Wikivoyage:Tourist office/Archives/2014/February

Holidaying in the Ionian islands

Hi Wikipedians

We are planning to holiday in the Ionian islands in May, probably for two weeks, travelling from England. We are in our 50s, not looking for discos or nightlife; we like culture, history, walking, nice bars and restaurants, maybe an occasional day on the beach. We suspect that two weeks on, say, Kefalonia might be more than enough to see the sights.

Does anyone have any advice on planning a trip of this sort? For example, does anyone favour a particular island as a base, or a particular location on an island? Is there scope for visiting other islands, or mainland towns such as Patras? Or are the ferry services inadequate for this? Do we need a hire car, and if so, do we need it for the whole two weeks, or just for the occasional day's excursion?

It would be great to hear from someone local to the region, or someone who has frequently travelled in this area. Thanks in advance for any help.

Asked by: 86.135.157.115 21:56, 4 February 2014 (UTC)

Hi there!

Thanks very much for your question! It looks like you've been directed here from the Wikipedia Reference Desk. This is Wikivoyage, the 'Wikipedia' of travel guides (part of the same non-profit organisation), so hopefully we'll be able to give you some useful advice!

It's quite a while since I've been to the Ionian Islands (and even then it was just Corfu), but I'd hope that our guide to the islands (here) might help a little! Whilst the article about the islands as a whole is fairly thin, the individual guides to the islands (particularly the larger ones) have a lot more detail.

From what I've read, ferries within the islands seem to be fairly frequent, although the guide to Kefalonia seems to suggest that a car would be desirable. Most of the articles on here that are about the islands provide a list of a few good places to visit while you're there, as well as some restaurants, bars and hotels.

I'm sorry that I can't be much more help, but hopefully our guide will be of some assistance and someone who knows the islands well can perhaps give you a fuller answer.

We'd be really grateful if, once you return, you could add some of the things you've found out to our article; hopefully answering some of these questions for future travellers!

Have a great holiday! :) --Nick ^talk 23:06, 4 February 2014 (UTC)

I suggest it:Leivatho a small region south of main town Argostoli. Unfortunately the article is in Italian. Try Google translator. There are plenty of lovable villages in Leivatho: Kourkoumelata, Kaligata, Ntomada. Read this post about. It says the true. I also recommend a couple of nearby villages it:Spartia and it:Pessada. You will find useful addresses. Yes! You need a car. Avoid visiting Patras. Have a nice holiday --Gobbler (talk) 00:18, 5 February 2014 (UTC)

Have a look at Greek Islands for an overview & links to more specific stuff. Pashley (talk) 00:42, 5 February 2014 (UTC)

As always, I'm amazed by the knowledge and the helpfulness of you Wikipedians. I now have a much clearer idea of what to do. Thank you all for your contributions. —The preceding comment was added by 86.135.153.164 (talk • contribs)

Oldest Jewish Temple

I will be arriving by ship with my wife on 2/11/14. We would like to visit this Jewish Temple and would like to know how far it is from the cruise port and is it walking distance? I have tried to find a street map of Bridgetown and have had no success. Asked by: 2601:C:A80:308:226:8FF:FE00:2926 23:50, 5 February 2014 (UTC)

Many of our articles now have links to maps. Look for the little blue & green icon, upper right of the page, and click it to get the map.

Adding these is work-in-progress, neither complete nor error-free yet. Checking our Bridgetown article, I found that while it described the city in Barbados it had a map link for Bridgetown, Australia. I fixed that, so you can now get a map there. Pashley (talk) 04:04, 6 February 2014 (UTC)

Our article does not mention the synagogue; perhaps you could add something about it after your trip. WP has an article: [1]. Pashley (talk) 04:10, 6 February 2014 (UTC)

Duplicate pages for same Natural Bridge in Virgina

Not sure what to do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridge_%28Virginia%29 >> older, much more complete

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridge,_Virginia >> one day newer, more like a stub.

