Best of Europe

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: Loved Venice.
Why: Vibrant, alive, full of character even with all the tourists. Felt we did see a side to the Italians that was fun-loving. They love their children! And I loved all the squares with fountains that were such friendly gathering places.

Heather Cameron in Coldstream, BC Canada 06/13/2008

Best: Canal Cruises, stroopwaffels, Rijkstaffel, Van Gogh Museum and the cafes!
Why: Amazing food, the city has an incredible, indelible charm and the Van Gogh Museem was fantastic. We were in Arles a few months ago, so it was wonderful to see the paintings that were inspired by the beauty of the Provencal landscape! Also Siberie Coffeeshop was a cut above. It was a great addition to the day to sit there, relax and listen to jazz and blues while having interesting conversations with the locals.

Stacy in Freiburg, BW Germany 06/04/2008

Best: Gimmelwald
Why: Exception sights, sounds, vistas, hiking, people

terrie gordon gamble in stanford, ca USA 06/01/2008

Best: Musee D'Orsay
Why: Beautiful facility, well organized, visually stunning, easy to move around and locate that one piece that you consider most beautiful or significant.

Worst: Versaille
Why: There seems little accomodation/planning for the enormous quantities of people funneling through this magnificent slice of history. This lack of planning just makes it too discouraging go through.

Mary Freelove in Wiesbaden, Germany 05/04/2008

Best: pension peters, berlin
Why: rick's description right on [Best of Europe--Berlin chapter]--clean and very helpful staff--but to get cheapest room [36E] be prepared to go up two floors without elevator.

Worst: none on this trip
Why: staff very helpful and spoke english, close to bus stop and Zoobahnhof [bus 100 and 200] for easy sightseeing

richard welsh in westfield ctr, oh USA 05/02/2008

Best: No best one - they were all great
Why: We had so much fun exploring the cities with the help of your walking tour guides and maps....I would recommend the books to anyone travelling in Europe.....

Wendy Fox in Saanichton, BC Canada 02/28/2008

Best: Musee D'Orsay, Versailles
Why: Unsurpassable Impressionistic exhibit. Reasonable and tasty cafe on the top floor.

Gardens of Versailles lovely to walk around in.

Marie Lavendier in Unionville, Ct USA 12/14/2007

Best: PARIS
Why: There is so much to see and the food is amazing!

Karen Canada 10/29/2007

Best: advice to get to the Prague castle at 09:00
Why: we were there to see the change of the guard at 9, there was NO line to buy tickets or audio guide (you can buy your entrance ticket from the audio guide person too). Note the audio guide gets you into the exit of the cathedral with no line once one (a very long one) forms.

pam carlson in encinitas, CA USA 09/26/2007

Best: Paris, France
Why: There was so much to see and do. I loved the Champ de Mars neighborhood with all of the small shops. I proposed on the Eiffel Tower just as the lights started twinkling. The park at the Eiffel Tower with all of the kids pedaling the go-karts, and the pony rides were cute as well.

Worst: The Hop on Hop off Bus in Rome
Why: After loving the Hop on Hop off bus in Paris we found that it was difficult to get a seat on the top on Rome's bus. We found that Rome was a less pedestrian friendly place than London or Paris (The Metro). London and Paris also seemed to be much cleaner. The Terravision bus from Rome Termini to the airport was on a strange system where you couldn't reserve a seat on a specific bus but had to show your airline reservations and they decided which bus you would travel on. The morning we arrived it was mass arguing and chaos because 70 people all wanted a seat on a 50 seat bus (I don't know the exact numbers but that was the feeling).

Jess Williams in Honolulu, HI USA 09/17/2007

Best: Hotel Kranenturm - Bacharach
Why: We stayed at this hotel last summer and returned again this summer. The hotel is in the process of being upgraded with new shower facilities and new carpeting. We stayed in the tower room and had no difficulty with water pressure or hot water. Our room was clean , comfortable and quiet with the new double paned windows. Our host Fatima remembered us from last year and was delighted that we chose to return again. Some posts say that Fatima is intense but we would use the word "concerned" for the comfort of her guests. Her breakfast is one of the best and she is willing to accomodate any reasonable requests. Fatima is indeed queen of her castle and we appreciated her efforts.

