Hi everyone,

The last time we saw the Dolomites—briefly—was back in 1982. Obviously, things have changed dramatically since then, as few Italian tourist spots are spared from crowds these days.

So, I have two questions:

1) When? Which period offers relatively good weather and moderate crowds? I was thinking October, but are the cable cars still running then? And what about accommodations?

2) Where? Which "must-see" spots should we skip? On the other hand, which places should we prioritize?

We’d like to do a few hikes—moderate in terms of time, distance, and elevation gain.

Thanks for your tips!

Hi there, I’ve just booked our flight tickets for my family. We’re heading to Ireland for a week between July and August—it’s our first time (with 1 teen and 2 younger kids).

We’ll be landing in Cork where we’ve rented a car. Initially, I was planning to focus our visits and walks on the Ring of Kerry and Dingle, but it looks like the roads get pretty busy in the summer.

So now I’m thinking of sticking to the "West Cork" area (Beara, Sheep’s Head, Mizen Head), which seems quieter.

For those who know the area, is this a good idea, or are we at risk of missing out on more spectacular landscapes? Thanks in advance! Best regards

Hi, I'm looking for info on Tuscany with the idea of taking a family vacation at the end of August, but we're not into cities or crowds. We're more into wild nature, beaches, and hiking... I've heard about southern Tuscany—is it too urbanized? Where else should we look? Thanks so much

Hi there, We’re spending a week in Porto this summer and plan to explore the surrounding area. A visit to the Douro seems unavoidable! We’ll be discovering a lot once we’re there, but we’re still looking for recommendations on where to stay... Could you help us out? We’ve read that spending a night in a quinta would be great, but it seems way out of our budget. Or is it? We’ve set a max budget of around 150 €. Otherwise, we’re looking for charming little villages with nice restaurants to end the day on a high note. We’re open to all suggestions—thanks in advance for your help! Delphine and Fred

Hi everyone, I’m planning a week-long trip to southern Portugal with my two teens. I’m looking for accommodation ideally located near Faro. What do you think of the towns of Lagos and Albufeira? Is it easy to get around these places using public transport, or is it better to rent a car to make the most of our stay? If you have any accommodation recommendations (hotel, campsite, Airbnb, or other), I’d love to hear them. Thanks so much in advance for your tips and valuable feedback! Hélène

Hi, I’m trying to plan our trip to the Azores. I’m running into a problem: can you rent a car on one island and take it to two other islands? We’d like to pick it up on São Jorge, then go to Pico, and finally Terceira, but the only price I’m seeing is 28,000 € for a week in August! If you know any rental companies that do this, I’d love to hear about them. Thanks! Aurore

Hello,

We're planning to visit Lake Garda from August 10th to 24th with our 4-year-old daughter. We’d stay for 15 days. We’ll be arriving at Verona Airport. We don’t know the area at all. We were thinking of staying near Malcesine. Do you think we should plan for two accommodations to explore the lake? We’d prefer to avoid crowded spots, even though I suspect it might be tricky in August. If you have any great tips or recommendations within a budget of up to 150 € per night, that would be amazing! Do you think a car is essential, or can the lake be easily explored by ferry and bus? For a 15-day stay, would you recommend staying around Lake Garda or visiting one or more other lakes as well? We’re looking for activities suitable for our 4-year-old daughter.

Thanks so much for your help. I

Hello,

I’m looking for a trek itinerary for two people in Sweden—something authentic, varied, and spectacular (transport from Stockholm). My partner and I have experience in Norway (Dovrefjell and Jotunheimen) and would love to explore Sweden’s landscapes. Naturally, I’ve been considering the Sarek / Padjelanta / Stora Sjöfallet area. I haven’t decided on a specific destination yet, so I have a few questions and would love input from experienced travelers.

- Which region of Sweden should be a priority if we love mountains?

- Starting in mid-July, which summits in the Sarek / Padjelanta / Stora area are interesting and accessible without gear (crampons, rope, ice axe)? We have solid mountaineering experience and want to gain elevation without overloading our packs. Ideally, summits without crevassed glacier crossings and minimal technical climbing (easy scrambling).

- How many days does it take to complete the north-to-south traverse of Sarek?

