I'm from California, I visited Amsterdam last year for 8 days (most recommend 4 days) the public transportation was very good. I could get to places fast and went to the outskirts of the city center. I guess the layout of getting around from place to place was a snap. That's what I am looking for.
I want to see most of the city in 7 days, walkable, good public transportation and english lang. friendly.
thanks
Ron
First choice: London
Second Choice: Paris - even though it's not an English speaking country, you can get by with just English in Paris almost as easily as in Amsterdam. Just learn the basics in French (hello, goodbye, please, thank-you, etc).
Third Choice: Berlin - same thing as Paris, just learn the basics in German and you'll get by. Never had a problem just speaking English there.
Vienna is wonderful. Great city for walking and excellent public transit. Quite English friendly as well. 7 days is really good for a taste. I recommend you get an apartment. If you decide on Vienna PM me for info on apartment or any other questions you may have.
Consider Berlin and area.
Prague is one of the most walkable cities. Very good public transportation (subway, streetcars, trolleybuses, buses). Transportation needed only if you go outside of the center. All tourists establishments and practically all young people speak English.
Munich! Great city. Excellent transportation. And a higher percentage of people in Germany speak English than in France, Italy, or Spain. I spent several days in London and hardly ever heard "English" I could understand. I've found the English spoken by the Germans easier to understand than the English spoken by the English.
First choice would be Berlin. Lots to see, many museums, great prices. Amazing amount of history and also close to Potsdam, as well as 2 Concentration Camps.
Second choice is London. Lots to see, many museums, but quite expensive.
Third choice is Frankfurt. Lots to see, many museums, good train hub for sightseeing in other towns/areas, like the Rhine, Heidelberg, Mainz, Büdingen, Marburg, Bad Homburg, Kronberg, Gelnhausen, Seligenstadt, Idstein, and Wiesbaden.
I think you're getting the idea that many major cities in Europe are well set up for both residents and visitors and have a good infrastructure of public transportation. Any from the lists above would be excellent next steps. Don't hesitate to choose whatever city most attracts you.
Two cities max in these seven days. If you don't include London, then absolutely choose Paris and Berlin, either fly or do by night train, which is still possible depending on the route taken.
Vienna - very walkable, outstanding public transportation system (arguably the best of any European capital), and English language friendly for the most part (maybe not in grocery stores or the post office based on personal experience while living there). Tons of sites to see and many places to walk, including the center city/Hofburg/Ringstrasse, Schonnbrunn gardens and zoo, Belvedere Palace grounds, Vienna woods, Zentralfriedhof, Lainzer Tiergarten, Prater, Augarten, along the Danube and Danube canal, and lots more.
ron,
from where i have traveled, i have found that the public transportation has varied from great to good and some smaller places, just so. but it will depend on what side of the fence you have grazed on too.
Walkable is a subjective word. Every city/place is walkable. It will depend on now much you want to do. Some place you can use the public (or private) transportation system easier than walking or to make your time over there more efficient. it will depend on what you want.
English language. why limit yourself to english? You may find that many of the places in the world speak english! If you travel into the back 40 or some small out of the way village, they may not but thats an adventure in itself. i have found that in all of the places i have been to, i got by with just some of the basics you would use at home, even in California. Words like, Hello, Goodbye, Yes, No, thank you....ect. But if this is a hinderance to you than by all means stick to english speaking places.
As mentioned London is English speaking and has awesome public transportation. But you will find that there are many people that dont speak english too. Like the USA, the rest of the world is becoming globalized and that includes its people.
good luck and happy trails.
In addition to the places mentioned above, you may consider Belgium. For a 7 day trip, you can easily base yourself in one city the entire time and take day trips. Ex. base in Bruges and take day trips to Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels. Local commuter trains can have you in another city within 1-2 hours in most cases depending where you decide to base. English is widely spoken, all of the cities within Belgium are walkable, yet have good public transit.
Another option for a trip of 7 days might be Ireland or a combo of Ireland/Northern Ireland. You could fly open jaw into one city and out of another. From Dublin you can take a train to Galway (or Belfast) and toss in some day trips out into the countryside on either end as Dublin, Galway and Belfast are all good hubs for joining up with various day tour operators (ex. Connemara, Aran Islands, Cliffs of Moher, Antrim Coast/Giant's Causeway). And Dublin, Galway and Belfast are all compact, walkable and have good public transit within the city centers.
