Europe's Must-See Landmarks

Eiffel Tower, Paris: Built in 1889 for the International Exposition, the Eiffel Tower is the most iconic symbol of Paris and is on every visitor’s must-see list. The open-lattice iron tower is the City of Light's tallest structure, standing at 985 feet.

Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic: The historic stone bridge over Prague’s Moldau River was once a critical connection between Old Town and the Prague Castle. Now traffic consists largely of travelers from around the world who walk along the scenic structure, buy art from local vendors and take panoramic photos of one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

The Palace at Versailles: This sprawling regal palace was Louis XIV’s extravagant home and the seat of France’s power during the king’s reign. Now, it could take you days to wander the many rooms, salons and gardens where he held court. The palace is also a storehouse of priceless furniture and artistic masterpieces.

Buckingham Palace: When the British royals stay in London they get cozy at their 775-room "home," the official residence of the sovereigns since the early 1800s. Each August and September, the State Rooms – filled with paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Vermeer, among others – are opened to the public.

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark: If you ever thought amusement parks were a modern source of entertainment, check out Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. Opened in 1843, this park expertly blends old (think wooden roller coaster) and new (the lightning-fast Demon coaster) into one venue. There’s also a large carousel and a summer concert series.

Puerto del Sol, Madrid: The Gate of the Sun is the physical and symbolic heart of Madrid; Spaniards have gathered at this plaza for centuries. The central square sits at kilometer 0 of the Spanish road system, and is home to the city’s famous bear and madrona tree statue. If you’re lucky enough to be here on New Year’s Eve, the clock tower on the square does the official countdown for revelers.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain: Architect Frank Gehry designed this museum, located in the port city of Bilbao, to resemble a ship, with its reflective titanium panels mimicking fish scales. Movie lovers might recognize the building from its cameo appearance in the opening sequence of the 1999 James Bond film, "The World Is Not Enough."

Hagia Sophia mosque, Istanbul, Turkey: This soaring cathedral was built in 537 A.D. at Constantinople, today's Istanbul. In 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and the church became a mosque. Christian mosaics were revealed when the landmark became a museum in 1935.

Notre Dame de Paris cathedral, Paris: During the 19th century, Notre Dame de Paris was in such a state of disrepair that city planners considered tearing it down. Novelist Victor Hugo, an admirer of the French Gothic structure, wrote "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" to help draw attention to the cathedral’s plight. Success of the book sparked renewed interest in the building and led to a fundraising campaign that financed the cathedral’s 1845 restoration.

Red Square, Moscow: Domes with golden cupolas surrounded by red brick walls are at the heart of Moscow's Kremlin. The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed on adjacent Red Square features nine towers of different colors

St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome: St. Peter's is one of the most recognizable churches in all of Italy. During the 16th century, Michelangelo worked extensively on the building; in December 2007, a red chalk drawing for the basilica’s dome, Michelangelo’s last known sketch, was discovered in the Vatican archives.

Piccadilly Circus, London: While the name "circus" technically means a circle, the traffic at this five-road intersection in London’s West End can certainly be circuslike. It’s not only a station on the Underground but a busy shopping district – which is fitting, given its name also derives from the success of one particular tailor who made collars called "piccadills" in the 1600s

Colosseum, Rome: The 50,000-seat amphitheater in Rome was inaugurated in 80 A.D. by Emperor Titus, and served as the backdrop for gladiator duels, battle re-creations and dramas. The word "arena" comes from the Latin word for sand, which always covered the colosseum floor.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England: How and why this circular monument of massive rocks was created between 3,000 and 1,600 B.C. is unknown, but some experts say the stones were aligned as part of a sun-worshipping culture or astronomical calendar. Recently scientists have determined that the structure also served as a burial ground.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany: The inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, Neuschwanstein is a creation of "Mad King" Ludwig II of Bavaria. Perched on a peak in the Alps, the gray granite castle rises to towers, turrets and pinnacles.

Giants Causeway: This natural phenomenon on Northern Island’s coast, near Bushmills, consists of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, some more than 20 feet tall, created by an ancient volcanic eruption. The effect looks like steps big enough for a giant to walk into the sea.

The Parthenon on the Acropolis, Athens, Greece: Work began on the temple to the goddess Athena in 447 B.C., and the result was to become one of the world’s most famous examples of Classical Greek architecture. This set-in-stone wonder attracts millions of visitors each year, though restoration efforts are trying to stem the tide of time and pollution on the marble statues and friezes.

