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Post by saturnuranus on Jun 30, 2010 13:08:55 GMT
Afternoon Oatcakers, For the past 12 months I have been doing a work placement locally as the 3rd year of my Uni course. I've still got my final year to do in September, but this gives me 2 free months in which I was planning to do a few weeks of travelling before I go back. Obviously those 2 months could be spent eating crisps and playing Footy Manager instead, but I thought I'd better do something remotely useful, even if it is a bit of a student cliché!  I was just after opinions of places you have visited recently, and any pieces of advice you could give me based on your experiences. I'd be up for visiting pretty much anywhere, but not really after a lazy beach break or anything like that, and would like to get a good number of places done before the footie season starts! *Ready and waiting for your "get a job you student bum" style responses  Cheers |
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Post by monkeycat on Jun 30, 2010 13:25:36 GMT
Places I would recommend:
1. Krakow. Has become my favourite city to visit in Europe. Only small shed loads to see and do including if you are interested Auschwitz and also the ski resort of Zakopane. Nice place to eat and drink around the square, very friendly people
2. Warsaw. Pleasantly surprised by Warsaw, I thought it would be a lot more industrial, but around the medieval center it is very nice.
3. Tallinn. Very cheap once you are there, you can do Helsinki as a day trip (on the hovercraft) from there which is a good way to do it as it is very expensive.
4. Riga. Even cheaper than Tallinn and I went there from Tallinn on the coach Both Riga and Tallinn have plenty to see from the old Soviet days etc, plenty of very cheap places to drink, and some of the most beautiful women you will see!!
5. Prague. been numerous times, but has become a bit too much of a stag do haven now, and a hell of a lot more expensive than it used to be. If you have not been though, you would not be disappointed.
6. Berlin. if you are interested in history it is a great place to go with loads to do and see. I really enjoyed it, not the cheapest place in Europe though.
7. Venice. Good place to spend a long weekend. totally unique but very pricey
8. Oslo. Beautiful city, land of the midnight sun, trips arounf the fjords are excellent, but be warned, you would need to remortgage your house just to buy a pint!!
These have been my personal favourites, also been many places in France, Barcelona was also good. Poland is a great country and would be my recommendation
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Post by saturnuranus on Jun 30, 2010 13:53:27 GMT
Top man, thanks for that. Unfortuntely my budget dictates that I'll probably have to steer clear of Scandanavia this time round although the day trip to Helsinki would be great and more affordable. Reckon I'm probably gonna stick to Eastern Europe mostly to be honest and Poland is very much on the do list, so it's good to see that you think so highly of it.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jun 30, 2010 14:02:49 GMT
I loved Barcelona when I went. Full of great architecture, culture, football, women and clubs!
edit-didn't see Eastern European bit.
Go to Auschwitz, I've never been but I want to.
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Post by monkeycat on Jun 30, 2010 14:05:55 GMT
Top man, thanks for that. Unfortuntely my budget dictates that I'll probably have to steer clear of Scandanavia this time round although the day trip to Helsinki would be great and more affordable. Reckon I'm probably gonna stick to Eastern Europe mostly to be honest and Poland is very much on the do list, so it's good to see that you think so highly of it. If you are on a restricted to budget and want to stay exclusively in Poland, my advice would be fly from Luton to Krakow with Easyjet, spend time there and then travel round by bus or train, both very resonable, and finish off in Warsaw, flying back to Luton from there again with Easyjet. You would be hard pushed to get much cheaper than Tallinn and Riga. The only thing that is expensive in Riga is the accomodation. I stayed in a hostel in a private room with shared bathroom overlooking the river. It is in hostelworlds top ten hostels worldwide, and was very good run by an Australian bloke, if you want anymore details let me know |
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Post by monkeycat on Jun 30, 2010 14:14:38 GMT
I loved Barcelona when I went. Full of great architecture, culture, football, women and clubs! edit-didn't see Eastern European bit. Go to Auschwitz, I've never been but I want to. I have been twice, it is an incredible place to visit, unbelieveably moving. Some of the guides (only a few left now) were actually prisoners there, they wear blue and white striped caps, hearings their recollections is incredible |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jun 30, 2010 14:44:35 GMT
I've met an Auschwitz survivor whilst I was at school. We were studying Germany 1918-1945 in History so we went to this day at Keele that had different workshops about the subject and one of the sessions was a talk by an Auschwitz survivor. Such a moving and horrific story.
