30 Days: Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Florence and Tuscany
Mar 13th, 2017, 07:29 PM
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30 Days: Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Florence and Tuscany
I am trying to help a friend and her daughter plan their first trip to Europe. They have 30 days and wish to see: Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Florence and Tuscany (Montalcino). They have bought round trip tickets to Amsterdam for June 15-July 15.
Any suggestions for what order they should see these cities and a time frame? Totally flexible except they must fly into and out of Amsterdam. If this is too many cities for a 30 day trip, should they drop Barcelona? Should they travel from Amsterdam to Paris and then over to Italy and back up to Amsterdam? Or the reverse. If they drop Barcelona, I wonder if they could more easily add Switzerland. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.
Any suggestions for what order they should see these cities and a time frame? Totally flexible except they must fly into and out of Amsterdam. If this is too many cities for a 30 day trip, should they drop Barcelona? Should they travel from Amsterdam to Paris and then over to Italy and back up to Amsterdam? Or the reverse. If they drop Barcelona, I wonder if they could more easily add Switzerland. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.
Mar 14th, 2017, 01:18 AM
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<i> 30 Days: Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Florence and Tuscany
Posted by: MrsPAK on Mar 13, 17 at 11:29pm</i>
That itinerary is easy for 30 days. Get a map and a guidebook so they can match their interests with the sights and doings available. The trains would be an easy way to navigate. See http://www.enjoy-europe.com/trains-in-europe.htm for an illustrated introduction.
Posted by: MrsPAK on Mar 13, 17 at 11:29pm</i>
That itinerary is easy for 30 days. Get a map and a guidebook so they can match their interests with the sights and doings available. The trains would be an easy way to navigate. See http://www.enjoy-europe.com/trains-in-europe.htm for an illustrated introduction.
Mar 14th, 2017, 01:54 AM
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Thanks! That's good to know.
They have their map, guidebooks and list of "must see" sights. They need some help figuring out their route now.
Any guidance on the order they should visit these cities would be most helpful.
Thanks!
They have their map, guidebooks and list of "must see" sights. They need some help figuring out their route now.
Any guidance on the order they should visit these cities would be most helpful.
Thanks!
Mar 14th, 2017, 02:13 AM
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Amsterdam Paris has a fast train - Thalys. Less than 4 hours center to center book as far in advance as possible.
Paris Barcelona is probably possible via train. I fly with curling or easyJet. Airport is half an hour taxi from center.
Barcelona Italy by plane I guess and Italy Amsterdam also.
That is how I would do it.
Paris Barcelona is probably possible via train. I fly with curling or easyJet. Airport is half an hour taxi from center.
Barcelona Italy by plane I guess and Italy Amsterdam also.
That is how I would do it.
Mar 14th, 2017, 04:37 AM
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Paris to Barcelona can indeed be done by train: the high-speed TGV does it in around 7 hours. Takes a little longer then flying (if you take into account the getting to and from airports, checking in and luggage belt), but a lot less hassle and directly from city centre to city centre.
For practical information on European train travelling, www.seat61.com/ is a trustworthy source. It will also show the way to get advance-bought discounted tickets.
For schedules (not tickets, which must be bought at the respective national railway companies) www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml is easy to use. The schedules from mid-June won't be all in the system. Use an earlier date. The schedules won't change much.
For practical information on European train travelling, www.seat61.com/ is a trustworthy source. It will also show the way to get advance-bought discounted tickets.
For schedules (not tickets, which must be bought at the respective national railway companies) www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml is easy to use. The schedules from mid-June won't be all in the system. Use an earlier date. The schedules won't change much.
Mar 14th, 2017, 05:46 AM
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I'd fly to Barcelona upon arrival in Amsterdam. Start in the south and work north as the weather heats up. From Barcelona fly to Rome (they're not visiting Rome this trip?), pick up a rental car and drive to Tuscany. Montalcino is not a good base for public transportation so I assume they're driving; a car is best for touring the countryside and hilltowns of south Tuscany.
They could drop the car in Chiusi, take the train to Florence. After Florence take the train to Venice. Fly from Venice to Paris and the train back to Amsterdam.
That's the way I'd do it.
This is a relatively slow trip. Plenty of time for doing daytrips from their bases.
They could drop the car in Chiusi, take the train to Florence. After Florence take the train to Venice. Fly from Venice to Paris and the train back to Amsterdam.
That's the way I'd do it.
This is a relatively slow trip. Plenty of time for doing daytrips from their bases.
Mar 14th, 2017, 07:54 AM
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Yes trains are great -and with all those places consider some kind of railpass - great info on trains: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. And yes a car thru Tuscany if going for more than a day or two is nice and easy to do.
Mar 14th, 2017, 08:00 AM
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I like Mimar's plan--fly directly to Barcelona, then come back to Amsterdam at the end of the trip. That way you won't have either two stays in the same city or worry about getting to the airport for your flight home.
Mimar's order of visit looks good too!
Mimar's order of visit looks good too!
Mar 14th, 2017, 10:41 AM
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Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Florence and Tuscany (Montalcino).>
Or Land in Amsterdam
Take Thalys train to Paris
Paris
Overnight train to Venice
Florence- rent car for Tuscany
Take day and night long ferry to Barcelona or fly
Fly back to Amsterdam
No Rome -I'd say for first time visitor I'd add it in too- just 1.5 hours by train from Florence.