Alhambra, Granada, Spain: The palace and citadel — once the residence of the Moorish caliphs who governed southern Spain — feature mosaics, arabesques and mocarabe, or honeycomb work.

Custom House, Dublin, Ireland: The Georgian-style domed Custom House is prominently situated on Dublin’s skyline, and is arguably the most famous building in the city. The 14 keystones over the doors and windows are known as the Riverine Heads because they represent the Atlantic Ocean and the 13 principal rivers of Ireland.

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Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches for 2008

Dr. Beach's Top 10 Beaches for 2008

1. Caladesi Island State Park, Clearwater/Dunedin, Fla.

2. Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii

3. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Fla.

4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, N.Y.

5. Coronado Beach, San Diego, Calif.

6. Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.

7. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii

8. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, N.C.

9. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Fla.

10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.

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Please suggest the finest hotels with the best locations in these cities.

What are your criteria for both a "finest" hotel and a "best" location. Different people will have different ideas of what constitutes finest and best.

Berlin: Adlon Kempinski, Ritz-Carlton.

Prague: Four Seasons, Iron Gate, Mandarin Oriental.

Thingorjus

We just returned from Berlin on Wednesday.

We stayed at Ritz Carlton, and it was a fantastic hotel experience. The hotel itself is beautiful, and the rooms and bathroom are large and well decorated. The location was convenient and the service was top notch.

We walked over to the Adlon to take a look, and our guide told us she always recommends the Ritz over the Adlon.

I read somewhere (I think) that W has just opened a hotel in Prague. If so, you might want to add that to your list for consideration.

It's not part of a deluxe hotel chain, but we liked the small boutique hotel by the castle called U Zlate Studne.

http://www.goldenwell.cz/

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60th Trip I got robbed in Barcelona Spain

Author: suec1
Date: 06/03/2008, 02:27 pm

Well as the title says, on my 20th trip to Europe I was robbed on the Metro in Barcelona - Passage de Gracia station. It was the classic, block the door onto the train, then dip into my zippered purse (clutched tightly to my chest, I might add) while I patiently waited for the woman to move into the car. Surprise, she does not move in, she exits! I should have known it in that instant, if fact we even had a discussion about how pick pockets like to block doorways! But only when I got off the train, did I think to check for my coin purse tucked inside my purse, where I carry my Euros and credit cards. Gone!

We were with some Spanish friends who suggested we first tell the metro police in the station where we exited. He suggested we return to the station where we were robbed and look in the trash cans. He said the thieves almost always take the Euros and throw the rest away because they risk so much more by using stolen credit cards. So we went dumpster diving in the metro station! and in the 4th trash can (fortunately they were not very full and set up in a way it was very easy to look into!) we found the coin purse with the credit cards. PRAISE GOD!

OK now it gets a little weird. Two days later we were again passing thru the Passage de Gracia station. Hmmmm, look at that group of women over there, sitting on the bench, NOT getting on a train. We sit down next to them - they're looking at us, we're looking at them. A train comes and goes, we all watch. Two ladies leave the bench and go and stand at the entrance to the tracks, watching everyone. A train comes in, four ladies move onto a car, surrounding an old man - we begin to yell - "Watch out, watch out, ladrones (thieves)" The four ladies hastily exit the car, begin to run away from the crazy American women, still yelling "ladrones, ladrones" as we all run towards the escaltor.


Will I start to carry my money in a money belt? probably not. Will I ever again patiently wait for another rider to move into the metro car? I'll be watching alot more closely for sure! And if you go to Barcelona, be very wary in that metro station - I think that one and the Plaza Cataluna, they work alot. Connecting passages, lots of tourists, pickpocketers heaven - young to middle aged women. I won't be there anymore (well at not least for a year or two) to identify them for you but just remember, if you do get pick pocketed,dumpster diving may pay off! Happy travels!

My co-worker just came from Amsterdam and London. AMS was fine, in London she got pickpocketed, probably in the metro.

She said, her companion asked why her backpack is opened. The thief(thieves?) took the wallet that she tucked under a sweater in the backpack!

suec:


Very happy that you got away unscathed...after all, all you lost was money..only money! In retrospective thought...it really doesn't matter.

stu T.

This seems endemic in Barcelona and Madrid and makes one wonder why local cops can't catch em - a few dumb American looking tourists as decoys would work wonders.

