depends on what type of train
you take. The Eurostar takes 1:35, the
Intercity 2:30, and the slow train 3:37.
If you do not have a Eurail pass and have to pay for a ticket, expect to
pay 30 Euro on the Eurostar for 2nd class, 22 Euro on the Intercity
for 2nd class, and 14 Euro for the "Slow" train. Eurostar requires a seat reservation.
Intercity trains charge 3 Euro supplement for each seat you reserve (but you
are not required to reserve –but it is suggested that you do during peak
summer). The main downside to the slow
(interregionale or regionale or diretto trains) is not their speed, but rather
the fact that they do NOT have air conditioning. All Italian trains (except for
the ES) you are allowed to travel standing.
Intercity trains are even equipped with a few small seats in the
corridor. If it is crowded, grab one of these seats. If all of the little seats in the corridor are taken, standing in
first class is allowed with a second class ticket.
Regarding hostels in Florence – try Archi Rossi, located at via Faenza 94r, 055-290-804; Fax 00 39 0 55 23 02 601, Email [email protected] This place does not take reservations and fills up quickly so get there early (before 9). If they are full, there is another hostel across the street run by a guy named Ivano (check the doorbell for 3rd level). They also have a cheap café with good pizza.
Instituto gould – tel – 055/212576
or ostella villa camerata (HI) tel 055/601451;
7 santi Ostello (a.k.a. Sete Santi hostel, a.k.a. 7 Saints Hostel), viale dei Mille 11, tel: 055-504-8452, web www.eidinet.com/7santi; Email: [email protected] This hostel is located in a former convent which is adjacent to the Church of the Sette Santi (Seven Saints). Expect to pay 20.70 Euro for a dorm, 25.85 Euro in a single (or 28.40 Euro for a single with private shower and sink), 41.35 Euro for a double (or 46.50 Euro with private shower and sink), or 62 Euro for a triple. From the train station, take bus # 17 (drops you in front of the Hostel) or Bus # 11 (one block from the Hostel), Take the bus in the direction of Campo di Marte to the Sette Santi bus stop (10 minutes ride from railway station).
.
Pensionato Pio X, via dei Serragli 106, 055-225-044; villa Camerata, Vialle Augusto Righi 2/4, 055-601-451
Hotel Medici - 2-star hotel. If you get 4 in a room you will pay $25 a night per person. The hotel is near the Duomo.
or Ostello Santa Monaca (this would be low on my list of places to sleep) – tel 055/268338 – email [email protected], web www.ostello.it (dorms cost 15.50 Euro which includes sheets). If possible, try and request a room that is not over the main street, which is very loud. Also expect to hear noise from children at a nearby school. Also, they have a lot of beds crammed in the room – kind of like a military barrack, and the place is not too clean.
As for other cheap ($60/night for 2 persons and private bath) hotels, try Hotel Tina.
I have also heard good things about a place Hotel Il Bargellino – one star hotel (few minutes walk from Stazione Santa Maria Novella, Via Guelfa 87, 50129 Firenze, Italia , Telephone (055) 238-2658, Fax (055) 238-2698, http://www.ilbargellino.com/. singles = 41 Euro, doubles with private bath = 72 Euro, doubles with sink and bidet only = 61 Euro, Triples with sink and shower only = 87 Euro, Quad with private bathroom = 120 Euro.
A good 2 star hotel is hotel casci. www.hotelcasci.com.
Another place to try is called Laconda Daniel located on Via Nazionale and is in the same building as the Hotel Nazionale.
Venice is really a city of about 100 islands that are all connected by bridges. It is really neat to see and should be on your itinerary if possible. However, there is no nightlife in Venice, and many hostels have open windows and that means the mosquitoes will get you (so bring your bug repellant). If you can get a cheap place, then it would be nice to see Venice (at least to relax – you will be tired after Rome) – Venice can be seen in one full day and you should eat dinner out and have some wine. Expect that most decent Italian restaurants will not open before about 7 or 8 p.m. When you are in Italy, make sure to try the Gelato (or Gelati) – this is the real good Italian version of ice cream. If you are in Venice for a few days, then get the water taxi pass – three day pass about $15 unlimited rides on the water taxis. If you are in Venice on a Wednesday, expect many crowds because 5 cruise ships will be in port.
If possible, try to walk around this city very early in the morning. This is a great city to watch wake up. I once arrived on a night train and arrived about 4:30 (yes that sucked) but it was neat to see the town wake up.
FYI – gondola rides are very expensive ($80). If you are determined to ride in a gondola, I suggest doing so in the evening. Regardless, Venetians haven't used gondolas for centuries. If you really want the experience, try a “Traghetto,” a large gondola that is useful to cross the grand canal. The number 1 vaporetto provides a great tour of the grand canal and its only $3.
If you are tired of walking (or
lazy) get a 24-hour vaporetto pass which will cost 9,30 Euro (for 72 hours it
will cost 18.08 Euro and a 7-day pass costs 31 Euro). Just remember to validate
it the first time you use it (There are little machines at each vaporetto stop)
and the passes can be purchased at vaporetto ticket offices as well as Tabacs/
newsagents. Try to sit at the front of
the vaporetto to get a good view. If it
is crowded, you will probably be stuck in the middle.
As for a hostel, I used to suggest visiting Casa Gerotto as a cheap hostel http://www.casagerotto.com/ very clean, just off Lista di Spagna 150 meters from the station & near lots of shops and restaurants. It used to cost about $20USD per night, which was a great deal. However, in November 2001 they shut down and renovated for 4 months. They only have one dorm room with 6 beds and it is only for girls. Otherwise expect to pay 36 Euro for a single if you stay more than one night, and 72 Euro for a double.
Another option is Foresteria Santa Fosca, 2372 Cannaregio, Fondamente Canale Santa Fosca, phone and fax 041/215775)– 15 minute walk from the train station & 15.5 Euro ($14USD) per night with a Go 25 or ISIC card – quiet place at night (not a party place). Check-in is from 10 to noon only, but there is no curfew.
If you are on a tight budget, try Alba D’ Oro, http://www.ecvacanze.it/alba/ingl.htm a camping ground on the mainland—normally a half-hour busride from Venice. Expect to pay $10 USD a night per person for a little fiberglass cabin (holds 2-3 people) and have fun! From June 1 – September 30, the campground provides a private shuttle bus to the site, leaving from Piazzale Roma bus station from the section D1 every hour on the half hour (15 minutes bus ride to the campsite). Tel 041-541-5102
If you are running into every place being booked, some of the small hotels such as the one-star hotels listed at http://www.v4u.it/eng/hotels/1star.html
Such as: Noemi, 523-81-44 http://www.hotelnoemi.com/ (double room w/o bath 46-88 Euro)
Rossi, Tel: 041-715-164
Locanda
Ca’Foscari Tel: 041-710-401– 11
rooms, 3 with shower or tub, family-run, well maintained, top floors get lots
of sunlight (keep in mind to for hanging clothes to dry). Continental breakfast
included. Double room with private bath 88 Euro.
Locanda Antica Casa Carettoni 71 62 31 (Lista di Spagna, 130)
San Samuele Tel 041-5228045
Adua, Telephone 041-716184 (Lista di Spagna, 233/A)
Remember to Dial 39 for Italy and 041 for Venice
Another option is Hotel Dalla Mora (close to the train station and rooms at the back overlook a canal). Located at s. croce 30135 tel: 0039041710703. a double room with shower and toilet costs about $40.
Another place to try is Fondamenta Zitelle n. 86, Isola
della Giudecca, phone 39-041-5238211.
Email [email protected] It costs 16 Euro per night and that includes
breakfast. It has single sex dorms. It is located on one of the islands, but is
only a short vaporetto trip from the main part of Venice. You can book online
at www.hostelbooking.com. Great views from the hostel towards the
church of Santa Maria Della Salute and San Marco. Reserve ahead during
summer. Plain but very cheap meals are
available.
Another
place is Archies House, 1814B San Leonardo (10 minute walk from the train station).
Archie speaks 13 languages fluently. Phone +39 041 720 884 – located above a
fruit and vegetable store in a building with peeling facade (reception desk is
one flight up), dorms cost 10 Euro + 1.5 Euro for linen. Cold showers are free
- or pay 1 Euro more for a hot shower.
>
Also some cheap hotels are listed on .
http://turismo.regione.veneto.it/en/ric/alberghi/
If you still have trouble, consider staying in Padua (Padova) which is a lovely city 30 minutes away from Venice by train. It is much cheaper than Venice and is less crowded. I remember a monastery called Casa Del Pellegrino, Via M. Cesarotti, 21. 35123 Padova, Tel 0498239711 Fax 0498239780
. email: [email protected]
In general, Venice has many hostels (the information center at the train station can provide the list), but if you want to stay in cheap ones, don’t arrive too late. When all else fails, call the following number WHEN YOU ARE IN VENICE: 800-843006. It is a general reservation line for ALL hotels in Venice.
The cheapest quality meal in Venice can be found at the railway labor union's restaurant (self-service, 120-seat DLF Mensa (Canaregio 19)) Local members pay only ($7) for a three-course meal (soup or spaghetti, then main course and dessert), and tourists pay ($9.00). Pay first, then fill your tray and sit down. This place is located about 150 meters from the main train station. Just walk outside the train station, turn right, walk along the Canal Grande, pass the trees and the statue of a female saint, and you will see a five-story, red-brick building with marble balconies and pillars. There is no street address on this building. Food is available from 12:00 – 14:00 and from 18:00 – 21:00 daily; cash only.
Some of the canals are very dirty and I once made a bet at a
hostel to see if anyone would jump in the canal for $25. Nobody did.
I was convinced that the toilets flowed directly into the canals, but I
have since read that they have a vacuum sewage system that delivers all their
sewage (via enormous vacuum pipes) to a sewage treatment plant on the mainland.
Depending on when you are there, in Sienna
there is this cool bareback horserace all around town that you can watch – it
is really neat if it is raining because it gets muddy. The
horse race is called the Palio. It is held July 2 & Aug. 16. It lasts
several days both times. However,
if you go to Sienna during the race – you better make sure that you have
reservations because the place will be packed!
If you want to get to Sienna from Florence, chose to travel by bus rather than train. By train it takes an hour and a half and the train leaves you outside of the city center (you will have to take a bus to reach the center) If you take a bus from Florence to Siena, the bus will take one hour and a bus from Florence to Siena is cheaper than the train and the city bus together. A bus leaves from Florence to Siena every hour
The Guidoriccio hostel is about a mile outside of old Siena (Via Fiorentina, 89), but it’s not bad, and not too far from the train station and busses can take you if you do not want to walk. (take bus 4 or 10 from the Siena railway station, direction "Stellino" or take bus 15 from town center). Tel +39 055 80 77 009; Email: [email protected]
Sienna’s 1-4 star hotels are listed at http://www.ciaociaoitaly.it/siena.htm
Consider (a 2 star) Hotel Piccola Etruria tel +39-0577-288088 cost 70 Euro for a double without bath (in the heart of Siena (about a block from the Piazza del Campo), and clean). Breakfast is 5 Euro extra. There's another small one star hotel next door (Tre Donzelle) tel +39-0577-280358 which costs 44 Euro for a double.
Also consider the B&B called Palazzo Bruchi, it is located at Via Pantaneto #105. It is close to the town center (only 200 meters from the famous "Piazza del Campo"), Check their website: www.ilgiardino-masignani.it. Email [email protected] Tel and fax +39-0577-2873-42.
Also consider Soggiorno Sabrina (located near the main square).
Bologna – Consider lodging at Pensione Marconi – Next to the train station on Via Marconi #22 - Tel. 051262832 or 051235041 - single room for 34-43 Euro and double room for 53-68 Euro. This hotel is in the center of town (and just 200 m from the railway station).
Another option is HI hostel San Sisto, located at #5 Via Viadogola. Expect to pay 11 Euro (slightly more if you do not have an HI card) but expect about a 20-minute bus ride to downtown.
I suggest eating a dish of tagliatelle con ragù alla bolognese or a dish of cappelletti in brodo while in this town. One good location for this dish is at Ristorante Pizzeria La Baita (Via Falliera #34 – Tel: 24 80 73). They charge 5 Euro for a plateful.
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ROME – Let me also explain that although the Vatican is technically its own sovereign entity, it really is just a part of Rome – it is a very expensive part of Rome (ice cream cone from vendor is $4-5) – if possible, spend 3-4 days in Rome – there really is a lot to see. At least 2 days, as one day really is not enough time. In the summer the Sistine Chapel is open at 9 am and the last admission is at 1pm, so you better get up early to get in line. I suggest getting in line by 8 am at the absolute latest. Although you are guaranteed a 1 hour wait at a minimum, there will already be a line when you arrive and it is better to wait in the early morning when it is not so hot. Don’t even think about getting into the Sistine Chapel if you are wearing shorts (or anything that even shows your knees) or sandals. I think that your shoulders also have to be covered. FYI - In 445 A.D., Pope St. Leo I excommunicated a church deacon for wearing shorts in St. Peter's.
If you are an early riser, I suggest heading over to St Peter’s Basilica as early as possible to avoid the crowds. And don’t bother going on a Sunday unless you want to stand with thousands of people who want to see the Pope.
Before heading to Europe, try to see the movie Gladiator. It will make your visit to the Coliseum more meaningful.
The subway (metro) in Rome pretty much sucks – you may have to use very crowded buses. The metro is ok for certain areas. Visit http://www.romeguide.it/files/TRASPIN.HTM to see what is covered.
If on a bus, make sure to watch you passport. Out of all of the traveling that I have done, the only place that someone tried to pick my pocket was on a bus in Rome (amazingly, they were actually able to unzip my money belt which was under my pants!!!) In such a situation, you should always keep your daypack in front of you. Be very careful in Rome for thieves. This is where you will hear stories about kids (gypsies) approaching tourists (several kids) and shaking newspapers in your face to distract you and then some of them will pick your pockets or mug you. If you even see the kids coming up to you, say VERY loudly No – Police – help – etc. and stomp your feet and swing your arms – you may look like a nut, but you will not be mugged by kids.
In Rome once I stayed at a place near the Vatican called Pensione Ottaviano, which is not a pension, but rather is a hostel and one toilet for the whole place (and it was broken). Anyway, this was a move up because we originally stayed in a dump near the train station because it was cheap. If the toilet is fixed, the place will be good. There is a 24-hour bakery nearby which is cheap and yummy.
A lot of people ask me for about hostels in Rome in case their number one choice is booked – so here are some options. I have heard good things about a place called Casa Olmata http://www.casaolmata.com/ Via dell’Olmata 36, 00184 Ph. +39 06 483 019 Fax. +39 06 474 2854; email: [email protected] Open all year. Curfew 2am – a small family-run place, centrally located between the Coliseum and Termini station. They have free spaghetti parties every Tuesday and Friday with free wine, and the access to the Internet is also free.
Hotel Alessandro is the largest independent hostel in Rome http://www.hostelalessandro.com/ and gets mixed reviews depending on which location you are at. There are two hostels with this same name. One is called Alessandro Palace Hostel and is located at Via Vincenza 42, 00185; Ph. +39 06 446 1958 Fax. +39 06 493 80534, email: [email protected]. The other one is new and is called Alessandro Downtown Hostel and is located at Via Carlo Cattaneo 23, 00185 Ph. +39 06 443 40147 Fax. +39 06 493 80534, email [email protected]
Both hostels do offer free breakfast, coffee, tea and hot chocolate and
a weekly pizza party. Expect to pay in
the high season 20 Euro for a dorm, 54 Euro for a double, 75 Euro for a triple,
and 88 Euro for a quad. I hear that the
staff at the Palace are more friendly than the staff at the Downtown hostel.
Some other hostels that I am aware of in Rome are
Freedom Traveler Hostel http://www.freedom-traveller.it/
Via Gaeta 25, 00185
Ph. +39 06 478 23862 email [email protected]
Open all year. No curfew. Lockout 10-1330
During the high season, expect to pay 18 Euro for a dorm, 52 Euro for a double, 72 Euro for a triple, and 84 Euro for a quad . They have a communal kitchen and two refrigerators.
City Guest House http://www.hotel.cityguesthouse.com/
Viale Opita Oppio 76
Ph. +39 06 76983140 Fax. +39 06 76967961
Open all year. No curfew. (July 31-August 31 a double room = 78 Euro, single
room = 57 Euro; March 27-July 30 and September 1 – October 31, double room = 88
Euro and 62 Euro for a single)
Alberto and Maria Vittoria Hostel http://www.geocities.com/mariahostel/
Via Principe Amedeo138, 00175 (5 minute walk from the train
station)
Ph. +39 06 76907285, email [email protected]
Open all year. No curfew; Prices are 72 Euro for a triple room, 58 Euro
for double room, and 34 Euro for a single room (40 Euro with private
bath). Super discount price is 2 people
in small room with bunk-bed for 50 Euro.
These prices include color tv and use of equipped kitchen.
Stargate Hostel http://www.hostelstargate.com/ email: [email protected]
Via Palestro 88 (4 block walk from the train station) Ph. +39 06 4457164 Fax. +39 06 49384134. Open all year. No curfew. Dorms starting from 13 Euro in low season and 20 Euro in high season. This place is not very clean and the rooms are in a separate building from the reception so security isn't that great. There are much better places to stay in Rome.
Yellow Hostel http://www.yellowhostel.com/ is located at # 44 via Palestro and has no lock-out or curfew, has a kitchen, laundry facilities (only one washer and dryer), 3 computers with free internet access, kitchen, friendly staff, but the dorms are up 10 flights of stairs (the elevator is only big enough for 1 person with their backpack), and there are only two bathrooms, one with a tub shower and the other with a shower with no curtain. This hostel is across the street from Hotel Roma. There is a Pam supermarket right around the corner. Tel: +39 06 49382682; fax: +39 06 4463914; email: [email protected] and toll-free (only Italy) 800 99 12 87. To get to this hostel from the train station, leave the termini train station from the side exit at track no. 1, taking a left onto via Marsala. Then take first right into via Vicenza, walk straight for four blocks and turn left into via Palestro. Yellow Hostel is 20 meters ahead on your right (and Hotel Roma is 20 meters ahead on your left).
Casa Christina
Via Varese 15, 00185
Ph. +39 06 4461879 Fax. +39 06 4461879
Open all year. No curfew.
Papa Germano http://www.hotelpapagermano.com/home.html
Via Calatafimi 14/A, 00185
Ph. +39 06 486919 Fax. +39 06 47825202 (speak English,
French and Spanish)
E-mail: [email protected]
Open all year. No curfew, 5 minute walk from the Termini. In the high season a dorm costs 21 Euro a night, double = 68 Euro, triple = 72 Euro, quad = 87 Euro. Showers were clean, and TV in every room.
I have heard good things about Gulliver’s House http://www.gullivershouse.com/
(10-minute walk from train station). (They do not have singles, but they have one double, one quad and two dorms.) The shared rooms are 18 Euro and the privates are around 30; hotel des artistes (they have internet connection, a rooftop terrace, and food, it’s near the station); Email [email protected]. The only complaint that I have heard about this place was that there are no windows and they keep the lights out until 10:00 in the morning (so you may have to get dressed in the dark).
The friendly people at Gulliver’s house have listed tons of information that will answer standard tourist questions about Rome and Italy. Just go to http://www.gullivershouse.com/English/English%20Tourist%20Informations.html
Michelanglo's Palace would not be too high on my list. The bathrooms all had problems, and there is not any common room. For the same price, you can stay in a dorm room at Gulliver's House (in the same building as Michelanglo's Palace, ground floor).
Another good place to party is the 2 star hotel called Fawlty Towers,064-450-374, e-mail [email protected], web page http://www.fawltytowers.org/ or http://www.fawltytowersrome.com or www.enjoyrome.it/ftywhtl.htm 18 Euro for basic dorm room, 39 Euro for basic single, 57 Euro for basic double, and 77 Euro for triple. No curfew.
Hostel Casonova – no curfew or lock-out, free internet. Email: [email protected]
A newer hostel is called Colors Hostel http://colorshotel.com/ located just north of the Vatican (accessible by metro and bus). Tel 39 06 6874 030, fax 39 06 6867 947;email [email protected] Fully equipped kitchen and laundry services are available; no curfew or lockout. Expect to pay 18 Euro ($16.25) for a dorm bed during the high season. English spoken here.
Pensione (or hostel) Sandy, 064-884-585, e-mail [email protected], web address http://www.sandyhostel.com/ or www.enjoyrome.it/sandyhtl.htm
$15USD, good
location between train station and Coliseum. Expect a lot of steps. From the Central Train Station (Termini):
exit by track n.22 and take via Cavor.
