[Europe] good 4~5 day getaway plans for europe

[waderbreak]

Hi all!

Would like to seek opinions as I'll be travelling to Europe for studies from mid aug till dec. Since I'm leaving earlier by about 6 days, I was thinking of places I could visit for about 4 to 5 days thereabouts. I know I can't cover much in 5 days, and I don't intend to, but if anyone can recommend key attractions for a short, quick photographic getaway to kickstart my 4 month europe journey, it would be really really helpful!

Some of the places i thought of is
1) southern france (nice, marseilles, aix-en-provence)
2) croatia (dubrovnik, split, maybe a national park?)

If somebody has a better suggestion or wishes to build on this list, please go ahead. my eyes and ears are wide open!

best regards and thanks in advance!

[mayhemics]

5 days is actually not too bad if you're already in Europe. if you're interested in doing northen Italy, you can set up base in Verona and do day trips to Venice (maybe 1 extra day here) and the dolomites, so that's 3 places.

[coughing bean]

hi,

Where exactly are you doing ur study for the next 4 months?

What about

1) Ireland
2) Edinburgh
3) Lake district

Just to name a few

[waderbreak]

Originally Posted by coughing bean hi, Where exactly are you doing ur study for the next 4 months? What about 1) Ireland 2) Edinburgh 3) Lake district Just to name a few

that'll be sweden. near denmark.

forgot to mention i didn't include some countries/places (e.g. great britain, austria, italy and netherland) in my list cause i'll likely cover them during the term itself, really sorry. btw where is lake district exactly?

[Shen siung]

Originally Posted by waderbreak that'll be sweden. near denmark. forgot to mention i didn't include some countries/places (e.g. great britain, austria, italy and netherland) in my list cause i'll likely cover them during the term itself, really sorry. btw where is lake district exactly?

Lake district in England.

If you want to start from a place further from your place of study, I guess Italy is a good place for building photography. Check if there is budget flight from Denmark (say Copenhagen) to Rome or Florence.

I would suggest Rome, it is good enough for you to stay there 4 nights. Too many place to visit, too many place to take photos. 4 nights will only be too much, if you don't take much photos and just walk around.

Or if you want some places nearby, Amsterdam is a good place too.

[waderbreak]

yeap after seeing all the places italy has to offer, there is no doubt the hit rate for photos is very high. planning to go to cinque terre (some coastal villages) there if i get the chance!

amsterdam! hmmm that's a good idea. hear it's a photo goldmine too, with all the windmills and canals.

[petetherock]

I would support Provence & Avignon...
Cheers

[xavierloh]

hi waderbreak,

i'll also be in europe (amsterdam) doing an exchange from aug to dec. it might be too late to plan anything for aug but if you're interested, we can plan some photography trip during the semester or even after the exams.

with regards to your qns, if you're able to book flights, barcelona might not be a bad idea.

cheers,
xavier

[nemesis32]

All depends on the type of photography you looking at... and also when you intend to do the trip. I have traveled to Italy, Spain, Hungary, Czech, Slovakia and Austria over the last 5 years so if you have more firmed itinerary, i can probably advise you better.

Of my head, i think Italy should be good, you can do Rome and southern Italy, Tuscony region (assisi, florence, pisa etc) and Northern italy (venice, verona, milan)
For spain, you need to travel more as the sights are more spread out. If only 4 days or so, prob just Barcelona as Madrid city itself i think is less interesting and Madrid can be a good base to go either North or South of Spain in future.
For Eastern Europe, you probably don't have enough time to cover much. So unless you want to visit say Prague or Budapest itself only, then 4 days is just about right.

[jockethn]

I guess you are going to Lund University. Im actually in the opposite situation, Im coming from Lund University and am now in Singapore to study at NUS, haha, maybe we got eachothers spots.

One thing to do remember is that southern Sweden lacks both in nature and in the "Swedeness" that northen Sweden have. Do check it out if you can. However, if you want to go by train, book now. Train tickets are priced fairly good when they are released three months before and then skyrockets close to the departure, regional trains that is, not local.

If you want to tour southern europe I would to suggest Italy, perhaps northen would be better. People have much better english skills in the northen parts. Croatia would too be a nice trip, but could mean that you would end up in a tourist resort.

Oh! almost forgot. Rome is awesome! Go there, take the train to venice when you get sick of rome and then fly to Copenhagen to board the train to Lund.

[waderbreak]

Originally Posted by jockethn I guess you are going to Lund University. Im actually in the opposite situation, Im coming from Lund University and am now in Singapore to study at NUS, haha, maybe we got eachothers spots. One thing to do remember is that southern Sweden lacks both in nature and in the "Swedeness" that northen Sweden have. Do check it out if you can. However, if you want to go by train, book now. Train tickets are priced fairly good when they are released three months before and then skyrockets close to the departure, regional trains that is, not local. If you want to tour southern europe I would to suggest Italy, perhaps northen would be better. People have much better english skills in the northen parts. Croatia would too be a nice trip, but could mean that you would end up in a tourist resort. Oh! almost forgot. Rome is awesome! Go there, take the train to venice when you get sick of rome and then fly to Copenhagen to board the train to Lund.

lol maybe! did you bring alot of food ingredients (aka curry paste etc)? I'm planning to buy a scandinavian rail pass for a couple of days so i think i got that covered (cause i plan to go gothenberg and stockholm). Yes yes i heard so much about italy, so definitely going there!

