Learning a new language is never easy. A baby, for example, takes around 2 years to finally learn a large number of words and we can say it’s until we are 8 years old when we speak a good Spanish or the native language of our country.

The best stage to learn how to speak a new language is during our childhood, 3 years is considered the best age because we will be able to classify the words and our linguistic skills will be highly developed, which in the future will benefit our lifestyle.

If we decide to study once we are adults, there are many tools available for us:

- Language lessons with a teacher or online.
- Books.
- DVD language courses.
- Summer courses in different countries.
- Conversation clubs at language schools.

To ensure better results we should choose more than one of these tools. Nevertheless, the best option to learn a new language will always be to spend some time in the country or city where the language is spoken as the native one. Some of the reasons are:

- Practice: We will be listening to and speaking the language on a daily basis, no matter how much we know about it we’ll have to start using what we know in order to communicate.
- Pronunciation: Unless we find a native teacher, our accent and pronunciation will not be the best but we can always improve them if we listen to native speakers every day. There are many letters, like the German “R”, that are difficult to pronounce for Spanish speakers due to the fact that the sound comes straight from the throat and not from the tip of the tongue. The way we use our mouth to articulate any word will affect our pronunciation skills. After some time we’ll be able to speak relatively well but we will have to pay a lot of attention to the way natives communicate plus we’ll have the opportunity to ask them grammar tips or any explanation related to their language.
- Fluency: At the beginning it’s hard to structure long sentences because we are not used to speaking the language but generally it takes us around one month to communicate fluently. If we know nothing about it, after one month we’ll be able to recognize some words in a normal conversation.
- Slang: we’ll get the chance to learn common phrases for natives (also known as slang) but if we ask the meaning of them, it might be difficult for them to explain. Apart from that, our skills to communicate with different cultures will benefit our professional career and once in a while our personal life.
- Culture: It’s really a big surprise when we find out how many things or language expressions we have in common with many cultures around the world. In addition to that, we will be more flexible and adjusting to any environment or situations will be a piece of cake most of the times.

Two months would be enough to enhance our knowledge of a new language, but if you are the adventurous type of person and decide to be part of the culture then you will love languages even more!

[Español]

Aprender un idioma nunca es fácil, un bebé se tarda hasta 2 años en articular un número grande de palabras y es hasta los 8 años cuando podemos decir que ya hablamos un buen español o cualquiera que sea nuestro idioma nativo.

La mejor etapa para aprender un idioma nuevo es a partir de los 3 años, porque aprendemos a diversificar las palabras y desarrollamos habilidades lingüísticas que más adelante beneficiaran nuestro estilo de vida.

Si decidimos estudiar cuando ya somos adultos, existen muchas herramientas disponibles:

- Cursos presenciales o en línea.
- Libros.
- Cursos de idioma en dvd.
- Cursos de verano en el extranjero.
- Clubs de conversación.

Éstas opciones se deben complementar una a la otra para que los resultados sean mejores; pero la mejor siempre será pasar un tiempo en el país o lugar que hable el idioma que deseamos aprender debido a las siguientes razones:

- Práctica: Todos los días estaremos escuchando y hablando el idioma, sin importar el nivel de conocimiento que tengamos.
- Pronunciación: A menos que el profesor sea nativo, nuestro acento y pronunciación no serán las mejores, pero las podemos modificar si escuchamos diariamente a personas nativas. Existen algunas letras, como la “R” en alemán, que son complicadas de pronunciar por personas que hablan español debido a la parte de la boca de donde provienen los sonidos (en éste caso la “R” se pronuncia desde la garganta y no en la punta de la boca). Con el paso del tiempo seremos capaces de pronunciar relativamente bien. Habrá que poner mucha atención e incluso hasta podremos pedir a las personas nativas que escriban o nos expliquen palabras que no entendemos.
- Fluidez: Al principio es difícil estructurar oraciones largas porque no estamos acostumbrados a hablar el idioma todos los días, pero generalmente nos toma un mes antes de empezar a comunicarnos con un poco de fluidez y confianza. Si no sabemos nada acerca del idioma, despues de un mes podremos reconocer un mayor número de palabras en una conversación normal.
- Jerga (Slang): Podremos aprender frases comunes para nativos pero en la mayoría de las ocasiones será difícil para ellos intentar explicarnos porqué se expresan de esa manera. La habilidad para comunicarnos con diferentes culturas será bien recibida en nuestra vida profesional y en algunas ocasiones en la personal.
- Cultura: Puede llegar a ser toda una sorpresa el darnos cuenta de la cantidad de cosas o expresiones que tenemos en común con culturas de diferentes partes del mundo. Además vamos a desarrollar cierta flexibilidad para adaptarnos a las diferentes circunstancias que nos rodean.

Dos meses serían suficientes para mejorar notoriamente nuestro conocimiento de cualquier idioma, pero si eres aventurero y decides experimentar el integrarte a otra cultura para comunicarte a su modo, ¡te encantarán aún más los idiomas!

[English]

Were you starting to get worried about the lack of sun and beaches over the last few days? Your fears can be allayed; Greece is a typical paradisical destination! You can reach the centre of Athens from the airport by train for €6.00. Then a 24-hour transport card only costs €4.00, whether you want it is your decision.

The best city to spend Euros!

Overall, Athens is one of the cheapest cities of the selected 15 in this guide. You can then get a lot for the Euros you have left. For instance, try a cheap and tasty snack - the Souvlaki, even better when served in Pina bread. It consists of grilled meat, with vegetables and tzatziki. All for around €1.00 in most places. You probably will want to scout the city for the best cafés – as you might know, frappés are a Greek specialty and you cannot skip the experience. Chances are it will be the best frappe of your life! One of the nicest places to go is Zonar’s, a high-street café, yet affordable, with a fantastic view and appetising pastries.

Where all philosophy started

As the cradle of Europe, Greece has a long and rich history, therefore a large amount of historical sites to lay your eyes on. The majestic Mount Lycabettus offers a unique view all over Athens, and a small hiking experience on its ascension. Southwards, the Acropolis is erected in a garden of ruins, among which temples, columns and other vestiges of Ancient Greece. It is hard to fathom how long these structures have been standing there – the building of men that has been around for millenniums. You may want to visit the museum, with admission fees of €5.00. Northwest lies the Ancient Agora, another site of ruins and traces of history. When you have satisfied your lust for culture, it is time to get lost in the old parts of town. The neighbourhood is known as Plaka and should fulfil your expectations of Athens; narrow streets, typical architecture and the whole thing built as a labyrinth. Take the time to swing by the Academy of Athens – don’t you feel like the wisdom of Plato is running through you?

The nearest beach you are to reach is called Alimos, 10 km south from Athens. Granted it is not the quietest beach in Greece, but it is easy to reach with public transports. Enjoy the warmth of the Mediterranean Sea!

What did you do in Athens? Share your experience with us in the comment section below!

Total spent, inc. travel: €22.00 (food & drinks: €10.00)

This is the end of our adventure – I hope you enjoyed it. There are other cities worth visiting, such as Krakow, Poland; Hamburg, Germany; Ljubljana, Slovenia or Oslo, Norway, among many, many other ones. It would take a lifetime to explore all of them! These 15 days were but a sample of what Europe has to offer and the multitude of secrets it contains.

It is time to do the maths – how much did the trip cost? In total, the “food & drinks” expenses were covered with €247.00 – just over €16.00 a day. The travels and accommodation costs accounted for €1,108.31. That’s a total of... *rolling drums*... €1,355.31 – we made it! €144.69 less than scheduled and an average of just over €90.00 per day. Challenge accomplished! You even have enough leftover to buy souvenirs and send postcards.

