Traveling to Europe- which country/city has best beer?

[musicguy7070]

The title sounds so much like a BA thread, but, I need to narrow down my search! lol

I plan on taking a trip somewhere in Western Europe (in April), and need some advice.

Here's some criteria for the country/city I'd like to visit:

1. Good quality beer (obviously), also great/good beer selection, nice pubs (nice aesthetics).
*In terms of style, I like gueuzes, lambics, saisons, stouts, Porters, pales, and IPAs.
2. Great food
3. Nice scenery. Outdoorsy stuff like hiking, kayaking, and camping.
4. Friendly people to mingle/socialize with.

I appreciate any feedback any of you are willing to give me.

Cheers!

**While beer is a big part of my trip, I don't want it to be the ONLY part of my trip. I don't want to go to a place that has great beer, but crappy scenery and/or terrible food, ya know?**

 

[Sage1]

I’m going to guess one of the main deciding factors is going to be what style(s) of beer you like.

 

[RyanG1]

Belgium has excellent sour beers.

 

[musicguy7070]

I’m going to guess one of the main deciding factors is going to be what style(s) of beer you like.

Ah yes, valid point. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

[musicguy7070]

Belgium has excellent sour beers.

Thank you. Do you think that Belgium (any part) matches/fits the other three criteria I have listed?

 

[primebeer]

Non-Troll response: Look at options 2-4 very seriously. Then, plan beer stuff around that.

Worst thing you can do is plan a trip to ****ing Europe based on beer. There is so much more to be enjoyed that it would be a pity to make a trip across the pond for such trivial purposes. That said, there are ways to fit in beer destinations, and I would encourage you to do so, but focus first on the sightseeing/scenery/outdoorsmanship before you plan the trip around beer.

There are plenty of resources regarding this on this site that I'm too lazy to link to but I'll mention the Belgium Travel Thread as a natural starting point if that's the beer stuff you're predisposed to. Best of luck!

 

[tosh1]

Non-Troll response: Look at options 2-4 very seriously. Then, plan beer stuff around that.

Worst thing you can do is plan a trip to ****ing Europe based on beer. There is so much more to be enjoyed that it would be a pity to make a trip across the pond for such trivial purposes. That said, there are ways to fit in beer destinations, and I would encourage you to do so, but focus first on the sightseeing/scenery/outdoorsmanship before you plan the trip around beer.

There are plenty of resources regarding this on this site that I'm too lazy to link to but I'll mention the Belgium Travel Thread as a natural starting point if that's the beer stuff you're predisposed to. Best of luck!

This^

Beer is part of your trip, you will find boss beer wherever you end up. Even if you stay in some small village somewhere, you'll end up drunk on good beer.

 

[Digita7693]

2 and 4, you are probably going to get anywhere, 1 you can get about anywhere, but some places won't have the variety. Your most restricting factor is 4, so I would start there.

With that being said, some that come to mind are: Reykjavik, Oslo, Stockholm, Edinburgh...

 

[jmgrub]

I had a wonderful time in Scotland last year and would certainly recommend it - we stayed in Inverness, St. Andrews and Edinburgh and took day trips from each. It's beautiful, has tons of history, and the people were extremely friendly. Really enjoyed the milds and bitters (and the pubs), but beer was hardly the focal point of the trip (golf was).

Other places I've greatly enjoyed in Europe: Copenhagen, Budapest, Prague, Amsterdam.

 

[Digita7693]

Id also add it depends on how long you are going for. You could do an amazing trip with a variety of things if you go for say 2 weeks. eg fly with Icelandair to Brussels or Amsterdam, visit both cities (simple and quick train ride apart), and on the way back take advantage of the free stopover option and visit Reykjavik and the amazing nature around there for 3 days.

 

[musicguy7070]

Id also add it depends on how long you are going for. You could do an amazing trip with a variety of things if you go for say 2 weeks. eg fly with Icelandair to Brussels or Amsterdam, visit both cities (simple and quick train ride apart), and on the way back take advantage of the free stopover option and visit Reykjavik and the amazing nature around there for 3 days.

This actually sounds like an excellent plan. I've always wanted to visit Iceland, too. Can you tell me more about this "free stopover option"? I plan on staying for close to 2 weeks, maybe a little less, like 12 days probably.

 

[musicguy7070]

Id also add it depends on how long you are going for. You could do an amazing trip with a variety of things if you go for say 2 weeks. eg fly with Icelandair to Brussels or Amsterdam, visit both cities (simple and quick train ride apart), and on the way back take advantage of the free stopover option and visit Reykjavik and the amazing nature around there for 3 days.

I looked at flights through Icelandair going from New York to Amsterdam, but all it gave me was an hour and a half layover in Reykjavik. Can I modify it somehow?

 

[Digita7693]

This actually sounds like an excellent plan. I've always wanted to visit Iceland, too. Can you tell me more about this "free stopover option"? I plan on staying for close to 2 weeks, maybe a little less, like 12 days probably.

go to icelandair website, it tells you everything I cannot recommend Iceland enough, my wife and I will be going back on our way to and/or from Portland, Or in August.

 

[Digita7693]

I looked at flights through Icelandair going from New York to Amsterdam, but all it gave me was an hour and a half layover in Reykjavik. Can I modify it somehow?

there is a link at the very top that says "stopover" or when you are filling in to/from and dates you can click on "roundtrip," "one way," or "stopover." It is really quite simple.

 

[RyanG1]

I looked at flights through Icelandair going from New York to Amsterdam, but all it gave me was an hour and a half layover in Reykjavik. Can I modify it somehow?

http://www.icelandair.us/flights/stopover/

 

[musicguy7070]

http://www.icelandair.us/flights/stopover/

I just figured it out. Thank you.

 

[musicguy7070]

go to icelandair website, it tells you everything I cannot recommend Iceland enough, my wife and I will be going back on our way to and/or from Portland, Or in August.

Have any recommendations on what some of your highlights there were?

 

[Digita7693]

Have any recommendations on what some of your highlights there were?

Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik free walking tour, Micro Bar, Reykjavik Roasters, Golden Circle, add in a tour to see puffins and/or whales, if you do not have any desire to see puffins you suck!

 

[cneville1]

Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik free walking tour, Micro Bar, Reykjavik Roasters, Golden Circle, add in a tour to see puffins and/or whales, if you do not have any desire to see puffins you suck!

adding hallgrimskirkja, perlan for killer views of reykjavik; vatnajokull if you're staying a couple days.

maybe just skip the rest of europe and go to iceland; drive the whole ring road!