Asked by: Goglen (talk) 20:49, 7 February 2014 (UTC)

You're now on Wikivoyage, not Wikipedia, but I'd suggest you propose a merge and delete (ie. merging any stuff from the shorter article into the longer that isn't already there + deleting of the former) on either article's talk page. They likely also have a Votes for deletion section somewhere on Wikipedia where you notify people about this. --ϒpsilon (talk) 21:26, 7 February 2014 (UTC)

Anyway, one's about the geological formation, the other about the nearby community of the same name. One already links to the other, and I've added a link the other way. --50.100.193.107 00:34, 8 February 2014 (UTC)

There is no "merge and delete" as the revision history must be kept for attribution of authors (the same CC-BY-SA we use here). If the articles are on the same topic (and it looks like they're not), there is a {{merge}} tag to propose a merge and redirect. K7L (talk) 17:50, 8 February 2014 (UTC)

Getting to a hotel in Stockholm

I'm going to Stockholm in early July, and I know in advance that I have to spend the night there before leaving back to Finland. So I booked a hotel room there, but I only found out afterwards that it's a bit far away from the centre. On the day that I go there, I shall be arriving at the Stockholm railway station, and leaving from the Stockholm ferry terminal in Masthamnen. The hotel is in Kungsholmen, so I have to make a detour just to get to the hotel. But the reservation is non-refundable, so I'm going to have to use it.

So I have to ask: What is the most convenient way to get from the railway station to the hotel (Alströmergatan 41 to be exact), and back again? Should I use the Stockholm metro? Do they have single tickets valid for only an hour or so, like they do here in Finland? The distance from the railway station to the hotel is only a couple of kilometres, so I could always walk the entire way (after all it's going to be in the middle of summer), but I will be carrying a backpack weighing over 10 kg, so I'd rather want to avoid excess walking. I'm still going to walk all the way from the railway station to the ferry terminal, though. I have done so many times in the past too.

Asked by: JIP (talk) 21:05, 10 February 2014 (UTC)

Stockholm metro network, click for bigger picture

Hi! (I could equally well reply på svenska or suomeksi if you prefer but, as this is the English site... :D) The address and the hotel is located a few blocks away from Fridhemsplan metro station and you can get there from the central railway station by metro (see also the network map). Are you going with Viking Line's morning ferry to Turku? You really don't have much time to waste in the morning as you basically gotta be in the harbor at least half an hour before departure (in prcatice around 7:30 I think) . If you are taking the metro when going to Stadsgårdshamnen you can ride it all the way to Slussen, there's absolutely no need to get off at the railway station. On the other hand if you're leaving in the afternoon you'll have all the time in the world... For practical information about the metro, please have a look at our Stockholm article and SL's home page. Their ticket system seem to be even more complicated than I remember it from a couple of years ago, it looks like you must buy a card and then load it (like Helsinki's Matkakortti), another alternative is to buy an SMS single ticket. --ϒpsilon (talk) 21:53, 10 February 2014 (UTC)

The text message ticket or a zone ticket (single ticket) from a machine is probably the easiest, if you only are going to the hotel and back. If you want to buy tickets face-to-face, there are Pressbyrån kiosks at most (?) metro stations. The "access card" costs SEK 20, which is no big deal. It is convenient (use it at the gates for single short voyages, pay with it manually when having company or for more zones, add credit as necessary in batches of at least SEK 100), but unnecessary for only the stated trips. It seems zone A covers everything not really distant, so nothing to care too much about (think "seutulippu" for the other zones). --LPfi (talk) 08:09, 11 February 2014 (UTC)

Bratislava and the border

The centre of Bratislava, Slovakia, is apparently only a couple of kilometres away from the border to Austria. Is it possible to simply walk over the border? Are there walking streets leading over the border or only motorways? Do I have to show a passport or something? JIP (talk) 16:06, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

