Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Read online

  Table of Contents

  DISCOVER EUROPE

  AUSTRIA

  BELGIUM

  GREAT BRITAIN

  CZECH REPUBLIC

  FRANCE

  GERMANY

  GREECE

  HUNGARY

  IRELAND

  ITALY

  THE NETHERLANDS

  PORTUGAL

  SPAIN

  TURKEY

  ESSENTIALS

  BEYOND TOURISM

  INDEX

  QUICK REFERENCE

  For details on Europe Overview map, click here

  RESEARCHER-WRITERS

  SOPHIA ANGELIS. Freshman phenom Sophie tore through northeast Germany, holding her own on a team of Harvard grads. While last-minute German lessons helped Sophie navigate small villages and big cities alike, her outdoorsy California spirit and photographic eye are what truly helped her discover the country.

  ASA BUSH. This Let’s Go veteran kept us laughing with his witty writing and quirky photos from Scotland and Ireland. From a tour of the Jameson Irish Whiskey Factory to “Bloomsday” celebrations with fellow James Joyce fanatics, Asa’s eye for excitement found him plenty of kindred—and distilled—spirits during his stay in Dublin.

  AMA FRANCIS. Ama is from the lovely, but little known, island of Dominica. A Caribbean childhood in the Caribbean left Ama with fabulous French skills, a love for the beach, and a taste for mangoes. Her time in France was spent researching, drinking bottles of rose wine, and getting into a steady (or dependent) relationship with pain au chocolat.

  BEATRICE FRANKLIN. A walk through the Red Light District was like a stroll through a tulip field after Beatrice’s last gig as an RW for Let’s Go Thailand. She dug out her one orange sundress to celebrate Oranje success at the World Cup and turned a well-trained eye toward everything from the diviest hostel to the smartest smartshop.

  NELSON GREAVES. On the few occasions that Nelson was able to suppress his attraction to Czech women and addiction to Eastern European cuisine, he pumped out copy that left his editors in stitches. Come the fall, the recent Harvard grad will move south of his hometown of Fresno, California, to start writing the screenplays for all of your favorite TV shows.

  VANDA GYURIS. This Let’s Go veteran planned her research around the World Cup schedule, watching each match with lively local septuagenarians. With her Harvard degree in hand, Vanda is off to China to teach English—but she’ll undoubtedly take frequent vacations to Portugal to showcase her badass California surfing skills.

  CHRISTA HARTSOCK. Christa’s love affair with Barcelona began with her extensive research on the city’s urban planning for her senior thesis. An art and architecture scholar, she was powerless to resist the likes of Gaudí’s Manzana de Discordia. After her immaculate research was finished, Christa embarked on an epic biking trip to Amsterdam, where she snored loud enough to wake up the whole town.

  JOCELYN KARLAN. After spending part of last summer stranded on top of a mountain in Ecuador, Jocey chalks up her time with Let’s Go as a success. A student of psychology, Jocey may have used hypnosis to charm the locals—or maybe she’s just incredibly amiable. sHer editors think it’s the latter; Jocey’s enthusiasm to research every nook and cranny (and cave) in Andalusia made her indispensable.

  MICHAL LABIK. Michal was really looking forward to wearing a fez in Istanbul, but was saddened to hear that the Ottoman Empire wouldn’t be reinstated in time. However, he made do with cavorting in the bazaars, eating more kebab than he thought possible, and being hit on in a gay hammam. Though as Michal likes to say, being hit on is always better than being hit.

  RACHEL LIPSON. Britain’s confusing accents and dreary weather couldn’t put a damper on this New York native and first-time Let’s Go RW. Whether chatting with Vikings or pretending to be an Oxford student, Rachel showed an incredible thirst for adventure (and cider!) as she traveled all across England.

  JOSHUA MCTAGGART. Josh has a surprisingly good British accent. We promise, it has nothing to do with the fact that he grew up just outside Bristol, UK. Researching the Loire Valley as well as Brussels, Bruges, and parts of the Netherlands, Josh certainly got his fill of castles. He’d like to be a spy (channeling James Bond, much?), though he sampled wine, not martinis, throughout his travels.