A shame and a reason to be leery about going to these two cities IMO

On other threads there are scores of folks similarly victimized - even some by locals

So glad you found your credit cards. That would have been a nightmarish hassle. Would never have thought to look in the garbage.

Wow! Obviously you didn't know at the time how they actually did it, but do you have any idea (in hindsight) how they got into your zippered purse, clutched tightly to your body?

I had a zippered purse, worn cross my body and in front, which I thought would be safe. We were lucky and nobody tried anything, but I am amazed at what they get away with.

I'm so glad for you that you found your CCs!

You were lucky - my sister in law ended up bloodied in the gutter after a struggle with a bag thief in Madrid around 8am on a Sunday morning

she had nothing worth much in the bag and was actually trying to get it off to give to the thief and he was struggling as well to get it off

she was battered and bruised and she is a veteran traveler too of many years now

Shopkeepers nearby opening their shops stood by and did absolutely nothing

>Shopkeepers nearby opening their shops stood by and did absolutely nothing<>

Shelly - well it must have been that they were able to unzip the side of my purse that was not next to my body - the zipper does move pretty easily. There was alot of junk stashed in there - sunglasses, kleenex, meds, maybe even a small tour book, but they got out the coin purse and I never felt a thing. I think that was why I did not immediately suspect that I had been robbed - I thought I had a pretty good "lock" on my purse. I travel with my 29 year old daughter - I thought that after "the incident" she would never let me be in control of the purse again - she was quite gracious about it tho and she really got a kick out of chasing the theives the next day.

A zippered purse under your arm really isn't safe. I was pickpocketed on the notorious bus 64 in Rome basically the same way. The thief pried the zipper apart behind my arm while I was distracted (I know, I know, but I'd been drinking and it was late). Happily, all that was in my wallet was one day's cash and an expiring bus pass - I always use a money belt.

I too am very sorry for those who were mugged or had things taken. With regard to the person with the backpack.... A lesson is to NEVER put anything of value in a back back. When in a crowd put your passport, wallet and credit cards in one pocket with your hand over it until you are safely out of the area.

Sorry to hear about your experience - a very good suggestion to go back and look in the trash.

You are very lucky that you found the CCs, I give you credit for going to the trouble to look for them. The one time my wallet was stolen (in college), they also dumped it somewhere so at least I had my IDs.

I don't use a money belt but some places in Spain like Barcelona do sound worse than others. I've been in Madrid, though, and did hear some folks at my hotel desk complain about being pickpocketed in the metro. I do use a purse, but don't carry it in a way that anyone could easily unzip it from the rear without me knowing. I have the zipper opening inaccessible to people beside me. and don't casually carry it under my arm. I would never use a backpack, but I've seen them a lot in Europe, even in Spain. You learn these things after having problems, sometimes. Like the blocking the door thing on the metro. You know when something funny is going on that you should be more careful with your belongings.

these examples are always good descriptives for other people to know what to look out for.

>Shopkeepers nearby opening their shops stood by and did absolutely nothing<>

Certainly but i theorize the shopkeepers themselves were worried about retaliation

When I visited Barcelona a few months ago, the hotel I stayed at gave me a list of "security dos and don'ts" upon check in. Basically it warns visitors about petty crimes and thefts etc. I had read about pickpockets before my trip, but never had a hotel give me a formal warning sheet!

Anyway, I only used my moneybelt when I was moving from city to city with my hands full of luggage. Other times while in Barcelona, I split up all the money and CC into various pockets inside my day bag. My wallet only has some pocket money but no CC. And I also left extra cash in the hotel safe, only took enough cash I would need for the day.

I actually did not witness any crime on my 12-day trip in Spain, but perhaps being there in Feb which is low season means pickpockets are on hiatus as well.

my business colleague was finally robbed. she has lived here for 25 years.

same thing.. metro in valencia during fallas.. but they didn´t get into her purse from above as she had it tightly clutched against her body in FRONT.

they had a razor blade and CUT IT vertically along the side near the bottom and just worked on it during the metro ride as the metro was totally packed wall to wall.

she didn´t even realize it had been slashed down the side until she stopped for a coffee.

why don´t the cops arrest these people?

