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

  10. MILAN: Fashionistas will rejoice at this Italian metropolis.

  11. MUNICH: Beer lovers should make it here for Oktoberfest. Just sayin’.

  12. PRAGUE: Křižík’s Fountain and its light show with dancing will have you reeling.

  13. BERLIN: Travel west to east to see the differences that remain in the city even after the Cold War.

  14.AMSTERDAM: Yes, marijuana is legal here, but there is so much more here than drugs and tulips.

  15. BRUSSELS: Look beyond the waffles, if you can bear it, and explore, even if it’s only to try the chocolate and the beer.

  Best of Western Europe

  DEBEACHERY (6 WEEKS)

  Another reason to go to Europe—the beaches are incredible (if infested with people), the people beautiful (most of the time), the food fantastic (beware of overpriced tourist traps), and the drinks free-flowing (at a price).

  1. SEVILLA: Think bullfighting, flamenco, and tapas. Then add beaches to the mix and you’ve got perfection.

  2. GIBRALTAR: Also called The Rock, this entrance to the Mediterranean has the name of a wrestler but the beauty of a Miss Universe contestant.

  3. VALENCIA: The city’s white beaches and architectural masterpieces are less crowded than some Spanish cities, but the energy is all there.

  4. IBIZA: Extravagance is the name of the game here, with music from the discos lining the gorgeous beaches.

  5. BARCELONA: This city was once home to Picasso and Miró, and its art scene still breaks modern ground.

  6. NICE: The unofficial capital of the Riviera will have you partying like never before.

  7. CINQUE TERRE: Hikers gazing at the sea from the cliffs will love the escapades over Cinque Terre’s five villages.

  8. BAY OF NAPLES: Augustus fell in love with this place in 29 BCE, and so will you.

  9. GREEK ISLANDS: Go island-hopping and discover the individual personalities of the Aegean islands.

  Debeachery

  CELTS VS. ENGLISH VS. FRENCH (1 MONTH)

  Forget the Lakers; these three really mean business and their attractions vie for your attention. Hop across waters to see all that this part of the pool has to offer.

  1. LONDON: Conquered by the Romans in 43BCE, London is now one of the hottest metropolises in Europe (scratch that—the world).

  2. STONEHENGE: Colossal stones and swaying grass will bring you to over five millennia in the past, when people made this monument for who knows what.

  3. EDINBURGH: The Celts made this home, then the Romans took over. Notice a pattern?

  4. BELFAST: Since the Bronze Age, Belfast’s history has been riddled with conflict and rivalries, making for a fascinating destination.

  5. DUBLIN: This Celtic-pride city is still a force to be reckoned with. Make your own journey of Joycean proportions.

  6. BRITTANY: Cross the Channel and explore the Celtic side of France.

  7. PARIS: Enter into the city of romance and bloody revolutions that the British love to hate—and still end up loving anyway.

  Celts vs. English vs. French

  ORIENT YOURSELVES (3-4 WEEKS)

  Imagine you’re Hercule Poirot (or someone with a less ridiculous waxed mustache) on the Orient Express and solve your own mysteries on this epic trip.

  1. PARIS: Begin your trip in the city of culture and snobbery. Only fashionably, of course.

  2. STRASBOURG: Strasbourg’s history epitomizes the Franco-German rivalry.

  3. MUNICH: The capital of Bavaria, this Eastern German city knows a thing or two about keeping people happy. The key? Beer.

  4. PRAGUE: Eastern Europe would have a much more appreciative audience if everyone visited Prague Castle.

  5. BUDAPEST: Hungary’s famous hospitality and thermal baths will make you glad you decided to go further east on your adventures.

  6. ISTANBUL: It doesn’t get more Oriental in Europe than Istanbul’s Blue Mosque.

  Orient Yourselves

  student superlatives

  BEST PLACE TO CONTRACT EARLY-ONSET DIABETES: Germany’s Schokoladen Museum ( SCHOKOLADEN MUSEUM), where gold fountains spurt out samples of sweet, sweet, chocolate goodness.

  BEST PLACE TO ASK FOR AN EARLY DEATH: Adrenaline junkies unite during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona (THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS).

  BEST PLACE TO STOMP IN YOUR NEW AIR FORCE ONES: The Temple of Athena Nike (TEMPLE OF HEPHAESTUS).

  BEST PAPARAZZI MOMENT: In front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, if you can manage to glimpse her lack of eyebrows with the tourist paparazzi all over ( Musée du Louvre).

  BEST PLACE TO BEAN EENIE-MEENIE MYNIE MO LOVER: Topkapi Palace’s Harem (TOPKAPI PALACE). You get the picture.

  how to use this book

  CHAPTERS

  Conquering the great continent that is Europe is no easy task. Yes, dear reader, there are many mysteries in this Old World. That is why you have come to us. We will be your Virgil, teaching you the art of budget travel. The next few pages, the travel coverage chapters—the meat of any Let’s Go book—begin with Austria, where you can enact your own Alpine adventure, à la The Sound of Music. From there, we trek on over to Belgium whose mascot is a little peeing boy called the Manneken Pis. Next, we jetset over to Britain, where Shakespeare and cider abound, before touring through the Czech Republic and the dirt-cheap eats of its capital city, Prague. Then France makes its move, catching our eye (and heart) with Parisian lights. Our journey continues to Germany, where Berlin takes the roughest and arguably most curious travelers. Explore the thermal baths in Hungary and the beer factories in Ireland. Experience the unique wonders of Italy and the Netherlands. Share some ancestral history in Portugal and Spain, and conjure up some more history in Turkey.

