aucourant Haha ! If you get the chance to walk in the centre of city in the evening, get it ! You'll never regret it ! I've lived here for a long time now and I love every piece of it ! Actually this is the first time I hear someone stating it's overrated ! I don't mind it, everyone has his opinion ! But really, give Brussels a chance, you won't be disappointed !
+aucourant It goes together with #5 and the fact that Brussels is the de facto capital of Europe - “you have seen the capital, you have seen it all”. Of course in any serious guide it is never ranked first.
+Nicolas Seigneur I don't think he is being mean or degrading Brussels, I think he is just giving a comparison so tourists can see the big sites because Americans MIGHT go to Europe once in their life for one week. So our time needs to be spent very carefully to see the big sites. If your European and visit America you would want to visit New York but not Indianapolis! Even though Indy is great, so I know how you feel.
Also, for all Americans reading this: Brussels is exactly the capital of Europe BECAUSE of its insignificance. The big countries (UK, France and Germany) didn't want to give in on who gets to have the capital, so they decided to give the European capital to little Belgium in the middle who had suffered enough from the wars.
Seems they choose capital cities like this in several places. For instance, Canberra, Ottawa, Washington D.C. aren't known for being big cultural hotspots
What is now DC was literal swampland that nobody wanted when they decided to put the capitol there. They even established an independent district so the capital wouldn't fall in any state. So, no surprise that DC isn't much of anything.
I think Brussels was chosen as a capital because 1.) It is on the west coast = short flight from East coast of the US 2.) NATO headquarters are in Brussels. It makes sense to concentrate such institutions together as they are tightly bounded and do have overlapping policies naturally.....
+Elise Tanis no Paris is just the best! I've been to all major cities of France like Marseille, Straßbourge, Nice,... but Paris is the city where you can see the most amazing things like la Sainte-Chapelle or the people in front of Sacré-Coeur and don't forget the Louvre... it just is amazing!
+tobi - Man, I live in Portugal. I'm quite aware that people in Spain don't speak the same language I do, neither do people in France, Germany or Ukraine. I'm not sure you know what sarcasm is. Maybe I wasn't explicit enough, but my reaction was a sarcastic laughter because of how stupid the question was.
Brussels was picked because it wasn't a Paris, Berlin or Rome. It hadn't a reputation or history as all pervasive or "contentious" as the more well known cities. And Belgium had been overrun in both wars so was a sort of neutral space, a no-man's-land between France and Germany. Didn't realise Americans went there.
What are you on about you dumb sir?? The reason Brussels was chosen was because it's socially diverse and succeeded in being a cosmopolitan city, while being central. Stop with "PaRiS dIdN'T wAnT tO dAmAgE iTs ChArM" or bullshit ideas like that. All these cities have actually competed to host EU buildings, but Brussels was preferred. Berlin and Paris have a lot of ugly ass buildings already, so it never was an argument.
it is, you just have to behave like you were a citizen, for example we werde in prague just a few weeks ago, and of course if you went to the supermarkets right in the downtown where all the tourists bought there stuff the Prices were quite expenisve, but when you just went like 15 minutes away from the downtown with an tram, to an area where mostly prague citizen lived the Prices in the supermarkets where insanly cheap, like the bread buns there costed about 3-4 Cents per Piece, like you would been able to get 100 (!!!) Bread buns for 3-4€ In Germany you will get about 10 or less, i think i still have photos of the Price tags of all the things, like we bought so much stuff and just paid a few euros!
Maybe it was in November or sth. I'm from Latvia and I looked at hotels in neighbouring Vilnius last week and you'd get maybe 3 nights max at 200 euro at a reasonably good hotel, so I opted for airbnb
Depends on what "very cheap" means. Yes, you can get many things in eg Poland for half or a third of the price at home in western Europe, but you cannot get it at a tenth of the price or even less like you could in the 90s.
I've lived in Spain and am born in Germany (military kid), and have been to England, Ireland, Austria and France (briefly), and Venice in Italy. I want to add to the part said about people thinking they have been to Europe because they go to Paris and London. I would add ANYONE who just goes to London, Berlin, Madrid, Dublin, and other major city's did not go to Europe. Cities are international, so yes they have elements of the local culture, but unless you get out to the smaller towns you really are not visiting anywhere. You are going to safe havens where theirs more people around you that are also foreigners than locals. Go see the small towns, go out to the country side, THAT is Europe, away from the cities that are global centers.
Gnawer Shreth In theory, I agree. But then again... I live in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is far more representative of America than New York -- but I would never recommend it as an international travel destination.
Is it? Plus, it is America, most of the rules do not apply to this country as it does to others. America is giant, and has multiple cultures within it more so than others.
I'm planning on going to Europe later this year. It will be my first time out of the US. I haven't decided for sure where I'll be going, but I'm thinking Czech Republic. Thoughts?
TheBuzzardAndTheWorm I don't know for how long you're going, but if you're in that general area you could easily visit Vienna and Munich as well. You could also go hiking for a few days, in Switzerland for example. Most mountains in Switzerland have a little hostel near the summit, usually very cozy and homely. A good idea would be to go on weekdays.
It's the exact opposite in Malaysia, all the cultural stuff in in the city or towns, there's literally nothing in the countryside. If you want to experience Malaysia you can only go to the city.
For me the best city in Europe is Lisbon. Small enough to get round easily. Fantastic architecture, history, culture, food and people. Massively underated in my opinion.
@@mscarlson1498 Absolutely concur. There is something in the ambience of Lisbon. Something in the vibe of the place. In the attitude to life that the Portuguese have that draws me like a moth to a flame. Would ideally like to move there permanently one day. Best wishes from the UK.
+Kitchissime I think it has the Mona Lisa Syndrome. People get their hopes up and are really excited to see the Mona Lisa - but it turns out that the painting is really small and not all that impressive.
If you are going to go to Europe for the first time, I recommend travelling to the Scandinavian countries first (Norway, Sweden, Denmark)... You will have to budget very very carefully and get used to the expensive prices. After travelling in Scandinavia, then go to Central Europe and you will not complain about the "high" prices!
I think one of the most wasteful things you can do in Europe is stick to the cities. All your big familiar conveniences are there. It's what between the cities that makes Europe. Get a bike. Rent a car. Get a tent.
Miles Forman I kindly disagree, sir. Brussels Waffles (not the Liègeois ones you can find on every street corner, also in Brussels, but the light waffles, not to sweet and with a crunch, served with sugar, or fresh fruit) are delicious. And I haven't eaten better waffles in Bruges. For good beer bars, Kulminator in Antwerp or the Waterhuis aan de Bierkant in Ghent are probably the best in Belgium, but the biggest (and most touristy, that's why I try to avoid it) is Delirium Café in Brussels, and there are Moeder Lambic, Restobière, Biercircus, Nuëtnigenough, and many others. Bruges has some fine beer bars, but in the neighbourhood, I'd go for 't Botteltje in Ostend, in stead of Bruges proper. And in the evening, Brussels is a lot calmer, but Bruges is close to death. Brussels, the biggest city in the Benelux, has more crap than most other cities, but also more good things, they're only often hidden away for the tourists. I've been living here for the last 7 years, and I'm still exploring, getting to know new things, and stuff. Brussels is not beautiful as is Paris with its yellow stone buildings, not as clean as Copenhagen (not to say it can get dirty, unfortunately), or gifted with almost endless good weather, as in Italy or Spain. But it has a vibe many cities in the Low Countries lack, a bit like Berlin is more interesting than, say, Munich, although the latter is defenitely more beautiful, Too bad, the main stations are often a dump, there is litter almost everywhere, some big infrastructure projects have devasted certain areas of the city (North South Junction, the monstrosity that is the Centre Monnaie, the shameless Tour Blaton, which replaced a beautiful Meeting house by Horta, the car tunnel in the Cinquantenaire Park...), the restaurants around Grand Place are almost all overpriced or overrated, etc. It's a city with scars, sometimes a little vulgar, but it has she's not without charm Brussels is a relatively small capital of a relatively small country, where a lot of the European institutions have their seat, NATO has its European HQ here, but it was almost a coincidence. NATO moved to Brussels in a hurry, because the French got out, the EU is here, because the French couldn't have a capital city in Germany, and vice versa, all without a real plan, and often without a decent preparation. For those people expecting the same things as Paris, London or even Berlin, it will be a disappointment. With 1 million people, you can't compare to those cities 10 times bigger. But I disagree when people saying you should skip Brussels, because there's nothing to see or to experience. That's simply not true, but it's not for people who don't have time to explore, as they will be disappointed.
+B Neervoort We American do feel that we are somewhat hated because we stick our noses into every country so we actually think we may be attacked by some American hating nut case! When I went to Mexico I said I was Canadian.....LOL, seriously!! It's a form of paranoia.
What you said about the statue in Belgium I've also heard about The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. People often are disappointed when they finally see it because it is so small.