Walk seven blocks and the hostel is on the left.
I have heard about a new hostel called Hostel Beautiful http://www.hostelbeautiful.com which is located in the center of Rome within walking
distance of all major sights. Via Napoleone III, #35 tel: +39064465890. Email: [email protected] They have
free Internet, kitchen, pub crawls are available and it is clean and safe, no
curfew or lockouts. Dorms start at 20
Euro.
If you are looking to stay away from the party crowd, try
the Beehive hostel http://www.the-beehive.com/
Via Giovanni Lanza 99, 00184
Ph. +39 06 474 0719 Open all year. No curfew. Lockout
1300-1600 It is small, friendly, very
clean, cheap, has a huge bathroom and is located 15 minute walk from the
Termini train station. Expect to pay 18
Euro ($16) for a dorm or 30-40 Euro per person if you want a private
single, double, triple, or quad room.
Make sure to avoid the Roma Inn – dirty place. Also avoid the Euro Youth Hostel (right next to the Olympic
Stadium) – poorly managed (weirdos sleep in your bed and management does not
care) and there are no toilet seats, and there is a midnight curfew. Also avoid
the Gladiator's Hostel (cold water, no sheet until 11PM, and forced leave at
8AM the next morning). Also avoid the HI Hostel in Rome it is an old hospital,
with segregated huge rooms for 20 people each.
Also
avoid Hotel Scott House. Some guy told
me he had a reservation, confirmed it and when he showed up, they gave his bed
to someone else. Also, they are usually
more expensive than many other options in Rome.
Also
avoid the Pink Floyd hostel near the train station. I have heard some bad things about the safety of that place and
the strange owner touching you when you sleep.
Also
regarding M+J Place Hostel – Via Solferino 9, 00185
Ph. +36 06 4462802 Fax. +39 06 4462802. This place is open all year & has no
curfew but rumor has it that bed bugs thrive here & that the management
sucks)
A more expensive place is Hotel California http://www.hotelcaliforniaroma.com/
It is located at Via Principe Amedeo 39. Tel: 06/4822002. It is located between the train station and Santa Maria Maggiore. Expect to pay 134 Euro for a single, 170 Euro for a double and 230 Euro for a triple.
Also be very careful when you make telephone calls in Rome (especially if you
make a call at the train station) because there are many people that stand by
the phones and watch you punch in your calling card number and they copy it
down and then they sell it.
There is so much to see in Rome, on my 4th trip there I finally saw the bone collection. This is one of the strangest things that I have ever seen. It is the basement of a church called Santa Maria Della Concezione. You enter and there is artwork made out of human bones (from 4000 priests and monks) all over the walls and ceilings. Really weird. You are supposed to pay a small donation to see this stuff – also you are not supposed to take pictures. I have some really neat pictures! If you want to, they sell postcards of the bones.
If possible, don’t eat in places near the tourist spots. You will get ripped off and receive poor food. Eat in places called Trattoria (family run restaurants).
And try the ice cream parlor at Giolitti, near the Parliment building and Parthenon.
I have heard about a good place for vegetarian food in Rome. La Carbonara in Campo d’Fiori. Just have the self help antipasto costs about 10 Euro for all you can eat and fantastic quality
Milan is a big city which has a great cathedral (the Duomo) and fabulous opera house. If you go to the Duomo, take the elevator to the roof for great views on a clear day and a close up view of some of the 3000 statues and gargoyles that decorate the church. (The elevator is located around the right side of the cathedral.) Close to the Duomo is the Castle in which several free museums are housed. One “masterpiece” that you can find is Micahelangelo’s unfinished “Pietà rondanini.”
The city is kind of like Paris or New York with regard to the shopping prices (expensive) and the fashion, but don’t expect too much else in Milan. Milan is Italy’s most modern city as it was heavily destroyed during WWII—consequently it doesn’t have as much antiquity or old world character as other Italian cities.
Milan is the most expensive city in
Italy, and the prices are similar to Paris or Berlin and I suggest backpackers
skip Milan altogether – especially if this is your first trip to Europe.
The train station is really
neat with very high ceilings and there are cheap fast-food joints located in
the square just outside the front door of the station (I think a Burger King or
KFC).
As for the sights, you can walk to some things, but generally, you will need the metro. They sell a daily or two-day pass that will allow you on every bus, tram or subway in Milan.
The best place for pizza in Milan is Pizza OK, there are 2 restaurants, one is close to Corso Buenos Aires.
Be warned that it can be very difficult to find cheap lodging options in this city. I bet that this is one of the harder towns in which to find a cheap hostel. The main HI (Piero Rotta Hostel) has greased someone’s hands and it’s the only name that is given out to those who ask for cheap lodging, but if you go to Milan, some other places to try are hotel Kennedy (tel 02/2940-0934) (but expect to pay 95-100 Euro for a double at this one star hotel). Another option is Hotel Cesare Correnti (tel 02/805-7609) or Hotel Ullrich (tel 02/804535), or hostel La Cordata ($14), Via Burigozzo 11, tel. (+39)/02/58314675.
. The Piero Rotta Hostel (HI) is the worst hostel and should be your last choice. This hostel is the run like a jail with wardens and loud buzzers to wake you up at 7 a.m. No surprise that it is pretty cheap (15 Euro)– via Martino Bassi 2, (entrance from Via Salmoiraghi 1; tel 02/3926-7095) Fax: (2)39267095 or Fax 02 33000191.
Another lodging option in this town
is to go to the tourist office by the duomo when you arrive in town, and ask
for a list of hotels. They will give you a list, and a map, and you can find
one yourself. Hotel Nuovo, is on your list and costs $34. It is also listed in Lonely Planet, and its
location is great and it was completely been refurbished in December 2000. The
contact info is: ALBERGO NUOVO SE.AL SRL 20122 Milano (MI) - PIAZZA BECCARIA
CESARE 6
tel: 02 86464444 - 02 86460542
Also consider Hotel Speronari (expect to pay 44 Euro for a single)
I have also heard good things about
Hotel Eva - very clean and cheap rates -- on via
lazerreto about a 5 minute walk from the central rail station.
Skip Hotel Brianza, it looks like a whorehouse.
If all else fails, consider Bernina Hotel, located in front of Milan's Central Railway Station at via Napo Torriani #27
Hotel Trieste located near the Cental Station at Via Marco Polo #13.
In Verona – maybe try hostel Ostello
della Gioventu;
Or try Villa Francescati (Salita Fontana del Ferro 15, tel 045/590360) (13 Euro for bed and breakfast or 15 Euro in a family room) and 8 Euro for a meal. It is located in a former palazzo and former monastery that was built in the Renaissance. The bus stops 200 yards from the hostel, 2 miles from the train station.
Or try Locanda Catullo (Via Valerio Catullo 1, tel. 045/800-2786); or The Albergo Arena (Stradone Porta Palio 2, tel. 045/803-2440)(not cheap but centrally located)
You can see plenty of the Tuscany region on the train ride from Florence to Pisa (45 minute ride) and that is really about it. If you buy a point to point ticket from Florence to Pisa - expect to pay about $4 USD. If you run out of time, skip the Milan and Tuscany part. If you have extra time (yeah right), then try to get some wine in Tuscany. The wine in all of Italy is really pretty good and much better than their beer (their most famous beer in Italy is the imported Dutch Heineken!). If you do try the beers, there are three major Italian breweries to consider, Peroni, Moretti and Poretti. Keep in mind that Italian Pilsners are lighter than those you encounter in the Germanic and Slavic countries. Nastro Azzurro is a lager-type beer and may be worth a try. If you get wine, at a restaurant make sure to get the house wine & save $.
Naples – Naples is famous for their calimari. It looks like onion rings and so light and delicately prepared there. Some great pizza can be found at Da Michele (located at Via Sersale 1 (off Corso Umberto)(walking distance from Centrale)). Tel: 081-5539204. EVERYBODY knows where it is. Most pizzerias in Naples are better than anywhere else. Not too much to see in this city – maybe see the Museum of Anthropology. It is a short train ride to Sorento and Pompeii from Naples. If you are determined to stay in Naples, an independent hostel called Six Small Rooms http://www.at6smallrooms.com/ is worth a try. It is run by an Australian named Jenny. The phone number is 081 7901378.
Also a hostel in Naples is Ostello Mergellina, 081-761-2346, 14$ US. Great section of the city, a few steps to the metro (right behind the Mergelina train/metro station), a few hundred feet to the ferry.
Be aware that there are lots of rip-off artists and scams in
the Naples train station. So, pretty
much anyone who appears to be helping you (even baggage handlers and other
people wearing train company uniforms) will probably be working some scam, to
take your money. I would be very wary
of anyone offering you unsolicited assistance in Naples (or anywhere for that
matter).
Pompeii – There is a campground right outside the main entrance. I think it even has some cabins.
Capri - The isle of Capri is reachable by ferries and hydrofoils leaving from Naples and Sorrento. Capri is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Naples by ferry or 45 minutes by hydrofoil, and it costs about $5 for the ferry and $9 for the hydrofoil (each way). Capri is relaxing for the day, but too expensive for overnight stays.
Sorrento – This town offers more to do than does Naples or Capri. This town would be a good place to use as a base for day-trips to surrounding areas. Sorrento is a 65 minute train ride (50 km) from Naples.
There is a youth hostel called Hotel City. This place is run by friendly people and is only a short walk from the train and bus station. Another option is Hotel Elios (ten-minute walk from the center of Sorrento and 20 minutes from the train station (but you can take a bus)). It cost $42USD (46.50 Euro) per night for a double room which included breakfast. This is a small town and there is only one bus from the train station, so you can walk most of it if you are really cheap.
Another option is Palazzo Starace http://web.tiscali.it/palazzostarace/ Email: [email protected]. It is centrally located (10-15 minute walk from the train station) on Via S.M. Pietà, 9(Corso Italia corner)). Tel 39.081.878.4031. Expect to pay 129 Euro for a quad, 108 Euro for a triple, 88 Euro for a double, 62 Euro for a single.
A similarly priced option is Il Nido Hotel (88 Euros for a double with private bath)
Another option is renting a bungalow in a campsite called Camping Nube d'Argento. Expect to pay 62 Euro /night for 2 people.
Cinque Terre region –
Personally, I do not advise backpackers visit this area unless you are really into outdoors stuff (scenery, hiking and relaxing). These places were nicer before Rick Steves put them on the map in his travel guides. Now they are tourist traps. You will hear more American English spoken in Vernazza than Italian, and more German spoken in Monterosso. Many backpackers stay in Manarola and Riomaggiore, because that's where the hostels are. Even if everything is booked when you arrive, you can ask any local and they’ll direct to you to someone who’ll rent their rooms for tourists. If you show up in Vernazza and ask for MIKE he’s got great accommodations. He’s a former New Yorker and everyone knows him. Also consider the hostel in Manorola called Ostello http://www.cinqueterre.net/ostello/ Tel: +39-0187-920215; Email [email protected] The hostel is 300 meters from the train station. Expect to pay 19 Euro for a dorm bed or 76 Euro for a family room (4 beds) (no doubles). Dinner at this hostel costs 11 Euro.
There are plenty of apartments that can be found in local bars and cafe's. They will cost about 25 Euro per person which is much cheaper than the 60 Euro that many hotels will charge.
There is a
hostel in Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre) called Roberto Fazioli.
It has private rooms and 10 person dorms.
Located on Via Colombo 94, Phone: (+39)
0187/920904-920587; E-mail: [email protected].
Expect to pay 50-75 Euro for a double and 50-130 Euro for an apartment for 2
persons.
My friend Kim has posted a bunch of general and lodging info for the Cinque Terre region at http://members.shaw.ca/guideforeurope/5terre.html.
Consider
staying in Levanto (it's the 1st town east of the five towns that make up
Cinque Terre). The beach is great and there are a lot more shops and even a
disco on the beach. You can get to the hostel by following the signs as you
leave the train stain. There is a bar across the street that makes really
strong drinks. If you stay in Levanto, expect only a five minute train ride to
Cinque Terre.
Sicily – Some
hostels in Sicily are:
1) Eagles nest, Messina, 090-974-6398, (Medieval castle high above the
Tyrrhenian Sea) Nice and cheap;
2) Etna Youth Hostel (13 km from Catania rail station and the public transportation line Catania-Nicolosi is 300 meters from the hostel), tel 095-791-4686, Remote, next door neighbor is a volcano; Via della Quercia 7, 95030 NICOLOSI CT; Email [email protected] Expect to pay 12.9 Euro and breakfast costs 1.5 Euro and other meals cost 7.75 Euro.
3) Amodeo, Trapani,
09-23-55-29-64, nice view of the Egadi Islands. If you are considering going to Sicily, make sure to buy (or at
least look at) Roughguide on Sicily (which is more detailed and accurate than
Lonely Planet).
GREECE - Athens is good to visit, but you probably can see everything in
one full day. To be honest, the main
attraction is the Parthenon, which is on top of one of the few surrounding
hills, called Acropolis. Once you
arrive, you really just walk around the ruins and take some pictures. It is always hot so bring some water and try
to get there early in the morning. Then
again, most of the tour groups also arrive early and it is usually crowded
then. I have also visited about 3 pm
and it was less crowded. You will just
have to decide for yourself. If you
hate crowds, opt for the hot afternoon.
You can see some of the other stuff in the city like the Olympic stadium, but the Parthenon really is the most exciting thing. There are some restaurants and plenty of tourist junk nearby the Parthenon in a section of Athens that is called the Plaka. There is also a nearby “Monastiraki” fleemarket, and on Saturday and Monday mornings it is jam packed and plenty of pick pockets are around. If you want a good vegetarian place to eat in the Plaka/Monistiraki area, go to EDEN located at 12 Lysiou Str (& corner of Mnisikleous Street),
Ouzo is the alcoholic drink of Greece and can be found almost anywhere fairly cheap. The last time that I was in Athens it had a very crappy metro (only 2 lines) and there are plenty of problems with the trains too. Athens has recently “cleaned up” the metro for the Olympics, and they now have opened part of a third line (whoopie) but I do not know if it makes it any better.
Anyway, the train station in Athens employs some of the laziest, rude people in Europe. I base this on 4 separate visits to the city. They really don’t give a damn about public relations and I believe that they go out of their way to make life difficult for backpackers. In general, Athens is one of the dirtiest cities that I have ever seen and it is sometimes hard to breathe with all of the exhaust fumes in the air. If you spend the time to go to Greece from Italy, you really should see some of the Greek Islands (otherwise you may feel like you wasted your time).
You might want to purchase a 24-hour train, bus and metro pass for 2.90 Euro. That is an extremely good value. If you arrive in Athens by plane, there will be a booth near where you catch the bus at which you can buy this pass.
The most famous hostel in Athens is probably Aphrodite. Good place to meet people with a nice bar in the basement – 12 Einardou Street – Phone +30 10 8810589 or 10 8810249; Fax +30 10 8816574; email: [email protected] website: www.hostelaphrodite.com The Aphrodite has recently been renovated and now has air conditioning in all of the rooms. It is a 4 story white building with blue railings (blue and white are the national colors). Keep in mind that the Aphrodite is not in the best area of town (kind of far from the main tourist things, but close to the train station). The hostel does charge for the air conditioning (4 Euro per person in the room). So everyone in the room has to agree to use A/C. There is a grocery store next door and a bakery across the street.
I have read that the phone numbers in Athens have been changed to add a “0”. So if any of the numbers that I list below do not work, try adding a zero after the initial 301.
Some other hostels in Athens are:
· Student and Travelers Inn (located right on the main street in the Plaka) 16 Kidathineon str. Plaka. Athens Tel: 301 324 8802. Fax: 301 321 0065. Price: $11-20 USD (sneak in some beers from the store across the street and enjoy them on your balcony)
· Athens IYHF Hostel, 16 Victor Hugo Street, (15 min walk from Omonia Square). The price was about $8.70 Euro, breakfast included. They also have a bar and internet room. This place attracts a more international crowd than the Aphrodite/ or the Student & Travelers Inn. If you stay at this hostel, be sure to ask directions to the Gyros house near Ag. Pavlos church (2 or 3 blocks away).
· Athens Youth Hostel No 2, 87-89 Alexandras Ave & 1 Drossi Street, Tel: 6442421/6426529;
· Athens Youth Hostel No 5, 75 Damareos Street, Pangrati, Tel: 751 9530, Fax: 751 0616, Email: a/[email protected]
· I have heard about at a hostel called John's Place, which is a 3 min walk from the Plaka area and is supposed to be cheap and have a friendly staff.
Although “Let’s Go Europe 2001” recommended the Metropolis Hotel in Athens, I have heard nothing but bad stuff about that place. Also, avoid Hotel Albatros. Also, I have heard bad stuff about Hotel Feron (which is listed in Rough Guide).
Hotel Attalos is in a great location (next to Plaka) and costs about $30/night for a single with a bath). It's nothing special, but it's clean, in a great location, and has a great roof deck cafe overlooking the acropolis
Thessaloniki – a decent hostel is the Thessaloniki Youth Hostel, 44 Alexandre Svolou, tel: 0031-225946, fax: 0031-262208.
Mykonos. This is an island that likes to party. There is a large gay presence on this island, and a good website to visit for information on Mykonos is: http://www.wurli.com/wurli/Mykonos/mykonos_guide.htm. A good straight club is called Space. This island is expensive and is kind of a status symbol. Expect to pay 40-60% more for anything on Mykonos than on the surrounding islands. Try Taverna Antonini in front of the taxi square in Mykonos for good and cheap food.
Crete - Plakias
Hostel on Crete is a fun place. Visit http://www.yhplakias.com
If you stop at the Island of Corfu (in between Italy and Greece) plan on partying at the Pink Palace. If you spend more than one day on Corfu, then make sure to rent some scooters and see the whole island. I think that Thursday night is toga night – although every night is fun, this is a great thing.
The rates are very reasonable considering that they include breakfast as soon as you arrive (along with ouzo shots) and it includes dinner at night. (Of course they make much of their money from the excursions they offer and from selling alcohol in their on-sight nightclub, but even those rates were reasonable.)
If you want to go to other islands, there are plenty to chose from, but also expect to party on the island of Ios (pronounced ee ohss). If you are single and want to hook up, either of these islands (Corfu or Ios) should provide you with many opportunities. If you stay on Ios for a few days, plan on partying at night and take the ferry to some close islands of Santorini, Paros, Nexos and see the sights that they offer during the day, and then return to Ios to party at night. Events for IOS Summer 2002 are updated at: www.iospartyisland.com From Piraeus (the port of Athens) Ios is 7.5 hours away by ferry.
There are plenty of people who will meet your ferry at the pier and try and get you to sleep at their place. If you stay down by the docks, you will be close to the water, but if you stay up on the hill, you will be in the main town & close to shops and laundry and the night life. I suggest staying up in the town (on the hill) so when you are drunk (or if you get lucky) that you don’t risk your life walking back to your room in the dark down a long rocky walkway. Hora is the island's capital. It is also called Ios Town (located up on the hill). That is exactly where you want to be.
One good place to stay on Ios is at
Francescos Hostel. Tel: (0286) 91223, Expect to pay about $10 for a dorm room.
No reservations required if you arrive early. I have heard good things about a
place on Ios called the Purple Pig (Star Camping), but I never stayed there
myself. It is located at Mylapotas
Beach (Tel: +30 286 91302) (Fax: +30 286 91612)
Email: [email protected]
Price:$8-$16 (8.80 – 17.60 Euro)
Things start jumping at about 1 am. The bars close at 3:30 am and the “after bars” open at 5 am. You just walk from one bar to another.
If you have a few days on Ios, take a bus across the island to Mylopotas beach (the best beach on the island).
I suggest taking a night ferry from Athens to Santorini – that would save you money for a night’s lodging, and the trip will not seem as long because you will sleep some. If you want lodging on Santorini, try the Hotel Perissa. This hotel offers a four person room for 8.80 Euro per person, which included A/C, TV and bathroom. They have an office at the port and will take you to their hotel and back to the port free of charge. They also have a couple of rooms with 6 beds that are even cheaper.
There’s a little travel shop in the front next to the road where you can rental cars, scooters, and book tours, along with having internet access. Renting a car with A/C for 24 hours costs 38 Euro and scooters cost 20.50 Euro. This hotel is located right on the bus line so getting to the cities is no worry and it is located down from a grocery store. If you find that the prices have increased, you can stay at a cheap place called Hostel Anna, but this place is not the best.
I have also heard good things about lodging on Santorini at Pension George http://www.pensiongeorge.com/ tel & fax: 003-0286-22351; email: [email protected]
Santorini has some cool black sand beaches, and we took one of the tours that took you to the volcano and you could see the sulfur coming out of the ground and then you got to go swimming in the 85 degree water (hot from fissures in the earth). Anyway, if you do that, expect a pretty long hike in the heat over rocky terrain for the volcano walk thing. We wore sandals and bitched the whole time about rocks getting in.