  But that’s not all, folks. We also have a few extra chapters for you to peruse:

  CHAPTER DESCRIPTION

  Discover Europe Discover tells you what to do, when to do it, and where to go for it. The absolute coolest things about any destination get highlighted in this chapter at the front of all Let’s Go books.

  Essentials Essentials contains the practical info you need before, during, and after your trip—visas, regional transportation, health and safety, phrasebooks, and more.

  Beyond Tourism As students ourselves, we at Let’s Go encourage studying abroad, or going beyond tourism more generally, every chance we get. This chapter lists ideas for how to study, volunteer, or work abroad with other young travelers in Europe to get more out of your trip.

  LISTINGS

  Listings—a.k.a. reviews of individual establishments—constitute a majority of Let’s Go coverage. Our Researcher-Writers list establishments in order from best to worst value—not necessarily quality. (Obviously a five-star hotel is nicer than a hostel, but it would probably be ranked lower because it’s not as good a value.) Listings pack in a lot of information, but it’s easy to digest if you know how they’re constructed:

  ESTABLISHMENT NAME

  Address

  type of establishment

  phone number website

  Editorial review goes here.

  Directions to the establishment. Other practical information about the establishment, like age restrictions at a club or whether breakfast is included at a hostel. Prices for goods or services. Hours or schedules.

  ICONS

  First things first: places and things that we absolutely love, sappily cherish, generally obsess over, and wholeheartedly endorse are denoted by the all-empowering Let’s Go thumbs-up. In addition, the icons scattered throughout a listing (as you saw in the sample above) can tell you a lot about an establishment. The following icons answer a series of yes-no questions about a place:

  Credit cards accepted Cash only

  The rest are visual cues to help you navigate each listing:

  Phone numbers Directions Other hard info

  Prices Hours

  OTHER USEFUL STUFF

  Area codes for each destination appear opposite the name of the city and are denoted by the icon.<
br />
  PRICE DIVERSITY

  A final set of icons corresponds to what we call our “price diversity” scale, which approximates how much money you can expect to spend at a given establishment. For accommodations, we base our range on the cheapest price for which a single traveler can stay for one night. For food, we estimate the average amount one traveler will spend in one sitting. The table below tells you what you’ll typically find in Europe at the corresponding price range, but keep in mind that no system can allow for the quirks of individual establishments.

  ACCOMMODATIONS WHAT YOU’RE LIKELY TO FIND

  Campgrounds and dorm rooms, both in hostels and actual universities. Expect bunk beds and a communal bath. You may have to provide or rent towels and sheets. Be ready for things to go bump in the night.

  Upper-end hostels or lower-end hotels. You may have a private bathroom, or there may be a sink in your room and a communal shower in the hall.

  A small room with a private bath. Should have decent amenities, such as phone and TV. Breakfast may be included.

  Should have bigger rooms than a , with more amenities or in a more convenient location. Breakfast probably included.

  Large hotels or upscale chains. If it’s a and it doesn’t have the perks you want (and more), you’ve paid too much.

  FOOD WHAT YOU’RE LIKELY TO FIND

  Street food, gelateria, milk bar, corner crêperie, or a fast-food joint, but also university cafeterieas and bakeries. Soups, gyros, kebab, and simple dishes in minimalist surroundings.Usually takeout, but you may have the option of sitting down.

  Sandwiches, bocadillos, appetizers at a bar, or low-priced entrees and tapas. Most trattorie or ethnic eateries are a . Either takeout or a sit-down meal (sometimes with servers!), but only slightly more fashionable decor.

  Mid-priced entrees, seafood, and exotic pasta dishes. Many traditional and hunting-lodge-decor establishments. More upscale ethnic eateries. Since you’ll have the luxury of a waiter, tip will set you back a little extra.

  A somewhat fancy restaurant. Entrees tend to be heartier or more elaborate, but you’re really paying for decor and ambience. Few restaurants in this range have a dress code, but some may look down on T-shirts and sandals.

  Your meal might cost more than your room, but there’s a reason—it’s something fabulous, famous, or both. Slacks and dress shirts may be expected. Offers foreign- sounding food and a decent wine list. Don’t order a PB and J!

