Best winter cities

[gregs656]

Looking for a short city break in Europe early January 2018, 2 or 3 nights. Did Berlin this January and it was cold but a good time.

Suggestions?

[craigjm]

Prague, Vienna, Budapest

[Pistom]

Winter is our favourite time in Europe.

We regularly do Berlin, Paris, Prague, Wroclaw. All very nice but the best by far is Budapest. Great food, drink, entertainment. Some of the more expensive hotels are OK but in recent years stay in good quality apartments.

[Dannyboy85]

Stockholm, Copenhagen, Edinburgh (UK I know but a beautiful city all the same). Bruges was our favourite though especially with the Christmas market being there.

[gregs656]

Appreciate the suggestions, looking at flights for them now. I had looked at Budapest but the flights are more than I'd like to pay.

Thoughts on Amsterdam for the winter? Getting good prices for flights with BA.

Prague I did in the summer and really didn't get on with it. I bet it is much better in the winter. Copenhagen I did last year and loved.

[Robertj21a]

gregs656 said:

Appreciate the suggestions, looking at flights for them now. I had looked at Budapest but the flights are more than I'd like to pay.

Thoughts on Amsterdam for the winter? Getting good prices for flights with BA.

Prague I did in the summer and really didn't get on with it. I bet it is much better in the winter. Copenhagen I did last year and loved.

I'd still go for Budapest.

[alfie2244]

Robertj21a said:

gregs656 said:

Appreciate the suggestions, looking at flights for them now. I had looked at Budapest but the flights are more than I'd like to pay.

Thoughts on Amsterdam for the winter? Getting good prices for flights with BA.

Prague I did in the summer and really didn't get on with it. I bet it is much better in the winter. Copenhagen I did last year and loved.

I'd still go for Budapest.

+1

[gregs656]

Budapest not going to happen. My mate has been wanting to go for a while and he wants to go in the summer so that's that, did suggest it when I spoke to him.

We had looked at Amsterdam prior to going to Dublin but couldn't make it work at the time.

[Robertj21a]

Lisbon ?

[rich85uk]

Krakow is great for a 2-3 night winter city break, lovely city,great nightlife, cheap food and drinks

How about somewhere in the Baltic's? never been but heard good things about Riga

[rednotdead]

Antwerp, Ghent, Dusseldorf, Koln, Aachen. All good for a short break, great cities, lots to do.

[toon10]

A few places I've been to in the winter and loved...

Bruges
Krakow
Tallinn
Budapest.

They are all wonderful places but Budapest wins hands down for me although I'd not be disappointed with a return trip to the others. Tallinn was great but got down to minus 10 (as did Bruges) but a good winter coat and plenty of Irish coffees and you're good to go.

[pidsy]

Kiev.

awesome.

[gregs656]

pidsy said:

Kiev.

awesome.

I fancy Kiev and a trip out to the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

Appreciate all the suggestions, lots of places I plan to go! Lisbon I'd like to do a surf hostel for a week for example.

Budapest obviously a must do next year.

Booked for Amsterdam this afternoon. 3 nights. Short flight, good flight times, good price and I know how expensive it gets in the summer make it a win all round I think.

£26 return to Dublin is tempting in the mean time . . .

[Pulse]

Amsterdam is probably not as good as the other suggestions people made for Christmas time in particular, but it is a fantastic city any time of year. If you would like any tips for it, let me know, as I've been quite a few times.

[gregs656]

Not bothered about doing Christmas things, markets etc not my scene.

Tips welcomed - I see there is a pubs thread running for it which will no doubt be handy.

[pidsy]

gregs656 said:

pidsy said:

Kiev.

awesome.

I fancy Kiev and a trip out to the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

Appreciate all the suggestions, lots of places I plan to go! Lisbon I'd like to do a surf hostel for a week for example.

Budapest obviously a must do next year.

Booked for Amsterdam this afternoon. 3 nights. Short flight, good flight times, good price and I know how expensive it gets in the summer make it a win all round I think.

£26 return to Dublin is tempting in the mean time . . .

Done Chernobyl twice. It really is somewhere everyone should go.

Let me know if you want more info.
In terms of Kiev it's one of the most beautiful cities in Europe that I've been to (up there with Prague)

£50 each way and silly cheap when you get there. Get it booked!

[Pulse]

gregs656 said:

Not bothered about doing Christmas things, markets etc not my scene.

Tips welcomed - I see there is a pubs thread running for it which will no doubt be handy.

Will you be partaking in the other things you can do in Amsterdam? If so, can advise a little on that front. Also can help with things to do. What sort of thing are you looking for?

[gregs656]

Both in jobs that prohibit the drugs side of life.

Staying in a hostel. Usually see the major sights and focus on good social nights out. Imagine it's worth renting bikes?

[Pulse]

gregs656 said:

Both in jobs that prohibit the drugs side of life.

Staying in a hostel. Usually see the major sights and focus on good social nights out. Imagine it's worth renting bikes?

Contrary to what others will tell you, I'd only rent a bike if you're going outside of the main bit of the city. Inside the city it is hectic and pointless.

For a small peep into the window of the Red Light District, without anything too hardcore, try out The Sex Palace Peep Show. It's 2 euro for 2 minutes, and is just a bit of fun. If you want something a bit more 'interesting', then there are the sex shows - personally I'd not bother. For something even more 'interesting', I can't advise.

Anne Frank Huis is supposed to be very good, though I've never been. It's meant to be pretty essential if you're not planning to go again. I go every year, so one year I'll get round to it!

The bars I've recommended in the other thread will give you a starting point.

Don't bother with Madame Tussauds - 50% Dutch people you'll have never heard of, I'm told.

See if you can get to something over at the Bimhaus. It's amazing there. Great to have a beer outside as well, but maybe not in January!

If you have any interest in film, then (despite being a lot in Dutch), the EYE is good.

Try the Sex Museum on Damrak. It was about 4 euros when I went, and it's good fun.

A cheap local brew is Hertog Jan. If you're on a budget, it's a good one to go for. For food, there are super cheap options like Febo, but personally I think it looks rubbish and is a false economy as the portions are tiny. Instead, I'd opt for places like Walk to Wok, and Burger Bar.

Definitely get on a boat tour and/or a walking tour - very worthwhile. For boat trips, get one from opposite the Sex museum - they tend to be all similar prices, and it's a good location to set off from.

Albert Cuyp Markt is good if you're into weird and wonderful offerings. We didn't pick anything up here, mind you.

Try lots of cheese, and maybe buy lots of cheese. Some of the offerings there are crazy good. If you've not had a Stroopwaffel (which have made their way to the UK now anyway) then try one! Place it on top of a cup of coffee for the best result.

That should give you a few things. Hope it's useful.