8-9 day Paris-Amsterdam-Rome

Old Feb 19th, 2017, 01:36 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
8-9 day Paris-Amsterdam-Rome

Traveling with my husband and college age son - Any ideas, tips?
Is this too much for one trip?
elliottfamily is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 01:42 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes, it is too much for one trip if you actually want to see a little of each of these cities. How many nights do you have on the ground in Europe? If the 8-9 days includes your travel time to/from Europe, that means you actually have a maximum of 7.5 days of sightseeing time minus time to get from one city to another. I wouldn't choose more than two cities for the time you have, otherwise, you won't have a chance to see/do much of anything in each city.
Kathie is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 01:57 PM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for your response, we were planning on flying into Paris direct for 3 days, train to Amsterdam spend 2 days, fly to Rome for remainder...will look into what we want to get out of the time in each city.
elliottfamily is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 02:00 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Remember that it takes three nights in a place just to get two full useable days for sightseeing. So take a careful look and see just how much time you have. Don't forget to include transit time, which takes up at least half a day each time you change locations.
Kathie is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 02:12 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 12,126
Received 26 Likes on 4 Posts
I agree completely with Kathie that your trip will be far better if you include just 2 cities. The most common shortcoming in planning a multi-city trip is underestimating the time consumed by logistics, getting from airport to city center, checking in to hotels, checking out of hotels, getting to stations, then doing it all again.

It's still unclear to me exactly how much time you have but, however it actually works out, I don't believe you have the days to do justice to and enjoy more than 2 locations. I think if you plot it out you'll understand it better and realize that trying to fit in a third location will mean near constant motion, rather than time to enjoy yourselves.
MmePerdu is online now  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 02:13 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If your travel day to Europe and travel day back from Europe both are not included in the "8-9 days" you mention, then this can work, as long as you are content with just scratching the surface of these cities before moving on.

It looks more like a hasty business trip, taking a few meetings, signing a few contracts, and on to the next target.

Can you really do Paris justice in three night/two days? Ditto with Amsterdam, and - of all places - Rome?
michelhuebeli is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 02:19 PM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ok, yes we have 9 days in Europe with two extra travel days. (Assuming we are able to sleep on our direct overnight flight. ) So maybe taking Amsterdam out ? Our son has never been to Europe and we wanted to take the train and have him experience that for his future travels... I guess since Amsterdam is a close train ride we thought this might be a good idea!
elliottfamily is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 02:45 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 12,126
Received 26 Likes on 4 Posts
I think of Paris and Rome as A-list cities and Amsterdam maybe B+. With so few days I'd keep the A's. It really is more practical to fly from Paris to Rome. I love trains and I understand wanting that experience for him so it's a dilemma. Have you considered Paris & London instead and the Eurostar between?
MmePerdu is online now  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 03:06 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree that taking Amsterdam out makes sense and will give you a better trip.
Kathie is offline  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 04:29 PM
  #10  
mjs
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Agree with best taking out AMS.
mjs is online now  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 05:39 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,548
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
I disagree (I do agree that Rome and Paris are A listers) - in your very short time I'd do EITHER Paris or Rome plus maybe 3 days in Amsterdam.

It seems your entire trip is 11 days - right? That does not give you 9 days on the ground. It would give you 8.5 days IF it was all spent in one city. And the first half a day will likely be jet lagged for more than one of you. So really 8 days to play with. Then you lose the best part of a day when you move to a new city.

So I would visit one of the big cities and a shorter time in Amsterdam. Paris + Amsterdam take the train between; Rome + Amsterdam you'd have to fly.
janisj is online now  
Old Feb 19th, 2017, 06:06 PM
  #12  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
While I appreciate your desire to see these wonderful places, I wonder whether you will actually have the time to do and see what you want. I agree with everyone else -- this trip sounds very rushed to me. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, check their opening/closing times on the internet, and mark them on a calendar. Pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

Good luck1
kja is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2017, 06:36 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Let me give you a tip as requested. Less is more.

You have barely enough time to see much of even one city with only a week or so of actual useful time available. It is enough time for a FIRST visit to Rome or Paris.

I find many people have this idea that they are going to visit 'Europe'. To do that takes years, not days. You are going to visit a city, not a country and not Europe.

If squeezing more places in makes sense at all, then it would follow logically that the more you squeeze in the better. So why not just move to another city every day? Obviously, you know that you need to spend some amount of time in these places to see and do things in them that are of interest to you.

Do one thing well, not several things poorly.
Dogeared is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2017, 11:08 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If it were me, personally, I would fly into Paris and spend 5 nights, then take the train to Amsterdam for 3 (or you could do 6/2). You will give yourself enough time to hopefully get into the rhythm of France, see some of the major sights and have some downtime for (which is a big part of the magic of Paris, IMO).

We took our 18yo daughter for 3 nights to Amsterdam last summer and it was the perfect amount of time. It has good vibe and feels completely different than Paris.

I try to avoid airports in Europe when possible (except for arriving/departing to US of course), so I would pick the cities that I can visit by train, and save Rome for another trip.
lynnalan is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2017, 12:02 PM
  #15  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Appreciate the input! We have decided to stay in Paris for 5 nights - and take train to Amsterdam and stay 3 nights ...
Rome will have to wait for an Italy only trip!
Any suggestions for this for this itinerary for parents traveling with a college student much appreciated !
elliottfamily is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2017, 12:10 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Good choice, Rome will reward you when you can give her the time she deserves.

Once in Amsterdam, make sure you walk a lot along the canals - so many memorable details in the buildings and people and sights are right there, not in the museums (nothing wrong with those of course).

And ride the trams, like no. 2 from the station to the museums near Vondelpark.

The canals wrap around into a sort-of horseshoe, so on an overcast day or at night you lose the sense of direction. I kid you not - if your smartphone doesn't have a compass, take one along, any cheapie will do. Lots of fun finding out that you started heading south and now you're almost headed north...

Check out the multitude of ethnic and other restaurants behind Leidseplein.

Enjoy!
michelhuebeli is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2017, 12:17 PM
  #17  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,089
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wise decision!
kja is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dimpss
Europe
10
Jul 30th, 2016 09:07 PM
Jkern24
Europe
8
May 25th, 2016 12:54 PM
4chiflados
Europe
37
Mar 13th, 2014 10:10 AM
kchao
Europe
13
Feb 26th, 2013 06:20 AM
NicoleinSeattle
Europe
23
Jul 28th, 2007 08:21 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -