OT: Europe Trip

[Aaron It Out]

Spoiler:

..... Barcelona...food...trips...drinks,,,

Well things are slow so far at work and Barcelona is one of my favorite locations, so I will try to give some insight.
First I created a small map with some major points, marked with numbers from 1 to 7 for better understanding the area and the distances:



Nr.1 is Sagrada Familia, so close to your residence, and this will be our starting point. To get a grip of distances. Going from Sagrada Familia to Camp Nou (from 1 to 5) by Bus will last about 35'.

Some general info first:
Language: People up to 35-40 will speak better english and you have relative good chances, the older the tougher it gets. Trying with even minimal spanish will go a long way. But in the centre of Barcelona you should have minimal issues with the language barrier.

Safety: Barcelona is safe. No chance of getting robbed at gun point , or knife or something similar, or feel insecure returning at night. Similar to Italy the only issue are pickpockets (the pedestrian street Las Ramblas and the train/metro stations are the areas they prey the most, so keep your valuables at good guard there and be carefull when you are asking for information, directions on the map etc).

Transportation: For general transportation you can buy a day to 5-days public transportation ticket. 5 days will cost you about 32 USD if booked online here : https://www.tmb.cat/en/barcelona/fares-metro-bus/barcelona-travel-card-hola-bcn

However in your place I would plan first my trips outside the center and then decide what and how many days you will need, since for Barcelona center the best way to go is the Tourist Bus:

https://www.barcelonasmartmoving.com/tickets/barcelona-hop-on-hop-off-bus-tour

a 2 day pass will cost 35 usd / person. It is hop on hop off, to all major attractions (Camp Nou included) and you can use them as many times as you want for that period. Use these 2 days to see the majority of attractions. They will also give you a book of coupons worth about 200 USD where you get discount to most attractions (f.ex Gaudi places), and restaurants etc. Check it then plan and use it.

Taxi is cheaper than US, but with Bus and public transportation you are covered.

Tips, Prices: All prices include VAT and all taxes plus service. In bar,restaurants, etc though a tip around 10% is very common especially for good service. For snacks, taxis etc, you usually just round (f.ex 4 euro instead of 3.50)

Now to the map:
1: Sagrada Familia, 2: Center of Barcelona (Placa Catalunya), 3: Gothic Quarters (many places to visit), 4: Port (Aquarium, Fish restaurants), 5: Camp Nou, 6: Museums (Art museum, Miro museum and more), 7: Park Güell

Most of the places to visit are between 2,3 and 4.

Everything from Gaudi is a must (Casa Batllo, S.Familia, Park Güell, Palau Güell). If you are into art then the Art museum (Nr.6) and if you are into modern/abstract art then Miro as well which is very close.
Next to 3 : Picasso museum, Xocolata (Chocolate) Museum, the majestic Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala (concert hall and guided tours).
Nr.4 The Barcelona Aquarium is the largest in Europe and is amazing.
Walk Las Ramblas all the way to the Beach.
For more attractions it is up to your personal taste.
Nr,5 Camp Nou, book here: https://www.fcbarcelona.com/tour/buy-tickets

Day trips (Girona, Beach, Wine/Food tours): Great office with excellent ratings : http://spanish-trails.com/home-bcn

My area of expertise in drinking is Craft beer and Barcelona is becoming better and better. Msut visit places:

BierCab : http://biercab.com/ (30 taps and 200 Bottles)
Ale&Hop : http://www.aleandhop.com/ (10 taps and 100 Bottles, plus nice Pub food)
Napar BrewPub: http://www.naparbcn.com/ (One of the best local micros)
I can give you more if you are interested.

Food:
Yelp is used a lot in Spain so check there for reviews depending on where you are.
Some of my preferences:
1. La Boqueria : http://www.boqueria.info/index.php?lang=en , One of the most beautiful food markets in Europe with great options to eat (the seafood options and the italian ice cream place are top). You can shop spices, olive oil, stuff to bring back home here.
2. Seafood : Around Nr.4 in the map it is packed with seafood restaurants, most of the are good and they range from cheap to very expensive. Must try the various platters (grilled, fried, cold seafood). We always had a great meal here : http://www.pacoalcalderestaurante.com/es/ .
3. Paella: can be had in many places as well. A tiny place with few tables and excelletn Paella is here : https://www.yelp.de/biz/mi%C3%B1o-barcelona
4. Tapas: Again hundreds of places. Our favorite with nice ambience, more sophisticated but delicious tapas, good prices and quality : http://www.sensi.es/tapas/
5. Jamon : http://jamonexperience.com/en/ , hey have museum, guided tour and you get to taste different types. A must.

