Where should I go in 2017!?

• Southern Belgium (Liege, Huy, Andenne Bastogne, St Hubert, Durbuy)
• Luxembourg city And countryside (Luxembourgish Switzerland, Mosel Valley
• Normandy, Britany, South Western France (Royan, Biaritz, La Rochelle, Rochefort, Cognac, Saintes, Toulouse) Auvergne, Gap, Sisteron then Italy: Torino, the Langhe region.

From Luxembourg city main Station, you can take the bus to TGV Gare Lorraine wherefrom you have direct fast Train to all western France. Do not forget to also visit Poitiers city Centre And its futuroscope.

Oh my! My head is still spinning reading where you've been!

There is more to the UK than London - Edinburgh is wonderful as are many places in between.

Poland for sure, St Petersburg & Moscow

We are doing two months in 2017 too - so many choices!

Fjords and Bergen are in Norway, not Finland.
This is the blur that results from your rushed style of travel, where you are just looking to 'tick off boxes' rather than 'live and learn'.

I did a plan-as-you-go swing through the Balkans last summer. It worked well for me. I was staying in budget hotels (but not hostels) and generally could make reservations just a day or two ahead. Things can get tight in touristy coastal towns (i.e., beach resorts), so you might need to make some arrangements farther ahead of time or accept that you can't get a bed in a few popular places. I had difficulty in Rovinj (Croatian Istria), for example.

This is an especially interesting area because--except for Slovenia and the major destinations in Croatia--the area is not terribly westernized. Many of the young folks speak good English, and you can have very interesting conversations with those you meet.

One thing to recognize is that moving from country to country can be challenging in the Balkans. And it tends to be hot in mid-summer, so you might want to hold Croatia, Montenegro, etc., for another trip and concentrate on places like Poland in 2017.

I don't know whether you're male or female. If male, you don't need a guide in Morocco. A female traveling alone might be find it uncomfortable, but I'm not certain; I was there about 30 years ago. Also, summer in the non-mountainous areas of Morocco is likely to be brutally hot. We had a 116F day, and I'm sure the weather hasn't improved since the 1980s.

Baltimore.

Wow, didn't expect detailed comments, that's what makes this forum so great. Know that fast travel is the way I choose. I get board with free time longer than a few hours enjoying a park. I like to see things.

Not expecting to get very deep in the culture, other than a few conversations with locals.

I'm wired very differently from some travelers. I work very hard and stay on a very tight budget to take extended breaks off just to travel this way, so criticisms won't be taken serious unless it comes with money to cover my next trip, thanks!

Great advice concerning the heat in Morocco, although I love hot weather, factored in with dessert surroundings maybe too much. Also I appreciate hearing from someone whose traveled without booking ahead in the Balkans. I'll think on all of your suggestions.

Ha Ha, been to Baltimore twice.. In think more international, but thanks David

Actually we visited Baltimore Ireland this spring. Small "castle" and interesting history in the SW corner on Ireland.

Hi,

So, you've learned that solo traveling isn't all that big of a deal! It isn't. If you have indeed two full months in 2017, fantastic. My itinerary suggestions would be: focus on eastern Germany (Berlin, Meissen, Weimar, Dresden, Leipzig, Naumburg, Jena, Greifswald, Schwerin), Poland (Krakow, Gdansk, in each a day trip or two to small towns), Warsaw), Czech Rep (Brno, Prague, towns in Moravia), and Hungary or Finland. In Poland and Germany you can use the ferry connections, Krakow, Budapest are night train hubs, plus buses from city to city are much cheaper. Squeeze out an extra day or two by using night trains in east-central Europe. Germany to Finland can be done by discount airline or the ferry.

Or, skip Germany and focus on Czech Rep, Hungary, Poland, and eastern Austria, all very doable using buses, trains (day and night)

Fred, I can definitely entertain Krakow, Gdansk, and Warsaw. I've been to Prague / Budapest but I enjoy traveling back to places I visited. I may travel fast but I always plan on returning to my favorite destinations. A short trip keeps the intrigue for more alive.

Austria is the piece of the puzzle I haven't fit, so maybe 2017 is the year.

