Europe

[The Bulldogs Bite]

So I am currently planning a Europe trip as part of our honeymoon in 2019 around May/June.


Looking at going for around 4 weeks. We've both been previously (she's Polish), but we're considering the following in no particular order.....

• Rome & Venice
• Athens
• Vienna & Salzburg
• Budapest
• Madrid
• Lisbon
• Krakow & Boleslawiec

Other considerations included Paris, Dubrovnik, Prague, Santorini, Porto & Barcelona.

Anyone got some tips/opinions on the above destinations given our time-frame and/or other suggestions?

Italy & Poland are probably the only two locked in, whilst Austria is high on the agenda too. We would be spending a week in Poland altogether and probably 5 days in Italy.

[DOG GOD]

Re: Europe

So I am currently planning a Europe trip as part of our honeymoon in 2019 around May/June.


Looking at going for around 4 weeks. We've both been previously (she's Polish), but we're considering the following in no particular order.....

• Rome & Venice
• Athens
• Vienna & Salzburg
• Budapest
• Madrid
• Lisbon
• Krakow & Boleslawiec

Other considerations included Paris, Dubrovnik, Prague, Santorini, Porto & Barcelona.

Anyone got some tips/opinions on the above destinations given our time-frame and/or other suggestions?

Italy & Poland are probably the only two locked in, whilst Austria is high on the agenda too. We would be spending a week in Poland altogether and probably 5 days in Italy.

Spent 4 weeks in Europe in May/June this year, and went to Rome, Vienna, Budapest and krakow on your list. Absolutely loved Budapest.
Other places we hit were Stockholm (our fave city on trip), Copenhagen, Berlin (in top 3), Munich and Malmo (for concert).

We spent 3-4 nights in each place...

Personally we found Rome dirty and over touristy, but the Vatican and Colosseum were well worth the trip.
Budapest had the best public transport..top notch and was an absolutely beautiful city.
Vienna was really nice but it rained 2 of our 3 days which probably didn’t help. Lovely friendly city, but even with google maps found the rabbit maze streets a bit hard lol.

A friend recently got back from Europe and went to Lisbon and Porto and love them, also Budapest which he rated highly too. He didn’t like Prague and thought Athens was a hole, but cheap.

If you wanna discuss more in-depth feel free to PM me mate.

[The Doctor]

Re: Europe

Dubrovnik for sure or anywhere along the Adriatic coast of Croatia

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Europe

Thanks DG.

I tried sending you a PM but your inbox is full so I'll post the reply here.......


Interesting to hear your thoughts about Rome and Budapest. My partner has been to Rome and said it was dirty and too touristy as well. I haven't been so I feel compelled to go, but not sure how long for.

Budapest sounds like a great city - my parents are actually over there right now and it's one of their favourite places. I was surprised given they've been to 60 something countries.

I'll have to take a closer look at Stockholm - what did you enjoy about it?

I've heard mixed reviews on all of Lisbon, Porto and Athens. Probably more bad than good, but the history of Athens particularly appeals.

I haven't been to Poland before so it would be good to get your thoughts on Krakow too.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Europe

Initially Dubrovnik was high on our list but it's slipped in recent times - for no good reason.

How long did you go for TD?

[DOG GOD]

Re: Europe

Thanks DG.

I tried sending you a PM but your inbox is full so I'll post the reply here.......


Interesting to hear your thoughts about Rome and Budapest. My partner has been to Rome and said it was dirty and too touristy as well. I haven't been so I feel compelled to go, but not sure how long for.

Budapest sounds like a great city - my parents are actually over there right now and it's one of their favourite places. I was surprised given they've been to 60 something countries.

I'll have to take a closer look at Stockholm - what did you enjoy about it?

I've heard mixed reviews on all of Lisbon, Porto and Athens. Probably more bad than good, but the history of Athens particularly appeals.

I haven't been to Poland before so it would be good to get your thoughts on Krakow too.

Apologies TBB, I didn’t realise I still had old messages in there.

Stockholm was absolutely beautiful. Great city. Totally walkable, street very clean, with great food and friendly people. It’s really nice to be walking thru the city to then come across an open parkland of restaurants, trees, sitting areas...very family friendly. Did a free walking tour which was great...no issues with the English language either. Spent 3 nights, should’ve done 4. Also did vasa museum, abba museum, Skansen open air museum, free walking tour which was awesome with an Aussie guide.

