Planning a few trips

Tiglath

Hi - I'm in the once-thought-impossible situation of being able to do some travel over the next year or so:

Budapest in August - flights and apartment booked in the Astoria area, so looking for things to do. Am eyeing up Gundel's restaurant for Sunday brunch, and maybe an evening cruise with dinner.

Iceland November-ish - want to see the aurora borealis, so looking for recommendations. We were thinking of going for a week and doing a night each end in Reykjavik, but assuming we'll need to join a mini-tour to go north?

Ireland April 2017 - have booked a cottage in Tulla, Co. Clare. Going to visit the ancestral stamping-grounds, but open for any other good suggestions on the west coast.

Mongolia - my big solo trip planned for summer 2017. I have a thing about Gengis Khan, so am looking for a guided tour to join.

Can any of you good people help with recommendations please? Particularly into history, museums etc.

missbiggles1

I don't know your views on horses but I've always wanted to do this.

https://www.discovermongolia.mn/following-the-footsteps-of-genghis-khan-horse-trek/

Shimrod

Tiglath wrote: »

Iceland November-ish - want to see the aurora borealis, so looking for recommendations. We were thinking of going for a week and doing a night each end in Reykjavik, but assuming we'll need to join a mini-tour to go north?

If you hire a car you can go north by yourself. It's about a 5 hour drive from Reykjavik to Akureyri -alternatively it is a 40min flight from the domestic airport, and prices are reasonable. You may well find the weather worse as you go north, and this might be challenging in terms of finding a clear sky as well as the driving.

The museums in Reykjavik are worth a visit.

Person_one

Shimrod wrote: »

If you hire a car you can go north by yourself. It's about a 5 hour drive from Reykjavik to Akureyri -alternatively it is a 40min flight from the domestic airport, and prices are reasonable. You may well find the weather worse as you go north, and this might be challenging in terms of finding a clear sky as well as the driving.

The museums in Reykjavik are worth a visit.

If you plan to hire a car in Iceland, you need to be absolutely sure you can handle the conditions. The snow was waist deep when I was there in December and we saw more than one tourist hire car being rescued by locals with tractors. A fly drive to see the island away from the capital would be better in the summer, its beautiful then too just in a different way.

If you base yourself in Reykjavik in winter you can see a lot just on day trips or organised overnighters with experienced Icelandic drivers. You're never guaranteed to see the lights but there are jeep tours going from Reykjavik that take you well into the interior for the best chance.

phatbear

Tiglath wrote: »

Budapest in August - flights and apartment booked in the Astoria area, so looking for things to do. Am eyeing up Gundel's restaurant for Sunday brunch, and maybe an evening cruise with dinner.

My budapest recommendations are:

Dinner: Zeller Bistro, amazing food all locally sourced and seasonal, not mega expensive but more than a "normal" restaurant in Budapest, you will need to pre book as they get booked up well in advance.

Drinks: Me and the better half love a cocktail so for me FARM is the place to be, they have a shortish cocktail menu but they will make you anything you want, also they do awesome charcuterie, a lot of people rate INSTANT but personally i found it a tad too big and loud, depends what you are into of course.

things to do: we went on a "free" walking tour, which was great, you tip at the end of you feel so inclined:

http://www.triptobudapest.hu/#_=_

lots of peeps rave about the terror museum but i thought it was pointless theres lots of rooms with not a lot to see but each room has an A4 sheet at the start of the room with loads of reading to do, this info is of course readily available in any history book.

visit st stephens basilica, which is beautiful.

walk across the chain bridge and up to the fisherman wharf for a great view across buda.

tour the hungarian parliament: http://www.jegymester.hu/eng/Production/480000/Parliament-visit

I could go on...

blindman

Tiglath wrote: »

Hi - I'm in the once-thought-impossible situation of being able to do some travel over the next year or so:

Iceland November-ish - want to see the aurora borealis, so looking for recommendations. We were thinking of going for a week and doing a night each end in Reykjavik, but assuming we'll need to join a mini-tour to go north?


Can any of you good people help with recommendations please?

Iceland
Plan to be there for about 7 days and when there is a new moon.
Depending on your skills at driving in the snow weigh up tours or hire car.

We went in late March and drove the whole of the circle road in a week.

Never saw the lights and had some "interesting" trips in blizzards...

Hired a 4x4 and was really glad I did for [STRIKE]some [/STRIKE] most of the North and even Golden circle roads.

IMHO a car is the best for freedom of choice.

PompeyPete

Tiglath wrote: »

Mongolia - my big solo trip planned for summer 2017. I have a thing about Gengis Khan, so am looking for a guided tour to join.

The Trip Advisor discussion forum is a good place to start...

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g293955-i9382-Mongolia.html

And it's worth having a good look at all the tabs on the FCO Travel Advice for Mongolia...

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mongolia

This looks really interesting...

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g293955-i9382-k5163067-Train_Beijing_to_Ulan_bator-Mongolia.html

http://www.seat61.com/Trans-Siberian.htm

Grumpelstiltskin

Your Ireland trip.


Kilrush to do a dolphin watching boat trip.


http://www.discoverireland.ie/Activities-Adventure/dolphin-discovery-kilrush/12177


Cliffs of Moher spectacular scenery.


http://www.ireland.com/en-gb/amazing-places/cliffs-of-moher/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=TI%7CGB%7CIcons%7CExact&utm_term=cliffs%20of%20moher&utm_content=Icons%7CCliffs%20of%20Moher

pollypenny

Budapest: the Gellert Baths are a must. Amazing, warm and luxurious.

To eat try the New York Cafe, part of the Boscolo Hotel. It's like eating in the Sistine Chapel.

The Synagogue is also worth a visit.