Trip to Europe, experienced help requested

[canoncrazy]

yep, i'll end up wearing my "pro-war" tee-shirt in Paris, France. i have always heard they despise us. i dont want to offend anyone here from there so i will just say i will enjoy my short time there and get to the party waiting in Spain! Thanks for all the help! 

[squidwood]

what time in May?
Isle of Man TT End of May beginning of June.
Probably be able to get to Silverstone for WSB before Isle of Man TT.
The week after TT there should be a moto GP somewhere.
Base your trip around that lot and you'll have fun.I did!
Need any info about the UK let me know, thats where I spent the first 17 years on this planet.
Europe is spendy .Best to use plastic if you can because rates are better than buying pounds or Euros...they will charge up to !0% for exchanging money.
Go to Dublin .Frickin awesome.
Scotland eh........Edinburgh is nice, I got some friends that used to have a B&B near Inverness Castle. Let me know if that interests you I'll contact them and see if they are still doing it .
Paris is ok  but I thought it was a dirty shitty hole.
See the Eiffel tower and the sights then leave.
Belguim is bloody brilliant.People are awesome.Brussels is unreal!
Take the chunnel from UK to Paris rent a car if you need to.
If you are travelling in Europe and you want cheap flights Ryannair.I think I paid like $30.00 inc taxes from Newcastle Intl to Dublin.
Took about 45 mins.
You can fly anywhere in Europe for cheaper than the train.
Enjoy your trip.

[Mac_48]

I lived in Spain last quarter and probably one of the coolest things I did was go to Barcelona and look at the Gaudi buildings...if you can make it there I would put that on teh top of your list for things to do in Spain.  Also one tip....don't mess with the bouncers at the bars because most of them are connected to the mob(no joke).  It is a wonderful country and you can have a blast.  Have a great trip

[DesmoLu]

Everyone has great suggestions but I have a few specifics to add in there. I've lived in London, France and Spain and did some extensive traveling while I was there so here are my must-dos:

1. In London, spend some time just relaxing in the cafe of the Tate Modern Museum. It's probably the best view in all of London (the one you'll see in all the movies) for the price of a cup of coffee. Even though it seems overpriced, do the London Eye too but only at sunset. It's worth it especially since you will be with the lady.
2. Spend most of your time in Edinburgh at the bars to get to know the awesomeness that is the drunk scotsman. You WILL have a good time. And keep a watchful eye on the lady for sure.
3. PM for info if your interested in renting a bike in London. I used a great co. there and they even let me take it to Paris for the weekend. You will have fun trying to beat the Eurostar's time.
4. You can enjoy Paris a lot more than people think if you just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere instead of trying to cram in a bunch of sites. The cafe you want to go to is called Deux Magots and it is on the Blvd. St. Germain. It's rich in history, perfect for people watching, has great hot chocolate and is probably the essence of Paris. There are some really cool old hotels in the alleys off this street too.
5. Don't go to Paris without going to Harry's Bar late in the night (after 3am) for a drink and a cigar. I've been to some amazing bars and this is my favorite. It's hidden in an alley somewhere near the Paris Ritz.
6. Hang out in the Latin Quarter for restaurants and nightlife. Make sure you invest in a hotel near here. Staying in a hotel away from the central touristy district may seem like a bargain but it will completely ruin the city for you.
7. Rent a car and just drive through the Loire Valley and along the Alps without any kind of agenda. Magic will find you.
8. In Provence, Orange and Avignon are amazing cities with great roman ruins if you are into history.
9. Skip the Riviera unless you are a millionaire or a playboy trying to pretend he is a millionaire.
10. Ditto on El Matador's comments on Spain. Don't eat at restaurants, just buy food on the go from the pastry shops. More specifically, in Granada, you want to follow the Paseo de los Tristes all the way up to the steep hill into the cave district where you will find all the cool Flamenco bars. Do NOT pre-buy tickets from any hotel or tourist vendor. Just head for the caves around midnight. You also want to go to a jazz club called Eshavira hidden in an alley just off the Calle Azacayas. If you want a nice dinner with atmosphere go to on of the miradores in the Abaicin.
11. If you are into nature/hiking type activities, spend some time wandering around the hills above the Alhambra and in Las Alpujarras (it's a cheap bus ride from Granada and worth it to see villages still stuck in the 15th century). I also think the bullfights in Granada are a more genuine old school Spanish experience than the more modern spectacle you will see in Madrid.
12. The other must do in Spain is to rent a car and explore the "white villages" in the center of Andalucia. This will give your lady a dose of romance that will last at least a few years.
13. Skip the Costa del Sol unless you want glamourous partying, which would be better in Barcelona anyway. Speaking of Barcelona, do PM me for info on the bike rental. I had a *great* experience there.
14. If you like to drink, spend a day milking the bodegas in Jerez for all the free sherry you can.
15. NEVER, never EVER, miss up any opportunity to party with the Spanish. It is a good time not soon forgotten.

