The Holidays Thread

[KevinMcallister]

Seattle is awesome

 

[Womble98]

Lots of stuff to do as Nousername says though depends what you want to do.

The area around suicide circus is good to hang out at. Its probably one of my personal favourite clubs too.

Lots of historical stuff to do of course and although I don't like tours normally the alternative tour was good.

I'm going out on Monday as well. We were planning on going to Schonhausen Concentration camp but not sure now as there are a few good nights on Monday night. I was thinking of maybe heading to the infamous Kit Kat club.

Only in Berlin for two days and then down south for Freqs of nature festival. One week of psy trance.... Can't wait.

Gatwick early flight?

 

[Van Der Graaf]

Lots of stuff to do as Nousername says though depends what you want to do.

The area around suicide circus is good to hang out at. Its probably one of my personal favourite clubs too.

Lots of historical stuff to do of course and although I don't like tours normally the alternative tour was good.

I'm going out on Monday as well. We were planning on going to Schonhausen Concentration camp but not sure now as there are a few good nights on Monday night. I was thinking of maybe heading to the infamous Kit Kat club.

Only in Berlin for two days and then down south for Freqs of nature festival. One week of psy trance.... Can't wait.

Hohenchöhonhausen the Stasi Prison or Sachsenhausen the concentration camp? Can't recommend visiting both enough.

In three days in my last trip in April and managed to see - Potsdamer Platz, Jewish memorial, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Cathedral, Hohenschönhausen, Checkpoint Charlie + Museum, Stasi HQ, Palace of tears, Wall Memorial, Templehof Airport and the Zoo/Aquarium as well as going to a game of football (BAK v Carl-Zeiss Jena) and seeing Circa Waves + Sundara Karma - so it's possible to squeeze in a fair bit in Berlin, although I did 6am - 1am days to manage it because of my flight times.

Berlin is a class city, I'd recommend getting the €30 travelcard for a week (I think it's that much). Really pays for itself.

 

[Techno Natch]

Hohenchöhonhausen I've been to already and as you said it's well worth a visit.

Flying from Bristol Mordon.

 

[Nath]

I'm off to Rome next week for five days. It'll be my first time, which is exciting as It's always been a city I've been looking to visit. Any must-do's or recommendations?

 

[liu]

Be very careful when cross the streets around Termini.
-----------------
I am trying to make another trip to Japan latter this month. Always my first choice destination when there's not enough time/money for a transcontinent travel.

 

[Stagat]

I'm off to Rome next week for five days. It'll be my first time, which is exciting as It's always been a city I've been looking to visit. Any must-do's or recommendations?

Aside from the obvious, a few things we did/enjoyed.

If you're a cat person or just want to do summat nice, check this place out. We found it by accident when wandering between other things but it's worth a look. Maybe can buy some food and donate it or so.

I kind of remember this place being a bit out of the way but worth a look too, for sure.

Also, there's this 'secret' keyhole that is bit of a trek but gives a really nice view when you look through it. We read about it back when people used guidebooks so didn't know what the view was gonna be. Unfortunately, it's all over the internet now and every article talking about it has pictures spoiling it. You might not care so much but I was really glad I didn't know what to expect. It's here anyway (google map). Best I can do without spoiling it too.

Best practical tip I can give is this:

If you want to go in both St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, and you should, plan to do so on different mornings. Although both at the same place, they are two different things with two different queues. That means you'll go in one early but when you come out the queue for the other will be huge.

Best to do, say, St. Peter's one morning (make sure you go on the roof, if they still let you) then go off and see other stuff. Next morning, come back for the Sistine Chapel, afternoon again spent seeing other stuff.

On a personal note, of all the famous stuff in Rome, my favourite was the War Memorial. Magnificent building.

 

[Nath]

Aside from the obvious, a few things we did/enjoyed.

If you're a cat person or just want to do summat nice, check this place out. We found it by accident when wandering between other things but it's worth a look. Maybe can buy some food and donate it or so.

