European cities anyone? (Read 13948 times)

andy_e · January 10, 2006, 07:30:26 pm

Hey y'all
I've been given a chance to go to any European city for the weekend as a birthday present, and I want to kow if anybody has any advice about this.
I was thinking maybe ReykjavÃk, but does anyone else have any good suggestions?
(This is a non-climbing related trip by the way)

Fiend · January 10, 2006, 07:32:09 pm

ReykjavÃk

Good choice, no idea what it's like, don't know anyone who's been there, that alone is worth a try...

Little Paul · January 10, 2006, 07:43:27 pm

What about BANGOR in North Wales!!!

Fingers of a Martyr · January 10, 2006, 07:47:34 pm

Berlin.

andy_e · January 10, 2006, 08:15:51 pm

Quote from: "Fingers of a Martyr"

Berlin.

Good idea, I have been before and really liked the place, but I was ill so I missed the good bits! However, my sister doesn't want to go, and it's not far from where she lives really (ok it is, but I'd still rather go for more than a weekend!)

Sloper · January 10, 2006, 09:55:07 pm

paris, don't forget to go for a late night walk around la gare du nord.

Probably the friendliest part of town.

Bubba · January 10, 2006, 10:03:05 pm

Barcelona is very nice.

Control freak · January 11, 2006, 01:30:32 am

I'm with you on Barcelona word

SA Chris · January 11, 2006, 08:04:47 am

Barcelona for me too.

Or head to the 'dam and lose yourself for a weekend in a mire of alcohol, drugs and sex.

Reykavik in any time other than summer will be pretty damn cold and dark. Booze is double dear too.

BenF · January 11, 2006, 08:22:42 am

Stockholm's pretty nice as a random choice, plus it has climbing all over it too. I know you said it was a non-climbing trip, but that sounds like a ridiculous idea. Surely you can't be serious? What are you going to do?

My next suggestion is Paris... 'cos Font is really close.

Note to self: get a life.

Final suggestion: Amsterdam (see SA Chris's relevant comments on the entertainment on offer there).

rowena · January 11, 2006, 10:04:18 am

What about Prague? Can get pretty cheap flights there from most cities and it's cheap (or at least it was ie/ 2p for the biggest ice-creams ever when I was there in 1988!). I think the clubbing scene there is supposed to be pretty good and they have great beer halls where they serve you litres of beer with a plate of dumplings and gravy!

moose · January 11, 2006, 10:13:42 am

Prague's no longer as cheap as it used to be and has supposedly lost some of its charm (it's become a pretty popular desitination for stag-nights). Still meant to be pretty damn fine and cheap by UK standards though.

Some of my friends were talking up Bratislava (Slovakia) as the "next big thing" - they went there for a stag-do and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Riga (Latvia) is also meant to be a very good place to visit - the city centre is a world heritage site and architecturally up there with Vienna and Prague.

Jim · January 11, 2006, 10:39:18 am

Prague and the Dam for me. The Dam has the advantage of only being a short flight an'all

Rico · January 11, 2006, 10:55:53 am

Quote from: "moose"

Some of my friends were talking up Bratislava (Slovakia) as the "next big thing" - they went there for a stag-do and thoroughly enjoyed themselves

I'd second that, my mates missus is from just outside Bratislava and she reckons get there now whilst it still is the â€˜next big thing'.

Although she's fucking ugly if that affects your decision.

Johnny Brown · January 11, 2006, 11:12:09 am

Lithuania (forget the capital) and Riga, Latvia are supposed to be the tops for hotties desperate to snag an englishman...

dom · January 11, 2006, 11:34:55 am

Reykjavic is pretty sweet. Big enough city to have good bars resaurants etc. but small enough to be able to walk around the city safely. Plenty of stuff to do, theres the Blue Lagoon nearby. Plus you can get a cheapish flight out to Greenland for the day from there. And the icelandic girls are HOT!

Sypeland · January 11, 2006, 11:35:00 am

Ankara, yes not technicaly in Europe but it is in the EU. I hear the Chicken soup is rather good!

fatneck · January 11, 2006, 11:52:04 am

Quote

Stockholm's pretty nice as a random choice, plus it has climbing all over it too. I know you said it was a non-climbing trip, but that sounds like a ridiculous idea. Surely you can't be serious? What are you going to do?

Rico · January 11, 2006, 01:20:40 pm

All of these top notch ideas may prove to be pointless anyway, thinking back to young Andi's difficulty in understanding how and when to get off a bus, he could end up absolutely anywhere.

So may I suggest a Travelodge in the Bolton area.

webbo · January 11, 2006, 02:19:41 pm

Quote from: "Rico"

All of these top notch ideas may prove to be pointless anyway, thinking back to young Andi's difficulty in understanding how and when to get off a bus, he could end up absolutely anywhere.

So may I suggest a Travelodge in the Bolton area.

it had to be said.i would posted something along the same lines but he'd have gone all paranoid again.

andy_e · January 11, 2006, 02:38:43 pm

Quote from: "Rico"

All of these top notch ideas may prove to be pointless anyway, thinking back to young Andi's difficulty in understanding how and when to get off a bus, he could end up absolutely anywhere.

So may I suggest a Travelodge in the Bolton area.

