TimeTraveller
Traveller
15 comments
Posted 13 years ago
Hi
Myself and my girlfiend are going interrailling this summer. We are going for 3 months June-Sept. We did a brief trip last summer to Munich, Vienna, Prague and Berlin and loved it , especially Munich, and dying to go back so we decided on doing the same again this summer but on a larger scale. It really will be a once in a life time trip.
Travelling from Ireland, Places we are going are:
-Amsterdam (Fly into)
-Rotterdam
-Brussels
-Bruge
-Paris
-Bordeaux
-Biarritz
-Madrid
-Murcia
-Valencia
-Barcelona
-Marseille
-Nice
-Milan
-Interlacken
-Zurich
-Frankfurt
-Munich
-Venice
-Ljubljana
-Zagreb
-Keszthely
-Budapest
-Bratislava
-Krakow (Fly Home)
We are staying for between 2 and 3 nights in most cities with the exception of Biarritz(5 Nights - Surfing), Murcia(7 Nights -Family), Nice(7 Nights - Monaco/Cannes etc), Budapest(4 Nights - Music Festival)
We have the majority of our hostels prebooked such is the extent of our trip but we are open to being flexible in parts as we will only lose our deposit if cancelled in sufficient time.
Reading up on this forum the past few day has been of great help and really moved things along. We are in the advanced stage of planning but there are so many area's i may have overlooked/forgot etc.
Couple of questions if anybody could help?
1. Which cities would you recommend using the night trains? Are they always a viable solution? Ideally we are looking for night trains from Biarritz - Madrid and Munich - Venice. Do you think we need anymore??
2. Any hiddens gems of cities along the way that you can recommend?
3.We have a budget in mind(Taking in its peak season and also a lot of big cities), How much do you think a trip like this will/should cost.
4.Anybody else doing similar routes have any tips or suggestions
5.Any events on during the summer in particular countries we should try get to?
Any help is greatly appreciated and if you have any questions i mite be able to help with i will do my best.
TimeTraveller
BackpackerBurnsie
Traveller
1 comments
Hi TimeTraveller
I'm planning my first Interail trip for around Aug this year with a similar route to your trip last summer. I'm planning on taking in Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Hamburg and Amsterdam over a two/three week period. It would be great and I'd much apreciate it if you could help me by very briefly sharing your experience. Also how long did you travel for and what kind of budget did you have?
Backpacker Burnsie
P.s very adventurous trip you's have lined up there, that looks like its going to be amazing!
TimeTraveller
Traveller
15 comments
Hi
I travelled for 2 weeks, Spent 3 nights in munich, 4 in Vienna, 4 in Prague and 3 in Berlin. Was prob enough time spent in each city unless your going totally for the night life. Prague and Munich were my favourites.
I cant remember the exact some of money but it wasnt too expensive (around €800 all in - considering it was always private rooms or apartments but thats only an estimate of the top of my head) and could definitely be done cheaper than what i did.
Id recommend looking into the tour group Sandemans. they do free guided tours in Berlin and Prague also do great beer tour/crawls at night which was a great way of meeting people. esp the one in prague. The crawl starts off in a 5 floor church transformed into a nightclub right beside the astronomical clock.
Transport in all the cities was very easy to get used to so there was never any problem getting around.
If you like beer i cant recommend munich enough. its a great relaxed city to drink in.
The Meininger hostel chain in germany is very good, i used them last year and am using them again this year.
im looking forward to hitting budapest this year, seems to be a lot to do there and amsterdam...for obvious reasons
If you need any more particular info feel free to ask its what were all here for :)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Hi there TimeTraveller,
couldn't help to notice you've been and you will travel with your girlfriend next summer. Well, so do me and my boyfriend for the first time mid- July/August. We have been planning/saving for this trip since last summer, still, do you have any advice on travelling as a couple? The biggest disadvantage we have seen so far is the cost (private rooms). Anything else you think we need to know in advance? Tips? Good hostels apart from the Meininger chain?