Jim & Anna in New York , NY USA 08/12/2007

Best:
Why: Best city: Amsterdam Best destination: Berner Oberland Best museum/sight: Alphonse Mucha museum in Prague and Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar and the Anne Frank House

Worst:
Why: Worst city: Prague -- people only interested in making money while being extremely unhelpful (except the people at Guest House Lida) Worst museum/sight: the Jewish Museum in Berlin has beatufiul architecture and it's probably worth it to visit just for that. There is so much inside that I found myself skipping entire hallways that focus on one person just to get to something more interesting.

Katie Ramp in Monterey, CA USA 06/23/2007

Best: The recommendations and tips for popular sights
Why: It helped to save time by giving us insight into specific things (times to go to museums, events etc)

Shizuka Suzuki in Los Angeles, CA USA 06/02/2007

Best: The Self-Guided Walking Tours in Salzburg
Why: Rick is absolutely correct in stating that Salzburg is a city to be walked (including the numerous churches) rather than a city with a lot of sites to visit. Getting off the beaten path from the tourists and strolling along Steingasse, including a long climb of many steps to the religous site, was a real treat!

Archie Malcom in McDonough, GA USA 05/23/2007

Worst: Grayline Tour: Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castles
Why: We toured last March 31, 2007, Saturday. Tour guide was an older German woman. The ride was monotonous. She was acting rattled and gave rude replies when you ask her questions. We paid her on the bus but she didn't give our tickets in the bus but handed them out as we entered the line to go to the castle. Problem was, in her confused state, she gave 3 adult tickets to minors and 3 of us adults ended up with those tickets. Then, she instructed us to enter using said tickets, but of course we were stopped and got questioned at the gate. When we complained, she was so rude and didn't even apologize! I would never take Grayline Tours ever again!

Maricel USA 05/21/2007

Best: Bacharach & the Rhine
Why: I would have flown directly to Amsterdam and missed out on Germany which would have been sad. We loved the Rhine, the Mosel and Cologne

Cindy Van in Beaumont Alberta, USA 05/09/2007

Best: Original Berlin Walks (Germany)
Why: We attempted to sightsee for a day before taking the tour, and we became frustrated by our inability to understand the history surrounding many of the sights. The Original Berlin Walks' "Discover Berlin" tour solved this problem. We saw all the important sights, and our guide did an excellent job of explaining their significance and placing everything in its historical context. History came alive. The group was big (over 20) but manageable, and the price (12 Euros each) was well-worth it. We only wish we were there longer to try some of their other tours.

Worst: Checkpoint Charlie (Berlin)
Why: This pricey and disorganized museum (9.5 Euros each) was a big disappointment. The walls are covered with paragraphs and paragraphs of decontextualized info, and the English translations are very confusing. There were some interesting displays showing the homemade devices some Easterners used to escape to the West, but I would not recommend trying to make sense of this place on your own. It might be helpful to invest in the audio tour, but the price of admission is already expensive enough. I'd spend the money on Berlin walking tours instead.

Melissa in Honolulu, HI USA 04/24/2007

Best:
Why: Vernazza, Cinque Terre: One of nature's beauty, peaceful, friendly people, food: local grown vegetables, seafood caught fresh everyday, restaurants and rooms inexpensive.

Love my castle experience: Versailles in Paris, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof in Bavaria, Rheinfels and Burg Eltz in the Rhine.

Rome: Met lots of good people, so many things to see, shopper's paradise in Via de Condotti.

Best train system: Germany hands-down. Most trains early or on time. Good information even in the smallest train stations. Conductors very helpful, they make sure people are in and out of trains before they blow their whistle indicating it is a go.

Worst:
Why: Worst place: Venice - the most expensive place visited. Some restaurants impose cover charge not posted with menu. Another restaurant charged us 8E for a big bottle of water. One charged us 5E for a cup of tea.

Worst train system: Italy - changed platforms so many times, announcing in Italian without showing in screen. Trains mostly late. You better be fast in and out of it, will not wait for you.