The difference between manneke pis and the statue of l mermaid is that manneke pis has some real history. L mermaid is just placed by a restaurant as art. Manneke pus hundreds of years old and even has a legend was even kidnapped twice. Most tourist are zombies when they visit a city no awareness or knowledge of the history behind it. I would recommend a visit to the broodhuis on la grand place before visiting Brussels. Also some nice musea from the flemish primitives in the Brussels art museum. The most beautifully paintings in the world , Rubens and Bruegel Van Duyck Van Eyck ….just an amazing town Brussels
Uncle Chuckles there's a lot to see but stay in a county if you're going and make the most of that one area, I recommend Suffolk, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Cumbria. These are the places best for tourists but there is a lot more in England than people think.
TheBrassHole Add to those Northumberland, Devon, Kent and several others. For cities you can try places like Durham, Bath, Cambridge, Oxford, York, Bristol. In general the larger cities are industrial and more suitable to people who like shopping and clubbing.
Slashplite Yes they aren't endangered but its barbaric torture done by a first world country. Just because an animal is numerous doesn't justify acts perpetrated against them.
Slashplite We can work on them at the same time, in fact bull fighting could be largely ended with a simple prohibiting of it by the Spanish government. Yes there are many issues in Europe which require a lot of attention, but we can still work on improving in all areas.
Do not go to a supermarket they sell meat! gross! killing animals like cave men! You don't like it? don't do it Yes there are restaurants mostly in the south of Spain where they do the bullfights all year (not just for special holidays) where you can eat bull meat, specially the tail "rabo de toro guisado"(Google it) is really good. (The toreador meat is not allowed, pff liberals and their human rights...)
because living all your life in a cage for the only purpose of feeding humans untill you die is a great life, go to a butchery or a industrial chicken coop see for yourself, and wake up. Bulls live a very good life, and some of them are selected to fight and suffer for 10-15 mins then die.
I nearly cried when you said that Europeans are not arrogant but really nice and friendly. Thank you Mark! Really touched my heart because it felt like you really try to erase the stigma about the different cultures and people in Europe. And you show that everywhere you go, people ARE friendly most of the times, you just have to get to know them :)
Eastern europe is not cheap anymore? Mate what? I'm Belgian and I've did an exchange project with a slovakian school. I could get 1 liter beers for less than 50 cents, shot at 30 cents. Yes phones etc for that kind of things the difference is small, but hey if you're young and looking to go out? eastern europe might not be as fancy or classy, but your high school lunch money is enough to get some people in the ambulance...
+rsca is god I'm Polish and yeah, that's pretty much true. When I went to the UK and then returned back to Poland after a month I've noticed that I can do a small grocery for £5 (eggs, some cheese, rolls etc.), whereas in the UK I was paying £10 for a lunch. And £10 equals circa 63 PLN, in Poland you can buy two decent lunches for that (maybe not the best ones, but not the worst either). And when I've been to Gdansk in January 2015, I've found a pub in which you can buy a 50 ml shot of vodka for 5 PLN (80p) and that was pretty cheap, but it probably is common. So Eastern/Central Europe is still quite cheap for people from the USA or Western Europe.
I have been to France twice during "off season". The people are GREAT. I limp by with my terrible French and they always help me, and speak fantastic English. The same with Italy. Most overrated thing from my few trips to Europe is don't wast your time at the Louvre. The Mona Lisa sucks. Spend a day at L'Orssay, Rodin, Monet musee-orangerie or the Vatican museum in Rome.
meatman66 same here. Paris one summer. Totally friendly even with my ridiculously basic few words of French they were very supportive and helpful. They seemed very very happy I was trying even just a few basic touristy words:)
Rudi Rüssel I remember when I went to a bull fight in Venezuela as a little kid. (My mother was from South America). I looked over the stadium wall seeing all the dead bulls. I told my mother that it made me sad. She told me they butcher them and the meat goes to orphanages. I don’t know if it is true. I just remember how I felt, Hemingway be damned.
@@johnbaugh2437 why cant they cull the bulls like normal cattle and give it to the orphanages? The fact that they feel like they have to do something generous to justify the act says a lot about it.
Bullfighting is needlessly cruel. I personally don't mind the killing of an animal as long as it is painless, but this is just awful torture for the poor thing. One of my friends told me that they got to see one of the weird spikey thingies they use in bullfighting, and they are HUGE. Spanish traditions are cool, like the twelve grapes at New Year's Eve, but I can't stand bullfighting.
GREAT videos all. Thanks for sharing your insights. Europe is awesome, Americans NEED to travel to open their minds. Videos like yours are very helpful to prepare them. Keep 'em coming, please!
+MrVlekje5 you couldn't be more wrong. Brussels is a beautiful capital city. Being en having lived in Brussels for my entire life and I still am by the way. Brussels is the greenest capital in Europe. Brussels is the not only the European capital it also is the NATO's capital. This city is one where you need to open yourself to and it will open itself to you. Gorgeous buildings ( Cinquantenaire, Grand Place, the Royal palace, Royal Gardins, Basilic, Cathedral, etc...). The culture and history is one that differs from the Flemmish as the Walloon part of the country. If you don't see it now, I don't blame you, but take the time to know it, take the time to discover its hidden treasures and it will amaze you if you are open for it.
Love me some Prague! Went there in May with DH. My top 3 are Rome, Florence & Prague. You are right on target with your list. We must be open to new experiences when we travel as traveling is the best education!
Hi Wolter, we celebrated our 10 year in Paris early Sept 2014 and THANKS to many of your great tips,enjoyed the best trip evaaaar!!!!! Incredible(breathtaking) sites,food,transport and people! Learning basic phrases helped immensely. People were very happy to help. Finding restrooms truly is difficult and no fan or ac in a restaur is weird(help, can,t breathe),but absolutely amazing place to visit!!! Really hope to meet you(and cute family) one day(better yet,travel with u).You are an awesome person! A and A from Chicago
Marjorie Glasser great to hear we could help. I am actually in Chicago right now :) had dinner Greektown. Tomorrow... who knows where :) but glad you liked the video and congrats on 10 years!!
@Francisco sergei creo que el problema acá es que tú cultura es un tanto barbarica y cruel con los toros. Si solo fueran soltar toros para esquivarlos, sería aceptable, pero en las corridas les prenden fuego, les entierran espadas y lanzas. Los fuerzan a una batalla injusta. El torero tiene equipos de apoyo, médicos listos para atenderle y entrenamiento previo, el torero tiene conciencia de lo que está haciendo. El toro no goza de ninguna ventaja real y solo sufre. Para ti y tu pueblo podrá ser una gran tradición y eres libre de continuarla. Pero los demás estamos en el mismo derecho de declararla salvaje, barbarica e inhumana
Just a thought on manneken pis. The low countries have a tendency to belittle things. Its part of the humor. So a tiny statue if a little boy peeing is funny for them. A giant statue of a little boy peeing might be hilarious elsewhere but would be completely out of place in the low countries.
Hi! I'm a new subscriber from the Netherlands and I want to say that I really enjoy your videos!! I like your positive perspective and handy tips&tricks! Keep up the good work! You really seem to know what you're talking about and at the same time you're not bragging about it. Very nice! :D
Sorry but Brussels is great. It maybe is a bit overrated but you should deffinitely not "get rid of it". I mean it's a great city and deffinitely worth a visit!
Brussels is great and the good thing about it is it's not as big as Berlin or Paris. If you avoid the major tourist attractions you'll notice it's very interesting ! There are so many concert venues and you can party every day
johan bauwens mate, Brussels stinks, almost all the buildings are filthy and the people are awful. Brugge, Antwerp and Ghent are the most beautiful cities of Belgium.
Mats Koenen People are awful, seriously ?! I didn't see myself this way ! Please don't say such things. You've had a bad experience and i'm sorry about it. Each time i go out in Brussels (which is a lot), i meet new people which are far from being awful ! Please, don't say such generalized statements such as this one :) I agree Ghent is amazing and Brussels is not beautiful everywhere. But all the centre is, IMO, very nice :)
I was in Paris and this French lady was sitting at the table next to my family in Mcdonald's and asked if we're Americans. We said no, we're Canadian, but she didn't believe us and got this disgusted look on her face and moved to another table. It was kind of funny and ironic considering she was in Mcdonald's, the most American place in France. But thankfully most people weren't like that at all.
woltersworld I don't understand your hate for Brussels. It is so much more than just the Grand Place and surroundings! It has beautiful palaces (did you even visit the royal district? The royal palace is even bigger than Buckingham Palace), parks, art deco architecture, monumental buildings (you won't find anywhere else in the benelux), trendy districts (Dansaert, Flagey,...)... I would like to ask you to visit this photo-collection of beautiful Brussels, it wil amaze you! Don't forget to visit the multiple pages: www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1231597
***** Most of the French people I met were very nice, this was the only bad experience I had. This woman seemed a little crazy so I didn't take it too seriously haha.
I just want to make it clear that Barcelona and its whole region, called Catalonia, is the only place in Spain where bull fighting and running of the bulls is already forbidden, so independently if you support it or not, do not relate this "activities" with Barcelona and its surroundings because you won't find anything like that. When you refered to a small village close to Barcelona, perhaps it was belonging to a neighbour region, but then is like somebody talks about New York City and something happening in a small village in Maine.
From my experience, the most overrated place in Europe is Paris. It's great but it's not so much great than everything else as usually advertised. Rome, Prague or London are at least on par.