If you plan on island hopping in Greece, you can check out the ferry schedule at http://www.gtp.gr
Here are some of the codes for islands below.
Piraeus – TZE
Raphina – RAF
Mykonos – MYK
Santorini – ATI
Crete(2) Ports
Heraklio – HER
Chania – CHC
If you plan on traveling from Greece through the former Yugoslavia and you do not have the required visas, then expect a horrible experience at the embassy. Everything in Yugoslavia is run with the attitude – hey if we don’t get to it today, maybe we’ll try again tomorrow – but that really sucks when you are wasting time in Athens to get a visa. If you do travel through Serbia, then expect to bring food with you, as the food available at the capital pretty much sucks! (I remember buying what I thought was a hamburger at the train station and it was only some stuffing on a bun! Don’t bother even stopping, just keep on going through to Budapest and relax there in one of the baths.
GERMANY – Munich is a great city to visit (especially if you go during Oktoberfest). To me, Munich epitomizes what most Americans think of when they think of Germany. Although you will find plenty of places to buy souvenir beer steins, cookoo clocks and other traditional German stuff, be aware that the prices are just about what you will find in the USA. However, there is a huge selection of this stuff here. For lodging, consider the Euro Youth Hotel www.euro-youth-hotel.de (located right outside the Hauptbanhoff (main train station) on a quiet street 3 minutes walk from the station). Expect to pay 17.50 Euro for a dorm, 21 Euro per person in a 3-5 bed room, 24-36 Euro in a double, 32 Euro for a triple, and 45 Euro for a single. Breakfast is 4.90 Euro. Tel: ++49 89 5990 8811.
Also consider the 4Umunchen hostel. The "4 you" in Munich is only a short two blocks from the main train station, and it is a good place to meet others. www.the4you.de Email: [email protected] tel: 089 – 55-21-660. It is located at Hirtenstr. #18. Expect to pay 16.50-21 Euro for a dorm, 24 Euro for a double, 33.50 Euro for a single. Increase these prices by 1-2 Euro if you are over 27 years old. If you get one of the private (non-dorm) rooms, they are very nice.
BERLIN – this city really has changed since November 9, 1989 when the wall came down. Ever since the wall fell in 1989, there have been huge construction cranes all over the city building big buildings. Most of the old wall has either been torn down or is protected, so don’t expect to take a chunk away anymore (that ended in the early 1990’s). However, there are plenty of people selling pieces of concrete that they claim to be parts of the Berlin wall. Make sure to visit the old Checkpoint Charlie (it has been destroyed, but a museum now stands in its place) and also see the old gates (entry way into East Berlin). Berlin can also have a happening nightlife if you know where to look. I once partied at an old building that was actually bombed out from WWII and half of the bar/club was outside! Make sure to try the many different types of German beer available. Also keep in mind what time the public transportation quits running. Every time that I have been to Berlin, I either stayed out too late to catch the trains or caught the last train. There are some special night busses that run and taxis also available.
If you are in Berlin on July 14, you will see the world’s most popular rave known as the Love Parade. Expect town to be crowded. If you arrive without a reservation, good luck getting lodging. Expect 2 million people attending. Some do not even bother with the hostels and just sleep in the Tiergarten.
Berlin is a
large city and your cannot really walk to all of the sights. Since you have to use the U- and S-bahns,
you should consider getting a day pass each day you're there.
For some cheap food, try the
Mensa at TU (Technical University) in Hardenbergstraße or
Humboldt-Universität/Unter den Linden. There are lot of cheap places to eat in
Berlin, especially in Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg. You can get German and
Turkish, Italian and Chinese food. Cheap food is easier to get in Berlin than
in Munich.
In Berlin, the Circus Hostel is always recommended as a place to stay (good showers, but annoying water timers). There are two different Circus hostels. The original one is the one on Rosa Luxembourg Strasse. The hostel even provides a great walking tour.
Another decent place is the TENT. For $7 at the Tent, they have a campfire, ping pong, great cafe, and clean showers. You sleep on a foam pad in these big communal tents.
Another good place is Euro Youth Hotel http://www.euro-youth-hotel.de
Which is 50 meters from the train station and it has a 24-hour reception. Prices range from 17.50 Euro to sleep in the 24-bed dorm to 45 Euro for a single.
Also
consider staying at Mitte's Backpacker in Berlin (http://www.backpacker.de) which is run by
the same people who run BaxPax (both hostels are the same price). If you have a choice between the two, choose
Mitte's over BaxPax because Mitte is in a better location. Expect to pay 13-17
Euro for a dorm, 19 Euro for a triple, 22 Euro for a double and 29 Euro for a
single. They charge 2.50 Euro for bed
linen if you don’t have your own (for entire stay).
Mitte's Backpacker Hostel is located at Chausseestrasse 102. Tel: +49 (0)30 283
909 65; Fax: 030 283 909 35; E-Mail:[email protected]
The contact info for BaxPax is http://www.baxpax.de/baxpax/home.html It is located on Skalitzer Str. #104. Tel: +49 30 69 51 83 22. Email: [email protected] This is a refurbished factory building. Expect to pay 15-16 Euro for a dorm, 18 Euro for a quad, 20 Euro for a triple, 23 Euro for a double and 30 Euro for a single. Also expect a 2.50 Euro charge for bed linen.
I suggest avoiding A&O hostel in Berlin. In 2001 they had very uncomfortable beds, the place was dirty and there wasn't a kitchen. They were in the process of renovating so it might be nicer now.
I have also heard good things about a hostel called the Clubhouse. Visit http://www.clubhouse-berlin.de/ It does get noisy at the weekend because there is a club nearby. It is a short walk from the Friedrichstrasse Bahnhof. Expect to pay 14 Euro for a dorm room; 32 Euro for a single; 45 Euro for a double; 20 Euro each for a triple or quad; and 17 Euro for 5-7 bedroom. They also have a very yummy all-you-can-eat and drink (4 Euro) breakfast. Tel: 0049 30 2809 79 79; Email [email protected] .To get there from Zoo station, take the S-Bahn (any line) from platform 5, get off at “Friedrichstrasse” and turn north, cross the bridge over the river SPREE, turn right into the first street (Ziegelstr.) take the next (Kalkscheunenstr.) on the left, and you're there.
Another good hostel is the Globetrotter Hostel Odyssee http://www.globetrotterhostel.de/
Grünberger Str. 23 (corner to Warschauer Str.) - 10243
Berlin
Tel./Fax: (+49) - (0)30 - 29 0000 81 - e-mail: odyssee@globetrotterhostel
Expect to pay 35 Euro for a single, 45-52 Euro for a double, 19 Euro per person in a triple, 17 Euro per person in a quad, and 15 Euro for a dormbed; free linens, all-you-can-eat breakfast cost 3 Euro; ISIC and HOE cardholders save 5% during summer. Laundry across the street.
Another decent hostel is called
Mitte's and has a website at http://www.backpacker.de/
One lodging option in Berlin
to avoid is Pension Acksel Haus in Prenzlauer Berg. People have complained that they paid by credit card, and then
when they got home they found additional charges on their card from this
place. Also the service sucks.
Before you leave your home, if you have extra time, check out http://www.berlin.de/home/English/ for info about Berlin. You can even view a map (click on Stadtplan at the top of the page).
If you have extra time in Germany, Neuschwanstein (the Castle upon which Walt Disney based Cinderella’s palace) is neat to see. It is located in the Bavarian Alps (actually there are 2 castles at this location (the yellow one (Hohenschwangau) is less famous and about a 30-minute walk from the big one). You can diminish your wait considerably by getting there when it opens, either 8:30 or 9:00 (or the last English tour is at 4:00). I suggest visiting Neuschwanstein before the other places as the waits are far longer at Neuschwanstein than at Hohenschwangau. There are “time tickets” that you purchase in an office at the bottom, so you don’t have to wait in line at the castle. As for getting to the castles from Munich, go to www.db.de to view train schedules. It is very easy to use (go to the English section).
For the smaller castle, visit: www.ticket-center-hohenschwangau.de
You can even book your tickets before Europe if you want to go inside. FYI - There is only one way to get to Hohenschwangau and that is to walk up a hill (20 minute walk). They have horse carriages available at Neuschwanstein, or 45 minute walk.
Neuschwanstein is on the outskirts of the city of Fuessen. It is probably less expensive to stay in Füssen than in Munich and to try and do a daytrip. And it is less crowded early morning and late afternoon
However, if you are based in Munich and are determined to see Neuschwanstein in a day trip, you can leave Munich at 7:51 and arrive in Fuessen at 9:57 (one change en route), or at 8:51 and arrive at 10:57 (no changes). A local bus will take you from the train station to the castle area.
There are returns from Fuessen at 18:05, arriving with one change at 20:16, or at 19:05 with no changes, arriving in Munich as 21:07. These are examples only (to give you an idea of the times involved), as there are departures in both directions throughout the day.
Since the interiors of these two castles are not that memorable, I would suggest not wasting any money to go inside and spend your time walking to the little bridge (Marianbrucke Bridge) above the castles. You will get an amazing view (which is much more memorable than the interior of the castles). But some of the door carvings at Neuschwanstein are incredible.
Leave yourself about an hour or two to see the town of Fuessen itself. It has its own castle, monastery, cathedral and a pedestrian-zone (medieval center).
If you have even more time to
kill in Germany, and you travel along the Rhine Valley (from Frankfurt north to
Koeln (Cologne)), the small towns
are cool to explore and Koeln is one of the bigger cities along the Rhine that
may be worth stopping at. When you get
out of the train station you will be staring at this big black cathedral. Actually, the church is made out of white
stone but the years of pollution have turned the stone black. You can climb the
South Tower of the Cathedral (2 Euro).
If you are taking a train that passes through Koeln, you might want to
consider getting off the train and spending an hour our two in Koeln (the
church is just outside the train station).
Usually you can catch the next train to your destination shortly after
your first train stopped in Koeln.
I have never been to it, but I
hear that the Stollwerk Chocolate factory has a real river of chocolate just
like in Willy Wonka. Expect to pay 5.50
Euro or 3 Euro with an ISIC. To get there from the train station, leave the
station through the main hall and go upstairs towards the cathedral. In front
of that turn left and keep as close as possible to the railways. When you reach
the railway-bridge over the Rhine go downstairs to the Rhine's bank (don't
traverse it) and walk the promenade south (against the flow of the Rhine).
After app. 1-2 km you will find a historical little bridge that covers the
entrance to a little port and that can be opened by being rotated. If you
traverse that bridge you find yourself directly in front of the chocolate
museum. The walk from the station takes app. 10-15 minutes.
If you’re into Roman history,
there is a Roman-German museum right near the station and the cathedral, and be
sure to check out the tombstones.
Expect to pay 3.60 Euro or 2 Euro for ISIC
Some venders sell some cheap food outside the train station. Also, there is a shopping street not far from the church. If you want to see this area, then make sure that you schedule your train travel during the day because there is no point in taking a night train through this part of Germany unless you have to. A cheap hostel in Koeln is called Hotel Berg and can be found at http://www.hotelberg.de/englisch/index.shtml
(it is 100 meters
from the train station). Just exit the train station at the "Breslauer
Platz" (Busstation) and go straight on in the Johannisstraße. The second
street on the left is the Brandenburger Straße. The hostel is at number 6.
Tel +49 221 9129162; EMail: [email protected]. The only prices that I remember are for the
two small single rooms (WC on the same floor, shower on another level) which
are in the for 30 Euro per room (so long as there are no trade shows at the
time that you visit).
Stuttgart – I suggest skipping this town on your first visit to Europe, but if you go to this town, then you will probably want to visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum (near Stuttgart -in Untertürkheim ) Tel: +49 0711 172 25 78 Tuesday to Sunday - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (Free admission) and/or the Porshe museum. (located 5 miles outside the city center) Tel: +49 0711 827 56 85 Tours available (must reserve) at 10:00 and 14:00. Admission is free – Open Monday to Friday - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
There is
also a Staatsgallerie which was a modern art museum with lots of big name
sculptures and paintings. The YHA hostel is a 15 minute walk uphill from the
train station (or take a street train, line 15, to “Eugensplatz” stop).. Expect open shower stalls (the only that I
have ever seen in any hostels). Expect good, cheap food and beer. Tel:
0711/241583
Fax: 0711/2361041 Email: [email protected]
13-20 Euros
Frankfurt – skip this town.
Frankfurt is the banking/financial center of Germany (and therefore
Europe). There is nothing really worth
seeing here except modern architecture.
If you really want to see this part of Germany, choose Mannheim,
Rudesheim or Heidelberg instead. If you
have a short lay-over and have ½ day to kill in Frankfurt, consider climbing up
the Helaba Tower (a.k.a. Eurotower), It
is about 200m high and you have a view on the whole town. Admission is 4.5
Euro.
The hostel in Frankfurt sucks. It is kind of a summer camp for German youth. I suggest skipping Frankfurt and staying in Mainz (see below). If you ignore me, then here is the HI hostel info. House of the Youth (Haus der Jugend), Deutschherrnufer 12, 60594 Frankfurt, Phone: 069 / 61 00 15 0, Fax: 069 / 61 00 15 99, E-Mail: [email protected] The only benefits are that they have lockers in the rooms and all-you-can eat breakfast.
Another option in Frankfurt is Pension Backer http://www.hotel-backer.de/
Expect to pay 25 Euro for a single, 40 Euro for a double, and 45 Euro for a triple.
Mainz
The HI hostel in Mainz was remodeled a few years ago and is right on the Rhine River on the south end of town, with a bar/cafe open in the evenings. It's about 20 min. to Frankfurt airport from the nearby Mainz Süd train station (a 20 minute walk from the hostel. The hostel is located about 30-minute walk into the town center. The hostel has a breakfast buffet.
Hamburg – If you go to this town, there are two good hostels. Check their websites www.schanzenstern.de and
Instant Sleep (www.instantsleep.de) the location was kind of far from the train station, but close to an S-bahn station. There is not that much historical beauty in Hamburg because Hamburg hasn't been restored following WWII as much as, say Munich. There's a botanical garden and a good zoo if those are things you like. Hamburg has a section of town known as the Reeperbahn District, which is similar to Amsterdam’s red light district. In addition to prostitutes, this section is also home to many good clubs and bars. The standard scam in the Reeperbahn is when a guy goes into a club or bar and a good-looking woman joins you and requests that you buy her a drink, expect to pay $100-$200 for that drink. You will be forced to pay and forget about arguing about it because the drink prices are posted (in very small print) outside the establishment. The bouncer will even escort you to an ATM if you don’t have the money on you. This scam is run in other towns, but it is prevalent in Hamburg.
Dresden – good city to visit. Visit http://www.dresden-tourist.de/eng/homepage.html for more info about this city. The official HI guesthouse is at Jugendgastehaus Dresden (Maternistrasse 22) and costs 17 Euro ($15 USD). It is big, very clean & within walking distance from the town center. The 2 best hostels in the Neustadt are Die Boofe www.boofe.de email to [email protected]; and Mondpalast www.mondpalast.de. (13.5 Euro for dorm) tel and fax 0049 351 804 6061 - email [email protected].
Also consider Lolli’s Homestay. http://www.lollishome.de/en/index.html
Expect to pay 13 Euro for a dorm, 25 Euro for a single room, 30 Euro for a double room, plus 2 Euro for linen, 3 Euro for breakfast. EMail: [email protected] Tel; +49 (0) 351-799 30 25. Located 15 minute walk from the “Neustadt” train station (or 3 minutes to tram lines 7 or 8, and 2 minutes from bus line 91)
Leipzig – Consider lodging in the Sleepy Lion Hostel (www.hostel-leipzig.de) located at Käthe-Kollwitz-Str. #3, Tel: +49/341/9939480; fax +49/341/9939482; email: [email protected] Expect to pay 14-15 Euro for a dorm, 18 Euro for a double and 24 Euro for a single. Plus linen cost 2 Euro and breakfast costs 3 Euro. Internet access is 2 Euro per hour, no curfew and no age restrictions. From the train station, take a tram from the central tram station located directly in front of the train station. Take tram # 1 (direction “Lausen” ). Get a “Kurzstrecke” (short journey) tram ticket, which costs 1 Euro. Get off at the second tram stop (Gottschedstraße). The Sleepy Lion Hostel is directly across the road from the tram stop. You can save 1 Euro by walking from the train station (15 minute walk). Visit the webpage for directions and map.
Vienna – there is plenty of history here and plenty of music events. Some of the churches and palaces are amazing. Make sure to eat Wiener Schnitzel when you are in this city since it was invented here! There are plenty of people selling you opera and theatre and orchestra tickets, and if you can afford them, you should try to do one of these.
Maybe stay at Hostel Zohrer – nice place for about $11. Also consider Hostel Ruthensteiner (near the Westbahnhof) www.hostelruthensteiner.com is $10 (10-11.5 Euro) a night for a dorm bed, 18-19 Euro per person in a double, 12.5 – 13 Euro per person in a triple. It is well-run, but do not expect it to be the liveliest place. It is located 3 minutes walking from the train station and about a 20-minute walk from town. It has single and double rooms, Internet access and 24 hour reception. Telephone: 43-1-8934202 E-Mail: [email protected].
The hostel Wombats http://www.wombats.at/ is very popular and will run you $12.50 (13.80 Euro) a night, incl. Sheets and has big rooms, a bar and a little outdoor courtyard area to eat and hang out. If either Ruthensteiner or Wombats is booked, then the other is only a block down the road from the other. Expect to pay 14 Euro for a dorm, 18 Euro in a double, and 36 Euro for a single room. Breakfast costs 3 Euro. Tel +43 1 897 23 36. Email [email protected] There are 3 train stations in Vienna. From Westbahnhof take the main exit and turn right on to Mariahilfer Straße. Follow Mariahilfer Straße until No. 152 (corner Rosinagasse). Turn right into Rosinagasse and go straight until Grangasse number 6. X
Also consider the recently (2002) renovated Westend City Hostel located at Fugergasse 3. Must pay in cash. 24 hour reception. Internet access. Expect the price to include breakfast. Tel: +4315976729
Also the
Believe it or Not Hostel, located at Myrthengasse 10, Apt. # 14,
Tel: 00 43 1 526 46 58
Salzburg – there is a really cool castle/fortress in this city (on top of a hill). Also the Sound of music tours available all over the city. A great hostel to party at is called YoHo (short for Youth Hostel). FYI – many Americans and Australians inhabit this place. The hostel has a bar in it and everyone is standing on the tables with a beer in their hand and singing songs at night. It is located at Paracelsusstrasse 9, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria, Tel: 43.(0)662. 87 96 49, Fax: 43.(0)662. 87 88 10, Just a few blocks from Salzburg railway station. Prices – AS160-240. ($10.50 – $15.60) (11.60 - 17.50 Euro). They also offer yummy and cheap food.
If hostels are not your thing, there is a B&B outside of Salzburg- Haus Christine. Less than $20/night. Take the local train (Regionalzug) one station to the stop Maria Plain (15 min train ride from Salzburg – Hauptbahnhof) to Salzburg- Maria Plain Station. A five minute walk up hill to the house, but the owner will pick you up from the train station as well with notice. Haus Christine, Panoramaweg 3 (tel/fax 45 67 63).
Also Haus Matilda Lindner (Christine's sister) Panoramaweg 5 (tel/fax 45 66 81) www.haus-lindner.at. This B&B is located next to the above hostel.
Another B&B is Pension Barbara A-5023 Salzburg, Schillinghoftr, 14 telefon: (0662) 64-91-20 email: [email protected]
Also consider Pension Elisabeth http://www.pension-elisabeth.at which is located at Vogelweiderstraße 52, Tel & Fax +43-662-871664. During peak season expect to pay 22-38 Euro for a single, 35-60 Euro for a double, 55-71 Euro for a triple, and 8 Euro for an extra bed. Prices depend on shower location. Prices include breakfast. The Pension is a 10-minute walk behind the train station. Don't go downstairs but stay at the platforms. You will find a bridge (with stairs) crossing all the tracks. At the backside of the trainstation you turn left, the first right, the first left again (onto Breitenfelderstraße). Walk 200m ahead until you get to the traffic-light (Vogelweiderstraße). The pension is a 30-minute walk or a 10-minute bus ride to the center of town (bus # 15).
