9780470069332

Donald Olson (Chapters 1–11 and 15) is a novelist, playwright, and travel writer. His newest novel, Confessions of a Pregnant Princess, was published in 2005 under the pen name Swan Adamson. His travel stories have appeared in The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Sunset, National Geographic books, and many other publications. His guidebooks London For Dummies, Frommer’s Best Day Trips from London, Frommer’s Irreverent London, Germany For Dummies, and Frommer’s Vancouver & Victoria are all published by Wiley. He also writes England For Dummies, which won a 2002 Lowell Thomas Travel Writing Award for best guidebook.

Liz Albertson (Chapter 12) worked as an editor for Frommer’s Travel Guides for four years before making the leap to the other side of the computer as the author of Ireland For Dummies. When she isn’t researching and writing, Liz spends much of her time in Ireland sitting in on traditional music sessions, fiddle in hand. She currently teaches fifth and sixth grade in New Haven, Connecticut.

Cheryl A. Pientka (Chapter 13) is a freelance journalist and a literary scout. She is the author of Paris For Dummies and co-author of France For Dummies. A graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Delaware, she lives in New York when she can’t be in Paris.

George McDonald (Chapter 14) is a former deputy editor of and currently contributing writer for Holland Herald, the in-flight magazine for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He has written extensively about Amsterdam and the Netherlands for international magazines and travel books such as Frommer’s Belgium, Holland & Luxembourg and Frommer’s Europe.

Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince (Chapters 16 and 17) have written numerous best-selling Frommer’s guides and are coauthors of Frommer’s Europe. Porter is a former bureau chief for the Miami Herald, and Prince, who began writing with Porter in 1982, worked for the Paris bureau of the New York Times.

Hana Mastrini (Chapter 18) is a native of the western Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary who became a veteran of the “Velvet Revolution” as a student in Prague in 1989. She is the author of Frommer’s Prague & the Best of the Czech Republic and co-author of Frommer’s Europe and Frommer’s Europe by Rail.

Bruce Murphy and Alessandra de Rosa (Chapters 19–21) are parttime residents of Rome. Murphy’s work has appeared in magazines ranging from Cruising World to Critical Inquiry. An avid traveler since her first cross-Europe trip at the age of 2, de Rosa was born in Rome and has lived and worked in Rome, Paris, and New York City. They are the authors of Italy For Dummies and Rome For Dummies.

Neil Schlecht (Chapters 22 and 23) is a writer and cycling aficionado who has lived in Spain, Brazil, and Ecuador. He has worked in Spain as an English teacher, a consultant on social and economic development projects for the European Union, and as a contributing writer for a Spanish art and antiques magazine. He is the author of a dozen travel guides, including Spain For Dummies.

Vancouver-born Tania Kollias (Chapter 24) longed to travel since a teen trip to England to meet the relatives, and used a Frommer’s guide for her first solo journey to Europe. A degree, four continents, and many journals later, she now lives in her father’s native Athens, Greece, where she wrote the country’s first comprehensive listings book for expats, edited the Now in Athens monthly for the 2004 Olympics, and still works as a journalist and writer. She travels in and out of Greece whenever she gets the chance.