I fell in love with Paris. Right off the train, a very dear stranger, a Parisian lady immediately graciously welcomed me to her city and tried so hard to help me on the Metro (although neither of us knew each other’s languages). I will always be immensely grateful to her even years later. I loved the Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, the Arc de Triomphe and Saint- Michel. I eternally thank France for the Statue of Liberty. Thank you, dear France for your magnificent city!
I was in Prague and I live in switzerland, everything was literally 3 times cheaper there than I am used to, I don't know how it compares to the U.S. though.
lukaszepesi the US is more like germany pricewise even a bit cheaper :) but yea as a scandinavian i agree that eastern europ is cheap however so is most places outside the german languets area
lukaszepesi Switherland is more expensive than most of the Europe. You have also bigger salary. Here (CZ) we have costs similar to Germany (people sometimes travel to Germany by car to buy whats there cheeper and vice versa) but we have smaller salaries than you or Germans.
Where in Prague? Where in Switzerland? Switzerland is one of the most developed countries in the world, of course it's cheaper for you, but if you lived in a less affluent part of Switzerland, and compare the prices to the most expensive parts of Prague of course it won't be cheaper. It's all relative. Mala Strana vs. rural village in Switzerland, you would be surprised. :D
I would say that Paris is overrated not because it is bad or anything; it can be stunningly beautiful, delicious, and has lots of history and culture to explore, etc...but because of HOW. MUCH. EVERYONE (especially stuff aimed at young women) treats it like the holy grail and how amazingly perfect it is. Paris can be great. It is also kinda dirty and smelly and it's hit or miss whether Parisians will help you. I think it's the non-American city that is most talked about, and most referenced (in pictures, iconography, etc...) but other places like Prague are wonderful, too, but don't get the same attention.
Lol, this name I chose as a hormonal teenager is haunting me now... :) Thanks again for another great video; I have not been to Belgium, so it was good to know about the Brussels thing, and alternate (very pretty!) recommendations. :) Btw, I know you've been to China, but have you ever been to Japan?
Slimy Weasles I have not been to Japan yet. But we are looking at it for 2016. We are buying a house so the next year or two of travel will be a bit slower... maybe... hell, we will still travel :) but Japan is a possible Spring Break 2016 trip. Thanks for all the watching and commenting!
I agree about Paris. There must be something about people having varied experiences there, though. I encountered arrogance from the people, and the only ones who were friendly wanted to sell you something. Yet, other people I know say they did not encounter this, so I don't know what to make of it.
Consumer prices in Europe: Sofia (Bulgaria) is 61% cheaper than Oslo (Norway). Chisnau (Moldova) is 31% cheaper than Sofia. So yes, the price gaps are huge.
They used to be much bigger 20 years ago. But when it comes to alcohol, countries like Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, etc, are a lot cheaper than Norway. Which is the reason why people from Nordic countries go there, and almost don't stop drinking. They are making an in-body alcoholic reserve before going back home :)
@@cinegraphics Don't people from Norway go to Finland for cheaper alcohol, people from Finland go to Estonia for cheaper alcohol, and people from Estonia go to Latvia or Lithuania for cheaper alcohol. lol
Nobody forces you to attend a bullfight in Spain. If you don't want to go, you don't go. Now, you don't have the power to say what is "civilized" and what is "decent." Therefore, you cannot forbid people to go to a bullfight if that is what they want. Stupid fascist.
Sorry wolter I've been to Paris and stuck in Paris ( which was worse due to it's poor signage) and was very disappointed, it reminded me of a ghetto. I'll save my money next time and see old Bavaria next round
Okinawa has great bull "fighting" what they do is pamper the bulls, I am talking almost having the bull live in their house and not only brushing them but massaging them. The "fights" are more like sumo matches, that's right, the bulls not only do not die, they rarely get hurt. The bull is allowed to fight as he would in the wild and all that involves is a lot of shoving and not much else. That is how bull fighting should be done and it is far more fun to watch than a bull fight anywhere else.
I am from Spain and a lot of people here are against that. It is already banned in the Canary Islands and Catalonia, and I hope it gets soon ban in the rest of the country.
Quite late to comment on this video, but just wanted to say it is spot on. We often holiday in the states (I’m a Brit) and have had some of these conversations with Americans. Europe was just London, Rome or Paris to some of them. I was surprised that not many have heard of my home town of Plymouth, particularly as that is where the pilgrim fathers finally set sail from in the Mayflower. Plus you have your own Plymouth as a result and even a car named the same I believe?! Met a really nice guy (and his family) from Little Rock, Arkansas though, who really wanted to visit Europe, but found it daunting. Didn’t know where to start etc. So we had a good chat and gave him some advice including don’t just stick to the three mentioned above!!
I've been to Brussels 3 times (one night each time) and honestly although you are right about the Mannequin Pis and not too much to do, the Grand Place can be a lot of fun when they have the light show. Also this last time we also went to Patrick Roger's Chocolate boutique and then drank too much at Delirium Tremens before feasting on mussels. So much fun!
You need to go to Crystal Bridges in Bentonville. One of the best art museums in the US. They also have the Amazeum, an awesome kids museum. The Walton 5 and Dime Museum and old school soda fountain is nice and the historical downtown is quaint. There are beautiful natural spots nearby in the Ozarks. The town is actually quite interesting for a town of 50,000 and a lot better than it was 10-15 years ago.
As a Belgian (living in Brussels, which there are cool stuff to visit, but generally is just a city like any other, nothing special) who has visited both Milano and Venice, I agree Milano was not special either, other than the Duomo and the big park with the castle, it's just a shopping city, and you can find cathedrals and parks and castles everywhere around Europe, so nothing special. Venice on the other hand is really special and I loved that place sooooo much!
I like Milano very much because it's not the "photogenic europe medieval city" you expect, it's a mix of everything. There are streets they look like Chicago in the "Al Capone Era" but there are also 1000 and more years old churches and finally there is even a Chinatown, so you really have everything in Milano. Maybe it's not that beautiful on the first sight, but it becomes it the more and more you discover it. I live just 3 hours from Milano, but already in Switzerland.
Cannes is overrated. Because there is a famous Film Festival there, everyone thinks it must be the place to be. Not so. There are many, many better beaches and beach towns in Europe superior to Cannes.
***** It depends on why you're going. Park City, Utah (where Sundance is held) is a smallish town with about 10,000 full-time residents, about 50 km (less than an hour) from Salt Lake City. It's a charming town, but you can see everything in an afternoon. It's more of a starting point for outdoorsy things. They have a great ski resort, tons of bike trails, rafting, hot air balloons, campgrounds, that sort of thing.
I'm not sure it's rated that high to begin with. It's basically a place to hold business conventions and fairs and at that it excels. Not sure people are dying to go there for their beach holidays.
Prague is definitely one of my favorite cities in Europe too Funny cuz when we were first going, I didn’t know anything about Prague or the Czech Republic So much rich history in that city The astronomical clock, in Old Town might’ve been my favorite part Along with st vitus cathedral as well Definitely want to return
this is exactly why i love the manekenpis : it's so insignificant but so famous . I just is a fun statue with a fun story that by no mean is to be taken seriously
I am 51 and am just starting to travel outside the us. My first trip will be London is March. Your channel has been a great resource for me. Paris is next.
In my opinion, Bussels is not overrated, it's definitively underrated. There is the magnificant Grand-Place, some very nice streets with medieval buildings, a lot of Bars with hundreds of different Beers, many kinds of Street Art and Cartoon Drawings on Facades (Brussels is also the capital of Cartoons) and at least there is not only Manneken Pis, there's also Jeanneke Pis, a statue of a girl peeing, a symbol of gender equality.
'Even Antwerp' ? Antwerp is an amazing 'little big city'. You can have the peace of a town, but the touristic atractions of Paris for instance. Go to Antwerp, you won't be dissapointed !
Hey Man, I'm french and I love your vids, thank you so much for your own vision of Europe but so truth, please next time in Paris, visit the Repetto shop 22 rue de la Paix, I'll be so honored to guide you! I love America and American people, I only know about NYC and L.A., sorry. I'm waiting for you and your family in" my" shop! Just ask for David!
Mark, I’ve been watching some of your older videos. I’m from Northwest Arkansas, and if you haven’t been to Bentonville lately, I recommend another visit! A lot has changed since this video was posted!
I got really disappointed in Paris. It is really overrated in my opinion. I thought people would be dressed nicely, the food would be awesome and that the city would be well maintained (like clean streets and so on). People wore normal clothes, not even of good quality; the food was in some places amazing, but in some places it was too oily, too moist and just looked horrible (talking about food in the very center of the city and next to big attractions), the path ways were all cracked and full of holes, leaves everywhere (nobody dared to clean the streets), not to mention the large number of homeless people on the streets (saw one with his pants down touching his thing) and pushy people wanting you to sign some papers or buy stuff. Lovely city and architecture, but not what I expected. Eiffel tower was really nice, but when I hear that someone got engaged on the tower, it's like: Romantic? No I don't think so. Being surrounded by a large number of people and metal bars all over the place is not very romantic.....
wow you expected what, a small lovely romantic village ? It's the French capital, one of the most important cities in the world with NYC, London and Tokyo .. and Parisians dress very well, of course if you went only to tourist spots you didn't see many Parisians but rather other tourists
Terra Coin The UK does not want to "stay out of the EU". The UK is in the EU. France is not the "official benchmark of Europe". You really do write a lot of silly nonsense.
