kwar

We plan on flying into Barcelona and out of Rome. We would like to see and do as much as possible in those days with nothing specific except for spending the last 3 days in Rome and the first 2 nights in Barcelona. What is the most efficient/cost effective way to do this trip? For example, train or fly to destinations?

FuryFluffy

Flying is your best option. Train, for such a long distance, is not usually cheaper, and then there's no direct train between Barcelona and Rome. There's direct bus, but you wouldn't want it because it's 20h on the road.

If you want the best price for flight, book it in advance, at least 3 months before departure.

FuryFluffy

As how to divide the days between, you can take the simplest solution: 5 days in Barcelona and 5 days in Rome. They are both large and culture-rich cities, with plenty of day trips possibilities.

neckervd

You may also travel by ferry and stop over in Sardinia or in Tuscany (Leghorn/Pisa/Florence).

thursdaysd

Or you could take a ferry. Direct to Civitavecchia for Rome, or with a stop in Sardinia (Porto Torres).

http://www.directferries.co.uk/barcelona_ferry.htm

Oh - see neckervd beat me to it, but the link may be useful.

neckervd

http://www.grimaldi-ferries.it/en/de.../ferries-spain

bvlenci

The last time I checked the ferry took a whole night and day (by the time you could get to Rome from Civitavecchia.)

You probably wouldn't want to rent a car, because there is a large cross-border charge attached to returning a car in a different country.

That pretty much leaves the train, and I wouldn't be so dismissive of this possibility. We once took a train from Nîmes to Perpignan, which about halfway between Barcellona and Nîmes. The ride was interesting, including a stretch where we seemed to be surrounded by water (maybe a tidal flat?) I just checked, and the trip from Barcellona to Nîmes would take less than four hours.

Nîmes is a very nice city to spend a day, with ancient Roman ruins, and good Mediterranean food. You might even be able to take a side trip (by bus) to the ancient Roman Pont du Gard, which we enjoyed very much, especially its situation in a nice park. If you want to do this, I'd leave Barcellona very early in the morning, and research the bus schedules to Pont du Gard before you get to Nîmes. You shouldn't miss the Roman amphitheatre in Nîmes, which is right up there with the Colosseum, and better preserved (as well as <b> much </b> less crowded.

From Nîmes, you can arrive by train in Torino in about seven hours, with several changes of train, some of which might be interesting stopovers. Chambery, although I've never been there, should be an interesting town to spend a night, about half-way between Nîmes and Torino.

Torino is another very nice city to spend a few nights, and it's about four hours by train from Rome.

So, it looks as though you have four nights to spend on the trip.

You could leave Barcellona very early in the morning, and spend a good part of the day and the following morning in Nîmes. You could leave for Chambery in the afternoon, and spend the evening and next morning there before leaving for Torino. You could spend the final two nights in Torino. This would give you pretty much a whole day for Nîmes, half a day for Chambery, and a whole day in Torino.

This is just off the top of my head, and I'm sure there are other possibilities. I wouldn't try to visit any large city with the limited time you have. Of the cities I've mentioned, Torino is the largest, but it has a fairly compact center, and is a rather laid back city. It has a few castles or palaces you can visit right in the city, and one of the world's best Egyptology museums.

PalenQ

What is the most efficient/cost effective way to do this trip? For example, train or fly to destinations?>

Is the idea to see things along the way or go straight between the two - if that fly.

And you do not really have much time to go overland - but with 5 days you could take train Barcelona to Avignon area - highlight of tourist Provence- spend a few days there then take a train to Nice - a few days- well not practical unless you can wrangle a few more days in.

But I guess you could go to Avignon or Nice for 4 days by train then fly from Nice to Rome.

For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Better base in both Barcelona and Rome and do day trips out of each to see smaller more normal towns.

kja

Please see your other thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-madrid.cfm