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When is the best time to go ????

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
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The wife and I have been thinking about taking a extended vacation in Europe for the past few years . We are thinking of renting a furnished place as a base and then exploring from there . I told her to figure 4-6 months . There are a ton of places and countries we want to see .

The train system is pretty incredible compared to the U.S. .I am not really interested in flying as I want to see the countryside as much as possible .

My wife was born in Switzerland, fairly high in the Alps in Fribourg even though she grew up in the Bahamas . She has never been back and I would like to take her back to see her birthplace .

My only open dates are late May through August or Mid November through Feburary. Is one better than the other ??? Maybe Ice Queen or one of our European members could jump in on this ??

I have never been and this will probably be my one and only trip to Europe . I told her to get serious and start making plans as I ain't getting any younger .

I got this thing about always wanting to stay at a castle and was surprized at the number of them that can be rented .There also seems to be a ton of really nice B&Bs to stay at .

I appreciate any input our European members could give me . :smile:
Thanks
Allen
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
Al,

My wife and I went to Switzerland in September. To me that was about the perfect time. We had nice warm weather with plenty of snow up high. Your right the train system would put ours to shame.

The Cogs are a lot of fun also.
 

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BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
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Al,

My wife and I went to Switzerland in September. To me that was about the perfect time. We had nice warm weather with plenty of snow up high. Your right the train system would put ours to shame.

The Cogs are a lot of fun also.


September would be tough as we will be in Panama . That is one of the driest months we have in the rain forest .

Whats a COG ????? Edit : Oh the wife just read this and said she thinks you are talking about cog trains ????
 

Bobcat

Je Suis Charlie Hebdo
GOLD Site Supporter
A Cog railway (aka rack railway) is a train desgined to climb steep grades. There is one in NH for climbing Mt Washington. More here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway



For info on the best times to visit the area, check with member Sisu. He lives just over the border on the German side. He has a Spryte! :thumb:
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
Every two COG's that go down the hill the electricity that they put back into the system will pay for one going up hill. Just a bit of interesting information.
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
Al I am thinking that if you go in November you still will be ok. Might be a tad bit cold.
 

DaveNay

Klaatu barada nikto
SUPER Site Supporter
If you end up in Slovakia or Austria in June or July we might be able to hook up for a beer
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
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Al, that sounds like a great idea and yes, one time is better than the other. Mid November through February is a dismal time to go if you want to travel around. The northern part of the continent is bloody cold and the southern part is often cold and wet. It's much better to go during the summer, even though there will be tourists everywhere. The place is a lot more crowded than the US anyway so it won't make that much difference.

I agree, if you want to see Europe, trains are the way to do it. I don't know if they still have them but there used to be a ticket called a Euro Rail Pass that you bought in the US before departure that gave you unlimited travel anywhere in Europe for a specified time. I'm sure they still have it, perhaps under another name. It's a great way to see the country, especially if you see something interesting, you just get off the train and go look. When you're done, get back on another train and be on your way to somewhere. No hassles.

If you want to go castle hopping, they're everywhere, especially in Western Europe. Many of them and other stately houses have been turned into high class hotels. I can't comment too much on Eastern Europe, never been there. B&B's can be a great way to go but the standard varies a lot from country to country. Some are absolutely excellent and some can be a bit iffy but all can be fun in their own way. It's also a great way to meet and interact with the locals and get travel and sight seeing ideas.

Where do you think you would make your base?
 

pirate_girl

legendary ⚓
GOLD Site Supporter
I don't think BigA would be interested in hostels.
Well I figured that, as he and the wife may not end up in the same room, unless they'd book one ahead of time.
That's the way Steven and I always went around Europe.
It's less expensive than bed and breakfasts, and you have more dough for spending on other things.
Another thing is, it's not just for youth who travel.
People of all ages check into the hostels all over Europe.
 
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BigAl

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Where do you think you would make your base?

Thats up to the wife . We have good friends in London or she has her cousins place in the Fench Alps . (St Chamize sp ) or something like that . The ski area . They own the ski resort there . I really have no clue where our main base will be ,but think the mainland would be better than England though I do plan to spend a lot of time in Wales, Scotland and Ireland too .I want to spend a lot of time in Italy ,as studyng the Architecture is high on my list .My FIL also went somewhere over there and traveled by boat up some river . He loved the fact that you could get off at towns and sightsee and get back on , as the boat was very slow moving .I want to say it was in Holland ??????? I think .

Euro Rail/Eurail is still around. Here's the website, http://www.eurail.com/

Seems to me, you must buy your pass before leaving for Europe as they're not for sale there.


Thanks for the link Bob , That sounds like a perfect plan !!!
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
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My FIL also went somewhere over there and traveled by boat up some river . He loved the fact that you could get off at towns and sightsee and get back on , as the boat was very slow moving .I want to say it was in Holland ??????? I think .

That's another good way to do it. Basically the whole of central Europe is connected by a river/canal system. My wife's cousin and his wife are traveling from Vienna to Amsterdam this summer on a tour "barge" that sails up the Danube, through the canals and down the Rhine. I think that little excursion takes 2 or 3 weeks.
 

Galvatron

Spock and Galvatron < one and the same
Al May-Aug would give you the best of the weather for Europe...bot the Nov date if your up for winter sports and activity's would also be a great choice.


Curious on where you would rent for a home base and what countries would be on your list to visit.....happy to do some homework on any matters you feel i could assist from this side of the pond.

And remember driving around Europe would be fun....i know how you drive long hours in the US and take it with a pinch of salt.

If England is on your list then let me know what tickles your taste buds and i will list some must be places to visit.


Edit....just a thought Al if your planning on being in Europe for a few months then it may be worth buying a car and insuring it to save money on the rental....some great bargains over here and just sell it when you leave and get your money back...examples of a cheap work horse to get you around..

http://www.gumtree.com/london/63/50179963.html

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...iceasc&anchor=advert200948347303581&logcode=p
 
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DaveNay

Klaatu barada nikto
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Edit....just a thought Al if your planning on being in Europe for a few months then it may be worth buying a car and insuring it to save money on the rental....some great bargains over here and just sell it when you leave and get your money back...examples of a cheap work horse to get you around..

Also talk to Vin...I think the company he rented a car from in the US was actually from Ireland....go figure.
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
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I had not really thought about renting a car ?????? Maybe I should :unsure:
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Hey do all the countries over their drive on the wrong side of the road ??

I better let the wife do the driving as she is much better than I am at that .
 
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