This is a new thread full of Europe information. It is to be used for Europe-specific tips, advice and recommendations ONLY. As a content-rich thread, we do not want any back-and-forth or questions. Please direct all questions via Private Messages (Click on "Go" in the left hand corner, select "My Space" and then "Private Messages") to the poster. You can also issue a PM by clicking on the poster's name and selecting "Private Message". Any post that does not contribute relevant information will be deleted. Examples include: responses to previous posts in the thread and questions. The information can be on any city, region or country in Europe. Enjoy!

I'll start with a few of my favorite links for learning about travel in Europe (and there is so much information it's insane!)

Rail travel:
www.eurail.com - all about Eurailing
www.interail.com - all about Interrailing
www.eurostar.com - High speed rail travel from the UK to the mainland
www.tfl.gov.uk - Transportation For London official site
www.renfe.es - Spain's rail site
www.thetrainline.com - Buy your UK tickets here
www.stanstedexpress.com - Train to/from London Stansted and Liverpool St
www.gatwickexpress.com - Train to/from Gatwick Airport and Victoria
www.heathrowexpress.com - Train to/from Heathrow and Paddington
www.seat61.com - Joe E's favorite overland travel site! Orient Express from London anyone?
www.trenitalia.com - go by rail in Italy

Bus Travel:
www.eurolines.com - long distance bus travel in Europe; inexpensive and everywhere
www.nationalexpress.com - UK's Bus Service; watch for £1 fun fares
www.megabus.com - Whatever happened to those old London buses? They've been turned into big blue budget travel coaches. Get a fare for £1 up (small booking fee)
www.busabout.com - a hop on hop off alternative to Eurailing.
www.greenline.co.uk - Get to Bath, Windsor, Stonehenge and London's Luton airport easy and cheap with this bus service

Budget Airlines:
www.easyjet.com
www.ryanair.com
www.bmibaby.com
www.virginexpress.com
www.airberlin.com
www.aerlingus.com
www.flymonarch.com
www.basiqair.com (aka Transavia)
www.mytravellite.com
www.germanwings.com
www.vueling.com
www.wizzair.com

Airline search engines
www.openjet.com
www.skyscanner.com
www.travelocity.co.uk
www.expedia.co.uk
www.traveljungle.co.uk
www.bookingbuddy.com (mainly US but some will work for Europe)

Student Travel Folk
www.statravel.com
www.usit.ie
www.trailfinders.co.uk

Other great resources
www.tntmagazine.co.uk - The magazine itself. Job, visa info for all your working holiday needs
www.gumtree.com - mainly an Antipodean in the UK site, great for flats, jobs, buying and selling
www.1stcontact.com - Visas, working abroad, mainly Antipodean
www.globalvisas.com - Visas, bank accounts and all other WHV needs
www.ukvisas.gov.uk - UK visas
www.findaproperty.co.uk - looking for a flat?

That's just a few I have in my database...

TerminalA budget airline (Spain)

ALSA Spanish buses

German railway: www.bahn.de
(also in English, French, and Italian)

For flights around Europe: www.gooflight.com

It searches European airlines to find the cheapest airfare. This includes connections. Very useful.

I'll probably be adding more, but Sleepzone in Galway, Ireland was the nicest hostel I've ever stayed in. The rooms were impeccable, clean and modern with individual lights for each bed, and ALL ensuite (so nice!). Very nice, helpful, cute, young staff. Also had a lovely kitchen area downstairs, free internet, and it's right by Eyre Square (main area of Galway).

Greek Ferries have information on ferries from Greece to Italy, and travel within the Greek Islands. Have timetables, although at times the language can be a bit dodgy.

http://www.gtp.gr/RoutesForm.asp -- excellent tool for guidance on ferry routes and possibilites in the greek isles. About as accurate as it gets, I think.

ACCOMMODATIONS (Greece):
In Oia, on Santorini: Lauda Hotel/pension. Rooms are decent, but the view is to die for. For a single in off-season, it was 30E/night. (There is supposed to be a nice hostel in Oia, the Oia Youth Hostel, but it doesn't open until May 1 of each year.)

