19 days...what we are trying to do
Jul 16th, 2010, 11:54 AM
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19 days...what we are trying to do
Hello everyone,
My family and I will be traveling from Rochester NY to spain for about an 18 day vacation. We are trying to visit (flying into valencia) madrid, paris, amsterdam, venice and rome. We hope to do most travel by train. Yet, I currently have no idea what the best form of travel between Valencia spain and madrid. We are looking for budget travel and accomodations
This is our first trip internationally. We have a 5 day eurorail pass for Italy, France and Benelux. (if anyone could shed real light on how tese passes work that would be awesome- Like can i get on and off a train in the same day? how does this unlimited 5 days of travel thing work?) I'm excited but, we still need alot of info
thanks
My family and I will be traveling from Rochester NY to spain for about an 18 day vacation. We are trying to visit (flying into valencia) madrid, paris, amsterdam, venice and rome. We hope to do most travel by train. Yet, I currently have no idea what the best form of travel between Valencia spain and madrid. We are looking for budget travel and accomodations
This is our first trip internationally. We have a 5 day eurorail pass for Italy, France and Benelux. (if anyone could shed real light on how tese passes work that would be awesome- Like can i get on and off a train in the same day? how does this unlimited 5 days of travel thing work?) I'm excited but, we still need alot of infothanks
Jul 16th, 2010, 12:17 PM
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18 days for Valencia, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice AND Rome???
Do you plan on relaxing or sleeping during this trip?
I would rethink these plans - it's ambitious even for an orgainzed tour company to attempt this much.
Do you plan on relaxing or sleeping during this trip?
I would rethink these plans - it's ambitious even for an orgainzed tour company to attempt this much.
Jul 16th, 2010, 12:39 PM
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Hi ahsrevy,
I understand your enthusiasm in trying to see 'everything' on your first trip, but in my opinion you will not really enjoy trying to fit in six cities in 18 days.
Each time you change locations, especially since yours are pretty spread out, you will essentially be giving up the better part of a day. This will cut nearly 6 days off of your 18, leaving you with only two days per city. I would recommend 3, 4 at the absolute most.
Pick up a couple guidebooks for these cities so you can fully understand just how much there really is to see there and how much you realistically want to spend in each city.
To help get the most out of your time you might consider overnight trains and some flights especially between your long distance locations, Amsterdam to Venice for example. Check on http://www.whichbudget.com/ for flights between European cities. You can get some terrific fares on flights if you book ahead.
If you narrow down your choices to 3 or 4 cities we will be able to help you a bit more with your planning.
Michele
I understand your enthusiasm in trying to see 'everything' on your first trip, but in my opinion you will not really enjoy trying to fit in six cities in 18 days.
Each time you change locations, especially since yours are pretty spread out, you will essentially be giving up the better part of a day. This will cut nearly 6 days off of your 18, leaving you with only two days per city. I would recommend 3, 4 at the absolute most.
Pick up a couple guidebooks for these cities so you can fully understand just how much there really is to see there and how much you realistically want to spend in each city.
To help get the most out of your time you might consider overnight trains and some flights especially between your long distance locations, Amsterdam to Venice for example. Check on http://www.whichbudget.com/ for flights between European cities. You can get some terrific fares on flights if you book ahead.
If you narrow down your choices to 3 or 4 cities we will be able to help you a bit more with your planning.
Michele
Jul 16th, 2010, 06:38 PM
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When are you going?
Is your flight to Valencia already purchased?
Why did you choose Valencia?
How many in your family?
Ages of family members?
Specific interests? Art, history, food, etc.
Have you already purchased the rail passes?
Is your flight to Valencia already purchased?
Why did you choose Valencia?
How many in your family?
Ages of family members?
Specific interests? Art, history, food, etc.
Have you already purchased the rail passes?
Jul 16th, 2010, 08:28 PM
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Hey thus far I have purchased a bus ticket from valencia to madrid. I am hoping to find a flight from madrid to paris (but for some reason Ryan air won't accept my visa?) From Paris we will be catching the train to Amsterdam then stop somewhere in the middle between amsterdam and Venice then using the train still go from venice to rome. then I hope to fly from Rome to valencia
We will be traveling this august and our rail pases are already purchased.