Both Slovakia and Austria are members of Schengen Agreement and there is no border control, there are pedestrian and cycle routes that go through the border. The need of passport and right to pass the border depend on your citizenship and visa though. Jjtkk (talk) 16:29, 16 February 2014 (UTC)

My hotel in Bratislava is very close to the main railway station. What is the easiest way to get from there to the border? Do I have to walk all the way or is there public transport available? JIP (talk) 08:52, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

There's lots of public transport, so you shouldn't have to walk. Here's an overview of some public transport routes. Do you specifically want to walk over the border? If you want to get a little taste of Austria, the easiest way is to catch a train or bus from Bratislava to Vienna. It takes about an hour and isn't very expensive. A return ticket is €13. I was there in summer and trains left quite regularly (every hour or so) from Hlavna stanica station (near the old town), but I think it also stops at Petržalka. If you're there in low-season you should check the times, as they might have fewer connections. It's a very nice daytrip :-) JuliasTravels (talk) 09:41, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

Yes, I specifically want to walk over the border. The only other place I have ever got to do that was in Lapland, where it's quite easy to walk over the borders between Finland, Sweden and Norway (but not Russia). But I don't want to walk all the way from the railway station to the border, if that can be easily avoided. The Petržalka railway station seems to be closer to the border than the main railway station, is it possible to get a ticket for only between those two stations? Or would a bus be easier? JIP (talk) 10:48, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

I'm not sure if there are trains as I can't find any so quickly on the schedule website, but bus 93 should take you there. As far as I remember, the place where the train crosses the border didn't look too interesting. I haven't tried, but I imagine you could also catch a bus to Lafranconi and cross the Danube there: you're entering into a forest area and you're close to the border too (although there's probably nothing to indicate the border). From the main station, catch bus 93 to Zochova and change onto 31 or 39 to Lafranconi. One other option you could consider, is to rent a bike. Bratislava city isn't so nice to bike in (due to the traffic) but along the river it's nice (with good bike paths) and if you cross the Danube at the Lafranconi bridge it's a short ride to Pottenburg Castle (near Wolfstal) for example, if you'd like to go somewhere more than just the border. I did like that, and it's a pretty area, but I don't think I saw any visual evidence of the border. Good luck! JuliasTravels (talk) 21:45, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

I looked at a map of Bratislava, and found out that there is actually no track connection at all between the main railway station and the Petržalka railway station. There is at least one bus between the two, or I could simply walk the entire way. It looks like the "Viedenská cesta" street goes across the border, after which it becomes "Pressburger Straße". I could either walk along "Einsteinova" street to "Viedenská cesta", or go straight to that street. At least one or two buses go from the centre to "Einsteinova" street. JIP (talk) 19:50, 24 February 2014 (UTC)

Day trips from Amsterdam to Delta Works

Are there day trips via a local touring company from Amsterdam to Delta Works

Asked by: 124.170.34.75 08:12, 17 February 2014 (UTC)

By googling I found one tour company arranging such tours for €64 pp + tax: [2]. I also found two other companies charging about ten times that sum for a "private tour" (personally I think those sound outrageously expensive): [3] and [4]. BTW you may want to have a look at our Netherlands and Delta Works articles for tips if you decide not to go with a tour company. And my colleague might have some useful tips too. ϒpsilon (talk) 19:34, 17 February 2014 (UTC)

I don't know any, I'm afraid, and can't find any now when searching (also in Dutch). Tours are rare and generally quite costly. Most tours you'll find online (including the ones Ypsilon mentions) are for larger groups, although they will allow you to pay the whole amount on your own if you're traveling alone. Private guides with cars can be hired in Amsterdam and will take you anywhere but are quite expensive (€400 for a day is probably a minimum price, also considering the distance to the Deltaworks: rates for guides typically start at €50 per hour). If you can drive, renting a car is really your best bet. I'm not sure when you plan to go, but also keep in mind that the Deltapark (with the visitor's centre) is closed in winter which means you can only see some of the outsides. Good luck! JuliasTravels (talk) 20:39, 17 February 2014 (UTC)

