Where to go with five days on a budget?

What an amazing board this is! Thank you so much for all the suggestions. She really likes outdoor things like hiking, skiing, etc. Not much for shopping. All your suggestions are so great. I'm going back through them and going to do a search on both airfare and hostels/hotels to see where our dollar would stretch the farthest. Someone said get as far away from the pound as possible, and though Ireland would be the least expensive plane ticket, that's not very far from the pound. I've learned a lot from your posts. Didn't know Romania was Latin based or that Berlin wouldn't be expensive. I was trying to head for southern Italy or Spain just to get away from some of the cold and hope to have some nice weather for walking tours...but you're right. I have to pack for London anyway so I might as well bundle up and enjoy. I'll keep reading suggestions, but this has really opened my eyes to countries I never thought of. Istanbul? Never crossed my mind. Again, would like one city to base ourselves in and take day trips, and not sure if Ireland would allow for that, but need to look up your suggestions. I just saw a report from someone that went there and regretted the whole vacation due to being rained out and freezing. Again, what a great site! Thanks for your time.

Barcelona perfectly fits your needs. There's hoppers there all the time, an easy trip from Heathrow or Gatwick. Get an apartment, much cheaper than hotel. www.homeaway.com is a great resource. You can sit on the beach (warm compared to London), visit the awesome museums, shops, great food, a variety of other things, and you can use your Spanish. Istanbul would indeed be a second choice. Both have plenty for 5 days.

There are alot of fantastic sights to visit close to London therefore saving on transportation time and costs. I suggest Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, Oxford or Cambridge (incl museum), The Cotswolds. These can be done by bus, tour bus or train easily. If you fly somewhere you have lost 2 days in travel alone.

Istanbul is an exiciting city with plenty to keep you busy for 5 days without traveling around.

If it's OK with your daughter, your idea of using the five days based in Rome and exploring that city seems fine to me. Sounds like you're going in winter, and I share your aversion to trying to enjoy sightseeing in bitter cold weather. And am I correct in thinking you'll have the 4 days in London and then 5 more to spend somewhere else? As noted, you will "lose" some of the 5 days in traveling, and I really endorse your idea of being based in one place for that time.

Yes, we are going in November 14 - 24, so I'm hoping for someplace where I don't have to pack a lot of coats and boots, etc. We'll probably be staying in hostels and just bringing a backpack. We'll be in England from the 14th to the 18th, then fly out on the morning of the 18th, and have to be back by midnight without fail on the 24th.

If you are on a budget then get as far away from the English pound as possible. Its winter so your choices are going to be somewhat limited. Do you ski? If yes than think about Slovakia or Romania. Fishing? I know a decent place in Slovakia. Bulgaria for the train ride through the mountains (see the Rick Steve video on Bulgaria. Way too incomplete but it does show the train which we really enjoyed). In Budapest you can go caving to a degree that would be impossible for an armature in the US. http://caving.hu/ Also in Budapest is the Hospital in the Rock which is a pre WWII hospital buried under the castle hill in Buda. Used during the war as a hospital it was used after WWII as a fallout shelter and somehow hidden from the public for 45 years. Still pretty much intact the tours are interesting. http://www.sziklakorhaz.eu/en If he has any interest in WWII or Communism there are still sorts of standing relics from prisons to bullet holes in the buildings. Oh, I know, there is a really fantastic 19th century semi buried fortress on the Danube that was later one of the Soviet Union's largest ammunition dumps outside of the USSR. Now its museum and you can pretty much walk this massive and fantastic abandoned facility at will. It's located at Komarom. http://english.fortmonostor.hu/ How about a bath house? (yes in November) http://www.szechenyibath.com/ Indoor water park? http://www.aqua-world.hu/en/aquaworld Then there is the Wine and Cheese festival November 16 and the Christmas markets also open on the 16th of November. He might enjoy the Archabbey near Gyor http://bences.hu/lang/en/en Or you could go on a road trip up through Slovakia (I happen to like Slovakia in the winter) where there are a number of great old mining towns (tour a mine) and castles.

