Travel thread 3.0

[IrishBlue2022]

Off to Belfast with Mrs Purchase, 3 nights and booked for the Titanic museum, which has had good reviews.

Has anyone done the Falls& Shankill black taxi tours?

I am tempted, but a bit uneasy about 'troubles' voyeurism.

What do Irish Toffee's feel about this.

Not at all mate. It's huge tourist draw and and interesting to hear the history from different perspectives. I have done the tour myself.

Depending how confident you are the loca bars in those types of areas are the places to go for cheap beer but not too many venture out and stick to the city centre. My local is about £4.20 a pint (Cheaper on Mondays and Tuesdays) but expect to pay £5.50 - £6+ in most city centre bars.

The centres very pricey these days. I try and steer away from the cathedral quarter but that is the busy touristy destination. Only bars i like down there are Duke of York and The Spaniard (The 2nd floor in it).

Away from there i like The Garrick, Sunflower, Kelly Cellars and Maddens. Still pricey but better atmospheres than most others.

Enjoy your time here.

 

[TexanToffee]

Can also vouch for Maddens pub. Spent a night there drinking and listening to Irish music. One of the best pub experiences I've ever had, and also one of the worst hangovers.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Off to Belfast with Mrs Purchase, 3 nights and booked for the Titanic museum, which has had good reviews.

Has anyone done the Falls& Shankill black taxi tours?

I am tempted, but a bit uneasy about 'troubles' voyeurism.

What do Irish Toffee's feel about this.

Not Irish, but I found the Falls and Shankill Road murals sobering reminders of how fragile peace is, as well as terribly sad testaments to the darker side of humanity.

 

[IrishBlue2022]

Can also vouch for Maddens pub. Spent a night there drinking and listening to Irish music. One of the best pub experiences I've ever had, and also one of the worst hangovers.

The fella that runs it (Think he leases it) is sound. Always guaranteed a good night, good music and as you have said a sore head the next day.

Its a favourite of visting musicians and celebrities too because the keep it low key when they are there.

 

[jackyboy]

I did the black taxi tour a few years ago. It was fantastic. It was informative but the taxi driver relaxed us with a fair bit of banter along the way.
It's a very friendly City .

Second this. We absolutely loved it when we went. People were so friendly and the food and drink options were tremendous

 

[barneygumble]

Just finalising the final touches of my Honeymoon, and we're doing a "roadtrip", from Texas to South Carolina/Georgia, and given how much of a Football Fan I am, the complexities of avoiding any city with a game on, has been torture

 

[Eggs]

….lovely flight down to the Med on a Dreamliner this morning, hope they can soon identify the issue with the Air India flight that resulted in such tragedy.

 

[davids]

As an American who has never visited Europe.

what's a European gem of a country that one would recommend for a 2 day visit? of course everyone wants to visit Italy, France, Spain, England etc

I've always wondered how Estonia, Slovenia or Luxembourg are like.

I'd recommend Valencia,but then I'm biased. Gives you the option of a day in the city sightseeing and a day on the beach. Chiringuitos are open now so there's a nice vibe.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g1063707-d10915632-Reviews-Chiringuito_Patasur-Alboraya_Province_of_Valencia_Valencian_Community.html

And if you're feeling fit. La Movida around Barrio Carmen is a good all nighter.

 

[barneygumble]

As an American who has never visited Europe.

what's a European gem of a country that one would recommend for a 2 day visit? of course everyone wants to visit Italy, France, Spain, England etc

I've always wondered how Estonia, Slovenia or Luxembourg are like.

Bit late to the show.

If you're doing Slovenia and doing 2 days Ljubljana/Bled is a good spot, but getting to Ljubljana isn't always the easiest.

Italy is always a gem. Can do Florence to Pisa in an hour, Florence is ace, Michelangelo's The David, some boss architecture, great food, and ofc Leaning Tower and Duomo in Pisa.

Luxembourg is a bit meh.

Montenegro I fully recommend, with Split and the islands also crackers, I. Croatia.

 

[IrishBlue2022]

Bit late to the show.

If you're doing Slovenia and doing 2 days Ljubljana/Bled is a good spot, but getting to Ljubljana isn't always the easiest.

Italy is always a gem. Can do Florence to Pisa in an hour, Florence is ace, Michelangelo's The David, some boss architecture, great food, and ofc Leaning Tower and Duomo in Pisa.

Luxembourg is a bit meh.

Montenegro I fully recommend, with Split and the islands also crackers, I. Croatia.

Just seen yesterday theres a sleeper train starting soon from Warsaw, Poland to Croatia with many stops on the way including Ljubljana.

 

[barneygumble]

Just seen yesterday theres a sleeper train starting soon from Warsaw, Poland to Croatia with many stops on the way including Ljubljana.

I wasnt so impressed by Ljubljana, but Bled is something else.

Worthy of anyone's bucket list for me.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

As an American who has never visited Europe.

what's a European gem of a country that one would recommend for a 2 day visit? of course everyone wants to visit Italy, France, Spain, England etc

I've always wondered how Estonia, Slovenia or Luxembourg are like.

Hungary is worth a look. Currently in Budapest and it's lovely. Previously I've stopped over in Debrecen (a smaller country on the East side) and that too is nice. Friendly people.

View of the waterfront from the castle.



Its 30c at the moment.

 

[IrishBlue2022]

I wasnt so impressed by Ljubljana, but Bled is something else.

Worthy of anyone's bucket list for me.

Slovenia is on my list. Trying to do 40 countries before 40. I turn 37 in November and will be on 27 (Potentially 28) countries by then.

 

[ArtetaMagic]

Slovenia is on my list. Trying to do 40 countries before 40. I turn 37 in November and will be on 27 (Potentially 28) countries by then.

Where's been your favourites?

 

[IrishBlue2022]

Where's been your favourites?

See my list is a mix of all different experiences so it's a tough question to answer.

I spent 6 weeks on a training programme in Canada when i was 18 and then 3 months on placement in the USA when i was 25. The rest are a mix of mates holidays, trips with the wife or family holidays.

But if pushed my favourites would be Canada (All over Ontario), Greece (Corfu), Bosnia-Herzigovina (Medugorje, Split, Mostar), Croatia (Dubrovnik) and Lithuania (Kaunas).