We plan to visit Vienna, Prague, Munich and Berlin too, among other cities.
Thank you (:
TimeTraveller
Traveller
15 comments
Hi there,
Going from my experience last year, i would recommend trying to get involved in any activities that the hostel or specific tour groups are doing once you have finished your day-day sightseeing. things like beer tours, Pub crawls, BBQ etc. Its a great way to meet people. Being in a couple you can seem to be very unapproachable to others and also feel a bit reluctant to join in with others too cause you will have to make sure the other person is ok and not left out most importantly. Being a naturally shy-ish person that was a difficulty last year. Taking in mind you are basically living in eachothers pockets 24 hours a day and relying completely on eachother, havin that small bit of release and different conversation can really make the whole experience more enjoyable.
The private rooms are the biggest killer on your budget plan but i feel something that you really need and if you need to sacrifice money on other things i think you will be very glad you did once your home and reflecting on how it went. Being in dorms could be really good fun or the complete opposite. Since i will be gone for the summer this year i have had to book some dorms but have tried to keep them as small as 4 bed dorms.
I would definitely recommend doing the free walking tours in each city, best way to see all the main tourist attractions in a 3 hour period which frees up the rest of your time in each city to do what you want whether it be going back to a particular point of interest taht you came across on the tour or just chilling out in the city letting the world go by.
At the top off my head places i really liked in each city:
Munich - Olympic park - Huge area to walk around in and chill. could spend a full day there. will be going back this year to see Take That(Not a personal choice :) )
- English Gardens - similar to olympic park
- Hofbrauhaus - My favorite brewery when in munich.
- Glochenspiel - Dancing clock thing which goes off every hour which everybody stops for
- Marianplatz - The main town square. Everything is built around it.
- Dachau - Concentration camp
Vienna - Zoo
- Outdoor film festival each year which is very good. Just at the back of the Rathaus(Town Hall) Lots of different food and drink counters and then you watch an old film/Musical in the dark on a massive screen. i wasnt too interested in it before i went but is a great way to spend a night and it is a little off track from the usual tourist things to do.
- Tichy Ice-cream - Something you have to try
Berlin - Checkpoint Charlie
- Belin Wall
- Hitlers Bunker
- The Berlin Holocaust - Which is a remeberence centre for all the murdered Jewish people - Very interesting design built as a memorial
Prague - Castle
- Astronomical Clock - Similar to the glochenspiel in munich
- Charles Bridge
- Old Town Square is basically where everything is happening.
1 word of note tho, Prague was the only country that we went to that dont use euro so give yourself a bit of time to get your head around the money before leaving the train station because it comes out of the machines in thousands but means very little. We stayed a little outside the main centre and found it really difficult to find where we were staying so i would stay as close as possible to the old town. Gave me a bad vibe about the city initailly but once i got settle it is really a tremendous place to be.
Definetly get involved in as many thing as possible to make the most from your trip, The nightlife in the cities is great. enjoy as many traditional pubs/clubs as you please but definitely check them out. Some places can be a little intimidating at first because of the language barrier but that feeling goes very quickly and you will really ahve the best time. 100% beats your regular beach holiday.
One last tip, comfy runners because you will be walking for miles each an every day
Enjoy :)
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
It seems you are interested in beers and breweries, so don't forget to visit some of the world famous ones in Belgium. Use Brussels as a place to do some trips, that's the advantage of Belgium that everything is very close to each other, but don't stay in Brussels only (Bruges is very nice!).
TimeTraveller
Traveller
15 comments
Already have it penciled in, Brussels and Bruges. Will be spending about 6 days in belgium in total.
Any recommendations for things to see/do in either city would be great
Thanks
SiDUDe
Traveller
752 comments
Delirium www.deliriumcafe.be
anonymous
Traveller
2469 comments
Thanks a lot TimeTraveller (:
It was very elucidative and my boyfriend is already drooling for those beer tours!
I will take note of your suggestions/advice (:
Thanks for your time!