Thanks for your tips and ideas! :)

Hi there, Can you share your experiences about Bilbao with us? We're planning to go during the last week of April, with our main goal being to visit the Guggenheim Museum. Despite our research, we're not sure if a week is too long or what there really is to see and do in Bilbao. Should we rent a car to explore the surrounding areas? For San Sebastián, it seems there are pretty convenient buses. Would a day trip there and back be doable? Any advice would be welcome regarding the itinerary, local transportation, hotels, and how long to stay. Thanks in advance! Maevita

Hello, I’m planning a trip for about ten people—seniors—to Friuli Venezia Giulia in September 2026.

Day 1 – We’ll likely arrive in Treviso and head first to UDINE for two nights. Day 2 – Morning in Udine, then an afternoon visit to Cividale del Friuli. Travel by local train. Day 3 – We’ll leave for a quick visit to Gorizia before heading to TRIESTE for one night. Day 4 – Visit Trieste and Miramare. At the end of the day, take the train to Cervignano, then a local bus to Grado. Stay in Grado for three nights. Day 5 – Explore central Grado and take a boat tour to the island of Barbana. Day 6 – Relaxation day in Grado (as requested by the participants). Day 7 – Visit Aquileia and possibly Palmanova.

Day 8 – Return to the airport or maybe a quick detour to Venice. For the three days in Grado and the surrounding area, I was thinking of hiring a small bus with a driver. It seems like it’d be simpler—what do you think? Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks for your feedback! MADAPOLAM

Hi there, I’m wondering about spending a week in Basilicata in southern Italy in mid-to-late March. Initially, I was talking about Puglia, but I realize that in my imagination it was actually Puglia—but no, it’s really the timeless charm of Basilicata that I want to discover.

We’d be leaving from Nice. Do any of you have any tips? People who’ve been there recently—how about transport? Accommodations? A possible itinerary? Maybe fly into Naples and rent a car? Thanks for your feedback!

Have a great day,

Barbara

Hi everyone,

It’s all in the title—we’re planning to travel with three of us: my wife, our 2-year-old baby, and myself for Christmas in Portugal. Is this a good idea? We don’t have much time to figure out everything we can do or visit. We were thinking of flying into Porto, staying there for 2 or 3 days, and then traveling by train to either Lisbon or Faro—I’m not sure yet. Book 2 nights for the arrival and then decide the rest once we’re there. Will we manage without a car? I’d love all your tips! 🙂

Richard

Hi everyone, I’m sharing my draft itinerary with you because I just booked our flight tickets, and I feel like it’s quite late in the season. So, I’d like to be sure about my stops before reserving the hotels. I’ll be traveling alone with my two adult children. We want to prioritize outdoor walks, avoid too many indoor visits (both for budget and preference), and not spend too much time on the road.

D1: Arrival at 9 AM in Malaga, day in Malaga and overnight stay D2: Head straight to Nerja (1-hour drive) and spend the night there D3: Head straight to Granada (1.5-hour drive), spend the day and night there D4: Granada. Visit the Alhambra (Nasrid Palaces tour at 5 PM) and spend the night D5: Head to Ronda (2.5-hour drive) and spend the night D6: White Villages and overnight in Ronda D7: Head straight to the Costa del Sol (e.g., Estepona), spend the day and night there D8: Return to Malaga to catch our flight

There you go! This itinerary takes into account that we’d like to do a circuit starting from Seville in a few years. That said, it’d be a shame to miss something doable from Malaga.

Questions: Since the Alhambra visit is only at 5 PM, and we’d already have the day to explore Granada, would arriving the day before be a mistake? Or should we skip this day and dedicate it elsewhere (Costa del Sol? Head toward Tabernas?)? The old town appeals to me, but maybe the Sacromonte neighborhood isn’t essential... Same question for Ronda: should we dedicate a full day to it, or combine Ronda and the White Villages in one day? Note that we love wandering around villages outside, so that might answer my question! :)

Final question: Is it better to rent the car at Malaga Airport or in the city? If we rent at the airport, we’d need a hotel with parking, which doesn’t seem easy. Or stay outside the city and park for free near the center if possible? I’ve read comments about taking a taxi to Malaga and then picking up the rental car at the airport the next morning. The taxi would really need to be affordable...

Thanks so much for your feedback and suggestions for visits during this little circuit. Have a great day, everyone! Christine

Hi there, We’re spending a week in Andalusia in April, starting with 2 days in Seville, then Córdoba, Granada, and Ronda. We’re thinking of renting a car the morning we leave Seville and returning it at the airport on the last day.

