Travelling (Advise needed)

[choyceyn]

This is Choy. I'm going to and this summer (exactly from 28th May to 15th June, after my six finals). I'd like to hear some suggestions, like, where to go? someplace fun at night? something that shouldn't miss.

Basically, I'll visit Helsinki (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Reykjavik (Iceland), Bergen and Oslo (Norway), MALMÖ (well you cannot catch ESC, no need to capitalise it) and Stockholm (Sweden).

Please give me your kind suggestions! I appreciate that. Thanks.

 

[choyceyn]

Oh I forgot Helsinki...

 

[dogmeat]

Why such unattractive region?

 

[Verjamem]

I don't claim that this is unattractive region. Scandinavia and Baltic countries is interesting and cool places to holiday

 

[dogmeat]

It's only my very subjective feeling, but i always imagine Scandinavia to be the most boring place on the earth - devoid of any exotics, ordinarily european and just plain stiff. If i had money to travel half the world, i'd visit southeast Asia or central America. In Europe, the best holiday option is anywhere south, from Spain to Georgia. Those places have either beautiful landscapes, captivating and lively culture or rich historic heritage to marvel. Vicinity of Malmo has none of this.

 

[choyceyn]

I don't claim that this is unattractive region. Scandinavia and Baltic countries is interesting and cool places to holiday

Those places are interesting, in my opinion anyway.

 

[JackBauer]

Scandinavia is a good place.

If you book early on the Danish/Swedish/Norwish rail website you can have some really cheap tickets I paid like 10/15 euro instead of 50 something & more and believe transport is not cheap there ! The same goes with the Buses between the Baltics countries. You can get like 3 euros tickets between the big cities.


You can also try a ferry who would go by night from a city to another or a night train to win some time.

If you did a little research you already know that everything will be cheaper in the baltics than the rest of Scandinavia.


If you are fan of operas, i suggest you check both Tallinn and Riga's. They have some great show with very affordable tickets.

& have very nice restaurant, but that's doesn't mean the others don't, just that i liked those two in particular. Try the princess cake in

I loved the cross hill between Vilnius & Riga, it's just a very powerful place, full of history and soul, even if you are not a religious (and i'm not), you are bound to like this and there is just a bus who goes between the two cites and stop there and two others places on the road for twenty something euro.


I just loved the Vasa Museum too in Stockholm, i'm not especially a fan of marina museum but that one where you can see an old boat who sank in the port on it's first day at sea is fascinating and really well conceived.

On the same island there is the skansen museum with an open air museum with a zoo and some tradionnal swedish houses and it's really great. (i know there is better and smartter word for this, i know it in French but i'not sure in english )

In Oslo, there is very surprising park with strange sculptures, you should check it out, maybe a norwegian friend will give us the name.


And of course, every capital and mains cities i visited have a nice old center which is great to discover by walking around.


Have a nice trip !

 

[Hegepege]

Oslo and Bergen in Norway? Really? There's nothing to see there except some statues in Vigelandsparken, and a few penguins in a pool

 

[Sandy]

wow lots of countries to see

anyways enjoy you time there .

 

[Mattan]

There are quite a few ESC fans living near Helsinki, don't miss us!

I know absolutely nothing about the nightlife, but what you should do during the day really depends on what you want to do (as in history, culture, architecture, just getting the feel of the country, etc.). There's quite a bit to do in Helsinki during June - if you're there during the samba carnival (on the 8th of June), don't miss that. Almost like Brazil in February.

Other than that, I've visited all countries on the list apart from Norway and Iceland, but as I have no experience of the capitals I'll leave that to someone else.

 

[doctormalisimo]

I like how I could tell this was an American person opening this thread - in the rest of the English speaking world, advise is a verb

 

[r3gg13]

I like how I could tell this was an American person opening this thread - in the rest of the English speaking world, advise is a verb

. What would our pals across the pond say instead of advise?

I was close to going to the Baltics, but I was travelling with a friend who can get easily depressed without the sun, so we decided to head to the sunnier parts.

My flatmate is Finnish. He says that alcohol in Finland is really expensive, people are fairly detached and cold and that there are no real "big cities" in Finland. If you're into food, you might want to try some reindeer meat (he cooked some and it was great).

Enjoy your trip!

 

[doctormalisimo]

. What would our pals across the pond say instead of advise?

Advice.

I can advise you, but I can also give you advice.

 

[r3gg13]

Advice.

I can advise you, but I can also give you advice.

Aha, we do spell it as advice though, this case was just a mispelling . I just thought you guys used a totally different word

 

[choyceyn]

Thank you so much, merci beaucoup! This is really helpful!
About the cross hill you mentioned. Do you know where I can book the ticket for that bus?

Scandinavia is a good place.

If you book early on the Danish/Swedish/Norwish rail website you can have some really cheap tickets I paid like 10/15 euro instead of 50 something & more and believe transport is not cheap there ! The same goes with the Buses between the Baltics countries. You can get like 3 euros tickets between the big cities.


You can also try a ferry who would go by night from a city to another or a night train to win some time.

