OT: Travelling round Europe

So next summer some mates and I are planning to go round Europe (maybe Interailling) for a few weeks.

We'd probably start in Paris because a few of the girls want to do shopping and that then work our way north/east. Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague are ones we want to go to but I thought I'd ask around considering so many people on this forum have travelled/live in another country.
I've been to a few cities in France and Germany but not really anywhere east of Germany but places like Groningen in Holland are apparently really good for students and that?
Can anyone recommend any decent cheap places, pretty much anywhere in central or eastern europe that would be good for 18 year olds?


Thanks guys

 

Budapest, Hungary
Cheap as anything to stay there and as long as you drink/eat the local stuff its cheap as anything mate

 

Prague is cheap (and of course the greatest city in Europe ), good call there. Also recommend Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw in Poland; Bratlislava and Budapest in Slovakia and Hungary respectively.

 

Also avoid Scandinavia like the plague, looking at mega bucks to stay and drink there although they are gorgeous places to visit

 

Well, Well, Well another traveller.

I just got back from doing it myself my friend. You'll have a right ****ing laugh trust me.T'was the greatest month of my life.

Get yourself over to the more central side of Europe. ****ing amazing!

If you need any hotel addresses, campsites, or anything if you head over near Germany/Poland/Italy pm me. Ive still got awhole folder of info

IM SO JEALOUS!!!

 

I went interailling about ten years ago. Started in Amsterdam, then Copenhagen, Lubeck, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Zurich, Basel, Luxembourg, Bruges and back to Am'dam. Only had a few weeks to spare so just got the two zone ticket.

Had a brilliant time. Used a book called Round Europe by Train. Listed just about every city in europe with tourist info, but most importantly a list of accommodation and the number for tourist information for that city. I was able to phone ahead to each city and book into a youth hostel or wherever. Youth hostels (especially the German ones) are really cheap and surprisingly good quality.

Totally recommend it!

 

I went a couple summers ago - was awesome. Started in Amsterdam then went to Germany, Czech Rep, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, France. Think I'm forgetting somewhere, can't think off the top of my head.


Budapest is class, as is Poland. It's a bit morbid but going to Krakow and Auschwitz is definitely worth a visit. Croatia is decent - quite up and coming like, especially in summer. There's a place called Bled in slovenia which is pretty nice too. Best staying in Eastern Europe to save your pennies, but all in all was a class fair few weeks. Def worth it! You'll have fun whatever you do.

 

Cheers everyone! I knew this would be much more useful than just googling 'good places in europe' or whatever
I'll make a note of everywhere and suggest them to friends.
PTN: I'll probably PM you in the new year (if we're still here..) because that sounds really helpful, especially Poland and Germany.
DT: Cheers for the book recommendation too! Oh, and I was in Lubeck last month

If anyone has any more suggestions then go ahead!

 

Just wait until the Toon get into Europe

 

Going on a 3 week European tour myself next year. I recommend going to Albania for shopping. Everythings cheap as chips as there's no tax

 

Riga!!!!!

 

No worries Lubeck is nice hey? Was reading the book on the way to Hamburg and the place sounded good so I got jumped off there on impulse. Just for a look round initially but ended up staying for three days. Met a lovely lass there called Anna ... wonder what happened to her <regretsivehadafewshouldhavegothernumber>

 

Me and some mates want to drive across America, wouldn't mind travelling Europe either though!

 

Not done much of Europe myself yet, but I hear nothing but good things about Bulgaria!

 

This. Cheap beer and loads of lovely ladies!!!!

Or Vilnius ... even cheaper beer and loads of even lovelier ladies!

 

I had a 22 days continuous travel ticket and can heartily recommend it in terms of value for money.

We managed to fit in:

Lille, Brussels, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Stockholm, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Verona, Florence, Manosque and Paris.

These were places we stayed over night, but we visited loads of tiny towns/ other cities on day trips and train changes. Depending on the size of your group, I'd recommend couch surfing; we didn't pay for a single night's accommodation on the whole trip!

A personal highlight was the night train from Stockholm to Berlin which manages to split in half at Trelleborg, join a ferry, cross the sea and then re-couple before steaming across Germany. That was our first big trip abroad after school so we concentrated on the "big" places we hadn't been before. We're planning an Eastern European leg this summer and I took to Brussels in such a way that I'm considering applying to work at the European Commission after my current research placement finishes

 

The girls want to shop at the start of the trip? That could get slightly awkward when you're lugging all their **** PLUS the stuff they've bought around the mainland and back.

 

Romania's interesting if you're into a bit of history. It's like going back 400 years in some places. Even Bucharest feels like a throwback to the 80's. Cheap as too. A lot of people I met there raved about Sofia, Bulgaria but I've never been. Prague is amazing, especially if you're into beer and steak. Wasn't too impressed with Budapest myself. Slovenia is great too, but expensive. Lake bled is stunning in the winter. Summer it's good for hill walking and mountain biking. Depends what you're interested in doing. Getting tanked for cheap you need to be looking at Estonia and that neck of Europe. Outdoors then head for the alps. History/architecture then austria through to turkey.

 

All the places have been pretty much mentioned but one place to consider is Ljubljana which is really nice and cheap.

From there you can head towards Venice by train (stay outside the city as it's pricey) which is beautiful and grab a ferry across to Croatia and visit Split and Dubrovnik.

I did this trip a while back: Paris > Nice > Milan > Rome > Venice > Split and Dubrovnik > Ljubljana > Budapest > Bratislava > Vienna > Munich > Paris and home.

 

Would it not make more sense to end in Paris? Otherwise you have to lug shopping around for the whole trip!