KiwiTravels

Hi

My wife and I plus two teenage daughters fly into Paris in July for a few nights before flying to Venice to go on a 14 day cruise around the Med visiting various places in Italy, Greece, Turkey, France and Malta. The cruise returns to Venice and we have 3 days before we fly out from Paris.

Apart from my wife, this is the first time we have been to Europe and are wanting to fill in those 3 days somehow by visiting a country other than what we visited on our cruise. C

Can someone please give us some ideas on countries to visit in that short time frame and best means of travel?

Robert2533

Depending on your interest, and that of your teens, you might be interested in taking the train to Milan, which you will not be visiting while on the cruise. The Expo Milano began on May 1 (www.expo2015.org). From there you can fly into Paris for your last night.

Forget visiting another country with only a 3-day window in July.

KiwiTravels

Thanks for your reply Robert...yes I agree that 3 days is not enough time to go traveling around visiting different countries. Thought I would put it out there amongst the seasoned travellers to see what suggestions there are. Milan does sound good I must admit.

Sassafrass

Since on the cruise, you will get only little bites of different areas, why not some contrast by exploring one area more in depth. There are wonderful places to see and visit near Venice.

Verona with a lovely town center, a Roman Arena that is still In Use for concerts and other events, Vicenza which is blessed with beautiful Paladian architecture including the stunning Teatro Olympico and good local foods, especially meats breads and cheese. Padua which is much larger and has Scrovegni chapel if you have an interest in early painting, or some of the islands near Venice,

Another option would be time in the Lakes, Belagio, Garda, etc.

Another option. Spend those three days exploring Venice. After the cruise head straight down to Florence and do some hill towns like Luca.

nytraveler

How many days will you have in Venice beofre the cruise. Unless you have at least 3 days there for sightseeing I would just stay in Venice and then fly back to Paris (too bad you didn;t do open jaw tickets and fly home form Venice).

If you have 3 full days (landing in Venice early in the AM and flying out of Paris 4 days later) you might consider training to switz to spend 2 days seeing the Alps (Lucern, Interlaken or one of the towns in the nearby foothills) before training on to Paris.

You would really only have a day and a half in Switz but it would certainly be different.

Check bahn.de for trains. But Venice to Lucern on day 1 is about 7.5 hours and then Lucerne to Paris is about 5 hours on day 3.

If you are actually leaving from Paris on day 3 after you land versus day 4 - then I would just spend the time in Venice of fly directly back to Paris to have more time there.

PalenQ

There is an overnight train rolling between Venice and Paris (and also from Milan and Verona, etc) - how about say staying in Verona, a lovely lovely city and say go to Lake Garda for a day - take a boat around that gorgeous lake - then hop the overnight train to Paris.

www.thello.com is the official site of the Thello night trains - for lots of info on night trains and trains in general check out these IMO superb sites: www.seat61.com - clues in on deep discounted tickets on trains that are available if you book weeks early; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

The night train saves daytime travel time - even over flying and of course you save on the cost of a night in a hotel. Get a private compartment and bring whatever food or drink you want on board and just chill!

PalenQ

You could conceivably spend a few days in Switzerland as it is about half-way on main rail lines from Venice and Paris - a bit longer than the most direct route via Milan/Turin to Paris but oh oh so much more scenic - stay for a few days in the Interelaken area.

Gretchen

"Few nights in Paris" on the front end. Maybe leave the last 3 nights loose 'cause you just might like to come back to Paris for the end. ;o)

PalenQ

Burgundy is an area that is easy to break up the Italy to Paris journey in as main train line skirts it - spend a few days in a place like Beaune, in the middle of the Burgundy Wine District with wineries right in town - nice smaller city - see a diferent slice of France.

KiwiTravels

Wow...so very helpful everyone, thanks so much. Def fod for thought.

We have an over night in Venice before the cruise, so will get to see but not much of Venice before hand. Prior to Venice we have about 3 nights in Paris so keen to do something outside of Paris. Only 6 weeks to go before we fly out of NZ...very excited

nytraveler

With so little time in Venice before the cruise and so few total days in Paris I would just add one day to Venice then fly to Paris and spend the extra day there (unless you have seen Paris before 3 days is very short shrift for it).

HappyTrvlr

You should stay in Venice for all three days.

Sassafrass

If you have only that overnight in Venice, I would add as much time as possible in Venice after the cruise.

Actually, if possible, I would fly straight on to Venice in the beginning and spend all the time before the cruise in Venice. Then, after the cruise, fly straight on to Paris so all your time there would be in one hotel and you are there for the flight home.

PalenQ

Yes indeedy - if only one night in Venice just stay put and discover that sublimely surrealistically gorgeous city - and then perhaps take the overnight Thello train to Paris or fly.

ssander

I agree -- spend more time in Venice. One overnight there is too little a taste.
SS

KTtravel

I would add another day in Venice and then return to Paris for more time there. When you first land in Paris, you will likely be exhausted. I am guessing three nights in Paris at the beginning means only 2 full days -- not at all enough time to see much of Paris.

annhig

Venice. When you have more time there there is less pressure on you to see the major sights so you can timetable your visits for early or late [when most of the rest of the tourists have departed] and spend the rest of the day exploring the parts of Venice that most tourists aren't interested in - e.g. Cannaregio, and Castello and/or getting a vaporetto out to Burano and Torcello.

KiwiTravels

Thanks for all the helpful advice