I think/hope it is enough to get you started

Have fun !

Alex

Thanks so much! Awesome post. We planned on spending a lot of time in the 2-4 area which should hopefully be within walking distance from where we're staying. For instance the Aquarium is number 4 on your map and is apparently only a 40 minute walk from the address we are staying at, which isn't bad at all. I will definitely look into the restaurants you posted.

[Nightfall]

blah..blah..

Thanks so much! Awesome post. We planned on spending a lot of time in the 2-4 area which should hopefully be within walking distance from where we're staying. For instance the Aquarium is number 4 on your map and is apparently only a 40 minute walk from the address we are staying at, which isn't bad at all. I will definitely look into the restaurants you posted.

Any time, if you have any further questions at any point, shoot.

You can either use the tourist bus it goes to all points actually, but walking is definitely not an issue. You can start from Sagrada Familia go through all the points in about 40-45 minutes walk but you will be stopping often for sightseeing.

This walking path : https://goo.gl/maps/eHtet4Twjgs
starts from Sagrada Familia, first stop is the Central Square, then it takes you through the famous pedestrian street Las Ramblas and you end up in the Aquarium.

[humanrefutation]

One of my coworkers, who goes on vacation internationally at least twice a year, turned me onto WOW Airline - the Spirit Airlines of Europe, which is adding outbound flights from Chicago starting this summer.

https://wowair.us/flights/best-fares/?selected_airport=ORD#quickbooking

If you're looking for a super cheap flight, you can get to Paris for $150 going one way, or less than $350 total for a round trip ticket. Reykjavik has $99 fare from Chicago. Like Spirit - amenities are at a minimum. But the prices are appetizing.

[BUCKnation]

Gotta watch the add-ons with that type of airline though. Some of the extra fees could add up to a regular flight on let's say American Airlines if you get a cheap AA flight, plus the amenities are much higher.

[humanrefutation]

Gotta watch the add-ons with that type of airline though. Some of the extra fees could add up to a regular flight on let's say American Airlines if you get a cheap AA flight, plus the amenities are much higher.

You're absolutely right, just like Spirit. But it can be helpful to find a bone-dry budget option. If you're a person who doesn't care for amenities - you can pack light and squeeze in and would rather spend money on the actual destination, it might be worth it because the airline prices are often substantially cheaper than if you used a major carrier.

[thomchatt3rton]

blah..blah..

Thanks so much! Awesome post. We planned on spending a lot of time in the 2-4 area which should hopefully be within walking distance from where we're staying. For instance the Aquarium is number 4 on your map and is apparently only a 40 minute walk from the address we are staying at, which isn't bad at all. I will definitely look into the restaurants you posted.

Any time, if you have any further questions at any point, shoot.

You can either use the tourist bus it goes to all points actually, but walking is definitely not an issue. You can start from Sagrada Familia go through all the points in about 40-45 minutes walk but you will be stopping often for sightseeing.

This walking path : https://goo.gl/maps/eHtet4Twjgs
starts from Sagrada Familia, first stop is the Central Square, then it takes you through the famous pedestrian street Las Ramblas and you end up in the Aquarium.

I was going to post my little advice about Barcelona (based on the 5 days I spent there) but Nightfall pretty much killed it.

I will add:

I don't speak Spanish, and I had no problems getting by. I do speak French pretty well though, so that helped in that I could get the gist of most written things, and though it made me feel good about myself as an American abroad to be able to offer Spaniards 2 choices of foreign languages to communicate with me in, they all preferred speaking English to me, so you should be OK.

Definitely use your "so so" Spanish. People really appreciate the effort. It makes a big difference.