Introduction	p. 1
About This Book	p. 1
Conventions Used in This Book	p. 1
Foolish Assumptions	p. 3
How This Book Is Organized	p. 3
Introducing Europe	p. 3
Planning Your Trip to Europe	p. 4
The British Isles	p. 4
Central Europe	p. 4
Mediterranean Europe	p. 4
The Part of Tens	p. 5
Icons Used in This Book	p. 5
Where to Go from Here	p. 6
Introducing Europe	p. 7
Discovering the Best of Europe	p. 9
The Top Museums	p. 12
The Top Historie Sights	p. 13
The Top Culinary Delights	p. 14
The Architectural Highlights	p. 15
Deciding When and Where to Go	p. 17
Going Everywhere You Want to Be	p. 17
The splendors of the British Isles	p. 17
The heart of the Continent	p. 18
The charms of the Mediterranean	p. 20
The Secret of the Seasons	p. 21
Europe's Calendar of Events	p. 23
Tips for Successful Trip Planning	p. 26
Seeing it all without going nuts	p. 26
Staying sane on the museum trail	p. 27
Dealing with cultural overload	p. 28
How to Schedule Your Time	p. 29
Presenting Five Great Itineraries	p. 31
The Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink-in-Two-Weeks Tour	p. 32
The Three-Week Grand Tour of Europe	p. 34
Two Weeks in Europe for Lovers of Art	p. 35
A Week of Romance, European Style	p. 37
A Week in Europe the Kids Will Love	p. 38
Planning Your Trip to Europe	p. 47
Managing Your Money	p. 43
Planning Your Budget	p. 43
Keeping a Lid on Hidden Expenses	p. 46
Cutting Costs - but Not the Fun	p. 47
Planning ahead for discounts	p. 47
Trimming transportation expenses	p. 48
Lowering your lodging bill	p. 48
Digging for dining bargains	p. 49
Shaving off sightseeing and shopping costs	p. 50
Handling Money	p. 50
Using your ATM card	p. 51
Pulling out the plastic	p. 51
Cashing traveler's checks	p. 52
Exchanging Money at the Best Rate	p. 53
Buying Currency Before You Leave	p. 54
Paying and Redeeming the VAT	p. 55
Avoiding Theft	p. 56
The pickpocket	p. 56
Hazard #2	p. 57
Keeping valuables safe on trains	p. 58
Coping with a stolen wallet	p. 59
Getting to Europe	p. 61
Seeking a Travel Agent's Advice	p. 61
Exploring Package-Tour Possibilities	p. 62
Comparing packages	p. 62
Hunting down the deals	p. 62
Joining an Escorted Tour	p. 64
Making Your Own Arrangements	p. 65
Booking your flight	p. 65
Shopping for the best airfare	p. 65
Booking your flight online	p. 66
Getting Around Europe	p. 68
Flying Around Europe	p. 68
Taking the Train	p. 69
Figuring out the basics of train travel	p. 69
Saving time and money with rail passes	p. 74
Navigating the train station	p. 78
Floating to Your Destination by Ferry	p. 80
Getting Around by Bus	p. 80
Driving in Europe	p. 80
Obtaining an International Driver's Permit	p. 81
Knowing when to rent a car	p. 81
Saving time and money on rental cars	p. 81
Understanding European road rules	p. 84
Booking Your Accommodations	p. 86
Understanding European Hotels	p. 86
The bathroom: The big culture shock	p. 87
The shower: Another new adventure	p. 87
That extra thing: Not a toilet	p. 88
Finding the Best Room at the Best Rate	p. 88
Comparing room rates and ratings	p. 88
Making reservations	p. 89
Using a hotel booking service	p. 90
Surfing the Web for hotel deals	p. 91
Finding deals at the last minute	p. 92
Discovering Other Options	p. 94
The most popular alternatives	p. 94
Hostels and other bargain options	p. 95
Catering to Special Travel Needs or Interests	p. 97
Traveling with the Brood: Advice for Families	p. 97
Making Age Work for You: Advice for Seniors	p. 98
Accessing Europe: Advice for Travelers with Disabilities	p. 99