If you did a little research you already know that everything will be cheaper in the baltics than the rest of Scandinavia.


If you are fan of operas, i suggest you check both Tallinn and Riga's. They have some great show with very affordable tickets.

& have very nice restaurant, but that's doesn't mean the others don't, just that i liked those two in particular. Try the princess cake in

I loved the cross hill between Vilnius & Riga, it's just a very powerful place, full of history and soul, even if you are not a religious (and i'm not), you are bound to like this and there is just a bus who goes between the two cites and stop there and two others places on the road for twenty something euro.


I just loved the Vasa Museum too in Stockholm, i'm not especially a fan of marina museum but that one where you can see an old boat who sank in the port on it's first day at sea is fascinating and really well conceived.

On the same island there is the skansen museum with an open air museum with a zoo and some tradionnal swedish houses and it's really great. (i know there is better and smartter word for this, i know it in French but i'not sure in english )

In Oslo, there is very surprising park with strange sculptures, you should check it out, maybe a norwegian friend will give us the name.


And of course, every capital and mains cities i visited have a nice old center which is great to discover by walking around.


Have a nice trip !

 

[choyceyn]

Thank you!
haha, if those fans in Helsinki know me, I will definitely not miss them
That's pity, I'll be in Helsinki from 28th to 30th May. Seems I cannot enjoy the samba carnival

There are quite a few ESC fans living near Helsinki, don't miss us!

I know absolutely nothing about the nightlife, but what you should do during the day really depends on what you want to do (as in history, culture, architecture, just getting the feel of the country, etc.). There's quite a bit to do in Helsinki during June - if you're there during the samba carnival (on the 8th of June), don't miss that. Almost like Brazil in February.

Other than that, I've visited all countries on the list apart from Norway and Iceland, but as I have no experience of the capitals I'll leave that to someone else.

 

[choyceyn]

Reindeer meat?! I will definitely try this!

. What would our pals across the pond say instead of advise?

I was close to going to the Baltics, but I was travelling with a friend who can get easily depressed without the sun, so we decided to head to the sunnier parts.

My flatmate is Finnish. He says that alcohol in Finland is really expensive, people are fairly detached and cold and that there are no real "big cities" in Finland. If you're into food, you might want to try some reindeer meat (he cooked some and it was great).

Enjoy your trip!

 

[choyceyn]

And advice is a noun. Dang it.

I like how I could tell this was an American person opening this thread - in the rest of the English speaking world, advise is a verb

 

[Mattan]

My flatmate is Finnish. He says that alcohol in Finland is really expensive, people are fairly detached and cold and that there are no real "big cities" in Finland. If you're into food, you might want to try some reindeer meat (he cooked some and it was great).

All of this is completely true. The high price of alcohol is caused by the fact the state-owned shops have complete monopoly for all alcohol over 4,7% (if I remember the percentages correctly), and though i.e. beer can be found nearly anywhere, the government actually put restrictions on the price there as well, and I'm not only talking about the tax on alcohol, which increases the price a lot. But yes, unless you're really into Finnish beer or vodka... don't.

Finnish people are commonly very reserved towards strangers, though this usually doesn't apply in saunas, having a beer in hand and/or walking a dog. When they get to know you better, you'll usually notice a clear change. Of course, this is just a generalization, and definitely doesn't apply to everyone.

Reindeer meat is really tasty, I heavily recommend it. Nothing more to say about that.

Helsinki has a population of just over 600,000. I heard a story about a young woman from the US who visited Helsinki, and as they were walking down the busiest shopping street of the city, she asked when they would reach downtown.

As for us local ESC fans - well, I can come to Helsinki anytime. No idea who you are, but I can stand in the middle of the Senate Square with a sign saying "ESC FANS JOIN HERE"

 

[choyceyn]

Ah, seems I need to discard my plan to drink in Finland.
Do you know where I can have reindeer meat? normal restaurant or specific place to eat?
haha, that is the ambience I like. Perhaps I will try to avoid asking this question haha.
If you do so, more people than you expected would gather together! If you can guide me in Helsinki, you'll make my day haha!

All of this is completely true. The high price of alcohol is caused by the fact the state-owned shops have complete monopoly for all alcohol over 4,7% (if I remember the percentages correctly), and though i.e. beer can be found nearly anywhere, the government actually put restrictions on the price there as well, and I'm not only talking about the tax on alcohol, which increases the price a lot. But yes, unless you're really into Finnish beer or vodka... don't.

Finnish people are commonly very reserved towards strangers, though this usually doesn't apply in saunas, having a beer in hand and/or walking a dog. When they get to know you better, you'll usually notice a clear change. Of course, this is just a generalization, and definitely doesn't apply to everyone.

Reindeer meat is really tasty, I heavily recommend it. Nothing more to say about that.

Helsinki has a population of just over 600,000. I heard a story about a young woman from the US who visited Helsinki, and as they were walking down the busiest shopping street of the city, she asked when they would reach downtown.

As for us local ESC fans - well, I can come to Helsinki anytime. No idea who you are, but I can stand in the middle of the Senate Square with a sign saying "ESC FANS JOIN HERE"