I’ll be honest. We specifically went to Krakow to visit Auschwitz concentration camp. Not in a way to say I’ve done it yeah yeah yeah, but we really wanted to feel the emotional connection with the place and it’s story. Man, it was one of the most full on visitis I’ve ever had. Emotional alright, and I highly recommend a tour there. You won’t leave the same person. Krakow in general is only relatively small, but lots to see and do. Found the people extremely polite but was probably the least English speaking of our trip. Even the younger spoke broken English, but food was amazing, and they have probably the best mall I have ever been in. It had 5 McDonald’s alone lol. Spent 3 nights there. Also did wawel castle tour and the salt mine tour. Would highly recommend a visit to. Has one of the most beautiful medieval town squares in the world. Very picturesque city.

[DOG GOD]

Re: Europe

I’m not surprised your parents rate Budapest highly. It wasn’t as old as I expected, but the buildings and the views are incredible. The Hungarian parliament is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve seen on my travels.

[Twodogs]

Re: Europe

My Polish ex says that Hungary is really nice and worth seeing.

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Europe

Krakow is lovely, one of the few places in Poland that didn't need to be rebuilt after WW2.

The Salt Mine tour is excellent, as is Auschwitz concentration camp but for completely different reasons. Auschwitz is very draining though - the suffering that humans can inflict on one another never ceases to amaze me. If you get the chance, check out the Rynek Underground - it's a museum under the main market square that shows how the square had literally been built up over the centuries (you can see the excavated foundations). We only happened upon it because we missed a walking tour and it was good fun. There are also some cool underground bars too - we happened upon one on a freezing Easter Saturday night which had free jazz, with a dziadek cutting sick on the drum kit! The Jewish quarter walking tour was excellent too - gets you out of the main square area and takes you out to where Oskar Schindler museum is. Remember that piwo (pee-vo) is beer - that will set you up pretty nicely from the outset

On the other places... Rome was excellent, but I was there in February and haven't experienced it in the heat. Wandering around a corner and stumbling on ancient ruins is pretty amazing. Venice... I wasn't all that impressed. Don't stay on the lagoon, stay on the mainland and train across would be my tip. Hubby and I booked a hostel type place with a shared bathroom. They offered us a room with a private bathroom, but were going to charge extra (fair call). We declined, but management put us in the room with the private bathroom anyway and then LOCKED THE BATHROOM UP and told us we couldn't use it!

Madrid is excellent too, but again - I was there in winter. Hubby and I spent four months touring Europe a few years ago, feel free to hit me up by PM. I'm jealous!

[Twodogs]

Re: Europe

Krakow is lovely, one of the few places in Poland that didn't need to be rebuilt after WW2.

The Salt Mine tour is excellent, as is Auschwitz concentration camp but for completely different reasons. Auschwitz is very draining though - the suffering that humans can inflict on one another never ceases to amaze me. If you get the chance, check out the Rynek Underground - it's a museum under the main market square that shows how the square had literally been built up over the centuries (you can see the excavated foundations). We only happened upon it because we missed a walking tour and it was good fun. There are also some cool underground bars too - we happened upon one on a freezing Easter Saturday night which had free jazz, with a dziadek cutting sick on the drum kit! The Jewish quarter walking tour was excellent too - gets you out of the main square area and takes you out to where Oskar Schindler museum is. Remember that piwo (pee-vo) is beer - that will set you up pretty nicely from the outset

On the other places... Rome was excellent, but I was there in February and haven't experienced it in the heat. Wandering around a corner and stumbling on ancient ruins is pretty amazing. Venice... I wasn't all that impressed. Don't stay on the lagoon, stay on the mainland and train across would be my tip. Hubby and I booked a hostel type place with a shared bathroom. They offered us a room with a private bathroom, but were going to charge extra (fair call). We declined, but management put us in the room with the private bathroom anyway and then LOCKED THE BATHROOM UP and told us we couldn't use it!

Madrid is excellent too, but again - I was there in winter. Hubby and I spent four months touring Europe a few years ago, feel free to hit me up by PM. I'm jealous!

A grandad on the drums?

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Europe

A grandad on the drums?

Got it in one.

[Twodogs]

Re: Europe

Got it in one.

My kids have a Jaja and a Babcia as well as a Poppa and a Nanna.

Jaja was quite a guy. He escaped the Soviet Union with his wife and daughter in tow in the '80s, he once told me that in the first few years of WWII, without moving from the village he was in, he was at various times living in Russia, Poland, The Ukraine and Germany due to the border moving all the time.

[Eastdog]

Re: Europe

Haven’t been to Europe yet.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Europe

San Sebastián.

If the weather is good, and it should be OK that time of year, great place to go - top restaurants in the area, old town has great pintxos and the beach is perfect on a sunny day.

South of France is another I've always enjoyed.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Europe

Thanks for the responses all - good to hear a variety of opinions.