10 days to Explore Europe

Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 07:39 AM
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10 days to Explore Europe

My husband and I have 10 days to explore Europe at the end of next September. We've decided to visit Belgium, France and Italy. But I have no clue how to break it down, what are MUST see's in each location and what we should beware of.
My husband enjoys new beers (hence the Belgium/Brussels stop) and I am a wine lover. We enjoy sightseeing and different types of adventures. We also love food and would love to check out a cooking class in Italy or France, if anyone has any recommendations.
Any suggestions on timing, locations and/or anything else would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 07:48 AM
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10 ÷ 3 = 3.33333. I think you have chosen too many locations for the amount of time. Unless of course you meant 10 weeks. I wouldn't even recommend one city in each country.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 07:54 AM
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Unfortunately, 10 days will not really allow you to 'explore' more than 2 cities, let alone 3 countries! You need to decide what YOU want to see in these 3 countries (my must sees will probably differ from yours), then decide how you're going to get from one place to another (train or fly), allowing travel time from one place to another. That will at least give you an idea of how many days you'll have to explore each destination. I would seriously consider only 2 destinations, with perhaps day trips from each.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 07:58 AM
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If you want to see three cities then that will work, but know that you are sacrificing some time in transit. If you can fly open-jaw, that will make it better.
Perhaps rephrase, "explore one city each in Belgium, France, and Italy" and then research to see what your train options are.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 08:12 AM
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I would use those 10 days to explore two cities at most. Keep in mind that time for checking out/checking in and traveling from one place to another also counts as part of those 10 days.

I like Rick Steves comment: "Assume that you will return."
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 08:39 AM
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Do you have 10 full days on the ground? Or are you counting the days you arrive (at best 1/2 jet-lagged day) and the day you depart (you will just be leaving - not sightseeing)?

If you have 10 full days on the ground 3 cities (not countries) is a rush and you will have only 2.5 day sin each after you deduct travel time.

If you only have 8 full days on the ground stick to 2 cities - don;t waste a large part of your limited time just getting from one place to another.

As for where to go - you need to do some work on guide books and tour books (photos of sights, NOT schedules) and get an idea of where you must go - then people can help you organize your time and travel between cities.

Definitely do open jaw flights - into the first city and out of the final city - to avoid wasting time.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 09:05 AM
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Consider going to Belgium and Burgundy. You could have a really lovely time with 5 days in each. You can even see some Roman ruins in Burgundy.

You could just fly in and out of Paris but it would also make sense make sense to fly into Brussels and out of Paris. But I wouldn't go into either city. I would spend my time in Belgium using trains to visit Antwerp, Ghent and Brugge (or whatever beer towns appeal to your husband) and then train to Dijon to pick up a car and do a loop through Burgundy. You could probably find a wonderful cooking class there. September would be a great time to go. Lots of extraordinary cathedrals and beautiful natural sights plus cheese and great wine.

Some day go to Paris and stay a week and some day go to Italy and stay as long as you can. But right now just go have a lark. You will still fabulous treasures (there is a Michaelangelo in Brugge) but they will be bite sized and fun and you really truly will get a taste of Europe -- which you won't if you are standing on line all the time waiting to board planes or trains or battling your way into the Vatican to see a Michaelangelo.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 09:08 AM
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Consider going to Belgium and Burgundy. You could have a really lovely time with 5 days in each. You can even see some Roman ruins in Burgundy.

You could just fly in and out of Paris but it would also make sense make sense to fly into Brussels and out of Paris. But I wouldn't go into either city. I would spend my time in Belgium using trains to visit Antwerp, Ghent and Brugge (or whatever beer towns appeal to your husband) and then train to Dijon to pick up a car and do a loop through Burgundy. You could probably find a wonderful cooking class there. September would be a great time to go. Lots of extraordinary cathedrals and beautiful natural sights plus cheese and great wine.

Some day go to Paris and stay a week and some day go to Italy and stay as long as you can. But right now just go have a lark. You will still fabulous treasures (there is a Michaelangelo in Brugge) but they will be bite sized and fun and you really truly will get a taste of Europe -- which you won't if you are standing on line all the time waiting to board planes or trains or battling your way into the Vatican to see a Michaelangelo.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 09:09 AM
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sorry for the double post. don't know exactly what happened.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 10:03 AM
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where are you flying from? Assuming the US - - Your 10 days will net about 7.5 days free on the ground. Subtract from that 1/2 a day (at least) every time you move and you would be down to 6-6.5 days . . . so three cities, let alone 3 'countries' would mostly be a waste of time, $$/€€. Two cities would be doable, or one city and one other 'region'.

Anything more and you'll just be dashing around, packing, unpacking, and touring train stations.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 10:18 AM
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I like sandralist's itinerary, but I might add three nites in Paris. I realize that means taking some time from one of the other places--Burgundy most likely. So, assuming that you have ten full days on the ground (including the morning arrival in Europe:

Fly to Brussels--four nites in Bruges, Antwerp or Ghent taking the train to the others.