Also consider Institute St Sebastian www.st-sebastian-salzburg.at. This place is mainly a female dormitory during the school year with some rooms set aside for travelers. You will hear students practicing instruments (even during the summer) The rooms include lockers and the bathrooms and showers were clean. They also have a kitchen and a rooftop patio overlooking the town. Breakfast is included. This B & B is a short walk from the main part of town and the train station. The doors are locked past 11pm, but everyone is given a key for entry.
Once I paid to go into Motzart’s birth house and it really was quite disappointing – I am not sure what I was thinking.
Innsbruck – while in Innsbruck avoid the HI hostels. Although the independent hostels are nothing great, they are better than the HI hostels. Maybe try Hostel St. Nikolaus http://www.hostelnikolaus.at/ Tel: +43 0512/286515. No curfew. The hostel is a 20-minute walk from the train station or you can just take Bus D at the main train-station, to the Youth Hostel St. Nikolaus stop (Schmelzergasse). Dorms for 13.80 Euro and free breakfast buffet.
Graz –
Switzerland – This country is pretty expensive, but beautiful. I once stayed with some relatives in Geneva for 2 weeks and I was able to see all of the surrounding cities and while having free lodging. If there is anyway to get free lodging, this is the place to try to do it.
Zurich, is closed on Sundays, except the shopping mall in the basement of the train station. If you are in town on a Sunday, I suggest going to Lucerne for the day (about 1 hour away).
Make sure to see a church called Fraumünster. Another big church
is called Grassmünster. At Fraumüsnter you can go up the tower for great
views. For the James Joyce fans, he was
buried in Zurich (to get to the correct cemetery, take tram 6 in the zoo
direction). If you are a chocolate lover you might want to visit the Lindt
chocolate factory (located at Seestrasse # 204, in the city of Kilchberg; tel
(+41) 1-716 22 33, Fax (+41) 1-715 39 85
If you have to stay in a hostel in
Zurich, try The City Backpacker : 5 Niederdorfstrasse, (1) 251 90 15, Fax: +41
1 251 90 24
Email:[email protected] www.city-backpacker.ch (great
location);
Try Martahaus : 36 Zamringerstrasse, (1) 251 4550, www.martahaus.ch (in the city center – 5 minutes from the Main Station).
Or try Zic-Zac Rock Hotel : 17 Marktgasse, 1 261 2181. This is located in the city center and is ½ km from the train station. Expect to pay $50 in this 2 star hotel.
Also try Youth Hostel Zurich ZH (the webpage is http://www.youthhostel.ch/e/frames/home.cfm?ID=65 ) and is located at Mutschellenstrasse 114. Phone: ++41 1 482 35 44. E-mail [email protected], This hostel is just outside of town (does not have any lockers). Take tram No. 7 from the main railway station to the «Morgental» stop, then 5 minutes on foot to the youth hostel. Or take S-Bahn (suburban train) No. 8 to Wollishofen and then walk «over the hill» for 10 minutes to the youth hostel (follow signs). Expect to pay $20 per night.
Another option is the tourist hotel (98 Sfr ($60)for students) #410 24 74 st. Karlquai 12
Also visit http://www.backpacker.ch and http://www.zurichtourism.ch
Geneva – there is a huge fountain in the lake that is called the Jet d’Eau. The UN is here and some of the worthwhile sights are the flower clock, vielle ville. I also took an informative boat tour on the lake. A nice day-trip from Geneva, is Montreux where you should visit the Chateau de Chillon (an amazing 13th-Century castle on the shore of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva)). It was one of the most memorable things that I saw in Switzerland.
In Geneva, some cheap lodging can be found at the City Hostel http://www.cityhostel.ch/ located about 150 meters from the main train station. Located at 2, rue Ferrier - Tel: ++41 22 789 22 93. It is a new hotel. Expect to pay the following 25 Swiss Francs.(17 Euro) ($15.75 USD) per person in a dorm, and single rooms for 50 Swiss Francs (37 Euro) ($33.50USD). All the rooms are equipped with a wash basin; Toilet, shower and a kitchen on the landing. Gabriela and Andreas Keppeler, run this hostel. Email: [email protected] No curfew/lockout. To walk to the hostel you exit the train station and turn LEFT and walk along the "rue de Lausanne" (always keeping to the left hand side) for approximately 5 minutes until you come across a MOTOR CYCLE shop. Turn LEFT ("rue Prieure") and the hostel is on the RIGHT ("rue Ferrier").
Lausanne – neat churches and clocks.
Basel – unless you are really into art, don’t even bother stopping here. If you travel by night train and are required to change trains in Basel (such as from Amsterdam to Florence) then plan on a few hours around 4 a.m. of sitting in the train station doing nothing. This really sucks in the winter when it is cold because the train station is not even heated. I have heard that the party in Basel for Fastnacht is fun.
Lucerne (a.k.a. Luzern) – is a tourist trap, but does offer a cool covered bridge (Kapellbrucke) with paintings above your head detailing the Swiss history. The neatest thing this city has to offer is a lion that is carved into a rock mountain. It is called the Dying Lion and is a national monument honoring members of the Swiss Guard who died at the Storming of the Tuileries during the French Revolution. The lion has a spear in its side and a tear from its eye and it commemorates courage and self-sacrifice. The French offered to pay for a memorial to the Swiss Guard who died and the Swiss built this monument, but the French never paid. So, to get the French back, you will see the carving around the lion is in the shape of a pig (the actual cave outline). This was the Swiss way of sticking it to the French.
Lucern is one of the “quintessential” Swiss towns. It is small, and can be seen in a day.
The Tourist Hotel Lucern is located at St. Karliquai 12 and is a nice hostel but runs about $18/night. This places provides you with access to the Internet, laundry, a bar, scooter rental, and balcony (with good views and space to drying wet clothes). Email: [email protected]
Backpackers Hostel Lucerne www.backpackerslucerne.ch is clean and about 15 minutes from the railway station. It is located at Alpenquai 42, which is a 12 minute walk from the main station. Tel +41 (0) 41 360 04 20. Expect to pay 18.50 Euro for a dorm and 22.80 Euro per person in a double. There are no single rooms. It is closed from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm so either check in at 10 or at 4 pm. FYI- there are no lockers at the hostel.
Interlaken – lots of outdoors stuff to do here. If you simply want
to be in the mountains, I suggest skipping Interlaken and taking a train just a
little further to Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald. Interlaken is a place to party and do
outdoor stuff. Many Americans and
Australians party at a hostel called Balmer’s Herberge. Hauptstrasse 23-25,
3800 Interlaken, Switzerland, Tel: 41.(0)33. 822 19 61 Fax: 41.(0)33. 823 32 61
Bus 5 from West station / 15 min. walk from either station. Another party place
is the Funny Farm. I suggest partying
at Balmers and sleeping at a different hostel such as the Backpacker’s
Villa http://www.villa.ch/, or the Funny
Farm http://www.funny-farm.ch/. Balmers is wild and crazy but the
accommodations do leave much to be desired.
Funny Farm offers dorms for $11.
Backpacker’s Villa is only a few minutes walk from Balmers. A dorm in Backpacker’s Villa costs 32 Swiss
Francs ($20) (26.50 Euro) in the high season (May-August).
As an example of the pricing to expect, one of the activities offered is paragliding. At Balmers, it cost 160 Swiss Francs ($98)(133 Euro), The Funny Farm offers it for 150 Swiss francs ($92)(125 Euro), and across the street at Alpin Center it was only 140 Swiss Francs ($86)(116.Euro).
Grimmelwald – Consider staying here for great views of the mountains. If you are not into partying, skip Interlaken and visit Grimmelwald instead. You get there by cable car, helicopter, or hiking. Stay at the Mountain Hostel http://www.gimmelwald.com/hostel.html . Expect to pay $12.50 per night. You can walk to Murren in 30 minutes. Email: [email protected]
Grindelwald (notice the different spelling from above location)– stay at the Mountain Hostel. Tel +41(0)33 853 39 00; email: [email protected]. Web http://www.mountainhostel.ch/ The hostel is located a 15 minute walk down-hill from Grindelwald station, right next to the cable car station Männlichen and the train station Grund (Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe). Expect to pay $21 for a dorm.
Lauterbrunnen, is at the bottom of the valley below Gimmelwald. It is central for the trains, has a good range of walks, a good Co-op for food shopping and is cheaper than Grindlewald. There is also a good campground there.
Gryon – cheaper option to Interlaken. The only hostel in this town is the Swiss Alps Retreat located at 1882 Chalet Martin. They have spotless rooms with breathtaking views. You can still find stuff like year round skiing, paragliding, thermal baths, in-house masseuse, and much more. They have a well equipped kitchen. No lock out no curfew; internet access ($6/hour), laundry. Tel 0041 24 498 33 21. Email [email protected]. Webpage - www.gryon.com . During the summer expect to pay 12-17 Euro ($11-$15) for a dorm, 17-26 Euro (15-23) for a double room (per person). Add 1.40 Euro tax for the first night. Credit cards not accepted.
Bern is German for bear which is the city’s mascot. The thing to see here is the clock tower and the bear pits. Bern is a quaint old town, but the city shuts down on Sundays.
St. Moritz is very expensive and is a ritzty ski resort.
SPAIN –
Hostels in Spain are called “hostales” in Spanish. (not to be confused with “youth hostels” which are called “albergue juveniles” in Spanish) .
if you go to the island of Ibiza – plan to party.
Expect to pay 45 Euro for a one way ticket on the ferry from Ibiza to Barcelona. Check http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/transport/ferry_i.htm for tickets and timetables as well as general information about the island and the club scene, and links to a clubbing forum.
This is out of control partying and plenty of drugs floating around. If you are into all night raves, then you must give this expensive island a visit, but expect to pay about $35 to get into a club, and can be as much as 60 Euro during some of the bigger parties. Expect that a Vodka Lemon will cost you up to 10 Euro in a club, or 6 Euro in Ibiza Town or one of the pre-club bars. A beer (or water) will cost you 6 Euro in a club and 4 Euro elsewhere. Only the big clubs like Amnesia, Eden, Pacha etc. charge a fortune (US$20-$45) all the others are usually free if you get there before 11pm. There are no dress codes for the clubs. The longest lines at clubs are from 1:30 – 3:00 a.m. The pre-club music bars are much cheaper (no cover charge and the drinks are cheaper). If you are caught smuggling drinks into any of the clubs you will be kicks out and banned. Most people use either bus services or taxis while on this island (bus is much cheaper than taxi).
This island is only 45 km long and 25 km wide so taking a bus or taxi will usually get you anywhere in less than an hour.
There are 7 major clubs on Ibiza:
· Amnesia - located in the middle of the island, near San Rafael
· Eden - located on the waterfront in San Antonio
· El Divino - located in the Ibiza Marina
· Es Paradis - located on the waterfront in San Antonio
· Pacha - located very near the Ibiza Marina
· Privilege - located in the middle of the island, near San Rafael
· Space - located in Playa d'en Bossa, near the beach. Space is most famous as an after hours disco - i.e. it opens in the morning (although it also has good night time parties).
In the off-season (from October until May), the only clubs which remain open are Pacha and El Divino.
A more relaxed
atmosphere can be found at Bar Savanna, Mambo, Cafe del Mar, or at Cala
d'Hort. However, you probably should
skip Ibiza if you want to relax in a calm environment – too expensive to do
that here.
There is a huge open market selling everything along the water till about midnight, & that’s where you can buy tickets for the clubs at night. Don't show up without them. Waiters in Ibiza Town also sell club tickets.
It is illegal to sleep on the beach and the police patrol regularly.
I suggest getting lodging in Ibiza Town (there are different areas on the island). Avoid staying in San Antonio unless there are no other accommodations.
As for hostels on Ibiza – try hostal la marina http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/hostal-lamarina/home_i.htm (located in the middle of all the chaos down in the port) It is expensive and the cheapest you will pay during June 15- July 14 is 30 Euro per night (for a single room with shared bath) but the price for the same thing from July 15-August 31 is 35 Euro. During June 15- July 14 a double with shared bathroom will cost 41 Euro but the price for the same thing during July 15-August 31 is 47 Euro. So, just like most other hostels in Europe, you can save money if you are in a group (for example each person in a double on July 1 will pay 1/2 of the 41 Euro price (20.50 Euro), which is 30% cheaper than what a solo backpacker with no friends will pay.
Another hostal to try is Hostal Costa
Also, there is a hostel right in the middle of the west-end called the El Corral.
Some more cheap lodging for Ibiza is listed at http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/hoteles/ibiza_hoteles_e.htm
In Barcelona the nightlife is great. Although the club names change all the time, try Mare Magnum. This is a shopping mall by day and a ton of dance clubs (each with a different theme) at night (located on the water). There's no cover charge so you can go into and out of them all night long until 4:30. This used to be a great place, but I have heard that the atmosphere has gone downhill. Maybe consider the neighborhood of La Rivera (a.k.a. El Borne). Look into Club La Paloma (on Thursdays), La Terezza, Dischoteque, or Arena.
Keep in mind that the clubs do not get busy until late (they can very easily be dead at midnight and not get crowded until 2 or 3 a.m.) A good bar is the L'Ovella Negra (Black Sheep) – located in an old castle – cheap beer – This is a crowded place to meet others and hook up. Many backpackers will love this place because you will be just fine in this bar wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Hit this place before you go to the clubs! If you plan on partying hard, this town is a great place to do it.
Be very careful of muggings if you walk alone at night on or near La Rambla (near the port area dance clubs). Try to go with others from your hostel.
Keep in mind that September 11 is
going to be a sad day for many, but it is the Catalan National Day, so you will
see Catalan flags everywhere and happy people demonstrating and nobody working
(it is a public holiday).
For a jazz club, try the Jamboree. They have frequent live jazz concerts and DJ’s later at night. It is located at Placa Reial (near the Ramblas), but can be expensive.
If you like to drink Absinthe, go
to Bar Marsella located at Carrer de Sant Pau 65, (93 442 72 63). Metro
Liceu/14, 38, 59, N9, N12 bus. or go to Bar Pastís, C/Santa Mònica 4 (93
318 79 80). Metro Drassanes/ 14, 38, 59, 91, N12 bus.
.
You can save some money in this
town by checking your bags at the train station and partying your ass off in
the Barcelona clubs (all night) and sleep all day on the beach. If this sounds like fun, then you can even
plan to arrive in town in the evening.
Make sure to figure out something for a shower. Otherwise, as for a hostel, try Kabul for
great location but it is pricey. Visit
it on the web at www.kabul-hostel.com. It is located at Plaça Reial 17, 08002
Barcelona, Spain -Tel: 34-93.318 51 90 Fax: 34-93.301 40 34, Take the metro
from the train station to the
"Liceo" station, located at the "Ramblas". It is just a 3
minute walk from this metro station to Kabul Hostel. Expect to pay 19 Euro (excluding breakfast). Kabul does not take reservations. In the peak of summer your name might be 30th
on the list even if you arrive at 7am, and they don’t start calling names
until 9:30 am.
Some cheap hostels are Pension Fernando or Hostal New York. As for HI New York. (No HI card required) It costs about 9 Euro, but no breakfast. Equipped kitchen.
Pension Fernado is clean, well-run and affordable. It is located on Ferran St, across from Kabul.
A list of hostels in Barcelona with price breakdowns is at http://www.europeanhostels.com/fall/listings/spain/barcelona.asp
A few other hostels to
try are: Hostal La Maritima (a pension) tel 93 302 31 52
located on the bottom of La Rambla (the town’s main street); Hostel Fernando tel: 93 301 79 93 (Right off La Rambla).
Another
option is Angies Youth Hostel http://www.angies.f2s.com/
This place is a two-minute walk from the 'Ramblas', and 'Plaça de
Catalunya'. Actually, they have 2 locations.
One is at Roger de Lluria nº 10, first floor.(city center), and the
other is at Vallespir 32, ground floor. (Train Station)
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]
fax : (00-34) 934-911-942; phone: (00-34) 934-112-137 If you are either a former guest or make a reservation, the prices
are 20 Euro for a dorm, or 22 Euro per person in a double. Email
Another option is Itaca Hostel http://www.itacahostel.com/ Expect to pay 17 Euro in a dorm, 40 Euro for a double room, sheets and towels cost 1.2 Euro and breakfast costs 2 Euro. Tel: 93/ 301 97 51. Email: [email protected]. Located at c/ Ripoll 21.
If you want a good hostel,
look into Gothic Point Hostel. www.gothicpoint.com and email: [email protected] (about
$18/night which includes breakfast). A
metro stop is located about a block away. This hostel used to be quiet, but has
become popular and now can be quite loud.
Another lodging option is Pension Bahia www.pensionbahia.com, (about a 3-minute walk from the Plaza de Catalunya on the top end of La Rambla) no curfew or lock outs and this place gets pretty quiet at night. There are 111 steps to climb and the prices are: singles cost 23-29.30 Euro, a double costs 38 to 58, and a triple is 52.75 Euro (which is 17.50 Euro each) Again, you can see that traveling alone will cost you more in lodging. Email [email protected].
A new option (opened Jan 2001) is Ideal Youth Hostel http://www.idealhostel.com/. Tel: # 34 93 342 61 77; Fax: # 34 93 412 38 48. It is located on C/UNIÓ Nº 12. Expect to pay 12 Euro per person. This place is not too clean and has some bad showers (but is in a safe location).
Another option is to stay at Alberg Hostal de Joves located at Pg. De Pujades 29.
Also consider Albergue de
Montserrat it runs nightly busses to and from the center of town all
night. It is located next to Parc Guell
(at the top of a very steep hill – make sure to take the bus). It is clean and
is an old converted mansion. They have
Internet access. They open the door
every hour to let in party goers who are out all night.
I have heard good things about a B&B in an apartment run during the summers by this couple named Marie and Antonio who cook huge portions for you and give you a tour of town (and may do your laundry). Expect to pay more than the hostel prices. It is located north of La Ramblas (about a 7-minute subway ride from the main strip). Email [email protected]
Make sure to avoid Hotel Rey don Jaime I
If you have extra time when you are in Barcelona, take a day trip to Monseratt, (an old monastery set up in the mountains. Take a local train (approximately one hour), and just outside the station is a cable car which takes you up. Wander around the old pilgrim trails, and check out the basilica. There is a black Madonna statue in this town that is popular. It is called the Virgin of Monseratt. Actually it is not in a town, but in a Monastery in the Serra de Montserrat. There are buses from Sants station, but it leaves there in the morning and returns in the evening. If you are not up for spending the whole day, maybe there are organized trips as well.
Another nice daytrip from Barcelona is to visit the Dali museum in Figueras.
In Madrid, you
might want to visit the oldest tavern in Madrid: Taberna de Antonio Sanchez,
Meson de Paredes St. Also, great paella
can be eaten at
Champagneria Gala, Moratin St.
Clubs in Madrid can be very expensive and you will not find many backpackers in them. For example “Kapital” (Metro “Atocha”) charges an entrance fee of 26-31 Euro and one drink can run you up to 12 Euro. Most “madrileños” stick to bars, pubs, discobars and taverns for nightlife.
Expect only one or two HI hostels (Santa Cruz is one of them and Casa del Campo is the other – located inside the park west of the Royal Palace).
in this town which are located away from center. Other hostels are in the Sol area (Sol metro station) but they can get a little loud at night, especially during the weekend. Regarding cheap places in Madrid, try hostal encarnita - tel 91/531-90-55 and hostal lucense (near the san martin metro stop. near puerta del sol, expect to pay 200pts for a hot shower), and/or Pension Poza - tel 91/522-48-71 or tel - 91/522-48-88 or hostel Gredos - tel 91/547-46-42 or hostel castilla - tel 91/310-21-76.
A new place that has gotten good reviews is Los Amigos Backbackers Hostel. Visit their website at http://www.losamigoshostel.com (it even has a 24hour webcam on their homepage). Price is 15 Euro per night for a dorm. They have a 24-hour reception and internet access. It is located at Campomanes No 6, 4th Floor. Tel +34 91 547 1707 Email [email protected] From the Atocha train station, take the metro: blue line(Nº1) up to Sol and then change to the red line (Nº 2) to Opera. (You can also walk from Sol: 5 min. down Arenal street to Opera). Otherwise it is 6-8 Euro by taxi from the train station to the hostel.
I have also heard good things about Hostal la Macarena, located at Cava de San Miguel # 8, phone: (+34) 91 365 9221 / 91 366 6111, fax: (+34) 91 364 2757, Metro: Sol or Opera. They claim to be getting a webpage soon, so do a search. Expect to pay 45 Euro/night for a single, 57 Euro/night for a double, 72 Euro/night for a triple, and 84 Euro/night for a quad. Add the the 16% VAT tax to these prices. It's on a street (which is not too noisy) immediately behind Plaza Mayor, near one of the best clusters of tascas in Madrid. Windows facing the street have double window panes. To reserve, call first for details and then you will have to fax something in. FYI – this place is in a 5-story yellow building with white trim around the windows.
