Trip Report: 54 Nights of Hostelling Through Western Europe at 69

Next let’s talk about hostels. Almost everyone staying in dorm rooms with me could speak some English, so I had many lively conversations with people from five continents. Most in the European hostels were young, but there were definitely some middle-aged folks and a few seniors like me. I stayed in both mixed-gender and all-female rooms, ranging from four to ten beds. No one came in falling-over drunk or loud and obnoxious; in fact many of the younger people were just as tired as I was after a full day of sightseeing. Others partied hard, but didn’t came back in the room till they were sober. With everyone carrying a phone now, most didn’t even turn on an overhead light when they came in, because they were able to use the phone’s flashlight.

Would I stay in hostels again? Absolutely. I did get a bit tired of the same hostel during the 13 nights in Paris and 12 nights in London, so might switch hostels or break up the stay with a couple of hotel nights if I were to do this again. Not all would make the choice to stay in a $25 room to feel like you could afford the occasional $75 dinner and unlimited sightseeing, but I would. Traveling alone, the company was most welcome.

In Madrid, I did not stay in a hostel since I wanted to accommodate jet lag. However I did stay in a hostal, a family-run small inn, of which there are many in Madrid. Hostal Abel Victoria near the Novicidad Metro stop was quite satisfactory.

Next stop was Rome, where I had a reservation at Beautiful Hostel near Termini. When I arrived, they informed me that the hostel was only open to people under 35, which quite obviously was not me. Reception said this was listed in the terms and conditions, but just for the record, the e-mail I received about the booking mentioned that there were terms and conditions but did not give any link to them and I had not been able to find any on the web, so I figured that was just standard legalese. I had made my reservation through a third-party booking service and confirmed it by e-mail with them, never thinking to mention my age. For the first six of seven nights, they offered me a private room on a higher floor at about $14 night extra, which I took. That room was nice enough, although much too cold. For the seventh night they agreed to let me stay in a dorm room in the hostel, where I wasn’t supposed to be. The hostel itself wasn’t bad, although the supposed communal room was creepy.

After that experience, I e-mailed all my future hostels to make completely sure there was no age restriction. There were no others.

In Florence my hostel was Archi Rossi, also near the train station. This hostel was outstanding, and I highly recommend it. The free breakfast is great, really accommodating traveler needs. Other outstanding features were a garden out back and a full-length high school type locker where you could hang up a few clothes.

On to Venice, where my hostel was Venice Generator. Generator is a chain in Europe. This is across the Giudecca Canal from St. Mark’s, which I could see straight out my room window a couple of steps from my bunk. Hostel is pretty new and well-maintained, with a terrific communal living room. This was the most expensive hostel where I stayed, which could have been because it was the week before the Venice Biennale. While on the island of Giudecca, it is one vaporetto stop from St. Mark’s.

In Milan I was at Gogol d’Ostello, which in retrospect is too far from transit, which runs too infrequently anyway. In spite of my having a written confirmation from them, they had me down for only one night, not two, so they sent me to another hostel, Queen’s Hostel. Queen’s was actually better, but of course I lost quite a bit of time heading across town to the other hostel.

Next I was in Lucerne, where I stayed at Backpackers. This hostel is about a 15-minute walk from the train station mostly along Lake Lucerne, but the hostel itself is great and would be a terrific summer choice as it is across the street from a lakeside park.

In Munich I stayed the one night at the 4You Hostel about a block from the train station. The location was very convenient but yet quiet. At the next stop, Berlin, I was in the One80 Hostel quite near the TV tower in Alexanderplatz, where there are many transit options. This large hostel had a good breakfast, community space, and location. They were very helpful when I became quite sick there. I highly recommend this hostel. In Strasbourg I stayed at Residence Louise. This little room with a kitchenette would be a lovely place to stay quite a long time.

My home in Paris was Perfect Hostel in the 9th in Montmartre. I enjoyed being in a neighborhood that was home to many families, and close to the Anvers Metro station. I found the continental breakfast meager, although Europeans seemed happy enough. My big complaint was lack of community space with an easy chair where one could relax a minute.

In London I stayed the first night in a budget hotel, Howard Winchester. It’s a little shabby in décor, but the room actually has lots of storage and would be comfortable for one for a lengthy stay. The rest of the nights I stayed at St. James Backpackers about half a block off Earl’s Court Road, which was very convenient. The building was attractive from the outside, and the street had a nice residential feel. Staffing was erratic, the self-service kitchen often disgusting, and I would not repeat this hostel.

Now it’s on to sightseeing highlights and lowlights in the next post.

