Holidays

[muppet]

Think Barcelona is top notch myself but have never been to Rome and would like to try it out sometime soon. Any of you ever been to Florence? dunno why but i've always wanted to try it.

Did a day trip when in Tuscany for a wedding for a few days. Well worth seeing.

Do your couch to 5k!

I was in Tuscany (but not in Florence) for a wedding, for a few days, and I did a day trip to Florence while I was there. See?

[5 Sams]

Thinking of booking a weekend away for myself and the other half. We would usually just book these in Ireland so wouldn't be overly well travelled. Any recommendations for a nice city to visit on the continent?

We'd need more information. What are you after, sightseeing, weather, food, music? Do you want a place that you can see  somewhat in a weekend or a place that you only have time for the highlights (Rome wasn't seen in a day).  Is cost important?

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far folks.

On the above:
Sightseeing - Hope to see some sights during the day so that would be pretty important.
Food - Would be fairly important too. Somewhere that's nice for a bite to eat and a beer in the evenings.
Weather - Would be a bonus but not a big factor.
Music - Not too bothered.
Cost - The cheaper the better if it can be done but probably not a determining factor.

Another thing I have been thinking on is the language barrier. How have people found communicating in these cities when they don't know the native language? Do some have more English speaking people than others?

Another vote for London. Up there with NYC for sightseeing. The tube system is brilliant so you could realistically stay in a cheaper hotel further out in the sticks and everything will still be accessible. If you haven't been before I would highly recommend it.

[heffo]

Doing Geneva in 4 weeks time and then over into France to roll down the Alps so that should be nice, def have to try Rome and Paris sometime soon.

I've been working in Switzerland since the new year - not a huge pile to see in Geneva and bring your wallet!

Jasus Heffo don't be telling me that...i'm away with 3 other tights bastids. They'll have a stroke

It's a small enough city centre so you'll have the trip advisor top ten done in a couple of hours, take a cruise on Lake Geneva, if you have scope to go to France earlier, do it - it's beautiful around there and much cheaper.

[Canalman]

Another thumbs up for London. It and NY by far the most interesting places I have visited. Jerusalem would get a shout in also.

So so much to do and see in London. Alot of it free as well. Hotels in the outer zones cheapish.......... doesn't matter where as Tube is excellent.

[ziggy90]

Bologna is a superb place for a long weekend. Lots to see, food is superb and much less expensive than Rome. Airport is very close to city as well. You can take the train across to Florence for a day trip as well. Cannot recommend highly enough.

I didn't find Rome overly expensive. The Vatican and Colosseum are pretty much the only 2 things you have to pay to see. Some class wee restaurants in the old part that are cheap to eat and drink carafe's of wine in...unbelievable city. Some of the car parking is crazy .

Sorry should have been clearer. Lots of places in Rome not too expensive but i still found Bologna much cheaper and probably more of a selection as its the gastro capital of Italy apparently. Only had the day in Florence but enough to convince me to go back and take probably 3 days at it.

There's more to sightseeing than restaurants Maddog?? 

Correct, but after tramping around a city for 6 hours you do need some quality refuelling would you not agree ? Like lamb chops in the fiddlers in Ballagh for example.

From what I remember of that trip the only walking you did was from The Fiddler's to Solan's onto to Mannion's up to Creaton's back to The Fiddler's before finally "escaping" to the   out of body experience of Boland's.
Beat any city break methinks??

[ziggy90]

Big thumbs up for me for London, just so easy to get around and so much to do.

[maddog]

Bologna is a superb place for a long weekend. Lots to see, food is superb and much less expensive than Rome. Airport is very close to city as well. You can take the train across to Florence for a day trip as well. Cannot recommend highly enough.

I didn't find Rome overly expensive. The Vatican and Colosseum are pretty much the only 2 things you have to pay to see. Some class wee restaurants in the old part that are cheap to eat and drink carafe's of wine in...unbelievable city. Some of the car parking is crazy .

Sorry should have been clearer. Lots of places in Rome not too expensive but i still found Bologna much cheaper and probably more of a selection as its the gastro capital of Italy apparently. Only had the day in Florence but enough to convince me to go back and take probably 3 days at it.

There's more to sightseeing than restaurants Maddog?? 

Correct, but after tramping around a city for 6 hours you do need some quality refuelling would you not agree ? Like lamb chops in the fiddlers in Ballagh for example.

From what I remember of that trip the only walking you did was from The Fiddler's to Solan's onto to Mannion's up to Creaton's back to The Fiddler's before finally "escaping" to the   out of body experience of Boland's.
Beat any city break methinks??

I was only following our local guide.

[Harold Disgracey]

Stockholm and Copenhagen also very good if a bit pricey.

[Tony Baloney]

London hard to beat. Berlin a great spot too and pretty compact for a weekend of sightseeing and food and drink. Rome great but VERY hot in summer. Was there in August years ago and not recommended.

[5 Sams]

Just reading through this thread lads and it has struck me that in comparison to other European capitals Dublin has fcuk all to offer only the "crack" and a big brewery. ??

[ziggy90]

Plus rip-off hotels and pubs? I've had my fill of it unless there's a game I really want to go to.

[Canalman]

Just reading through this thread lads and it has struck me that in comparison to other European capitals Dublin has fcuk all to offer only the "crack" and a big brewery. ??

Would agree. On paper , Dublin really does not have alot of offer, but Tourists like coming and keep on coming.

What Dublin has imo anyway, is charm and a degree of friendliness you do not tend to get in other cities.

[AZOffaly]

And history. Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Kilmainham, Glasnevin, GPO. And also it has a lot of 'events' in places like the RDS. Finally, because Ireland is so small, Dublin is used as a hub for tourists to go to anywhere in the country. I have to go to Dublin every week, and each time I see the Tour Guides notice board in the hotel I'm struck by the itineraries for the next day. Kerry, Cashel, Waterford, Cork, Galway etc etc.

[muppet]

Just reading through this thread lads and it has struck me that in comparison to other European capitals Dublin has fcuk all to offer only the "crack" and a big brewery. ??

Any idea why?

Maybe, just maybe, it was down to centuries of non-development of stately buildings, grand chateaus, villas or indeed anything in Ireland due to the extraction of wealth by London? It is very notable that there are few impressive buildings here built since we were building castles. Other than the odd cathedral of course, but then the Church got their money from the same impoverished source as the British.

[Tony Baloney]

Just reading through this thread lads and it has struck me that in comparison to other European capitals Dublin has fcuk all to offer only the "crack" and a big brewery. ??

Any idea why?

Maybe, just maybe, it was down to centuries of non-development of stately buildings, grand chateaus, villas or indeed anything in Ireland due to the extraction of wealth by London? It is very notable that there are few impressive buildings here built since we were building castles. Other than the odd cathedral of course, but then the Church got their money from the same impoverished source as the British.

The only decent buildings in the place were built by the Brits. Youse lads would still be burning turf in thatched cottages if it wasn't for them bringing a bit of civilisation.