Hmm, I've checked and they are all booked in the near future. oh well.

How am I supposed to know when to get off a bus if I've never been to that area before?

webbo · January 11, 2006, 02:47:58 pm

Quote from: "andi_e"

How am I supposed to know when to get off a bus if I've never been to that area before?

i have strange feeling of deja vue.

SA Chris · January 11, 2006, 02:52:25 pm

Quote from: "webbo"

Quote from: "andi_e"

How am I supposed to know when to get off a bus if I've never been to that area before?

i have strange feeling of deja vue.

That's a name I've heard before?

andi, there are there are ancient charts you can consult, trenched in folkelore; one is the "buss-tymetayble" and one is called the "aytozed streetemap".

Rico · January 11, 2006, 04:03:36 pm

Just stick a pin in a map of Europe and book a flight there, they could drop you off at Leeds Bradford and you'd be non the wiser so there's no point giving it too much thought.

LongMonkey · January 11, 2006, 04:18:49 pm

How about Amsterdam? Culture and seediness......bonus!

Yossarian · January 11, 2006, 04:51:07 pm

Tallinn and Warsaw for hot eastern european chicks.
Berlin is very cool but fucking cold.
And i hear that the hookers in Rotterdam are pretty special...

saltbeef · January 11, 2006, 05:13:20 pm

ya my friend matt went to croatia, he said similar of lithuania. basically go to a bar and be surrounded by models. if not barca is always well good.

Yossarian · January 20, 2006, 08:12:05 pm

my recent research would suggest that cologne isn't a spectacularly good city to visit from a tourist point of view. dr kruger's sex shop was quite illuminating, but other than that it was cold, wet and rather dull...

andy_e · January 20, 2006, 08:14:49 pm

Quote from: "Yossarian"

my recent research would suggest that cologne isn't a spectacularly good city to visit from a tourist point of view. dr kruger's sex shop was quite illuminating, but other than that it was cold, wet and rather dull...

I've been to Koeln before with school and on my own. It's a nice enough city, but after the cathedral, there isn't much at all...
(except koelsch... mmm koelsch)

Yossarian · January 20, 2006, 08:38:15 pm

koln even...

andy_e · January 20, 2006, 08:47:29 pm

Quote from: "Yossarian"

koln even...

actually, KÃ¶ln, but the replacement for the Ã¶ is oe

Yossarian · January 20, 2006, 10:25:58 pm

schnell schnell kartoffelkopf...

Matt · January 28, 2006, 06:09:11 pm

I was disapointed with Amsterdam, I'm not sure what I expected but I guess either tacky, sleezy, sexy or amusing but in the end it was just sad. Bored women in pants and bras looking sad and cheap and not sexy (not sure if they were mind) standing in windows with lots of pissed blokes on stag weekends. Poor.

I really rate berlin, not bored even after 3 years here. I guess you're planning a shorter break than that so I would recommend poland.

I've been to Krakow and Wroclaw, both worth a visit but the former has more to see. I've not been but heard good things about Gdansk, might be worth trying. Anyway wherever you choose it's pretty cheap and the Polish are a good crowd, friendly, open and good fun. Importantly the girls are attractive and some complain that polish men aren't - so that's good for the chances.

Bubba · January 28, 2006, 06:15:23 pm

There's a lot more to Amsterdam than the red-light district though - outside of that small area it's nothing like as sleazy. Loads of nice bars, mainly very friendly locals and a relaxed pace to life. It's hard to find cannabis cafes (if that's your thing) that aren't dark and dingy, but there are a few that are nice places to hang out.

Has anyone been to Prague recently? I went when I was a kid and it was full on Eastern Bloc, but some say that now it's all just stag do's and Mc Donalds...is it really that bad?

Jim · January 29, 2006, 06:53:39 am

I went on my stag do Bubs :D . yes it is a lot of stag do's but you only really notice them on the plane and in the strip clubs. still a beautiful city

Little Paul · January 29, 2006, 11:15:27 am

Quote from: "Matt"

I've not been but heard good things about Gdansk, might be worth trying. Anyway wherever you choose it's pretty cheap and the Polish are a good crowd, friendly, open and good fun. Importantly the girls are attractive and some complain that polish men aren't - so that's good for the chances.

Gdansk is an amazing place I have a little brother living there and my Dad has shown me pics of Gdansk an it looks incredible, Sunny beaches lots of good people and very cheap alchohol food electricals etc. from what i've heard.

hongkongstuey · January 29, 2006, 02:34:07 pm

I'd go with Prague - nicest city i've been to in Europe (although it was about 8 years ago when i visited so not sure what it's like now)

andy_e · July 13, 2006, 10:48:24 am

Reykjavik it was:

Some pictures:

http://flickr.com/photos/27723394@N00/

Bubba · July 20, 2006, 10:04:57 am

Those waterfalls are amazing.

andy_e · July 20, 2006, 02:26:52 pm

It is quite amazing, two falls in to a thirty metre deep gorge. A little underwhelming when you're above them though...

andy popp · September 22, 2006, 12:20:01 pm

I loved Helsinki. Lovely city and climbing on the outskirts (didn't do any). Disappointing lack of beautiful blondes though

JR · October 02, 2006, 05:57:24 pm

munich during oktoberfest isn't bad... for one night only though