Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with europe and Amsterdam

Cheap Cell Phone Service in Europe

mahoganyslide — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:52:05 -0800

What is the cheapest option available for using my iPhone (AT&T) in Europe? I will be traveling to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg in the coming summer and am curious what the best option is for voice and data usage on my (unlocked) iPhone. I would love to use Google maps to get around and be able to call family back home as well as friends coming along with me. However, if data prices are exorbitantly high, I can forgo my beloved Google maps and settle for voice usage alone.

So far, AT&T offers a $6/mo. + $1/min. under its World Traveler plan. Data is far worse at $25/mo. for 20MB and $0.005/KB thereafter. I do not know if incoming calls are free as they are under certain European plans (I doubt it).

Can I get anything cheaper if I were to use European providers? Would it be possible to use the same service/SIM/number throughout the 3 nations without having to switch with each one? I would like to purchase a non-contract only service (e.g. pre-paid).

Furthermore, if it is possible to get better voice/data rates using a European provider, where can I purchase service? I will be landing in Amsterdam Schipol Airport and will also be passing through Amsterdam Central Station.

Thank you so much for your help!

Help me get from Santiago to Serbia.

acidic — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:03:06 -0800

What's the cheapest or best way to get from Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia? Optional: a detour through the Netherlands. I'm backpacking through Spain this summer and ending up in Santiago de Compostela or thereabouts. From there I have the option to go to the Netherlands for a month and then Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia etc for a little less than a month, then flying out of Prague, or going straight to central/eastern Europe and spending a bit more time there. Wherever I go I'll be WWOOFing for part of the time but also camping and couchsurfing in larger cities. I'm interested in:
- The best way to get out of Santiago, and
- Thoughts on spending a month in the Netherlands-- how expensive is it? For a young female traveling solo how does it compare to central/eastern Europe? Would it be worth it to skip the Netherlands and spend almost 2 months in Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia and other surrounding countries? Eventually I need to end up in Prague, although I don't plan to spend much time there at all.

Any additional advice regarding any of my destinations would be appreciated as well, of course! Previous threads about Dubrovnik and Ljubljana are what convinced me to head to that part of the world in the first place.

Packing and Leaving

Unred — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:09:49 -0800

Say you want to move to Europe for just a few months. What logistically should I be preparing for? Do I give up my apartment (in case I want to stay longer than a couple of months)? How much money should I have saved? If you're in your 30's is it possible to find work without a work visa? Is it possible to get a work visa without a job beforehand?

Has anyone ever done this and want to share the things they wish they'd thought about before they did it? BTW the place I'm thinking of going is Amsterdam. I like the idea of actually living there, but I think trying it out first is a better idea than just jumping ship on America.

Guide me to a travel guide.

waltzing astronomers — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:48:13 -0800

What are the best guidebooks for exploring Stockholm, Berlin, and Amsterdam? I'm going to be spending 4 or 5 days in each city this April. I'm looking for guides that are easy to carry around and give a good overview of each city.

When I went to Rome I had the Lonely Planet Encounter book and liked it because it could fit in my coat pocket, gave me some history, and was put out fairly recently so all of the awesome gelato places mentioned were still open. I didn't like it because of its ridiculous overuse of the words "nosh" and "filthy-fresh," because it considered under $20 for a meal, not including wine/water, to be cheap (uh, more like $10), and because all of the shops mentioned were super high end.

For Amsterdam, this Get Lost! guide sounds cool to me, but it was put out in 2006 and I am worried that it will only cover the seedy/underground parts of Amsterdam, which although I'm interested in many such aspects, I also want to see the more "conventional" stuff.

Where to go in Europe?

alona — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:23:02 -0800

EuropeFilter: Two teens about to spend up to 10 days in Europe. Suggestions on where to go and how to keep it cheap? So we're 17, he's finished high school and I'm just before my senior year, and we're planning a 7-10 day trip in Europe in mid to late August. I know it's the most expensive season to travel but we really have no other time. Our parents are paying airfare (yay for parents) but as for me, I'm paying for everything else. That includes lodging, food, travel within Europe, entrance fees to various places and various other expenses. A rough estimate tells me I'll have betwen $700 - $1000 USD (not much. but if needed I know I can get more).
We're not completely sure about where we're going to be yet. We were thinking of doing a few days in Amsterdam, a few days in Ghent, Belgium (which I've heard is far more interesting for young people than Bruxelle) and then something like two days in Paris (because it's the most expensive).
We've both already been to London, so that's not necessary, and we both really want to go to Amsterdam. From there, we'd like places that aren't incredibly far (we don't want to waste time on travel) and preferably as cheap as possible.
Advice on which places are a must-see in any city is much appreciated as well :)