Until the laws change.. (we are still waiting) these sons of *****es
go in one door and out the other at the court house.

unless they steal more than 3,000 euros, i think, it is not an important "crime".

so..it is a vicious circle visitors and locals are fed up with, let me tell you.

some of the BIG crime rings are getting caught, but theses little creeps just like spain too much and our laws to move on anywhere else.

once i saw a whole FAMILY of thieves get on and off a metro car in madrid.. the little boy holding up a mobile phone to show his mom and saying "mama, mama!!".. with a huge satisfied smile on his face as our train pulled away.

they learn young.

Thank you so much for this first hand report and warning! We will be in Barcelona this Fall and although we take general precautions, it sounds as though this is much more of a problem than I realized. I'll be thinking about the very best way to carry cash and CC's as well as camera, etc.
Does it seem to happen mostly on he Metro?

A better purse would be one with an inside zipper pocket. But, it's still not a good idea to have all your cash and cards in one place.

Double zipper pulls, that can be moved around to the bottom of the bag and twist tied together are better.

Or, a recessed zipper pull, and you tuck the pull inside when out and about.

Where pickpockets are especially problematic, it's just more prudent to use an under your clothing security pouch or a hidden zipper pocket in slacks, etc.

When out and about, I never carry cards/cash in any sort of wallet.

My husband and I were also robbed in Barcelona. We were sitting on a park bench in Arc de Triomph park. We noticed a man watching us. Then he seemed to be talking to himself. We watched him get on his bike and pedal to a tree down the path. He kept looking around the tree at us. The next thing we knew he was in my husband's face yelling in Spanish and pulling on his jacket. He rode away and we were like, what the...? Then I noticed the bag that I had next to me on the bench was gone (taken by his accomplice). Gone was our camera, my iPod, prescription sunglasses, rented cell phone, gps...but he got no cash or CCs (inside jacket pocket, zipped up) and our passports were safely back at the apartment in the safe.

We ran into a pharmacy and as with a previous posters experience, found them less than helpful. Even directed us in the opposite direction for the police station when we asked.

I don't use a purse in Barcelona. Wear pants with zippered or buttoned pockets. Carry only 1 CC and whatever euros I need that day.
I have heard too many stories of women being dragged through the pavement or pushed and badly hurt by thieves trying to dislodge the purses from their shoulders.

Barcelona and this sort of thing features so regularly on this forum that perhaps it is time for formal international recognition, starting perhaps with 'Fodor's Europe Forum's Pick Pocket/ Tourist Mugging/ Robbing Capital of Europe'.

This is very disturbing to read. I had thought about Spain as a destination for our next trip, but after reading these posts I don't think I want to go there. Unfortunate, since there are so many beautiful things to see.

no need to cancel your trip!
People who had no problems in Spain ( or any other place) DO NOT start threads like " I have not been robbed in Barcelona, pick-pocketed in Rome,
mugged in New York....

There are more of us !

please do not cancel a trip over this thread and others.

just prepare yourself.. so you can travel in any country using the most precaution possible.

it is a shame, though, that so much of this is happening to so many poeple that there have even been advisory warnings at embassies worldwide in the past years. (this was highly protested by both cities).

watching these thieves just makes your blood boil. some people in barcelona film them from their apartment balconies and send the films to the television for documentaries.

That's one of the things that riled me - a report a while back, here or somewhere else, of locals - and even other tourists - watching as if it was some kind of sport. In those circumstances you'd be entitled to feel the local authorities are not doing all they can - then it's not a simple matter of accepting it as 'something that occurs in all big cities'.

I've also posted here on Fodor's regarding thieving in Barcelona (trip to Spain in 2006).

What really shocked me (naive I guess) was the attitude of the police. On seeing a pickpocket in action, and then being shown photos taken by our fellow travellers of said pickpocket rifling through many pockets,they merely remarked 'oh we know him!" What the...!

More shocking was watching as the street cleaners emptied all the rubbish containers and piled literally tens of purses and handbags on to the ground as they emptied out the rubbish.

I loved, loved Barcelona, and might return, but I have to say in just three days I witnessed more street crime than in all my previous fifty six odd years - and I've travelled widely.

It does appear to be endemic and dealt with far too lightly by the local authorities. I rarely felt unsafe, but returning would mean hyper vigilence, and that's not exactly relaxing.

How many TIMES have we warned people here about the Metro pickpocketing in Barcelona????????????? (BTW the only time I have ever been pickpocketed)

so it is obviously periodically worth repeating.

