OT: Where should I go?

[kire]

Well, this is certainly off topic.

I'm going to Europe on March (edit: bad typo) 31st, I'm landing in London. I'm going to be in Europe until June 2nd, which is when I fly out of London.

In between, I plan on seeing as much of Europe as I can. The definates on my plan are to see London, Scotland (lots of family there), Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, and a few other places.

I know there's alot of Scapers in Europe, and alot who have visited Europe. So I ask, where should I go?

What would you suggest I go to see? The more off the beaten path the better, I want to have an extraordinary trip and see the best things possible.

Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks in advance, everyone!

[VBKatLou]

You're going to do all that in 3 days?

I went to London and Amsterdam for a couple of weeks last fall. I'm glad I went to London and saw all the sights I had been reading about for years, but it was big and a bit too crowded for me. We took some side trips to smaller towns and Stonehenge and I liked that much better. We're talking about going again in a couple of years but this time more up north and also going into Ireland (I'm part Irish).

Amsterdam is my dream city. It's pretty, laid back, and the people are wonderful. I've been a couple of times and I'm seriously considering moving there when I retire. We've already booked a place for next year.

Have fun. Europe's a wonderful place.

[kire]

Sorry! I'm leaving March 31st. Woops, bad typo. :)

[Selena]

Places I can highly recommend are Budapest in Hungary with a trip on the Balaton [lake]. Hostels are few and far between but private citizens will offer you a room for the night at a very reasonable cost. Most people speak some English and the food is out of this world.
Pompeii, Rome and Venice in Italy.
Greece and some of the Greek Islands and Athens of course.
Monaco and the French Riveria.
Paris and the museums and Champs Elysse (sp??) and Eiffel tower.
Geneva and a trip on the Rhine. A side day tour to Chamonix and a trip up the Aguile du Midi to view Mt Blanc ... you can ski till April in Chamonix and they make snow almost every day if there isn't fresh powder. Ski rental is about $20/day and lift tickets are about $30/day. Transport to the snow fields is on the free bus.
Innsbruck - the Glochenspeil [?spelling] factory is worth a visit - there's also great skiing there till April.
Munich (and the concentration camp at Dachau) and Berlin in Germany.
Take the train from Germany to Hooke Van Holland and then the car ferry back across the Channel to Harwich. Get in a quick visit to Norwich and the Norwich Cathedral (which is spectacular). A trip up to Scottland and Edinburugh or Glasgow.
Stratford on Avon - Shakespear and of course you must visit Dover. This is a very pretty time of the year to travel Eurpoe - the flowers are an amazing sight alone.

Just a few words of caution ... there are a lot of beggers in many countries who have one purpose - to separate you from your cash. I'm not saying don't be commpassionate but be wise too. Take padlocks with you if you stay in Hostels and don't leave your things unattended and unlocked unless you can afford to lose them.
The Euro dollar is outrageously expensive - I was in Geneva over Christmas and a can of soda was approximately $7 US. It's cheaper to stay in Hostels and helps if you're a member of Youth Hostels of America YHA.
I found Vienna very beautiful but incredibly expensive.
The cheapest exchanges for currency were to pay by visa and only carry a small amount of actual cash. There are ATMs so you can get cash almost anywhere. You'll pay a fee but it's less than the commission on travellers checks.

Best way to see London is from the front seat on the upper level of a double decker bus. You can get a day ticket for about 2 pounds and unlimited travel. Covent Garden and Wimbeldon and Lords are all worth a visit so are Tower of London, changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and a stroll through the botanical gardens. Although most places are only 20 - 30 miles from London it can take half a day to get there due to the traffic. Portsmouth is fun to visit and Bath is fantastic.

Have a great trip and enjoy the spectacular sights.