Again just curious to hear different perspectives on places that may not be on my radar but should.

Thanks!

Had no idea there was a Baltimore Ireland. I hate to admit it but I'm a little intimidated by the thick accent. Sometimes I have trouble keeping along with Irish people speaking English on t.v. It's just another case of judging a book by its cover, but it's my first thought, even if ridiculous. Anyone can calm this irrational fear? I think Ireland might be a beautiful first or last stop on the continent possibly. Most seem to rave about it.

@ miracleworker...If you include Austria , I mean here mainly Vienna, along with Poland, Hungary and CR, you have the full range of various bus companies going from city to city as well as the range of night trains, since the capitals of these countries are connected by night train. obviously not Vienna to Budapest. But Budapest connects the other big cities by night train, ie Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Munich and Berlin (if you include Germany in the itinerary),

I revisit cities too, esp when I did not finish the program in a particular city from previous trips. I'll be back in the CR in June too to see Brno and Slavkov since I feel I barely saw the towns. There are tons of places off the tourist radar in these countries, in particular the American tourist radar, such chateaux and famous castles.

Have no fear of the Irish accent, it is much easier to understand in person than on TV! Ireland was the last country I visited in my very first trip to Europe, which was a 2 1/2 month trip. It was the most comfortable country with the warmest people in all of the 9 countries of that trip. Go to Ireland.

I'm thinking starting in southern Germany and ending in the Adriatic. I was never excited about visiting Luxembourg City. If you started there, you could go to Trier, up the Mosel (Cochem/Burg Eltz) to the Rhine (Koln), then through the middle Rhine (some combination of Bacharach, St. Goar, Reinfels Castle), over to Romantic Road (some combination of Wurzburg, Dinklesbuhl, Nordlingen, Rothenburg), to the castles (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau), up to Munich, east to Salzburg, Vienna, then south toward the Adriatic Coast maybe taking a ferry to Italy and finishing on the east coast of Italy.

If that's not enough, you could add a Poland loop from Vienna before going south, a UK loop on the way home, or really anything else that interests you.

@ miracleworker....What about "entertaining" the possibility of spending the two months only in two countries, eastern/northern Germany and Poland. You could put together an itinerary from stretching from Cuxhaven to Warsaw and Gdansk or further east in Poland. Time wise you would not be too constrained since there is ferry service and night trains operating between the two countries, such Köln Hbf to Warsaw aside from the various buses. Relative to other cities/towns in Germany, you'll see those towns visited by mainly/exclusively German tourists, no international tourists.

Thanks again everyone. I think Eastern Europe, Poland, parts of Germany, Italy, and Ireland would make for a full trip. Maybe that's how it will unfold. We'll see. Anyone ever island hope in Greece? I could try dedicated a week Island hopping if I could hit up three good ones. I know there's more to the UK than London, but I have a thing for the city so I have to include London, but maybe I can be convinced to venture elsewhere. Anyone ever rent a car and travel to London on vacation?

Lots of possibilities for sure : )

If you stay to the east you should consider Romania... It's beautiful and not a ton of tourists. I went about 6 years ago, with a car, but no reservations and had no problem finding hotels. I am not afraid to wing it and prefer to not be tied to a schedule. I have done my share of whirlwind trips and loved them... Plenty of time to explore in depth when you are too old for this pace.

I also like a whirlwind trip. I went 6 years ago and started with only an opening city ( Belgrade). I am a solo female and found no problems either getting around or with the locals. I did find Marrakech a little intimidating, tho. I went to Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania. I'm a little older than you, but feel free to pm me if I can help. Kathy

Antarctica .... would likely be your favorite trip ever!!

Thanks Kathy, I will keep that in mind closer to my trip. I'm just trying to get suggestions now. I spent a lot of time researching the places I would go next while in the location before, because my work is so life consuming. I want to do a better job of getting information before I go by planning long before. I still want to go with the flow but after I've already looked over the most important details, and learned a little more about the cultures and languages.

Just don't 'overthink' your trip... it will sometimes lose it's magic if you like to 'go with the flow':)