It's important to emphasize what one is able to do about things like this - rather than obsess about what couldn't be recovered (the euro cash in this instance) or what won't likely change in the way of circumstances for awhile (the police budget in Spain). This is why I find suec1's report encouraging. She lost something - but took action ON HER OWN. Even without recovering her stuff, taking action is the key to not feeling helpless - a real downer.

In chess, sometimes one has to lose a few pieces in order to win the game. It's important, therefore, to identify what is a) the object of the game and b)what are the most important 'pieces' in the game.

I suggest the objective of the travel game is to safeguard your health and physical safety. That equates to the 'king' - something to be protected at all costs. Your passport is the queen - you surrender that only if some other smaller sacrifice won't do the job. For this reason, it is critical to keep your passport separate from your purse, which being only money is a piece of lesser value.

If someone bigger and stronger than you is trying to mug you for your purse/wallet, try talking calmly to your assailant. Gesture that you're giving him the purse. Smile if you can. This is smart strategy under the circumstances. There's a huge difference psychologically, and possibly in the ultimate outcome, if one makes a tactical, planned retreat as opposed to being caught in a rout.

Freedom from embarrassment is a pawn. Not worth keeping if one of the other pieces is at risk.

Yes, sometimes you lose at the game. But as someone once said, "I may not always win, but damnit, I'm qualified." To that I add, one is qualified - so long as one keeps playing.

"Does it seem to happen mostly on the Metro?"

Not necessarily... we witnessed a couple working the street in Madrid. Woman had a jacket slung over her shoulders -the way my grand mother would wear her cardigan- to conceal her hands as she reached into an elderly woman's hand bag from behind. On a crowded street she blended in.

About a month after we returned I read about a similar tactic being used elsewhere.

I love what we experienced of Spain and will return. Crookery is everywhere.

I use small safety pins to close zippers. I wear travel clothes with zipper pockets both inside and outside, and pants with zipper pockets, esp. down my leg. All my stuff is spread around, it would be hard for a thief to know exactly what was where. I also have a purse that has a long strap that I can wear across my body, and it also attaches around my waist like a fanny pack. I don't carry more than one credit card with me at a time, and little cash. Nothing is 100% safe, but at least I feel I'll give pick pockets a lot of work for possibly no reward.

As the original poster of this thread, I want to give credit where credit is due. Yes they took my coin purse out of my pocket book - it had a limited amount of euro's (just for the day's outing) and one credit and debit card. Back at the apartment were my passport and additional cards plus copies of the stolen cards and contact numbers to call. So while I was dismayed, I did not feel paniced mainly due to all the advice picked up on this board over the years. Like I said, this was my 20th trip to Europe - I have visited many parts of Italy (where I saw pickpockets in action on the 64 bus in Rome), France, and other trips to Spain without incident - I always thought The Ramblas was the major threat in Barcelona! I am just very thankful for all the good advice on this board to help me be prepared when a little glitch came along. I wanted to post my experience to advise people to be extra vigilant in the mentioned Metro stations and also to tell anyone who is pickpocketed to look in the nearby trash if they know where it happened. I still love Spain and Barcelona, I hope to return! - I'd hate to see anyone put off by these incidents and choose not to go there - just be careful and have any backup cards / copies / numbers that you would need if you do have a problem.

This is a post written by my husband (who has never posted before). He witnessed an attempted pickpocketing tonight on the Barcelona metro:

We stayed on La Rambla at Hotel Monte Carlo and enjoyed it very much. Certainly plenty of street performers, crowds, and potential for problems. However, we witnessed none over the first 3.5 days of our trip. Tonight, we boarded the Metro at Catalunya (at the top of La Rambla) en route to a small restaurant outside of town. I was on the train and noticed a bit of commotion as the doors were trying to close. My wife thought that the two well built young men (in late 20's) were helping a couple (mid 60's) onto the subway. However, I watched as it transpired in front of me - too quick to do anything about it. They pushed the man from behind onto the train and about to the level of the aisle. While doing so, and being loud acting as if they were not able to get in before the doors closed, one of them started trying to unzip the bag the woman had "in front of her!" They failed. The back man was keeping a foot in the door. This allowed their escape back off the train. The couple fell into their seats then looked at themselves in wonder. They checked purse, wallet and bag. Nothing was gone, but they were shaking their heads in amazement.
We had no problems, but had heard many accounts of pick pocketers. On our last night I watched it first-hand.

My husband 'lost' his passport and I had a small coin purse lifted from my handbag in Amsterdam. We've been back at least 5 times since then. Gluttons for punishment.