Accomodations in London, Belgium & The Netherlands

dhammond — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:49:14 -0800

I'm going to London, Belgium and the Netherlands from May 10th-24th, and I'm looking for great places to stay. My tentative itinerary:

London (5 nights - 5/10-5/15)
Brussels (1 night - 5/15-5/16)
Bruges (2 nights - 5/16-5/18)
The Netherlands (6 nights - mostly Amsterdam, but other cities as well - 5/18-24)

I'm traveling alone, and I'm interested in hearing from those who are quite enthusiastic about a certain place and want to tell me how great it is.

My basic requirements:

-- Located in or very to close to the city center, preferably away from tourist areas as much as possible.

-- Decent value. Less than $200 a night in most places, though I will go up on that in London or if it's a really spectacular place and gives a nice bang for my (floudering) buck.

-- No hostels.

--Big bonus points for buildings with nice, old-timey architecture.

For the Netherlands, I'll be spending a good deal of time in Amsterdam, but I would also be interested in hearing about other towns and cities that might be worth an overnight stay or long day trip.

As a point of reference, I stayed at the Strand Palace in London last year and, though I found it a bit shabby, it was a steal at under $200 in an incredibly central but not too touristy area. I don't mind staying there again, but would love to try something different if you can recommend something.

Thanks, y'all!

Help a bunch of late 20-somethings plan their last hurrah in Europe.

littlelebowskiurbanachiever — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:35:10 -0800

Oh noes! We're getting old! Help a bunch of late 20-somethings plan their last hurrah in Europe. I'm in a group of 6 childhood friends that went to college and got jobs all within short driving distance. As we've taken on new jobs and responsibilities in new cities (none of us are family men yet, thank goodness), we've gotten away from our tradition of going places and doing ill-advised yet not completely illegal things. We recognize that the older we get, the less opportunities we'll have to do things like spend 2 weeks in Europe (sans girlfriends and work) and do dumb things.

In short (too late), this ain't no sightseein' trip. We're looking for places with great nightlife, great people, and an overall great scene. We also only have 10 days to do it. Some will say that this is a waste of an experience, and that's fine. I'll be sure to ride horses in Ireland with my girlfriend on the next trip. For this trip, I just need to know how to pack in the most fun in 10 short days.

The problem is that we don't know where to start, and the travel agents we've contacted have told us that we'll only be able to see 2 or so countries in the span of our trip. If we are dead-set on making Amsterdam one of our stops, what else would be recommended, knowing our time constraints? Money isn't much of an object, but we're not quite millionaires yet either.

With time as our most valued asset, any experiences/tips on travel (how much time do we lose with flying/customs vs eurail transit), lodging (Hostelling International experiences?), and places with outrageous nightlife/scenes that left a permanent mark (in a good way) on your life are all welcome. If it matters, the trip is tentatively set for mid-November.

Looking for a European holiday apartment.

DirtyCreature — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:54:09 -0800

Where is a good place in a European city for a non-European to buy a small but nice two bedroom apartment for holidays? Looking for a city environment. How much would I need to spend? Are there any regulatory hurdles? Where do I find them? I was kind of leaning towards Paris but am fairly open. I am also open to Eastern Europe in safe areas and don't want to have to worry too much about the apartment when I am not there.

Pros and cons for an American taking a postdoc in Europe?

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:31:47 -0800

What are the pros and cons, professionally and personally, for an American taking an academic postdoc in Europe? I am currently a candidate for a postdoctoral position in Amsterdam. My interview is coming up soon, but due to external circumstances I may need to make a decision within a few days afterwards so I'm trying to figure out as much in advance as I can. I'm of course seeking detailed field-specific advice from my advisors and other members of my current department, but I'm interested in a few more general things.

Professionally, since I plan to apply for faculty positions in a few years, I'm interested in the impact that this move might have on the perceptions of a faculty hiring committee. Is going to Europe going to hurt my chances in the U.S.? Will it open up more opportunities in Europe later on (and how hard is it to get faculty positions in Europe anyway)?

Personally, what do I need to think about? One big question I have concerns my wife, who will be staying in the States for at least six months but who will eventually join me wherever I end up. How difficult would it be for her to get a work permit, etc.?