Following the Rainbow: Advice for Gay and Lesbian Travelers	p. 100
Taking Care of the Remaining Details	p. 102
Getting a Passport	p. 102
Applying for a U.S. passport	p. 103
Applying for other passports	p. 103
Playing It Safe with Travel and Medical Insurance	p. 104
Staying Healthy when You Travel	p. 106
Dealing with European Healthcare	p. 107
Making Reservations for Popular Restaurants, Events, and Sights	p. 107
Packing It Up	p. 108
Dressing like the locals	p. 109
Sporting money belts	p. 109
Traveling without electronics	p. 110
Mastering Communication	p. 110
Calling Europe from the United States	p. 110
Calling home from Europe	p. 111
Using European pay phones	p. 111
Staying connected by cellphone	p. 112
Accessing the Internet in Europe	p. 113
Keeping Up with Airline Security Measures	p. 115
Bringing Your Goodies Back Home	p. 116
The British Isles	p. 119
London and the Best of England	p. 121
Getting There	p. 121
Arriving by air	p. 121
Arriving by rail	p. 123
Orienting Yourself in London	p. 123
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 124
Finding information after you arrive	p. 125
Getting Around London	p. 125
By Tube (subway)	p. 126
By bus	p. 126
By taxi	p. 127
By foot	p. 127
Staying in London	p. 127
London's top hotels and B&Bs	p. 128
London's runner-up accommodations	p. 134
Dining in London	p. 134
Exploring London	p. 138
London's top sights	p. 138
More cool things to see and do	p. 144
Guided tours	p. 147
Suggested itineraries	p. 147
Traveling Beyond London	p. 149
Bath: Ancient Rome in Georgian clothing	p. 150
Salisbury and Stonehenge: Gothic splendor and prehistoric mysteries	p. 151
Oxford: The original college town	p. 153
Fast Facts: London	p. 156
Edinburgh and the Best of Scotland	p. 159
Getting There	p. 159
Arriving by air	p. 160
Arriving by train or bus	p. 161
Orienting Yourself in Edinburgh	p. 161
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 161
Finding information after you arrive	p. 161
Getting Around Edinburgh	p. 161
By bus	p. 162
By taxi	p. 162
By foot	p. 162
Staying in Edinburgh	p. 162
Edinburgh's top hotels and B&Bs	p. 163
Edinburgh's runner-up accommodations	p. 167
Dining in Edinburgh	p. 168
Exploring Edinburgh	p. 170
Edinburgh's top sights	p. 170
More cool things to see and do	p. 173
Guided tours	p. 174
Suggested itineraries	p. 175
Traveling Beyond Edinburgh	p. 175
On Nessie's trail: Inverness and Loch Ness	p. 176
Glasgow: A Victorian industrial city discovers culture	p. 178
Fast Facts: Edinburgh	p. 181
Dublin and the Best of Ireland	p. 183
Getting There	p. 184
Arriving by air	p. 184
Arriving by land	p. 184
Arriving by sea	p. 184
Orienting Yourself in Dublin	p. 185
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 185
Finding information after you arrive	p. 186
Getting around Dublin by foot	p. 186
Getting around Dublin by bus	p. 186
Getting around Dublin by Dart (light rail)	p. 187
Getting around Dublin by taxi	p. 187
Staying in Dublin	p. 187
Dublin's top hotels	p. 188
Dublin's runner-up accommodations	p. 192
Dining in Dublin	p. 193
Exploring Dublin	p. 196
Dublin's top sights	p. 196
More cool things to see and do	p. 200
Guided tours	p. 202
Suggested itineraries	p. 203
Traveling the Irish Countryside	p. 204
North of Dublin to passage tombs and ruined medieval abbeys	p. 204
South of Dublin: Mansions and monasteries in County Wicklow	p. 205
Driving rings around County Kerry	p. 206
Fast Facts: Dublin	p. 208
Central Europe	p. 211
Paris and Environs	p. 213