Whether to go to Morocco

I am trying to decide whether to plan a 10-day to 2-week trip to Morocco with my partner. We are interested mainly in the culture, the food, the landscape, and historic architecture and ruins. We are also attracted by the Sahara. We would probably use Marrakech as a base, adding on several days in an interesting part of the desert. My question may be a hard one to answer: How challenging do you think Morocco would be for a relatively inexperienced traveler? Here is the background. I've done a fair bit of traveling. I'm American but have actually lived and worked in Europe and spent time in several countries there. I have also traveled extensively in Mexico and less extensively (but in each case for at least 2 weeks) in Tanzania, India, and China. My partner has come with me on just a couple of trips to Europe (in the years since we met). We have also traveled together to Costa Rica, which is the first developing country he ever visited. He has enjoyed all of our trips. However, he wasn't willing to go with me to China, as he thought that it would be too challenging or alien for him. (So I went to China with another friend.) It is his idea to go to Morocco, but I don't want to encourage him if it is a difficult place to travel and he is likely not to enjoy it. Things that might upset him are significant crime, filth, a strong risk of gastroenteritis, and maybe aggressive touts. Another factor is that we are a gay couple. We can manage to avoid public displays of affection and to stay only in rooms that have two beds to avoid drawing local outrage, but my partner is a bit effeminate, and I would not want him or us to attract hostility or violence because of that. Can anyone with some experience in Morocco advise me on whether this is a good idea for us? Asked by: 67.132.19.18 19:45, 18 February 2014 (UTC)

Unfortunately I've not been to Morocco myself (hopefully someone who has finds your question) so I can only recommend you our Morocco travel guide, especially the Stay safe and Cope sections. I would say you should be careful if you decide to make the trip, even if it's one of Africa's safer countries. ϒpsilon (talk) 20:26, 18 February 2014 (UTC)

Well, no-one can give you guarantees and homosexuality is illegal in Morocco, but with some basic respectful restraint in public situations I wouldn't expect any large problems. I've travelled in Morocco repeatedly, also with travel-inexperienced friends, and it has never been very challenging. You guys don't sound inexperienced at all :-) Much also depends on your budget: if you're not on a super tight day budget, travelling is all the easier for it, allowing for some organized day trips and better hotels and restaurants. There will be touts, but I wouldn't say they're very aggressive (compared to some other countries) and just polite refusal has never put me in undesired situations. Yes, it's a developing country and you need to watch what you eat - and still you might get a stomach ache. But that's the same in huge parts of the world. I'm not gay, but I have gay friends who've been there too, and never had any problems. And yes, I would qualify them as.. effeminate, at the least. While illegal, there is a small gay scene in some of the cities and it's quite common for Moroccan men to hold hands etc as a sign of platonic friendship, so the perception is different from some other countries. That said: any serious show of affection is discouraged, for both gay and heterosexual couples, so it's best to just be careful. I don't think my friends have ever asked for separate beds, although I know on a few instances they got them - but then, so did I. It's always a judgement call. I will say that I find it a beautiful country, and don't expect you'll regret going there. Good luck! JuliasTravels (talk) 20:30, 18 February 2014 (UTC)