In Paroikia, on Paros: Rena Pension VERY nice. VERY nice owner, who is fluent in Greek, English, Dutch, and apparently German. Very helpful w/ giving suggestions on day-trips. Again off-season, but she let me have a single for 18E/night. Private bathroom, private room.

In Hora, on Naxos: Iliada Studios. Supreme view; in Grotta section of town. More expensive, but extremely nice rooms. Nice owner. Very clean. 35E/night for a very nice single, in off-season.

In Mykonos Town, on Mykonos: Apollon Hotel. Right on the harbor. Very clean, and the owner, Maria, is a gem. Very grandmotherly and welcoming. A real treasure to meet! 30E/night, off-season, for a single.

In Tinos Town, on Tinos: Eleana Hotel. Very clean, almost like a real hotel room. 25E/night for a single, the only downside is that the owner speaks virtually no English, so communication is quite difficult.

In Athens: Hotel Tempi. The room itself was probably the worst of the entire trip, but it was clean, and I can't complain. Great location - right by the market and Acropolis. 38E/night for the single.

FOOD:

In Paroikia, Paros -- Christos Taverna is excellent.

In Oia, Santorini -- Lotza cafe has the BEST patio view, and has the best spinich pie I found in my travels.

In Mykonos Town, Mykonos -- Nikos Tavern has very good meals; on the more expensive side, but still reasonable. --Jimmy's (despite the silly name) has EXCELLENT gyros; cheap, and great for lunches. -- Hibiscus has excellent pastries. My mouth still waters, thinking of them.

And in Naxos Town, Naxos -- I'm blanking on the name, but there's an excellent Creperie, right next to the tourist office, which is next to the bus info center. It's perfect for breakfasts.



Lynn

1) Another great low-cost air carrier is Sky Europe (Based in Bratislava)

2) The German Rail site mentioned earlier also has timetables for most all of Europe - very useful.

3) meleTERC comprehensively covers rail travel - AND it lists prices.

www.ns.nl Netherlands Railways

I was in Sicily in 2004 and stayed with the Ursuline nuns in Siracusa. I had a huge room with 3 beds overlooking the sea for 40 euros with breakfast. If you go to this website and ask them to rent out the place across the street it should work. The same nuns run this fancy hotel too.
http://www.sistemia.it/domusmariae/english/

Make sure and eat at Bruno's place called Saporo di Sicilia near the artesian fountain.

Stay at the Elios Hotel in Taormina for 60 euros for 2.
http://www.elioshotel.com/index.html I love that view!

The Kismet Dao hostel in Brasov, Romania, is by far the best hostel i've ever stayed in.

You get free laundry, free internet and even a free beer every night you stay, plus the staff are all gorgeous.

Most importantly though the atmosphere is great and its a great place to Chillax with fellow backpackers.

The towns lovely of course, but i'd go back just to stay in the hostel

Budget airlines: http://www.whichbudget.com

For all kinds of information about cities, towns, places concerning
- accommodation
- maps and photographs
- history
- sights
- opening hours
- how to get there
- guided tours
- events (concerts, theatre, festivals, ...)
- how to get tickets
- etc. etc. etc.
I recommend looking at the website of the local tourist office, especially for the German speaking countries. Usually there is an English version of the website.
Google will find it: enter the Name of the place (in correct spelling...) plus "tourist information".

Those websites are extremey helpful. Often it's even possible to book accommodation and tickets online. And if you don't find the information you need, send them an e-mail.

Great city on Amalfi Coast and Great Budget Stay!!!!!!!!!!

I ended up seeing everything on The Amalfi Coast by staying in Salerno. It was so central. I saw the whole amalfi coast plus pompei (that ride was 20 min and cost 1,30euro by train). You can avoid the tourist hoards when you are not doing your daytrips, this was nice.
FOR OUR ACCOMODATION my partner and I spent 35EUROS (included both of us) per night for the room in this great little place run by a Canadian. We booked thru her personally and and we got very personal service during our stay. it was great. They are at http://www.mysalernoapartment.com
If you really want to have a different experience try this city and this little place.

Everything about it was better and cost less - The food the lodging... I spent 4 days in Positano 3 years ago and I could have done a day trip there for very little.
The restaurant/nightlife district was concentrated in one place and there was such a variety of places to chose from and the cost was really reasonable and much less for eating out. People watching was great too.