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14 days in Europe: Paris, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Rome

14 days in Europe: Paris, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Rome

Old Feb 12th, 2016, 07:46 PM
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14 days in Europe: Paris, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Rome

My boyfriend and I will be travelling to Europe for our first time from May 31-June 14. We arrive and depart from Rome. I put together an itinerary and was hoping to get some thoughts on it. We are meeting up with another couple on June 10 in Rome so we need to be there from June 10th and on. See my itinerary below.

Day 1 - Arrive Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 2 - Fly to Paris, sleep in Paris
Day 3 - Sleep in Paris
Day 4 - Fly to Venice, sleep in Venice
Day 5 - Sleep in Venice
Day 6 - Train ride to Florence, sleep in Florence
Day 7 - Sleep in Florence
Day 8 - Train ride to Pisa, then To Cinque Terre, sleep in Cinque Terre
Day 9 - Sleep in Cinque Terre
Day 10 - Train ride to Rome, sleep in Rome
Day 11 - Sleep in Rome
Day 12 - Sleep in Rome
Day 13 - Sleep in Rome
Day 14 - Depart Rome
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Old Feb 12th, 2016, 08:31 PM
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If it was my trip, I'd skip Paris this time. Just too many airports in two weeks for my liking. I wouldn't spend the first night in Rome but train immediately to Venice instead. This would give more time everywhere, something like...

Day 1. Arrive Rome, train to Venice. A train that leaves the airport by 2:00p, arrives in Venice well in time for dinner.
Day 2. Venice.
Day 3. Venice.
Day 4. Train to Cinque Terre.
Day 5. Cinque Terre.
Day 6. Train to Pisa, store luggage, explore, train to Florence in the afternoon.
Day 7. Florence.
Day 8. Florence.
Day 9. Train to Rome. (Or stay another night in Florence to allow for a day-trip.)
Day 10. Rome.
Day 11. Rome.
Day 12. Rome.
Day 13. Rome.
Day 14. Depart Rome.

The reason I put the CT ahead of Florence in this scenario is to be in Florence on days of the week when almost everything is open. Sightseeing on Sundays and Mondays can be difficult to plan because of closures and reduced open hours.
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Old Feb 12th, 2016, 09:17 PM
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You would only have 1.5 days each in Paris, Venice and Florence

Your plan is not very practical. Jean's is much better.
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Old Feb 12th, 2016, 10:31 PM
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Ok how about this, see below. I really have my heart set on seeing Paris on this trip, even if it's just a day and a half, I would be ok with that. Is there any other destination I could cut out or decrease in order to squeeze it in? I also realize I missed a day I actually have 15 days including arrival and departure.

Day 1. (May 31) - Arrive Rome, fly to Paris
Day 2. (June 1) - Paris
Day 3. (June 2) - Paris
Day 4. (June 3) - Fly to Venice
Day 5. (June 4) - Venice.
Day 6. (June 5) - Train to Cinque Terre
Day 7. (June 6) - Cinque Terre.
Day 8. (June 7) - Train to Pisa, store luggage, explore, train to Florence in the afternoon.
Day 9. (June 8) - Florence.
Day 10. (June 9) - Florence.
Day 11. (June 10) - Train to Rome. (Or stay another night in Florence to allow for a day-trip.)
Day 12. (June 11) - Rome.
Day 13. (June 12) - Rome.
Day 14. (June 13) - Rome.
Day 15. (June 14) - Depart Rome.
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Old Feb 12th, 2016, 11:20 PM
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This is one way to do it:

Arrive Rome, go to directly by Venice by train, spend some nights in Venice and take the overnight train to Paris. Spend nights in Paris, take the train from Paris to Torino (Turin), and switch in Turin for the Italian Riviera. Spend nights there. Take the train to Pisa, store luggage in station, see the sights, then pick up luggage and take train to Florence. After nights in Florence, take train to Rome.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 01:52 AM
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I personally don't think Pisa will be worth the effort to try to store the luggage and take the train to get there. Even though it is regarded as "iconic" I just find it very underwhelming (and many others do too), so I would skip it and go straight to Florence. I think your plan is OK as it is right now, but you may want to consider skipping Venice if you are really determined to see Paris. Paris just has SO much to see, you would be rushing around in four days only to be barely scratching the surface. Paris is worth the extra time.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 03:25 AM
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Hi Kristin!

Some suggestions, highly personal of course:

If you "must" visit Paris in this trip, I agree to fly Rome to Paris as soon as possible after arriving in Fiumicino.