Do you know which downtown rental spot is the easiest for quickly getting out of the city? Or maybe it’s simpler to rent at the airport and leave the car in a parking lot for the first 2 days? Thanks in advance for your help!

Amandine

Hi there, I’m planning a one-week trip to Italy, with Milan and Rome as my destinations. I’ll be taking a bus to Milan with FlixBus (which I’m not thrilled about since it’s not a great company), and I’ll stay for two days. After that, I’ll take the train to Rome. I’d like to know if the bus station is far from downtown Milan. For the trip to Rome, I’m thinking of booking the train via Trainline—is that a good idea? Also, which station does the train leave from? I think there are two stations in Milan. Please share any info you can to help me prepare for the trip. Thanks a million!

Hi there, I’m planning our next (pricey) trip to Norway. It’ll be a road trip with accommodations either in Airbnbs or hotels. I’ve been dreaming of going to the LOFOTEN for ages, but I don’t want to skip the big fjords either (Geiranger, Flam, Bergen, Stavanger). So to combine both, I thought of doing a round trip from Trondheim to Stamsund with Hurtigruten and spending 4 nights in the southern LOFOTEN. The fares are so steep that I don’t think I can do more. The coastal road is certainly beautiful up to BODØ, but with the stops to plan, it ends up costing as much as taking the boat—plus the fatigue and extra kilometers. Has anyone taken the Coastal Express with their vehicle from TRONDHEIM to STAMSUND?

After spending 15 days in Tenerife in February 2026, here are a few observations that might be useful for you: - Choosing Puerto de la Cruz turned out to be an excellent decision (compared to Santa Cruz, which is Lonely Planet’s pick, for example). Puerto de la Cruz has two large beaches just a 10-minute walk from the center. The atmosphere around the small port is lovely. It’s a human-scale town. The bus station makes it easy to get anywhere on the island. Carnival season is an exceptional time to visit! - Opting for the unlimited weekly bus pass for 50 € is economical (especially if you're traveling solo), eco-friendly, and practical (lots of departures and returns). The roads on major routes are often congested, and the bus network is improving—you can support this effort by traveling this way. - For hikes, I tested Teide National Park (arrival and departure by bus). Starting from El Portillo at the park entrance, the Arenas Negra circuit (2.5 to 3 hours) is stunning toward the end. You can add a section of Route 1 on the other side of the road (maps and great info at the tourist office). At the other end of the park, "Roques de Garcia" is a spectacular route—crowded but a must-see... - Tourist towns like La Orotava or La Laguna are worth the visit. Garachico has a certain charm too...

I'm looking for the best option to visit the Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces (guided tour + tickets), because there are so many choices and I'm overwhelmed trying to pick one that's good value for money and won't rip me off. Thanks! Sandrine

Hi there,

I’m planning a trip from Gran Canaria to El Hierro to Tenerife at the end of winter.

My current dilemma is where to book accommodations on Gran Canaria.

We’re planning to stay 7 nights on the island, and our goal is to hike, drive along small roads, discover a few villages, and admire some beaches (just for the views, not for swimming!).

Since the island is quite rugged, the journeys can be long even if the distances are short. I’d like to avoid driving 2 hours every morning and evening to reach the area we want to explore...

I’m thinking of splitting the 7 nights into 4 somewhere and 3 elsewhere.

But where? It seems the center and the northwest might be the best options.

Any advice, given that I’m mainly looking for peace and quiet, a beautiful view, a secluded spot, or a quiet village?

Thanks! :)

Hi everyone, I’m planning to spend about 9 days in Sweden (round trip to Stockholm) in July (without a car, most likely). We’d like to spend 4 or 5 days in Stockholm to really enjoy it. For the rest of the trip, I’m struggling to find good ideas. I’ve seen the Gullmar Fjord or small towns like Kjallbacka or Lysekil, or even the Bohuslän cliffs, but on various travel sites, they don’t mention whether it’s easy to get around, if there are excursions, or what transport options are available. Do you have any suggestions for where to stay for 3 days (outside a big city) with easy transport? Thanks for your help. Dominique