If you need directions or guides, etc. just let me know. I have some names. If you go here and look to the city or country links at the top you can find some of our photos of some of these places (BU = Bulgaria, SK = Slovakia, etc). http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/

I've never thought of Turkey or Hungary. Being a 55-year-old mom taking her little 21-year-old daughter, I'm a little skidish about the unknown. Like I said, I speak Spanish, so anything Latin based gives me a sense of comfort. Went to Prague with my husband and we couldn't tell if we were looking at an exit/bathroom/train sign. Headed for Italy after just a couple days. I'm looking these two spots up on the internet and see lots of good reviews from travelers. Again, just a little nervous being basically by myself trying to maneuver around a country that I know nothing about. People seem to feel safe. Sure appreciate everyone's input.

How about Dublin as a base to explore Ireland? Or take a cheap flight to Spain (Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona) or Portugal or even the Canary Islands.

A for coats and boots. You realize of course that Rome is at about the same latitude as New York City. The weather in most of Europe in November is cold and wet. There isn't any escaping it. We don't do back packs any more but we do head to central Europe every winter with two carryon bags. It's a matter of choosing clothing well. The difference between dressing for Rome in November and dressing for Prague or Sofia in November is a set of light weight thermal underwear at best. A few years back after spending Christmas in London and New Years in Rome we just ditched any idea of an almost warm winter in Europe and decided if we were going to be cold why not embrace it and go where the cold is a plus (or at least not a negative) and save the marginal zones for when the warmth is a plus. Here is a suggestion that your son will never forget. Go to Moscow. You can get there for probably under $400 a ticket r/t. You will freeze your parts off but Red Square surrounded by snow and a frozen Moskva River is amazing. We did it in early January and it was a trip of a life time. Not particularly cheap, but cheaper in the winter. Another idea in Budapest, I think (I have to do some research) that he can drive a Russian tank and maybe shoot machine guns. Yeaaaa violence on vacation!!

Tamera, did you know that Romanian is a latin based language! My wife who also speaks spanish could almost understand it and learning it would be pretty easy for her.

Somehow I missed the "daughter". Don't know why I assumed a son. Guess that rules out driving a tank? :-) Churches, museums, shopping, food, markets? Give me some idea what she might like. I'm 55 and my daughter is 19 and my sons are 22 and 25 and they've all had a good time in Budapest but there are great things across the region; and it's at a lot less expensive than Western Europe. If you have the resources I bet the two of you would enjoy a driven trip across Romania. Five days amounts to a three day tour and I think it would be under $1500 including hotel rooms. But it's the low season so ask him for a discount. Look at: http://covinnus.com/ for the guide who I have know and trusted for years. And http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/easterneurope
And http://budapestflat.shutterfly.com/rom2 For some photos that were actually taken in November a few years ago.

Why not Lisbon and a couple of day trips from there?

Ireland, but I dread having to pack for that much cold I would have thought that after you had packed for England you had packed for Ireland. You have a very short period of time. I'd minimize the travel and go where dd has expressed an interest, then looking at discount airlines and find what decent fares are left. Me? I'd spend a week in Paris.

Even though she has hit the "hot spots" in France, how much time did she get to spend there? I agree with Nigel that Paris would be a good choice. I took my 20-year-old daughter there, spending 10 nights. She loved it, never got bored and didn't want to leave. She is always talking about how much she wants to go back. You transportation expense wouldn't be too much from London. There are a lot of indoor activities in case the weather is bad. I don't think you'll find warmth in Europe that time of year, and you have to pack for London anyway. For winter travel I used a compression bag for bulky sweaters and still managed to travel with only a carry-on bag. You might be able to save some money by renting an apartment. I use vrbo.com and homeaway.com for apartment rentals.

One of the cheapest "great fun places" in Europe is Berlin. Prices for accommodation and food are really low, much cheaper than in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, France, even Poland and the rest of Germany. Sounds surprising but it's true. And using public transport you can go out to the town of Potsdam (in the middle of a lake district) and visit the chateaus and castles of the Prussian Kings and German emperors.