Getting There	p. 214
Arriving by air	p. 214
Arriving by rail	p. 216
Orienting Yourself in Paris	p. 216
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 216
Finding information after you arrive	p. 220
Getting Around Paris	p. 220
By Metro (subway) and RER	p. 221
By bus	p. 222
By taxi	p. 222
By foot	p. 222
Staying in Paris	p. 223
Paris's top hotels	p. 224
Paris's runner-up accommodations	p. 228
Dining in Paris	p. 230
Exploring Paris	p. 234
Paris's top sights	p. 234
More cool things to see and do	p. 239
Guided tours	p. 243
Suggested itineraries	p. 244
Traveling Beyond Paris	p. 245
Versailles: Palace of the Sun King	p. 245
Chartres Cathedral: A Gothic masterpiece	p. 247
Fast Facts: Paris	p. 248
Amsterdam and Environs	p. 252
Getting There	p. 253
Arriving by air	p. 253
Arriving by rail	p. 254
Orienting Yourself in Amsterdam	p. 255
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 255
Finding information after you arrive	p. 256
Getting Around Amsterdam	p. 256
By tram, bus, and subway	p. 256
By taxi	p. 258
By tram	p. 258
By foot	p. 258
By bike	p. 258
Staying in Amsterdam	p. 258
Amsterdam's top hotels and B&Bs	p. 259
Amsterdam's runner-up accommodations	p. 263
Dining in Amsterdam	p. 263
Exploring Amsterdam	p. 266
Amsterdam's top sights	p. 266
More cool things to see and do	p. 269
Guided tours	p. 271
Suggested itineraries	p. 272
Traveling Beyond Amsterdam	p. 273
Discovering the other Haarlem	p. 273
Stopping to admire the tulips	p. 274
Tilting at windmills	p. 275
Biking to the Kroller-Muller Museum	p. 276
Fast Facts: Amsterdam	p. 277
Munich and Bavaria	p. 279
Getting There	p. 279
Arriving by air	p. 279
Arriving by train	p. 281
Orienting Yourself in Munich	p. 281
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 281
Finding information after you arrive	p. 282
Getting around Munich	p. 282
Staying in Munich	p. 283
Munich's top hotels	p. 283
Munich's runner-up accommodations	p. 287
Dining in Munich	p. 288
Exploring Munich	p. 290
Munich's top sights	p. 291
More cool things to see and do	p. 294
Guided tours	p. 294
Suggested itineraries	p. 295
Traveling Beyond Munich	p. 296
Neuschwanstein: Mad King Ludwig's fairy-tale castle	p. 296
The Nazi concentration camp at Dachau	p. 298
Fast Facts: Munich	p. 300
Vienna and the Best of Austria	p. 302
Getting to Vienna	p. 302
Arriving by air	p. 302
Arriving by rail	p. 303
Orienting Yourself in Vienna	p. 304
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 304
Finding information after you arrive	p. 304
Getting Around Vienna	p. 305
By U-Bahn (subway)	p. 305
By tram or bus	p. 305
By taxi	p. 305
Staying in Vienna	p. 306
Vienna's top hotels	p. 306
Vienna's runner-up accommodations	p. 310
Dining in Vienna	p. 311
Exploring Vienna	p. 314
Vienna's top sights	p. 314
More cool things to see and do	p. 318
Guided tours	p. 320
Suggested itineraries	p. 320
Traveling Beyond Vienna: Innsbruck	p. 321
Getting there	p. 322
Seeing the sights	p. 322
Where to stay and dine	p. 323
Fast Facts; Vienna	p. 323
Bern and the Swiss Alps	p. 326
Getting There	p. 326
Arriving by air	p. 326
Arriving by rail	p. 327
Orienting Yourself in Bern	p. 328
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 328
Finding Information after you arrive	p. 328
Getting Around Bern	p. 328
By tram and bus	p. 328
By taxi	p. 329
By foot	p. 329
Staying in Bern	p. 329
Bern's top hotels	p. 329
Bern's runner-up accommodations	p. 331
Dining in Bern	p. 332
Exploring Bern	p. 334
Bern's top sights	p. 334
More cool things to see and do	p. 336