Hello fellow travelers! My husband and I would like to spend a few weeks in Jan-Feb-Mar 2025 in Spain.☺️ Our main criteria: shopping, hiking, long walks along the sea, climate 15-24°C, easy transport, languages (French, English, or Spanish), 🥂🏌️‍♀️🚴🎾☀️🎼🏝️ We’ve already been to Marbella and Alicante. However, we don’t know these places apart from suggestions from friends who’ve visited them. 🤔 We’re thinking of renting an apartment or condo near the sea and maybe a car from time to time! We’ve visited Spain a lot and really enjoy it given the distance and climate for these months away from the cold! 😊 Looking forward to your suggestions and tips! Thanks so much! 🤗 Oh, and we’re seniors but in great shape! 💃🕺😉

hi, I'm having trouble getting an idea of what the weather's like in this region in winter. I'm thinking of going there the first week of January after spending New Year's Day in Madrid. Is that a good idea? Is it pleasant to walk around the small towns at this time of year? And by car? thanks a lot

Hi there! We’re heading to Andalusia for a week in early April. We’ll spend 3 days in Seville and 1 day in Córdoba. After that, we’d like to rent a car for the remaining 3 days to explore the Costa de la Luz.

We’d love to do some great hikes along the beaches between Tarifa and Cadiz and visit Cadiz itself. Is 3 full days enough to do this? Is it better to stay in Cadiz and explore the area from there, or should we move around to different villages? Do you have any hiking suggestions? We’ve spotted some hikes in Barbate, Trafalgar Beach, and Bolonia.

Thanks for your tips and hiking ideas! :-)

Hi everyone,

We’re planning an 8–9 day trip in October 2025. The goal is to take it slow, enjoy two spots for hiking, photography, and soaking up nature—without rushing. Iceland’s seeing a tourism boom in places like the Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon, which we’d rather skip.

We’re thinking of spending 3–4 days on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Then, we could add the peninsula near Reykjavík (where the airport is) or head up to Blönduós in the north. Another option is taking the ferry via Flatey Island to reach the northwest fjords and just explore the southern part.

There’s also an airport in Ísafjörður—we could fly there and base ourselves in the Westfjords for the whole week… Or check out the north around Akureyri. Alternatively, would it be more doable and practical to stay around Vík?

Thanks for reading!

Hi there, We’re planning a trip for October to visit Naples (6 nights) and the Amalfi Coast (5 nights). We’ve already got the historic center and the Lapis Museum in Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Procida, Sorrento, and Ravello on our list. Any suggestions, addresses, or tips? Thanks for your help.

Hi there, 🙂

I’m about to book 4 nights in the Italian capital and I’m wondering where the best place to stay would be.

- A neighborhood that’s not too noisy - A neighborhood well served by public transport (airport and the city’s main sights) - A neighborhood with restaurants and supermarkets - A neighborhood with relatively reasonable prices

Public transport is essential. We gave this trip as a gift to someone who won’t be able to walk long distances like we usually do.

I also don’t want to be too far from the historic center.

Termini and Monti seem to fit these criteria? Is Termini a bit sketchy? But sketchy like dangerous or sketchy like homeless people just looking for a place to sleep?

We’ll be traveling off-season.

Thanks for your ideas !

Hi everyone,

We’re thinking of spending a week in the Algarve in April or May.

I was planning to stay 3 days in Faro and 4 days in Lagos, and explore the surrounding areas. Do you think that’s a good idea?

All tips and advice are welcome.

Thanks

Hi, I’m planning a 7-day family road trip in Andalusia (2 adults and 3 kids) at the end of October. Arrival and departure: Malaga airport. Which direction should we take for our trip? Malaga -> Ronda + white villages -> Cadiz -> Jerez -> Seville -> Cordoba -> Granada -> Malaga Or the other way around?

Thanks

Hi, I'm heading to Italy soon and I wanted to know if Italian banks charge fees when you withdraw cash at an ATM, or if, like in Spain or Greece, it's better to avoid taking out money and bring cash instead. Looking forward to your replies... Thanks

Hi everyone,

We’re heading to Vienna in 3 weeks for a 5-day trip! After reading a few travel journals and discussions about this destination, I still can’t quite figure out what the must-sees are. Your itineraries are so varied that it’s hard to narrow it down!

Ideally, we’d like to explore Vienna without feeling like we’re stuck in museums. If you have recommendations for little green oases, short urban walking routes, or addresses for charming cafés, we’d love to hear them!

Thanks in advance for your help! !