Madrid: I loved Madrid and could have been happy there just wandering around the entire time, as well as hanging out in the Plaza Mayor area, Puerta del Sol area, San Miguel market especially at tapas time, and El Corte Ingles, the large department store complex. Women’s fashion shopping was fabulous, with plenty of inexpensive and youthful pieces along the Gran Via and nearby neighborhoods. Shoe stores are a specialty, ladies. I thoroughly enjoyed the Royal Palace and particularly the palace tour I took there. As for the art museums, the Prado was arguably my favorite art museum the whole trip, and that’s saying a lot. I allowed a whole day, and it took as much of the day as I could endure. (I had not suffered jet lag as such, but had a very stiff back the day after travel, Prado day, and could hardly stand to walk or stand up.) Reina Sofia also was wonderful, although part of that reaction is due to the special Picasso exhibit and also the pretty courtyard.

I went to Sobrino de Botin, which Guiness Book of World Records counts as the oldest continually serving restaurant in the world. The food actually was delicious, especially the long long flat beans like a green bean or fava bean, with shredded ham. Also La Finco de Susana provided a very enjoyable lunch and I think is recommended by Rick. Have all the olives you want in Madrid; they are superb. Also fresh orange juice was wonderful.

Rome: I used Rick’s audio tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and both were excellent. I could have skipped Palatine Hill, but enjoyed the Pantheon and took my time sitting there. The best day actually was spent at the Borghese Gallery, Etruscan Museum, and park in which they are located. I had not looked at my notes that day, so for the Borghese I reversed Rick’s recommendation and spent 1.5 hours on the top floor and .5 on the bottom floor when he said do it the other way around. I still enjoyed myself immensely, finding the building as spectacular as the art, and only regretted not having made two two-hour reservations for different days. The Etruscan is uncrowded and something different.

Squares I enjoyed were Campo de’ Fiori (try this in early morning and buy fruit for breakfast) and especially Piazza de Popolo, which drew me two or three times. The Trevi Fountain experience is not to be missed regardless of the amount of time you have in Rome, but even more spectacular for me were the Spanish Steps.

For me as a non-Catholic I would skip the Vatican Museums unless just bored. I thought the Sistine Chapel was underwhelming in comparison with other things I had already seen on the trip; I had a seat but just couldn’t get into it. For St. Peter’s Basilica I would try to go very early in the morning, as it was not worth the two hours of standing in the security line in the afternoon after I’d visited the museum. However, whatever the schedule, I would go spend an hour in St. Peter’s Square just for the people-watching and to understand the context when big events happen there.

I entered a number of churches mentioned in guidebooks for the art. My favorite church was St. John Lateran, where I admired the mosaic on the rear exterior for a long time. Nearby was a fun restaurant: Foodie, Piazzale Appio, 9. My best experience around food was at Ristorante Leonetti, Via Farini, 60, where I enjoyed lunch amid a crowd that clearly consisted mostly of regulars who were on a first name basis with one another and the waiters; it seemed like a ringside seat to Italian culture. For a fast, convenient, and possibly healthy pit stop, I did appreciate Sfizio Pizza, as mentioned by Rick, near Termini, where you could buy green and fruit salads, and pizza by the slice. I consumed more than my fair share of gelato, preferring the Venchi chain to Grom. The most wondrous food experience though was the freshness of the salad greens almost everywhere.

Florence: It’s so much fun to walk in Florence; I didn’t take the bus anywhere. The Baptistry was a big highlight, and I took Rick’s advice and just admired the outside of the Duomo from every angle, but skipped the long security line to go inside. I spent a fair amount of time appreciating the Opera dell’Duomo museum. The Medici Chapel was beautiful.

For other museums I have to say that David in the Accademia surprised and overwhelmed me. Yes, I read that he was big, but seeing just how big and how seemingly perfect was amazing. As a music lover I also enjoyed Accademia’s small but interesting musical instruments section, including history of the piano. I also spent quite a bit of time in the nearby San Marco Museum, where frescoes in the monk’s cells were painted by Fra Angelico and others. First thing in the morning San Marco was almost deserted. I loved the Della Robbia and wonderful ceramics at the Bargello. The Galileo Museum has potential, but I’d skip it if having to pay separately from the Firenze Card, which I used and found to be quite cost-effective for me.

My skip-it recommendation for Firenze, believe it or not, is the Uffizi. I had allotted all day, but I was done after two hours. I got frustrated with walking end to end in the U shape to try to find particular pieces, and also with their unending self-justification about provenance in their text describing paintings. Probably it was just a mood that day; I’m not serious about skipping it, but really just pointing out that other museums deserve your attention too and may be more fun.

There were three great food experiences in Firenze. I sought out Cibreo, near Sant’Ambrogio market, choosing the café rather than the pricier and more formal restaurant. I had a superb lunch there featuring pork from their own farm, hard seared like a steak. On the casual side, Cornelius on Via Faenza near my hostel provided a yummy pizza topped with an absurd amount of prosciutto and Gorgonzola cheese at a good price. Lastly go to Central Market around 5 pm or whenever hungry for many outstanding food booths and a good atmosphere. At least if you go in that earlier timeframe, it is not a complete standing-room-only melee like San Miguel in Madrid.

Venice. I’m glad I took advice from the forum and went to Venice. On the sunny day it was idyllic; on the stormy day at least I have some interesting photos of the storm rolling in or out. Chiesa dei Frari didn’t impress too much, but the next-door Scuola San Rocco, with its Tintorettos painted on the walls, did. The Accademia and Doge’s Palace lived up to expectations, except the Accademia was freezing (since I was forced to check my jacket) and I cut my visit short for reason. My favorite though was St. Mark’s, where I thought the modest skip-the-line fee was worthwhile. I definitely enjoyed the interior and sat around quite awhile admiring the many unusual colors of marble on the exterior. The Rialto Bridge and market also were highlights, as well as just riding around on the vaporetto. I had to have a vaporetto pass due to where I was staying, so I took full advantage on the sunny day.

Milan. I planned a very short stay here, as the jumping off point to Switzerland. I visited The Last Supper and definitely recommend that experience to anyone considering it. It doesn’t take much time and is very well-organized; the restored painting itself is surprisingly pretty. I also took the elevator to the top of the Duomo, waiting in the rain in a long security line. (Be sure to have your tickets before you get in the security line.) Rain and cold meant I didn’t actually stay out on the roof very long, but it is a lifetime memory for sure to walk among the gargoyles and spires, not to mention the good views.

Very interesting trip report - thanks for posting!

Training through Switzerland and Lucerne. I had resolved to take the Bernina Express route up through Switzerland using the regional trains rather than waiting till 10 a.m. or so to leave Milan for the actual Bernina Express. Going through the Alps didn’t present any surprises, but I’d rank it as one of the top five experiences of the whole trip and one I’ll always remember. The several changes of train kept me mentally sharp during the otherwise dreamy day. If I ever go to Europe again I’ll try to spend some time on Lake Como, as the scenery between half an hour north of Milan and Tirano was very inviting.

On the forum I had described not being able to buy SBB tickets, a situation that never was resolved in spite of trying several credit cards and American Express trying to intervene for me. So in Tirano, just as I predicted, I missed the six-minute connection. But when I got over to the SBB office they ticketed me for the rest of the day, so I was only one hour later arriving in Luzern than I would have been had I been able to buy the Swiss tickets in advance.

As for Luzern itself, I was charmed. I had planned my day there as a rest day with no particular goals. So I walked all morning and early afternoon, taking in the awesome old Victorian hotels and a wide variety of interesting architecture that surprised me. The Chapel Bridge area was great on both side of the lake, and I enjoyed the lively market even though it was a cloudy Tuesday. In late afternoon it cleared off enough to take a lakeside walk. For food I ate at the Tidbits vegetarian buffet on the upper story of the train station, I think recommended by Rick. The plentiful variety of flavorful fresh cuisine was most welcome; I heaped my plate for the equivalent of about $18. Otherwise I ate from the grocery stores there.

Munich. By this time I knew I was getting a bad cold, so my afternoon there was a little subdued. The small shops were beautiful, and I enjoyed the extensive Viktualienmarkt of produce, specialty food products, and street food; it goes on for blocks. Munich also is where I discovered dean&david, a salad and wrap type of fast food emporium that prepares tasty and healthy food.

Berlin. In an already too-tight schedule I had to take one complete day for going to the emergency room, and other days were severely curtailed. That being said, the highlights were Museum Island and walking around the Reichstag/Pariser Platz area. On Museum Island I spent most time at the Altes Museum, then headed to the top story of the Neue to see Nefertiti and the Golden Hat, and then showed unusual restraint by coming down and lining up for the Pergamon. I must say that the delicate features of the Nefertiti bust made it a breath-taking piece of art beyond what I was expecting. Sometimes when we’ve seen photos of a piece of art, we correctly predict what we will think of it, and other times it’s a surprise. This one was the latter.

At the Pergamon, yes, the Pergamon Altar itself is closed, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see. Far from it. My personal favorite was the processional entry wall to Babylon and the Ishtar Gate, much of which is intact and quite impressive in brilliant blue with contrasting lions.

I also made it to the Jewish Museum, but by that time I was running out of energy. It is quite a wonderful presentation about everyday life and Jewish accomplishments, using artifacts from Jewish families. On the somber side I visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which is quite a moving experience, and went by the marker over Hitler’s bunker.

Due to illness, I had to skip the Berlin Symphony for which I had tickets, trip to Wittenberg for which I had tickets, and tour of the Reichstag, for which I had the required advance security clearance. I also didn’t make it to the German History Museum, for which I had allowed significant time.

Strasbourg. In my afternoon in Strasbourg, I went to the European Parliament, and in due time was admitted to see the Parliament in action. I considered this to be very important, given my interests, and was not disappointed. Other aspects of the Strasbourg stop, around which I planned much of my itinerary, had to be skipped due to my cold.

Paris. I’ll start with the day trips. Chartres was definitely a personal highlight, due to my interest especially in the labyrinth in the cathedral. Malcolm Miller was ill that particular Friday, so I didn’t get the famous stained glass tour, but the labyrinth was uncovered in late morning. It was kind of fun to walk around a smaller city too.

I had a good time at Versailles, thoroughly enjoying the palace, gardens, Grand Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s hangout. It was so chilly that morning I thought I was going to have to go back to Paris (having not brought my jacket because I didn’t want to cart it around all day), so I went to Angelina’s café in the palace and had a yummy, decadent hot chocolate. Then I walked briskly in the garden to warm up, and stayed on foot all day. I wouldn’t say it was a highlight on my entire trip, but I certainly don’t regret a minute spent there. By the way, the security line is quite long, even with advance tickets. If going again, I’d line up even further in advance of the opening.

The last day trip was to Giverny. I hadn’t realized Giverny is as much of a town as it is. I would have spent longer there had I not already purchased my return tickets before I left home. I found the Monet home and gardens to be a personal highlight just because I happen to be interested in his work.

I bought the six-day Museum Pass for Paris and delayed the start of the six days as long as possible to recover from illness as much as I could. I started with the Orsay, which is a splendid experience; the building is impressive too. The Louvre of course is another of the top five highlights of the entire trip. I went to the Carousel entrance, as Rick advises, before opening. In due time a guard appeared and said that if we had the museum pass, we needed to go around to the pyramid entrance. So (foolishly) I did. The museum personnel there acted as if they had never encountered a crowd before, so they got confused and in turn confused large numbers of people about which line we should be in. Sparing you the details, it took a lot longer to get in than if I had played dumb and waited in line at the Carousel entrance among people who didn’t have a museum pass.

Because I like the impressionists, I thoroughly enjoyed the Orangerie and Marmottan (the latter not on the museum pass). I loved the Picasso Museum and wished I had allowed myself quite a bit longer than the hour I felt I had, since I was trying to squeeze in as many museums as possible on the last day of the pass. My very favorite museum though was the Pompidou. If you are interested in modern and contemporary art, allow a whole day there. I say that because along with the intrinsic merit of the artwork itself, they do a momentous job of educating you about the various schools and movements of modern art, and there is a lot to read and absorb. In addition the building itself is interesting and the terraces afford good views.

Skippable for me would be the Musee de quai Branley, which would be a great place to take children who could be interested in anthropology or science, but rarely did it keep adult interest. The Rodin Museum was a little meh for me, although the grounds make it an overall nice experience.

A big disappointment was having to miss the trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, which I had purchased in advance. I was just too exhausted and not up to strength yet on that early day of the Paris sojourn. The next day I did walk to, under, and around the Tower, though, marveling that I didn’t really realize it is beige and not black. Another scheduling casualty due to illness was Arc de Triomphe, although of course I saw the exterior on my one saunter down Champs Elysees.

Notre Dame was awe-inspiring, and I loved their little history poster-boards. The archeological crypt in front of the cathedral was worth a brief stop, as was the memorial to deported Jews behind it. I also enjoyed The Conciergerie seeing where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned. I thought Saint-Chappelle was underwhelming, and I actually would advise skipping it unless you are just terribly impressed by stained glass, exaggerated security due to its sharing an entrance with a court, and tacky maintenance.

Other good stops in Paris were the Shakespeare & Co. bookstore, some bouquinistas on the banks of the Seine, walking around the Latin Quarter, and the trip up to Sacre Coeur on the funicular and checking out the views from there. I stayed near rue de Martyrs and took that all in, having read a book called The Only Street in Paris before the trip.

Two personally meaningful highlights were walking the Promenade Plantee (also sometimes called Coulee Vert), a newish walkway mostly above Paris, and the Pavillon de l'Arsenal, a building housing phenomenal exhibits about the history of city planning in Paris and current related issues. If interested in Promenade Plantee, Rick’s guidebook gives excellent directions for finding the starting point; ignore other directions you find on the internet. I also liked checking out the Hotel de Ville, the city hall of Paris, which served as a model for several American city halls also.

For food notes, I had an excellent lunch at Jacques Faussat La Brasserie, a Michelin-starred restaurant somewhat near Parc Monceau. The most memorable meal was dinner at La Fermette Marbeuf off the Champs Elysees; this restaurant has a completely charming art nouveau theme, and the food was heavenly, especially the lamb and escargot in puff pastry.

London. I managed fine with minimal skills in Spanish and no other foreign languages, except a few learned phrases, but I was relieved and happy to be where people spoke English. Also Paris was beginning to get quite hot, so a little cooler air was refreshing.

On the way to London, I spent the day in Brussels. I arrived about 9:15 a.m. This was my biggest blunder of the trip in a way, as I didn’t realize that Brussels Centrale was a whole different station from Brussels Midi and conflated those two in my mind. So I couldn’t understand why I had been all over Midi/Zuid (now one indistinguishable station) and couldn’t find the Hop On Hop Off bus I intended to take. So I walked around the station area and as far as I dared into a dicey neighborhood (more dilapidated than any I had been in Europe), then finally decided to take a taxi to Grand Place. It took a long time and was expensive, due to many detours and just traffic congestion. I did enjoy that area and eventually found my way back to Centrale, which is where I realized my mistake. By then it was too late in the day to pay for the HOHO so I just chalked it up to experience and returned to Midi to check in for the Eurostar.

The first full day in London I tackled Westminster Abbey and the Parliament area. The audio tour of Westminster Abbey is great and included in the admission cost. I didn’t go inside Parliament, but did check out all the environs, including the end of Downing Street and Parliament Square.

Another impressive highlight was the Tower of London. I spent around 3.5 hours; I had advance tickets and showed up early. The warder tour is highly entertaining and shouldn’t be missed; there is no additional cost. As Rick advises, I went to see the Crown Jewels first thing, resulting in no waiting time, then backtracked to find the tour, and then revisited areas of particular interest.

I did two day trips. One day I took the Evan Evans tour to Stonehenge and Bath. The tour guide was very well-informed and interesting. At Stonehenge on June 6, it was so cold and super-windy I was able to stand to be outside by Stonehenge all of five minutes at the most. I walked the circumferential sidewalk as fast as I could without running over people and then got back in line for the shuttle bus. I had worn three layers of tops and my jacket, but it wasn’t enough. Nonetheless I’m so glad I went, and I thought it was well worth the time required to get there. Bath also was intriguing; I could have missed it without any tears, but since I was there, the stop was too frustratingly short. If returning I would allow at least one overnight and maybe two, as not everything of interest is within the most walkable area around the Roman Baths.

Another day I went to Cambridge on the train. This was a delightful day for a person of my interests, even though most colleges were having exams and limited what you can see. There are various museums associated with the university, so research those ahead of time if you might be interested. I went to the King’s College Chapel and found it to be grand. I also visited the Wren Library (hard to find) and appreciated that very much, as well as the manuscripts there. The town itself is delightful, and Heffer’s bookstore was fun. I ate at the Eagle Pub, in the room where Crick and Watson announced their DNA finding. Keep in mind that various colleges are spread all over town.

I stayed in the British Museum an entire day, from open to close. I had pre-purchased tickets to the outstanding American Dream exhibit, which follows the history of modern American art. When I saw it was 11:30 a.m. already, I knew I had to finish the last room and get going on other things. I made sure to see the highlights they had selected, and then stopped for other items of particular interest. This museum is full of art, history, and anthropology, and if you could only see one museum in all of Europe, go to this one, which serves as sort of a capstone for all of the other museums I had visited.

The Victoria & Albert Museum also absorbed most of a day; there I mostly took a break from art and looked at the fashion, decorating, architecture, and theatre exhibits. I used their cheater brochure also, finding all but one of their top 20 most significant items. This is an appealing break from the heavy dose of Western civilization of other museums.

I enjoyed going to see Buckingham Palace and stood outside watching the crowd for a good while. I saw only the tail end of the Changing of the Guard, as the guards were going back into the horse guard headquarters. St. James Park next to the palace is quite pleasant, and I enjoyed a visit to the Queen’s Gallery. I went to just see the outside of Kensington Palace, and also what little one can see of Clarence House.

St. Paul’s has such an interesting history and even modern-day vitality that it’s definitely worth the time it takes to visit. Inadvertently I joined a private tour there; that’s the instruction I had understood the person at the door to give, but when I finally figured out I was on a tour where I shouldn’t be, I just stuck around for the last ten minutes, not knowing what else to do.

I was in London when the terrorist attack on London Bridge and Borough Market occurred. I had gone to bed and was told about it the next morning at breakfast. I lingered a little extra long over coffee and decided to proceed with the day’s plans. I went to the Tate Modern, which was a big favorite of mine. I enjoyed both the story of the conversion of the powerhouse to a museum and the art itself. The only change of plans I made on account of the terrorist attack was to decide not to go to the theatre. I knew it was irrational, but somehow I couldn’t deal with the thought of being out at night in a crowded place by myself.

The last Saturday I watched the Colonel’s Review for the Trooping of the Colour parade and review in honor of the Queen’s official birthday. Think of this as the last dress rehearsal, where all of the guard units and guards, as well as the horse guards, rehearse for what I can only describe as a 3-hour parade and then a giant pageant in front of and in honor of the Queen. Music, costumes, guards, and horses were all as they would be a week later. This is unlike anything I had ever seen, or ever will see, in the U.S.

The National Gallery houses an outstanding art collection; as guidebooks say, I found the National Portrait Gallery to hold my interest for about an hour or less. A delightful museum was the Wallace Collection, in the genre of private mansions of collectors that turn into museums. The excellent Courtauld Gallery also is built on a private collection, but is now housed in Somerset House, a much larger complex along the Thames with a storied history.

Lastly I want to mention Shakespeare’s Globe, well worth the price of admission. My tour guide was very knowledgeable, and we had fun. You can stay in the museum part as long as you like before and after your scheduled tour time. I wanted to attend a performance there, but they were sold out by the time I made that decision.

I went to dinner at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen for my big splurge in London. This is where he trains apprentices from the East End. I had the chef’s seven-course menu, which was truly stellar. Afternoon tea at The Wolesly was extremely competent, and they are very kind to solo travelers. At least every other day I ate at Nando’s near my hostel, and I just loved that food. I know some of you think this is either lowbrow or silly, but I don’t care, I love my peri-peri chicken and healthy sides. The only dessert I dream about from the whole trip is a raspberry meringue I bought for about $2 USD at Paul, a Parisian bakery near Earl’s Court Underground station.

If I haven’t mentioned an attraction or museum, it doesn’t mean I didn’t go there, just that it didn’t hit the high or low end on my very subjective experience chart.

Finally in the next post I'll say a few things about this itinerary.

If I had it to do all over again, I would stay more than 4 nights in Madrid if I had time. I would shorten Rome, my least favorite destination, by one night to 6, and cut Florence from 4 nights to 3. I originally added the fourth night because I was afraid that the May 1 holiday would be a sightseeing loss, but it wasn’t because the Duomo and associated site were open. If and only if my schedule were leisurely, I’d add time in Venice to accommodate a couple more museums and lots more aimless wandering. I’d also add days in Milan, leaving more time for the Sforza Castle, shopping, and a visit to a design center, La Triennale di Milano.

If going in summer I’d add several days to Luzern, but given my particular schedule, the two nights were just right. I went to Munich only to give myself a taste of a second German city; I reasoned that I would like to substitute a 4-hour train ride from Zurich to Munich, and 6-hour ride Munich-Berlin, for an 8-hour ride from Zurich to Berlin all on the same day. That was good reasoning, but I enjoyed Munich so much I would do a couple more nights there. I would add two more nights to Berlin, bringing that to seven, as there is plenty to see and experience. I’d have liked two nights in Strasbourg.

The 13 nights in Paris were about right, although with about another day, I could have done some kitchenware shopping, my biggest wish list item that didn’t get addressed at all. I could have probably shortened London by one night to 12, or lengthened it to 14 or 15 and gone to Windsor, Kew Gardens, and/or Greenwich.

The whole itinerary was skewed by my wish to leave after Easter, get home on or about June 12, be in Strasbourg on one of the weeks that the Parliament meets there, and not spend a fortune. Ideally I would have been in Switzerland during milder weather, although traveling through a completely snow-covered landscape in May was pretty magical in itself. The one-night and two-night stays didn’t really bother me, and I wouldn’t hesitate to plan some again if lodging is close to the train station. All in all, no regrets.

I very much enjoyed reading your trip report but sad to hear a bad cold got in the way of your Berlin day. Other than that, it seems as if you managed to pack a lot of sights and experiences in your 54 nights (days, too!) and it was inspiring to read about the smart ways you managed everything from the hostels to consistently and successfully using public transportation-and especially the glitches. This is indeed a trip of a lifetime! Congratulations!!

Thank you for sharing your fantastic journey.

What a fabulous report! I learned so much... including learning about dean&david - I'd never heard of them and now will eat at them in Luxembourg in a couple of weeks...

