Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

and head straight here for nights to remember. (see p. 316)

      • HVAR (3 days)—Hvar are you doing today? Not good? Swing by this Croatian island on the iconic Riva of Hvar. You’ve got nothing but clubbing, beach parties, and cheap alcohol ahead of you. (see p. 75)

      • VENICE (3 days)—Okay, well Venice isn’t exactly one island. Think more like 118. Venice is connected by a series of foot bridges that cross over the city’s 170 boat canals. Close out your trip with a little culture on the glass-making island of Murano and with the lace-specialists in Burano. (see p. 450)

       STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES (23 DAYS)

      If you’ve got a green thumb, then you’ll be glad to know Europe has much for you to see in the form of extravagance. The Romans, for example, were fixated with controlling nature and, as a result, created beautiful gardens with immaculately manicured plants in the strangest of shapes. We’re not quite sure of the origins of the other gardens around the continent, but these are feats of man and nature that would make even the most talented gardener jealous. What do you have? Tomato vines? Growing upside down? Amateur.

      • FLORENCE (3 days)—The Boboli Gardens at Florence’s Palazzo Pitti are truly a sight to behold. Climb lots (and we mean lots) of stairs as you walk through what feels like the gardens of Sleeping Beauty’s castle—without Maleficent trying to keep the prince out. (see p. 394)

      • VIENNA (4 days)—The gardens of Schönnbrunn Palace await your royal highness. And, if that doesn’t entertain you, the Hapsburgs also have gardens at the Belvedere for your pleasure. (see p. 37)

      • PARIS (5 days)—The Jardin des Plantes lies in the fifth arrondissement and is the main botanical garden in France. (see p. 173)

      • BARCELONA (4 days)—Parc Guëll. Garden? Outdoor space? Architectural wonder of Antoni Gaudí? All of the above. (see p. 542)

      • MALMÖ (2 days)—Aah Slottsträdgården, complete with orderly, manicured hedges and multiple plots including a Steppe Garden and Japanese Garden that will make your jaw drop. (see p. 624)

      • LONDON (5 days)—The Royal Parks are undoubtedly majestic. Hyde Park and Regent’s Park are full of green spaces in an urban setting while the famed Kensington Gardens serves as the front yard for a king, situated right in front of the stunning palace. (see p. 258)

       CALL OF THE WILD (12 DAYS)

      We get it—you’re Wilderness First-Aid Certified, you’ve spent every summer as a camp counselor in the middle of the forest, and you’ve hiked 111 miles solo. You’re coming to Europe for the outdoor adventures—to get in touch with nature, if you will. In that case, we’ve got you covered. Lace up your hiking boots.

      • REYKJAVIK (3 days)—Reykjavik is an excellent place to set up camp to do outdoorsy day trips in Iceland. Some of our favorites include the Blue Lagoon and Golden Circle. (see p. 350)

      • OSLO (2 days)—Oslo Sommerpark is guaranteed to put the overeager kid spirit back in you, featuring a wicked obstacle course that allows you to climb 20 meters into the trees. Tarzan who? (see p. 480)

      • GIMMELWALD (3 days)—This secluded mountain town in the Alps is a hidden gem: paraglide in the mountains, watch glaciers collide, and hike difficult, pristine trails. (see p. 644)

      • SPLIT (2 days)—Get a drink on the rocks and then cliff jump off the rocks (into the Mediterranean). Note: Let’s Go does not endorse drinking and jumping. (see p. 81)

      • LAGOS (2 days)—If outdoor adventures at the beach are what you seek, opt for a change of pace in southern Portugal, kayaking off the coast in the Iberian Peninsula. (see p. 515)

       HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

       CHAPTERS

      Let’s Go Europe 2019 covers 22 countries in its 20 chapters. Each chapter contains comprehensive content that is designed to make your trip easy to plan. Chapters are organized in alphabetical order by country, so the book kicks off with Austria and culminates with Switzerland. The countries covered in this book are Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

      Each chapter has been written by at least one Let’s Go Researcher-Writer. Researcher-Writers (RWs) are students at Harvard College who spend a maximum of eight weeks of their summer covering a pre-planned route of cities for publication in Let’s Go Europe. Credits are given after the name of each city.

      Within a chapter, cities are arranged in alphabetical order, so don’t be alarmed when you see the France chapter begins with Avignon instead of Paris. We promise we did not forget Paris; we did our due diligence.

       Structure of a Chapter

      Each chapter begins with a country introduction and, from there, it is divided into city sections. The first section in a city always consists of an introduction followed by an orientation and city essentials, which includes all of the important information you should know—the location of tourist offices, police stations, hospitals, a list of BGLTQ+ resources, and numbers to call in the event of an emergency—before traveling to a given place. Although Google Maps is a fantastic resource that can be downloaded on your phone and accessed offline, it is important to pick up a paper map from a tourist office in case of emergency.

      On to the fun stuff: city chapters include several sections, each of which will help you plan your days. These sections are also in alphabetical order, with our Let’s Go Thumbpicked™ establishments listed first and followed by all of the other wonderful things we’ve covered:

      Accommodations: Let’s Go’s accommodation listings consist of budget options, which are often hostels. In smaller cities, accommodation options are often limited, so we have included some B&Bs and budget hotels to ensure you have a comfortable stay without breaking the bank.

      Sights: Our “Sights” section is further broken down into four categories—Culture, Landmarks, Museums, and Outdoors.

      Culture: These listings cover everything from churches to theaters to markets to interesting bookstores.

      Landmarks: These are your Eiffel Towers, Colosseums, and Buckingham Palaces. All of the biggest sights and attractions are listed here.

      Museums: Fairly self-explanatory, but here’s where you’ll find Prague’s Dox, Paris’ Louvre, and Madrid’s Prado.

      Outdoors: Here’s where you’ll find listings of a city’s green spaces, beaches, and outdoor activities.

      Food: You need to eat when you’re abroad, right? For your convenience, we have included restaurants that cater to a backpacker’s budget with a few splurge options interspersed. Treat yo’ self.

      Nightlife: Sleep all day, party all night, sightsee all day, party all night—whatever your travel lifestyle is, we’ve got the right bars, clubs, and cafés to ensure your evenings are well spent.

      Listings—a.k.a. reviews of individual establishments—constitute the majority of Let’s Go’s content, and consist of essential information (address, phone number, website, and hours), a review of a given establishment, followed by any miscellaneous information that