advice on where to go on short notice in August

Greetings,

I've got the short straw on my company's holiday list and
I have the last two weeks in August off [1].

I was going to do a driving tour of Northern Scandinavia
but my car has just broke and won't be fixed in time.

I could hire one, but I'd rather not get stung for the full rate
when I could get a much better deal planning ahead for
next year.
I could go by train, but I need to go outside Scandinavia
to buy the necessary pass and as (bad) luck would have
it, I've only just returned from a trip home.

So, despite my choosing the local off peak dates, August is
the peak season in the rest of Europe and if I just take off
and go somewhere else I will find flights, accommodation etc
hard to come by.

Can anyone suggest somewhere else that I can try where
August is not so stuffed full of Backpackers etc that I'll
be reduced to sleeping on the station benches.

Interests: Historic and(or) Scenic location, train travel.
Non Interests: Beaches, Nightlife, Art Galleries.

TIA

tim

[1] Only Scandinavians will understand why this is the short
straw!

"tim \(moved to sweden\)" wrote:

Greetings,




Can anyone suggest somewhere else that I can try where
August is not so stuffed full of Backpackers etc that I'll
be reduced to sleeping on the station benches.

Interests: Historic and(or) Scenic location, train travel.
Non Interests: Beaches, Nightlife, Art Galleries.


How about flying somewhere ? There are many low cost flights out of
Copenhagen as well as Malmö.


Kristian

"Kristian" wrote in message
t2net.dk...
"tim \(moved to sweden\)" wrote:

Greetings,




Can anyone suggest somewhere else that I can try where
August is not so stuffed full of Backpackers etc that I'll
be reduced to sleeping on the station benches.

Interests: Historic and(or) Scenic location, train travel.
Non Interests: Beaches, Nightlife, Art Galleries.


How about flying somewhere ? There are many low cost flights out of
Copenhagen as well as Malmö.

I have to find accomodation when I get there.

I've 'toured' bit's of Europe on spec during August in the past,
and anywhere that's worth visiting, is full.

So the reason for my post was for suggestions of places that I
might be able to fly to, that wouldn't be full of Brits, Germans,
Americans etc, many of whom are just about to start their
summer holiday this week, not be sending their kids back to
school (on Monday in Denmark isn't it?).

tim

Can anyone suggest somewhere else that I can try where August is not
so stuffed full of Backpackers etc that I'll be reduced to sleeping on the station benches.

Interests: Historic and(or) Scenic location, train travel.
Non Interests: Beaches, Nightlife, Art Galleries.

Does it need to be in Europe? I spent a fortnight in Sri Lanka a
couple of summers ago - there's a midsummer lull between the peaks of
the rainy season. It was just a bit cloudy about 50% of the time, one
rainy day, and a short storm on another day. Historic, scenic,
spectacular train rides, wildlife, easy & cheap to get around - few
tourists around and I expect there'll be even fewer this year :-(
Oh yeah, there are beaches too but it's not really beach season so you
can ignore them. Downsides - flights weren't cheap (no charters in
summer), coffee was lousy, food not quite as good as India - and that's
all I can think of really.

I'm sure they'd be really glad to see you there, & I can give you a
recommendation for a taxi driver if you wanted to do any road touring
(about US$30 per day).


Katyjane

Athens in August? - cough, choke, gasp..............


Katyjane

Interests: Historic and(or) Scenic location, train travel.
Non Interests: Beaches, Nightlife, Art Galleries.

So the reason for my post was for suggestions of places that I might be able to fly to,
that wouldn't be full of Brits, Germans, Americans etc, many of whom are just about
to start their summer holiday this week, not be sending their kids back to school (on
Monday in Denmark isn't it?).

Late August is a good time to go to China or Japan. Japan is an
especially good choice for a train enthusiast.

As far as somewhere in Europe that won't be massively overcrowded with
tourists, maybe Poland or the Baltics?

"tim \(moved to sweden\)" wrote:

I've 'toured' bit's of Europe on spec during August in the past,
and anywhere that's worth visiting, is full.

Do you include or exclude city visits as reasonable possibilities?

Herself and I had a very enjoyable holiday based in Brussels, where
accommodation is readily available in August, and exploring Belgium by
rail -- Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Ypres, Louvain, places like that.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

"Padraig Breathnach" wrote in message
...
"tim \(moved to sweden\)" wrote:

I've 'toured' bit's of Europe on spec during August in the past,
and anywhere that's worth visiting, is full.

Do you include or exclude city visits as reasonable possibilities?

Herself and I had a very enjoyable holiday based in Brussels, where
accommodation is readily available in August, and exploring Belgium by
rail -- Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Ypres, Louvain, places like that.

Cities are fine, provided that they make sensible bases for
seeing enough things. By sensible I mean cost effective.
It doesn't make sense to stay in a capital city hotel and then
spending 4 hours getting to somewhere else, I'd want to
be staying at the somewhere else.

tim



--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

tim (moved to sweden) wrote:
Greetings,
[snip]
Can anyone suggest somewhere else that I can try where
August is not so stuffed full of Backpackers etc that I'll
be reduced to sleeping on the station benches.
[snip]

I found Connemara in Ireland to be a bit desserted.
You could base out of Galway and get around on buses.
Scotland might be similarly situated as well. It'd be
cool anyway. Probably better train options too.

Martin wrote:

On 3 Aug 2005 11:05:37 -0700, "Iceman" wrote:

Interests: Historic and(or) Scenic location, train travel.
Non Interests: Beaches, Nightlife, Art Galleries.

So the reason for my post was for suggestions of places that I might be able to fly to,
that wouldn't be full of Brits, Germans, Americans etc, many of whom are just about
to start their summer holiday this week, not be sending their kids back to school (on
Monday in Denmark isn't it?).

Late August is a good time to go to China or Japan. Japan is an
especially good choice for a train enthusiast.

As far as somewhere in Europe that won't be massively overcrowded with
tourists, maybe Poland or the Baltics?

In the last two weeks of August, the Netherlands are not saturated
with tourists. Neither is Germany and some other countries where the
kids are back a school.

How about Berlin ?

Kristian