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Book a MultiCountry Globus Tour or Travel Independently

Book a MultiCountry Globus Tour or Travel Independently

Old Dec 30th, 2013, 07:54 AM
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Book a MultiCountry Globus Tour or Travel Independently

My spouse and I (ages 27-35) plan to travel to Europe May 3-18. (14 nights after arrival). We planned a fast paced trip using the Global Eurail on our own to include:
Rome (3 nites);
Venice with overnight train to Munich (1 night);
Munich (3 nights) - 1 day trip to Salzburg
Lucerne (3 nights)
Paris (2 nights) Use TGV High Speed train to Spain...
Barcelona (2 nights)
Travel home
Est Lodging and travel in Europe = $4200.00

In looking at some Globus Tours they have everything already completed for you with some excursions and meals already planned for approx. $3000 more than our base cost. (includes all the major cities we want to see with exception of Barcelona). Yes we would be traveling MUCH more... and on a bus with many others, but we would have a tour guide and the ease of just going with the flow.

Just trying to get some expertise on whether I should continue on with my own planning and added stress or if it really is best to just book a tour and deal with rigid schedule and potentially crappy hotels and long bus rides haha.

We both realize this will not be a leisure tour and that it would be more enjoyable to do just 1 or 2 countries, but we both don't know if we'll ever have the opportunity to go back and want to make the most out of it, and we both have pretty high energy!

Help!
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 08:05 AM
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The best bits of Venice are the evenings and mornings so i'd try for a night there.

Read the brochure carefully, do you know what the code is for "looking at the building from the coach" is?
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 08:13 AM
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Yes if you want to do a whirlwind trip like that you may as well do the tour and save money and a lot of hassle - you itinerary for 14 days is so so hectic - yes there are long bus rides but you have long train rides.

I'd cut Spain and spend a few more days in Paris - you have two nights in Paris but really only one full day and if you've never been there it needs more - take a day trip to Versailles maybe - anyway you will find the rail tour too fast-paced, leaving you little time in the places you are going to.

anyway for lots of great info on European trains and planning a rail trip I always spotlight these IMO superb sources - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 08:15 AM
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If you plan to return to Europe some time in the future, I would travel independently and cut something otherwise take the tour.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 08:42 AM
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I have taken two conducted tours, and although they were very convenient--not having to worry about luggage, where to eat, what to see, and entrance to museums etc., I would travel independently on my next trip. I have done this countless times before and take local conducted tours, at my convenience, in the cities I visit.

At the end of my last 10 day tour, I was tired of buffet breakfasts with the group, and couldn't absorb all the knowledge that was given by excellent tour guide. A couple of times we stopped at a charming town or village for coffee or lunch, and we wished we could have stayed but we had to be on the bus in 15 minutes.

I discovered that most of the tour participants were in their 70's and some in their 80's. My sons are in your age group and they travel independently. The mistakes made travelling without a group add to lots of laughs when relating stories of the trip. The experiences and people you meet travelling independently will give you memories to last a life time.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 08:44 AM
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I don't get the "we both don't know if we'll ever have the opportunity to go back" mentality considering you're not even 1/2 done with your lives (based on actuarial tables).

Don't do a Globus tour - it's a buncha oldies. The average tour member will be older than your combined ages.

If you want a decent whirlwind tour, check out something for the 35 and under set (Contiki, others) and yes, they have couples and yes there will be time for you to bugger off on your own and no those tours won't have a bunch of septo- and octogenarians toddling around with you.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 08:58 AM
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do you know what it is you want to see in these places?

as Bilbo says, the best times in Venice are the evenings and mornings, when when the tour groups have all gone. Will one day and night there be enough for you?

and Paris must surely deserve more than 2 nights and a day - when you are trying to see so many places in a relatively short time, the danger is that you spend far more time travelling, checking in, checking out, finding your bearings, etc. etc. that you short-change yourselves on the actual doing and seeing. I would certainly suggest jettisoning Barcelona - you could add those days to Paris for a really great finale to your trip.

other problem with tours are that as you have already hinted, they can put you in out-of the centre hotels, get you up at ludicrously early hours, feed you in grotty restaurants, and drag you away from places where you'd like to spend longer. As you are young and energetic, I'm sure that you have the energy to plan and carry out your own trip, which will suit you a lot better and be a lot more fun than anything someone else could plan for you.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:00 AM
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Thank you for all of the replies so far! I appreciate everyone's feedback.