I was in Morocco for nearly a month, two years ago, and found it to be one of the best travel experiences of my life. However, your specific concerns are, I think, well founded. Touting is bad in Morocco. If you don’t feel comfortable just ignoring men who ask you to let them guide you, or bring you into their shop, you should probably toughen up or go elsewhere. It will be constant, and if you continue to “politely” refuse their advances, you will never be rid of them. Remember that it is not rude to ignore them – they are the ones being rude by trying to interfere with whatever you are doing (i.e. minding your business). Bring a phone with a GPS map, jailbreak it so you can use a Moroccan SIM card (there are two telcom companies in Morocco: Meditel and Maroc Telecom – be sure to use the latter, much wider coverage). Buy one anywhere, they’re cheap and you can get a ton of data for $10-20. With a working phone and a GPS, you need no guide, even in the deep medinas. As to your worries about being gay, if anyone notices they are more likely to remark about it than in Western nations, but all you’re likely to hear is a snicker in Arabic that you won’t understand anyway. Ignore again. One huge plus for you would be if either of you speaks any French at all. VERY useful in Morocco. Personally, I recommend not using Marrakech as a base. I found it to be by far the least appealing Moroccan city. You’re better off in Fes or Tangier or elsewhere. Food should not be an issue at all either. If you’re very concerned, avoid street vendors and stick to restaurants. You’ll be fine. There is a lot of “filth” everywhere, but come on. Not every country worth seeing has Western standards. Wash your hands, being Purell if you must, and use your head. Crime is not a factor in Morocco. Do a Camel safari in the Sahara (arrange all travel and prices before you get there) and please avoid ATVs as they are the WORST for the environment and your fellow travellers trying to get some peace and quiet. Go. Rent a car. Explore.SpendrupsForAll (talk) 01:00, 19 February 2014 (UTC)

Thanks for these tips. For what it's worth, we will be traveling on a midrange budget. We don't want to stay in a western hotel for $300 a night. (In fact, we wouldn't want to stay in one even if we could afford it.) What we prefer are locally-owned places with character, and in Morocco we can afford something a little above the bottom of the price range. I'm not sure I want to rent a car, as I find driving, especially in foreign countries, stressful and not how I want to spend my free time. But maybe we'd hire a car with a driver if that's not too expensive. We definitely would want to travel by camel in the Sahara; we hate SUVs. Also for what it's worth, I am just about conversant in French, and my partner can actually speak a bit of French too (his only foreign language). I can get up to conversant with a little practice before the trip, and I'd probably want to learn the very basics of Moroccan Arabic because I enjoy languages and like to make some connection with people at all socioeconomic levels (not just the educated) when I travel. I'll let my partner know about the relatively unsanitary conditions (he didn't like that about Naples, for example) but also the positives, so he can decide. My question for SpendrupsForAll is why you don't care for Marrakech? I read the Wikivoyage guides to both Marrakech and Fes, and Marrakech sounded like the more appealing of the two. Tangier doesn't interest me much because it isn't one of the royal cities and because it is so far from the desert. Thanks again. 67.132.19.18 21:23, 19 February 2014 (UTC)

Fes is more authentic & less touristed. I believe many of those travellers who glow about Marrakech are unsophisticated and go directly there, thinking it "exotic." It is not. It is a crowded, noisy modern city with the best elements of morocco buried and blurred inside it. I have heard better things of Casablanca and even more of Essaouira. Fes is wonderful. And do avoid western hotels. Stay in a riad or a dar. They are plentiful on booking.com. Enjoy your trip. SpendrupsForAll (talk) 18:44, 21 February 2014 (UTC)

distances in Great Britain

please tell me the mileage distance between Manchester, england and Alderburgh, England Asked by: 68.174.101.115morton hochstein

By road, the distance from Manchester to Aldeburgh, Suffolk is about 250 miles. Wikivoyage has guides to both destinations: Manchester and Aldeburgh. Happy travels! --Nick ^talk 21:59, 18 February 2014 (UTC)

How do I travel from Ipswich to Orford by public transport?

Asked by: 184.161.138.103 16:13, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

Hi!

No railway tracks go to Orford so you can travel from Ipswich to Orford only by local bus. First, take line 62 or 72 to Woodbridge and from there 71 to Orford. According to the timetable the bus of the second leg runs only once a day and includes a wait of an hour and a half in Woodbridge. --ϒpsilon (talk) 16:31, 26 February 2014 (UTC)