Worst people encountered: Dutch - Rick is right, Amsterdam TI staff the most unfriendly I've encountered. Visited so many countries and met lots of different nationalities, but Dutch I find too direct to the point of coming out rude. I would rather talk to a Parisian or Italian anytime. Germans I find very friendly.

Worst to ask for information or direction: Florence, Rome, Venice - people in stores mostly. You want detailed, go ask a policeman.

Maricel Lustre in San Diego, CA USA 04/19/2007

Best: Palace of Versailles
Why: The artistans of all the buildings have got to be appreciated. The murals and faux paintings were quite facinating to myself- as I am a fine artist.

Worst: Poverty along the Siene River, Paris
Why: As with all countries there are some people in dire need of housing and mental health help. There are numerous tents and shacks down along the river Siene.

Deborah Marlene Kearney in Arnold, CA USA 03/09/2007

Best: The Borghese Museum, Rome
Why: The museum is a manageable size. Each room is packed with art...the rooms themselves are art. Of special note was the excellent audioguide! It gave great information in short explanations. Easy to follow and easy to appreciate!!

Worst: Toledo, Spain
Why: Toledo may be worth seeing it, if you can see it through the tourists! We loved El Greco's work, but we went in February and it was still crowded with tourists!

Vanover in Chicago, IL USA 02/23/2007

Best: Europe by Car Agency
Why: This was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. Get off the plane in Paris, be picked up at the airport and driven to my "new" car. Then off we went with our GPS for 5,500 miles. Scraped the mirror in Arcos de las Frontera, and with my zero deductible insurance, (which was included) I just handed the keys to the service man when I returned it and off I went. Europe by Car, I love you!

Jack & Sieni Page in Phoenix, Az USA 12/06/2006

Best: standing room at Vienna Opera House
Why: for 2 Euros, the most amazing value i have ever had. I did stay for the entire 3 hours of Carmen on Oct 20 and it flew by. And, you get to know the people around you.

Worst: City Tours Hop on Hop off in Berlin
Why: Of the 5 buses i rode along the route, only one set of headphones worked reliable.

john oconnell in santa rosa, ca USA 10/28/2006

Best: St. Pauls Cathedral, London
Why: It was my first real cathedral and I was very much impressed. 10 times more impressive than the Notre Dame, Pisa, or any other cathedral I visited. This is definately a must see, but be prepared to pay a hefty entrance fee. If you have a group it is less money though and you can split the price. It is definately worth it though because you can spend a lot of time there. (Me and my new friend Gracie climbed all the way to the top of the dome, something you HAVE TO DO if you don't mind climbing all those stairs) I think we spent almost 3 hours there!

Worst: I wouldn't call it the worst but, the Pompidou Center, Paris
Why: Now, it IS a great museum, but when we went the were changing the exhibit or something so we could only go on like the first two floors and the gift shop. Other than that, it was still a great experience to get to see.

Cameron in Salem, OH USA 10/27/2006

Best: BATH
Why: Much nicer city to visit if you arne't into the crowded London citylife scene. Bath is much more of a quaint little city with genuinely nice people. Plus the Bath nite Bizarre walk was well worth it.

Tom in Roseville, CA USA 10/11/2006

Best: Amsterdam
Why: Amsterdam is relatively small( 700,000) and we found walking to various attractions etc was easy and enjoyable. Plus, Amsterdam just has this energy and liveliness, not to mention physical beauty, that makes it a very special place

Glenn Budgell in Grand Falls-Windsor, NL Canada 09/15/2006

Best: Best of Europe 2003
Why: I was in Europe in 2003 on a group tour. Of course time is always limited on such tours, but because I had purchased the book months before the trip I was able to plan the free days so I can see other things in whatever time we stopped. I didn't feel so restricted by the few hour you havae when you get to destinations. THe book showed my things I would have missed with the group, and how to avoid the long lines! Keep up the good work. I hope to go again someday and I will make sure I get the current Best in Europe! THanks! Carmel Pajita Vallejo, CA

Carmel Pajita in Vallejo , CA USA 09/06/2006

Best: Alogi Barbari in Venice
Why: The man at the front desk, (Fusto, I believe) was extremely kind and went out of his way to help us locate things on the town map he provided. The loding area is spotless, and the place is just a short walk to a nearby water taxi stop to get back to the train station when you're done. It's a great place in a quiet corner of Venice.