Thanks for reading this guide!

Is it not of the utmost romance to travel across Europe by train? I hope you enjoyed your trip to Vienna. As soon as you leave the central station, you will start to wonder if Vienna is an actual city or a museum; not only is it especially clean, but it seems almost all of the buildings are historical in some way. You will be spending a lot of time looking upwards!

Café!

If you took a morning train, you are probably getting hungry. Vienna is famous around the world for its Wiener Schnitzel, a slice of veal coated in breadcrumbs. In a minuscule pedestrian side street stands the restaurant Figlmüller, beloved by tourists and Austrians alike. The traditional dish is served for €13.90. If you can still eat after that consequent lunch, head for Albertinaplatz, where the Café Mozart is found. Austrians are proud of their café culture and the refinement of their premises. A slice of Sachertorte will do nicely with your Kanne of coffee.

Time to hit the town

I hope you can still get off your chair after so much eating – there will be a lot of walking involved in the next few hours! Right across the street stands the Albertina Museum. It always displays fantastic temporary collections, although you have to pay the price for them (€9.50). From there, walk Josefsplatz all the way up to Hofburg Palace. Again the admission fees are pricey – €10.50 – yet you should at least see it from the outside (for free). Eastwards, you can find St Stephen’s Cathedral, probably the hub of Vienna, with many souvenirs to buy or shopping to do. Be sure that you will not be alone around here! Right behind the cathedral, the Mozarthaus is located, where the composer used to live. Another €10.00 if you feel like peeking in. Some 2 kilometres eastwards stands an uncanny piece of architecture – the Hundertwasserhaus. The façades are the most interesting parts of the building and if your curiosity needs to be satisfied, you can get in the main hall and the back garden for free. Going south for the Belvederegarten, you will find a huge park with in its midst the Belevedere Palace – admission to the park is free. Finally, I advise you to walk along Opernring, arguably the most beautiful street in the Austrian capital, which the notable Opera House is also in.

Should you stay overnight, book a bed in the hostel Hütteldorf for the bargain price of €12.00. It lies in the western part of the city. Our journey is soon coming to an end – the last city we are visiting is quite remote and will require you to book a flight. For about €80.00, you can make Vienna-Athens in just over 2 hours.

If you have an insider tip you would like to give our readers, please feel free to do so in the comment section below.

Total spent, inc. travel: €103.90 (food & drinks: €25.00)

Prague Central Station. Although Prague is a large city, most of the sightseeing could be done in Prague 1, which will save you some koruna on transportation. And because it is a large city, there is a lot to see and visit, therefore you will want to select the things you really don’t want to miss out on or you can simply follow our guide.

Always time for an orloj

On the left bank of the river splitting Prague vertically, you should start with the Petřin Hill, which stands in the heart of the city and gives you a great view of all of Prague. Walking down the hill on the north side, you will encounter the Prague Castle. You can visit it for 350.00 CZK. In the same area stands the Lennon Wall, covered in graffiti and lyrics of the Beatles. Continuing eastward, toward the Vltava River, you might recognise the Charles Bridge, possibly the best-known bridge of Europe. After crossing the historical bridge, follow Karlora and you will end up on the Old Town Square, bustling with tourists and for a reason. This is the one of the most beautiful areas of Prague and the theatre of the Astromical Clock, masterpiece of clockwork. Finally, walking further east you will be lead to the Charles University a leading pool of education and an architectural experience. This is how much there is to see in Prague and without spending a koruna!

Pivo!

Since we have been saving so much on tourist attractions, we can focus on the nice regional specialties. The Czech Republic is known for its beer (pivo), arguably the best one here is Gambrinus. Smoked fish is also a popular entree, but if you want to eat a dish that is really unusual, have some headcheese. For more Czech specialties at a fair price, check out Klub Architektů

That was it for Prague, we will discover some of the Bohemia region by train; direction Vienna. Book your train ticket online, there are several journeys available and it only takes you 5 hours to reach Austria. Enjoy the beautiful landscape while you are at it!

