There is plenty to see and do in Dublin for three days, but if you want a change you can take a commuter train to Howth, a seaside village with some very good food. Paris also has plenty for three days. Some like Versailles, a commuter train ride away, or Monet’s farm and pond near Mt. Vernon, also a short train ride away. We enjoyed Caen and the WWII invasion sites, but that is a bit further away. I can’t speak to Prague. Summer will be too late for the tulips in Amsterdam, but nearby places that are nice include The Hague (superb art museums and a good beach) and Haarlem, a nearby university town; many prefer to stay in Haarlem and visit Amsterdam, as housing in Haarlem is generally less expensive.

@clevelandbrown – Thanks for the feedback. I’m definitely going to look into Howth, thanks for the suggestion. What do you think of Shannon and Galway and the surrounding area vs Belfast and the surrounding area? Since I only have 19 of the 30 days I allotted taken up I’ve been thinking of adding in one of those two areas. As for Paris I was there a while back (2004) and I went to Versailles and the WWII cemetery near Normandy, so I looking into maybe a place in south France such as Marseilles or Lyon or Toulon or Nice. Any suggestions on any of those? As for Amsterdam, are the hostels in Haarlem vs Amsterdam that much cheaper that I should consider one instead of the other? As I said I like nightlife so I think it would be more convenient to stay within walking distance from the nightlife. Also, are there any places around the Czech Republic that you would suggest to spend a few days in? And how about Germany? Maybe Munich or Berlin?

In Ireland, I’ve only been to Dublin and Dingle recently, so I can’t speak to the other places. I found getting between towns in Ireland somewhat inconvenient. I don’t drive overseas, and the Irish roads are often narrow, thus slow. For France, I think you should decide what interests you, and pick a site accordingly. I like Marseilles, but many people decry it as just a busy port town.

I haven’t stayed in a hostel in almost fifty years, so I am out of touch with that scene. We usually stay longer in one place than many posters, and use a small hotel, apartment, or (in Amsterdam) a boat. Munich was nice and I’ll return to Berlin for current information in March. For nightlife, I think the big cities are best; some towns and villages have an active nightlife only when they are having a fair, etc.

@clevelandbrown- Thanks again for the input. I understand what you are saying, i think im gonna look into Marseilles and Nice more. And i agree on the nightlife, but theres nothing like seeing a secluded sea side village thats unspoiled and a true insight into the non-touristy side of the country.

I know what you are saying, but if you stay in a small town that is not touristy, it won’t have the infrastructure to help you, the tourist. I mean there may be no hostel, no restaurant, no English-speaker, etc.

One of our nicest stays recently was in Dingle, Ireland, a beautiful small fishing village with many good restaurants, pubs, and traditional music. Because of these attractions, it draws a large number of tourists, but isn’t touristy in the Disneyland sense. Despite all the tourists, we felt we really got a sense of connection with the rural Irish culture.

from galway, i highly recommend going on a tour to the cliffs of mohr, you also get to see a lot of rural, historic ireland like druid circles and fairy forests and such. definatly the highlight of my trip to ireland.