The Travel Thread

[WA Toffee]

Did they just throw water or did the use that boiling hot paste as well?

Hot paste?
Nah, just water guns and buckets of water

 

[big bobs beard]

Thinking of Sicily next summer as somewhere I've never been, going to Kos to be lazy on the beach but fancy another week away with a bit of sightseeing. Any recommendations there? Places to avoid?

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

Thinking of Sicily next summer as somewhere I've never been, going to Kos to be lazy on the beach but fancy another week away with a bit of sightseeing. Any recommendations there? Places to avoid?

Gotta do a winery tour on the slopes of Mt Etna...I highly recommend this place (about 30 minutes from Catania - you will have to phone and make an appointment (they speak English). Oh and make sure you book a table for lunch at the restaurant - as the food/wine/views are to die for:-

Baronne Di Villegrande
Phone +39 095 7082175 Monday - Friday from 9:00 to 13:00
Mob. +39 393 0076588

http://www.villagrande.it/en/

 

[toffeepie1878]

I went to Chiang Mai in March, absolutely loved it. We went during songkran which is basically a city wide water fight for 3 days. As it was 42 degrees every day I was more than happy to join in.
Ended up going to a 3d art gallery, highly recommend it

Greets from Amazing Thailand!

amazing but for mossie bites that is... was in Chaing Mai and Mon jam, amazing views. Back in bkk for now and more trips await to Ratchabury, Ayutthaya and Pattaya.

 

[nosejam]

Just booked a trip to Copenhagen for new years eve plus a few days after.

Any tips appreciated but wondering is it worth going over to Malmo for a day?

 

[Zatara]

Hot paste?
Nah, just water guns and buckets of water

Yeah in BKK and Pattaya (which is a total hell hole) you get the water and also the girls make this hot paste they rub on your body as well...they start touching your face with it but get it in your eyes and its agony.

 

[atrottel]

Thinking of Sicily next summer as somewhere I've never been, going to Kos to be lazy on the beach but fancy another week away with a bit of sightseeing. Any recommendations there? Places to avoid?

We stayed at Cefalu on the north coast, which was OK and had train connections to Palermo and to the ferry point for the islands.

Palermo is fairly scuzzy in parts and almost what you expect of preconceived ideas of Sicily (southern, poor, Mafiosi-influenced) but still worth a day. Definitely go out to Stromboli on the ferry. Get there in the late afternoon and start the climb up the volcano as the sun is going down. You get fabulous views out over the sea to the mainland and, once the sun has set, you turn a corner and see the glowing stream of lava coming down the hill. You get up to the top about 23.00 to midnight and can spend time up there looking down into the crater (and the lava). The walk down will get you back around 02.00-03.00 before the ferry in the morning. I think you can do it on your own, but probably safer to do it as part of a guided walk as we could see the route we took down from the ferry the next day - scree above some decent drops!

Other than that, hire a car and visit some of the scenery and history - it's a bit like Turkey in that it has plenty of both. We had a Smart and buzzed around the west coast (Trapani and Marsala) as well as a fair bit of the interior (Corleone, obviously) and some of the nature reserves. We missed out the east coast (Taormina, Catania, Syracuse) but would definitely go back again. Food and wine is also excellent.

 

[centralTon]

Just booked a trip to Copenhagen for new years eve plus a few days after.

Any tips appreciated but wondering is it worth going over to Malmo for a day?

Was there in April, had a great time, but it's expensive. We did...

Nordic Noir tour - Ideal if you're a fan of Borgen, The Killing or The Bridge,
Day trip to Malmo over the Oresunds Bridge - We did this mainly because we're fans of The Bridge and wanted to see Malmo, passport check on both sides of the bridge, so make sure you take your passport in you decide to go. Nice old square not far from Malmo Central, but if anything, slightly more expensive than Copenhagen.
Rundturn - Round tower with great views over the city,
River cruise - Takes you out to the Little Mermaid and round the canal system,
Christiania - Hippy commune from the 60's / 70's, a bit worse for wear, but interesting enough and the constant smell of weed.
Wander around the city centre, flat and easily negotiable, but be aware of the bikes...they're everywhere.