  AUSTRIA

  vienna

  ORIENTATION

  ACCOMMODATIONS

  SIGHTS

  FOOD

  NIGHTLIFE

  ARTS AND CULTURE

  SHOPPING

  ESSENTIALS

  klosterneuburg

  ORIENTATION

  SIGHTS

  FOOD

  ESSENTIALS

  mödling

  ORIENTATION

  SIGHTS

  FOOD

  ESSENTIALS

  tulln an der donau

  ORIENTATION

  SIGHTS

  FOOD

  ESSENTIALS

  krems and stein

  ORIENTATION

  SIGHTS

  FOOD

  ESSENTIALS

  essentials

  PLANNING YOUR TRIP

  MONEY

  SAFETY AND HEALTH

  austria 101

  CUSTOMS

  FOOD AND DRINK

  HOLIDAYS

  Austria’s pristine metropolises and exquisite forests and mountains have inspired artists for centuries—now let it do the same for you. Vienna, the city of painters and psychoanalysis, composers and coronations, gives Paris a run for its money. Even if you came for the kitschy Mozart action figures, stay for life in a city like no other. After days of wandering, shout, “so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.” Relieve your over-cultured soul with forests, picturesque castles, and unbeatable backdrops of the Danube River and the majestic Alps, all thanks to some of the best organized train systems in the world. Have no fear of getting lost (you might even enjoy it), and delve right into Austria.

  greatest hits

  • THE HIGH GROUNDS. Wander around Schloß Schönbrunn ( SCHLOß SCHÖNBRUNN)—an imperial summer residence with a French garden that harkens to Versailles.

  • DRINK LIKE A FISH. Sip some of the strongest cocktails of your life at First Floor ( FIRST FLOOR), where a modern fish aquarium runs the length of the bar.

  • PLEASE DON’T STOP THE MUSIC. Gorge on food, drink, and free music at Donauinsel Fest, held every June on Danube Island ( DONAUINSEL FEST (DANUBE ISLAND FESTIVAL)).

  • ONE-NIGHT STAND. Buy a €5 standing-room ticket to Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the gorgeous Staatsoper (STAATSOPER (STATE OPERA)).

  For details on Austria (Österreich) map, click here

  student life

  Leave your hostel in Mariahilf or Neubau, and pick up some bargain breakfast at Naschmarkt—an open-air market stocked with delicious ingredients and prepared meals alike. After refueling, split from the Core Districts, and head for the Inner City. Pick up a sexy librarian tour guide at Nationalbibliothek, then people-watch at Franziskanerplatz with a cappuccino from Kleines Cafe. When the sun sets, head to First Floor for some drinks with other Viennese youth, or get your culture on at Staatsoper, where standing room tickets start at just €2.50. Head to Shakespeare and Company Booksellers when you’ve exhausted the city, and discover your next destination in their extensive travel section.

  vienna

  431

  Vienna is a city where you can live in both the past and the present. While half of the city floats majestically along in the 17th and 18th centuries, the other half zooms into the 21st, creating a fusion of time and space that will transport you from one age to the next in a blink of an eye.

  First and foremost, Vienna is a city of the arts. After all, it seems that every classical music genius lived and worked in Vienna; Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, Brahms, and Haydn all came to Vienna at some point in their lives. Walk by an apartment building in the Inner Stadt, and you will probably hear a violin coming from within. Or just walk down a major street and lose track counting theaters with nightly music, theater, and dance performances. Famous thinkers like Sigmund Freud met to pore over controversial ideas, while artists like Hundertwasser, Klimt, and Schiele painted so many masterpieces that Vienna has enough museums to last a lifetime, and in just a few days you can barely scratch the surface.

  The cobbled streets of Vienna’s Inner Stadt conjure an Old World romance that is still reflected in the people’s love for tradition—where else in the world do people waltz en masse on New Year’s Eve? Yet, for its upcoming generation, Vienna offers the modern shopping, dining, and nightlife of any cosmopolitan city—clubs cluster under the brick train track archways, and small cocktail bars craft drinks as an art form. Walk through Belvedere and see modern art sculptures or to drink wine overlooking vineyards and the Danube—the old and the new, the city and the country—all of it is within reach.

  ORIENTATION

  Inner City

  Vienna’s Inner Stadt is the city’s heart and soul, and if you are only visiting for a few days, you will undoubtedly spend most of your time here. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, this historical area measures a mere 1.4 sq. mi.—it’s hard to believe so much is crammed into such a small space. At the center of the district is the grand, gothic Stephansdom at Stephanspl., from which the district’s main arteries extend—Rotenturmstrasse leads toward the Danube canal and the nightlife of the “Bermuda Triangle,” while in the opposite direction, the shopping thoroughfare of Karntner Strasse paves the path toward the Opera House. The grandest of all is Graben with its historic facades (ignore the McDonald’s golden arches and the H&M signs), connecting to Kohlmarkt and eventually leading to the Hofburg Palace, the Hapsburg Empire’s former headquarters. Though a museum, church, or palace is literally around every corner, the real pleasure of the Inner Stadt is getting lost i
n its winding streets of Baroque, medieval, and Jugendstil architecture. You will pass cafes with patrons overflowing into the streets, and then suddenly find yourself in a quiet grassy plaza with a few benches. The clickety-clack of horse shoes on cobblestones can’t help but transport you to another time, even if the tourist hustlers dressed up as Mozart remind you every now and again that it is in fact the 21st century.