Zakopane, Poland. Greedy bastards.
Berlin
Not a place in particular, but if you’re driving, avoid any border crossings during peak holiday seasons. Specifically when you’re crossing from the EU into non-EU countries or crossing from Schengen into non-Schengen area. During peak times you might be waiting at the border for hours.
Don’t drive! You’re in Europe… trains go fucking everywhere!
Well, there are some exceptions. This year, I’m travelling by train to all my holiday destinations, but the last connection I will fly because the trains run in such a stupidly way.
Yea - my statement is generally accurate for Western Europe. Eastern Europe, especially the Balkans, is awful for high-speed coverage.
In my case actually Western Europe, but a very specific connection that would either need to go through the alps (which means slow speeds and switching trains a lot) or take a huge detour via Paris.
It seems like you’ve never been to Germany
Wanted to say that too. I mean, technically the train network is pretty well connected but it’s so underfunded that trains oftentimes don’t drive at all or they’re late and then every train after that is also late. It’s mostly fine but it happens way too often. I had to stand in freezing cold for an hour or longer too many times in the last three years where I took the train daily.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just particularly bad where I live, but I regularly have to the the god damn Schienenersatzverkehr, and even this god damn fucking bus that is supposed to replace the train is always like 20 minutes late. Like how the fuck do you even mess that up DB? HOW?!
Yeah, I had to take a SEV for a while too because there was construction on the train tracks and I came late every single day because apparently nobody at DB thought that 2 full trains (and with full I mean that people always had to stand because there weren’t enough seats) couldn’t just fit into one bus. That bus was always completely full (people standing in the middle up to the front door) and a lot of people still just wouldn’t fit in.
Average DB experience
But I’m sure it’s gonna get better if the FDP keeps taking away funds to use them for autobahns
Things get less well connected in the more eastern nations, especially heading down to Greece.
Just to note, this doesn’t apply to the UK. Our trains are generally useless and expensive.
Any reason in particular? I would have thought that the UK would be all over good rail transit.
One word: privatization
Belgorod.
There are over 40 nations in Europe. Most of which have 2000 years of individual history.
What kind of answer are you looking for, exactly ?
I mean - if you’ve been to Switzerland you know the answer is Switzerland.
There was a post earlier today complaining about questions that aren’t open-ended, and therefore don’t adhere to the community rules. So here we are with a question with many possible answers (which makes it properly open-ended).
OP is a close relative of “Hey everyone, I have 5 days to visit Europe, what’s the best route to see everything?”
Reading the title, I would presume OP wants someone from one of those over 40 nations in Europe to say where tourists should avoid at all costs.
Removed by mod
Avoid French cities: people constantly harass you for money and drugs and it looks shady and feels uncomfortable everywhere. Smaller towns can be nice.
And Italy: it’s expensive, people are rude and arrogant and nearly every place I stayed at gave me a curfew so you can’t even go out at night (but there’s nothing to see there anyway).
Usually when hotels close past a certain time you can use a secondary entrance with your keys/card or at most call. Most hotels have a desk open 24h so this doesn’t even apply.
Also, I really don’t think Italians are generally rude. People are friendly, but also loud and warm, which often can be misunderstood. Assholes exist, obviously.
Usually, yes. But not where I stayed. It was all locked down. Maybe I just had bad luck. It was in Triest and Milan by the way.
I’m always impressed by people projecting “arrogance” into others, especially people you don’t shared a language with. Rude? Sure. Dismissive? Why not. But arrogant? How do you know? Did he give you a five page newsletter that extols his superiority? Are you a mind reader?
This comment doesn‘t hold any value anyway. Just bashing the people living there and then saying the whole country is shit.
Better avoid the whole of Europe to be safe.
Sorry, who gave you a curfew?
