I'm planning to travel with 3 friends to Dublin, London, Paris, Munich, and Prague, Sep 15-Oct 5. Looking for any tips/recommendations for all aspects of the trip - flights, hotel, ground transportation, currency exchange, places to visit, etc.
This site is a good place to start, but I enjoy getting off the beaten path and avoiding tourist attractions. Thanks for your help!
I think you're trying to go to too many places for 20 days on your first trip because you will lose some time getting from place to place even though the rail, ferry & plane connections are good and frequent. Have the others been to any of the locations? If you've already agreed these are the places all of you want to go, perhaps cut out one and have each of you plan one portion (with input from the others, of course). Each of you needs to do some basic research and make a list of 5 or 6 things you want to do in each location. Work together to set up a trip that will give each of you some of your choices. As Rick Steves often says, the $$ you spend on travel guides is a drop in the bucket compared to your overall costs.
`This site is a good place to start, but I enjoy getting off the beaten path and avoiding tourist attractions.´ The destinations on your list pretty much define the beaten path. Don´t worry, though, thousands of tourists travel to these cities every year for good reasons, and those reasons certainly do not include avoiding the Eifel Tower, Louvre, Englischergarten, Trafalgar Square, etc.
Recommend you start with a good set of guidebooks that fit your travel style and budget. Rick Steves is good for a moderately priced Grand Tour, but not the best for backpackers trying to stretch every penny. Lonely Planet and the Rough Guides are more suited for backpackers and those who like more rugged outdoor activities. Some of their lodging recommendations, though, are based more on price than quality.
On currency exchange... don´t. Unless you absolutely must have the currency on-hand the second you arrive, just hit the first ATM you see (like, at the airport).
If you are a first-time traveler looking to get a taste of a diverse bunch of locations, this sounds like a good group of cities to start with.
Maximise your time by using budget airlines and night trains to travel between destinations. At first glance, I'd say don't bother with a Eurail pass. Fly "open jaw" to avoid having to backtrack to Dublin.
As far as any other advise goes, I feel like this board is an infinitely better resource when you ask more specific questions. You might want to tell people more about yourself and your interests. How old are you and your friends? If you're under 26, you will probably want recommendations for hostels, youth passes, etc., which wouldn't work so well if you're older. For places to visit, are you interested more in historical sites, or nature hikes, or in architecture, or drinking customs, etc etc etc.
Dave,
When it comes to using books, I only use two in planning out my trips...Rough Guide and Let's Go. There is a lot of information in both of them. They cover the cheap to moderate range, from hostels to 3 star hotels. Prague and Munich will still be swamped with tourists when you're there. You might want to consider taking the night train from Paris Est to Munich.
