Novice Traveler Looking For Sggestions (country, people, black, German)
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So, I'm recently retired and have had a burning desire to see Europe. Just not sure where????? I am not a big city guy. Not crazy about crowds, museums and touristy type stuff. Thus, I prefer midsize cities - population of 75,00 to 200,00 (as opposed to large ones). I yearn to experience the food and culture of a location/country. I'm ashamed to admit that I only speak English. Therefore, in order to be able to interact with the people of the area, I would favor locations where that is possible. I am also very, very physically active so hiking, biking, etc.. is a major plus. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by ifnotnowwhen; 02-07-2014 at 07:36 PM..
If you like smaller towns, and if you like hiking, I'd suggest Austria, Bavaria and the Black Forest area of Germany. Many locations have marked hiking trails outside of town, and the scenery is spectacular! Also the food in that area is known to be quite good (the pastries are fab!). It's not unusual for retired people to bike around town. And the towns are quaint as all get-out! Very photogenic. Oh, and you can add Slovenia to the list. Spectacular scenery at bargain-basement prices. Breathtaking hiking trails including footbridges over river gorges. The locals rent out a spare room in their homes. Or you can stay in a small hotel. Google "Lake Bled". You'll be sold.
See if the Goethe Institute has a branch anywhere near you. You can take an elementary German class. They get a lot of retirees interested in that. It'll be a good retirement project for you. My dad had a blast with their classes!
Yeah, I'd also recommend the area around the alps. Slovenia, Northern Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany are all not that far apart and they offer quite a lot of different foods, cultures and people. Cities like Trieste, Bled, Trento, Bozen/Bolzano, Salzburg or many of the German ones (of which I don't really know all that much about...) are just amazing. Biking, hiking and sailing (Lake Constance or at one of the many Salzkammergut lakes) are the things to do. In winter: skiing.
Also, transportation should be quite easy because all the locations aren't that far apart and you'll always find someone around who's able to speak English.
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