Terra Coin You are so ignorant, it's almost a parody. The language of the EU is not French. Every official language is recognised by the EU. The fact that many EU officials speak French, even if they are not French is because the language is the most popular one to learn in Europe alongside English. The institutions of the EU are not only in Brussels, Belgium (Commission + European Council) and Strasbourg (Parliament). The European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank and some other institutions are headquartered in Luxembourg and the European Central Bank is in Frankfurt. Belgium is not historically part of France. The only time that happened was during Napoleon's reign when most of Europe was under French control so not specific to Belgium. And I believe the Dukes of Burgundy controlled part of Belgium for a while but they weren't kings of France. "france is to EU what DC is to USA": Now you're talking real nonsense! France is the largest country in Europe by area, DC is smaller than the 50 US states. France is the second most populated country in Europe, DC is just a city. France has a real economy, the largest agricultural producer in the EU, way more industry than the UK, let alone DC which is mainly an administrative place. A lot of French people left the country and invested abroad because, unlike most other European countries, France has rich people. In fact, many studies have shown that France is the richest country in the EU. The average wealth per person and per household is much larger than Germany's. France is traditionally one of the largest recipient of FDI in Europe. They're international companies and investors who know their stuff and know they can make money in France, not twits like you who gets their information from Nigel Farage and other populists while talking about "world government" conspiracy theories! Because of the tiny world view that you have, you may have the idea that France is this monolithic socialist country where the entrepreneurial spirit is long dead but, as usual, you're completely wrong. France has more Global Fortune 500 companies than any other country in Europe. The country has the largest number of new companies being registered every year. the country has the largest incubators of start ups in Europe and those are the fastest growing in Europe. France has higher productivity per hour than most of Europe ranking 4th after Luxembourg, Ireland and Belgium. The UK is 10th and Germany 12th. France is one of the centers of European innovation. The country ranks 4th in the world and 2nd in Europe in terms of number of patents filled. French technology is superior to pretty much anyone in Europe aside from the Germans. Infrastructure is very modern, the UK generations behind when it comes to that. The healthcare system is ranked number 1 by WHO. Oh and did you know that the top rate of income tax in France is lower than that of the UK? Nah probably not. You're just too ignorant to know that. As far as paperwork is concerned, it's a misconception that the country is super bureaucratic. Don't take it from me, look at the rankings. The majority of European countries are more bureaucratic. If the UK leaves the EU, it will be an epic disaster for their economy. I know you don't understand why, you know nothing about economics and business, you get your info from Nigel Farage and the racists at UKIP! But the simple fact is that no investor in his right mind would ever invest in the UK with WTO style tariffs and they can get zero tariffs and all goods and services by investing in the EU. It doesn't take an economics professor to understand that!
@Debbie Smith Krakow is amazing, and so are Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw ,Etc. Poland's definitely underrated and is rapidly becoming a desired destination.
I visited France and Spain in 2010 and really enjoyed the history and architecture. I was shocked how small Europe was! The US is so huge that I doubt if I will even see it all in my lifetime. I was not used to having to buy something to use the restaurant bathroom. The people were wonderful and I felt very at home with them.
80% of people watching this are european :D
true xD
Valentina Anna Mihely I'm indian,okay
I am German
I'm half human, half Vulcan. LLAP.
Valentina Anna Mihely
80% of British watching this think they're not European :-)
How can Brussels be overrated? It's never been rated in the first place.
aucourant Haha ! If you get the chance to walk in the centre of city in the evening, get it ! You'll never regret it ! I've lived here for a long time now and I love every piece of it ! Actually this is the first time I hear someone stating it's overrated ! I don't mind it, everyone has his opinion ! But really, give Brussels a chance, you won't be disappointed !
+aucourant It goes together with #5 and the fact that Brussels is the de facto capital of Europe - “you have seen the capital, you have seen it all”. Of course in any serious guide it is never ranked first.
+Nicolas Seigneur I don't think he is being mean or degrading Brussels, I think he is just giving a comparison so tourists can see the big sites because Americans MIGHT go to Europe once in their life for one week. So our time needs to be spent very carefully to see the big sites. If your European and visit America you would want to visit New York but not Indianapolis! Even though Indy is great, so I know how you feel.
You are a shithole
thhey didn't get raped but groped.
Also, for all Americans reading this: Brussels is exactly the capital of Europe BECAUSE of its insignificance. The big countries (UK, France and Germany) didn't want to give in on who gets to have the capital, so they decided to give the European capital to little Belgium in the middle who had suffered enough from the wars.
And about Strasbourg?
Seems they choose capital cities like this in several places. For instance, Canberra, Ottawa, Washington D.C. aren't known for being big cultural hotspots
strasbourg aint more significant than brusselles lol ^^
What is now DC was literal swampland that nobody wanted when they decided to put the capitol there. They even established an independent district so the capital wouldn't fall in any state. So, no surprise that DC isn't much of anything.
I think Brussels was chosen as a capital because 1.) It is on the west coast = short flight from East coast of the US 2.) NATO headquarters are in Brussels. It makes sense to concentrate such institutions together as they are tightly bounded and do have overlapping policies naturally.....
Brussels is "the capital" of European Union. It's where European Council and European Parliament are. That's why you always hear it on news.
Yeah it's a political center rather than cultural.
For beauty and culture you should visit other cities-Rome,Paris,Vienna etc. ...
+Ella Finstad You forgot about Krakow dude -.-
+Ella Finstad Paris is overrated, other French cities are waaaaay more beautiful
+Elise Tanis no Paris is just the best! I've been to all major cities of France like Marseille, Straßbourge, Nice,... but Paris is the city where you can see the most amazing things like la Sainte-Chapelle or the people in front of Sacré-Coeur and don't forget the Louvre... it just is amazing!
Actually the main EU parliament meeting place is in Strasbourg, which is really a far nicer city than Brussels.
Man I love Manneken Pis, trolling tourists since 1619.
I love this 😂
And sometimes he trolls in suit! Class troll :)
People take it way too serious. Cant they see the humor of it?
😄
😂
Does anyone know if European is a difficult language to learn?
Ahahah funny -.-
+tobi - Man, I live in Portugal. I'm quite aware that people in Spain don't speak the same language I do, neither do people in France, Germany or Ukraine.
I'm not sure you know what sarcasm is. Maybe I wasn't explicit enough, but my reaction was a sarcastic laughter because of how stupid the question was.
lots of languages in Europe...
It's a sarcastic joke.
pretty sure you don't know if they're joking or not
Brussels was picked because it wasn't a Paris, Berlin or Rome. It hadn't a reputation or history as all pervasive or "contentious" as the more well known cities. And Belgium had been overrun in both wars so was a sort of neutral space, a no-man's-land between France and Germany. Didn't realise Americans went there.
What are you on about you dumb sir?? The reason Brussels was chosen was because it's socially diverse and succeeded in being a cosmopolitan city, while being central. Stop with "PaRiS dIdN'T wAnT tO dAmAgE iTs ChArM" or bullshit ideas like that. All these cities have actually competed to host EU buildings, but Brussels was preferred. Berlin and Paris have a lot of ugly ass buildings already, so it never was an argument.
I'm sorry to say it but Eastern Europe is still very cheap for a Western European
yes but it's really only CIS yougoslavia and the balkans. the near East europe is not so cheap
it is, you just have to behave like you were a citizen, for example we werde in prague just a few weeks ago, and of course if you went to the supermarkets right in the downtown where all the tourists bought there stuff the Prices were quite expenisve, but when you just went like 15 minutes away from the downtown with an tram, to an area where mostly prague citizen lived the Prices in the supermarkets where insanly cheap, like the bread buns there costed about 3-4 Cents per Piece, like you would been able to get 100 (!!!) Bread buns for 3-4€ In Germany you will get about 10 or less, i think i still have photos of the Price tags of all the things, like we bought so much stuff and just paid a few euros!
KRaikkonenSF poland is cheap af
Maybe it was in November or sth. I'm from Latvia and I looked at hotels in neighbouring Vilnius last week and you'd get maybe 3 nights max at 200 euro at a reasonably good hotel, so I opted for airbnb
Depends on what "very cheap" means. Yes, you can get many things in eg Poland for half or a third of the price at home in western Europe, but you cannot get it at a tenth of the price or even less like you could in the 90s.
I've lived in Spain and am born in Germany (military kid), and have been to England, Ireland, Austria and France (briefly), and Venice in Italy.
I want to add to the part said about people thinking they have been to Europe because they go to Paris and London. I would add ANYONE who just goes to London, Berlin, Madrid, Dublin, and other major city's did not go to Europe. Cities are international, so yes they have elements of the local culture, but unless you get out to the smaller towns you really are not visiting anywhere. You are going to safe havens where theirs more people around you that are also foreigners than locals.
Go see the small towns, go out to the country side, THAT is Europe, away from the cities that are global centers.
Gnawer Shreth In theory, I agree. But then again... I live in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is far more representative of America than New York -- but I would never recommend it as an international travel destination.