I will skip the Cinque Terre and visit Pisa as a short day trip fron Firenze, or skip Pisa and day trip to Siena, if Pisa via train, if Siena via bus.

Just suggestions.....

Enjoy!
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 03:53 AM
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You should change your flight plans such that you fly into Paris and depart from Rome (or vice versa). It's a much more time efficient schedule.

I would also eliminate the Cinque Terre. It's nice, but I'd take an extra day in Paris or Venice over 1.5 days in the CT.

Paris - 3 nights
Venice - 3 nights
Florence - 3 nights (Pisa as a day-trip from Florence)
Rome - 4 nights
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 04:22 AM
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If at all possible switch your flights to fly into Paris and home from Rome - even if it's costs $200 (which is an average for changing already booked flights). Even if you found flights on easyjet or wherever for much less than that little things add up - like the cost of getting to and from the airports - plus the time wasted. I would NOT book a flight from Rome to Paris right after your scheduled flight into Rome lands. Flights are frequently late, and sometimes by many hours. If you miss the Paris flight you loose the cost of that flight and now have no way to get to Paris (very unlikely you could book a new ticket on the spot, and if you could it would be expensive). Throws off your whole trip. In theory it might sound logical but too much can go wrong.

If you can't switch your flights then the plan to train to Venice first and then either fly or train to Paris would be my choice.

And I would probably drop one destination in favor of more time in the others - probably either Cinque Terre or Florence (and if you keep Florence I'd have Pisa as a possible day trip if you are still inclined to go once you are there, you may find there's too much else you'd rather see).
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 04:51 AM
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You are going to spend more time getting there and less time being there. First of all, try planning your tour in a straight line as opposed to a zig-zag. For example, you could fly into Venice and home from Rome or Paris. This is called flying multi-city or open jaws.

On average, you lose at least 1/2 day every time you change locations because you must pack, relocate, find your new hotel in a strange city, unpack, and then go explore. IMHO, it's a big waste of valuable time.

However, it's your trip, so do what you want to do.

Buon viaggio,
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 04:56 AM
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If you really want to see Paris the only thing that makes sense is to fly directly into Paris not waste a day before getting there. In order to have a reasonable number of days in each place I would cut at least one place (I would cut CT since hiking is not a major focus for me).

Even if you already have tickets do look at the costs of reticketing into Paris and out of Rome. The change might well be no more than the money and time wasted flying from Rome to Paris and then Paris to Venice.

And do look at multi-destination tickets - make sure you are not looking at the much more expensive 2 one-way tickets.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 07:18 AM
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I agree with NYtraveler about flying direct into Paris.

Also, would suggest skipping Cinque Terre on this particular trip....

SO MUCH TO SEE/DO IN VENICE.PARIS,FLORENCE, and yes......side trip to Pisa if that interests you to see.

TrendGirl2
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 07:31 AM
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Changing your flight in to Paris makes much more sense that jumping around like that and essentially losing 2 days in transit back and forth.

Any change fee shouldn't be much more than the cost of the extra flight/transfers/hassle.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 02:03 PM
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If you change your flights so you can fly into Paris, then I would still recommend that if you also want to go to the Italian Riviera that you take the train from Paris south via Torino to the seaside. Then after that go to Florence, then Venice, then finish in Rome. Or do that vice-versa.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 02:50 PM
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Skip Pisa and Cinque Terra this time.. stop drinking the RS koolaid.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 03:48 PM
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Keep Cinque Terre, you are young and will enjoy the hiking. It was my favorite place in Italy.
Skip Pisa and I would give up Venice before Paris. See how we all love different places?
maninseat61 can help you with trains. Night trains save you a hotel and a day of traveling. The sleepers are not that expensive and he explains it all very well. If the trails are closed in Cinque Terre then skip it but if not it is well worth the trip.
http://www.cinqueterretrekking.com/c...-trails-status
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 03:49 PM
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Yeah, because only RS recommends Pisa and the CT. Snob.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 04:26 PM
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One day isnt really enough to hike cinque terra, plius they probaly go through pisa to get there anyways( whichmis why i lumped them together,)

To be honest , when i was 23 i would have ( but didnt) skipped florence.
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Old Feb 13th, 2016, 05:51 PM
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I like Jean's itinerary but if you must do Paris Edward2005's itinerary is ok. The problem with adding Paris is that it is full of things for a tourist and 2 full days is an inadequate amount of time in my opinion.
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