I like to go to Latvia and try to find some relatives.

Re: Eastern Europe
 

The only cities that you mention that I have been to are Prague, Vienna and Innsbruck. Prague is absolutely stunning and is the prototype of the central European medieval city, because it hasn't been bombed to the ground like the rest of the cities during WW2. Vienna is a classic, absolutely wonderful with coffeehouses and a lot of turn of the century (that is 1900) grandeur. Innsbruck is very cute, but I'd rather go to Salzburg, where you lack the great view of the Alps though.

I heard that among the aother cities you mention, especially St. Petersburg and Budapest stick out. And while you are in Russia/St.Petersburg you might want to visit Talinn, the capital of Estonia. My brother worked there for a few months and the pictures looked beautiful: there is fraternity life and a cute city with lots of buildings that date back to the16thcentury.

I haven't seen it mentioned, but I just got back from Ireland and i absolutely loved it. Its such a beautiful country and Dublin has an awesome nightlife going on :-)

I did a study-abroad stint in Germany (Mannheim/Heidelberg) the year b4 i graduated from college. i would recommend catching a dinner cruise or a fireworks show onboard a yacht if you pass through southern or western Germany. i did not back-pack, but i found it nice to take short getaways to london and paris, and travel through Germany by rail.

Definitely go to Lucerne...it's GORGEOUS! And you can get cute shoes there, too.

Well...I went quasi-back packing one summer. While I should have "roughed it" and stationed myself at the 15 dollar/night hostels, I went the "book a hotel in each city you visit" way.

In my opinion, buy a Eurostar pass and let it take you any place you wake up and decide to go each day. It's a lovely form of transportation.

I loved London. I stayed in a quaint inn a few steps away from Picadilly Circus.

The shopping in Firenze(Florence), Milano, and Rome is marvelous. The gardens at sunset are amazing. Just make sure you make purchases at the end of the day if you are walking around all day. I ended up carring a rather oversized painting I purchased for 35 francs the entire day through the city of Rome. What a site!:)

I've spent a few spring breaks in Paris, which is absolutely freezing in April, but simply gorgeous , brilliantly sunny and crisp. The one tourist-y place I will recommend is Montparnasse, the location of Monet's home. It was almost a surreal experience to stand in the drizzle of France aside one of the most well recognized painting scenes of all time!

I stayed a month on a farm in Vollerup, Denmark. The castles in Denmark are indescribable. This was when I roughed it, waking up to feed pigs and horses. I even witnessed the delivery of two cows while I was there. One was named after me!

Switzerland is wonderfully picturesque as well as Luxembourg.

Goodness, here I am reminiscing. Instead of telling you where go , how about I administer some advice?

-always carry with you toilet paper and a bottle of water. Often in Europe you will have to pay for toilet paper and wine is cheaper than water.
- Invest in a belt that holds your money. Never put your wallet in your backpack pockets.
- Carry a calculator to work out currency conversions.
- Go of the beaten path to dine. These small restaurants are usually cheaper and have more authentic food.
- Don't invest all your time in museums. After about 50 portraits of the Virgin Mary, you WILL become jaded and will just go through the motions of being a tourist. Get outdoors!
- Carry an umbrella at all times. (It was pouring in Vatican City in August!)


OK...I need to stop. Ahhhhhh....Europe.;)

Buy the lonelyplanet guide, give you all the low down on traveling with a budget. I suggest backpackers for accomodation, get to meet interesting people and might end up going in a group. Like what happen to me.

Unusual places in Italy
 

My mom lives near Venice , Italy , so I've been 4 times recently. I've been to Rome 3 times-it is awesome!!! I agree, don't go on a tour. Or, go on a longer one to one country , like Italy only. Rick Steve's guidebooks are great but get a Knopf guide, too, if you like more upscale.
Okay, my mom lives 45 minutes out of Venice in the Friuli region. It is really neat-there are also some great pottery places that make for Tiffany's of New York. And there is some workshop that makes Bottega Veneto handbags - you can get them for 120 dollars compared to 1200 dollars here!!! There are some neat fortified hill towns nearby like Asolo & Bassano di Grappa. Once I read this great website about a walking tour thru Asolo & towns close to Venice. I just found it thru a seach for Asolo. www.sheraton.com/villacipriani is a fabulous place to stay.
Venice is amazing but so crowded. I would avoid the summer if possible in Italy. Try the shoulder months: April , May, Sept. , Oct. The winter was really cold to me, but I live in Mobile, Alabama.
We also went to Germany in the Alps- Garmisch-Partenkirsch? , Oberamergau(sp)- saw all those famous castles. Amazing- I loved what I saw of Germany. Also Austria-Saltzburg Hope to go back this May 2002- had to cancel our Nov. 2001 trip due to scared hubby about 9/11:(

Budapest
 

I will be studying in Budapest for the next few years, it's sick here, if any TKEs are heading this way, let me know!!!

In Budapest, my hostel consisted of a wooden floor, 4 pillars and a roof. I had to go back in to ask for a blanket. And it was amazing. I also walked into a salon and told the only woman who spoke english to do whatever she wanted so I got the fin all the way down (such that if I didn't gel it, I had a rat tail). It was the end of a few months and it was cheaper in Budapest than London.

I still remember my favorite store I went to as well....a place called Retrock.

are you in buda or pest? i stayed in each at some point. i was there 4 days i think. too long for me personally, but i was just tired by that point, and it wasn't that different from prague. studying for a few years? what program has you studying a few years there?

on another note, i'm hopefully going to scandanavia later this year....we'll see.