nkm1

Hello,

This is my first post to this forum. My husband and I are planning to take trip to Europe next summer, and are starting to think about where we want to go. We think that we will be able to take off enough days to have 2 full weeks in Europe plus the 2-3 days it takes to travel to and from California. I traveled to London and Paris and had 3 nights in London and 4 nights in Paris in March 2013. I think that was a good amount of time in each city, but am not sure if it will be possible for our next trip. I would love to take my husband back to London and Paris, since I am oriented to those cities (and there were things at both of them that I want to go back to with him). We also want to go to Italy and do at least Rome and Florence. I've heard Venice is amazing, but it's kind of out way, and part of me would rather do a small thing outside of the 3 major cities like Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Capri, or wine tasting in Tuscany (we love wine!). I am also interesting in something in France like the Burgundy region or in Switzerland like Lauterbrunnen or Zermatt. My husband also really wants to do Barcelona, but I know that's also really out of the way so we will probably end up saving that for another trip since it wouldn't be possible without a pretty major flight. Basically, we are all over the place with where we want to go.

So for sure on the list are London, Paris, Rome, and Florence. I think I would like to do only 2 or 3 nights in Paris because I've been there so I know where I'm going (and would rather skip the Louvre which is a half day for most people anyway). Flying from Paris to Italy is an option, but taking the scenic route through France and the Alps would be awesome.

My real question is, what is a good itinerary for 14 full days in Europe (again, travel days would be separate)? Is there time to do a Venice, Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Capri , wine tasting region (Burgundy or Tuscany), Switzerland, OR Barcelona in a 2 week trip with London, Paris, Rome, and Florence? Again, I'm just hoping 1 of those would fit in. Has anyone been to one of these places and absolutely fallen in love?

suze

No you can't do:

London
Paris
Rome
Florence
Venice
Lake Como
Cinque Terre
Capri
Tuscany or Burgundy
and Switzerland

... in 14 days seriously, suze

nkm1

If you read my post, I know I can't do that. I asked if there were 1 of those that could fit in with London, Paris, and Florence? Those are places I'm interested in.

nkm1

^and Rome. Can't figure out how to edit my post

sparkchaser

You can't edit posts here. Because the "forum" software sucks.

<i>So for sure on the list are London, Paris, Rome, and Florence.</i>

Keep it that way. 2 nights in Paris, 4 nights in London, 4 nights in Rome, and 3 nights in Florence. And fly from city to city (take the Eurostar from Paris to London).

nkm1

Thank you for the suggestion. Why do you put 4 nights in Rome over Florence might I ask? Is there any day trips out of those cities you would recommend? When I was in Paris, we took a day trip to Compiegne (it was for a school project), and I loved getting out of the big city a bit. I guess that's more what I'm looking for.

BigRuss

<<Why do you put 4 nights in Rome over Florence might I ask?>>

Rome is a major city, Florence is compact and quite small.

sparkchaser

Rome is bigger. That's my reasoning.

You could just say that you are going to spend 2 nights in Rome and 2 nights in Florence and spend 2 nights at some place in between that is along the way.

suze

Well I think 4 major cities is plenty for 14 days, that only gives you 3.0 days in each place once you allow 0.5 for moving each time.

If you want to add another one from your wish list, then you're looking at only 2 days each place.

Venice or one stop in Switzerland would be the easier to get to than someplace like CT or Lake Como.

Kathie

Pause and consider what is most important for you on this trip. There are dozens of places you would enjoy going, but you really only have time for perhaps 4 spots if you want to see/do/experience something of these amazing places. The more destinations you choose, the less you will see in each place. Day trips take time away from the city you are visiting. If you had a week in a city, then, sure do a day trip. But you will have just 3 days in each city.

Save the other places for your future trips.

nkm1

For those that replied about Rome-thanks. I was just curious. My husband and I are Catholic and I was a Classics major so Rome's probably the most important on the trip.

Is Venice all it's cracked up to be? I've just heard that it's beautiful and Romantic, but I've yet to hear what anyone actually has done there besides look at the scenery.

nkm1

>>Day trips take time away from the city you are visiting. If you had a week in a city, then, sure do a day trip. But you will have just 3 days in each city. <<

I'm considering day trips because I did 4 nights in Paris before and did a day trip to Compiegne (3 hours north), and still feel like I got to see everything I wanted in Paris. That's also why I would probably only do 2 or 3 nights in it this time around. That's also why I'm having a hard time decided if I want to cut some of these cities a little short and do another location. I don't want to miss out on anything, but 3 days was enough in each city on my previous trip to make me feel like I got a good taste

suze

Is Venice all it's cracked up to be? I've just heard that it's beautiful and Romantic, but I've yet to hear what anyone actually has done there besides look at the scenery.

Yes, Venice is all it's cracked up to be!

Yes "looking at the scenery" including canals, boats, historic buildings, classic architecture, museums, churches, parks, art, etc. is what most people do there. What is it you are wanting to do besides that?

suze

<3 days was enough in each city on my previous trip>

but you don't have 3 day this time, unless you limit it to only the 4 "must do" cities you mention. If you add even one more than you're looking at more like 2 days. If you add two more, then even less, and so on.

nkm1

@Suze

I enjoy museums, food, and nightlife. It's just that when people I've talked to come home from Europe they talk about how beautiful most of the cities are mixed with their experiences of what they did in those cities. When they get to Venice all I hear is how beautiful it is. Don't get me wrong, that's great! I love to be in beautiful places. It's just that I haven't heard anyone say "In Venice we saw..." or something similar.

So you mentioned the museums and churches. That's mostly what I wanted to know about.

janisj

You obviously have only seen a teensy bit of London and a fraction of Paris . . . but think that is enough for you. So pick 4 -- which ever 4 you want from London/Paris/Venice/Rome/Florence -- and fly into the first one and home from the last stop. That will give you travel time plus 3 days free per city which seems to fit your travel style.

suze

Just "google" top things to do in Venice. There's endless links and suggestions for churches and museums in the city.

Here's mine...

In Venice I saw gondolas gliding along the canals. I saw boats delivering produce to restaurants since there are no cars or trucks. I saw the Pescheria (fish market). I saw people hanging out in their neighborhood plazas every evening.

I saw pigeons and an orchestra playing in Piazza San Marco. I saw and walked over the Rialto Bridge. I saw Saint Marks Basilica. I rode a vaporetto on the Grand Canal at sunset. I drank espresso and cold white wine at stand-up marble counters around the city.

How about the Bridge of Sighs, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Gallerie dell'Accademia? How about a boat out to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello? We haven't even gotten to all the churches...

nkm1

Thank you Suze. That is what I was looking for. Maybe the people I have been talking to couldn't name any of those things since they were all in Italian so they resorted to "It's just romantic!" But I like to look those things up and figure out what they are

I don't mean to snub Venice. Any city in Europe is a huge time and money investment in just the two weeks we have. My husband is not the traveler. He'd rather drive 30 minutes to the closest lake and go fishing, so I don't know if I will be able to go again anytime soon. I'm just trying to make each city I go to worth it and I'm being overly-neurotic about it. Haha.

Jean

Not what you asked, but I'd spend the entire 2 weeks in Italy, and I'd see more than just big cities.

nkm1

Jean-Where would you go in Italy for 2 weeks?

I want to take my husband to London for a few days (even just 3) because I loved it so much and think that city is great for our personalities, but I'm open to thinking about just flying Heathrow to Italy and doing most of the trip there.