Is it? Plus, it is America, most of the rules do not apply to this country as it does to others. America is giant, and has multiple cultures within it more so than others.
I'm planning on going to Europe later this year. It will be my first time out of the US. I haven't decided for sure where I'll be going, but I'm thinking Czech Republic. Thoughts?
TheBuzzardAndTheWorm I don't know for how long you're going, but if you're in that general area you could easily visit Vienna and Munich as well. You could also go hiking for a few days, in Switzerland for example. Most mountains in Switzerland have a little hostel near the summit, usually very cozy and homely. A good idea would be to go on weekdays.
It's the exact opposite in Malaysia, all the cultural stuff in in the city or towns, there's literally nothing in the countryside. If you want to experience Malaysia you can only go to the city.
This is basically misconceptions about Europe, not overrated things.
No it is over rated, massively. Everyone I know rates it, yet its shit.
For me the best city in Europe is Lisbon. Small enough to get round easily. Fantastic architecture, history, culture, food and people. Massively underated in my opinion.
Phil bell lisbon is gorgeous! Greetings from Holland
@@mscarlson1498
Absolutely concur. There is something in the ambience of Lisbon. Something in the vibe of the place. In the attitude to life that the Portuguese have that draws me like a moth to a flame. Would ideally like to move there permanently one day. Best wishes from the UK.
Agree
Certainly one of the best. It's like several cities in one. Every part of it has its own character.
'Hey there is a nickel, I can buy this hotel' ✌😂😂
Nice Euro Trip reference haha
What's the deal about the size of the statue? Being big doesn't make the concept behind a statue any greater.
+Kitchissime Nevertheless it is a Oh that statue. The little mermaid has sometimes the same problem.
+Kitchissime I think it has the Mona Lisa Syndrome. People get their hopes up and are really excited to see the Mona Lisa - but it turns out that the painting is really small and not all that impressive.
Nice name for it. Thanks for the piece of info.
+Kitchissime
Often in life, size matters!
+Kitchissime he's american and video is for americans, they like big things))
If you are going to go to Europe for the first time, I recommend travelling to the Scandinavian countries first (Norway, Sweden, Denmark)... You will have to budget very very carefully and get used to the expensive prices. After travelling in Scandinavia, then go to Central Europe and you will not complain about the "high" prices!
Norway has been my favorite so far! The fjords are amazing.
I just did a trip to Scandinavia (all the capitals plus Helsinki). Looking forward to the next time I visit
Oh my God... You made a "Euro Trip" reference... "Look, I have a Nickle... I buy my own hotel" 😂😂😂
I think one of the most wasteful things you can do in Europe is stick to the cities. All your big familiar conveniences are there. It's what between the cities that makes Europe. Get a bike. Rent a car. Get a tent.
@Jo Martin-Kelly Yes! Same is true of USA. I really hate talk about what 'city' to visit!
the beer and waffles in brussels are definitely not overrated.
BigSirZebras this is true good sir :)
but they are better in Bruges!!
Miles Forman I kindly disagree, sir. Brussels Waffles (not the Liègeois ones you can find on every street corner, also in Brussels, but the light waffles, not to sweet and with a crunch, served with sugar, or fresh fruit) are delicious. And I haven't eaten better waffles in Bruges. For good beer bars, Kulminator in Antwerp or the Waterhuis aan de Bierkant in Ghent are probably the best in Belgium, but the biggest (and most touristy, that's why I try to avoid it) is Delirium Café in Brussels, and there are Moeder Lambic, Restobière, Biercircus, Nuëtnigenough, and many others. Bruges has some fine beer bars, but in the neighbourhood, I'd go for 't Botteltje in Ostend, in stead of Bruges proper. And in the evening, Brussels is a lot calmer, but Bruges is close to death.
Brussels, the biggest city in the Benelux, has more crap than most other cities, but also more good things, they're only often hidden away for the tourists. I've been living here for the last 7 years, and I'm still exploring, getting to know new things, and stuff. Brussels is not beautiful as is Paris with its yellow stone buildings, not as clean as Copenhagen (not to say it can get dirty, unfortunately), or gifted with almost endless good weather, as in Italy or Spain. But it has a vibe many cities in the Low Countries lack, a bit like Berlin is more interesting than, say, Munich, although the latter is defenitely more beautiful,
Too bad, the main stations are often a dump, there is litter almost everywhere, some big infrastructure projects have devasted certain areas of the city (North South Junction, the monstrosity that is the Centre Monnaie, the shameless Tour Blaton, which replaced a beautiful Meeting house by Horta, the car tunnel in the Cinquantenaire Park...), the restaurants around Grand Place are almost all overpriced or overrated, etc. It's a city with scars, sometimes a little vulgar, but it has she's not without charm
Brussels is a relatively small capital of a relatively small country, where a lot of the European institutions have their seat, NATO has its European HQ here, but it was almost a coincidence. NATO moved to Brussels in a hurry, because the French got out, the EU is here, because the French couldn't have a capital city in Germany, and vice versa, all without a real plan, and often without a decent preparation. For those people expecting the same things as Paris, London or even Berlin, it will be a disappointment. With 1 million people, you can't compare to those cities 10 times bigger. But I disagree when people saying you should skip Brussels, because there's nothing to see or to experience. That's simply not true, but it's not for people who don't have time to explore, as they will be disappointed.
Neither is the Atomium
Yup! Belgium has the best waffles and french fries!
I had to laugh at the "You don't need to wear a Canadian flag" :') some Americans have actually disguised themselves as Canadians? lol
B Neervoort I've noticed that this guy talks about things of 20-30 years ago. Things that American thought or did by then.
+B Neervoort I sometimes disguise myself as arrogant French :)
+B Neervoort yes they really do to avoid the hate lol
+B Neervoort We American do feel that we are somewhat hated because we stick our noses into every country so we actually think we may be attacked by some American hating nut case! When I went to Mexico I said I was Canadian.....LOL, seriously!! It's a form of paranoia.
+UZIMike ! we hate you because you have no culture, no history. simply people and simply nation.
What you said about the statue in Belgium I've also heard about The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. People often are disappointed when they finally see it because it is so small.
Well, it's the LITTLE mermaid! Silly.
Mermaid in Copenhagen is cute
The difference between manneke pis and the statue of l mermaid is that manneke pis has some real history. L mermaid is just placed by a restaurant as art. Manneke pus hundreds of years old and even has a legend was even kidnapped twice. Most tourist are zombies when they visit a city no awareness or knowledge of the history behind it. I would recommend a visit to the broodhuis on la grand place before visiting Brussels. Also some nice musea from the flemish primitives in the Brussels art museum. The most beautifully paintings in the world , Rubens and Bruegel Van Duyck Van Eyck ….just an amazing town Brussels
How about people stop going to London and visit the rest of England? London has the least English culture
+TheBrassHole london is about whats there not whos there
Makes sense. When a city gets international, it's no longer local.
Brass hole I agree.. what cities would you recommend. because I have only been to England once and I wanna go somewhere other than London
Uncle Chuckles there's a lot to see but stay in a county if you're going and make the most of that one area, I recommend Suffolk, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Cumbria. These are the places best for tourists but there is a lot more in England than people think.
TheBrassHole Add to those Northumberland, Devon, Kent and several others. For cities you can try places like Durham, Bath, Cambridge, Oxford, York, Bristol. In general the larger cities are industrial and more suitable to people who like shopping and clubbing.
Don't support bull fights... that shit needs to go.
there are worse things in Europe like overfishing or hunting whales in Norway/Iceland. Bull fights do not endanger the entire species
Well you have a point, but the fact that bigger forms of evil exist doesn't make this any less bad.
Slashplite Yes they aren't endangered but its barbaric torture done by a first world country. Just because an animal is numerous doesn't justify acts perpetrated against them.
Im just saying there are worst things and we should focus first on animal extinction in Europe and climate change.
Slashplite We can work on them at the same time, in fact bull fighting could be largely ended with a simple prohibiting of it by the Spanish government.
Yes there are many issues in Europe which require a lot of attention, but we can still work on improving in all areas.
don't go to the bull fights where they kill the bulls!
Why not..? I'm wondering..Is there any restaurant with fresh meat of killed bull or ( it hapends ) toreador?
Do not go to a supermarket they sell meat! gross! killing animals like cave men!
You don't like it? don't do it
Yes there are restaurants mostly in the south of Spain where they do the bullfights all year (not just for special holidays) where you can eat bull meat, specially the tail "rabo de toro guisado"(Google it) is really good.
(The toreador meat is not allowed, pff liberals and their human rights...)
difference is the way off killing.. torture for hour or 1 good hit...
because living all your life in a cage for the only purpose of feeding humans untill you die is a great life, go to a butchery or a industrial chicken coop see for yourself, and wake up.
Bulls live a very good life, and some of them are selected to fight and suffer for 10-15 mins then die.
Eric Cartman its fucking evil shit too, but this doesnt make the bullfights any better. And no they dont live a good life.
I would hardly consider watching a bull with it's horns on fire and getting burned a "cool thing"!
Is not real fire and they don't get burned.