Tivoli Gardens was closed when we were there and we didn't bother with the Carlsberg tour, but if you're into your beer, Warpigs, Mikkeller, Taphaus and Copenhagen Brewpub should suit you and unless you're veggie, a hot dog from the stand at the Town Hall is a must...enjoy.

 

[nosejam]

Was there in April, had a great time, but it's expensive. We did...

Nordic Noir tour - Ideal if you're a fan of Borgen, The Killing or The Bridge,
Day trip to Malmo over the Oresunds Bridge - We did this mainly because we're fans of The Bridge and wanted to see Malmo, passport check on both sides of the bridge, so make sure you take your passport in you decide to go. Nice old square not far from Malmo Central, but if anything, slightly more expensive than Copenhagen.
Rundturn - Round tower with great views over the city,
River cruise - Takes you out to the Little Mermaid and round the canal system,
Christiania - Hippy commune from the 60's / 70's, a bit worse for wear, but interesting enough and the constant smell of weed.
Wander around the city centre, flat and easily negotiable, but be aware of the bikes...they're everywhere.

Tivoli Gardens was closed when we were there and we didn't bother with the Carlsberg tour, but if you're into your beer, Warpigs, Mikkeller, Taphaus and Copenhagen Brewpub should suit you and unless you're veggie, a hot dog from the stand at the Town Hall is a must...enjoy.

Lots to be getting on with there thanks!

Being so close to Denmark did they accept danish krone in Malmo or would I have to get the Swedish variety?

I'm a big fan of beer, her not so much but I can make it work.

 

[centralTon]

Lots to be getting on with there thanks!

Being so close to Denmark did they accept danish krone in Malmo or would I have to get the Swedish variety?

I'm a big fan of beer, her not so much but I can make it work.

We bought return train tickets at Copenhagen Central with DK, but waited until we arrived in Malmo to take SK out of an ATM. Just took out enough to last the day and spent it all before we left. Went to a music shop/café called Folk a Rock which was quite quirky and there's a BrewDog there as well now.

 

[LocalNative]

Helsinki or Vienna for February? Anyone got any tips or advice for the two? Or anywhere else in Scandinavia baring Oslo due to its ridiculous prices and Copenhagen as i've already been.

Leaning towards Helsinki atm.

 

[evertony]

Christmas is big in Bilbao mate. Check it out, Santo Tomas market

Very under-rated region....had a couple of great long weekends in Santander, Bilbao and Torrelevega.

 

[evertony]

Just booked a trip to Copenhagen for new years eve plus a few days after.

Any tips appreciated but wondering is it worth going over to Malmo for a day?

Take a huge pile of the folding stuff. It's expensive....and in my humble opinion a bit dull. Helsinki and Stockholm are much more fun but equally heavy on the pocket.

 

[evertony]

Helsinki or Vienna for February? Anyone got any tips or advice for the two? Or anywhere else in Scandinavia baring Oslo due to its ridiculous prices and Copenhagen as i've already been.

Leaning towards Helsinki atm.

Quality place....great on the eye, plenty to do but like most of Scandinavia relatively expensive. Go to Stockholm for a few days then take the overnight ferry to Helsinki....the final half hour of the journey is stunning.

 

[evertony]

We visited there on the bus when staying on Miami South Beach last February and the most ordinary car we saw there was a Mercedes S500. There was just one narrow public walkway from the main road onto the beach, every other access (from hotels, private blocks) was a secure private gate!

Had a wander round the Bal Harbour Shopping Mall....now that is an expensive place.
The hotel car with chauffeur happily takes you anywhere in a six-mile radius...in a sparkling new Bentley! Very nice.