Several hostels I stayed at closed at 10 pm and wouldn’t allow people to go in or out
Switzerland. If you’ve got buckets of money it’s fine but donair can easily run you 18 francs and a real meal will cost you 100+. I’ve visited twice and both times the extreme costs involved have hamstrung my ability to actually enjoy things. The trains and geography are amazing - but the streets full of jewelers and high fashion specifically targeting millionaires or up are an awful example of late stage capitalism.
donair can easily run you 18 francs and a real meal will cost you 100+.
What the fuck…??? 😲
Well it’s simply not true, doeners are 10-15, and meals in sitdown restaurants are 12-25. I live in Zurich, restaurants are slightly cheaper than in the US ( plus there is no tip or extra tax, what you see on the menu is what you pay) - but there are less budget options available.
I live in switzerland and my lunch costs CHF 2.50 so I don’t know where you’ve been eating for one hundred + francs for a ‘real meal’.
How did you get a 2.50CHF lunch? Migro prepacked sandwich?
I always struggle to find cheap lunch options.
I paid 20€ for a Pizza Margherita in Oslo once. In some very rich places you can feel like a tourist from a developing country even if you are from a less-rich high-income country yourself.
I’ve visited multiple times with a camper, and if you use apps like park for night to find free or cheap places to stay!then buy your own ingredients to cook, it’s actually really acceptable. And the nature is gorgeous!
Same for me, with a bicycle and tent. Camp sites are also ok priced, at least for cyclists. Very much enjoy cycling in switzerland, i also think people are friendly. I used to have different experiences but those were just single persons / crazy people or something.
Sorry but you’re exaggerating, a full meal including drinks in a mid-level establishment will be at max. 50 chf and that’s being generous. And with cheaper places you can even stay below 20 chf.
Yes, Switzerland is expensive but there’s no need to lie about it. Also the stuff about millionaires and all maybe fits a couple streets in Switzerland that are very touristy but there are plenty of places not at all like this.
Donair? What’s that? Fancy Doner Kebab made with Don Perignon and air?
It’s the French transliteration. Doner would be pronounced “donay”.
My first experience with this food was in Halifax decades ago. The Halifax Donair is a unique thing.
And it’s definitely Donair, not Doner.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donair
Interesting. The creation has a Wikipedia page.
Funny enough you are legally not allowed to call that a Döner in the EU. (Döner by law must not use ground beef. If they do you can call them Kebab,but not Döner)
y’all are missing out on the kapsalon
A full meal including drinks will usually run 50 chf per person if you’re a couple most meals will run 100+ - it is possible to eat on a budget (we’ve usually relied on sausage stands and donair). And yea, I’m mostly talking about what you’ll find in Lucerne, Zurich, or Geneva where you’re likely to visit.
I don‘t know where you‘re eating lol. A döner in zurich is about 14-15 francs at the moment never seen one for 18 francs and they increased prices the last two years as well.
If you‘re having a meal and drinks for 50 francs per person you have likely been to a fancy restaurant. Don‘t get me wrong, it absolutely is possible to easily go over 50 francs, however its also is very easy to stay below that and still have a good experience.
As one of said foreigners (an American) I’d say “all of them.” International travel is for people not living below the poverty line.
Helpful. Im glad you had something meaningful to contribute to the discussion.
Just make sure to avoid Brussels. Belgian myself and I hate the place.
Just got back from a 3 day trip to Brussels, we loved it. Plus, Smurfs (Les Schtroumpfs) everywhere. We did take a day trip to Bruges though, that was even better than Brussels IMHO. Especially since I could walk around saying to my wife “If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn’t, so it doesn’t.”.
I went to Charleroi once and it was awful. Brussels is fine.
I visited Brussels this a month ago, I loved it.
Does this mean you love it and want to keep it all to yourself? Also how does it smell?
No, I would tell you to avoid Ghent at all costs then!
Na Ghent and Brugges are lovely. Brussels is kinda meh but not superbad.
Was recommended the same by someone from Brussels.
(He was not 6 foot and full of muscles, to be clear)
Did he speaka your language?
The vegemite sandwiches are enough to keep me away.