Foukin' idiot
I nearly cried when you said that Europeans are not arrogant but really nice and friendly. Thank you Mark! Really touched my heart because it felt like you really try to erase the stigma about the different cultures and people in Europe. And you show that everywhere you go, people ARE friendly most of the times, you just have to get to know them :)
I'm a new subscriber and I just love your smart but easy-going style. I've learned so much.
Eastern europe is not cheap anymore? Mate what?
I'm Belgian and I've did an exchange project with a slovakian school.
I could get 1 liter beers for less than 50 cents, shot at 30 cents.
Yes phones etc for that kind of things the difference is small, but hey if you're young and looking to go out? eastern europe might not be as fancy or classy, but your high school lunch money is enough to get some people in the ambulance...
+rsca is god The tourist traps aren't cheap.
Don't fall for them lol
+rsca is god
I'm Polish and yeah, that's pretty much true.
When I went to the UK and then returned back to Poland after a month I've noticed that I can do a small grocery for £5 (eggs, some cheese, rolls etc.), whereas in the UK I was paying £10 for a lunch. And £10 equals circa 63 PLN, in Poland you can buy two decent lunches for that (maybe not the best ones, but not the worst either).
And when I've been to Gdansk in January 2015, I've found a pub in which you can buy a 50 ml shot of vodka for 5 PLN (80p) and that was pretty cheap, but it probably is common.
So Eastern/Central Europe is still quite cheap for people from the USA or Western Europe.
It is cheaper than Denmark 100%
@@emiliovincent5903 unless its free, its not cheaper 100% mate
I have been to France twice during "off season". The people are GREAT. I limp by with my terrible French and they always help me, and speak fantastic English. The same with Italy. Most overrated thing from my few trips to Europe is don't wast your time at the Louvre. The Mona Lisa sucks. Spend a day at L'Orssay, Rodin, Monet musee-orangerie or the Vatican museum in Rome.
meatman66 same here. Paris one summer. Totally friendly even with my ridiculously basic few words of French they were very supportive and helpful. They seemed very very happy I was trying even just a few basic touristy words:)
I was in France in 2006, speaking French and the people there were not friendly. I'm glad to hear that had changed. I may go back.
meatman66 they were argelians
EUROPE IS LIKE USA JUST THAT THEY SEEM TO VOTE BETTER !
@@LeiGullyBrunette It has not changed.
I really liked this bloke, and his review! Great fun so thank you for an entertaining upload.
bullfighting is a torture to the animals
Rudi Rüssel I remember when I went to a bull fight in Venezuela as a little kid. (My mother was from South America). I looked over the stadium wall seeing all the dead bulls. I told my mother that it made me sad. She told me they butcher them and the meat goes to orphanages. I don’t know if it is true. I just remember how I felt, Hemingway be damned.
@@johnbaugh2437 why cant they cull the bulls like normal cattle and give it to the orphanages? The fact that they feel like they have to do something generous to justify the act says a lot about it.
Dairy cows are kept in appalling conditions throughout Europe, that’s also torture
Being alive and sharing a world with vegans is torture too
Bullfighting is needlessly cruel. I personally don't mind the killing of an animal as long as it is painless, but this is just awful torture for the poor thing. One of my friends told me that they got to see one of the weird spikey thingies they use in bullfighting, and they are HUGE. Spanish traditions are cool, like the twelve grapes at New Year's Eve, but I can't stand bullfighting.
Belgium has three cultures, there's a small German speaking minority in the east of the country.
That's not a culture, that's "un accident de parcours". :)
In fact, there's even a fourth:
Around Arlon, people usually speak Luxembourgish. And this was an "accident de parcours" aswell. ;)
It's not really that different, coming from somebody who has spent several years in both Wallonia and Flanders.
Not 3 cultures, 3 languages if anything.
We have different languages in Belgium but the cultures aren't very different.
GREAT videos all. Thanks for sharing your insights. Europe is awesome, Americans NEED to travel to open their minds. Videos like yours are very helpful to prepare them. Keep 'em coming, please!
as a belgian i agree brussels is one of the ugliest big belgian cities.
+MrVlekje5 true :p
+MrVlekje5 are you Belgian or Flemmish ?
that is the same thing.
+MrVlekje5 you couldn't be more wrong. Brussels is a beautiful capital city. Being en having lived in Brussels for my entire life and I still am by the way. Brussels is the greenest capital in Europe. Brussels is the not only the European capital it also is the NATO's capital. This city is one where you need to open yourself to and it will open itself to you. Gorgeous buildings ( Cinquantenaire, Grand Place, the Royal palace, Royal Gardins, Basilic, Cathedral, etc...). The culture and history is one that differs from the Flemmish as the Walloon part of the country. If you don't see it now, I don't blame you, but take the time to know it, take the time to discover its hidden treasures and it will amaze you if you are open for it.
polifatts i have 2 fathers. jokes on you!
Love me some Prague! Went there in May with DH. My top 3 are Rome, Florence & Prague. You are right on target with your list. We must be open to new experiences when we travel as traveling is the best education!
Hi Wolter, we celebrated our 10 year in Paris early Sept 2014 and THANKS to many of your great tips,enjoyed the best trip evaaaar!!!!! Incredible(breathtaking) sites,food,transport and people! Learning basic phrases helped immensely. People were very happy to help. Finding restrooms truly is difficult and no fan or ac in a restaur is weird(help, can,t breathe),but absolutely amazing place to visit!!! Really hope to meet you(and cute family) one day(better yet,travel with u).You are an awesome person! A and A from Chicago
Marjorie Glasser great to hear we could help. I am actually in Chicago right now :) had dinner Greektown. Tomorrow... who knows where :) but glad you liked the video and congrats on 10 years!!
I am English living in England, I really enjoy your no Bullshit travel blogs, keep it up matey!
Thanks Pete. That's what we try to do. Honest and no BS
Same !
DONT EVER GO TO A BULL FIGHT OR A BULL RUN! Don't finance that brutality
Yes they do. They are set on fire and stabbed to death.
Ashley Delmar could stop saying that. Get inform!
@Francisco sergei creo que el problema acá es que tú cultura es un tanto barbarica y cruel con los toros. Si solo fueran soltar toros para esquivarlos, sería aceptable, pero en las corridas les prenden fuego, les entierran espadas y lanzas. Los fuerzan a una batalla injusta. El torero tiene equipos de apoyo, médicos listos para atenderle y entrenamiento previo, el torero tiene conciencia de lo que está haciendo. El toro no goza de ninguna ventaja real y solo sufre. Para ti y tu pueblo podrá ser una gran tradición y eres libre de continuarla. Pero los demás estamos en el mismo derecho de declararla salvaje, barbarica e inhumana
@pavo6503 es un error de dedo, yo escribí esto para el sujeto de abajo, el de la bandera de España
Just a thought on manneken pis. The low countries have a tendency to belittle things. Its part of the humor. So a tiny statue if a little boy peeing is funny for them. A giant statue of a little boy peeing might be hilarious elsewhere but would be completely out of place in the low countries.
Brussels was my favorite! Maybe it’s because I only stayed two nights, but I found so much to do and had an amazing time. Do a chocolate tour 😋
Yes. Eating chocolate and waffles is well worth a visit to Brussels!
I’m so in awe of your traveling the world. Good for you! You’re so inspiring.
Hi! I'm a new subscriber from the Netherlands and I want to say that I really enjoy your videos!! I like your positive perspective and handy tips&tricks! Keep up the good work! You really seem to know what you're talking about and at the same time you're not bragging about it. Very nice! :D
Hi what part,of the Netherlands?? He does alot of videos on the dutch. look in his past
Wolter, how did you end up living in Europe? work?
Great video.
Sorry but Brussels is great. It maybe is a bit overrated but you should deffinitely not "get rid of it". I mean it's a great city and deffinitely worth a visit!
I would say Brussels is kind of ok , but there are really much nicer cities and towns in Belgium.
such a great vid, loved it, want more!
Thanks for the video, Loved it!
Brussels is great and the good thing about it is it's not as big as Berlin or Paris. If you avoid the major tourist attractions you'll notice it's very interesting ! There are so many concert venues and you can party every day
johan bauwens Bruges is for retired people and Leuven is dead once the students are in holidays
johan bauwens mate, Brussels stinks, almost all the buildings are filthy and the people are awful. Brugge, Antwerp and Ghent are the most beautiful cities of Belgium.
i never said it's pretty. i can show you some parts of antwerp or ghent that are as worse as some parts of brussels btw
yes, but Brussels is the exact opposite of them. Lots of crap and some nice buildings.
