Dad's Advice and Travel Tips

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June 21
Fly Seattle to Amsterdam
June 22
Arrive Amsterdam, sleep in Haarlem

 

Haarlem: only essential sight is the big church (great organ), if you want to see prostitutes the neighborhood is cute and not scary in Haarlem. Big time and a bit more over whelming in Amsterdam (both are safe if you just window shop) be careful of needle junkies in streets around the prostitutes in Amsterdam.

Eating: pancakes are fun at pancake haus, you can eat with the homeless at St. Vincent's (cheap). French fries to go are really great from old fashioned kiosk.

Stay active today until 9pm before succumbing to sleep.
June 23
Amsterdam

 

Cool sights to have on your list for Amsterdam:

  1. Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum (two of best in Europe)
  2. Anne Frank is famous, Dutch Resistance is more interesting
  3. Tropical Museum, Diamond polishing (huge diamonds) and Heineken Brewery tour.
  4. Marijuana museum is interesting. There's also a tattoo museum which will blow you away.

· Everything's within walking distance in town.

· Rent a bike all day. Consider a bike tour?

· Majel's Wetland's Safari tours. Canoe tour through polder land?

· At night Boom Chicago is lots of fun.

· If you want some exercise and a fun way to see the canals, consider renting a paddle boat. Bike Vondelpark.

· Also you can catch the free boat behind the train station and bike into the wilds.
June 24
Amsterdam
June 25
Free day, explore Netherlands by train

 

Visit Scheveningen for beach action — great scene, be careful of nude areas.

June 26
Early train to Paris
June 27
Paris
June 28
Paris
June 29
Paris

 

Sights to seriously consider seeing:

  1. Louvre and the Orsay (2 top art museums)
  2. Climb the steps of the Eiffel tower (cheaper and a better memory, not to mention good exercise).
  3. Climb to the top of Notre Dame to get close to the Gargoyles and for hunch back fun.

· Consider the three-day museum pass. For 36€ it seems expensive, but then you'll be able to pop into any sight free and with no wait. You skip to the front when you have the pass.

· Check out the roller blade action at Trodadero.

· Pigalle (the Paris Red Light district) is much more depressing and dangerous than Amsterdam's. I'd see Adams and not waste my time or expose myself to dangers of Pigalle (lots of thieves and con artists, nothing much to see without going into dangerous bars). Never go into a girly bar with any money. You have a 50% chance of leaving with any of it.

· Pere Lachaise Cemetery—one of Europe's most evocative.

· Flea market at Clingancourt is one of Europe's biggest and best.

· Go out to Versailles (closed Monday). At Napoleon's Tomb you can tour the war museum (one of best in Europe, great WWI and WWII stuff not to mention Napoleonic stuff). Sewer tour (quirky). Catacombs (more bones than you'll see for the rest of your life put together). Get everywhere by metro.

· If you feel like an organized walk, Paris Walks are great for 10 euros

· For music and club news, buy a copy of Pariscope at any news kiosk. Movies are great in Paris (VO means in original language).

· Paris has a famous cylodrome (I don't know how accessible it is to visitors but it would be fascinating to check out)
June 30
Madrid

 

Madrid must see sights:

  1. Prado
  2. Bullfight if you're there on a Sunday
  3. Royal Palace is one of best in Europe.

· Do the tapas pub crawl for fun food, great people scene and a chance to see the vivid and graphic bull bars. (photos of gorings).

· El Rastro is very dangerous from a theft point of view.
July 1
Madrid

 

Consider taking the evening train to Toledo or if you like Madrid, Toledo could be a good day trip with no overnight.
July 2
Toledo
July 3
Back to Madrid

 

All day in Madrid, late afternoon train to Barcelona or, to avoid hotel, you could take the night train.
July 4
Barcelona

 

· You've got to see the Gaudi architecture, especially the Sagrada Familia church, an incredible work in progress with a fine museum getting you into the genius mind of Gaudi. The Picasso museum is also important.