This past April, I spent 21 fantastic days in Spain, including 5 nights in Barcelona. I never witnessed any crime or felt unsafe at any time. I did not, however use the subway. I would return in a heartbeat.

We just returned from a trip to Amsterdam and Paris. I was robbed on the5 tram in Amsterdam before we even got to our first hotel. Passport, euros, credit cards. It was a nightmare. I had broken at least 5 of my own rules - i blame it on jet lag. Number one is nothing of essential value past my undergarments, don't even get on crowded trams - especially when you're juggling you luggage, travel partner carry different credit cards. i also was perplexed that the police were so courteous to me, but there seemed to be no effort to try to catch the thieves.
BTW: we were in Spain last year for Semana Santa - it was wonderful and never had or observed a theft incidence

Amsterdam is one of the dicier cities for tourists as well. Dutch blame it on immigrants - esp those from Eastern Europe some have told me

My husband was pickpocketed a few weeks ago on the very crowded bus between Florence and Fiesole. He didn't even realize that his wallet was missing until he was about to pay an entrance fee in Fiesole and realized that his wallet was gone.

It looks like the most likely places for pickpockets is on crowded public transit in all big cities in Europe.

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I had my sloth day – packed my bags for Germany and then watched trashy UK tv. The cleaning lady arrived and as soon as she started vacuuming i fell asleep and slept until she left 2 hours later LOL

Woke up and chatted to the boy on skype for an hour before realising i better get a move on if i was to meet Alicia for dinner and drinks. Caught the bus and tubes with no problems and got there at exactly 6pm. While walking to Soho we did have a slight scare with what sounded like gunshots on the street near us. People were screaming and we just went inside a shop. First time I've ever been worried about my safety since leavign home.

We went Alicia's brothers apartment (Hi andrew!) and it was very noice indeed. Had some champagne on the balcony before setting off to a local pub for a beer. We decided to be lazy and got a cab to Covent Garden and went to a fabulous place for dinner (I've forgotten what its called!) where the cocktail list was just divine. We had a cocktail called a chocolate dipped strawberry – it was the most exquisite thing i've ever tasted. Pity I can't remember what was in it! The food was the best I've ever had and and it was quite cheap – only20 pounds for meal and cocktail and entre.

we all stuffed ourselves silly and caught another cab to a clbb near Alicia's for yet more cocktails LOL We got home rather early because of my flight but proceeded to chatter away for another 2 hours before Alicia fell asleep on the couch and I decided it was bedtime for me too. Managed to be clever enough to wake up before the alarm this morning and was all ready for my cab at 7am. The cabbie gave me a guided tour of London on the way in the airport so it was worth spening $40 on the fare instead of the tube!!

Am at the airport now petrified because it's all little planes that leave from here – you know ones with propellers LOL I hate little planes but oh well..........

Next time you hear from me I'll be in Deutschland!

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Last time I wrote we were on our way to the Yazoo concert in Glasgow. Well what a performance!The supporting act was this bizarre man in his 60's still trying to groove his way around. Think of Billy (Bill Nigh) in the movie Love actually - the singer who is definitely past his prime! It was absolutely torturous - nd about 20 minutes into we were horrified to realise that out of the three guitars onstage he had only used one - sheit 2 more to go! AND he played the harmonica at the same time!!! It was so hideous it was funny! Tania and I could not stop laughing (after our brief nap that is). We thought it was never going to end and I've never seen so many people asleep at a concert!!! The rest of th econceret was fab - Allison Moyet's voice is incredible.

After the concert Tania and I went home via the pub where we had a wee drink with our mate Robbie. We also stopped and had a bit of a lark with Rob in one of thee town squares. Robbie was little bit partial to oe of the lion statues there,

Thursday was the first day Tan and i slept past 4:45am ( a little joke as every single day we wake up at htiss time for some reason). We packed for the trrip to Athens and then discoverd that they had overbooked our room and we were to have th penthouse suite for the day wooohoo!!!!!!

It was a fabulous 2 story apartment with 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a sauna, HUGE ensuite with a ginormous bath so long I couldn't reach the end of it!! Two living areeas and a fab kitchen - it was a palace compared to the broom closet we had been living in.

I had a lovely relaxing bath and enjoyed the lat of our day in Glasgow before heading to the airport.

The flight to Athens was uneventful other than on both flights we were lucky enough to have the same meal twice - yuk both times.

