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From this page, and the others that will follow, I write my personal memories and impressions from the countries that I have visited in just a few words. I hope it will help people who want to travel but don't know how a country really is. Advertisements usually are not so trustfull and most of the times show countries much different that what really are. What I write here is completely real and it's not only my opinion, but in overall, as I have traveled with friends or as groups also. Actually I find it much better to travel by your own rather in groups. Sometimes you may pay less, sometimes you may pay more, but this is not more important than having a really great time. You have to find out by yourself if it's better to travel by group or individually depending on the country that you go. For example, personally I would go by group travel to Iceland, Sweden, Antarctica, Siberia, Africa, Brazil, India, Arabia. For all other destinations I can make a really great schedule by my own.
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AUSTRIA:
SIGHTSEEING: 8/10
LIFESTYLE: 2/10
ROADS/NAVIGATION: 4/10
PUBLIC TRANSP. : 8/10
FOOD: 2/10
ENTERTAINMENT:4/10
OVERALL: 4/10
RECOMMENDED PERIOD TO GO: NONE
RECOMMENDED PERIOD TO AVOID: CHRISTMAS
BEST AT: MEDICAL TREATMENT
WORST AT: FOOD & BEHAVIOUR
PRICES: VERY EXPENSIVE
Austria (Vienna) : The worst country I have ever seen till now. People are cold as ice, servants and shop keepers treat very bad tourists like they really hate them. Seems like they have no respect or feelings at all. German 100% , they live as if in junta and they say nothing. Four journalists cover all Austria!! Government takes more than 60% of their income! They're like robots, never complaint for nothing whatever they do to them! Unbelievable! Their food really sucks (!!!) , no variety of foods at all - thank God there was Italian pizza and spaghetti restaurtants otherwise we would eat only donuts (the only good they have)- and everything is so expensive! A small bottle of water costs 2 euros while in Greece it's just 0,50 or less! The roads are very badly constructed, have no signs and you can easily get lost in Vienna. Night bars are awfull, and in some cases they tell you how you must get dressed, or even what kind of shoes you must wear to get in! We were a party of four, very nice dressed - not sport- with normall wallking shoes (not athletic) and we went to a bar located on a roof of the building , called sky...something, and told us we should wear black mocassini shoes to get in! Jesus , it was just a bar!! We are still laughing with them, how more silly can they be?!!
Or should I mention that during Christmas, where thousands of tourists go to Vienna, all shops are closed for many days?! They just don't want to sell, or what? In Greece, everything is open, as should be. The only good is their landscape , litlle villages, and Palaces. That's all. And you pay a lot of money to see just a building. Salzburg, Grazz, and some villages are worth to see from Austria, or go skiing. There is nothing else after these.
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SWITZERLAND:
SIGHTSEEING: 8/10
LIFESTYLE: 8/10
ROADS/NAV: 7/10
PUBLIC TRANSP.: 6/10
FOOD: 7/10
ENTERTAINMENT: 6/10
OVERALL: 7/10
RECOMMENDED PERIOD TO GO: OCTOBER TO MAY
BEST AT: CHEESE
WORST AT: OTHER THAN CHEESE!
PRICES: VERY EXPENSIVE
I was there during December, a really wonderfull period, and quite adventurous. Too much snow, wonderfull mountains scene, some wonderfull inns and hotels. People are quite warm , surely more than Germans or Austrians. At least their behaviour is at a normal level. I didn't stay too much , but I think I would go again, as I enjoyed the scenery so much, and there are many towns and villages that must be seen. After 22:00 there are not many things to do. Thun, Luzern, Emmen, St.Gallen, Lindau, are absolutely wonderfull, and I am sure there are more to see, especially near the lakes.
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ITALY:
SIGHTSEEING: 10/10
LIFESTYLE: 8/10
ROADS/NAV: 9/10
PUBLIC TRANSP. 6/10
FOOD: 9/10
ENTERTAINMENT: 8/10
OVERALL: 8/10
RECOMMENDED PERIOD TO GO: ANYTIME
RECOMMENDED PERIOD TO AVOID: AUGUST
BEST AT: SIGHTSEEING
WORST AT: TRAFFIC & TOLLS
PRICES: VERY EXPENSIVE
I have been to Italy three times, and I still go whenever I find a chance. North Italy differs from the South too much, in many things. From the drivers, the prices, the scenery, the food and security. Greece, Italy and Spain are the three countries at which all people in the world should go vacations (in Europe). No other European country offers such a variety and interest as those three countries. The bad thing with Spain and Italy is that most people there don't speak English (especially Spain!). Anyway, in Italy, I really admire Rome, a city that no one should miss. All the other cities (Milano, Florence, Venice etc) are also gorgeous and .... I cannot describe it by words, just fantastic. Every city is different and has its own wonderfull sites. Form Venice to Aosta, and from Milano to Calabria. Great prices to the south, easy but dangerous driving with wonderfull sceneries and history, and on the other side the north, with roads full of traffic, high prices , and big towns. Wonderfull small villages with castles, lakes, rivers and long beaches with plenty of activities. Try to avoid touristic areas especially on the eastern part during August unless if you like the crowd. Regarding Venice, personally, I don't like it anymore. It was great untill a few years ago, but now most parts of the town (at the canals) smell bad, and everything is so extremely expensive that I really can't go there again unless if I become a really wealthy person! However for those who have never been there, it's still a must-see.
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FRANCE:
SIGHTSEEING: 9/10
LIFESTYLE: 8/10
ROADS/NAV.: 6/10
PUBLIC TRANSP.: 8/10
FOOD: 8/10
ENTERTAINMENT:9/10
OVERALL: 8/10
RECOMMENDED PERIOD TO GO: CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR
BEST AT: WINES
WORST AT: THEIR CHAUVINISM (well known globaly)
PRICES: EXPENSIVE
Chauvinistic people, most of them don't speak any other language than French. They are shortcoming, faulty people against others. Looks like they dislike Greeks and Greece (still unknown why, anyone to tell? really don't know but on the other side they love some Greeks that work there.I'll never find out what's wrong with them.) They misdjudge matters very easy though. Paris is great but the long lines of people that are waiting to get in the museums or the Eiffel tower is really so disappointing and you must go in low season to be able to really see something without a headache. Disneyland is children's paradise, and there are some wonderfull towns and villages, but most of them have no nightlife at all. Driving around and visiting towns and villages is my favorite in France. You meet many people, eat nice food and wine. (more to come)............
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