Solo Travel
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- mg33
I don't know if someone here started a thread on this topic recently or not, but who here has just taken off by themselves and gone somewhere random in Europe? US could count too, but I'm more curious about Europe. Doing it on the cheap. Just going somewhere for about 4-5 days for some inspiration, photo taking, seeing some stuff and having a look around, maybe meeting some random people.
Got to talking to a coworker about that today. Also read a great article on Rick Steves recently and his great off-the-beaten path, non-touristy advice type of stuff.
What cities in Europe are cool for just checking out?
- CGN0
Hopefully you will find me...
- ismith0
Well there was a thread for Japan... and I'm trying to go cross country... my dad did this a few years after college, left the US and backpacked through Europe for a year with just a pocketknife and some sketchbooks. I think it's a great idea, but I couldn't tell you exactly where to go... I've been to France and Italy, but I don't remember the names of many of the cooler/smaller towns.
- Greedo0
If you go to italy, i'd recommend Padua. It's near Venice, so you can check that out, but i wouldn't stay in Venice. Venice is a dead city, nobody lives there.
Padua is a huge college town, and all the kids congregate at night around the Pallazzo della Ragione, it's like a big open air party.
St. Anthony's shrine is there (a must see for all crutches and crazy car accident pictures tacked up inside, and for St Anthony's creepy preserved tongue), right nearby is the world's oldest botanical garden, a total oasis great for sitting, chilling and drawing; and the inside of the Pallazzo is a must-see, too; a huge ceiling covered in weird allegorical paintings, labors of the months, etc.
And, since it's a pilgrimage town, there are all kinds of cheap lodgings; just be aware that a lot of them have restrictive good old-fashioned christian type rules (no rolling home at 1 am puking drunk).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad…
- akrokdesign0
barcelona, spain.
rome, italy.
paris, france.
stockholm, sweden (not cheap though)
- akrokdesign0
here's some great links you might find useful..
http://easyjet.com/
http://www.easyhotel.com/
http://www.ryanair.com/
- akrokdesign0
car rental.
http://www.sixt.com/
- akrokdesign0
the swiss alps are really nice.
- Ravdyk0
Als, scotland, italie montain towns
- antoine_1010
I do this as much as i can, traveling alone is great - you see the stuff you want and not the shit anyone else wants. although travelling in pairs is cheaper for hotels because the cost is split obviously.
Barcelona - beautiful city and nice people
Berlin - friendly people, great nightlife, lots of history
Paris - great city, people are not that friendly but if you try to speak french with them they appreciate it more
Rome - beautiful city, friendly locals, history on every corner, so much to see
- Daithi0
I was just in Sicily for a week – it's unbelievably beautiful and the weather is great. The people are friendly, the food is top notch and it's all very cheap.
I did a similar trip to what you're suggesting a few years back – I went to Vienna for a week. I was staying with a friend who got sick so I had to entertain myself which turned out to be brilliant. Taking a load of photos helped to keep me entertained.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dai…
- Greedo0
There's a tourist office attached to most train stations in europe, so if you decide to go on a whim somewhere, go see them. You tell them how much you want to spend and they'll find you a place to stay.
Just make sure you get there normal business hours.