Hope you have a great time!!!

[El Matador]

Everyone has great suggestions but I have a few specifics to add in there. I've lived in London, France and Spain and did some extensive traveling while I was there so here are my must-dos:

1. In London, spend some time just relaxing in the cafe of the Tate Modern Museum. It's probably the best view in all of London (the one you'll see in all the movies) for the price of a cup of coffee. Even though it seems overpriced, do the London Eye too but only at sunset. It's worth it especially since you will be with the lady.
2. Spend most of your time in Edinburgh at the bars to get to know the awesomeness that is the drunk scotsman. You WILL have a good time. And keep a watchful eye on the lady for sure.
3. PM for info if your interested in renting a bike in London. I used a great co. there and they even let me take it to Paris for the weekend. You will have fun trying to beat the Eurostar's time.
4. You can enjoy Paris a lot more than people think if you just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere instead of trying to cram in a bunch of sites. The cafe you want to go to is called Deux Magots and it is on the Blvd. St. Germain. It's rich in history, perfect for people watching, has great hot chocolate and is probably the essence of Paris. There are some really cool old hotels in the alleys off this street too.
5. Don't go to Paris without going to Harry's Bar late in the night (after 3am) for a drink and a cigar. I've been to some amazing bars and this is my favorite. It's hidden in an alley somewhere near the Paris Ritz.
6. Hang out in the Latin Quarter for restaurants and nightlife. Make sure you invest in a hotel near here. Staying in a hotel away from the central touristy district may seem like a bargain but it will completely ruin the city for you.
7. Rent a car and just drive through the Loire Valley and along the Alps without any kind of agenda. Magic will find you.
8. In Provence, Orange and Avignon are amazing cities with great roman ruins if you are into history.
9. Skip the Riviera unless you are a millionaire or a playboy trying to pretend he is a millionaire.
10. Ditto on El Matador's comments on Spain. Don't eat at restaurants, just buy food on the go from the pastry shops. More specifically, in Granada, you want to follow the Paseo de los Tristes all the way up to the steep hill into the cave district where you will find all the cool Flamenco bars. Do NOT pre-buy tickets from any hotel or tourist vendor. Just head for the caves around midnight. You also want to go to a jazz club called Eshavira hidden in an alley just off the Calle Azacayas. If you want a nice dinner with atmosphere go to on of the miradores in the Abaicin.
11. If you are into nature/hiking type activities, spend some time wandering around the hills above the Alhambra and in Las Alpujarras (it's a cheap bus ride from Granada and worth it to see villages still stuck in the 15th century). I also think the bullfights in Granada are a more genuine old school Spanish experience than the more modern spectacle you will see in Madrid.
12. The other must do in Spain is to rent a car and explore the "white villages" in the center of Andalucia. This will give your lady a dose of romance that will last at least a few years.
13. Skip the Costa del Sol unless you want glamourous partying, which would be better in Barcelona anyway. Speaking of Barcelona, do PM me for info on the bike rental. I had a *great* experience there.
14. If you like to drink, spend a day milking the bodegas in Jerez for all the free sherry you can.
15. NEVER, never EVER, miss up any opportunity to party with the Spanish. It is a good time not soon forgotten.

Hope you have a great time!!!

Damn, babe. We HAVE to go to spain together. 

[duc_fan]

Okay... we need to sticky this thread or something.  Needs to be archived.  Lots of great sounding stuff in here... stuff I gotta try if/when I ever make it across the pond.

[squidwood]

if anyone is interested in taking a trip to London let me know. I can organise a tour if enough of you are interested for this summer.

[Mac_48]

http://www.ricksteves.com/
this is a great resource.  the walking tours are pretty cool and you can move at your own pace instead of being dragged around or held back.  I always have a copy when I go over there