I'm not looking for anyone to convince me one way or the other, since my decision will involve a lot of things I haven't discussed here. But, beyond these two specific issues, I'm interested in literally every possible angle on this, because there are surely a lot of things I haven't thought of. What kinds of things to I need to think about and plan for, what questions do I need to ask, etc.?

Help me find cheap tickets to Europe

Fidel Cashflow — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:49:56 -0800

What is the best website to use to get cheap airline tickets to Europe (specifically Amsterdam or Prague)? I used to know two really great websites for getting deals on foreign travel, but I lost all my bookmarks recently when a hard drive died and I can't remember them. Any ideas?

Enjoying NW Europe on the cheap?

knapah — Fri, 19 May 2006 10:14:22 -0800

TravelFilter: This summer I and 3 friends are planning on travelling around part of Europe by train and are looking for advice on the main areas we plan to stay in. Information on hostels or other cheap accommodation (first hand if possible) would be great (more inside) We are students in the UK and are planning on getting the Interrail pass for Zone E (France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) so we can travel with relative freedom for 16 days.

We plan to stay in these cities primarily (although advice on other places in the general area would be accepted):

Lille (2 nights)
Brussels (3 nights)
Amsterdam (4 nights)
Luxembourg City (1 night)
Northern France including Paris (6 nights)

What I am looking for in particular are cheap (in the vicinity of €20 to €30 per night) hostels in each of the first 4 cities and also general advice for places to stay/see in Northern France.

Any other advice from people who have had InterRail or Eurail passes before would also be appreciated.

Many thanks

Any other loners out there?

Packy_1962 — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 02:45:30 -0800

Should I go to Amsterdam by myself? Do you have experience traveling by yourself? What do I need to know to prepare for this trip? I'm in Paris. I want to go to Amsterdam, I have no one to go with. I've been there before, but only for a short time when I was 18. I'm 21, F, and will probably stay in a youth hostel. I want to just go for two nights (Thursday and Friday). I will want to do things like go see the Rembrandt Carvaggio exhibtion at the Rijks museum , smoke weed, and maybe bike around the city. I'm not scared to be alone, I just want to make sure I have a good time, and I don't want to be that creepy person by herself at bars and what not. Also, any reccomendations on what to do?

What goes good with Amsterdam?

kimdog — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:31:05 -0800

What city should I pair with a trip to Amsterdam? I am taking a long overdue trip to Europe at the end of August. My friend and I will be meeting up with some folks in Amsterdam for four days. We are going to take another 4-5 days to explore another city. Since I haven't traveled outside of the US very much, my friend is leaving the choice to me. I've spent considerable time in the UK, and will be traveling to Paris and Italy in the next two years. So I am thinking perhaps east and/or north? Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm have crossed my mind, but I am really open at the moment. I don't even know where to start my research. What say you, Mefites? Some considerations:

Convenient and affordable by plane or train to Amsterdam.

Some place where we can get the most bang for our American buck.

Not thoroughly overrun by tourists.

Not scorching hot in August.

I would prefer something without lots of hilly terrain (no problem with extensive walking, but I have a knee injury that flares up with lots of climbing/steps).

My traveling companion is a big, burly, well-traveled guy, so safety is a bit less of a concern than if I was traveling alone.

I am less interested in major tourist attractions than just getting a feel for the way of life. I want to hang out, eat good food, drink with the locals, and meander.

Thanks for your ideas!

Cheap Flights in Europe

fionab — Sun, 29 May 2005 13:05:58 -0800

I usually find great prices for flights. But I'm coming up empty on this route: Amsterdam to Zurich. I've checked a few of the usual suspects (RyanAir, EasyJet, Expedia, BMI Baby, Fly Globespan, CheapFlights, Swiss Air, KLM, Travel Jungle, Travel Cuts, Student Universe, STA Travel, probably a few more) and the route either isn't offered, or it's at least $200 US. I need the flight on July 15th, and $200 US seems extraordinarily high for such a short flight.

Any ideas? I can't do train/overland or an auction site, as I have something in Amsterdam the day before and a dinner in Zurich on the evening of the 15th, so I need to arrive earlier in the day. What are other no-frills airlines that might fly that route that I haven't yet found? Is it just because the Euro is strong? I only need one way, but it seems that the return fares are actually much cheaper. Other factors: I'm a full-time student, if that will help, but I'm 26 so many of the European 'youth' fares that end at 25 won't work.

I'm guessing that I'll have to suck it up, but it just seems odd that it would cost that much, when I've taken so many European flights for ridiculously cheap fares. Perhaps I'm paying my dues now, and subsidizing my previous deals. What are your secrets for cheaper European airlines or European student travel deals?