European cities for a stay of one or two weeks

[Bamaman]

Totally agree with the bolded. Caveat - be careful checking your luggage. Vueling lost one of our bags for 5 days on our trip this past summer.

After our bag didn't leave Prague with us last year, we had to stay in an Atlanta Airport hotel 2 days waiting on our checked bag. My car keys were in the bag.

We now live by the 22" carry on and 1 small backpack rule. Carry it on and you'll never have any problems. Rick Steve's suggested packing list does work.

 

[Chuckanut]

After our bag didn't leave Prague with us last year, we had to stay in an Atlanta Airport hotel 2 days waiting on our checked bag. My car keys were in the bag.

And make sure your partner has an extra set of car and house keys.

 

[kcowan]

I always carry on keys and chargers. In my checklist, I have to remember to pack the corkscrew! I have lost of few of them at airports.

 

[brett]

Several years ago we started travelling with carry on only. Now we both use 20 in rollers no matter how long we are gone or where we go.

We got tired of carrying things that we really did not need, lifting luggage on to trains, into rental, across cobbles, etc. It was challenging at first for DW but now we find it very liberating.

When we return from a trip we always check to see what we did not use or use very often. When we shop for clothes it is usually with an eye to 'how will the garment travel, will it wrinkle, will wash/dry easily, and will it complement other clothing items that we usually take.

Never had a problem with any of the European discounts (though we have not done this on Ryanair or Easyjet). We were warned that Aegean Air enforced strict weight limits so we jammed as much weight into one bag, things that we could loose with little regret, and checked/paid for it. We need not have bothered. Our concern was that CDG was our destination. It has a terrible reputation for lost luggage and thefts from luggage.

It is not about the cost, if any, of checking a bag for us. We find it so liberating to pack less, no issue about lost luggage, and it arrives when we do with the highest degree of certainty.


The other benefit that we have realized once is the ability to switch to alternate connecting flights quickly if our first flight is delayed. The first question that gets asked by customer service is 'do you have checked bags' on that late/delayed/cancelled flight.

 

[audreyh1]

I always carry on keys and chargers. In my checklist, I have to remember to pack the corkscrew! I have lost of few of them at airports.

Same here. And yes, I also carry a corkscrew and am sure to check it.

 

[audreyh1]

I have neighbors that do international travel with carry on only. I don't know how they do it! They aren't carrying a laptop or a DSLR camera either, so I'm sure that helps.

 

[RunningBum]

My son and I did a 3 week eurail trip a few years ago with just backpacks. It wasn't so much the flying, although that was a nice bonus to not have to check, but rather catching a train every 1-3 days and not wanting to haul a lot of luggage around all the time. We just had to do laundry 2 or 3 times. One of the hostels we stayed at had cheap laundry service, and once we just ate time at a laundromat early one evening at a multiday stop. Might've been another place we stayed that had access to a washer/dryer. It was summer, so lightweight clothes helped, as did zip-off pants that doubled as shorts. I carried one of those real small laptop things that were popular for about 2 years before tablets came out.

 

[rodi]

Ironically - we had carry on size luggage. But we also wanted to bring >3oz toiletry items, and since we were travelling internationally, checking was free. Our main reason for travelling light was it was a train oriented trip - and the smaller the bag - the easier it is to get on/off trains, stow them overhead- vs fighting for space in the luggage racks at the end of the car., etc.

We were fine with our Vuelling flight - but their handling of our lost luggage was less than optimal. I used a lot of Italian sim-car minutes sitting on hold to try and track the luggage each day.

 

[brett]

We have used the same carry for a six month trip as we do for a six week trip.

Came back recently from a five/six week trip to Greece. Reviewed my things when we unpacked. Apart from what I wore on the plane, next time I will not take an extra pair of walking shoes, I will reduce my shirts and underwear from 5 to three, socks from two to one. I took three pairs of shorts-one pair was beige. Mistake. Next time two pairs of shorts-navy only. Plus I will take one less book.

My new, light weight waterproof Teva sandals were are great replacement for my heavier Clarks sandals. Also know which shirts will get knocked off the list based on ease of washing and how much they show marks, etc.