Ireland is not going to be any colder than the UK. In fact, Ireland's climate is quite temperate - there actually are palm trees on both the east and west coast in places. You could easily use Dublin as a base and do day trips - Glendalough, Newgrange, Rock of Cashel, Belfast. And, they speak English, so no language barrier. I'm with Nigel. Minimize your travel, and go where your daughter has indicated she would like to go instead of looking for farther (and more expensive) options if you are on a budget.

Barcelona is a very good idea. I can give you information for a 2 bedroom apartment if you would like. I paid 95€ a night in September 2011. The Republic of Ireland uses the euro, not the pound.

November High/Low Rain inches 58/39 2.5 Madrid 62/43 4.7 Rome 59/47 3.5 Istanbul 52/41 2.1 London 50/34 1.9 Bucharest 49/39 2.1 Paris 47/37 2.5 Budapest 49/34 2.1 Sofia 44/35 2 Berlin 41/32 1.1 Prague
50/40 2.5 Dublin 62/48 2.3 Barcelona My vote is Brasov or Sibu in Romania. A nice hotel will cost you between $65 and $80 and its Warm enough and dry enough to enjoy. Transportation to and from Bucharest can be arranged fairly inexpensively as well. My second choice is Budapest but mainly because i know it well enough to give you enough information to keep you busy for five days and I know of some excellent $55 a night lodging and i just love the place (personal bias). Fortunately you will be in London one of Europe's best discount hubs. Look and see where Ryanair and Wizair fly to out of the various near London airports. The rates will be rock bottom. http://wikitravel.org/en/Discount_airlines_in_Europe

Still thanking everyone for all the help. I must say, I feel most comfortable in Spain, due to the language, and Italy, because I've been there. Homeaway was a WONDERFUL suggestion. We have two properties ourselves on VRBO so I don't know why in the world I didn't think of checking there instead of hostels! I'm intrigued with the idea of these spots I've never thought of, and am searching right on on "Things to do in Brasov." I'm not finding anything on VRBO or Homeaway for either of the two cities suggested in Romania. The thought of having a kitchen makes the whole budget thing more do-able. Ryanair or Wizzair don't seem to get me to those two suggested cities, so I have to familiarize myself with Romania and see what's close, how to get there, etc. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the suggestion. It MIGHT be a place I'd feel more comfortable going to with my husband instead of daughter. I've seen "Taken" :} am just want peace on this trip and only good memories! The unknown is putting me off a little...but I'm intrigued enough that I'm still going to check it out. These cute little apartments in Spain are so cute that I want to go there just for the apartment! I'm not sure that I'm in the right section of Spain, but am continuing to search. I want to thank everyone again for your help. I don't feel so blind going into this thanks to you!

I agree with the poster who said Berlin, Barcelona, and Lisbon. If you are most comfortable with Spanish language you could see Barcelona or Valencia, Madrid is a great city too. If you daughter wants to go to Ireland, you are right there also! Lots of choices. Budapest is one of my fav. cities but I think you should go where YOU want and what is calling to you, and personally, (people may disagree) but if you hadn't thought of going to Romania beforehand or is your 1st trip to Europe, I wouldn't suggest it. It is an amazing place but totally different from UK or Spain.

Tamera, if I were you I would stick to Western Europe this time- Dublin with daytrips would be a good choice, especially if your daughter is leaning that way. Madrid and Barcelona would both be good options as well- plenty of low-cost flights to both. Barcelona would be a few degrees warmer, but I prefer Madrid myself- it's more "Spanish." Great daytrips from Madrid as well such as Toledo and Segovia. Berlin is a great city, full of history and dynamism, and pleasantly affordable for a European capital. But keep in mind that the farther east you go, the colder it gets. Lows in Berlin hover right around freezing in Nov., and in Romania, a few degrees below freezing. For temp averages in various cities, check out weather.com, type in the city at the top, and click on "Monthly" on the left of the page.

