Our Man In Bananas
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you want to spend 6 months just in France...?
NO NO NO I won't allow it... :)
Please, of course, France is well worth a visit for a few weeks, but don't tie yourself mentally to one country... there is so much to offer you in other countries such as Spain and Italy - not ot mention the rest of Europe and Eastern Europe...
So, I'd suggest you buy an interrailing ticket for 2 or 3 zones, so you can travel France, Spain Portugal, Italy, Switzerland ... or alternatively try the BusAbout option ...
Where to Stay:
You should plan on staying in hostels, that way you will only have to pay about €15 euros a night for a bed in a comfortable, safe, clean place (usually close to the sights) plus you will meet loads of other like minded travellers like yourself who want to see the same things as you...
What to Read:
You should buy a copy of Lonely Planet - Europe On A Shoestring or maybe Let's Go Europe to give youself some ideas...and perhaps Rough Guide First Time Europe as well
My suggested dream itinerary for 3 to 6 months in Europe:
Personally I'd start in the UK (London), then take a cheap flight with Ryanair to Portugal, visit Lagos and Lisbon, head into Spain and work your way through Rhonda, Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, up to Madrid, take day trips to Toledo and Segovia, head to Salamanca and Santiago De Compostela before taking the northern route to San Sebastien via Leon, then Bilbao, and finally Barclona ...
From Barcelona, get the ferry to Italy, see the Almafi Coast and Sorrento in the south along with Napoli before hitting Roma, then go through Verona on your way to Florence, with day trips to Assizi and Siena .... finish Italy with a few days at Cinque Terre
Now head North to the Swiss Alps for a little while (bearing in mind Switzerland is extremely expensive) then go to Germany and see Berlin, Potsdam and Dresden, before you head into France for your final few weeks
now THAT'S A TRIP to remember :)
And I haven't even mentioned all the stunning cities and towns in Estern Europe (Prague, Budapest, Krakow anyone?) or the Balkans (Split, Zagreb, Trogir, Pula, Dubrovnik in Croatia and Sarayevo and Mostar in Bosnia)
Oh, what about Turkey ... ?
Travel Within Europe:
to get around, you can also save money on the long trips by using the budget airlines like Ryanair, Vueling (in Spain), and maybe Easyjet (links below) - you can search for cheap flights within Europe on the SkyScanner.Net website (link below). But you would also need an interrailing ticket or a BusAbout pass too...
To find hostels use Hostelworld.com
BUDGET:
To work out your budget, take the cost of a hostel in your city, and multiply that by 3, so if the best hostel in Barcelona costs €18 euros, then your budget for Barcelona is around €54 euros a day ... but of course it's cheaper in the South ...
What to Bring:
A good rucksack, some lightweight, durable quick-drying clothes (3 of each!), a good guidebook, phrasebook, deck of cards, a yearning to see more and more, have fun, meet people, and a sense of adventure!
For more advice, you should ask on the Lonely Planet Thorntree - it's the worlds largest independant and backpackers travel forum...
A couple more sites to check out might be GapYear.Com ... or STATravel.Com
I put some links below...
VISA's
For VISA's remember you are coming into Europe via ONE country, so organize one visa for 3 to 6 months...
Here is what I found on the LP Thorntree (Europe On A Shoestring FAQ) regarding the Shengen Visa:
>>>>> from LP Thorntree FAQ >>>>
The Schengen visa
The name "Schengen" originates from a small town in Luxembourg. In June 1985, seven European Union countries signed a treaty to end internal border checkpoints and controls. More countries have joined the treaty over the past years. At present, there are 15 Schengen countries, all in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries except Norway and Iceland are European Union members. If you want to read more about Schengen click here.
Traveling in Europe has been simplified with the introduction of the Schengen visa. As a visitor to the Schengen area, you will enjoy the many advantages of this unified visa system. With a Schengen visa, you may enter one country and travel freely throughout the Schengen zone. Internal border controls have disappeared; there are no or few stops and checks. This means that internal air, road and train travel are handled as domestic trips, similar to travel from one US state to another. Those who traveled in Europe before Schengen know the difference.
Nationals of many other countries, including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the USA, do not need a visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days.
At the point of writing the Schengen visa is valid for 90 days. People often ask if that 90 day period starts again from the beginning if they leave Schengen (e.g. going to Switzerland or the UK), and then come back into Schengen. This is not the case; your visa has a validity of 90 days in total (in any 180 days), no matter if you left Schengen during that trip or spend the entire 90 days in one go in Schengen. You cannot just hop over to a non-Schengen country to "renew" your 90 days. You have to stay away for 90 days. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, please refer to the detailed Schengen visa information further down this thread.
Where do you apply for a visa? All depends on the place(s) you want to visit. If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, you must apply at the Embassy or Consulate of that particular country. You apply at the Embassy or Consulate responsible for the state where you live. If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country which is your main destination. If you intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a main destination, you should apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country which is your first point of entry (Schengen visa application form).
All foreigners who plan to study in Schengen longer than three months need a 'type D' Visa for language study, valid up to one year. N.B. If you are not sure about the length of your stay, it is safer to ask for a 'type D' Visa, as the 'type C' Visa is valid only for three months and not prolongable.
<<<< END <<<<
I hope that helps you some...
Good luck
Philip |
VidaUK
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I am envious, don't listen to the negative comments on here - France is a wonderful country. I am always there and I have always had good times there, I love the French.
6 months is a fair time - why not start in the South of France, maybe at the South West Languedoc, work your way along the coast to Marseille, Cassis, and further and go up through to Aix en Provence, Lyon, Macon, visit the wine regions for the views and the culture: Beaujeau, Fleurie, Morgon. Troyes for its amazing medieval houses and nice town, Champagne: Reims (most amazing cathedrals and roman buildings), Epernay to the Champagne houses, Villefranche.
Paris - it is a wonderful city.
If you are driving back to the North of France pay a visit to Vimy Ridge - the land was a gift to the Canadians in respect of the events that took place there during the war and the huge loss of life to win a difficult battle. It moves you emotionally as you still see the craters caused by the action.
Enjoy the food, the different environments and landscapes through the country - you will soon find the part of France that you like most!
Don't forget to get your European Health Insurance Card - it replaced the E111: http://www.ehic.ie/ and private insurance to go with it - the comparison websites for insurance will give you the best deal. |
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