DW did the same. I think that she will ditch the hair dryer next time since most places, even the small ones, seem to provide them now. If not, she is OK to 'rough it' for a day or two. But I highly suspect that the room and weight in my carry on will be replaced by something of hers! That's OK as well as long as it is not something like a heavy pair of shoes.


The only items that we take, seldom or never use, are a light weight waterproof jacket each and a small amount of medication for just in case.

 

[explanade]

I have neighbors that do international travel with carry on only. I don't know how they do it! They aren't carrying a laptop or a DSLR camera either, so I'm sure that helps.

Yeah for now, I'm taking tech stuff on trips. Maybe I'll get tired of doing so some day.

But that means dedicating most of the carry on space for laptop, accessories, camera gear.

So if I have to check a bag (only check one big suitcase), I overpack, because I don't want to spend time doing laundry (even hand washing in the hotel), don't want to spend time hunting down stuff that I already have, etc.

I've gone on trains and boats with a big suitcase, a carryon roller and a couple of shoulder bags for camera and electronics. It is a hassle but for trips of over a week, I don't see how else to do it.

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah for now, I'm taking tech stuff on trips. Maybe I'll get tired of doing so some day.

But that means dedicating most of the carry on space for laptop, accessories, camera gear.

So if I have to check a bag (only check one big suitcase), I overpack, because I don't want to spend time doing laundry (even hand washing in the hotel), don't want to spend time hunting down stuff that I already have, etc.

I've gone on trains and boats with a big suitcase, a carryon roller and a couple of shoulder bags for camera and electronics. It is a hassle but for trips of over a week, I don't see how else to do it.

Our checked luggage is not large, and we've been fine taking many train trips with it. Smaller would be easier, but we've managed.

Other than that we just have one small carry one with camera and laptop, plus two large purses (DH carries a shoulder bag in Europe).

 

[HFWR]

Same here. And yes, I also carry a corkscrew and am sure to check it.

It reminds me of my journey to the wilds of Afghanistan. We lost our corkscrew and had to survive on nothing but food and water for several days. - W.C. Fields

 

[truenorth418]

Berlin.

I am there now as a matter of fact. Dozens of interesting museums, more history per square meter than practically any other city, fantastic transportation network, plenty see in town or on the outskirts. It's not just about WW2 and Cold War either. There are plenty of art museums, tons of restaurants, some great neighborhoods to explore. Most everyone speaks English so it's easy to navigate here.

Sadly I am only here for 3 days this time. Like you, I am looking for cities to go deep on for weeks at a time, and I'll be back in Berlin to do that soon.


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[brett]

Berlin is at the top of my to do list for European cities that we have not visited. Plan to do it as part of another trip.

Everyone I know who has been there thinks it is a great city to visit. How about easy day trips from Berlin?

 

[explanade]

I did one day trip through aviator but can't recall. The other choices were day trips to concentration camps, which didn't interest me.

I entertained the idea of renting a car and driving to Prague, which would have been more like an overnight trip.

 

[surferLife]

Berlin is at the top of my to do list for European cities that we have not visited. Plan to do it as part of another trip.

Everyone I know who has been there thinks it is a great city to visit. How about easy day trips from Berlin?

We did 4 days in Berlin and it was not enough. As for easy day trips, I can't recall, but there is so much nearby. I can't imagine that you'd run out of stuff to do in a week. We had a vehicle, so I can't comment on the transportation system, but it looked like most cities in Europe, which is a good thing.

 

[Meadbh]

We did 4 days in Berlin and it was not enough. As for easy day trips, I can't recall, but there is so much nearby. I can't imagine that you'd run out of stuff to do in a week. We had a vehicle, so I can't comment on the transportation system, but it looked like most cities in Europe, which is a good thing.

A few years ago I attended a conference in Berlin. Of course I added a couple of days to see the sights. I saved a lot of money by staying in a modest but very clean hotel in Siemensdamm. The original Bauhaus Siemens factory building and the U-Bahn station were right next door. The trains were excellent, cheap and punctual. I enjoyed Berlin immensely and would love to return. The DDR museum was my favourite touristy spot.