I'd not go to Ireland out of too short daylights (remember: Dublin is in a latitude as northern as Juneau, Alaska).

Just for weather and ease of dealing with things, I would choose Rome or Barcelona. It will still be winter, there won't be any suntanning, but it may be decent at least. Ireland is on Euro,, except Northern Ireland, so if just escaping the pound is the issue, its not an issue.. ( but weather though is pretty well guaranteed to be wet and cool) And while I understand perhaps not being as comfortable travelling in places one is less familar with, please , never mention the movie "Taken" again, it was so stupid and mind numbingly ridiculus and unlikely. And finally, all ideas above aside, I would just take the Eurostar to Paris and enjoy more time there,, seriuosly , you havn't seen it all, top notch shopping , dining, sites/history. Only 2.5 hours from city center to city center (London -PAris|) so no wasted time getting to and from airports and cheap if tickets booked well in advance. As for skiing in Europe its not cheap( plus you would have to rent everything, clothes included) , and they don't even get as much snow as we can out here in western north America.

Can I just throw out there that's my reference to the movie Taken was said in jest. I am simply saying that taking my daughter with me is much different than going someplace with my husband and I don't want to have to be worried about things.

Well you could look at it this way, at 21 your daughter is of an age when many young folks are travelling around Europe on their own, so don't look at it so much as you taking her, but more as you are two equals|( ok, not considering you are likely footing the bill, lol ) , you can help each other, in fact afterall she will have already spent a few months in the UK and likely has had the opportunity to chat with many others ( her fellow students and locals) and may have some interesting insights . I still think Paris or Ireland are best bets, its just because with only 4-5 days it seems you will have a more relaxing and fun time enjoying your daughter instead of worrying too much about details like getting to and from places( be careful if you choose to use the airline Ryanair, they use airports that are not close or conveneint to many of their listed destinations, for instance they use Beauvais for Paris, and that airport is 90 kms( about 1.5 hrs) from Paris and has no direct public transportation link, you would have to bus,then train, and then perhaps metro to your hotel)
Easyjet and Vueling may be better choices.

We just got back from two weeks in Portugal and southern Spain, and I was surprised at how pleasant the temperatures still were in early November in Andalucia. Personally, I would suggest Seville with a side day trip to Cordoba and maybe a longer side trip to Grenada. Seville has stunning architecture, plenty of cafes and tapas bars, a number of good indoor activities (the cathedral, a couple of lovely old mansions, the Alcazar, the Museum of Flamenco) and there's flamenco to get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end! Cordoba has one of the most sensational sites in Europe--the old mosque with its 850 candycane arches, with an entire cathedral plunked down squarely in the middle, and the maze of medieval streets surrounding it are worth getting lost in, too. It's worth an overnight, but the fast trains make it easy to do as a quickie day trip, too. Granada has the Alhambra and more, but the Alhambra is on a lot of people's bucket lists for good reason. And did I mention food? Churros con chocolate, jamon and cheese, fried eggplant spears drizzled with reduced sweet wine, mussels and shrimp and tiny anchovies done a little differently in every tapas bar you belly up to... I've only been back a week and I would head back in a heartbeat.

James: If you find the information about where one can drive a tank please post it. There is at least one person reading this thread that is interested.

Tank Driving - for those interested... In the UK there are several places, at various levels of carnage, starting at only £99 so if you want the experience, why not, eh? Have a look at http://www.tankdrivingexperience.org.uk/

Hey everyone, check another post, she is now going to Ireland!

JER has some good suggestions. I would agree that southern Spain is a great choice. Want weather that's even a bit warmer? Want more exotic? Want cheaper? Then look south of Spain: to Morocco. You can fly between London and Marrakech or Fes crazy cheap. Once you're there, things will generally be less expensive (and warmer) than Spain. You will find that traveling in Morocco is surprisingly easy - it's a major tourist destination for western europeans. Fly to Marrakech. Do 2 days there, take the train to Fes. Do 2 days there. Fly back from Fes. A side-trip you'll never forget.