Train to Dijon, pick up a car, and spend and nites in Beaune, travelling down the Cote d'Or to visit some wineries, eat, etc.

Drop the car where you picked it up and take the train back to Paris and spend three nites (two full days) to see the very top things in Paris. Fly out of Paris and home.

Ten days does not give you enough time to see three cities, but you could see one large city, several smaller ones, and some very beautiful French countryside.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 10:21 AM
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Oops--I gave allowed one too many nites. I'd drop a nite in Belgium so you would spend three nites in Bruges, etc.

I think two full days in Paris would be the absolute minimum.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 10:55 AM
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>>I like sandralist's itinerary, but I might add three nites in Paris. can see a bit more.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 11:04 AM
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Of course they can have a wonderful time in Belgium and Burgundy in 10 days.

Janisj, it is really not fair to pursue your vendetta against me to the point of ruining other people's trips. Drop it for pete's sake. It is unbelievably immature and finally just despicable.

mwal,

I used to post under the screen name of "zeppole" and I changed to a large extent of behavior from janisj, who every time she saw my screen name she would start trying to discredit the idea just because I had posted it. You can decide if you want to take her on as your tour guide by clicking on her screen name and reading her trip reports. And if she persists, please ask her to detail for you the trip she took to Belgium and Burgundy -- if every. She just hates me and while it is up to you whether you would like to see Belgium and Burgundy, please ignore what she is doing. It is about her, not you (not even me).
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 11:09 AM
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Huh -- who is ruining anything? I didm't discredit what you said.

I totally agreed that they can see more (and do your 5 + 5 itinerary) IF they have 12-13 days. BUT if they only have 10 days total -- they simply can't.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2014, 01:45 PM
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In Brussels your husband will want to visit the Delirium Café (café = beer drinking, not coffee). It has almost 2500 different beers to try, and is therefore pretty unique:

http://deliriumcafe.be/?___store=del...eliriumcafe_fr

You might also think about visiting A La Mort Subite, which is an old style Brussels estaminet which brews its own beer. Still with authentic interiors.

Lavandula
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Old Sep 3rd, 2014, 02:09 AM
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Thank you all for the suggestions. The timing is flexible, as we're still a year out. I was thinking 10 full days on the ground (travel days to/from the US would not count but travel between European countries would.
Here's what I had thought about doing...please tell me if I'm crazy

2 days in Brussels

3 days in Paris

5 days in Italy

I realize this doesn't allow for enough time in each place, though I hope to return one day I don't know when that might be...and want to see as much as we possibly can while we are there. We could skip Brussels and just do Paris and Italy (as we originally planned) but my man wanted to spend a day in Ghent if possible.

Thanks again everyone!
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Old Sep 3rd, 2014, 03:50 AM
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It would be a bit crazy for me but it's your trip.

1. If you want to see Ghent then why are you staying in Brussels? Why not stay in Ghent. You'll really only have 1 day as even if you arrive early you need to get baggage and get to your destination which could be roughly a half day (around noon). Then you have to get from Ghent to Paris, another half day. So 1 day in Belgium; might as well make it Ghent.

2. Italy is large and you can't see the entire country in 5 days. You need to choose 1 city in Italy. Depending on where you choose, you won't have 5 days there. You'll have 4 to 4.5 days as you need to get there from Paris.
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Old Sep 3rd, 2014, 03:53 AM
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I would only stick to France and Belgium if I were you because there are too many destinations in just 10 days. Try the beer, the chocolate and the gaufres in Belgium (Brussels or Liege) and if you have time visit Bruges. In France go to Alsace or Bordeaux for the wine.
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Old Sep 3rd, 2014, 05:06 AM
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This is still a tight schedule and as already mentioned, knock off 1/2 day in each destination for travel time, so you'd have more like 1.5 days in Brussels, 2.5 days in Paris and 4.5 days in all of Italy. Why do you mention 2 specific cities, then an entire country? Are you interested in Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Naples, etc? At this rate you won't be exploring, but more like being on a hop on, hop off bus and see things as you drive by them. Not trying to be negative, but you're not allowing time to see much of anything other than train stations and/or airports. My suggestion would be to limit yourself to 2 cities. Also remember that wherever you decide to visit, you may need to plan ahead and get advance tickets so you're not shut out of visiting (for example, Villa Borghese in Rome will require a timed day/time ticket to visit). You're still a year out from this trip, which gives you plenty of time to get your plans in order. Also, as previously mentioned, consider flying open jaw (into one city, then out of another) to maximize your 10 days.

Get some guide books for ideas of what you want to see then narrow things down from there. 10 days will hardly scratch the surface, but you can see/do a lot with them with proper planning.
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