As far as crime/thieves/whatever, I wandered aimlessly at night (usually drunk) far and wide in Barcelona and I never once felt threatened or even on alert.
There are a lot more people out and about at night in Spain than there are in the US, so there's less opportunity for serious crime. Stores and restaurants are open MUCH later than here in the states (I remember my gf buying a pair of sneakers at literally 11PM or later on a weeknight in Barcelona).
Not only do the Spaniards operate later than a lot of other peoples, but old cities are much more pedestrian-centric than car-centric, so there's a lot of people walking around in general anyway.
Also (and those who know better can correct me if I'm wrong) but in general in Europe, the poor areas are in the suburbs, and the nice, rich areas are in the city centers- opposite of the US. So unless you get on a train, it's not likely you'll wander into a "bad" neighborhood just because you went a couple of blocks the wrong way.

Again, those who know better can correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't waste any time worrying very seriously about crime. Compared to the states, there's just not that much of it anyway.

I feel like you can hardly go wrong in Barcelona- even if you just bum around aimlessly, it's still awesome. I will recommend the Picasso museum though, if you're at all interested. Not only is it a good collection but the building itself is a work of art and the neighborhood is cool too.

[humanrefutation]

Barcelona is probably the one place I want to visit more than anywhere else.

[LuessiT]

Since my last time in Barcelona was a few years ago and I wasn't exactly sober I'm just going to leave you with general advice:

Safety:
In general Europe especially western Europe is safer than the USA. Much safer actually since there are practically no guns. Don't bribe. Honestly don't expect to get robbed at all. You'll be fine.

Price:
The tax is already added on on pretty much everything, keep that in mind. Some restaurants may in rare occasions charge very small (~1$ at most) additional fee's for the table or similar (not specifially in Barcelona) but otherwhise you pay the price listed. Also tipping is way less strict. Waiters mostly get a fair wages and a tip roughly about 10% is usally fine. The next round number that makes sense basicly.

Language:
Especially the younger population should be fluid in English in bigger cities. Doesn't really matter where you are. Don't mind asking, people are helpful enough in general, but don't start telling you about your day when asking for directions. Whenever someone does that I know they're from the US. And no need to learn any Catalan. Basic Spanish plus English will do. People are also very into handsigns so follow those.



Beaches:
Depending how crowded you like your beaches and how warm the water is supposed to be you'll find plenty of solid beaches at the east coast. If you want to surf or experience waves you'd have to get to the west or south west to the Atlantic though. Keep in mind the water is quite a bit colder there. Probably not that feaseable since you're only there for one week.

[chile]

Barcelona is my favorite city so far in Europe with lots to do and see. And as mentioned, walking around and checking everything out is pretty amazing. I don't know any foreign languages and it was fine for me. Doing one of the bus tours knocks out a lot of the sights farther away. And you can get on and off of those buses at all the stops. You could take a bus from the airport to Las Ramblas.

Question for others... Any suggestions for day excursions in Switzerland? I will be spending 3 days near Montreux then 2 days near Zermatt and then finishing it with 4 days in Luzerne. Already planned are the Golden Pass, Glacier Express to Chur, wineries near Montreux and Glacier 3000. Will probably do skiing in Zermatt if that is available (leaving in a couple weeks). The time frame that is mostly open is Luzerne. Open to anything from hiking to things to see. I will probably leave 1/2 a day to visit Zurich.

[BUCKnation]

Gotta watch the add-ons with that type of airline though. Some of the extra fees could add up to a regular flight on let's say American Airlines if you get a cheap AA flight, plus the amenities are much higher.

You're absolutely right, just like Spirit. But it can be helpful to find a bone-dry budget option. If you're a person who doesn't care for amenities - you can pack light and squeeze in and would rather spend money on the actual destination, it might be worth it because the airline prices are often substantially cheaper than if you used a major carrier.

No doubt, if you have a couple of hundred dollars laying there, you could do worse than a short weekend in Iceland where all you bring is a full backpack.

[turbo2k]

Thought I might add some thoughts as I have spent some time in Europe (mostly middle and a little bit in the east)

Poland - Is quite underrated and has many some great sites. Places are cheap, people are great. Krakow and some of the other cities in the south are cool. Warsaw is pretty nice, but not like a whole lot to do, most everything historical was destroyed in the war, but it was rebuilt as the 'old town'. I don't even like vodka, but they do really make some good stuff there. To the point I actually like it. Poland is the only place I will drink vodka.