Mercure Hotel Berlin City West. Book online now! Free Wifi!

http://www.ddr-museum.de/en

 

[truenorth418]

How about easy day trips from Berlin?

Potsdam is an easy day trip. One could also take a fast train to Leipzig or Dresden. The Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial is nearby.

Also, Berlin itself is very spread out and not densely populated. There is a lot of green space within the city limits.


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[DFA]

We did this in London a few years ago, we based in London spent time seeing the sites and purchased weekly tube (London subway) and bus passes, we loved the city. We also purchased rail passes for 5 trips anywhere the rail went, we used them to go to Stonehenge, Dover, Oxford, Windsor castle, and Cambridge. On the day trips out of London all of the locations had Hope on Hope off buses, you buy a day pass on the bus, usually outside the train stations, they run every 30 minutes or so and you can see the entire location by hoping off at a stop and doing sightseeing and they catch the next bus to the next location around the city. Also we saved our bus tickets and got discounts on our next Hope on Hope off bus tour in another city.

 

[NW-Bound]

We always have only two carry-on pieces for each of us. For up to 2-week travels, we do not have to do laundry. And we have traveled mostly in the shoulder or off seasons to avoid traffic, and had to bring heavier clothes, else would be able to pack even lighter.

I never weighed the luggage though. I read somewhere that it should be about 15 lbs. No DSLR, just two pocket cameras, but I usually brought my 14" laptop. The Sony video camera recording on DV tapes that I no longer use can almost be concealed in my palm.

I am trying to talk my wife into expensive exofficio underwear and clothes that are lightweight and easy to wash and dry. I think their price is worth it, but she disagrees.

I have neighbors that do international travel with carry on only. I don't know how they do it! They aren't carrying a laptop or a DSLR camera either, so I'm sure that helps.

 

[explanade]

Does any airline allow you two carry-ons these days?

 

[sengsational]

Since we've devolved into the carry-on discussion, I don't think a minor diversion from the OP would be unwelcome?

Like the OP, I'm looking for a single place to hang my hat for in Europe for a week or 10 days this April, after a trans-atlantic that ends in Barcelona.

I could stay in Barcelona, or take a flight (they're pretty cheap) to another city. I'm not a big museum guy. I'd like some warmer weather. The return airfare (from wherever I end-up, back to the the US) shouldn't be priced too much higher than average. There is a little place up the coast from Barcelona (Empuriabrava) that runs a training class I was thinking of taking, but I don't know if the weather is conducive to the sport at that time of year. Presuming it's not or that I don't have the guts for that, I might just do a beer-themed trip...maybe Belgium?

 

[explanade]

I would think Barcelona would be warmer than any place in Belgium in April.

Andalusia would be warmer than Barcelona. You could see a lot within Spain in that time. Of course Spain and France are nearby as well with other parts of Europe no more than a 2-hour flight away.

I'm also thinking of a trip in April, maybe Majorca or Greece. But Easter is a big travel time for Europeans so many hotels hike the prices a bit. And I learned that Greece celebrates Easter on a different date than the rest of Europe.

 

[NW-Bound]

Does any airline allow you two carry-ons these days?

Last time we flew, they allowed a rolling case that went into the overhead bin, and a smaller duffel or backpack that went under the seat. We are catching a flight in a few days, and hope they have not changed the rule.

No photos of our stuff handy, so I am linking in a photo from a blog that I often read (Full Time RVing - Because We Can). These bloggers, Bob and Linda, went for 3 months at a time with this. Our rolling cases are the size of the smaller one in the photo.

Any more than this, and we would have a heck of a time jumping on/off buses and trains.

 

[explanade]

They allow a carry on roller (though some of them may not fit on certain smaller airlines overseas) and a "personal item" which can be a hand or shoulder bag.

They also sometimes allow some duty-free bags too.

Baggage fees for checked luggage have become a big source of revenues for the big airlines so if anything they're going to get less generous over time.

Heard the other week that Boeing has these new bins that will allow more bags to be loaded by fitting them in by the end. But those bins will come in new planes, they won't retrofit.