Another good
option is Hostal Persal, http://www.hostalpersal.com/ located at Plaza del Ángel #12, Tel. +34 913
694 643; Fax. +34 913 691 952; [email protected]
Expect to pay 60 Euro for a single, 75 Euro for a double, 105 Euro for a
triple, and 120 Euro for a quad.
Also consider Hostal Pereda http://www.ctv.es/HostalPereda/ , located at Calle Valverde #1 (2nd floor), Tel: +34 91 522 47 00 / Fax +34 91 522 47 09, email: [email protected] Expect to pay 33 Euro for a single, 52 Euro for a double, 65 Euro for a triple, and 3 Euro for Breakfast (continental). If you reserve on their webpage, you get a 10% discount. To reach Hostal Pereda take the Metro to Gran Via Station – the hostal is right on the corner.
AddreAlso consider Hostal Paz, 91 547 30 47, Calle Flora 4 (1st and 4th Floor). Metro stop Opera. Tel.: 0034-91 547 30 47
Also consider Hostel Chelo, Horteleza 17, 3rd floor, Madrid 28004 www.chelo.com. tel (34) 91 532 70 33. e-mail: [email protected] All of the rooms have a tv and private bathroom. Expect to pay 36 Euro for a twin room, and 48 Euro for a triple room.
Try the Hostal Cruz Sol and the Hostal Santa Cruz on Plaza Santa Cruz, 6-2nd and 3rd floor, are in the same building. And there are plenty of places to check out right around the Plaza del Sol area.
Another hostel is at Santa Cruz de Mercenado 28 and it was fine. Not too far from the center. Close to the University, lots of places to eat and party nearby. Reservations recommended all year.
Another
hostel is Hotel Rivera; Calle Atocha 79, 28012 Madrid, Spain
Phone: (+34) 914 296 130; Email: [email protected]
Webpage: http://ocio.arrakis.es/hostalrivera/index.html
This place was renovated in 1998 and has a/c and all rooms have a private
bathroom. Expect to pay 24 Euro for a
single and 36 Euro for a double.
One more options are the following: 1) Backpackers Hostel. Next to the Opera house in a quiet street.
I have heard mixed reviews of Hostal Nuria (Fuencarral 52). Ok if all that you want is a roof over your head.
Also consider Hostal Barbieri. Expect to pay 14 Euro/night in a dorm with breakfast. Good location.
I suggest that you look at www.madridman.com for a large number of
Hostals and other information on Madrid
(and other cities in Spain).
In Madrid, consider visiting
CARDAMOMO (calle Echecaray). It is a
Flamenco bar / club and there is a FREE live show every Wednesday night. They
claim the show starts at 10:30 p.m,, but I suggest arriving around 9:30 p.m. to
get a seat. (And don't be surprised if the show does not start until 11:30
p.m.)
In Valencia there is a cathedral that claims to have the Holy Grail. Other than that, there's not much to see. Paella was invented in Valencia, so take eat some fresh and authentic any day around 1 pm. FYI “Paella Valenciana” contains meat rather than seafood. When I say meat, I am talking about chicken and rabbit and sometimes other stuff. Some good places to eat Paella are at Bar Mercado Rojas Clemente; Martinot (located near the port (their specialty is arroz negro); L´Estimat, (located at the Playa de La Malvarrosa) (great seafood paella). Avoid the place with the big color poster of paella that is located at the Plaza de la Reina (where the Irish pub is) because it is microwaved.
If you need lodging, try the hostal El Rincon on Calle de la Carda, 11. This street is located right by the Mercado. You can stay across the street from El Rincon at Hostal Pilar (it is a little bit cheaper than Rincon but nothing special), it is nice and clean.
Also consider Hotels Continental and Reina Victoria (located closer to the city center).
I have heard bad stuff about the Albergue Juvenile Las Arenas (8 Euro per night). This place used to be an old school, and is located 100 meters from the ocean, with triple bunk beds. Expect bed bugs, cat feces, brown, smelly water, and dirty bathrooms.
Salamanca – This is a college town. Consider a bar called Jacko's (they have liter size mixed drinks). Consider the pension at 5 Prado. It costs 14 Euros a night, is very clean and located 30 meters from the plaza mayor.
Also consider the HI hostel “Albergue Juvenil Salamanca” (Located at Escoto 13 which is about a 5-minute walk from the main sight-seeing areas). Tel: 923 269 141. Rooms are clean but they cram up to 20 people per room), no kitchen, no breakfast, no TV room, no curfew. Expect to pay 11 Euro.
Also consider Pension Lisboa, located at Melendez 1. Tel: 923 21 43 33. Expect to pay 13 Euro/night for your own room with sink. No breakfast, no kitchen, no curfew. This place is located in the middle of the main sight-seeing areas.
San Sabastian – This town is a little more expensive than other parts of Spain, but is still cheaper than Barcelona.
The hostel is average. The location is fine, in a perfectly decent middle class inner city suburb about a 15 minute walk west of the center, but they have a curfew, which is a problem since Spanish nightlife goes late.
Hostal Ozcariz, Fuenterrabia, 8, tel: 943 425 306 or
Pension Boulevard, right off Alameda del Boulevard, or Pension Aussie.
Also Pension Urgull
Also Pension Amalur Tel: 34-943-460861
Also consider Pension La Perla. (Tel: 34-943-428123). It was clean and is
located next to the cathedral and within walking distance from the beach.
Another Pension (habitatione) is called Joaquina Urbista Habitaciones and is located at Camino 4. Tel: 42 58 35. The lady who runs this place meets people at the train station. You can probably negotiate the price from 15 to 12 Euro (especially if you stay a few nights). This place is only two minutes from the beach. Tip - ask for a room with a balcony, and you will see the ocean from it.
Seville - There are many zero-star hotels in Sevilla. Cheaper than hostels.
Apartohotel Resitur is well situated and costs about 30 Euro, but there are cheaper options, such as the youth hostel (but the youth hostel is kind of far away (especially from the night-life). Consider Hotel Madrid; or Hostel Sierpes (about a five-minute walk from the cathedral which is in the center of the old town), or Pension Vergara (hostel prices) or Hostal Naranjo. Also consider Hostal Londres http://www.sol.com/hostal/londres/ Located at San Pedro Martir 1. Expect to pay 38 Euro for a single, 54 Euro for a double, 72 Euro for a triple, and 84 Euro for a quad. Also consider Hotel el Paraiso http://www.sol.com/hotel/paraiso/ located at Gravina 27. Expect to pay 42 Euro for a single, 55 Euro for a double, 70 Euro for a triple.
The Cathedral is free on Sundays after 2pm and is located right next to the Alcazar. The Alcazar (where you can get lost in the hedge mazes) is free to holders of the ISIC card. Bull fights are 8-10 Euro (in the sun) or 26 Euro (in the shade) and take place on Sundays at 7:30pm.
You may recognize the Plaza De Espana from scenes in the new Star Wars movie.
From Seville you could see Grenada or Cordoba as a day trip (but each town probably deserves a little more time than that if you can) if you take the fast AVE train train, expect to pay about $7 supplement with your Eurail. Seville to Granada is about 2 ½ to 3 hours each way and costs 16.50 Euro each way for second class ticket (if you do not use a Eurail). From Seville to Cordoba by AVE it takes 40 minutes and costs 17.50 Euro if you do not use a Eurail pass.
.
Cordoba is worth a trip. TIP - many of the sights are free on Fridays (the Mezquita is free before 10am – which will save you 7 Euro per person).
Portugal – Lisbon – See the tower of Belem & the museum of nautical history. Keep in mind that the Park Eduardo VII (near Praça Marquês de Pombal) is a little seedy at night. Near Lisbon is Sintra where there are castles. Skip Cascais - it is just a windy beach.
The last time that I was in Lisbon the cheaper places to sleep were – Casa de Hospedes Duque – Calcada do Duque 53, tel – 01/346-34-44; Casa de Hospedes Lisboa – Rua Sao Juliao 11, tel 01/888014; Residencial Nossa Senhora do Rosario – Calcada de Santana 198 – tel. 01/885-36-50; Pensao A Moderna, Escadinhas da Saude 10, tel 01/886-38-00; Residencial do Norte – Rua do Norte 123, tel 01/346-50-68. Also you can contact Carlos Ferreira at Residencial Estrela do Saldanha ([email protected]). He runs a clean, economical and well-located Residencial about 500m from Lisbon's main bus station, Avda. de la Republica, 17.
The hostels in Lisbon are located
at 1) R. Andrade Corvo,46, Tel: 21 353 26 96; Fax: 21 353 75 41; E-mail:[email protected] and at Lisboa Parque
das Nações, at R. de Moscavide, 47-101 1998 Lisboa Expo, Tel: 21 892 08 90;
Fax: 21 892 08 91; E-mail: [email protected]
Also try Pasao "Duas
Nacoes" in Lisbon (fax: 00351 21 347 0206)
excellent location: downtown, near Alfama (old part of the city), on the main
commerce street
Two good websites that allow you to check hotels and hostel prices are www.maisturismo.pt and www.pousadasjuventude.pt (click on foreigners, and then click on contacts-youth hostels)
I have heard that a place called Quartos is a very smelly place (mould/damp), and costs 25 Euro.
Pensaos means the same thing as hostels in Portugal.
If you have a higher budget, try Pensao Beira Minho located in the Baixa area. You can get a room with balcony facing the Praca da Figueira for $22 (24 Euro) or one without for $16.50 (18 Euro). Includes breakfast. The rooms have a sink, mirror, bidet, desk and double bed. Hot showers too!!! Number is 351 21 346 1846. Good luck!
Nightlife is great in the Bairro Alto area of Lisbon.
If you want
to see something besides Lisbon, try Sintra,
only a 40 min. train ride from Lisbon.
Due to Sintra’s proximity with Lisbon, I suggest sleeping in Lisbon
(because there are more options in Lisbon and the prices are cheaper in Lisbon,
and Sintra is dead at nights). There is
a small B&B across the street from the train station in Sintra that does
not cost too much, but I can’t remember any details. Sintra has a hostel at Stª Eufémia, S. Pedro de Sintra 2710
Sintra
Tel: 21 924 12 10; Fax: 21 923 31 76; E-mail: [email protected]
There is a youth hostel in Sintra (phone 351 + 21 924 12 10), but it is 5 km from the train station and not easy to reach.
If you go to the north parts of Portugal, they will be less touristy, and much cooler than the south.
If you want to camp while you are in Portugal, visit:
http://www.roteiro-campista.pt/frame-geral-parques-uk.htm
For a good Portugal railroad map, visit: http://www.cp.pt/servicos/e_mapa.html
Lagos, Portugal – For lodging,
consider the Rubi-Mar guesthouse in Lagos (it's a pensionne with 9 rooms and
they bring you in breakfast to your room each morning). It is run by these 2
gay English guys and it costs $37 US a night for a double room http://rubimar.freeyellow.com/
Email: [email protected]
However, if someone on the train offers you a place to stay, chances are it´s pretty good. Even apartments that are outside the city center are still only fifteen minutes walk to the beach, and ten minutes to the city center.
Another lodging option is Hostal Doña Ana, in praya doña Ana, (about 20 minute walk from the center of Lagos. The beach is one of the most scenic in Algarve. Expect to pay about 25-30 Euro with breakfast.
The hostel in Lagos is at R.
Lançarote de Freitas, 50 8600-605 Lagos, Tel: 282 761 970, Fax: 282 769 684
E-mail: [email protected]
Some good bars are the Old Town Tavern until Midnight (for cheap drinks) Eddy´s for a crowded small bar but good times, and Bon Vivant after that. There is another night club called the Phoenix (6 Euros gets you in and 3 drinks).
.
Morocco is
cheap. Food is inexpensive and hostels are cheap as well but at times you may
need your own sleep-sack to avoid scabies or the like. You can get lodging for
about $5-10 per night. I suggest the
towns of Fez, Rabat and Marrakesh, Chefchaouen, and skipping Casablanca and
Tangier.
Bargaining is
a way of life. Expect to be charged 2
to 3 times the actual price for something bought from a salesperson. Offer ½ and walk away.
Knowing French, or Arabic is a big plus, and Spanish helps some in Tangier. If you speak one of these languages, (especially French), wait until there are no English speaking people in the shop before beginning to discuss prices, because the prices quoted to English-speakers are the highest.
Marrakesh
- Hotel ALi was fine. Great place to meet other travelers, and have email
access.
Fez - In Fes, the
Hotel Renaisance is a very cheap hotel ($12/night for a triple) with smelly
bathrooms, or you could spend $40/night at the Hotel Splendid and have air
conditioning, actual toilets and shower and a swimming pool - breakfast
included. The HI hostel is a good
option too.
Algeciras – it’s a port town and kind of swarthy.
Tangier – This place sucks. If you only have time to visit this city in Morocco, don’t even bother, as it will ruin your impression of the country. This is not the type of place that you should visit as a day trip just to say that you have been to Africa – lots of crime (highest crime rate in Morocco) and beggers (Almsgiving is one of the five tenets of Islam, but there are also plenty of professional beggers). The street vendors are particularly annoying, and extremely persistent.
There are also a lot of fake guides, who will rip you off. Also plenty of people will offer to help you out, and then expect a tip in return. Also you will be hounded to buy everything under the sun and you will not see many backpackers. I certainly would advise against a female traveling alone in Tangier. Not far away from Tangier is the beautiful city of Chefchaouen.
Denmark – Denmark is the cheapest of the Scandinavian countries (but is is still more expensive than most of Europe). Well, the main place to go here is the capital – Copenhagen. To cross from Germany to Denmark, there is some water that has to be crossed, and it is really neat to see, because the whole train drives right onto a ferry! And you can get off the train and walk around the ferry.
Anyway in Copenhagen, there are some cool things to see. I remember that when I was there I made a phone call and I noticed that the numbers are in a different order than in the rest of the world. There is the Calrsberg Brewery tour that is fun, and I also went on the Tubourg brewery tour. I went and saw the bronze Little mermaid (on which the replica in Havensight, St. Thomas was based). I also wasted some money and visited Tivoli gardens. This is a small amusement park upon which Walt Disney based his theme parks. I also took a trip outside of Copenhagen to Roskilde and saw the Domkirke, which was impressive. If you are in Roskilde from at the end of June, you can attend the Rock festival – the largest in Europe – but get tickets ahead of time.
If you use
Let’s Go, there are 2 sights that are worthwhile that are not even mentioned in
Let’s Go. 1) an underwater statue, MUCH more impressive
than the little mermaid just off the Kobmagergade bridge. Also, check out
Assistens Cemetary in Norrebro. Danes sunbath amongst the gravestones in the
summer- HC Anderson and Kirkegaard are buried there as well.
Copenhagen’s Tourist Card is a good deal – it includes most museums and mass transit.
A good hostel choice is “Sleep in heaven” in
Nørrebro......ph. +45 35354648
If you plan on nightlife-hopping, try to get a bed at Bellahøj (YHA hostel that is 4 km north of town), as it's serviced by frequent night buses every day of the week.
The Amager HI hostel is a large hostel and is a little newer but is a bit remote, but not really far from the center either. Unfortunately no night bus (until 1am).
Another option is Hotel Jorgenson
(it is a hostel located near the Norreport station).
A nice pension in Copenhagen is
Morten Fredricksen Guesthouse
Ph: 45 32 95 32 73
Address: Torvegade 36, Copenhagen
Email:[email protected]
Webpage:http://www.chickens.dk/
Oslo, Norway – all of the Scandinavian capitals are expensive (Oslo being the smallest and most expensive). Most department stores (ie Ahlens) have decent cafeterias, often on the top floor, and a grocery store (often in the basement
The city center has a cool castle and I also went to the Kon-Tiki Museum which displays the original Kon Tiki – that Thor Heyerdahl took across the Pacific and Ra II, that he sailed across the Atlantic. Also the Vikingskipsmuseet shows you 3 Viking burial ships. For lodging in Oslo, try the KFUM (YMCA) hostel - 5 minute walk from the station/Oslo Spektrum, and costs about 13 Euro ($12USD) in dorms. Two more options are Albertine hostel http://www.albertine.no (in walking distance from city center) and Haraldsheim http://www.vandrerhjem.no (easily reached with sub-way). One more option is Cochs pensjonat (located close to Karl Johans Gate and Slottet (royal residence)). It costs about 140 NOK ($16.50) (18.50 Euro) per day. http://www.virtualoslo.com/cochs_pensjonat/
Stockholm, Sweeden – not much for me
to add – read the guide books. Try the City Backpackers hostel -- http://www.citybackpackers.se It's close to the train station. Price:
160SEK (17 Euro) ($15.50 USD) in an 8-bed room. Another option is "Af
Chapman". It´s a boat situated very central in Stockholm, at
"Skeppsbron". Beautiful surroundings and a view of the royal Castle.
The one problem - it is often packed with kids. There is a place called Skeppsholmen hostel
which is located across the street from Af Chapman. across the street from Af Chapman. Some other hostels are Zinken's; Langholmen's; and hostels listed on http://www.svif.se or http://www.stfturist.se
Helsiki, Finland – not much for me to add – read the guide books. For lodging, try Stadium hostel: http://www.stadionhostel.com/ (cheap but not too clean); or the Eurohostel: http://www.eurohostel.fi/default_e.asp?language=english#
There are many different ferry-operators between Helsingfors and Tallinn. A hydrofoil takes 90 min. each way (not included in eurail), and traditional ferries take about 2 hours (also not included in eurail).
EASTERN EUROPE – most people that will make it to Eastern Europe will only get to see Prague and maybe Budapest and Warsaw. However, there is much more to see, but as a general rule, it will probably not be as interesting to you as Western Europe.
Prague – in Prague I suggest staying in a private accommodation if you are not traveling solo. The last time that I was there I traveled with one other person and we were planning on staying at one of the hostels (they were really cheap but had curfews), but when we got off the train, some people were soliciting us to stay at their apartment. It cost us about $15 each per night (which cost more than the hostel, but was still within our usual budget) but it was much nicer than the hostel. We stayed in a fully furnished apartment (it even had a refrigerator) and were right downtown (convenient after a night of partying). Most of the private apartments can be arranged at the train station and are usually in nice locations near or in the historic Stare Mesto. If you chose to do this rather than a hostel, make sure to agree on a firm price and exactly what it includes prior to leaving the train platform. FYI – you can usually get even more of a reduced price if you stay multiple days (but you will have to tell them that when you are negotiating or else it will not work). This is an example of a situation where having multiple travel partners will reduce your lodging expenses. Also, make sure that the person who meets you at the train station (who is soliciting you) will stop at a bank so you can exchange money – they will usually know the good banks, and you can get better rates than what is available at the station.
First of all let me warn you that your Eurail pass will not cover the Czech Republic - read the fine print as to what countries is covered. That means that you have to buy a train ticket from the boarder on in (your Eurail should cover you up until you reach the Czech boarder). You can either buy a ticket before you board the train bound for Prague (such as while you are in Berlin, Munich or Vienna), or buy it on the train itself from the conductor (usually more expensive). Regardless, it is not much - I think about $15 from the boarder to Prague. The same applies on the way out of Prague. In general you should buy your ticket exiting Prague while you are at the Prague train station (only to the boarder) rather than buying it on the train. This is because buying a ticket in the Czech republic is cheap. This also explains why it is not that much of a difference when you are entering the country (because even if you pay the fine on the train for not having a ticket, you pay it in Czech prices rather than expensive western prices. Do NOT do the following: while you are in Berlin, Munich or Vienna do not buy a train ticket from Prague back to the boarder (exiting the Czech Republic). All tickets exiting the Czech Republic should be purchased from a train station from within the Czech Republic (or else you will pay Western prices).
Prague is beautiful and really a
cool place to see. There is history,
culture, cheap good quality beer [try the real Budweiser (called Budwar), Pilsner
Urquell, and Velkopopovicke], and a thriving nightlife. For a great beer hall
that has an indoor hall and outdoor garden, visit U Fleku (they make their own
beer) FYI - they will try to serve you
what you think is a “complimentary” shot glass of some sweet liqueur (but they
will charge you for it if you drink it, so just refuse it and order beer).
The first time that I visited
Prague, I only stayed one day and I really missed out on a lot. Since then, I have returned a few more times
and the last time I spent 5 days and partied at a different place each
night. One place where you are sure to
hook up is at the Karlovy Lázne. It's the huge bar at the base of the St.
Charles Bridge. FYI - Walking on
Charles bridge at 7AM is totally different than later in the day.