  NED MONAHAN. Born Edward Monahan III, Ned is truly Boston’s boy. A hip-hop enthusiast with a habit of befriending strangers on the street, Ned once spent a summer working on a champagne vineyard in France. When he returned to France to work for Let’s Go, he knew he’d be in for a whole new experience (and certainly one with a very different final product).

  BENJAMIN NADDAFF-HAFREY. Though some travel to London for prestige and tradition, this feisty freshman came to the British capital with a different mission: to get into his first bar fight. Lucky for us, Ben decided to play it safe while he single-handedly navigated London, even as World Cup mania brought out the hooligan in every Englishman.

  TAYLOR NICKEL. From the shores of SoCal to the French Riviera 20-year-old Taylor has already traveled to over 50 countries. When he wasn’t researching the best hostels in Marseille, he was working the tables at a casino in Monte Carlo or riding a scooter from Saint-Tropez to Cannes. His winning smile and enviable tan make it hard for anybody, from hotel managers to customs officials, to say no to.

  JULIA ROONEY. This veteran of Let’s Go Italy 2009 demonstrated a prodigious knowledge of Italian culture that put her editors—and probably even a few locals—to shame. From trying (and failing) to sketch Marcus Aurelius’s foot to devouring dangerous amounts of Roman gelato, Julia kept her cool with perfect prose and perfetto italiano.

  ANSLEY DAWN RUBINSTEIN. With the help of her ever-present cup of coffee, this Let’s Go veteran and recent Harvard grad reenergized our coverage of Vienna. Bound for stardom as a dancer and actress, Ansley will undoubtedly enjoy fame in Hollywood, but she dreams of eventually returning to her previous Let’s Go haunts—Australia and the Greek Islands.

  ELYSSA SPITZER. The quintessential straight shooter, Elyssa didn’t put up with BS. No sub-par orange juice or cigarette-burned bed was going to slip into her listings. If this ball-busting research weren’t enough to make her an champ, Elyssa’s always pleasant calls and hilarious stories about old, pants-less Greek dudes made her editors love her.

  GRACE SUN. Grace explored the heart of Spain—Madrid—and mastered the inner workings of its atria (discotecas) and ventricles (endless tapas bars). Starting off her route with a nasty case of bronchitis did nothing to dampen Grace’s spirits—and neither did encountering a bunkmate doing meth in southern Portugal. Grace’s willingness to try new things (except meth) made her research shine.

  JOE TOBIAS. Hailing from the Great White North, Joe is a mountain man with a poet’s soul. When he isn’t writing sonnets, he can be found somewhere in the wilderness of the Northeastern US. His travels for Let’s Go took him to Morocco and southwestern France, allowing him to master snake charming and wine tasting.

  ALEX TOMKO. Refusing to be worn down by Venice’s antiquated structure, Alex somehow found time to train for a triathlon between afternoons visiting palatial hotels and nights wandering the streets in search of the perfect bar in Dorsoduro.

  XIN (CINDY) WANG. Fresh off a stint as an RW for Let’s Go Boston, this Geneva (Illinois!) native strapped on a backpack and hopped a plane for her next Let’s Go adventure. Even a recently earned Harvard degree won’t keep Cindy resting on her laurels; after researching musical traditions in China next year, she’s off to Berkeley for grad school.

  MARK WARREN. Traipsing along the Camino in northern Spain and scooting
south into Portugal, Mark circumnavigated nearly half of the Iberian Peninsula. This modern-day Magellan’s route was a whirlwind of port wine, seafood, and learning that Portuguese is really not that similar to Spanish.

  ELIZABETH WEINBLOOM. After the Dark Ages of grad school, Elizabeth went to Italy for Let’s Go seeking her own Renaissance—and found it in the hallowed galleries of the Uffizi. After stressful encounters with Tuscan train schedules and angry San Gimignano nuns, Elizabeth resisted the temptation to settle down in Lucca and instead completed her route like a champ.