Bratislava, Slovakia - wasn't there real long. Not bad little place. If you happen to be in Vienna, it's such a short easy (and cheap) train ride, might as well go. Can kill a day there. There is a castle not far called Devin castle.

Vienna - Right now one of my favorite place in Europe that I've been. The architecture is just ridiculous (I used to what to be an architect, and that type of stuff always fascinated me).

Berlin - Really overrated IMO. Not bad, but there's about 50 cities in Europe I would rather go. Young and hip I guess (I am 33), diverse, with history. But I am not a big fan of dirty big modern cities.

Munich - More interesting than Berlin to me. Didn't get to spend a lot of time, but in my time there, had some good beers, met some good people. Plenty to do. Also a good central point to some other good cities

Zurich - Very nice, but one of the most expensive places you can go. If I were to pick 1 country to live in other than the US, it might be Switzerland. Lots of nice scenic places around Lake Zurich too. I am actually in a hotel not far from there now. Lucerne, Bern, St. Gallen are some other nice cities in Switzerland too. Everywhere you go is a postcard mountain view. (Seemingly) Everyone has a lot of money, but it is not like the US where they show it and put it in your face (though you will see some nice rare cars). Even the richest people here are quite nice, friendly and down to earth.

On my list of places to go yet: Portugal, Barcelona (only really heard good things about both, echoing what others have said on here), Dubrovnik and some other Croatian cities, Prague (was going to do a couple months ago, but ran out of time because I couldn't leave Vienna), Ireland, Estonia, and the list gets longer, even as I check places off.

Long story short: There will ALWAYS be more places to visit in Europe no matter how many times you go. I would avoid the tourist traps. There's so many other great cities and historical sites. Why waste your time dealing with the crowds? Don't worry about the language stuff, it's all too easy to get by on English but do try and learn a few words for every place you go.

1 tip for you amazon prime members: You can download free Lonely Planet travel guides through Prime Reading.

[bizarro]

Bumping this because I'm too lazy to find the Travel thread.

This is mainly for our European friends (or anyone who has beem to the region i am describing).

Soooooo,

I am fascinated with the idea of a trip to the Aegean Sea, up to the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and dumping into the Black Sea w intention of exploring the Caucusus - actually hiking in them. Maybe emding by a vista of the Caspian Sea.

I write this here because I am fascinated w the history of the region and feel utterly called there. I have read the pre-Arthurian Nart Sagas, have studied the Circassian and Ossetian histories, and know quite a bit about the Jews of Khazaria. BUt, i know next to nothing of the actual place and geography beyond my studies.

Any thoughts or opinions would be welcome!

Cheerz!

[streaky]

I am fascinated with the idea of a trip to the Aegean Sea, up to the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and dumping into the Black Sea w intention of exploring the Caucusus - actually hiking in them. Maybe emding by a vista of the Caspian Sea.

Wow, it is really tough to combine all of those destinations together.
How many days and what period??

[Beorn]

The idea sounds fantastic, bizarro (if you have the money required ofc ). You may have issues though in certain countries, as Armenia and Azerbaijan are still at war and anyone whose passport shows that he has visited the "enemy" is under suspicion.

[bigkurty]

Now reading this is making me wish I had worked Barcelona into our trip. We were going to add Barcelona in to our Europe trip if we could have gotten reservations to the restaurant tickets but apparently that is super hard to do.

[bizarro]

I am fascinated with the idea of a trip to the Aegean Sea, up to the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and dumping into the Black Sea w intention of exploring the Caucusus - actually hiking in them. Maybe emding by a vista of the Caspian Sea.

Wow, it is really tough to combine all of those destinations together.
How many days and what period??

I understand. This would most likely be a minimum 3 month-6 month journey. So, it is not a standard 2 week trip to Europe, say, where realistically seeing 1-2 places well in one country. I do not know what period as of yet but if I continue to just ponder what a trip would be like as opposed to taking legitimate steps to follow this pull or magnetism in my life by gathering more recommendations and advice from a community of friends...well, then it will just remain a 'What if' fantasy. It may still end up being that. Regardless, many thanks for chiming in.

[bizarro]

The idea sounds fantastic, bizarro (if you have the money required ofc ). You may have issues though in certain countries, as Armenia and Azerbaijan are still at war and anyone whose passport shows that he has visited the "enemy" is under suspicion.