Guided tours	p. 337
Suggested itineraries	p. 338
Traveling Beyond Bern	p. 339
Zurich: Swiss counterculture meets high finance	p. 339
Basel: Three, three, three countries in one!	p. 340
Visiting the Bernese Oberland	p. 342
Getting there	p. 342
Finding information after you arrive	p. 342
Learning the lay of the land	p. 343
Getting around the Bernese Oberland	p. 344
Staying in the Bernese Oberland	p. 344
Dining in the Bernese Oberland	p. 346
Exploring the Bernese Oberland	p. 347
Fast Facts: Bern	p. 350
Prague and Environs	p. 353
Arriving by air	p. 354
Arriving by rail	p. 354
Orienting Yourself in Prague	p. 354
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 355
Finding information after you arrive	p. 356
Getting Around Prague	p. 356
By Metro (subway)	p. 357
By tram and bus	p. 357
By taxi	p. 357
Staying in Prague	p. 358
Prague's top hotels	p. 358
Prague's runner-up accommodations	p. 362
Dining in Prague	p. 362
Exploring Prague	p. 364
Prague's top sights	p. 365
More cool things to see and do	p. 369
Guided tours	p. 370
Suggested itineraries	p. 371
Traveling Beyond Prague	p. 372
Medieval Karlstejn Castle	p. 372
The Nazi camp at Terezin	p. 374
Fast Facts: Prague	p. 376
Mediterranean Europe	p. 379
Rome and Southern Italy	p. 381
Getting There	p. 381
Arriving by air	p. 382
Arriving by rail	p. 383
Finding information after you arrive	p. 383
Getting Around Rome	p. 383
By taxi	p. 383
By subway, tram, and bus	p. 384
Staying in Rome	p. 385
Rome's top hotels	p. 385
Rome's runner-up accommodations	p. 389
Dining in Rome	p. 390
Exploring Rome	p. 395
Rome's top attractions	p. 396
More cool things to see and do	p. 404
Guided tours	p. 406
Suggested itineraries	p. 407
Traveling Beyond Rome	p. 408
Naples: A splendid art city welcoming visitors once again	p. 408
Herculaneum and Pompeii: The world's most famous ancient Roman archaeological areas	p. 410
Fast Facts: Rome	p. 413
Florence and Tuscany	p. 416
Getting There	p. 416
Arriving by air	p. 416
Arriving by rail	p. 417
Finding information after you arrive	p. 417
Getting Around Florence	p. 418
Onfoot	p. 418
By bus	p. 418
Staying in Florence	p. 419
The top hotels	p. 419
Runner-up hotels	p. 423
Dining in Florence	p. 424
Exploring Florence	p. 430
Florence's top attractions	p. 430
More cool things to see and do	p. 436
Guided tours	p. 437
Suggested itineraries	p. 437
Traveling Beyond Florence	p. 438
Pisa: The Leaning Tower and more	p. 438
Siena: A departure from the Renaissance	p. 442
San Gimignano: Hills and towers	p. 445
Fast Facts: Florence	p. 446
Venice and Environs	p. 449
Getting There	p. 449
Arriving by air	p. 449
Arriving by rail	p. 450
Finding information after you arrive	p. 450
Getting Around Venice	p. 451
By foot	p. 451
By vaporetto (water bus)	p. 451
By traghetto (ferry skiff)	p. 452
By taxi	p. 452
Staying in Venice	p. 452
Venice's top hotels	p. 453
Venice's runner-up accommodations	p. 457
Dining in Venice	p. 458
Exploring Venice	p. 463
Venice's top attractions	p. 464
More cool things to see and do	p. 470
Guided tours	p. 471
Suggested itineraries	p. 472
Traveling Beyond Venice	p. 473
Padova: Outstanding art and architecture	p. 473
Milan: Art viewing and shopping	p. 475
Fast Facts: Venice	p. 476
Madrid and the Best of Castile	p. 479
Getting There	p. 480
Arriving by air	p. 480
Arriving by rail	p. 480
Orienting Yourself in Madrid	p. 480
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 481
Finding information after you arrive	p. 482
Getting Around Madrid	p. 482
