I've been to Germany and Prague with a friend, but I've never really traveled alone internationally before. I'm a little nervous about it, but I also feel like it's something I need to just do, already. I'm hoping I might get some pointers here - like whether this is even a feasible plan for someone who hasn't traveled alone before.
I'm thinking of going July 21 to August 1. I'm hoping to do as much of this as possible by train, bus and hostels.
- Day 1: Vienna
- Day 2: Vienna
- Day 3: Bratislava
- Day 4: Budapest
- Day 5: Budapest
- Day 6: Zagreb
- Day 7: Ljublajana
- Day 8: Ljublajana
- Day 9: Zagreb
- Day 10: Rastovaca (in order to see (Plitvice Lakes National Park)
I'm really kind of stuck after Day 10 due to the fact that I'm not sure what I'd like to see after that and what would be near by.
Here's what I'm looking for/trying to avoid
- I'd prefer to stay away from crowds and touristy sites when possible. I realize I'm going during one of the busiest times of the year for tourists, but this just happens to be when I could get the time off.
- I'm not that interested in partying or nightlife. I wouldn't mind a drink or two with other travelers, but I'm a little older and mellower these days.
- I like museums and galleries, but for this trip want to keep them to a minimum. I want to spend more time experiencing culture, or seeing something I can't see anywhere else.
- I love the gorgeous architecture I've seen on previous posts in /travel. Castles, ruins (Roman ruins?) and especially Soviet leftovers are of interest.
- Anything weird or bizarre or grotesque is of interest. I'm thinking along the lines of the Sedlec Ossuary outside Prague or the Museum of Broken Relationships (one of the few museums I'm considering).
- I'm more in favor of having a loose destination to wander in and seeing what I come across. Do the cities I've picked lend themselves to this?
- Any small towns or out of the way spots that might be better than some of the cities I have here? I keep hearing that Zagreb and Bratislava are good waypoints, but not really worth seeing in and of themselves.
Any help is appreciated, sorry if this is a long post - I wanted to make sure there were some details so it's clear what I'm looking for. Thanks!