This is a very very prudent reminder of the greater hostilities of the region. This saddens me as a man rooted in Anthropological and Ecological fields. The Caucasus, a place the Arabs referred to as 'The Mountain of Languages' - home to pre-Arthurian legends and such a ripe cultural cross-roads between two epic Seas - has veered far away from their notoriety of longevity and hospitality in this Modern Age toward one of conflict. Armenia, the most intact and original of the Indo European languages in the Indo-European tree. Fascinating and i know so little of the people and their cultures. A deep sadness to me that it is dangerous to want to experience their morning tea/coffee/prayer rituals. To see their fruit trees and hear the ding and clangs of their various languages in the morning. But, it isn't just Azerbaijan and Armenia I am reminded of. There is widespread conflict. Abkhazia, South Ossettia, Prigorodnyy, Rayon (between North Ossettians and the Ingush as far as I know), and of course Chechnya.

Sigh. Such a beautiful planet. Such amazing peoples and diversities. And, yet, we are still struggling as a species to simply get along and share. We Americans are truly no different. I guess I will simply continue to read of this area - listen to its music, read its sagas, stare at photographs...and maybe some clouds will pass and a sensible opportunity will avail itself to see it. For now, it seems wise to leave that part of the dream to the seaside.

[streaky]

Bizzaro
It would be an awesome experience and i wish you can make it in the future.

Best period: Autumn/Spring (avoid high/low temperatures).

The first part (Greece, Turkey, Black Sea) is easy. Decent transportations (planes/ships), nice weather.
You may plan a tour starting from Athens and visiting some relatively unknown - less touristic (and by far more interesting) greek islands of the aegean sea (etc. Lesvos, Limnos, Symi, Patmos, Nisyros, Samothrace) with Instanbul as your final destination. The western part of Instanbul is breathtaking. From there it is easier to check Bosphorus and plan a Black Sea tour.

The second part is a problem. The situation in the capitals and major cities in the Caucasus region is relatively calm but you will always have to get feedback about the situation in the borders / countryside and check your embassy travelling notes.
For example, the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan are permanently closed. Or, the road networks in Armenia and Georgia are really poor. It still can be done but mostly via airplane. Nethertheless, Caucasus region is such a historic and intriguing destination.

[Nightfall]

The idea sounds fantastic, bizarro (if you have the money required ofc ). You may have issues though in certain countries, as Armenia and Azerbaijan are still at war and anyone whose passport shows that he has visited the "enemy" is under suspicion.

This is a very very prudent reminder of the greater hostilities of the region. This saddens me as a man rooted in Anthropological and Ecological fields. The Caucasus, a place the Arabs referred to as 'The Mountain of Languages' - home to pre-Arthurian legends and such a ripe cultural cross-roads between two epic Seas - has veered far away from their notoriety of longevity and hospitality in this Modern Age toward one of conflict. Armenia, the most intact and original of the Indo European languages in the Indo-European tree. Fascinating and i know so little of the people and their cultures. A deep sadness to me that it is dangerous to want to experience their morning tea/coffee/prayer rituals. To see their fruit trees and hear the ding and clangs of their various languages in the morning. But, it isn't just Azerbaijan and Armenia I am reminded of. There is widespread conflict. Abkhazia, South Ossettia, Prigorodnyy, Rayon (between North Ossettians and the Ingush as far as I know), and of course Chechnya.

Sigh. Such a beautiful planet. Such amazing peoples and diversities. And, yet, we are still struggling as a species to simply get along and share. We Americans are truly no different. I guess I will simply continue to read of this area - listen to its music, read its sagas, stare at photographs...and maybe some clouds will pass and a sensible opportunity will avail itself to see it. For now, it seems wise to leave that part of the dream to the seaside.

Very well said.
If you do make this visit and you include parts of Greece or Cyprus, I will be more than happy to provide all the information you need.Especially for Cyprus, Chios, Limnos, N.Greece I can flood you with information.

Unfortunately regarding Turkey, I have never visited, since by having a (greek-)cypriot passport, made it impossible until recently, even though I want to in the future. My late grandmother was greek born and living in Silifke (South Turkey), until the end of the Greco Turks conflicts in 1922, when they moved to Cyprus.

[Besiktas]

Budva/Montenegro and incredible nightlife