Mats Koenen People are awful, seriously ?! I didn't see myself this way ! Please don't say such things. You've had a bad experience and i'm sorry about it. Each time i go out in Brussels (which is a lot), i meet new people which are far from being awful ! Please, don't say such generalized statements such as this one :) I agree Ghent is amazing and Brussels is not beautiful everywhere. But all the centre is, IMO, very nice :)
I was in Paris and this French lady was sitting at the table next to my family in Mcdonald's and asked if we're Americans. We said no, we're Canadian, but she didn't believe us and got this disgusted look on her face and moved to another table. It was kind of funny and ironic considering she was in Mcdonald's, the most American place in France. But thankfully most people weren't like that at all.
xHarlequin That's funny. I would not have moved :) even if you weren't Canadian ;)
woltersworld I don't understand your hate for Brussels. It is so much more than just the Grand Place and surroundings! It has beautiful palaces (did you even visit the royal district? The royal palace is even bigger than Buckingham Palace), parks, art deco architecture, monumental buildings (you won't find anywhere else in the benelux), trendy districts (Dansaert, Flagey,...)... I would like to ask you to visit this photo-collection of beautiful Brussels, it wil amaze you! Don't forget to visit the multiple pages: www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1231597
that's what happens when you rename french fries as "liberty fries" lol
***** Wasn't even speaking lol.
***** Most of the French people I met were very nice, this was the only bad experience I had. This woman seemed a little crazy so I didn't take it too seriously haha.
Good info - well done and thanks for educating people on how great Europe is!
I really love your travel videos because you talk about the BAD things about travel and not just the GOOD things like most people do.
I just want to make it clear that Barcelona and its whole region, called Catalonia, is the only place in Spain where bull fighting and running of the bulls is already forbidden, so independently if you support it or not, do not relate this "activities" with Barcelona and its surroundings because you won't find anything like that.
When you refered to a small village close to Barcelona, perhaps it was belonging to a neighbour region, but then is like somebody talks about New York City and something happening in a small village in Maine.
+Marcos Muñoz Rodríguez I thought bullfighting had also been forbidden in the Canary Islands.
From my experience, the most overrated place in Europe is Paris. It's great but it's not so much great than everything else as usually advertised. Rome, Prague or London are at least on par.
Florence! Venice! Barcelona! Malta!
My favourites are Sevilla and Dublin
Paris is beautiful and id love to go back
I love Paris, but also the other towns. Every city has it's own unique character, I don't compare them.
I fell in love with Paris. Right off the train, a very dear stranger, a Parisian lady immediately graciously welcomed me to her city and tried so hard to help me on the Metro (although neither of us knew each other’s languages). I will always be immensely grateful to her even years later. I loved the Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, the Arc de Triomphe and Saint- Michel.
I eternally thank France for the Statue of Liberty. Thank you, dear France for your magnificent city!
you have great videos man
Thanks for the tips 👍👍
I was in Prague and I live in switzerland, everything was literally 3 times cheaper there than I am used to, I don't know how it compares to the U.S. though.
lukaszepesi the US is more like germany pricewise even a bit cheaper :) but yea as a scandinavian i agree that eastern europ is cheap however so is most places outside the german languets area
lukaszepesi Switherland is more expensive than most of the Europe. You have also bigger salary. Here (CZ) we have costs similar to Germany (people sometimes travel to Germany by car to buy whats there cheeper and vice versa) but we have smaller salaries than you or Germans.
languets? holy fuck.
Where in Prague? Where in Switzerland? Switzerland is one of the most developed countries in the world, of course it's cheaper for you, but if you lived in a less affluent part of Switzerland, and compare the prices to the most expensive parts of Prague of course it won't be cheaper. It's all relative. Mala Strana vs. rural village in Switzerland, you would be surprised. :D
It's RELATIVE. German prices are cheap as hell... well they don't get as nice of a health insurance and schools. Still cheap? Not.
I would say that Paris is overrated not because it is bad or anything; it can be stunningly beautiful, delicious, and has lots of history and culture to explore, etc...but because of HOW. MUCH. EVERYONE (especially stuff aimed at young women) treats it like the holy grail and how amazingly perfect it is. Paris can be great. It is also kinda dirty and smelly and it's hit or miss whether Parisians will help you. I think it's the non-American city that is most talked about, and most referenced (in pictures, iconography, etc...) but other places like Prague are wonderful, too, but don't get the same attention.
Slimy Weasles I can definitely see your point there. I love Paris and it is my favorite but yes, it can be way overdone. all the best slimy!
Lol, this name I chose as a hormonal teenager is haunting me now... :) Thanks again for another great video; I have not been to Belgium, so it was good to know about the Brussels thing, and alternate (very pretty!) recommendations. :) Btw, I know you've been to China, but have you ever been to Japan?
Slimy Weasles I have not been to Japan yet. But we are looking at it for 2016. We are buying a house so the next year or two of travel will be a bit slower... maybe... hell, we will still travel :) but Japan is a possible Spring Break 2016 trip. Thanks for all the watching and commenting!
Yay! :) Looking forward to it. I hope your house is nice. :)
I agree about Paris. There must be something about people having varied experiences there, though. I encountered arrogance from the people, and the only ones who were friendly wanted to sell you something. Yet, other people I know say they did not encounter this, so I don't know what to make of it.
Love your videos
These videos are so great!
Consumer prices in Europe: Sofia (Bulgaria) is 61% cheaper than Oslo (Norway). Chisnau (Moldova) is 31% cheaper than Sofia.
So yes, the price gaps are huge.
+Lars Inge Larsen Not that big as the claims.
They used to be much bigger 20 years ago. But when it comes to alcohol, countries like Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, etc, are a lot cheaper than Norway. Which is the reason why people from Nordic countries go there, and almost don't stop drinking. They are making an in-body alcoholic reserve before going back home :)
@@cinegraphics Don't people from Norway go to Finland for cheaper alcohol, people from Finland go to Estonia for cheaper alcohol, and people from Estonia go to Latvia or Lithuania for cheaper alcohol. lol
@@Amghannam Yeah, it's alcotourism.
How about decent civilized people avoid Spanish animal cruelty altogether?
You clearly do not know nothing about it
oh so bullfighing isnt animal cruelty? plese tell us how that is mister wise guy, in curious...
@Da Funky Zookeeper Hemingway
Nobody forces you to attend a bullfight in Spain. If you don't want to go, you don't go. Now, you don't have the power to say what is "civilized" and what is "decent." Therefore, you cannot forbid people to go to a bullfight if that is what they want. Stupid fascist.
@@bolobardelavega2843 its a disgusting barberic tradition. You do what you want at the end of the day but call a spade a spade!
Excellent advice. Great video.
Super interesting video! Keep making more!
Sorry wolter I've been to Paris and stuck in Paris ( which was worse due to it's poor signage) and was very disappointed, it reminded me of a ghetto. I'll save my money next time and see old Bavaria next round
Paris is African and London is Pakistani. It's better to just avoid it
Bull fighting is not only "overrated", but incredibly cruel horribile animal abuse. Something you sadly failed to mention.
Okinawa has great bull "fighting" what they do is pamper the bulls, I am talking almost having the bull live in their house and not only brushing them but massaging them. The "fights" are more like sumo matches, that's right, the bulls not only do not die, they rarely get hurt. The bull is allowed to fight as he would in the wild and all that involves is a lot of shoving and not much else. That is how bull fighting should be done and it is far more fun to watch than a bull fight anywhere else.
Stfu this is a culture which you are not part of, so you have nothing to say about it.
I am from Spain and a lot of people here are against that. It is already banned in the Canary Islands and Catalonia, and I hope it gets soon ban in the rest of the country.
Says someone who keeps a creature in captivity as a "pet".
The bulls are injured before they’re put in the ring with the matador.
Quite late to comment on this video, but just wanted to say it is spot on. We often holiday in the states (I’m a Brit) and have had some of these conversations with Americans. Europe was just London, Rome or Paris to some of them. I was surprised that not many have heard of my home town of Plymouth, particularly as that is where the pilgrim fathers finally set sail from in the Mayflower. Plus you have your own Plymouth as a result and even a car named the same I believe?!
Met a really nice guy (and his family) from Little Rock, Arkansas though, who really wanted to visit Europe, but found it daunting. Didn’t know where to start etc. So we had a good chat and gave him some advice including don’t just stick to the three mentioned above!!
Thanks for this video! Great 👍 video
2:48 Bulls are banned in Catalonia since several years, you can confuse people with that information.
Not forgetting about Switzerland: They have 4 languages: French, German, Italian and Rhetoromanic
Reinhard Köhler 5 if you include Swiss-German and High German
If you wave money in the street all Swiss understand you😂
Romansch?
I've been to Brussels 3 times (one night each time) and honestly although you are right about the Mannequin Pis and not too much to do, the Grand Place can be a lot of fun when they have the light show. Also this last time we also went to Patrick Roger's Chocolate boutique and then drank too much at Delirium Tremens before feasting on mussels. So much fun!
Spot on, as usual!
You need to go to Crystal Bridges in Bentonville. One of the best art museums in the US. They also have the Amazeum, an awesome kids museum. The Walton 5 and Dime Museum and old school soda fountain is nice and the historical downtown is quaint. There are beautiful natural spots nearby in the Ozarks. The town is actually quite interesting for a town of 50,000 and a lot better than it was 10-15 years ago.
I thought the same thing! I thought Bentonville was a cool little town when I was there. Also....Indianapolis? How rude!
Why am I binge watching these?
You can visit : Sinaia, Prahova, Brasov, Sibiu, Targu Mures, Cluj, Oradea, Arad, Maramures, Suceava, Iasi, Danube Delta.
Awesome Mark
Actually, the most overrated city in Europe (at least among the ones I've visited) is Milano. Way worse than Bruxelles.