  WILLIAM N. WHITE. An experienced sailor, William proved himself no ordinary boat nerd, displaying additional talents as a hiker, pizza critic, and—of course—star RW. While the beach bums around him soaked up the sun in Monterosso, William spent his time bringing subtle wit and a travel-savvy perspective to his research.

  DISCOVER EUROPE

  when to go

  what to do

  MY HOSTEL OR YOURS?

  WHERE THE WATER IS WINE

  VENI, VIDI, VICI

  BEYOND TOURISM

  suggested itineraries

  BEST OF WESTERN EUROPE (2 MONTHS)

  DEBEACHERY (6 WEEKS)

  CELTS VS. ENGLISH VS. FRENCH (1 MONTH)

  ORIENT YOURSELVES (3-4 WEEKS)

  how to use this book

  CHAPTERS

  LISTINGS

  ICONS

  OTHER USEFUL STUFF

  PRICE DIVERSITY

  Sick of your parents’ stories about “When I was in Europe...” to show that they were, in fact, cool? Well, it’s time to shut them up forever with your own, because there’s a reason that this continent has been the stomping ground of students for generations, with castles and gory stories to match. It has the whole gamut of architectural periods and incredible renovations, brogues and rolling r’s, and residents who drink alcohol like water. It has some of the best art and culture concentrated into a continent that’s less than half of the size of the United States. And you’re always in the good company of fellow travelers, both young and old, out on adventures like you. Europe is a trendy place to visit, but nothing about it is cliche (unless you reenact Notting Hill or Eurotrip). In addition, the once dangerous or less popular places in Europe have blossomed into student havens with exciting venues and deals and steals. Think out of the box, and make your trip to Europe an experience that far surpasses anything your mom or pops ever bragged about.

  when to go

  Summer is the busiest time to travel in Europe. Fun festivals in the summer can jack up prices, but who wants to miss the Fête de la Musique or Avignon’s Festival, each bursting with local flavor and communal joviality. Late spring and early autumn mean fewer tourists and cheaper airfare. Winter travel is a unique experience, giving adventurers the chance to ski in northern Italy, Germany, and basically any place with great mountain ranges. But this also means some hotels, restaurants, and sights have limited hours or are on vacation—from you.

  what to do

  MY HOSTEL OR YOURS?

  While your exchange rate in Mexico might be better than the one you’ll get in Europe (though even that’s improving), there are lots of places where students can stay without breaking the bank. Hostels are a great option, particularly in more affordable places like the Netherlands, Portugal, and Eastern Europe.

  • CITRUS SUNSHINE: Naxos’s dirt cheap hostel options give you the chance to live more like a Greek god at the Archway of Apollo, and the island’s own citron liquor is worth a sip or more (NAXOS CAMPING).

  • AVENTURA HOSTEL: Be prepared for your own adventure when you stay in one of the best hostels in Budapest, known especially for the amazing tourists it attracts ( AVENTURA BOUTIQUE HOSTEL).

  • OOPS!: The only thing you won’t be saying when you step into Paris’ first boutique hostel ( OOPS!).

  • ALESSANDRO PALACE: This authentically decorated hostel in Rome will make you feel like royalty, especially with the free pizza ( ALESSANDRO PALACE).

  top five places to see dead people

  5. STEPHANSDOM AND GRABEN: A great view upstairs, a catacomb of Viennese plague skeletons downstairs ( STEPHANSDOM).

  4. WESTMINSTER ABBEY: Bow down (figuratively) to Elizabeth I and quote sonnets (in your head) at the “Poet’s Corner” ( WESTMINSTER ABBEY)

  3. PÈRE LACHAISE CEMETERY: Pay homage to Oscar Wilde, Georges Bizet, Honoré de Balzac, Maria Callas, and Max Ernst, in Paris ( CIMITIÈRE DU PÈRE LACHAISE).