I kind of remember this place being a bit out of the way but worth a look too, for sure.

Also, there's this 'secret' keyhole that is bit of a trek but gives a really nice view when you look through it. We read about it back when people used guidebooks so didn't know what the view was gonna be. Unfortunately, it's all over the internet now and every article talking about it has pictures spoiling it. You might not care so much but I was really glad I didn't know what to expect. It's here anyway (google map). Best I can do without spoiling it too.

Best practical tip I can give is this:

If you want to go in both St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, and you should, plan to do so on different mornings. Although both at the same place, they are two different things with two different queues. That means you'll go in one early but when you come out the queue for the other will be huge.

Best to do, say, St. Peter's one morning (make sure you go on the roof, if they still let you) then go off and see other stuff. Next morning, come back for the Sistine Chapel, afternoon again spent seeing other stuff.

On a personal note, of all the famous stuff in Rome, my favourite was the War Memorial. Magnificent building.

Cheers for that. The secret keyhole and capuchin crypt sound very interesting. I'll read up on everything you've mentioned, then decide what we'll do. We've already planned to visit the Colosseum and a few other obvious things.

 

[Womble98]

any club suggestions in Berlin which are quite touristy?

 

[smat]

any club suggestions in Berlin which are quite touristy?

Just came back from there. Didn't go to any clubs though. Sorry.

 

[infidel]

Great Barrier Reef this year!

 

[KevinMcallister]

wasn't gonna book another holiday this year after already being away in the States for 2 weeks, however a few of my mates fancied a Spanish break in October, just used Skyscanner, and found a £94 return flight to Alicante from LBA, can't refuse that

5 days in Alicante/Benidorm in October now

 

[spireite]

Off on Weds to Dubrovnik - cannae wait. I think it's going to be a tad warm though!

 

[CFC91]

any club suggestions in Berlin which are quite touristy?

We went Suicide Circus and another which I can't remember the name of. Both decent.

Booked to go again next year for England game.

Just back from a weke in Ibiza, really really good but it has totally written me off. Not felt normal at all for a few days

 

[Veggie Legs]

Off on Weds to Dubrovnik - cannae wait. I think it's going to be a tad warm though!

Definitely. I'd highly recommend getting out to do things early as it'll be much cooler and you'll beat the hundreds of tour groups and cruises.

 

[spireite]

Definitely. I'd highly recommend getting out to do things early as it'll be much cooler and you'll beat the hundreds of tour groups and cruises.

That's a good tip, thanks mate

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

 

[EricSabin]

Anyone been to Vancouver? Some girl I went to school with has posted pictures of it on Facebook and it looks like the nicest place on Earth, just wondering if there's actually anything there worth doing aside from it looking pretty. I'm gonna splash out on a US/Canada trip, somewhere I haven't been before (basically not Florida or Mid-West). No interest in Vegas or New York though

Beautiful place. Been twice, lots to do. Check out Vancouver Island as well. Whale watching trips etc, lots to explore if you're quite active

 

[EricSabin]

Caribbean in February, Euro 2016 trip pending my application and then inter-railing late August.

When driving back from France me and my mates are gonna drive through Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Germany and Luxembourg to extend it out.

Inter-railing me and my mate will be going around Eastern Europe, starting in Munich, going up to Prague then working our way down to Croatia. Also graduating from Uni so has the potential to be possibly the best year of my life so far!

 

[TomPNE94]

and seeing Circa Waves .

Jealous

 

[Van Der Graaf]

Seen them 5 times now, including twice getting very drunk talking to them after gigs. Kieran is perhaps the nicest bloke I've met in music, happy to stand and talk at length, also introduced us to the delight that is rum & Ginger Beer.