We landed in Athens at 3am and caught a taxi which was interesting - he drove the 50km to our hotel at 160km/hr which was quite scary at times but saved us money o our fare getting to our hotel in half an hour rather than an hour.

Our room is fab with a huge bathroom. We slept until 10am and got up to go for a walk to the Acropolis. We headed in the general direction without knowing where we were really going. The streets were jam packed of people and bikes and cars driving wherever they could. we crossed the road at one point and soon discovered that red lights mean nothing and maybe even serve as an incentive to drive through the pedestrian crossing and then stop in the middle of it!! There were dogs and cats roaming the streets stopping at cafes whenever they pleased and no one cares.

It was quite warm - about 26 degrees and we both got a little bit sunburnt but after the doom and gloom of the weather in the UK it felt absolutely glorious to be in the warmth.

We walked though many shops and food stalls as we wound our way up the hill. There is absolutely no signage whatsoever to point us in the right direction and it is purely by chance that we end up finding the right pathway up to the entrance gate where we paid our 12 euros and we walked in.

It was absolutely awesome - you cannot begin to fathom how the heck they managed to build something so amazing at that period of time. There was lots of restoration going on which kind of spoils the view but is necessary to preserve whats left.

We attracted a LOT of attention from the greek men - lots of wolf whistles and men coming up to talk to us but since we had no idea what they were saying we kept walking LOL

There is a lot of fantastic shops which we managed to resist other than buying a gorgeous blue dress that I wore to dinner tonight.

We went to the rooftop bar for a drink which cost 12 euros each!!!!!!!! But they were strong - very strong! We were quite tiddly after just one!We ate dinner on the rooftop next to the pool watching the sun set over the Acropolis and then watching it light up which was spectacular.

All in all a fantastic day! We leave bright and early for the ferry to Mykonos. I am very excited and really looking forward to the Greek Islands - but are the Greek Islands ready for us?!?

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Author: sherhatfield Date: 06/06/2008, 01:50 pm Thinking about my 2009 vacation and I'd like to go to Paris. My husband and I typically travel to Europe in September and love it, but I'm itching to go somewhere a little sooner in 2009. I would be booking with FF miles, so if I choose May, then I would be booking within the next couple of weeks. We've never been to France, but I'm thinking we would just do about 8-10 days in Paris with maybe a short day trip or two. So I'm just curious, which month would you pick?

Author: kerouac Date: 06/06/2008, 01:58 pm As a Parisian, I would absolutely recommend September for better weather. May weather can be fickle -- too hot, too cold or just right. But if you want to come to Paris, any month is fine, even February (the cheapest month for hotels).

Author: yk Date: 06/06/2008, 02:07 pm I think either month would be fine. kerouac lives in Paris, so I think he knows what he's talking about. Personally, I would pick May, just because the daylight is even longer. For mid-May, Paris gets 15.5 hours of day light. Sunrise around 6, sunset around 9:30p. For mid-Sept, the daylight goes down to 12.5 hrs. Sunrise around 7:30a, sunset around 8pm.

Author: sherhatfield Date: 06/06/2008, 02:16 pm Thanks for the replies. It is a tough decision, but September may win out for the weather...

Author: WillTravel Date: 06/06/2008, 02:28 pm We had much better weather in early February 2007 than we did in late March 2008. I guess that just goes to show you can't tell for sure.

Author: hopingtotravel Date: 06/06/2008, 02:34 pm We have been twice in May and the blooms are beautiful.

Author: gracejoan3 Date: 06/06/2008, 02:49 pm Kerouac obviously knows the weather best!! I go to Paris for a month mid April-mid May and mid Sept-mid Oct. My experience definitely has been that Sept/Oct has better weather. April/May, you just don't know. But, as Kerouac said, anytime is good. I have been there most months, with the exception of July and August. I skip travedl in the summer. Enjoy your planning.....

Author: Sally30 Date: 06/06/2008, 02:54 pm The daylight does make a big difference. It is sunny until about 10pm in May (if I remember correctly) which feels like lots more time for walking around and doing things. Having said that, we are next going in October because both May and Sept are too hot for my husband.

Author: Christina Date: 06/06/2008, 06:10 pm I don't think it really matters that much, I'd probably pick based on other factors as to which date works best for you. May has daylight savings time so sunset is about an hour or so later than in September, but it depends when you go. It doesn't stay sunny until 10 pm, even when the sun doesn't set until about 10 pm (which is more in June), it isn't exactly sunny just before sunset. It's dusk. But the time of sunset ranges from 9 to 9:42 pm in May and 8:33 to 7:31 in Sept (from beg to end of month).