The newest craze is for bars (Boulder Bar (Ve Jame) (Brumlovka Sky Club) to have a rock climbing wall built into it for all you rock climbers who want to get in some practice without leaving central Prague.
I came across the following website that gives a breakdown of different nightlife and how to get to each: http://www.jasoncholt.com/prague/prahanight.html
FYI – Many of Prague’s discos employ attractive women to dance (to entice customers out on the floor). You can tell this because if you go in a bar/disco and only one or two girls are dancing, go up to them and offer them a drink if they sit down with you. Usually they will not take any alcohol and they will usually not sit down with you. There are often many locals that are at the discos to hook up with Americans who will buy them drinks and it is quite easy to hook up if you want to. Unfortunately there are plenty of prostitutes (many are gypsies) around the clubs and they always make me laugh with their propositions of sex for $15.
On Saturdays, they have a nice flea market in a street between the Charles Bridge and the Astronomical Clock.
You will find plenty of people selling tickets for the orchestra/opera/theatre and you should try to go because the quality is excellent and the prices are dirt cheap for what you get to enjoy.
When in Prague, be careful of pickpockets. They tend to frequent the main tourist areas where there are large crowds. I never had any trouble myself, but even the locals warn you of going near the main train station and the park in front of it at night as being very dangerous.
Although I suggest staying at a private apartment if possible, if you want to stay at a hostel in Prague, then there are plenty to choose from. Check out :
•Hostel Boathouse : Vnaklich 1a, 402 1076, 250kc/night, Always a great crowd. http://www.aa.cz/boathouse/index.html
•Sir Toby's Hostel : Delnicka 24, Tel: 42/02/83870635 Email: [email protected] Price:$10 (Although it's not downtown, it takes 10-15 minutes by tram to get downtown). This place is not a party hostel (has no bar) has a kitchen and TV Room where it is very easy to meet people. Keep in mind that there is a 24-hour bar just two blocks away serving Krusovice Beer for 14Kr for half a liter! The hostel is on the end of the C Metro Line in a residential area so you can buy cheap food and cook your own food. Because the hostel is in a residential zone, everything near this hostel is in cheap CZECH prices, not tourist prices.
•Hotel Spus-Podoli : Nalysine 12, Praha 4 Ph: 6431105
•Hotel Spus-Strahov : Vanickova 4, Blok 4, Praha 6 Ph: 20513419
• Strahov Estec : Vanickova 5, Blok 5,
Praha 6 Ph: 521250 or 52-73-44
· U Melounu - not too far from the city center (15 minute walk or take the tram or metro to the stop I. P. Pavlova, then walk a couple of blocks). http://www.hostelumelounu.cz/ Expect to pay 13 Euro per person in a large double. Nice staff. Safe location.
· Penzion Chaloupka http://web.iol.cz/PenzionChaloupka/
(web.telecom.cz/PenzionChaloupka). tel.+fax: 420 2 20511761
E-mail:[email protected] Family run, 15 minutes by tram from Malostranska. The Penzion is located at the “Baterie” tram stop (trams No.1,2 and 18). Large rooms, double and single, large breakfast, friendly staff, Expect to pay about $26.50 - $41.50 /night for one person or $44.50 - $50.00 for a double room.
Hostel Elf http://www.hotelsprague.cz/elf/ This hostel opened in July 2000 and is located at Husitska 11 which is a 5 minutes (walking) from the Main Bus Station (Praha-Florenc) and 10 minutes from both the Main Train Station (Hlavni nadrazi) and from the edge of the Old Town. From the Main Trainstation: go 1 stop by tram no.9, 5 or 26 or just walk 10 minutes. They have a 24 hour reception and bar, no curfew. During the high season expect to pay the following: Dorms = $7.50 (8.50 Euro), $20.50 (23 Euro) for a single, $12.50 (13.80 Euro) for a double, $11.25 (12.50 Euro) for a triple, $10 (11.20 Euro) for a quad or five beds. Breakfast is included in these prices. e-mail [email protected] The walk into town is not that glamorous and you will not enjoy the walk as much as if you were in another location.
Private lodging with Vera Hlaváè, http://www.mujweb.cz/www/vera.hlavac
Praha 3, Na Balkánì 126 PHONE: +420266314166; Email: [email protected]
$12 (13 Euro) /bed, no curfew, free ride from train station; 15 minutes from Wenceslav square http://www.mujweb.cz/www/vera.hlavac
Hostel Jednota - on Opletalova 38, telephone 2421-1773, 150 meters north of Praha Hlavni Nadrazi railway station. In 1999 it cost $17 for a room with two beds, for 2 people in the room per night. Breakfast was included. The toilet and the showers were shared with the rest of the floor.
Hotel Olsanka - The accommodations were sparse, having a basic private bath and drab interior. $35 / night. The breakfast was good and the tram was located right outside the hotel, it takes you to the center of the city.
•CKM Junior Hotel : Zitna 12, Praha 2 12105 Ph: 292984;
Check out www.praguehostels.com and http://www.travellers.cz/ and also www.CzechBackpackers.Com . The latter is a good website that has maps and a list of hostels and other useful info.
Also http://www.jasoncholt.com/prague/prahahotel.html gives a good break down of hostels and tells you which section of town they are in.
Two of the popular hostels are called the “Boathouse” and is about a 20 minute
tram ride from the center of town; and the “Clown and Bard.” http://www.clownandbard.com/index.html The Clown and Bard is known as a party
hostel, (you even get a free drink when you check in) but I have heard that
some recent policy changes may eliminate some of the party atmosphere. For example, now they do not allow anyone
who is not registered in the hostel to enter the hostel, bar or internet café;
no one over the age of 28 allowed to stay at the hostel; and no more Absinthe.
Pension
u Podzamci (u Podzamci 27, 472 2759, $7.50 (8.25 Euro)/night) is another cheap option. The main downside is that it is located near
a busy road and is not in the city center.
If you don’t care about being away from the city center, then consider
this place as a cheap place to sleep.
A few hostels to avoid in Prague are the Traveler’s Hostel on Dlouha street; and also avoid Hostel Slunicko (dirty and located next to the Masarykovo train station with the worst drugs/drink reputation). Also, a new hostel called Hostel Richie gets mixed reviews. I hear the dorm there sucks, but the double with shared bath is supposed to be nice (but expensive ($32)).
In Prague, use the bus and metro rather than taxis. The bus and metro costs 12kc ($.36)(assuming that you even bother buying a ticket) and the taxi costs 600 – 1,000kc ($17 - $30) for the same distance.
If you have extra time prior to your trip, visit www.think.cz – for information about cafes, restaurants and pubs in Prague. If you happen to be in Prague on April 30, you will get to experience Paleni Carodejnic (Burning of the Witches).
Consider eating at the Staropramen Brewery Restaurant (Staropramen Hospoda). It is the brewery location so you will get great-tasting, cheap fresh beer. Try their “brewer's goulash” (it comes with your choice of either the houskovy or bacon dumplings).
Also consider Malestranska Pivnice (excellent gulash as well), and comes with both houskovy AND potato dumplings (which are very filling). Dirt cheap prices and they only serve Pilsner Urquell on tap (but it is a great beer). If you are standing at Malestranska tram stop, face the castle, and then look straight to your left, and go down that side street. it will take you right to it. If you are on the Charles Bridge, you can take one of the side streets underneath and it will lead you to it. This restaurant has a lot of locals.
Pivovarsky Dum, is another
good place and is located on the corner of Lipanska and Jedna street, close to
Vaclavska Namesti.
Ceske Budejovice (CB) - don't make the mistake of staying in this town over night. It's an industrial town and there's basically nothing there to do, except for the tour of the brewery. This town has the largest square in the country – Whoopie.. Also, I suggest that you do not take the train from Ceske Budejovice to Budapest This train tends to run very late and you might get stuck spending the night in Bruno. Thus, chose a direct Prague/Budapest train rather than from CB
Cesky Krumlov (CK) is another neat town in the Czech Republic. Travelling between CB and CK is very easy by bus and the trip is about 50 minutes. In CK, visit a restaurant called the “Barbakan.” It is located at Horní No. 26
A meal that would
run about $20-$25 in the USA costs only about $5-$6. They also have a B&B
at this location but it is not cheap. E-mail: krcmabarbakan@centrum or E-mail:
[email protected] WWW :http://krcmabarbakan.pruvodce.com
Telephone:
00420-337-717017; or 380717017 (from 22.9.2002); 380716249 (from
22.9.2002). Expect to pay $32-47 for a
single, $42-58 for a double.
For lodging, consider Moldau Hilton hostel (tel 0337-712496) located at Parkan 116; Travellers hostel (Soukenicka 43) Email [email protected] tel. 0337-711345 (expect to pay $7.50) They have a bar downstairs, but the showers sucked.
Hostel 99 tel. 0337-712812 (email [email protected]);
Hostel Merlin tel +420/606/256 145; Hostel Krumlov House (email [email protected] or [email protected]). Tel 0337-711935
Hostel U Vodnika, tel 0337-711935 (email [email protected] or [email protected])
A list of other cheap lodging in this town can be found at http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/rpphv/t_sezuby.htm
I have heard people suggest avoiding Hotel Ruze (recommended by Lonely Planet) as being overpriced and bad service.
The easiest
way to get to Cesky Krulov from Prague is to take the train to Cesky
Budejovice, then the bus to Cesky Krumlov. (The train and bus station in
Cesky Budejovice are facing each other).
If you are afraid of using a bus, then you can just take the train all
the way to Cesky Krumlov with a change in Cesky Budejovice, but the train
station in Cesky Krumlov is some distance from town, while the bus station is
right at the entrance.
Slovakia – well, I am partly of
Slovak heritage so I wanted to visit Slovakia, and I stopped in
Bratislava. Slovakia is the poor,
agricultural part of the former Czechoslovakia. If this is your first time in Europe, I suggest visiting Prague
and steering clear of Slovakia. Expect
it to cost about 7-10 Euro by bus and 15 Euro by train to travel between Prague
and Bratislava (but EC trains are much more expensive (35 Euro)).
Anyway, when I was in Bratislava, after exchanging about $20, I walked around the town and was quite depressed. I should mention that there were some really neat war-related sculptures around town. Also, I saw 3 generations of women standing at what appeared to be an ice cream vender. However, upon closer examination, I realized that they were all doing shots of Vodka. After realizing why my ancestors left this country, I decided to do likewise and take the next train out of town, which was not scheduled to depart for about 3 hours. So, I decided to spend the $20 worth of local currency. In order to do so, I purchased a few CDs and a 5 course meal. The "National Museum" in Bratislava (Slovakia) is a shame. It resembles a flea market with its hodge podge collection.
If you do visit Slovakia, I suggest visiting the castle of Devin (10 km from Bratislava), and the towns of Kosice; Trencin (nice town with castle about 1 ½ hours away from Bratislava; and Cachtice.
You can get to Devin by taking bus #29 from the central bus station to Devin.
In Kosice there is Domov Mladeze, a student dormitory kind of thing, and allegedly open all year (5 Euro for your own room, and bathroom/toilet shared with one other room) The best attractions in Kosice (both free) were the main cathedral and the musical water fountain in the main square that plays all day every day, and when it gets dark lights are added. Have an ice cream in Kosice Square from the Aida Cafe as you watch the fountain. Also look at the Kosice Gold treasure in the basement of the Eastern Slovak museum at the north end of Hlavna.
Many people think that the High Tatras Mountains are nearly as impressive as the Jungfrau region in Switzerland (at a fraction of the Swiss prices!)
If you are determined to stay
in Bratislava, I have heard good things about the hostel Bernolak located at
Racianske Myto (8 Euro for a single with shower and toilet) (for July or
August) as being a lively hostel and the clubs are open till 6 or 7 am. This
hostel is near to square "RACIANSKE MYTO" and an easy way to get
there is by tram. Another option is
the Fairway Botel – a boat on the Danube.
Keep in mind that this town lacks many options for cheap lodging. You can get private accommodations from the
info desk in the station.
In the summer it is possible to get a room for 3-4 usd/night in students dormitories. There is a dormitory called Druzba (located at Botanická st. 25, Bratislava, tel : +421 7 6542 0065) which costs about $5 with a student ID. From the Main Train Station (Hlavna Stanica) there is actually a tram that goes all the way to a stop called Druzba.
Also consider Studentsky domov STU J.Hronca , Bernolakova 1 , phone 00421/2/52497169 for some 150 Sk/night ($3.25USD) (3.58 Euro), or studentsky domov STU Belojanis, Wilsonova 6, 00421/2/52491144"- 90sk ($1.93USD) (2.15 Euro)during summer and with Euro/26 or ISIC.
Also, when you get off the train, look up and you will see some advertisement boards suspended from the ceiling of the train station recommending various B&Bs. Expect to pay about 6 Euro per person at such a place for 2 sharing a room.
I have
heard that a new law was passed that requires each foreign visitor to have
US$50 per day plus a valid insurance policy for each day (s)he wants to spend
on Slovak soil. Since this was
supposedly a new law, I never encountered this, but it is possible that you
might be asked to prove these two things when entering the country. The $50 per day is ridiculous because you
will live like a king on much less.
This country uses lots of Paprika. In fact, many places set the table with salt and Paprika as opposed to salt and pepper! Everyone who goes to Hungary goes to Budapest. This really is a single town divided by the Danube River. The Buda part is the part where the parliament building is (on one side of the river). The Pest side is where the big hill is and the cool St. Stephen’s Basillica. When you are up on the Pest side of the town, go see the Jewish cemetery (you can pay to go in, or look through the fence for free). There is a place called Statue Park that is filled with old relics of the communist days. There are many bathhouses in Budapest and I went to one of the famous baths in one of the big fancy hotels and a few old men kept moving towards me, and one even rubbed the leg of the guy that I was traveling with. For Budapest, keep in mind to always use branded cabs (If you do not see any company names on the doors – avoid that cab).
Before you arrive in Budapest, you may be approached by college-aged people who work at different hostels attempting to solicit your business. This may be good if you are arriving late and are concerned about vacancies at other hostels.
A party hostel is the Yellow Submarine http://www.yellowsubmarinehostel.com/ Expect to pay $8 per night in a dorm, $13 for a double or $25 for a single. Tel/Fax : +36.1.331.9896 or +36.1.296.43.54 E-mail : [email protected] Directions - Walk out of the train station and head towards the closest and only McDonalds. Take trolley-bus number 73 from outside of the McDonalds (travel approximately 10 minutes) and get off at the Podmaniczky stop. (Ask a local or the driver to let you know). Cross the main road (Terez Krt.) and you will find the hostel right in front of you at 56 Terez Krt.
A hostel called “the Best Hostel” http://www.besthostel.hu/ does not allow smoking or drinking, and is NOT a party hostel but is a good place to relax. Expect to pay 10 Euro (includes breakfast) tel 36-1-332-49-34 Email [email protected] or [email protected]
Another
party place (which is located on the Pest side of town) is called Backpackers
Guesthouse, http://www.backpackbudapest.hu/
XI Takacs Menyhert u. 33, Phone: 185 5089 or 36 1 385 8946. Expect
to pay $6 for a dorm room, $3.30 to wash and dry a load of laundry.
For a very cheap hostel keep your expectations low and stay at Hostel Apaczai (Papnovelde utca 4-6, Summer Only. Dorms $12+. (tel 1-267-0311)
For a party hostel, go to Hostel Vasarhelyi Dorms $12+(1-463-4356) (located on the historical side of the city, good transportation, and a great university pub in the cellar).
Hostel Marco
Polo http://www.marcopolohostel.com/ is located at Nyar Utca. 6 (on the Pest side
of the river). The hostel is a member
of the IYHF and offers discounts for HI cardsholders. They provide each (non-dorm) guest with free towels. 24 hour reception. No curfew or lock-outs. Laundry available, but although the
Webpage says internet access, they don’t even have computers. Free minibus service from Keleti Railway
station (07:00-19:00). Expect to pay
$16.50 in a dorm during high season (buffet breakfast included in the price).
Tel: +36 1 344 5367; or +36 1 413 2555 Fax: +36 1 344 5367; Email: [email protected]
Also, there will be guys at the train station in labeled T-shirts, that work for some of these hostels and can give you more info. FYI –the Universum hostels are good.
Regarding drinking in Budapest, the
US embassy has released a list of 12 places which have drawn the most
complaints (of excessive billing and physical violence against those that
refuse to pay the rip-off prices).
The establishments to avoid include:
Anker, Aphrodité, Fontanta Cabaret, Galilei, Mepisto Café, Mizram Café, Music
Corner, Muskátli eszpresszó, Piccolo bár, Pigalle bár, Tropical bár.
I suggest start in the hostel bar and ask staff and other travelers about other
places to go out to drink.
A good idea is to consider staying at a private apartment in Budapest. There are people who will meet the incoming trains at the stations. They range from about 25-35 Euro a night for 2 people.
A good place for food in Budapest is Fatal's. It is recommended by all the guidebooks and has very large servings.
The Lake Balaton
area is nothing fancy. It is a resort
area for Europeans, but I found it to be simply a relaxing place to go. A local
train ticket in 2nd class from Budapest Kelety to Siofok (lake
Balaton) should cost about $3.
Pecs is a university town and you can find cheap lodging at the
university and party in the street downtown with the students. Consider the 1 star Hotel Laterum, located
at Hajnoczy u 37-39. Tel: +36 (0) 72
254 963. They have a tv in every room
In Poland of course you will probably see Warsaw. You can get breakfast at places called a MILK BAR. Once my friend and I stopped in McDonalds for breakfast (at about 7 or 8 in the morning) and asked what they had for breakfast (since there was no breakfast menu visible) and the reply was “Big Mac.” As a general rule, try to avoid McDonalds in Europe because there is better local food worth trying. Also this is another reason – things are different in Europe (kind of like when I was in a McDonalds in Munich (to escape from the biting cold one December) and I looked up and saw a big advertisement for something called the McPork. Anyway, in Warsaw, Poland, there is a big flea market pretty close to the train station and you can get cheap tapes/CDs – but steer clear of the many porn shops (unless that is your thing).
If you take the public transport in Warsaw, make sure to buy tickets prior to boarding and you must self-punch the ticket on the tram. By the way, although I did both of these things, I was taken to jail with a few fellow backpackers because we only bought one ticket per person (and we apparently were required to buy a ticket for our large backpacks). After bribing the police officer, I was released, but my travel partners spent the night in jail.
As for hostels in Warsaw, if you reserve a student hostel through Almatur travel agency expect to pay them 100% commission for non-students.
The following may help out –
- Dom Przy Rynku (a hostel only open in July and August) 5 minutes walking from the old city square, no curfew, but costs about 40-45zloty ($9.90 - $11.25) a person.
A great option is Hotel Zaczek (also known as Fundacja Studentów i Absolwentów UJ "Bratniak" DS. Zaczek), but you will use earplugs here.: http://www.zaczek.com.pl/eng/indexeng.html Tel (+48-12) 633 19 14 to book, and 622 11 02 for the reception desk. Email : [email protected] It is located at Al. 3 Maja 5. From the train station take tram number 15 (5 stops) or bus numbers 179 or 192 (6 stops). Expect to pay $20.70 Euro ($18.60) for a single without bath, or $21 (23.50 Euro) for a double with no bath; triple with no ath costs $26 (29 Euro)
- Hotel Studencki 5/7 Smyczkowa Street tel: 43-86-21
- Youth Hostel 4/6 Miedzyparkowa Street tel: 831-17-66
Youth Hostel Syrenka 53A Karolkowa Street tel: 632-97-46
website:Hostel Syrenka Located at Karolkowa St. 53 A. Tel (0-22) 632-88-29. Email: [email protected] From the train station, take tram number
12 or 24 (tram stop is opposite the Marriott Hotel in the direction of Ochota,
Wola district). You have to go 6 stops on the tram and get off at department
store "Centrum Wola". Go through the underground passage in the
direction of the sky-scraper. The hostel is near the department store. A more complicated option is to take tram
number 22, but you have to get off after crossroads (Towarowa St. and
Solidarno¶ci St.) and then walk straight down Leszno Street to Karolkowa
Street. Expect to pay $8.70 (9.70 Euro)
for a dorm. They have a self-service
kitchen and a café.
- Szkolne Schroniske Mlodziezowe30 Smolna Street. This is the official HI hostel Warszawa 00-375, ul. Smolna 30; tel/fax (0-22) 827-89-52 This is the only hostel located in the central area of the city. This place has a 11 pm curfew and lights out at 10pm! I suggest not staying here and try to stay in the student dorm (if available) and expect to pay about $6 and get a great location by the beer gardens.