*Tedious story*

Said Berlin gig was very weird though. I was on a run of seeing them 3 times in 2 weeks. The first was at Rescue Rooms, 400 people and as mentioned me and a few friends stood talking to them at length - Started because Joe (I think) asked if me and my best mate managed to get our guest list tickets they gave us to see them supporting Courteeners in Liverpool *humble brag* (I couldn't go unfortunately). Second time was the packed out show in Shepherd's Bush in front of 2,000+ that I went to because my younger brother was desperate to see them live. Then we get to Berlin.

Support was Sundara Karma. Now I'm going to be all hipster here and say, I knew who Sundara were before they got big. And they will be, just look at the air time 'Flame' is getting. They're a local band who my good friend at work's band has supported a few times - In fact I stood next to Sundara at his gig in a small club in Reading last week. So there I was, in a room with 10 people, me and 4 others from Reading with no one knowing a thing. It was great.

On rocked Circa Waves. I'm not kidding, there were about 35 people in this room. A band that I saw a week earlier in front of 2,000 people were now playing to 35. It was great, they played a full set and no one knew much of it but I'll probably never see them in front of anything like it again. It was brilliant. To make it even better beer was 2eu a bottle and Sambuca 1eu. Just gutted that I booked the trip so frigging late that a few others couldn't make it. I mean I literally booked this trip about 10 days in advance because flights were £30 return. Absolute bonus I snuck in this gig.

Sorry for wasting your time with this, as warned, tedious story. Would recommend a foreign gig to anyone though.

 

[Tilbury]

Where on earth did you get flights that cheap, that late from?

 

[MatchedBetters]

Caribbean in February, Euro 2016 trip pending my application and then inter-railing late August.

How did you get on with your Euro ticket application? Mates friend at work managed to bag himself Final tickets in the ticket portal!

 

[Van Der Graaf]

Where on earth did you get flights that cheap, that late from?

Skyscanner. Out obscenely early on the Sunday, back late on the Tuesday. Berlin happened by accident because my preference was another trip to Poland, but the cheapest I could get it was something like £48 return.

September I'm flying out to Ohrid, Macedonia for £11 with Wizz Air...

 

[claret50]

September I'm flying out to Ohrid, Macedonia for £11 with Wizz Air...

Not sure if I'd be filled with confidence flying with an airline called Wizz Air.... do you get goggles and a white silk scarf at the check in desk?

 

[EricSabin]

How did you get on with your Euro ticket application? Mates friend at work managed to bag himself Final tickets in the ticket portal!

Jesus fair play! I got a game in Nice and my mate got 2 in Marseille

 

[TomPNE94]

Jesus fair play! I got a game in Nice and my mate got 2 in Marseille

We applied for fucking loads and only 1 of us got any. got 4 tickets for a game in Lyon.

 

[Techno Natch]

Skyscanner. Out obscenely early on the Sunday, back late on the Tuesday. Berlin happened by accident because my preference was another trip to Poland, but the cheapest I could get it was something like £48 return.

September I'm flying out to Ohrid, Macedonia for £11 with Wizz Air...

Skyscanner is brilliant isn't it? I look all the time and put "everywhere" in the search box to see what comes up.

Managed to get some great deals through that and then using booking.com. Will always look around the other sites for hotels but booking.com seems to come back cheapest most of the time.

 

[EricSabin]

We applied for fucking loads and only 1 of us got any. got 4 tickets for a game in Lyon.

In December you can apply for specific team tickets. Best picking the minnows if you aren't fussed about who you see. The ballot opens after the draw so hopefully the smaller sides are based in the more ideal locations.

 

[EricSabin]

Also booked 4 days in Prague for the second week of September. Can't wait. Looking at going to Lisbon for Benfica v Sporting in March or perhaps Benfica v Porto in February as well.

Which other football weekends are good?

 

[TomPNE94]

In December you can apply for specific team tickets. Best picking the minnows if you aren't fussed about who you see. The ballot opens after the draw so hopefully the smaller sides are based in the more ideal locations.

Yeah that's what we were looking at doing. At least now we have this one game it will make the draw more interesting haha.