Davide Mattanza or Venezia
Venice is unique. And wonderful.
Venice is unique, Milan is nothing one the most overrated city in the world.
As a Belgian (living in Brussels, which there are cool stuff to visit, but generally is just a city like any other, nothing special) who has visited both Milano and Venice, I agree Milano was not special either, other than the Duomo and the big park with the castle, it's just a shopping city, and you can find cathedrals and parks and castles everywhere around Europe, so nothing special.
Venice on the other hand is really special and I loved that place sooooo much!
I like Milano very much because it's not the "photogenic europe medieval city" you expect, it's a mix of everything. There are streets they look like Chicago in the "Al Capone Era" but there are also 1000 and more years old churches and finally there is even a Chinatown, so you really have everything in Milano. Maybe it's not that beautiful on the first sight, but it becomes it the more and more you discover it. I live just 3 hours from Milano, but already in Switzerland.
Literally watching this while on holiday in Brussels :'(
I'm pleasantly surprised to hear and learn about Numbers 1, 2, 4, and 6...especially #s 4 & 6.
Thank you!
Genau! One of the best videos I've seen of yours.
Cannes is overrated. Because there is a famous Film Festival there, everyone thinks it must be the place to be. Not so. There are many, many better beaches and beach towns in Europe superior to Cannes.
so true with cannes. I was like "this is it" what's the big deal? so true
*****
It depends on why you're going. Park City, Utah (where Sundance is held) is a smallish town with about 10,000 full-time residents, about 50 km (less than an hour) from Salt Lake City. It's a charming town, but you can see everything in an afternoon. It's more of a starting point for outdoorsy things. They have a great ski resort, tons of bike trails, rafting, hot air balloons, campgrounds, that sort of thing.
I'm not sure it's rated that high to begin with. It's basically a place to hold business conventions and fairs and at that it excels. Not sure people are dying to go there for their beach holidays.
Nice is 🎑
Prague is definitely one of my favorite cities in Europe too
Funny cuz when we were first going, I didn’t know anything about Prague or the Czech Republic
So much rich history in that city
The astronomical clock, in Old Town might’ve been my favorite part
Along with st vitus cathedral as well
Definitely want to return
Mark,
I’m heading to Rome this summer and thinking about staying at an Airbnb. Thoughts?
Thank you for keeping it real ! And saving us money haha
A bull with burning horns is not exactly 'cool' it's gross animal abuse ! Disgusting.
super cool
Belgium is great, but I like Antwerpen much more than Brussels. It's a beautiful city (from the point of view of a Dutch person).
I fell on this site and glad I did how informative, thank you
this is exactly why i love the manekenpis : it's so insignificant but so famous . I just is a fun statue with a fun story that by no mean is to be taken seriously
You are the first person on youtube that i've seen who has noticed that issue on Pamplona AT LEAST ONE PERSON NOTICES
alejandro de la torre abadía glad I got something right :) all the best! was in Madrid for some fullfights years ago
Wolters World Bullfighting is awfull, it's animal abuse, it's torture. Do you really like seeing an animal suffering?????
The bitterness when he talks about Brussels 💀
Greeting! I have lived in Warsaw Poland, Paris France, Monaco & Ventimiglia Italy for couple years and I love it
I am 51 and am just starting to travel outside the us. My first trip will be London is March. Your channel has been a great resource for me. Paris is next.
''even Antwerp'' wow dude, Antwerp is awesome! :D
In my opinion, Bussels is not overrated, it's definitively underrated. There is the magnificant Grand-Place, some very nice streets with medieval buildings, a lot of Bars with hundreds of different Beers, many kinds of Street Art and Cartoon Drawings on Facades (Brussels is also the capital of Cartoons) and at least there is not only Manneken Pis, there's also Jeanneke Pis, a statue of a girl peeing, a symbol of gender equality.
I took your advice and stayed in Ghent instead of Brussels, loved it!
The Euro Trip “a nickel buys hotel “ quote just killed me haha
'Even Antwerp' ? Antwerp is an amazing 'little big city'. You can have the peace of a town, but the touristic atractions of Paris for instance. Go to Antwerp, you won't be dissapointed !
true it has such a beautiful station its insane.
Hey Man, I'm french and I love your vids, thank you so much for your own vision of Europe but so truth, please next time in Paris, visit the Repetto shop 22 rue de la Paix, I'll be so honored to guide you! I love America and American people, I only know about NYC and L.A., sorry. I'm waiting for you and your family in" my" shop! Just ask for David!
Thanks, but I'll take Corsica, French Basque Country, Perpignan, Brittany, Dunkirk over Par-ikistan
Mark, I’ve been watching some of your older videos. I’m from Northwest Arkansas, and if you haven’t been to Bentonville lately, I recommend another visit! A lot has changed since this video was posted!
Cut through the chase. I love it!! 😊
I got really disappointed in Paris. It is really overrated in my opinion. I thought people would be dressed nicely, the food would be awesome and that the city would be well maintained (like clean streets and so on). People wore normal clothes, not even of good quality; the food was in some places amazing, but in some places it was too oily, too moist and just looked horrible (talking about food in the very center of the city and next to big attractions), the path ways were all cracked and full of holes, leaves everywhere (nobody dared to clean the streets), not to mention the large number of homeless people on the streets (saw one with his pants down touching his thing) and pushy people wanting you to sign some papers or buy stuff. Lovely city and architecture, but not what I expected. Eiffel tower was really nice, but when I hear that someone got engaged on the tower, it's like: Romantic? No I don't think so. Being surrounded by a large number of people and metal bars all over the place is not very romantic.....
Ayu Umi don't forget the pickpockets :)
wow you expected what, a small lovely romantic village ? It's the French capital, one of the most important cities in the world with NYC, London and Tokyo .. and Parisians dress very well, of course if you went only to tourist spots you didn't see many Parisians but rather other tourists
Terra Coin France has a higher standard of living than the UK.
Terra Coin The UK does not want to "stay out of the EU". The UK is in the EU. France is not the "official benchmark of Europe". You really do write a lot of silly nonsense.
Terra Coin
You are so ignorant, it's almost a parody.
The language of the EU is not French. Every official language is recognised by the EU. The fact that many EU officials speak French, even if they are not French is because the language is the most popular one to learn in Europe alongside English.
The institutions of the EU are not only in Brussels, Belgium (Commission + European Council) and Strasbourg (Parliament). The European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank and some other institutions are headquartered in Luxembourg and the European Central Bank is in Frankfurt.
Belgium is not historically part of France. The only time that happened was during Napoleon's reign when most of Europe was under French control so not specific to Belgium. And I believe the Dukes of Burgundy controlled part of Belgium for a while but they weren't kings of France.
"france is to EU what DC is to USA": Now you're talking real nonsense! France is the largest country in Europe by area, DC is smaller than the 50 US states. France is the second most populated country in Europe, DC is just a city. France has a real economy, the largest agricultural producer in the EU, way more industry than the UK, let alone DC which is mainly an administrative place.
A lot of French people left the country and invested abroad because, unlike most other European countries, France has rich people. In fact, many studies have shown that France is the richest country in the EU. The average wealth per person and per household is much larger than Germany's. France is traditionally one of the largest recipient of FDI in Europe. They're international companies and investors who know their stuff and know they can make money in France, not twits like you who gets their information from Nigel Farage and other populists while talking about "world government" conspiracy theories!
Because of the tiny world view that you have, you may have the idea that France is this monolithic socialist country where the entrepreneurial spirit is long dead but, as usual, you're completely wrong. France has more Global Fortune 500 companies than any other country in Europe. The country has the largest number of new companies being registered every year. the country has the largest incubators of start ups in Europe and those are the fastest growing in Europe. France has higher productivity per hour than most of Europe ranking 4th after Luxembourg, Ireland and Belgium. The UK is 10th and Germany 12th.
France is one of the centers of European innovation. The country ranks 4th in the world and 2nd in Europe in terms of number of patents filled. French technology is superior to pretty much anyone in Europe aside from the Germans. Infrastructure is very modern, the UK generations behind when it comes to that. The healthcare system is ranked number 1 by WHO. Oh and did you know that the top rate of income tax in France is lower than that of the UK? Nah probably not. You're just too ignorant to know that.
As far as paperwork is concerned, it's a misconception that the country is super bureaucratic. Don't take it from me, look at the rankings. The majority of European countries are more bureaucratic.
If the UK leaves the EU, it will be an epic disaster for their economy. I know you don't understand why, you know nothing about economics and business, you get your info from Nigel Farage and the racists at UKIP! But the simple fact is that no investor in his right mind would ever invest in the UK with WTO style tariffs and they can get zero tariffs and all goods and services by investing in the EU. It doesn't take an economics professor to understand that!
Poland was marvellous and thoroughly enjoyed my visit last year. Poland is underrated.
@Debbie Smith
Krakow is amazing, and so are Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw ,Etc. Poland's definitely underrated and is rapidly becoming a desired destination.
Another 100, merci!
I visited France and Spain in 2010 and really enjoyed the history and architecture. I was shocked how small Europe was! The US is so huge that I doubt if I will even see it all in my lifetime. I was not used to having to buy something to use the restaurant bathroom. The people were wonderful and I felt very at home with them.