If you have an insider tip you would like to give our readers, please feel free to do so in the comment section below.

Total spent, inc. travel: 1,085.00 CZK/€44.50 (food & drinks: 360.00 CZK/ €15.00)

View Prague, Czech Republique in a larger map ]]> http://www.lexiophiles.com/english/travelling-across-europe-in-15-days-day-13-%e2%80%93-prague/feed 0 http://www.lexiophiles.com/english/travelling-across-europe-in-15-days-day-12-%e2%80%93-warsaw http://www.lexiophiles.com/english/travelling-across-europe-in-15-days-day-12-%e2%80%93-warsaw#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:02:38 +0000 Jean-Christophe http://www.lexiophiles.com/?p=20727 Check the other cities here: Travelling across Europe in 15 days

Forget all the clichés you have ever heard about Poland – chances are, you are very mistaken. Poland has developed incredibly in the last few years and Warsaw is now in alignment with the rest of European capitals cities. Expect the unexpected from Warsaw!

Along the Vistula River

Just landed at Frédéric Chopin airport, buy a 1-day city travel card for 12.00 PLN. It is valid for 24 hours upon validation of your ticket. Head for the city centre (Warszawa Centralna). In the heart of Warsaw, look out for the Royal Castle, where visits are free of charge on Sundays or only 10.00 PLN. In the same area, the Palace of Culture and Science has become one of the most recognisable landmarks of the city – and it is indeed quite impressive! Going south-east, you can find the Lazienki Palace and its exquisite garden. The admission to the park is free; the visit of the palace will cost you a few zlotys. Following the banks of the Vistula River, head north and you should find the Sigismund’s Column on the Castle Square. If you are in need of more green areas, a visit to the Saxon Garden, which is quite near, should fulfil your desires of fresh air. As per usual, the old town is one of the most interesting districts of Warsaw.

Wódka and sernik

Poland has very nice dishes, try the typical kaszanka, a blood sausage and the fine placki kartoflane – potato pancakes. If you have a sweet tooth, you will not be disappointed with sernik (cheesecake), nor with makowiec – poppy seed roll. Poland is also the home of wódka; remember to try some – with reason! Pod Herbami is a really nice location for traditional Polish food at affordable prices. However if you want to go cheaper, find one of the bar mleczny where you can eat for half nothing.

Log on now on CD to book your train ticket for your next destination – Prague! A night trip will spare you a stay at the hotel and costs around 310.00 PLN for the 13-hour trip.

Do you want to share impressions of your Polish trip with us? Please post your comments below!

Total spent, inc. travel: 332.00 PLN/€76.50 (food & drinks: 35.00 PLN/€8.00)

On top of touring Europe, you are gradually becoming an expert in geography – you should now know most if not all Scandinavian countries and their respective capitals by heart! Are holidays not the best cultural experience you could hope for?

So this is Helsinki, one of the most northern capitals in the world – have you brought your sweaters along? Not to worry if you were not expecting such a cold climate, there are plenty of stores that can provide you with typical Finnish woolly jumpers – and you can find some of very high quality!

Minä en puhu suomea (or do you?)

Hop on bus 615 from the airport to reach the city centre. This journey will cost you €4.00 and 35 minutes of your time; but once in central Helsinki you can reach everything by foot. So what are we going to see? The most recognisable building around is the Lutheran Cathedral: it is big, on a pedestal and sparkling white. Talking about religious buildings, there are many of them in Finland that are architecturally speaking quite interesting; however I will not go into details to keep this article of reasonable length. While you are in the middle of the city, stroll through the Kauppatori (market square), where Finnish life takes place. Right next to it lies the Esplanadi Park, full of Finns enjoying the sunshine during the summer days. A nice sample of the Finnish sweet way of life! When you are done with the Helsinki city centre, head north-west for the Sibelius monument. That sculpture is one of a kind and one of the most famous sights in Finland. Back to the southern-most part of Helsinki, you can catch a ferry that will sail you to Suomenlinna, an island in the middle of the Gulf of Finland – definitely a nice spot for only €4.00!

