Mailbag
Greg D. of Milford, MA: "I would like to take a trip to Paris around Valentine's Day. Can you tell me what the weather will be like at this time? Also, would I have to make a restaurant reservation before I arrive because of Valentine's Day?"
Rick says: The weather in Paris can be brittle-cold off-season, but usually averages around 45 degrees during daylight hours in February. Yes, make restaurant reservations in advance for Valentine's Day. Europe celebrates the holiday, too. When making reservations at European restaurants popular with locals, remember that Americans who eat early (before 8 p.m.) generally encounter fewer crowds. The local gang comes in well after 8 p.m.
Carol B. of Newton: "We are going to Paris for a week in March (first time) and have an opportunity to rent an apartment or stay in a hotel. I think the apartment would be more comfortable, but my husband thinks we will miss the convenience of a concierge to help us with questions about getting around. Do you have an opinion about what would be best?"
Rick says: I would go for a hotel, but for the general ambience, not for the help of a concierge. I use a good guidebook (my favorite happens to be Rick Steves' Paris 2004) and the local weekly entertainment guide Pariscope (buy in Paris at any newsstand) for that information. I wouldn't use the kitchen of an apartment (because I'd rather eat out), but I do stock my hotel room with a stash of drinks and munchies so I can feel moved in. Apartment or hotel room, the key choice is your neighborhood. I prefer the rue Cler area (around the Eiffel Tower) and the Marais (northeast of Notre-Dame).
Cassie of Boston: "I will be staying in London for a week. I would love to travel outside of London and see as much as possible. How easy/hard is it to get around? What places are more realistic and reasonable to get to? What is the possibility of traveling to Paris for a day trip?"
Rick says: London is excellent as a base for side-trips. The English have a passion for "cheap day returns" on trains and buses, allowing you to travel to any number of interesting places round-trip for little more than the one-way fare. There is even a book called Day Trips London by Earl Steinbicker. In my London city guide, I recommend (and provide details for) trips to Bath, Cambridge, and Paris. If you want the most exciting day trip from London, make it Paris. You can zip from Big Ben to the Eiffel Tower in less than three hours on the Eurostar train (up to 15 departures a day) and have 12 hours in the City of Light…wow! If you have more time, stay overnight to double your fun and experience.
One downside of day-tripping from London is that you are maximizing nights in a what is perhaps the most expensive city in Europe for hotels.
Mark M. of Marshfield, MA: "I have been hoping to go to Ireland for a long time but have not made the trip, mainly due to limited funds. I have always been willing to travel there in the winter, early January to February. My peers, however, claim it would be much too cold and wet and not worth making the trip. What can you tell me about visiting Ireland in the winter months? Is it something I should avoid, or are the drawbacks overrated?"
Rick says: Ireland is dreary in the winter with cold, rainy, short days. Tourists are few--for good reason. I prefer Ireland in the peak season when the weather is good and the sightseeing scene is at its liveliest. There are never any real crowd problems.
The only downside about peak-season travel from a budget point of view is the costly airfare. Get the best deal you can on the flight, then use a guidebook that connects you with the fine B&Bs (or cheap hostels) you'll find everywhere. You can also save lots of money by using local buses rather than trains or renting a car.
About the weather: expect the worst. In Ireland they claim there's no bad weather…only inappropriate clothing. Good luck.
Tim of Natick: "If we're traveling to London this winter, what's the best way to find out which shows will be playing at the time that we go? How can we then purchase tickets?"
Rick says: Plenty of Web sites list the theater scene. Browse among www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk, www.tkts.co.uk (for discounted tickets), or www.timeout.com. Personally I just pick up a copy of the monthly entertainment guide, Time Out, at the airport upon arrival and a theater flier listing all the plays in town (free at the hotel) and get tickets in London. There always seem to be same-day tickets available for most shows except for this year's hottest plays. And at Tkts (formerly known as the Half-Price Ticket Booth) on Leicester Square, you can get half-price tickets for many plays (hot or not) the same day.
Bill S. of Waltham: "Rick, is there a good place to try ice skating on rivers/canals in or near Amsterdam?"
Rick says: The Dutch people lament the lack of cold that makes a good freeze a once-a-decade event. While most of the world attributes that to global warming, our country would rather not deal with the problem.
CC of Salem: "I am planning on visiting Frankfurt in March. Can you recommend particular places to visit and tours to schedule around the area as well as bordering countries?"
Rick says: Frankfurt is famously not a place to visit, according to most guidebooks. I actually enjoyed it and wrote up an enthusiastic little chapter, available in its entirety at ricksteves.com as well as in my book on Germany, Austria & Switzerland.
In Germany in the late 1940s, government officials in each of the cities largely destroyed by WWII bombing had to decide whether to rebuild in the medieval style (as Munich did and is quaint today) or in the "Manhattan" style (as Frankfurt did). In Frankfurt, get a look at a no-nonsense German city…from the top of its greatest skyscraper. Then, head for the small towns nearby. I like the Romantic Rhineland (the area between St. Goar and Bacharach) and Rothenburg (Germany's best-preserved medieval walled city). But, with Europe's fine train system and autobahns (with no speed limits), you are just a few hours from piles of world-class destinations: Prague, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Alsace, the Swiss Alps…I could go on and on.
Julie J. of Norwood, MA: "We are planning on going to Rome, Florence and Venice in March...we are going on the assumption that since they are in southern Europe that it might be a bit warmer than Northern Europe. What should we expect in terms of clothes to bring, places that are open, etc.?"
Rick says: Italy in March is generally crisp and blue. Bring clothing for weather in the 40s and 50s. Remember when traveling in the off-season that you're outside for long stretches so you'll want to have a hat, scarf, mittens, sturdy shoes, and a warm coat. Most sights are open, but with shorter hours than in peak-season. And you won't find many English-language tours, but you can rent audioguides at most major sights.