- Youth Hostel Warszawa 01-197, ul. Karolkowa 53a; tel/fax (0-22) 632-97-46, tel. 632-88-29 -- visit on web at http://www.ptsm.com.pl/ssmnr6/English/Podstawowe_informacje.htm and click on "oferta noclegowa" for room prices (the page is actually in English).
- Warszawa 00-459, ul. Myœliwiecka 9 (MOS Agrykola); tel/ fax (0-22) 622-91-05,
tel. 622-91-11
-- You can also contact Polish Youth Hosteels Association, ul Chocimska 28,
00-791 Warsaw. Ph: (22) 498 128. Fax: (22) 498 354.
When in Poland, make sure to also see Krakow - this is a beautiful town and is a university town (and
therefore has a good nightlife). There is a hostel on
Oleandry street called Schronisko (hostel) Oleandry tel, 48-12 6338822,
6320658; fax: 48-12 6338920- about $7 in a dorm,
quite nice & clean, but it has a 10 p.m. curfew.
Another hostel is Strawberry hostel ($8-12) http://www.strawberryhostel.com/ and offers bus service in the summer and no curfew. It is located at Kraków Ul. Raclawicka 9. Tel: (00 48 12) 636 1500; email : [email protected] To get there from the train station (Kraków Glówny) Take 6 stops by trams line 4 or 12 and walk 2 min. to number 9 Raclawicka street. This hostel is open from July 1 – September 1.
Another place is Express Youth Hostel. www.express.91.pl.
Expect to pay 10 Euro per night per person in a double room. Address ul. Wroclawska 91. Take bus #130 from main train station, get of at the 5th stop, turn right, go up a hill.
Also the Szkolne Schronisko MLodziezowe is a good deal if you don't mind a bus ride: www.ssm.com.pl. tel/fax (048-0-12) 653 24 32. Expect to pay $5.50 (and if you have a hostel card, you will only pay $4.15).
For a day trip, consider the salt mines (the Wieliczka-mine). You can get there by bus (minibusses leave from the central station for about $1).
You should make sure to see Auschwitz and Birkenau which are about 60-90 minute bus ride from Krakow. I took the bus to Auschwitz and walked the 3-km to Birkenau (I suggest taking the shuttle bus instead (located in the carpark of Auschwitz which takes you to Birkenau in 10 minutes). I suggest going to both of these death camps, but if you can only go to one, go to Auschwitz because it is the most intact of the two. Do not expect to have fun at these death camps, but it really should be seen. You will get more out of the experience if you have seen the movie Schindler’s List before visiting. Also, if you take pictures, don't look like a fool with big grins in your pictures at these locations.
The best way to reach Auschwitz from Krakow is to take the bus from the PKS station in Krakow, which is beside the railway station. There are buses at 8am, 9am and 11am and the journey takes 1.5 hours. The best bus to catch is the 9am as this gets you to Auschwitz just in time to see the 11am showing of the film of the liberation of the camp, taken by the Russians in January 1945. This film lasts 15 minutes and the English language tour starts just after this.
At Birkenau there is a new exhibit
located at the back of the camp, behind the area known as Canada 2.
Also, although there has been much talk and controversy about building a
grocery store nearby Auschwitz, when I was there, there was NO FOOD available
anywhere, so make sure to bring something
I have heard that there is a good restaurant at Auschwitz, alongside the
stop for the shuttle bus, but I only saw the snack bar (which was closed)
inside the entrance building.
Gdansk - the city is just as
spectacular as Krakow but has many less tourists. Make sure to see the (former)
Lenin shipyards with the famous monument in front of them.
As for a day trip from Gdansk,
there is also a nearby concentration camp of Stuthoff. Also consider the castle
in Malbork.
Consider the Mac-Tur pension www.mactur.gda.pl. Expect to pay $15-25 per person. Email: [email protected] tel/fax: +48 58 3024170.
Another cheap place (but not as clean) is the "tanie hotel Zaulek". Expect to pay about 25 Euro for a huge double with a sink. It is located in a good location (near the Neptune Fountain in the old town).
For a hostel, try the HI at ul. Walowa 21. Tel: 058 301 23 13. The hostel is within walking distance to both the train station and the old town.
2 good places to eat are Goldwasser and Ratskeller. A nice bar is Kamienica on Mariacka street.
Romania – tales of crime abound in this dirt poor country.
There is a scam that is pulled in Romania by the official public transportation officials. They board the bus/tram and ask you for your ticket. Your ticket should be punched and exhibit 3 holes. They will secretly switch your ticket with one in their hand that has 4 holes punched in it. They will charge you an $8 fine for not having a properly punched ticket. There is no way to prove that you properly punched the ticket. However, you can avoid this scam by holding your ticket in the air for all to see before handing it over, and make them count the holes out loud before you hand it over; or buy and stamp two separate tickets when you get in, and if they pull the trick, produce the second one, making them confirm the correct number of holes first; or sign you name on the back of the ticket under their eyes before handing it over.
For the domestic Romanian trains you can find the rates on a given route at http://www.cfr.ro/defeng.htm - (FYI - the main station in Bucharest willl be “Bucuresti Nord Gr.A”).
The tourist office in downtown Bucharest can arrange for you to stay with a local family for cheap ($5-15). There are now 3 main hostels in Bucharest. There are Villa Helga, Villa Elvis, and “Villa 11.” If you stay in a hostel in this city, I suggest staying at either Helga or Elvis, as they better located than Villa 11.
As of June 14, 2002 a 2 has to be added before old area codes (e.g. the area code of Bucharest was 1 whereas the new code is 21, the area code of Arad was 57 whereas the new code is 257). So keep that in mind when reading telephone numbers from older publications.
Villa 11 is
located on Str. Institutul Medico-Militar 11, tel: 004-092495900 or
004-0722495900 (mobile), e-mail: [email protected], USD 12.5 / B&B; it
is located close to the main railway station and it is OK if you reach
Bucharest late at night or have to leave early in the morning, but the area is
not very safe.
Anyway, regarding Villa Elvis (there is nothing like a new building) and has air conditioning. Anyway for $12 /night you get a few free beers, free access to the Internet, free laundry and free breakfast. – located on Str. Avram Iancu 5, tel.: 0040-21-3155273, e-mail: [email protected], $12. This hostel is a 10-minute walk from the center.
Villa Helga also
costs $12 /day and is located at Salcamilor Street no. 2, Tel./Fax:
(00)40/21/610 2214
E-mail: [email protected] and http://www.rotravel.com/hotels/helga/.
If you take a taxi to the hostel it should cost no more than about $3 to
$5 USD. This hostel is a 15-20 minute
walk from the center. Several
complaints have been posted on some of the travel boards about people at Villa
Helga being rude and trying to rip you off.
It is not clear if it is a competitor doing such postings because they
are usually anonymous postings. And a
lot of complaints about the taxi drivers that drop out off at Villa Helga.
Some other cheap options for lodging are the 1 star hotels in or close to the center: Muntenia Hotel (19-21 Academiei), Carpati Hotel (16 Matei Millo) a.o. Expect to pay between $25USD and $52USD for a double in these hotels.
If you take a taxi in Bucharest, make sure it’s a Yellow one and it says CRISTAXI on it, as they are more trustworthy and do not overcharge. Also be aware that many taxi drivers will claim that they work for Elvis’ Villa – they are lying. These drivers will overcharge you. For example, it should only cost about $1.50 for a taxi to Elvis’ Villa Hostel. The lady at the information booth in the train station can call a legit taxi for you.
The Hotel Intercontinental is the best place to get your newspapers. I think that the latest IHT arrives after 4 pm. The people are friendly. The food is good. Also 2 must-see places in Bucharest are: The Village Museum and the Peasant Museum. These 2 places will give an outsider a very good overview of what Romania and its people are like.
Brasov is only 2 1/2
- 4 hours from Bucharest (depends on what type of train you use). If you don’t have much time, you can visit
Brasov in a few hours, as the Schei Quarter, the Black Church and other areas
around Sfatului Sq. ae close to each other.
If you go to Brasov, Romania, consider staying at a one-star hotel near the center of Brasov called "Hotel Aro Sport." 2200 Brasov Str. Sfantul Ioan nr.3, tel.:068-142840. It costs 272,000 Lei (about US$8.20 or 9.13 euro) for a room with a sink (shower/bathroom down the hall). Be careful if you wait for a bus at the stop across from the main theatre, as there are many pickpockets. Another option in Brasov is the little old lady named Maria who meets travelers at the train station and offers her place. If you decide to sleep somewhere other than her lodging, she will try to get you into an overpriced taxi driven by a friend of hers.
Elvis' Villa also has hostels in Brasov and in Sighisoara. The contact info for Brasov is 2B Democratiei Str., tel.: 0040-91844940 or 0040-7121844940 (mobile), USD 10 / person BB. Out of the 3 Elvis’ Villa hostels, this is the nicest one.
In Sighisoara: Elvis' Villa YH, 10 Libertatii Str., tel.: 004-0265-772546 $10USD / person BB. If you want to avoid a hostel, private rooms in Sighisoara located in middle of Sighisoara citadel, run by Cristina Faur are an option. It is located at Str. Cojocarilor nr. 1; Tel 094 119211. Expect to pay $8 per night for a twin room.
Another option in Sighisoara is to stay with family Kula. You may be approached by a girl named Petronela or Marinela (or their father John). Expect to pay $10USD per person which includes a great homemade breakfast.
Another option in Sighisoara is Hotel Poienita (just outside of town, so get a cheap taxi to it). Expect to pay about the same price as the hostel but this place is more luxurious and is located in the countryside rather than the city.
Serbia – Belgrade - In the US Department of State’s May 28, 2002 Travel
Warnings & Consular Information Sheets for Serbia has removed the Travel
Warning for Serbia. The warning remains in place for Kosovo.
The best place to look for CDs (illegal copies) is the outdoors market next to the student cultural center off Kralja Milana.
One cheap lodging place is the Central, a.k.a. Centar Pansion, located right across from the main entrance of the railway station - look for the sign that says "Centar" -- it's not very well-marked, but look out for the huge pink sign that says "sex shop" and Hotel Centar is right next to it, on the left. Price is about $7.50.
Another option is the Post Hotel across from the post office next to the railway station.
Also there is a cheap hotel or two out beside the Danube. If you take bus 84 out until you get to a small village-like place with a pedestrian mall on your right, you will find a couple of cheap hotels there around the same price. This area is right beside the Danube across the river and about 3km from the main city.
Another option is the Slavija Hotel
on Trg Slavija (not great service and it is located on a busy road). Double room with a view over
Belgrade costs $11.50. But staying here must first be approved by the Youth
Hostel Association. (Go to the Youth
Hostel Office (Ferijalni savez Beograda), or call there (+381-11-3220762) and
ask them to send a fax to the hotel.
.
The northern part of Eastern Europe - I took a bus through the 3 Baltic republics (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) as I think it was cheaper than trains. In these 3 countries I think that you will find pensions and private rooms to be priced very well. In Tallinn, Estonia I spent 4 days while I was arranging to get into Russia on a travel visa. It was neat and I didn't expect to be able to do it but in the main square in downtown Tallinn, there was this travel agency (Esta travel) and they arranged for me to stay in St. Petersburg and Moscow and I was very happy that I went to Russia with my friend who was fluent in Russian.
There really was only a handful of restaurants in Tallin that were good - actually you
probably could afford to eat almost anywhere that you wanted, but the key was
finding a good quality place. - when I say the downtown I mean the old town
(Vanalinn). The main Town Square (Raekoja Plats) is pretty neat and has a cool
castle-like building that even has drainpipes (for water to run off the roof)
that are shaped like dragon mouths! In Tallinn, there is a hostel called Vana
Tom right in the middle of the old town Other lodging options are available at www.hostel.ee – click on the English link in
the top right corner (you may have to do this on every page you open), then
click on the Accommodation link 3 lines down..
In Lithuania I visited Vilnius
and I remember seeing the KGB museum - that was really cool and the guide that
gave our tour was actually a prisoner! I even saw a report in TIME when I got
back in the USA and that guide's picture was in it! In Vilnius, consider the Old Town Hostel at Ausros Vatu (Gates
of Dawn) close to bus/train stations, close to Old Town. Another idea is Filaretai hostel about 15
minutes walk from old town is a good place, cheap and friendly. Check www.inyourpocket.com
Riga Latvia – I should mention that Riga celebrated its 800th Anniversary in July and August,
2001. One cheap place to sleep
is the Arena place, behind the cathedral.
It is kind of grubby (especially the shower), but it is cheap (US$8) and
the location is unbeatable.
Bulgaria – this is a very poor country (I believe that the average monthly income is about $50) so you can imagine that you will be able to live quite cheaply here. In fact, everywhere you look, you will see cars with no windshield wipers (due to their high replacement expense and theft). One of the weirdest things about this country is that they are backwards from the rest of the world with regard to shaking and nodding their head. For example, if they mean NO, then they will nod their head up and down. Likewise, if they mean YES, they will shake their heads from side to side. This can be very confusing for a tourist asking for directions. Sophia is the capital and worth a visit, but don’t expect the same thrills that Western Europe provides. In general, if you have to use the toilet, visit the large Sheraton hotel and go downstairs and use the restrooms there – the nicest in the country. It even provides free toilet paper!
Consider
the following hostel in Sophia: The Art Hostel, 21A Angel Kanchev Str., tel.:
00359-2-9870545, e-mail: [email protected]
web site: www.art-hostel.com , $9USD /
person and an extra $1USD for breakfast.
I ran into a couple that was mugged in Sophia. When this couple arrived, some stranger approached them and told them that he loved Americans and all Bulgarians were friendly and he invited them to tea. Well, when he served them tea, he put some kind of drug in it and it impaired the tourists and the mugger beat them both up and took all of their money. All of the Bulgarians that I met were very friendly, but this is a lesson to always use common sense.
Although you can find pizza (large enough for one person) for $1, don’t get too excited, because it will usually only have ketchup on it as the sauce, and very little cheese (and may be goat cheese). Quality food is hard to find.
When I visited Veliko Turnovo I was not impressed. The biggest thing this city has to boast about is a “light show.” However, this only consisted of a bunch of colored lights shined upon rocks and being turned on and off with (no apparent reason). I remember killing time in a movie theatre (which charged about 40 cents for a movie) and having a few beers in a bar.
In Varna you will be right on the Black Sea. There is a museum that explains Bulgaria’s maritime involvement in WWII. Also there is some dolphin aquarium that was amazingly expensive (about $25). When I went to a club in Varna, the music ranged from 50’s Elvis to 90’s techno. I met some locals who smuggled in their own Rum bottles and just ordered Coke (to save money).
Plovdiv – consider stopping here. It has a cool Roman amphitheater. Avoid the guy with the dancing bear.
CROATIA- Zagreb – One hostel in the center is the Omladinski Turisticki Centar (Petrinjska 77, (tel. (01) 484 1261 or 484 12 47). Don’t expect much from this hostel. It is pretty dirty and has an unfriendly staff. Expect to pay $10-$15 in a double.
The only other hostel (during non-summer time) is Hostel Ravnice, 1 Ravnice Str., # 38B, tel./fax: 00385-1-2332325, [email protected], Expect to pay $10USD / person in QTR room. This place is not exactly in the center of town, but there is a nearby tram stop. (routes 4, 7, 11 or 12). This place is a much better option.
There is also a Student Hotel Cvjetno (Odranska 8 (tel. (01) 619 12 45) that operates from July 15 to October, but it costs more. Consider not staying in Zagreb as it is boring, and opting for Plitvice Park for the day, and then down to Zadar or Split.
If you travel down the coast (most people do not go to Croatia to only see Zagreb) you will find that a lot of people rent rooms in their houses to travelers. These are usually pretty good value and comparable in price to the Zagreb hostel. You should have no problem finding a local’s home to stay in when you are outside Zagreb. Generally people will approach you at the train or bus station and offer you a room. However, this accommodation option is usually in the touristy places outside of Zagreb such as the Istrian Peninsula or the Dalmatian Coast. When in Zagreb, expect that you will have to stay in the hostel.
In general, the little old ladies that swarm you at the ferry and bus station will bring the best rate, but don’t take their first offer. Many old ladies will argue with each other to get you to stay with them. Make sure that their home is close to town. They will lie and tell it is “Central” in their best English. Get them to point it out on a map. If no old ladies are around in a city when you arrive, just look for signs that say “Sobe” or “Zimmer” or “Rooms.”.
Some
other hostels are listed at the following website:
http://www.nncomp.com/hfhs/hfhs1.html
Dubrovnik – Plenty of old women will meet you at the train station and try and talk you into staying with them for a long time. They can all be talked down in price. If not, then try and get them to do your laundry for you. Never pay more than $15 per night lodging in this city under any circumstance.
Consider staying at the Begovic boarding house (listed in Lonely Planet). The guy who runs the place will meet you at the ferry or bus stop with a sign that says “Recommended by LP.” The rooms are clean, there is a great deck, and if his place is full he will arrange for you to stay with a neighbor. Expect to pay 80 Kuna / night.
To travel from Dubrovnik to Split you will either have to take a ferry or go by bus (no train). Expect the ferry to take about 6 hours and the bus to take about 4 hours. The buses are like coaches and quite comfortable. You might want to sit on a towel because the seat fabric is kind of scratchy (if you're wearing shorts).
In Spilt the old ladies will meet you (there is no hostel in this city). Don’t pay more than about $11 for lodging.
If you plan on taking ferries in Croatia, visit http://www.jadrolinija.hr .and print out the schedules (in English) and bring them with you. Otherwise, learn some Croatian before you arrive. FYI - There are no ferries from Croatia to Greece, but you can do it via Italy - Dubrovnik to Bari.
TURKEY – in Istanbul expect it to be very hot in the summer. There is a cultural difference in this country (as it is more like the Middle East than like Europe). Men can do just fine wearing shorts and a T-shirt, but women should read the travel books about proper clothing.
I arrived in Istanbul by bus and when I got off the bus, there was no place to exchange money and I was on the outskirts of this huge city (12 million people). I eventually caught a tram/bus into town and got out at the Grand Bizarre (a huge old-world mall under a roof) and since I still had my big backpack strapped to my back, several people approached me and offered lodging. We ended up staying at a bed and breakfast (they called it a hotel) which was just off the water and located right near the Blue Mosque and it was about $15/night and that included breakfast. This city is huge and amazing.
If you are traveling solo, then you probably cannot afford a hotel and may want to opt for “Moonlight Pensions” in Sultanahmet (quieter then the “Orient” which is a party hostel) regarding the Orient - it is a dirty and poorly-maintained hostel. Avoid booking there in advance, as you'll be overcharged. Booking ahead, you will pay $8/night, but when you walk in, the price is just $5-6.
Try www.hotelsturkey.com and www.waytoturkey.com for some info.
Another lodging option is the Side (pronounced see-day) Pension in Sultanahmet. It's near the Four Seasons Hotel, and cost about $35 USD per night for a double room with shared bath.
As Ouzo is the drink of choice in Greece, a similar drink is Turkey is called Rakki. You drink this usually in the form of a shot. There is something neat about Rakki and Ouzo. When you drink it straight it is clear and looks like Vodka. When you water it down, it gets all cloudy. So, you do not have to worry about the bartenders ripping you off! You may decide to not go to bars, and opt instead to buy a $2 bottle of Rakki and get smashed at your place of lodging.
All over Istanbul there are guys that walk around with these huge silver coolers on their back and the coolers contain some type of juice. Well, you can buy a drink of juice from the guy (he carries a single glass with him, which he wipes off after each use with a rag) for small change. Although this drink is cheap and refreshing, remember that it is made from water, and you are not sure where that water came from. I got sick in this town. I am still not sure if it was from drinking this stuff or from eating shish kababs. Probably neither one was a good idea and I would suggest avoiding both.
Russia - when the train crosses the boarder, these machines actually lift the train off of the tracks and replace the wheels (because the tracks in Russia are a different size). That is really neat to watch (you are still in the train when they lift each car). If you do not know Russian, then you will have a much harder time getting by in Russia than in Western (or even Eastern) Europe. Concerning the main destinations - my advice is to spend more time in St. Petersburg rather than Moscow. If you go during the month of June, you will experience White Nights festival in St. Pete since it is up there by the Arctic Circle and it stays light late into the night. The people all come out at 2:00 am to see the raising of the city's drawbridges and celebrate and party on the river banks. The bridges close back at about 5:00 am.. Vodka is the drink of choice and rather than drinking Stoli, try the local favorite, called “5 Stars.”
I traveled through Belarus and I think I traveled on a 24-hour transit visa, so
we never got off the train (but keep in mind if you go directly from Moscow
through Belarus and do not get off of the train, how do you eat? There were
these old ladies in babushkas on the platform selling beer and sausages and
Pepsi and you can just buy it from them by handing the Rubles out of the train
window down to them.
