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So yes, I'm already beginning to plan Summer 2016 vacation to Europe.
I know it's early, but as September is tomorrow, I wanna start planning.
I have a budget of about $10k for a Summer vaca...prob be about 2 weeks and I want to visit the most breath-taking areas of Europe. I want to have a bit of an adventure vacation with site-seeing and relaxation mixed in. I was thinking either Austria or Switzerland for hiking and possibly paragliding. I wanna really take in the dramatic scenery. I also enjoy beach scenery as well.
I was in Greece last year and visited Mykonos, Santorini, and Ios and loved how beautiful it was. I really was impressed and LOVED it.
Could any please list a few "must-sees" in Europe as far as dramatic natural scenery goes? Also, I am open to travel to multiple countries. I was thinking doing Switzerland/Austria, and down through Italy.... Also, Croatia comes to mind. I'm just not sure where I should go to get what I'm looking for and any suggestions from you lovely people would be most appreciated.
If you want true adventure, how about visiting Romania, Europe's last true wilderness and tripoint between West, East and South cultures? You have here dangerous jungle growing on ~ 25,000 sq m of rugged mountains, filled with thousands of bears and wolves, the greatest diversity of mountain an wetland ecosystems in Europe, greatest ethnic, religious and cultural diversity on continent (reflected in arhitecture etc), vestiges of Europe's first prehistorical civilisations and much more.
As an example, you have here a series of adventure documentaries in the mountains and Hungarian villages of Transylvania. Is just a part of the endless attractions of the country. Is in Hungarian language but images are speaking for the beauties of these places. First videos in that list are trailers, scrolling downward you find the full documentaries.
For "breathtaking:, you MUST see Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj (short bus ride to the south of Bled) in Slovenia. Slovenia is much cheaper than the rest of the Alpine region, and is an easy train ride from the south of Austria. Good hiking trails through the river gorge in Bled, really exceptional scenery. You'll be glad you devoted some time in your schedule for this.
Croatia: the islands off the coast have small scenic villages, and the swimming is great. For a different kind of "breathtaking" hiking (involving not mountains, but a vast series of interconnected lakes and limestone pools and waterfalls, with walking paths), spend a few days at Plitvitsa Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A little farther down the coast, to the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, you'll travel a fjord every bit as dramatic as Norway's fjords, and can stay at the mediterranean-style town at the head of the fjord.
For "breathtaking:, you MUST see Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj (short bus ride to the south of Bled) in Slovenia. Slovenia is much cheaper than the rest of the Alpine region, and is an easy train ride from the south of Austria. Good hiking trails through the river gorge in Bled, really exceptional scenery. You'll be glad you devoted some time in your schedule for this.
Croatia: the islands off the coast have small scenic villages, and the swimming is great. For a different kind of "breathtaking" hiking (involving not mountains, but a vast series of interconnected lakes and limestone pools and waterfalls, with walking paths), spend a few days at Plitvitsa Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A little farther down the coast, to the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, you'll travel a fjord every bit as dramatic as Norway's fjords, and can stay at the mediterranean-style town at the head of the fjord.
Yes, Lake Bled has popped up on some of my searches, however since you've got personal experience with it it definitely adds some weight to my decision.
Ideally, I wanna spend about 16 days in Europe and explore 2 or 3 countries and I dont know if I should do Italy/Switzerland/Austria or if I should do Croatia/Montengro/Slovenia, etc... or somewhere different altogether like Spain and Portugal?
If you want dramatic natural scenery in Europe, go to Norway or Iceland. Otherwise, I would go to a different continent to enjoy natural scenery. Western Europe and Southern Europe don't offer much in the way of dramatic natural scenery, in my opinion.
If you want dramatic natural scenery in Europe, go to Norway or Iceland. Otherwise, I would go to a different continent to enjoy natural scenery.
Because, outside of Norway and Iceland, Europe has nothing to offer, scenery-wise?
16 days, OP? That's a short time. You could definitely do the high points of Slovenia/Croatia/Montenegro in that time without feeling rushed. I couldn't say the same about Germany/Switz/Austria. Consider saving the central Alpine region for when you have a little more time.
Yes, Bled. And you can take a day hike by bus to Bohinj from your base in Bled.
Because, outside of Norway and Iceland, Europe has nothing to offer, scenery-wise?
16 days, OP? That's a short time. You could definitely do the high points of Slovenia/Croatia/Montenegro in that time without feeling rushed. I couldn't say the same about Germany/Switz/Austria. Consider saving the central Alpine region for when you have a little more time.
Yes, Bled. And you can take a day hike by bus to Bohinj from your base in Bled.
The scenery of Western and Southern Europe isn't special or particularly impressive, unlike Norway or Iceland. There are many better places to go for dramatic natural scenery.
The scenery of Western and Southern Europe isn't special or particularly impressive, unlike Norway or Iceland. There are many better places to go for dramatic natural scenery.
Iceland would be a terrible choice for a first time visit to Europe. There's very little to see.
I think there are more interesting things to do in a single Roman or Florentine neighborhood than in all of Iceland.
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