By subway	p. 482
By bus	p. 483
By taxi	p. 483
By foot	p. 483
Staying in Madrid	p. 483
Madrid's top hotels	p. 486
Madrid's runner-up hotels	p. 488
Dining in Madrid	p. 488
Exploring Madrid	p. 491
Madrid's top sights	p. 492
More cool things to see and do	p. 495
Guided tours	p. 497
Suggested itineraries	p. 498
Traveling Beyond Madrid: Three Day Trips	p. 499
Holy Toledo! Religious art and architecture	p. 499
El Escorial: A king-size monastery	p. 501
Segovia: A tour of Spanish history	p. 503
Fast Facts: Madrid	p. 504
The Best of Barcelona	p. 507
Getting There	p. 507
Arriving by air	p. 508
Arriving by train	p. 508
Orienting Yourself in Barcelona	p. 508
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 508
Finding information after you arrive	p. 509
Getting Around Barcelona	p. 509
By public transportation	p. 509
By taxi	p. 510
By funicular	p. 510
By foot	p. 510
Staying in Barcelona	p. 510
The top hotels	p. 511
Runner-up hotels	p. 514
Dining in Barcelona	p. 515
Exploring Barcelona	p. 518
The top attractions	p. 519
Strolling La Rambla	p. 520
Exploring the Gothic Quarter	p. 522
More cool things to see and do	p. 523
Guided tours	p. 525
Suggested itineraries	p. 525
Fast Facts: Barcelona	p. 527
Athens and the Greek Islands	p. 529
Getting There	p. 530
Arriving by air	p. 530
Arriving by ferry	p. 532
Arriving by rail	p. 532
Arriving by bus	p. 533
Orienting Yourself in Athens	p. 533
Introducing the neighborhoods	p. 533
Finding Information after you arrive	p. 534
Getting Around Athens	p. 534
By Metro (subway)	p. 534
By bus and trolley	p. 535
By tram	p. 535
By taxi	p. 535
By foot	p. 535
Staying in Athens	p. 536
Athens's top hotels	p. 536
Athens's runner-up accommodations	p. 540
Dining in Athens	p. 541
Exploring Athens	p. 544
Athens's top sights	p. 544
More cool things to see and do	p. 547
Guided tours	p. 549
Following an itinerary	p. 549
Traveling Beyond Athens	p. 551
Delphi: The center of the ancient world	p. 551
Santorini: Sun, sea, and black sand	p. 553
Fast Facts: Athens	p. 557
The Part of Tens	p. 561
The Ten Most Overrated Sights and Attractions in Europe	p. 563
London's Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace	p. 563
London's Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum	p. 564
Paris's Champs-Elysees and Rome's Via Veneto	p. 564
The French Riviera	p. 564
Madrid's Flamenco Shows	p. 564
Athens, Greece	p. 564
Four Shopping Disappointments: The "Big Names" in London, Paris, Rome, and Florence	p. 565
Ten Overlooked Gems	p. 566
Avebury, England	p. 566
Dingle Peninsula, Ireland	p. 566
Paris's Lesser-Known Museums	p. 567
Hoge Veluwe Park, Netherlands	p. 567
The Heuriger of Grinzig, Austria	p. 567
Ostia Antica, Italy	p. 568
Venetian Islands, Italy	p. 568
Arena Chapel, Padova, Italy	p. 569
Spain - All of It	p. 569
Medieval Hamlets and Hill Towns	p. 569
Ten Ways to Break Out of the Tourist Mold	p. 571
Do as the Locals Do	p. 571
Take a Dip in Bern's Aare River	p. 572
Rent an Apartment or Villa	p. 572
Visit a Small Private Museum	p. 572
Jog with the Locals	p. 573
Hike in the Countryside	p. 573
Catch a Soccer Match	p. 573
Pick Grapes or Olives	p. 573
Watch Some Local Television Programs	p. 574
Liberate Yourself from Your Guidebook	p. 574
Quick Concierge	p. 575
Average Travel Times by Rail	p. 575
Metric Conversions	p. 576
Clotliing Size Conversions	p. 577
Toll-Free Numbers and Web Sites	p. 580
Where to Get More Information	p. 582
Index	p. 587
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