  2. WESTERKERK CHURCH: See if you can find Rembrandt’s burying place in Amsterdam—even if the sanctuary’s keepers don’t know where he’s hiding. ( WESTERKERK)

  1. ST. PETER’S BASILICA: Try not to be too creeped out by the mummified popes on display in Vatican City ( ST. PETER’S BASILICA).

  WHERE THE WATER IS WINE

  Sometimes even the lowliest grub tastes better in Europe. Pizza and ice cream become an art form in Italy; cheese, bread, and mayonnaise do the same in France. Beer gardens and rolling vineyards mean alcohol flows liberally, and with the delightful European embrace of the table wine, you don’t have to spend much to drink well and often.

  • PIVOVARSKÝ DŮM: Beyond the funny-sounding name, this microbrewery does Prague proud ( PIVOVARSKÝ DŮM).

  • SIRIUS KLUB: Try a concoction at one of Budapest’s celebrated tea houses ( SIRIUS KLUB).

  • BERTHILLON: You may feel a little bit like Blaire Waldorf, but eating ice cream on Île St-Louis is worth the price ( BERTHILLON).

  VENI, VIDI, VICI

  You’ve got the ruins of Ancient Rome, the art and architecture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, masterpieces of the Impressionists, and reminders of Europe’s oft-troubled political and religious history. Sounds corny, but it’s true: traveling in Europe brings the snooze fests of history class (the papacy, German unification, Protestant Reformation, World War II—to name a few) to life.

  • COLOSSEUM: It’s got a bloody history, but you’ll be bloody impressed (COLOSSEUM).

  • MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO: Only one-tenth of the museum’s collection is displayed at any time. Go there and realize what that means (MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO).

  • VERSAILLES: The Sun King had it pretty sweet—at least for awhile (versailles).

  • CHECKPOINT CHARLIE: Check it out and learn more about the Cold War and its impact on the people caught in-between (CHECKPOINT CHARLIE).

  • BLUE MOSQUE: It’s incredible. And blue, if you didn’t guess (SULTANAHMET MOSQUE (BLUE MOSQUE)).

  BEYOND TOURISM

  Rebuild castles in France and Germany, intern at NATO, work abroad as an au pair. All of these options are at your finger tips.

  • WORLD WIDE OPPORTUNITIES ON ORGANIC FARMS: Channel your inner dirty hippie and work on Europe’s organic farms (WORLD WIDE OPPORTUNITIES ON ORGANIC FARMS ).

  • STUDY ABROAD: Whether you’re a Shakespearean or a biologist, you’re bound to find a titillating program at one of England, Ireland, or Scotland’s premiere universities. Get your Econ on at London School of Economics (LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (LSE)), or be “super vised” in one of Cambridge’s (UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE) small tutorials.

  • SNACKST DU INGELSCH? Don’t understand what that means? You will after an intensive German language program (LANGUAGE SCHOOLS).

  suggested itineraries

  BEST OF WESTERN EUROPE (2 MONTHS)

  There’s a good, if hackneyed, reason that this is possibly the most student-traveled part of the world. It’s awesome. Go there. Do it all.

  1. LONDON: People whine about the weather and the icky British food, but Buckingham Palace and the Tate Modern more than compensate.

  2. PARIS: The Louvre and the whiffs from boulangeries will have you singing La Vie en Rose in no time.

  3. MADRID: Churros y chocolate in Plaza Mayor after a night of partying? Win.

  4. LISBON: Sip vinho do porto while gazing at the sunset over the Rio Tejo.

  5. BARCELONA: Gaudí’s La Sagrada Família, the world’s most visited (and unfinis
hed) construction site, will make you admire what the man’s completed projects were like.

  6. NICE: Enjoy some of the best of the Riviera along with floods of American tourists.

  7. FLORENCE: Drool at David. Or just respectfully admire.

  8. ROME: All roads may not lead to it anymore, but the Colosseum is still incredible.

  9. VENICE: You don’t have to ride a gondola to enjoy the nooks and crannies of this lagoon island.