Jordan Linscombe in Colorado Springs, CO USA 08/07/2006

Best: Intro and Historic Walks and Hikes
Why: We thoroughly enjoyed the walks and hikes that you mention: St Goar to Loreley, Rothenburg’s wall, Schluxen to Neunshwanstein and the Pollat Gorge, Reutte to the Ehrenburg Ruins, along and above the Cinque Terre, around Gimmelwald, the Historic Paris Walk, and the Trocodero Square approach to the Eiffel Tower.

In my opinion, there is no better way to see a place than to smell it, touch it, taste it: walk it. Thanks Rick!

Al Parker in Bozeman, MT USA 07/18/2006

Best: Murren and Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Why: These Alps villages were a vacation from our vacation. The cow's bells were music from heaven! Quiet, peaceful, truly a unique travel experience.

Sheryl Smith in Arlington, TX USA 07/13/2006

Best: Meeting Rick in Halstatt (on the lawn of the B&B outside of town in the rain)
Why: self-explanatory.

Paul Luning in Boca Raton, FL USA 07/08/2006

Best: use of public transportation
Why: The detailed explanation of using the Paris Metro gave us the confidence to get from Gare L'Est by Metro to our hotel.

Other transportation information was helpful.

Freda Briggs in El Dorado, KS USA 06/29/2006

Best: Berlin do-it-yourself walking tour
Why: This was the best, economical way to see all of the sites in Berlin. Rick's guide tells you the history and a description of all the sites. Because of this tour, Berlin was our favorite city on our European tour.

Worst: Prague Castle
Why: This was not worth the time or effort. It is definitely not your traditional castle. There is a cathedral, however by this time we had seen several other cathedrals and were no longer interested. Also, we were there on a Sunday, so there were MANY tourists. This made our trip to Prague not so great, which is quite unfortunate because I've heard so many good things about the city.

Amy in Memphis, TN USA 06/03/2006

Worst: Rome Casa Olmata
Why: The place was extremely dirty, service was extremely spotty, and the workers were very shady. They would randomly change our rooms at the strangest times. They would never answer our questions straight forward. And when we were away, they would always take my towels always making excuses that they thought that it was theirs. I've been traveling for several months, and this was by far the worst hostel i ever been to.

J in Newark, NJ USA 04/27/2006

Best: Quasimodo Tours - Bruge, Belgium
Why: The Flanders Fields Tour

Absolutely brilliant.

The guide was better than a "guide" - she had passion for her role in life - that to educate us about the horrors of war - and in particular WWI. The tour (with hotel pickups and transfer to the 30 seater) thankfully ran way overtime - we saw so much more than offered in the programme.

I'm not an "organised tour" type person (you know - the bus leaves now ... etc etc) generally, but this ws simply one of the best days I have ever had.

I don't care how good an independant traveller one might think they are, it is simply impossible to do this day alone - even with more time, a hire car and a GPS - you would miss an awful lot of what this day included.

Andrew Dunn in Adelaide, SA Australia 04/25/2006

Best: Cinque Terre, Italy
Why: Cute towns. Gorgeous views. Great hikes and walks between towns. Good food.

Martha in Culver City, CA USA 04/13/2006

Best: Amalfi Coast, just south of Naples, Italy
Why: The coast is stunning, so beautiful it takes your breath away. The Italians are warm, friendly and helpful. Rick's recommended Italian phrases were super, and were all we needed for our week in Italy.

Worst: Ryan Air. Strongly recommend against it.
Why: Attitude of the air crew was abominable. Condition of the plane was dirty. Prices were low, but service was horrid.

Sherm Brown in San Francisco, CA USA 04/07/2006

Best: Paris
Why: L'Open Tours for hop on & off bus tours

Maggie Brogdon in Fitzwilliam, NH USA 03/13/2006