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  • Tips for upcoming holidays please - Europe/Middle East

    Hi folks,

    Just looking to pick your brains here about tips and tricks of various cities I'd be visiting in the coming months and some of which I have no clue about.

    My priorities will be looking out for good food, cafes, exploring local nightlife, and "absolute must see" sites (but no museums or art galleries please). I will of course also be attempting to singlehandedly save the world from recession by shopping as much as possible.

    So with all that in mind, what do you folks recommend in the following places? I will be doing Stockholm in December, and the rest over Jan and Feb 2009.

    Stockholm - 4 nights (well, effectively 3 as I arrive at midnight)

    Muscat - 2 nights (doesn't seem like much here and I'm really there because it's a long DONE segment from LHR which is great for the status miles; maybe cocktails by the beach? I do enjoy Middle Eastern food)

    Istanbul - 3 nights

    Prague - 2 nights

    My parents will be joining me for the following. Mum shares a similar interest in compulsive and totally frivolous shopping (why else are we going to Milan? ) and hunting for the world's best cocktails, additionally she'd be interested in "nice scenery." Dad loves his pints (not so much wine/bubbles/cocktails -- hence the stop in Munich), and will be similarly attempting to revive the world economy - at casinos around the world.

    Berlin - 5 nights

    Munich - 3 nights

    Madrid - 4 nights

    Milan - 5 nights

    Budapest - 3 nights

    Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
    All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

  • #2
    KeithMEL,

    Having traveled recently to Istanbul and Budapest, but not going out much during my stays there, I can only recommend a couple of places for dinner which I believe will suit your style and taste.

    Istanbul:

    1. "Varoulko" - if you love fish. A highly recommended (and expensive) Michelin-star restaurant.

    http://www.varoulkoistanbul.com/

    2. "The Topaz" - you'll love the view, absolutely superb. The food is great, too. Approx. Eur 60 / person including starter, main, dessert but not wine.

    http://www.topazistanbul.com/

    Budapest:

    1. "Donatella's" - Italian style restaurant (one Michelin star, if I am not mistaken). Did not dine there, though I did pay them a visit to check availability for a large group reservation the following night. Atmosphere and decor seemed excellent with rather low tone lighting, but again, I did not have the pleasure of visiting the next night and trying out their cuisine. Location is approximately five to ten minutes away by taxi from the 5-star city center hotels.

    http://budapestdailyreview.com/eatinbudapest/?p=8

    http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/directorie...y/?user_bd_pi1[showSingle]=6214

    2. "Trattoria Pomo D'Oro" - Italian cuisine trattoria; again did not manage to visit as on the night we wanted to go there was no availability till 10:30pm (and we intended to dine at around 8pm that night). Highly recommended by my companion (native Hungarian in her mid-20s). Should be a fairly small and warm/cosy place. Will definitely pay a visit there next time I get to Budapest. But again, don't know if you like Italian.

    http://www.pomodorobudapest.com/


    There is a possibility I will be in Budapest during the first half of February, so I'll post details if this is confirmed, and who knows, if you also happen to be around and have time, we can get some good recommendations and try out local nightlife.

    Comment


    • #3
      Check out this thread for what we did in BUD on the TOF BA board Do:

      http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=694344

      In particular, the House of Hungarian Wines with an opportunity to sample over 50 different Hungarian wines!

      I didn't think much of dinner at Spoon (on a moored boat) (followed by drinks, a dodgy local casino, IC minibar drinks, a late quest for a McD which failed etc ) but Gundel for Sunday brunch was good (albeit a bit formal).

      You might also want to drop Pyeinthesky a line if you want any local knowledge.

      Comment


      • #4
        Nice scenery ?

        One thing which I will definitely want to try in Oman is wadi bashing (just hire an off-road vehicle and driver).

        In MUC, you might want to do a day trip to the so called Cinderella Castle - Neuschwanstein which is a few hours away by train:

        http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showpos...79&postcount=5

        You can stay the night in one of the hotels near the castle if you want.