In order to get the visa into Russia you can arrange to get one when you are near the boarder. When I was in Estonia (Tallinn) I went to a local travel agency and they made all of the arrangements and for about $20 per day we got lodging in an apartment and the lady even washed our clothes for $4. I am not sure that the prices are still the same. The travel agency had a list of people in several cities that were willing to take visitors and then they provided the invitation letter (I never even saw it) and the travel agency took care of everything (obtained the visa for us) - we stayed in Russia for 5 days total - I can't remember for sure, but it may have been a 1 week visa - anyway, we had to stay in Tallinn, Estonia for 4 days for all of that to get done, so if you can arrange it before hand from your home, do so – that way you do not kill time waiting.
ICELAND – some of you may consider flying Icelandair and stopping over in Reykjavik. If so, make sure to go to the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is about 30-45 minutes outside of the city; there are busses and bus tours that go. Thingvellir, with the tectonic plate fissures, is usually part of what's called the "Golden Circle" tour. You can buy a Circle Pass if you want (see www.bsi.is for info).
If you go out dancing –go to a club called NASA. Who knows how long that name will remain, but that is what it used to be called.
To enjoy a nice view, you can go to the Perlan restaurant or the top of the Hallgrímskirkja church tower. If you have more than a day or two, go swimming in one of the public swimming pools. The one in Árbær (Árbæjarlaug) has a great view over Reykjavík.
In general the outdoor pools, are cheap ($2 or $3 for a outdoor pool and you can stay the whole day). The pools are open all year long and the opening hours are from 6 am to 10 pm.
The airport itself isn't really in Reykjavik, but in a town nearby, Keflavik. There are only 5-6 shops and 3-4 gates at this airport. If you want to have a look at the airport here is the website: http://www.randburg.com/airport/
The two things to remember about this country is that it is safe and it is expensive. While in Iceland, expect that dinner in a restaurant is extremely expensive. It is easy to spend $80 USD for dinner. Keep in mind that tipping is not expected in Iceland. Expect a beer to run you $9. A McDonalds value meal is about $7 or $8. For some weird reason, hotdogs are the national snack (probably because they are cheap). A decent place to go for lunch /dinner is some of the cafes such as Kaffibrennslan (they offer nice dish of catch of the day with a soup for around $ 9); Cafe Victor, Kaffi List. Expect a pizza to cost about $20. The best value food is hot dogs, Chinese, Thai and Mexican food, and of course you can get all kinds of sandwiches and ready-made food in supermarkets
As for cheap food in Reykjavik - the most expensive supermarket is the Nykaup at Kringlan Shopping Mall (get bus 112/113/114/115/116 from Laekjatorg). The cheapest supermarket is Bonus located throughout the city.
Fast food isn't cheap anywhere but if you can stand hot dogs
(called pylsa), they are very cheap and can be found anywhere. They cost about
150kr ($1.50) (1.78 Euro) each. Also, consider heading for a turkish gyro
stand. There is also a pizzeria called
Eldsmidjan that's quite good and pretty inexpensive. You can get a large pizza,
garlic bread and soft drinks for 2 people for about 2000kr (23.7 Euro)
($21.25USD). You can also always get cake or sandwiches and coffee in any cafe
for about 500kr ($5.30USD) (5.9 Euro).
A good and cheap place to eat is "litli ljoti andarunginn"
in Laekjargata. In the summer they have a fish and seafood buffet for 1500-1700
IKR (18-20 Euro).
Consider these places to sleep
-
International Youth Hostel
http://www.hostel.is/heimilin/Reykjavik/Eindex.htm
Email: [email protected]
Sundlaugavegur 34, 105 REYKJAVÍK.
TEL.: ( 354 ) 553 8110 Expect to pay
1850 ISK (21.60 Euro, $20.25 USD) shared dorm, shared bathroom Is you want a private bathroom expect to
pay 2350 ISK (27.50 Euro, $25.75 USD) for a room that sleeps 4-6, and expect to
pay 3150 ISK (36.75 Euro, $34.50 USD) for a double. Breakfast costs 700 ISK (8.15 Euro, $7.50 USD). This place is located east of town in the
Laugardalur Valley (about a 20-30 minute walk to the center of town). This hostel is adjacent to the largest
swimming pool in Reykjavík
From Keflavík International Airport take the Flybus and request that it take you directly to the Hostel. Bus no. 5 stops just outside the Hostel and drives to the center of Reykjavík 3 times each hour. During the summer time there is free bus transfer from the hostel to BSI (The central station for buses in Iceland ) at 07:15.
Salvation Army Guesthouse http://www.guesthouse.is/
Email: [email protected] -- Tel: + (354) 5613203
Kirkjustraeti 2
IS-101, Reykjavik This is located in an
excellent downtown location.
Sleeping bag accommodation for 1800 ISK (21 Euro, $19.75 USD), 4 bed room 8500 ISK (100 Euro $93 USD), triple is 7000 ISK (81.50 Euro, $76.60 USD), double is 5500 ISK (64 Euro, $60), and a single is 4000 ISK (46.50 Euro, $43.75 USD) . Breakfast is 800 ISK (9 Euro, $8.75 USD).
Its a great value given the Old Town location. The Salvation Army Guesthouse is also located in the club area for weekend nightlife. You can get into most clubs for free before midnight, but charge anywhere from ISK 500 to 1500 afterward. The only downside to this hostel is the 1:00AM curfew – but ask and it might be extended for you.
The Airport bus stops right outside the Salvation Army Guesthouse. Just tell the busdriver that you are going to stay at The Salvation Army Guesthouse, and he will take you to the door.
The airport bus should get you to the hostel for $10 each way.
I have heard about another hostel
called
YOUTH HOSTEL
Njarovikurbraut 52
Reykjavik
$21US shared dorm, shared bathroom. But
I don’t have any more info about that place.
If you want to rent a car, use the company called ALP (it charges around $80USD per day, unlimited mileage, with insurance. The rate at Herz is almost double.
Hostels in other cities in Iceland can be found at http://www.hostel.is/
------------------------------------------------
More General info -
In order to find good hostels just look in your Let’s Go type book. There is even a book that is called something like Hostels in Europe or something like that and it lists hundreds of hostels. You may want to consider visiting a big book store near you (like Barnes and Noble) and look for such a hostel guide - even if you don't buy it, look through it and write down the info that you don't have - The local library may also have good info - but the older the books, the more likely the chance that the info may be outdated (old phone numbers and prices).
Although traveling solo allows you to be independent and do whatever you want, when you are traveling with others, in general the more people, the better off you will be regarding lodging especially if you are looking for a pension or private room. However, if you show up with no reservation, sometimes it is easier for a solo traveler to get lodging than a group (such as if there is only one bed left). Regarding hostels, if I can hook up with a few other people, I like to get a quad (4 beds in a room) and that ends up being about the same price (maybe a little more) as if you just got a bed in a big room with 10 strangers. The benefit in a quad is that you know everyone in the room, so you can take a shower and have your friend watch your passport (otherwise you will have to bring it with you or risk leaving it with strangers!)
BACKPACKS - You will hate your
backpack by the end of your trip. I suggest bringing the biggest one that you
can carry comfortably (especially if you are gone longer than 1 month). Then
just pack as much into it as you need (see the many tips on the websites and in
the Let’s Go type books about what to bring). In general, the lighter
that you pack, the better. Once you buy
the backpack, you will learn that you can take less stuff than you originally
planned - also, there is no rule that says that everything must fit inside the
backpack! Some stuff can be strapped to
the outside. However, you certainly
should start your trip with everything inside, because you will acquire things
along the way. I suggest buying a backpack (at a place that has a 30 day money
back return policy) and load if full and walk around for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
If you can do that, then the bag is not too big. Depending on how much time you have before you head off to
Europe, you may be able to plan ahead.
Some people bring a few extra buckles in case the ones on their backpack
break while they are traveling. Do not
think that it is impossible to occur.
You will be lugging this big bag around and banging it into things. Personally, I broke shoulder straps on two
different backpack about ½ way through my tours. I could not find a replacement part. However, I had brought along about a 10-foot section of wire just
in case, and my Swiss Army knife, and both times I fixed the straps myself
enough to last the rest of the trip.
Some wire is also useful when you are at a hostel that requires you to push and hold a button for water to come out of the shower. It sucks taking a shower with one hand and I have often used my wire to wrap around the knob and keep the water flowing.
A tip that may be helpful for you when your pack starts to feel really heavy – if you are waiting just standing around (such as on the platform waiting for your train to arrive) then take off your backpack and set it on the ground. However, keep in mind how difficult it is for you to put it back on (not hard for me, but very awkward for others). This is important because if you are boarding a train without a reserved seat, then you will want to be one of the first people on the train if possible so that you can get a decent seat and so that you can find a compartment that has enough available space on the rack to put your big backpack. So, if you see your train pulling into the station, get your pack on quickly so that you can have a position on the platform so that you can board quickly (otherwise you will have to try to push through the crowds after you get your backpack on). Another tip is that if you are standing next to a wall or a ledge, you can usually back up to the wall of ledge and rest your backpack on the wall or ledge while it is still on your back and this takes all of the weight off your shoulders, but still keeps the pack on your back.
Oh yea, when you are waiting for your train, and when it starts to pull into the station, you will see a huge 1 or 2 on each car (that means first or second class) and you will also see either a picture of a cigarette or a no smoking sign. That is important because if you rush to board the train and you board a 1st class car and you have a 2nd class Eurail, then you just wasted your time, because you cannot stay in the 1st class car. Regarding the smoking cars, if you want to avoid smoke, then try to board the train in a non-smoking car. That way you can try that first and if that particular car is full, just keep walking trough the train until you find an available seat (which may be in smoking). Some of the better train stations have boards right on each platform that has a picture of a train and shows which cars are smoking and which ones are non-smoking (and also shows which are 1st and second class) and also shows the location of the dining car and the sleeping cars (these last two are not on all trains).
You will find that at night, many people pull the curtains for their compartment in the (non-couchette and non-sleeper cars) in the hopes that you will assume that the occupants are all sleeping and that the compartment is full. Well, don’t let that bother you. Obviously, if you also want to sleep, then your first goal would be to find an empty compartment (so that you can pull out the seats and sleep and pull your curtains closed) but if that is not possible, then you may just have to sleep sitting up. If you are not able to find an available compartment, then you may have to wake some people up and enter their compartment. This usually is not pleasant, but unless all of the empty seats in that compartment are reserved (you will see reserved tickets on the window of the compartment) then they do not have any right to keep you out. Mind you, waking up sleeping passengers is not polite and should only be done if you can’t find any other space. If you are intimidated to do that, then get a conductor to help you. Generally, if the train is that full, then other boarding passengers will also need seats and they too will be waking up the passengers.
If you get on a train that is not too crowded and you have your choice of seats, choose one a few cabins in from the toilet – otherwise you might hear banging and flushing noises during your trip. Also, try to make sure that you sit facing out the window so that you are facing towards the direction that the train will be moving. Do not assume that the engine is the front of the train. When you board, you should know which way the train will leave the station – keep that in mind in selecting a seat – otherwise you will get a headache when you look out the window.
Also, there are usually signs right by the doors to each train car (some counties have the signs on the outside of the car near the door, and some trains have signs on the interior of the train near the doors). These signs let you know the origin of the train and the final destination. You should be aware that you may not be travelling the entire journey that is available, so you should have some idea as to when you will arrive in your city of choice. This is located in your Time Table book, as well, as at the train station (and you can always ask the conductor). In general, some cities have multiple train stations, and if you are not positive whether you are about to get off at the correct one, ask anyone whether this is the CENTRAL station (it may help to pronounce it Sen Trall). This is worth mentioning because if you have never been to that city before, then you do not know what it should look like when you arrive. Some cities are a different story (in Koeln you will see a huge black church). Also, usually when you arrive at the main station, the train will not be able to move forward anymore (and will have to back up to continue on its journey). Obviously, this whole issue becomes moot if you plan on getting off the train at that train’s last stop.
FYI – you are not allowed to cross the train tracks except where it is clearly marked. It is very dangerous and they will get very mad at you for crossing the tracks. Once I saved a 4-minute walk in Italy once because I crossed the tracks and was one of the first people on the train. But looking back, I still suggest not doing it.
Oh yea, when the train is in any station (not moving) then you are not supposed to flush the toilet. The reason? Well, the stuff just drops right down under the train onto the tracks. Trains doe not have nice blue water and a holding tank like an airplane or bus. Stations begin to smell pretty bad when too many people ignore this rule.
TIP – I found out a long time ago that every city in Europe sells post cards. You usually can get them pretty cheap in the tourist traps. Pick some up everywhere you go and then you will have excellent pictures that you are positive will turn out. Also, if you mail some, send postcards with different pictures on them back home and when you return collect the postcards and put into your scrapbook. Amsterdam has hilarious sex-related postcards at most shops. If you take pictures with your own camera, make sure to get as many pictures with you in the picture. Unless you are a pro photographer, the postcards will be better than anything you can do of the sites themselves, so make all of your shots great by making sure that you are in as many as possible.
Oh yea, standing at the bar at a café is sometimes cheaper than sitting down and ordering the exact same stuff - but sometimes you want to sit and watch the scene and look at your map.
If you just HAVE to check your e-mail while you are on vacation, then you will be happy to know that most major cities have Internet Cafes available. Even some hostels provide access. But don’t waste too much of your travel time on the computer when you could be enjoying the culture and sights.
What to pack? – well, read the front of your Let’s Go type of book and it should walk you right through it. But in general, each person is different. If you are in Europe to dance, then you will have some clothes so that you can go out – and probably too many shoes. If you just want to see the sights and no partying, then you will probably be able to pack less clothing. If you are traveling only in the south, then you will bring less long pants and less socks (if you wear your teevas/sandals). If you are travelling in both hot and cold climates, then obviously you will need to prepare for each. The bottom line is this – do not bring too much. Figure on how you will do laundry (in sinks or at a Laundromat) and do not bring anything more than you have to. I suggest putting all toiletries in something to contain them (both from spilling, and so that you can easily transport them to the bathroom). Generally a sweatshirt can double as a pillow if needed, and unless you are in Europe after October, you should be warm enough with just a sweater and a wind breaker/light jacket. I suggest packing your backpack with everything that you think you will need and walk around for one-hour minimum. When you have done that, you will be able to determine whether you need to discard some stuff. It is not uncommon for you to have a backpack on for 30-60 minutes during the time that you are traveling from the train station (after arriving in a town) to your lodging. Keep in mind that jeans and shoes are heavy. So are books, so only bring essentials. Jewelry – the less the better – it is just an attraction for thieves.
If you travel in the winter, then you will need to pack heavier, more bulky clothes. I suggest wear the heaviest stuff when you are actually traveling (i.e. hiking boots on the plane, heavy sweater on the plane, big coat) you can take them off in flight if you get hot. Also - Layers. Only take one bulky sweater, everything else should be those light knit things. You can always throw a T shirt on UNDER if you are cold
If you are trying to figure out some out-of-the-normal things to see in a particular city in Europe, visit the following website and scroll around and there are some interesting things listed that most people do not know about: http://www.unesco.org/whc/heritage.htm
Regarding credit card cash advances. In general, plan ahead by calling all of your credit card companies before you leave for Europe. Ask the credit card company to explain their policy on a cardholder making a cash advance while in Europe (because that is exactly what you would be doing if you put a credit card into an ATM machine). Some banks also offer a debit card (they are also called different things – and some credit cards can perform this feature (which you may have to pre-pay)) which allows you to use the card as you would use an ATM card. The bottom line is that you should completely understand what charges and exchange rates apply to withdrawals from European ATMs prior to leaving for Europe. Although you usually get a good exchange rate, if your bank charges hefty commissions, that may outweigh the benefits of using such a card. Oh yea, it would be a good idea to call your bank and credit card companies prior to leaving for Europe and do 2 things: 1) advise them that you will be traveling in Europe and that they can expect you to make approximately X amount in withdrawals in the next month. (Although you are not required to do this, it is a good idea, because some companies will flag your account because it appears as if your card was stolen and is now on a spending spree and might be frozen as a precaution). And 2) you should also obtain telephone numbers which can be dialed from Europe in case you have to cancel the bank/credit card if it is stolen. This is important because many cards only list a 1-800 number on the card, which cannot be dialed from Europe.
Once I traveled with a guy that lost his credit cards. He had to call back to the USA and cancel all of the cards, and have new cards sent to him in Europe. We picked it up at the AmEx office in Vienna. This taught me something valuable – you can have stuff sent to you in Europe if it is sent to an American Express office. The guidebooks briefly address this, but you may want to look into this – especially if you will be backpacking for a long period of time – maybe consider mailing yourself new supplies – that may help out. For instance, if you mail yourself some supplies, then you can travel around the 1st leg of your trip with maybe just one pair of shoes or with some of the smaller “travel” sized toiletries, and then you save weight and space. I have never done that myself, but it is just a thought. However, I have stopped in various post offices in Europe to mail stuff back home (such as purchases and clothing that you no longer need).
Some people have lived their whole lives in a little town and have no clue about some basic travel etiquette. Some basic rules that you should always follow are the following: when you are on an escalator (such as exiting a metro/subway) you should always stand on the right so faster people can pass on your left. Also, you should always let people get off the train/subway before you try to board. If you are the one trying to exit a train/subway and other rude people try to board before you get off, just turn your body quickly and your large backpack will teach them a lesson.
Some people buy electricity converters – this is a waste of space, weight and money. What the heck will you possibly bring with you that needs to be plugged in? A walkman? A camera? These two things work on batteries, which can be discarded when dead. Electric razors are much bigger and heavier than the other kind. If you HAVE to bring an iron or hairdryer, then realize that you are packing unnecessary weight. Perhaps if you are traveling with a partner, you can agree that you both will share some of the stuff and that way only one person needs to bring it. The only way that I would even consider lugging around that extra weight is if I had a cell phone that I knew would work in Europe and I wanted to recharge the battery.
Bring some multi-vitamins if possible because you will not be eating as well as you should. Keep any vitamins and/or prescription pills in their original containers and you will be ok with customs. If you plan on being adventurous and eating vendor food, bring some anti-diarrhea stuff from home. If you wear contacts, make sure to bring an extra pair of contacts and pair of glasses. I suggest this because you will be on trains which may be very dirty and dry out your contacts and you CANNOT use the water that is available on trains for anything involving your eyes or mouth – do not ever drink train water – it is ok to wash your hands with – but it is better to just bring along a small container of antibacterial hand gel. I suggest no more than 2-3 pairs of pants. Do not think that you will be selling blue jeans to the locals – this stopped a long time ago. When packing clothing I hear that rolling the clothing help keep wrinkles out, but I have not had much success with that. Make sure to bring a few garbage bags and use one for your dirty laundry. Also bring some zip-lock bags (sandwich-size and large ones for wet swimsuits). I suggest bringing a small fork, spoon, and knife set. It is not nice to do, but I have known certain people to help themselves to the metal utensils that the airline provides for meals during the flight to Europe. These are perfect size and weight. However, in light of the recent terrorist attacks, I do not know whether you will even find metal utensils anymore on flights.
If you are on a very tight budget and you are traveling in expensive countries, you can go into a grocery store and buy some refrigerated hotdogs, a ½ liter of milk or juice and come out with a meal for about $3. That is not too much fun, but it is cheap and filling. Also a hunk of cheese and a loaf of bread can be filling and cheap. Also, some grocery stores offer hot food such as ½ a cooked chicken for about $3 – this is messy to eat and you will hate yourself if you don’t have utensils.
If you are big into museums, then the museum passes that are available in different countries may be a good idea for you. For example, in Berlin if you plan on going to 3 or more museums, visit www.berlin-tourism.de and get one pass for $7USD - good for three days. Most entrance fees are about $4USD each. Also, in Paris, if you plan on stopping at three or more museums, visit www.intermusees.com where one pass costs $11USD/ 1day; $22USD/ 2day; $33USD / 3day. Most entrance fees in Paris are about $5USD - $10USD.
I suggest saving this document in your email. That way if you get to Europe and need any information that I have addressed you can visit an internet café (or a hostel that has internet access) and simply pull this document up. This might be useful if you don’t have all of your lodging reserved in advance. For example, if you roll into Venice or Rome and all of the places that you have listed in your guidebook have no availability, you will have a fall-back option when you realize that my document listed a ton of places in Venice and Rome.
I am providing this
information for free, I only ask that after you travel to Europe, you please
email me a short email and let me know if any of my information was not
accurate. That way I can keep it
up-to-date and it can continue to help other backpackers.
Hope that helps – Dave – a.k.a. snorkelman [email protected]