· The Ramblas is lots of fun (with lots of thieves and con artists). I love to just stroll here. Great people scene.

· Consider renting bikes near Santa Maria del Mar church to explore the several miles of new beaches. Great scene.
July 5
More Barcelona, Sleep on train?
July 6
Provence
July 7
Provence
July 8
French Riviera

 

· Get around the Riviera by train, everything is easy by train.

· Nice: rent bikes on promenade to explore. Great bike path along the coast in both directions.

· Monaco: check out the casino, aquarium is amazing.

July 9-11
Free on Riviera
July 11
Catch train to Switzerland
July 12-14
Free in Alps

 

· Mountain bike rental (in Murren and Lauterbrunnen).

· Hike to top of Schilthorn and back (breakfast or lunch up there in revolving restaurant).

· Team up with hostel friends to hike/bike.

· Cook meals in hostel.

· The mountain biking options are endless.

· You'd love the Kleine Scheidegg area either hiking or biking.
July 15
Travel across Germany to Prague. Short stop in Munich?
 

Buy your ticket from Czech/German border to Prague before boarding train to avoid penalty. Your train pass only works until the border of Czech Republic.
July 16
Prague
 

Best sights:

  1. The Jewish quarter
  2. Mucha museum
  3. Museum of Communism is cool too.

· Hostels are the only cheap way to sleep in Prague and they are pretty cool places.

· Czech Republic doesn't use the euros. Upon arrival, use an ATM to get local currency. Don't' get too much as it can be tough to change back. You can use euro cash in a pinch as they'll take it. Just do the arithmetic to not get ripped off.

· Taxis in Prague are cheap if they charge you fairly. The subway is excellent and cheap. Figuring things out is a puzzle. This is a town of cheap internet access, cheap tours, cheap concerts, cheap beer, and lots of fun tourists.

· The dance club scene here is really lively and not to expensive. Take advantage of it. You could also try to go to a pro sports event. (Hockey or soccer is big).
July 17-19
Prague
July 20
Vienna, Night train to Venice.
 

Top sights: Hofburg treasury and palace.

· Great beach scene at Danube island. Fun low brow amusement park with biggest old ferris wheel – the Prater. Outdoor movies and food circus at Rathaus (city hall).

· Could have a marvelous day biking along the Danube River (Krems to Melk).

· Night train to Venice.
July 21
Venice and side-trips
July 22
Venice
 

· Arrive in morning. Check bags at station. Determine which train best for Cinque Terre.

· Cruise the grand canal. Get off at St. Marks and enjoy action. Hike back to the station.

· Catch afternoon train to Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre.
July 23-25
Cinque Terre
 

Great hiking, beach, swimming, exploring, making friends. Hostel rents bikes, kayaks, snorkeling gear.
July 25
Ride train to Florence (about hourly departures)
July 26, 27
Florence
 

Cool sights:

  1. Science museum
  2. Bargello
  3. Duomo museum
  4. Climb the Dome of cathedral (but might be a too long line).
  5. Be at Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset, romantic kissing spot for local kids.

· If you want to see David, call a week in advance to make a reservation.

· The Uffizi is booked a month in advance.

· You could arrange a bike tour of countryside or take a day trip to Siena (one hour away by train or bus).

July 28-30
Free days for the south
July 31
Rome
 

Must see sights:

  1. Vatican museum (Sistine Chapel)
  2. St. Peters Basilica
  3. Coliseum
  4. Forum
  5. Pantheon
  6. Forum sights: Catacombs, Cappucin crypt

· The pub crawl tour is lots of fun (and beer).

· Rent a bike and bike out the Appian Way (past various catacombs).

· Side trip to Ostia for a look at Roman ruins like Pompeii but easy subway ride from downtown.
July 31-
Aug 4
Free in and around Rome
Aug 5
Fly home
 

Get to airport 2 hours early via shuttle train from Termini train station to airport.