Thanks

Bravo for having survived this fantastic trip..... Thank you so much for the trip notes. I always tell people I don't need to stay in a 4 star hotel to have a great time while visiting an area. Did you miss not getting into smaller towns and villages? I always like a trip with a mix of bigger cities and smaller villages.

I have to say I am very impressed that you would undertake a trip of this magnitude and seems like you handled it beautifully! I hope I am that adventurous when I am 69! Cheers to you! And great trip report by the way:)

Thank you for taking the time to write such an interesting, detailed trip report. I too will be taking notes for future trips. Glad the cold didn't slow you down too much, but sorry you had to miss your concert. That is always a question when planning; do I plan for everyday or leave some down time for re-energizing. I remember getting sick one afternoon in Vienna and missing an night tour of St. stephen's Cathedral. Luckily, no one else wanted to go so i had not prepay for the ticket.

Hi,

Thanks for a very interesting, elaborate report on this long trip, ie, two days longer than my trip. Your experience staying in the hostels is pretty much similar to what I have seen, and experienced when staying in hostels, as a senior a couple of years behind you. I stay in mix dorm rooms, six people total, or a private room if I want to shell out the price for this luxury. This past trip I opted not to stay in the hostel in Vienna.

Generator has a relatively new and big hostel in Paris, next to burger restaurant, located in the 10th arrond. between Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est. I checked it out since it is a couple of mins from my hotel at Nord.

The Trooping of the Colour is well worth seeing, glad you were there at this momentous occasion to see this impressive spectacle, I've seen it twice. You covered a lot ground. And, who has not gotten lost? I did the same route as you Munich to Berlin, but took the EN night train instead via Hannover Hbf., had planned 3 night train rides, but on the trip lazied out on the 3rd one.

Thanks for your report a great read, and I am glad you enjoyed the hostels.

I've read all your reactions with great interest, as I'm such a novice and innocent.

@tgreen: I didn't really miss villages and countryside. I'm a retired city planner, so cities are what really float my boat. Grew up in deep country, so I guess that was enough for a lifetime. However I was keenly observing the crop and livestock patterns on the train rides, while almost everyone else was oblivious to those things, so it seems there's a country girl after all.

I enjoyed hearing your stories and reading this report. I'll have to ask you more about your London hotel next travel group.

Great report. Thanks for sharing.

Hi,

Didn't the hostels have coin laundry facilities?

Nice report. "Observing the crop & livestock patterns", I liked that. I am originally from Los Angeles, City Boy, & currently live in Northern California near cattle & crops. I to noticed the crop patterns on my train travel through France last year & on my road trip from California to Wisconsin last month. I'm glad I am not the only one.

Fred, of course you are correct that some hostels have laundry facilities. Specifically I remember those in Luzern and Berlin. As luck would have it, I didn't need to do laundry in either though. I was expecting that more hostels would have laundry capability, but hadn't made that a criterion for selection. Possibly that was a mistake.

Hi,

As you say, "as luck would have it" in terms of having to do laundry. The hostel I have stayed at consistently when I choose a hostel at all (since 2009) is Wombats at Westbahnhof (Vienna) and Munich, also ca 3 mins from Munich Hbf. My compliments to you on choosing the locations of the hostels in Munich, Paris, London, and Berlin, since I am familiar with those sites For your first trip you are in my book more than a good trooper. I've done the hostel route just about exclusively in Germany and Austria in the 1970s.

Between the 9th and 10th arrond. is the Vintage Hostel on Rue Dunkerque, have checked out that hostel a couple of times and its immediate surroundings, a Chinese restaurant, grocery store close to it, eg, how far to the merry go round, etc. Vintage is ca 20 mins walk or so to from Gare du Nord..

Great detailed report. Thanks for sharing

Thanks for the tips on other hostels to try, Fred. I'll keep those in mind should I be able to do this again.

@ nthompson....Your're welcome. The Wombat chain of hostels in Budapest, Vienna (3), London, Munich, Berlin is one that has laundry facilities...very convenient. Relative to the other private, independent hostels Wombat is a bit more expensive. I've always been quite satisfied staying with them as regards to helpfulness, cleanliness, security, facilities, etc.

Wow what a great report! You are an inspiration! Thank you :)

A+ trip report! What an enjoyable read - you have a great way with words.

It was interesting to read that you were underwhelmed by Saint Chapelle. I completely agree with you, although my opinion of it was raised somewhat when I went back for the Vivaldi concert at night. But during the day, I didn't quite see what all the fuss was about.

It sounds like you had a fantastic trip - I'm so happy for you!