While I would LOVE to spend months in Europe to really appreciate all it has to offer, we are limited on time and funds and just want to see a few highlights here and there. I've been researching for a few months now and tried to come up with the most advantageous schedule with the least amount of train time.

After reading the replies so far, I still think I'm more swayed to independent travel, but not sure about cutting out Spain. My husband really wants to end at the beach, and I personally want to go see the Eiffel tower. (so I was trying to compromise on that)

As for Contiki, I kind of ruled them out in the beginning because the reviews weigh heavily on it being a party atmosphere the whole time. Getting drunk at night and being hung over the next morning on the bus. My husband and I would prefer to not be surrounded by that our entire trip.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:03 AM
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Just saw the reply from annhig.

Any tips on fun things to do in Paris if I cut Spain? Neither of us are Museum peeps. More nature and scenery.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:05 AM
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How about this? Fly into Paris, train to Venice, [sorry, but something's got to go, and I think that it's Lucerne and Munich - you lose at least 1/2 day every time you move] train to Rome, fly to Barcelona.

4 nights Paris and Rome, 3 each Venice and Barcelona = 14 nights.

That's still quite a lot of europe to see in 2 weeks.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:07 AM
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awww - I think Switz and Germ are musts.

Ideally -
1. Rome (b/c we are catholic)
2. Germany (must see)
3. Switzerland (b/c we are nature driven and the alps are incredible)

then maybe paris?
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:09 AM
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This was how I adjusted the itinerary without spain and adding a night in Venice

In flight;
Rome (1/2 day);
Rome;
Rome;
Venice (3:20 train ride) ;
Venice (then nite travel to Munich);
Munich;
Munich (Day trip to Austria 1:29 min one way);
Munich;
Lucerne (5:18 train ride);
Lucerne;
Lucerne;
Paris (4:40 train ride);
Paris;
Paris;
Travel home
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:15 AM
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Arob - What happened to the beach and Barcelona?

but based on your [new] priorities, how about this:

Rome - 4 nights,

Lucerne - 4 nights

Munich - 3 nights

Paris - 3 nights. [plenty to see in Paris without ever setting foot in a museum - though you ought at least see Notre Dame, which might be likened to a museum]

you can adjust the timings according to what you decide you want to see in each place - how are you planning to use your time in Luzern for example? A good guide book such as Michelin should help, or use the search function here to look for other threads that have featured the places you a thinking of going to.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:24 AM
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annhig

I haven't proposed this new idea to my spouse lol. Just trying to take in the advice. Barcelona was the last add on to our list, so taken everyone's advice, it sounded like I for sure needed to cut one country and Barcelona was it. (I would still really love to go there, but not if we have to cut out one of the other countries)

(Tech I've been to Germany and Italy - both for a few weeks each when I was in college. This will by spouse's first time though and Germany and Italy are musts for him)

Our of Lucerne, Paris and Barcelona - do you feel the first two are better cities to visit?
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:30 AM
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Aro - that's what I meant about doing your homework about what you want to see in each place. What is better for me may not be better for you. In particular Paris is a place which may not fit as well with your interests as Luzern and Barcelona, but it's you who needs to make that decision, not me.

it will be just as easy to get from Munich to Barcelona as from Paris.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 09:33 AM
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very good point annhig!
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 10:24 AM
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Well first.. please don't use the "we may never get back" reasoning.. sorry you are so young it makes me want to smack you...lol. Barring early death from tragedy or disease you are most likely to end up like the rest of us.. over 40 with more opportunities to travel.