We choose valencia because honestly, it was the cheapest place to fly into.....
our interest:
We are open to anything free and on a budget
thanks guys!
We will be traveling this august and our rail pases are already purchased.
We choose valencia because honestly, it was the cheapest place to fly into.....
our interest:
We are open to anything free and on a budget
thanks guys!
Jul 17th, 2010, 01:40 PM
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Sorry to say this, but sometimes, picking the place you fly into based on the cost of the flight into there, is not the cheapest way to go because then the cost to get you back and forth from there can negate the savings. Plus, you have spent a lot of precious time in Europe just on trains or planes.
It would make a lot more sense, if you are absolutely set on going to Rome, to have flown into Madrid and out of Rome so you don't have to backtrack to Valencia. What will it cost you to get from Rome to Valencia? Those cheap Ryan fares can add up, especially with cost of luggage, and the fact that most of the airports they use are outside of the cities they service, so you have to add in the cost of extra transportation to the airports they use. If you are set on Amsterdam, you could fly out of there and save a lot of train and air costs. The cost of changing your ticket might be cheaper than all that travel.
So, if you could change your ticket to fly out of the last place you will visit, that would be best. That being said, since you are going soon, there isn't much time to make effective changes. Right now, however, your plan is a killer trip in August, and a budget breaker, travel wise. Since time is money on a trip to Europe, try to see if you can make your time on the ground actually visiting places the major portion of the trip, rather than so much time getting to and from trains and planes.
Since you are going in such a hot month, I would spend a few days in Madrid (visit Toledo and Segovia as day trips), and head to Northern Spain for a few days, followed by perhaps Barcelona and the beach, or just France for the rest of the trip. Perhaps France and Amsterdam. Perhaps Spain and the Lakes area of Italy, or Germany. What I am trying to say in too round-a-bout way is that in August, sticking to cooler areas if possible, and cutting the major cities to two or three would make a lot more sense, give you more time to sight see and save money. You could spend time in Spain, France and Amsterdam and fly out of Amsterdam. Believe me, there is plenty to do in any place you go, and there are lots of places just outside of the major cities that are worth visiting.
If you are determined to go to Italy in August, then skip France and Amsterdam and concentrate on Spain and Italy. You will not be sorry. You can do walking in the mornings and museums in the afternoons when it is hottest, and relax in cafes in the evenings.
It would make a lot more sense, if you are absolutely set on going to Rome, to have flown into Madrid and out of Rome so you don't have to backtrack to Valencia. What will it cost you to get from Rome to Valencia? Those cheap Ryan fares can add up, especially with cost of luggage, and the fact that most of the airports they use are outside of the cities they service, so you have to add in the cost of extra transportation to the airports they use. If you are set on Amsterdam, you could fly out of there and save a lot of train and air costs. The cost of changing your ticket might be cheaper than all that travel.
So, if you could change your ticket to fly out of the last place you will visit, that would be best. That being said, since you are going soon, there isn't much time to make effective changes. Right now, however, your plan is a killer trip in August, and a budget breaker, travel wise. Since time is money on a trip to Europe, try to see if you can make your time on the ground actually visiting places the major portion of the trip, rather than so much time getting to and from trains and planes.
Since you are going in such a hot month, I would spend a few days in Madrid (visit Toledo and Segovia as day trips), and head to Northern Spain for a few days, followed by perhaps Barcelona and the beach, or just France for the rest of the trip. Perhaps France and Amsterdam. Perhaps Spain and the Lakes area of Italy, or Germany. What I am trying to say in too round-a-bout way is that in August, sticking to cooler areas if possible, and cutting the major cities to two or three would make a lot more sense, give you more time to sight see and save money. You could spend time in Spain, France and Amsterdam and fly out of Amsterdam. Believe me, there is plenty to do in any place you go, and there are lots of places just outside of the major cities that are worth visiting.
If you are determined to go to Italy in August, then skip France and Amsterdam and concentrate on Spain and Italy. You will not be sorry. You can do walking in the mornings and museums in the afternoons when it is hottest, and relax in cafes in the evenings.