Cold weather – only one solution

So Helsinki is likely to be the coldest place you have visited so far. The good news is, there is no better city to go for a sauna! For only €8.00, you can get in at Hermanni and you will have access to a full, traditional Finnish sauna. Once you have had your relaxing time, check in at Hostel Stadion. A night will cost you €20.00, however it is a fair deal given the price of accommodation in Helsinki. Among the numerous Finnish delicacies I have tried, I found myself weak for pulla cakes. To be eaten at any time of the day or the night!

Back at the airport via bus line 615 (€4.00), book a flight for Warsaw, Poland. Air Baltic has some of the best deals and you can fly there for €58.56. See you in Warsaw!

How was your own Finnish trip? Have you unveiled some great restaurant or fun location? Share it with us in the comment below!

Total spent, inc. travel: €98.56 (food & drinks: €15.00)

Here we are, in the biggest city of Scandinavia – Stockholm! Composed of several islands, the Swedish capital is a beautiful city, at the crossroad of tradition and modernity. Everything you want can be found here and there is a lot of fun ahead of you.

Gamla Stockholm

The hub of Stockholm is Gamla Stan, a parcel of land between the two main parts of Stockholm. It is also the oldest part of the city where history has been happening. It is a real pleasure to walk through the streets full of this history and tradition. There you can see Storkyrkan the oldest cathedral erected on a place, which can be considered to be the cradle of Stockholm. Walking north-westwards, you can find the Stadthuset, Stockholm’s townhall, which is famous for being the theatre of the Nobel Prizes ceremonies. Who knows, you might get one of the prestigious rewards one day? From the top floor of the building, you have a very nice glimpse over Stockholm – do not miss it! Now to the eastern part of the capital, approximately a 30-minute walk to, on the island of Skeppsholmen, stands the Arkitekturmuséet. Not only is the entrance to the permanent exhibition free of charge, but it is also a very interesting location, if you are somewhat interested in design. Further to the east, following the direction of Djurgården, you will end up at a famous Swedish boat, rearranged as the Vasamuséet (110.00 SEK). An uncanny visit expects you! In the same area, Skansen, half way between an outdoor museum and an entertainment park, is a nice location for some chilling time for about 100.00 SEK. For some extra info about Stockholm, check out Hanne’s article.

Finally, Swedish food not branded IKEA!

Unfortunately, Stockholm is not a cheap city to stay in. However, I have a few tips for you to make the best of your Swedish kronor. The hostel I would suggest is a bit more expensive compared to what we’ve reviewed so far, but it remains quite a good deal in Sweden, not to mention that the hostel is a really nice one. Budget 190.00 SEK a night. The Swedes are major coffee drinkers (rumour has it they drink an average of 5 cups a day!) but this is nothing like Italian espresso – the coffee here is not half as strong. Still, be sure you stop by in a café to have a few cups and a pastry. Note that you only pay for the first cup in most place and get free refills. In Kornhamnstorg, Gamla Stan, there is cool restaurant called After Bar & Kök, where you can get some tasty Swedish food at a very reasonable price (about 100.00 SEK per person).

Now that you’ve discovered the homeland of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, time to head for our next destination – Helsinki! You can reach Arlanda airport with a coach – booking your ticket online is only 99.00 SEK. Flying with Norwegian, you can get a flight to Finland for as little as 421.00 SEK. Have a nice flight!

Have you been to Stockholm yourself and want to share your experience with us? Please do! We cannot wait to read your comments.

Total spent, inc. travel: 920.00 SEK/€101.00 (food & drinks: 200.00 SEK/€22.00)