Eastern Europe vs Scandinavia

I think you would have a better time in Eastern Europe just because your money will go a lot farther. I haven't traveled deeply in Scandinavia, but I remember that prices in Oslo were absurdly high. Copenhagen and Stockholm also seemed pretty expensive. Helsinki by contrast seemed pretty reasonable (but Finland isn't technically part of Scandinavia ;-). I was in Poland in 2008 when the US dollar's value had plummeted, and it still didn't seem expensive. Most of E. Europe is quite affordable in that way. When I travel I like to eat at least one restaurant meal every day, plus stop in a cafe for a drink of some kind. I think if I did a month of that in Scandinavia I would be constantly feeling like I couldn't quite afford it.

Hi Lorenzo, if you are in for nature, stunning scenic views, clean air and the somewhat long daylights, I would not hesitate a second to travel to Scandinavia. Added hereto, you can mix your travel by taking both trains, buses, ferries (high standard), as public transportation in this part of the world works very well with often convenient connections between cities, airports, etc.

If by Eastern Europe you are referring to places like Prague, Budapest, Krakow, etc, then I would vote for that. Scandinavia in April will still be coolish and the light is not long yet. Also, while Eastern Europe is cheaper than average for Europe, Scandinavia is quite a bit more expensive. So the difference between the two for costs would be significant - maybe even double excluding airfare. Been to both and liked both a lot. But if I was 24 and poor again (not so far from poor now, either), I would pick E. Europe. It's in that sweet spot now between being quite comfortable for tourists, but still a bit off the beaten path and not popular enough to be expensive (except maybe Prague). Trains are pretty cheap, too, and almost never full - just buy tix as you go. Have a great time

Assuming you aren't a trust funder, I'm guessing you do have a budget you are trying to work within for the month. If that's the case, take into consideration the northern European countries are not that cheap to travel if you are on a tight budget. Even basic things like groceries cost much more than other parts of Europe. What countries are you thinking of for Eastern Europe? Even places like Czech Republic are no longer as budget friendly as they once were. Maybe if you could give us a rough estimate of how much $$ per day you are allotting towards everything you'll need (lodging, food, drinks, nightlife, transportation) you will get some better answers about which countries are a little cheaper. Not Europe, but have you thought about New Zealand for a month? April is their Autumn and it's actually a great time to travel there. Scenery is amazing, getting around by public transit or hop-on/hop-off backpacker bus networks (like Stray Bus) to get from town to town is easy, hostels are really good, prices really reasonable for people on a budget for food & lodging to begin with and the exchange rate gives you a little break as well. You do have to be cautious about how many activities you want to do that can add up. I did a glacier heli-hike, skydive over Lake Taupo, bungee in Queenstown & also went Zorbing. There were so many other things I would have loved to try, but I would have gone way over my budget.

That's like asking if you should eat cake or bread. Scandinavia, and I'm including Finland here, is highly modernized, where there are people, with probably the best educated societies in the world. Eastern Europe is culturally more basic than Scandinavia in just about every way, and it's much more diverse - people, landscapes, languages - you name it. So it's not just that it's up to you, you have to what kind of experience you want and go after it. Midnight sun on a small island with a group of well educated and liberated women and men - Scandinavia. A summer in the Carpathians with shepherds and their flocks in some of the most rugged mountains of Europe - Eastern Europe. There is much in between, and of course I'm generalizing, but I think you get the idea.

Thanks for all your input so far! I'm definitely like many of you: I'll be working on a limited budget. Last time I travelled, I was able to do europe in $5000. Is scandinavia really that much more expensive than the rest of Europe?

As to the expense, the answer is yes and no. For the most part, it really isn't more expensive than Paris or London. But certain things, like alchohol and food can be very pricey due to taxes. So if you want to party, pick Eastern Europe. But careful planning can get you good discounts and if you stay in hostels and such, you can make your money go pretty far. The overnight ferries are both amazingly scenic and pretty affordable. And a great way to party... Plus you can broaden your horizons for Scandinavia and make a Baltic trip. The old Soviet Baltic republics are cool and much more affordable. St. Petersburg is a good option too. April isn't the best time for weather in the Baltic, but then again neither is Eastern Europe.

Just a friendly reminder that when traveling between eastern European (as opposed to western European) cities you'll need to do some advance planning on entry and exit. Between Germany and France you can just drive through, between Bulgaria and Serbia, not so easy. Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, etc. are great countries and definitely worth a visit. It can be relatively easier to travel between Scandinavian countries, but I agree that the daylight issue that time of year would steer me away from there.

In April, you will get about 13 hours of daylight, probably much more than you will get anyplace else, due to the high latitude. Daylight savings time will also be in effect, so count on good daylight from at least 07:00 - 20:00. Certainly enough time for sightseeing. Why do people think it is dark over here in April? The longest day is in the middle of June. Scandanavia is horribly expensive though. You didn't mention Amsterdam, which would be lovely this time of year. What about Berlin or Hamburg? Still good value for your money.

As you will be travelling on low season, I'd suggest you mix up a bit of the two regions. The additional cost of that is merely another low-cost airfare.

If you're looking for something "different," you might also consider Croatia or Turkey. Beautiful scenery, relatively inexpensive.