What a fantastic trip you had!
Thank you for the excellent write-up that you have shared with us all.
I know that you started out saying that this might be your only trip to Europe, but I hope that it's not the last of your travels. You are clearly so good at it!

Loved your report and your trip! It seems like you did a great job of researching your destinations and sites, based on what you love. Also love how you coped with getting sick. Thanks for taking the time to report!

Wow. That's really impressive and I loved every word of your report. I would like to know if, as a woman travelling alone, you ever felt unsafe. Sorry you had a bout of illness during the trip and missed some things, but what a trip. Can't even begin to imagine how many photos you must have taken. I find your adventure very inspiring and hope I can do something similar when I retire in about 6 years.

I'd say no, I never felt unsafe. Of course most people felt unsafe the morning after the terrorist attack in London, whether they were female and traveling alone or not. One other episode might be of interest to some, only because it is exceptional I think. On Sunday morning in Paris, a fist fight broke out on the subway. I was in the second row away from the back of the car, where two guys started fighting. A woman in the back row, which would be next to them, was scared for sure, she looked like, but I was just alert and prepared to move forward if it got any worse. Male passengers were back there in a flash trying to break up the fight, getting one guy off the subway at the next stop and then getting the other guy calmed down. One guy was trying to get me into the bracelet scam at Piazza de Popolo in Rome, but I kept my arms back, said no firmly, and walked away briskly. End of that. Otherwise nothing to even make me think of being unsafe.

This was fun to read! I admire you for taking on such a massive solo trip, and I'm envious of all the hours that allowed you to spend in museums. I've done just a little solo travel, and loved the museum part but too often dreaded mealtimes. You've opened my eyes to the possibilities of hostel stays, though as a true introvert, the idea sends my stress level to the roof. Maybe. But brava to you for becoming a traveler! I really hope you get more trips to Europe.

What a fabulous trip! What a great trip report! And, I can't believe you did so well on your first European trip - I sure made a lot more mistakes on my first trips - so congratulations on all the research and planning.

Are you sure this is your last and only trip? It sounds like you have all kinds of ideas of what to see and do on a return visit. Like many of us, I think you've caught the travel bug. I do hope you have an opportunity to return.

I have to say I am very impressed that you would undertake a trip of this magnitude and seems like you handled it beautifully! I hope I am that adventurous when I am 69! Cheers to you! And great trip report by the way:)

Nancy is my hero! I am 55 and not nearly so adventurous! She did an immense amount of planning and hearing her stories in person at our travel meetings have been a real treat.

Thanks, Kathy.

Much of what I managed to do right is due to learning from my local RS travel group. Anyone planning a first trip, or probably a fifth or tenth trip, should consider finding a good group to attend.

I am new to the TripReport forum, and have never heard of a RS travel group. I am certainly curious how those come to be.
I really enjoyed this review and love the feedback on your museum visits. In my mental wanderings, I construct potential travels, and the Bernina train route is in there if I ever find my way back to that area of Italy. Glad you took it. I am also really impressed with your light weight packing for so many days. Sorry you were cold so often, though. I think a lot of cold damp is hard to dress for...so penetrating.
I am a seasoned solo traveler, but I can't see myself doing the hostel route. At 60, my sleep is precious, and as a light sleeper, I can't see success in the bunk rooms. When I think I will give it a try, I find I can find alternative lodging at as good a price and better located. One day I'll just 'do it' and then I will know how I like it. I just feel that intense tourist days require a good restful night.
Again, thanks for taking the time to write this detailed report. Well thought out and presented - just like your travel seemed to be. I do hope there is more of it in your future.

There is a category for Travel Group Meetings under the Trip Reports and Tips section of this forum. That is where you find out about a group near you.

Got it, thanks. So sort of like a "Meetup" for RS fans and in person. I thought it might be an online group.
I learn more everyday.

Did all the hostels have lockers so you could safely leave your belongings behind in your room during the day?

Outstanding report,

p.s. I eat at Nandos every time I visit London.

Michael, yes, there was some type of locker in each hostel. Occasionally this was large enough and shaped appropriately for storing my whole bag. But much more typically, it would be a metal container maybe 2 feet long, 18 inches wide, and 10-12 inches tall. My bag was usually a little too fat.

If planning such a trip, you need to take your own padlock. Maybe two-thirds of the hostels had a key they would give you, but a few still used a padlock system.

But the point is that it will be possible to lock up your valuables, which in my case was only my tablet. The shared wisdom is that no one wants your dirty clothes, and I certainly didn't feel that any roommates were on the prowl to take someone else's belongings. A few times I also locked up my folder that contained tickets etc. I took my camera and phone with me every day, and carried my passport and bank cards in the money belt.

Thanks for the comprehensive response.