Alex C. of Boston: "Where is the best place to eat in Rome? Where is a good day trip from Rome?"
Rick says: The best place to eat in Rome depends on your food interests and budget. I'm flying to Rome with my wife tomorrow for a week of serious eating. We'll enjoy great places in and around Trastevere (over the river--plenty of characteristic hole in the walls) and on or near the atmospheric Campo dei Fiori. I list 15 or 20 good places to eat in my Rome 2004 guidebook. That's what I'll be using. One good tip for Italian eating: take advantage of the antipasto buffets. For a cheap price you can actually make the delicious line of appetizers your meal. The key word for wine for me is corposo... full-bodied.
As for day trips, consider Ostia Antica, Rome's ancient port less than an hour from downtown Rome. It's easier to get to than Pompeii and nearly as interesting. For a self-guided tour, see ricksteves.com or my Rome city guide. Other interesting day trips include Naples, two hours south by train (can continue farther to Pompeii), or Orvieto, a hill town 90 minutes north of Rome by train.
Mike B. of York, Maine: "I traveled to Italy a few weeks ago. When departing the Rome airport, we were told we could not stamp our VAT receipts until our connection in Paris. Due to flight delays, we were rushed to Paris and escorted on our plane. We have a significant amount of receipts to collect on. What can I do now that we do not have these stamped?"
Rick says: According to my research, your refund cannot be processed without the customs stamp. Sorry. Here are Web sites with details on VAT refunds: www.globalrefund.com, www.cashback.it, and http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/articles/taxfree_shopping.htm.
Kevin K. of Detroit, MI: "I've often heard that buildings are poorly heated in Europe. Does the winter weather necessitate lugging around considerably more clothing? Can you still travel lightly in winter?"
Rick says: I have never found a hotel room that wasn't adequately heated in the winter. Still, in the winter I travel almost as if I'm skiing. I'm flying to Rome tomorrow and bringing heavy shoes, long-johns, mittens, wool hat, and a down ski coat. I plan to be outdoors for long stretches with local guides, enjoying the wonders of that ancient city without shivering.
Rob W. of Rockport, Mass.: "I am going to Paris on January 12-21. I am thinking of getting on a train and going from Paris through Germany, Poland, Prague, Austria, Switzerland and then back to Paris--spending a day in each place. Is this plan possible, or am I planning too much? Also, what would be the cheapest way to buy train tickets?"
Rick says: I'm notorious for traveling too fast. But even I would say doing all that in nine days is too much. Assuming you want to see something of Paris I'd break it down this way: Paris (3 days), night train to Prague (2 days), Vienna (2 days), Swiss Alps (2 days), night train back to Paris. Poland will have to wait. To add Poland, it'd make sense to fly with an "open-jaw" plane ticket into Paris and home from Warsaw. It's been 10 years since I flew in and out of the same city.
You can buy point-to-point train tickets in Paris for the whole journey, but for about the same price as second-class tickets, you could buy a first-class railpass before you go. Get a four-country Selectpass (five days for $398 for one person or $340 apiece for two people), sold at U.S. travel agencies and at ricksteves.com. For the overnight trips, rent couchettes (berths). Try to do this at a Paris travel agency that sports a SNCF sign (stands for French rail system) in its window rather than struggle with lines and a bigger language barrier at ticket windows in Paris' train stations.
Richard A. of Boston: "In planning for a trip to Eastern (Central) Europe next fall, we were dismayed to find that Belarus is basically off-limits: dictatorship, no law and order, visa requirements, extortion, surveillance. What East European countries do you recommend and why? What East European countries do you warn against and why? Is it true that Prague has become "a den of thieves"?"
Rick says: I'd avoid Belarus. While Bulgaria, Romania, and places in the former Soviet Union are fine for more adventurous travelers, you'll find the best conditions and the warmest welcome for Americans in the destinations joyfully covered in my new Best of Eastern Europe guidebook (available mid-February 2004): Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Warsaw, Slovenia, and Croatia (Dubrovnik), with a few fun sidetrips from the big cities. I also include Tallinn (Estonia) in my Scandinavia guidebook. For lots more specifics, see ricksteves.com.
About Prague being a "den of thieves," green and naïve tourists are ripped off more often in that city than elsewhere, but if you're on the ball, it's a wonderful place to visit.
Irene M of Marshfield, Mass.: "We would like to take our 15-year-old grandson to Europe. It will be his first trip to Europe. Do you have any suggestions for a 10-day itinerary that will keep the interest of a teenager?"
Rick says: My parents dragged me to Europe (against my silly will) when I was 14. Three days into the trip--surrounded by new candy, one-armed bandits in hotel lobbies, and women with hairy armpits--I realized, Europe can be a fun and fascinating place to spend my summer. Talking to a man who witnessed the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1914, I fell in love with European history. Later, I realized I didn't need my parents for this kind of adventure and vowed to return every year on my own.
For 10 days in Europe with a teenager, I'd do the biggies: London, Eurostar (the English channel train), Paris, Swiss Alps (mountain biking below the Schilthorn), and the Italian Riviera. A sane tempo would require skipping the Riviera or London. Why only 10 days?
Mary B. of Wayland, MA: "We are traveling to Italy this summer (2 adults, 3 kids). We would like to spend two nights in August in the Cinque Terre area. Can you recommend somewhere we can stay? We really want to have advance reservations!"
Rick says: If you must have advance reservations, you'll need to book a hotel rather than a B&B. Most places there don't seem to keep a calendar more than a couple months in advance. When faxing places, consider no response a "no" message. Use e-mail. My Italy guidebook lists all the best places. The towns nearby are less magic, but come with more normal hotels. August is the really crowded time there. Good luck.