Anyway thanks so far everyone! Really great ideas being passed around. appreciate the tips!

Update: I probably have the chance to end my commitments early and thus maybe giving me more time to travel (hope to start on the 10th aug, so about 2 weeks), so that would be helpful in planning some more things cause i also think 4~5 days abit tight.

Nemesis32: the trip would probably be smack august (mid/end summer). Wow last 5 years huh, would be good to ask you for advice(i'll pm you).

Xavierloh: That'll be fantastic if we could do that, cause I haven't found really enthu photo buffs (although some of them own dslrs too). WHy don't you pm me your contact so maybe we can get in touch? Btw yep thanks barcelona sounds interesting, hear it's some architectural landmine. i even plan to go valencia for just one of their really cool architecture buildings (not sure of the name), but it looks like a spaceship.

Pete: i support south france too. High chance of heading there since I might be able to extend the travel duration. Any tips?

[jockethn]

Bring spices to singapore? are you crazy, haha, its you who should bring spices.

Anyhow, I pressume that Stockholm would be a good choice to visit for you, gothenburg however. The city itself is very uninteresting. I would try to go to a smaller and more interesting place. And then of course Copenhagen.

You will love Lund, hopefully, its a very relaxed place with almost 50% of its population consisting of students.

[tammyt]

i am going to Europe in mid August too!
is a 19 days trip!
planning where to go now, can't cover too many places as it might be too rush..
i willl first reach paris, greece is a must to go!
thinking on the rest now....
anyone been to czec replubic? vatican city?

[tammyt]

wonder how far is vernice frm Rome?by train?

Originally Posted by jockethn Oh! almost forgot. Rome is awesome! Go there, take the train to venice when you get sick of rome and then fly to Copenhagen to board the train to Lund.

[jockethn]

It is infact pretty far. What you could do though is stop mid-trip to check out florence, which is somewhere in between.

[waderbreak]

Originally Posted by tammyt i am going to Europe in mid August too! is a 19 days trip! planning where to go now, can't cover too many places as it might be too rush.. i willl first reach paris, greece is a must to go! thinking on the rest now.... anyone been to czec replubic? vatican city?

hello tammyt,

i think you'll definitely enjoy your trip. are you a guy? or if you're a girl, you better hope you're going with more guys, cause it's usually safer for girls not to travel alone (esp in a small sized group).

I've been to czech republic and some parts of europe as well. really nice. think you can write that down as a must-go. Poland (krakow) is also nearby, so you can take a train there.(buy a XX day eurorail pass in singapore if you can). Also, since Austria is right next door too, you should leave a couple of days for that (vienna and salzburg), so if you're going rome and the vatican, and maybe venice, you should have enough time spread out for these places over 19 days. Italy you should also go milan... lots of branded stuff (you'll need to find the factory outlets.. definitely much cheaper than retail stores for high end brands).

yup.

[tammyt]

yo!

thanks for the kind info!!
i am a SHE...
watched the movie, Taken.. and i am scared out of ****!!
moreover, i am taking AIRFRANCE!!!!
i will be travel alone to Paris, and will be meeting my fiance there...
fly to greece first then the rest.....
so many places to explore!
i will jot it down, and will take lots of pictures to share!!

Originally Posted by waderbreak hello tammyt, i think you'll definitely enjoy your trip. are you a guy? or if you're a girl, you better hope you're going with more guys, cause it's usually safer for girls not to travel alone (esp in a small sized group). I've been to czech republic and some parts of europe as well. really nice. think you can write that down as a must-go. Poland (krakow) is also nearby, so you can take a train there.(buy a XX day eurorail pass in singapore if you can). Also, since Austria is right next door too, you should leave a couple of days for that (vienna and salzburg), so if you're going rome and the vatican, and maybe venice, you should have enough time spread out for these places over 19 days. Italy you should also go milan... lots of branded stuff (you'll need to find the factory outlets.. definitely much cheaper than retail stores for high end brands). yup.

[petetherock]

Originally Posted by waderbreak lol maybe! did you bring alot of food ingredients (aka curry paste etc)? I'm planning to buy a scandinavian rail pass for a couple of days so i think i got that covered (cause i plan to go gothenberg and stockholm). Yes yes i heard so much about italy, so definitely going there! Anyway thanks so far everyone! Really great ideas being passed around. appreciate the tips! Update: I probably have the chance to end my commitments early and thus maybe giving me more time to travel (hope to start on the 10th aug, so about 2 weeks), so that would be helpful in planning some more things cause i also think 4~5 days abit tight. Pete: i support south france too. High chance of heading there since I might be able to extend the travel duration. Any tips?

Have a look at my thread on France bro... many have contributed there...

[paisatge]

Originally Posted by tammyt yo! thanks for the kind info!! i am a SHE... watched the movie, Taken.. and i am scared out of ****!! moreover, i am taking AIRFRANCE!!!! i will be travel alone to Paris, and will be meeting my fiance there... fly to greece first then the rest..... so many places to explore! i will jot it down, and will take lots of pictures to share!!

Should be ok. From what I see in the news here, asians are not normally targeted.\
However, do be careful with your belongings. Pickpocket is at its peak season during summer

[adobe83]

~4 hrs, S$60

Originally Posted by tammyt wonder how far is vernice frm Rome?by train?