Author: zooey91 Date: 06/06/2008, 06:27 pm I haven't been in September, but we spent 9 days there in May '02 and loved it. The weather was fickle, but I'm a sucker for spring blossoms, as well as the spring fever of the Parisians. And if you're there for 8-10 days I think it's a good bet that at least a few of them will have spectacular weather.

Author: avalon Date: 06/06/2008, 07:07 pm Anytime is a good time in Paris!

Author: JeanneB Date: 06/06/2008, 07:29 pm I guess I'm the odd man (woman) out....I didn't like it as much when it didn't get dark til 10pm. I love Paris after dark just as much as daytime Paris. All those pretty shop windows, street lamps, softly-lit monuments....sigh. I'm getting Paris-envy!

Author: djkbooks Date: 06/06/2008, 11:16 pm We have visited for over a week in May, June, and September, three times each, and my favorite is definitely September. The longer days in May and June are nice. But, we've always had beautiful weather in September, not too hot, not too cold/rainy/windy. And, there have always been many more flowers, especially in the public gardens, in September, as May and June seem to be planting/replanting times. Perhaps because of everything that's going on in September, we've found it less crowded when out and about.

Author: Underhill Date: 06/06/2008, 11:29 pm September for the weather and the fact that all the May holidays can make for difficulties.

Author: bozama Date: 06/07/2008, 03:10 am May does seem to have holidays that can mess with plans, but since I am a budget traveller I prefer May as the hotels are more expensive in September , and the staff seem a little less affected by tourist burnt out in May then Sept.

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Author: dannyyoung
Date: 06/04/2008, 12:43 am

we will be in London for 2 nights next week ... We are going to see Phantom and the next night my daughters want to go to Soho .....what would be your choices for both ??

not sure what you mean by "both"? Do you want suggestions for places to eat or ??

It depends on your budget - but if you're feeling spendy Richard Corrigan at Lindsey House is as good as it gets. Zilli fish is pretty good and Balaans is full of famous gayers.

You do know that soho is a den of vice and mortal sins (and some rather good pubs) don't you?

for a good pub try the endeavour in berwick street and for differnt type of indian meal try imli in wardour street billed as a indian tapas but very good and marsala zone in marshall street. Both have there own web sites. Be warned if you go much past the endeavour pub away from oxford street it becomes fairly sordid!!!

Northie ...my comment "both" means both locations ...Soho and around Her Majesties Theatre (after Phantom)...I have heard that Soho gets a little "seedy"

thanks for the clarification. We always stay in Soho when in London and I have no difficulty feeling safe, going to shows and movies and walking around by myself-just the usual precautions as per any city.
restaurants in China town-Golden Dragon on Gerrard Street, Joy King Lau in leicester ST, Patisserie Valerie in Old Compton St, Pizza Express which has jazz nights, Balaans , 2 great pubs-The Dog and Duck and The Coach and Horses,Porters English restaurant at 17 henrietta St -good variety of English favorites.

thx Northie !!! just to be sure...are those restaurants near Her Majesty or Soho ...we were also looking for a place to eat after the show ?

I like Andrew Edmunds for a good value meal in Soho
http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1q3288z/andrew-edmunds

Or if you have more to spend then you could try Arbutus
http://www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/

"just to be sure...are those restaurants near Her Majesty or Soho"

"we were also looking for a place to eat after the show ?"

All of those are in Soho. Her Majesty's is in Haymarket which is just down the street from Piccadilly Circus. So several of the Soho places mentioned so far are also walking distance from her Majesty's. But Phantom is a long show - more than 2.5 hours. You may be better off looking for places for pre-theatre dinner.

you would need to check if places are open after the show-if it's a night show. Yes all are nearby-compact area.

Lots of restaurants in Chinatown are open late. If you grab something to eat before the show, you can still walk over to Chinatown for a late-night snack.

Yes - I agree that lots of Chinese and other ethnic restaurants are open late. My point was - do you want to still be eating dinner at 11 PM? I usually eat a pre-theatre dinner - lots of the surrounding places have special menus for early dinner. Or, I do a late afternoon tea - like 5-ish and just get a quick bite after the show if I'm feeling peckish.

any ideas or thoughts on pre-theatre dinner ?

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