Back when Australia was still remote and exotic, before Crocodile Dundee even, a lot of people back in the day thought he sang:
“He just smiled and gave me a bit of my sandwich”,
which would have also made for a fantastic lyric in a very silly way.
Kinda enjoyed my 2 day trip…
Common tourist places during tourist season are usually the worst. I took a 10 day trip to Paris one summer and it was a mix of the most popular tourist places (Louvre, Eiffel tower, etc) and some underground shit my sister found.
Every tourist place was jam packed with annoying tourists, costly and had tons of scammers surrounding it. Every less known place was really awesome, aside from one sketchy neighborhood we had to walk through where we were followed for a while.
I’d also say that Northern Europe has generally been much more pleasant to travel through, for me.
Kursk
I can assure you that my van and my basement are totally save! So come right in stranger.
Paris, it’s the WORST city in all of France.
Correct, it’s the worst most popular place
“Nobody goes there, it’s too crowded”
Yes, please don’t come to Paris. It’s crowded enough as it is. Also we’re all very rude.
I once had a French co-worker tell me that the rest of France would divorce you if they could.
Paris is 80% people from the rest of the country. Which their former neighbours promply hate as soon as they move there.
It’s traditional.
From what my former Parisian grad school housemate told me, I concur. He once said in reply to a friend (named Roger) asking him why people in Paris were mean to him and hate Americans, my housemate replied, “Oh Rogers, zhee French do not hate Americans, zhey hate EVERYONE, especially zhee other French”. My experience in Paris was that the Parisians were surprisingly friendly. But I speak a little French and say Bonjour and Merci when warranted.
My experiences in Rocket League can confirm. People being toxic in chat? Tell them something in chat back – get the “tg” to confirm French. Every goddamn time, always the French that are so rude.
Why? Why are they having such a bad day every day? Play a game to have fun ffs.
Not to hijack a thread, but what does lemmy consider the BEST place in France? I’d like suggestions.
Bretagne
Please don’t hate me: Paris, really.
Toulouse is a pretty laid back larger city that is beautiful without being overly touristy
Most places in the south
Lyon. 3rd sized city. Best food of France. 2 rivers. centre of France so close to anything. should have been the capital of France if the kid of one king didn’t die there for some reason, or whatever
Lyon is pretty great. Depending on the vibe you’re going for, Marseille is also pretty awesome. I’d avoid it in the middle of the summer, but shoulder season down south is amazing. The weather is great, the people are friendly (if you avoid the worst parts of town, like anywhere) and the food is a nice mix of traditional French and Mediterranean cuisine. And make sure to get a flight of Ricard.
If you want to stay in Germany and hop across the border, Strasbourg and Colmar are both nice towns. Has German influence but you get the benefits of being near the black forest for a 2 for 1 trip.
the south, I’m told.
La Rochelle, Nantes are both nice from my experience.
Done. I’ve been on vacation in France many times, visited many regions and provinces. Never been to Paris.
I really liked Paris 🥲 I did go during the end of October though, so that might’ve have been a factor. People still didn’t want to talk to me in French, but they weren’t rude about it.
My favourite place to visit in France was La Rochelle, I feel like I got most of the benefits of visiting Coastal France but without the Marseille/Toulon/Monaco crowds (yes I know, Monaco is not France).
I also liked Paris and I’ve been there twice in summer. People weren’t actively going out of their way to be unfriendly to us, so this was great compared to the rest of france.
Everyone we asked for help did their best to help us, though we have 0 french knowledge. I had very different experiences elsewhere in France (we quickly learned to only speak to arab people outside Paris, if we needed help, worked fine).
We skipped most touristy places and just had a few relaxing days there both times. So that might also be, why we had a pleasant time in Paris.
I’ve been to Paris 3 times, I’m from BC in Canada. April, May and October I went. Had an amazing time every time, people, food, places. It’s one of my favorite cities.
Almost every reason given sounds like a description of my home of Florida.