Or Land in Amsterdam
Take Thalys train to Paris
Paris
Overnight train to Venice
Florence- rent car for Tuscany
Take day and night long ferry to Barcelona or fly
Fly back to Amsterdam
No Rome -I'd say for first time visitor I'd add it in too- just 1.5 hours by train from Florence.
Mar 14th, 2017, 11:04 AM
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I probably wouldn't take trains on the longer legs of the trip, although it's possible. Definitely take the train from Amsterdam to Paris, and within Italy.
There is an overnight train from Paris to Venice, which lets you use most of the day before and the day after for sightseeing, but it's a very spartan way to travel. Vueling and Easyjet both have low-cost flights from Paris to Venice.
You've already been told about trains from Paris to Barcelona. I think visiting Barcelona after Paris makes the most sense.
If your friends have to return to Amsterdam from Florence, I would definitely fly on that leg. There are direct flights either from Florence or nearby Pisa.
There are also several direct cheap flights from Amsterdam to Barcelona. I would hesitate to fly out on the arrival day, unless they leave a good long gap between flights, to allow for the possibility of a delayed arrival. Maybe they could spend one night in a town near Schiphol airport, and fly out in the morning. There are several very nice small cities near the airport, which they could enjoy in the half day they'd have free after arriving. Haarlem is one nice town I can recommend.
It would be very useful to have a car when staying in Montalcino, which is not very well connected to the outside world by bus, and not at all by train. Buonconvento is a much better base for visitors without a car. It's connected by bus or train (or both) to Florence, Siena, Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Pienza. The train station is within walking distance of the center. Your friends might want to spend two nights in Montalcino and then move to Buonconvento, where they'd be able to visit other towns more easily. Montalcino is one of my favorite towns in the area, but there's really not much to see there. We spend four nights in Montalcino once, but we had our own car, and made day trips every day.
Finally, it would be best to go straight to Montalcino after Venice, and visit Florence after Montalcino. That would leave you closer to the airport at the end of the Italian portion of your trip. You'd have to take the train to Florence, and then getting to Montalcino would be a bit of a slog. I would probably change to a train for Siena, and get a taxi from there to Montalcino. Or a train to Buonconvento and a bus from there to Montalcino. Maybe someone else has a better idea. A car would be the best option.
There is an overnight train from Paris to Venice, which lets you use most of the day before and the day after for sightseeing, but it's a very spartan way to travel. Vueling and Easyjet both have low-cost flights from Paris to Venice.
You've already been told about trains from Paris to Barcelona. I think visiting Barcelona after Paris makes the most sense.
If your friends have to return to Amsterdam from Florence, I would definitely fly on that leg. There are direct flights either from Florence or nearby Pisa.
There are also several direct cheap flights from Amsterdam to Barcelona. I would hesitate to fly out on the arrival day, unless they leave a good long gap between flights, to allow for the possibility of a delayed arrival. Maybe they could spend one night in a town near Schiphol airport, and fly out in the morning. There are several very nice small cities near the airport, which they could enjoy in the half day they'd have free after arriving. Haarlem is one nice town I can recommend.
It would be very useful to have a car when staying in Montalcino, which is not very well connected to the outside world by bus, and not at all by train. Buonconvento is a much better base for visitors without a car. It's connected by bus or train (or both) to Florence, Siena, Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Pienza. The train station is within walking distance of the center. Your friends might want to spend two nights in Montalcino and then move to Buonconvento, where they'd be able to visit other towns more easily. Montalcino is one of my favorite towns in the area, but there's really not much to see there. We spend four nights in Montalcino once, but we had our own car, and made day trips every day.
Finally, it would be best to go straight to Montalcino after Venice, and visit Florence after Montalcino. That would leave you closer to the airport at the end of the Italian portion of your trip. You'd have to take the train to Florence, and then getting to Montalcino would be a bit of a slog. I would probably change to a train for Siena, and get a taxi from there to Montalcino. Or a train to Buonconvento and a bus from there to Montalcino. Maybe someone else has a better idea. A car would be the best option.
Mar 14th, 2017, 11:17 AM
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This is all amazingly helpful. Some great ideas on how to use this time to best advantage. The kindness of strangers! The network of fellow travelers. How awesome are each and everyone of you to help us out? Beyond grateful. I will go over every suggestion with my friends and I have no doubt this will be the trip of a lifetime for them. Thank you! Dank u. Merci. Gracias. Grazie.
Mar 15th, 2017, 01:23 AM
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I should warn that budget airlines often have very strict limits on baggage, and high charges for extra bags. Many mainline airlines are copying them on short-haul flights, in order to be able to compete on prices. Your friends should try to pack <b> very </b> light, also because they'll be moving around a lot by train. They should also check baggage fees and other extras when comparing prices of flights.
Mar 15th, 2017, 10:53 AM
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If you bring your own sherpas, there's no problem with baggage when traveling by train. Otherwise, be prepared to lug those bags up and down steps, down aisles partially blocked by other people's oversized bags, and sometimes lift them to shoulder height or higher.
Mar 16th, 2017, 05:59 AM
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Thanks for the reminder to pack light! I'll tell them. My husband and I pack super light and still end up having problems at times - our small roller suitcases blocking the aisle when there is no more overhead space. Suitcases in the Paris metro when there are no escalators. Have to keep those cases light. Good point! And airline fees for multiple or big bags!