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Post by jamlander on Jun 30, 2010 14:46:50 GMT
The Oatie has posters all over Europe so why not try begging posts for free accomodation - some live in very nice places ;D
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Post by saturnuranus on Jun 30, 2010 15:45:25 GMT
The Oatie has posters all over Europe so why not try begging posts for free accomodation - some live in very nice places ;D I'm open to offers and will pay in sexual favours (if you are a Stoke supporting vulnerable beauty from Tallinn of course) |
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Post by saturnuranus on Jun 30, 2010 15:51:36 GMT
Top man, thanks for that. Unfortuntely my budget dictates that I'll probably have to steer clear of Scandanavia this time round although the day trip to Helsinki would be great and more affordable. Reckon I'm probably gonna stick to Eastern Europe mostly to be honest and Poland is very much on the do list, so it's good to see that you think so highly of it. If you are on a restricted to budget and want to stay exclusively in Poland, my advice would be fly from Luton to Krakow with Easyjet, spend time there and then travel round by bus or train, both very resonable, and finish off in Warsaw, flying back to Luton from there again with Easyjet. You would be hard pushed to get much cheaper than Tallinn and Riga. The only thing that is expensive in Riga is the accomodation. I stayed in a hostel in a private room with shared bathroom overlooking the river. It is in hostelworlds top ten hostels worldwide, and was very good run by an Australian bloke, if you want anymore details let me know That sounds perfect mate, cheers for the help. Estonia & Latvia were definate possibilities, and Tallinn in particular has been recommended to me by a couple of friends. Need a quick review of the finances beforehand and to get some sort of plan together, but sounds right up my street so will pm you when I know more. Bayern - Agreed about Barcelona, went with my old man to see the derby game against Espanyol and it really is a wonderful city. Would love to go back one day, although it's a bit too far west to fit it in this time. Auschwitz is a must really isn't it? Has anybody been to Bratislava by the way? |
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Post by monkeycat on Jun 30, 2010 16:00:04 GMT
If you are on a restricted to budget and want to stay exclusively in Poland, my advice would be fly from Luton to Krakow with Easyjet, spend time there and then travel round by bus or train, both very resonable, and finish off in Warsaw, flying back to Luton from there again with Easyjet. You would be hard pushed to get much cheaper than Tallinn and Riga. The only thing that is expensive in Riga is the accomodation. I stayed in a hostel in a private room with shared bathroom overlooking the river. It is in hostelworlds top ten hostels worldwide, and was very good run by an Australian bloke, if you want anymore details let me know That sounds perfect mate, cheers for the help. Estonia & Latvia were definate possibilities, and Tallinn in particular has been recommended to me by a couple of friends. Need a quick review of the finances beforehand and to get some sort of plan together, but sounds right up my street so will pm you when I know more. Bayern - Agreed about Barcelona, went with my old man to see the derby game against Espanyol and it really is a wonderful city. Would love to go back one day, although it's a bit too far west to fit it in this time. Auschwitz is a must really isn't it? Has anybody been to Bratislava by the way? My sister has been there and to Llublijana, she enjoyed both |
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Post by monkeycat on Jun 30, 2010 16:07:03 GMT
If you are thinking of going to Tallinn and/or Riga, the Lonely Planet book covering Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania is excellent, as is their book on Poland
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Post by knowles on Jun 30, 2010 16:08:54 GMT
Europe is a continent I really want to tap into. I haven't been to the Eastern Bloc at all, and really feel as though I should. Auschwitz is certainly a place I want to visit. I always find Normandy an incredible place to go to too.
On the subject of Barcelona, I love the place. Only been there the once, but am eager to return!!
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Post by monkeycat on Jun 30, 2010 16:13:04 GMT
Europe is a continent I really want to tap into. I haven't been to the Eastern Bloc at all, and really feel as though I should. Auschwitz is certainly a place I want to visit. I always find Normandy an incredible place to go to too. On the subject of Barcelona, I love the place. Only been there the once, but am eager to return!! Once we make the Champions League, we will be all over Europe ;D |
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Post by saturnuranus on Jun 30, 2010 22:35:14 GMT
Europe is a continent I really want to tap into. I haven't been to the Eastern Bloc at all, and really feel as though I should. Auschwitz is certainly a place I want to visit. I always find Normandy an incredible place to go to too. On the subject of Barcelona, I love the place. Only been there the once, but am eager to return!! Once we make the Champions League, we will be all over Europe ;D Wait till we draw Rubin Kazan, may think twice then |
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