        And in IST, you might want to try a pummeling full-body massage - a must do I think (even though Kyo decided otherwise it seems )!
        Last edited by jhm; 1 November 2008, 07:17 PM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by jhm View Post
          I didn't think much of dinner at Spoon (on a moored boat) (followed by drinks, a dodgy local casino, IC minibar drinks, a late quest for a McD which failed etc ) but Gundel for Sunday brunch was good (albeit a bit formal).
          I tried Spoon the last night I was there. Not recommended. Food average at most. You may feel romantic or whatever else while dining on a stationary boat in Danube but there's not much else to that.


          "Spoon" restaurant/cafe

          Gundel reportedly is indeed fairly formal and usually a standard choice of non-Hungarian visitors who want to try something good.
          Last edited by N_Architect; 1 November 2008, 07:58 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks, jhm and N_Architect - most helpful!

            I'd do some research into those places you've suggested. I don't mind formal eating places if the food makes up for it (Demel for instance).


            Originally posted by jhm View Post
            In particular, the House of Hungarian Wines with an opportunity to sample over 50 different Hungarian wines!
            Ooh that looks nice. Do you know if they serve beer as well? Doesn't seem so from the website. It's really more for Dad as Mum and I are the big wine drinkers. He doesn't mind wine (it all "tastes the same" apparently; hmm sounds familiar ) but if I'm going to make him spend an afternoon at a wine place, I'd either have to make sure he can grab a decent pint there or alternatively I could do some research on the local microbreweries and we'd do them on consecutive days.

            Thanks for the reminder about the Danube DO - now that's a lot of activity-planning out of the way for BUD as I could simply replicate the itinerary.
            All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

            Comment


            • #7
              ARN in December. That will be almost one long night. Plus very cold. At your normal rates of drinking you may need to bring along the equivalent of the GDP of MEL to fund it.
              ..

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Kiwi View Post
                ARN in December. That will be almost one long night. Plus very cold. At your normal rates of drinking you may need to bring along the equivalent of the GDP of MEL to fund it.


                One of the reasons why I go off to the Northern hemisphere in winter is to escape the summer heat in MEL, as I love the cold. Plus ARN happens to lie in a v nice zone for redemptions.
                All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by KeithMEL View Post
                  Milan - 5 nights
                  Park Hyatt, man!
                  HUGE AL

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Kiwi View Post
                    ARN in December. That will be almost one long night. Plus very cold. At your normal rates of drinking you may need to bring along the equivalent of the GDP of MEL to fund it.

                    I just spilled my smoothie...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by HUGE AL View Post
                      Park Hyatt, man!
                      I was surprised that there's a W in Milan, until I saw that it's not open till 2010. Booked at the Sheraton, SPG stay credits too important to give up on. It seems the closest to shopping of the SPGs and looks less old European than the other 2 I looked at, and LukeGT seemed to think it's good when i asked. The 4P actually looked the most contemporary but according to reports on TOF it's in a rather seedy area.

                      But yes the PH does look v chic.
                      Last edited by KeithMEL; 2 November 2008, 02:47 PM.
                      All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by jhm View Post
                        And in IST, you might want to try a pummeling full-body massage - a must do I think (even though Kyo decided otherwise it seems )!
                        I have photographic evidence proving the contrary!

                        I'm sure any Turkish experts (perhaps N_Architect) will be able to identify where this photo was taken (horrible lighting conditions, with regret, but should be more than enough upon close inspection:



                        IST was really great - will do a Euro Sept-Oct '08 write-up once nickbot finishes his...

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                        • #13
                          At the risk of asking the obvious - is that massage meant to hurt a lot?
                          All opinions shared are my own, and are not necessarily those of my employer or any other organisation of which I'm affiliated to.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hmm... the answer is rather subjective.

                            It depends on whether you opt for the 'special' or not.

                            Depending on how you look at it... it doesn't really hurt *too much* - but prepare for any remaining ego to fly out the window.

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                            • #15
                              Keith, for the readers of your trip reports, you must go for a "special"! Before and after pics, please!

                              Kyo, you did go ?

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