Second, Globus tours.. in a word.. no. My 70 yr old ex MIL took their tour.. it was an exhausting rush from place to place, she did not get see all that things she wanted. the hotels were often in more suburbian outlying areas so even your tiny bit of free time involved using public transport to get into town.( and when you only have 4 hours of free time before dinner , its much nicer to be IN the areas you want to visit )She was btw on the younger side of the tour.. although there were a few younger folks, most were quite old( according to her!)

Two weeks,, pick max of 3-4 places. Buying train tickets individually and well in advance can make travel alot cheaper. For example, we paid 35 euros each for Amsterdam to Paris by trian, 40 euros each for Paris to Nice by train, and 96 euros ( total, not each!) for a plane ticket from Barcelona to Paris.

I strongly am against any place getting only 2 nights.. because that is really only one day.. and frankly if in a time crunch and you really believe a place is only worth one day.. then elimanate it.. its obviously not that important to you.
One exception may be Venice,, sort of place you just can go to see.. I have been twice , both times 2 nights and both times I thought that was enough. ( yes a person could spend more time there, but if one only has 2 weeks to see Europe.. )


There is tons to do in Paris that is not just walking through museums.
The Catacombs are pretty unique.. climbing the Bell Tower of Notre Dame, visiting the parks, taking a river cruise and seeing the monuments lit up at night.. wine tastings.. walking through the old town.. cobblestoned streets etc.. cafe visits, cheese buying.. walking tour of various areas, see the stained glass at St Chapelle, and yes.. include a bit of musuem time.. they aren't all boring paintings ( I personally love museums and never consider them boring) ... one fave with my family has always been the Invalids Army Museum.. weapons and armour from battle axes, jousting poles, horse armour, samurai swords,, right up to WWI and WWII exhibits.. its never crowded and its well laid out.
Also loved our visit to the Shoah Musuem ( Holocaust) we are not Jewish either, but found it fasicinating and moving,, we have nothing like that here..

I personally love the Louvre,, but I do the Louvre smart when taking people who have never been and are not sure they are into "art". We visit the Medieval Louvre,, its the excavated remains of the old moat walls.. very cool. Also Napoleons Apartments.. its a great way to get a taste of what the palaces of the Loire Valley and Versailles look like inside,, you know chandilers the size of cars ,, furniture and decorative stuff.

And at the Orsay be sure to visit the level ( think it was ground level) with the decorative arts section .. we love looking at the amazing furniture ..its like Dr Suess on acid stuff.. nothing like what you expect .

We were not blown away by Barcelona.. but loved a small seaside town we stayed in.. ( gogole for photos) Tossa de Mar.. we were going to spend 2 nights in Barcelona and 4 in Tossa but made it one night in Barcelona and added a night to Tossa.. it was so beautiful. We loved the small town spanish hospitality and food( and prices!) .


Lucerne is not the most beautiful of cities to see in the area.. I would go for Wengen, Zermatt, somewhere like that for that picture postcard small alpine town experience.. you know, like the postcards.. lol

Anyways.. you have lots of time for other trips.. most of us started with one visit.. and now look at us.. lol

I am planning my trip for this coming summer too.. and I have been to Europe dozens of times now.. sometimes for months at a time.. and I am still having trouble narrowing it down .. so its just making yourself do it. .edit. a bit.. and plan for next time.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 10:26 AM
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PS Contiki would suck. Almost no one over 30 goes.. mostly they are 18-25 and yes they party across europe.. plus they are one of those tours that appears cheap then constantly has little add on fees My nephew did one a few years ago,, as did a girl form my work. Both were 18, and both said it was a drunk tour.. and they were on seperate tours!
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 10:27 AM
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Keep in mind that one of the best things to do while visiting Europe major cities, is to find time to just wander aimlessly, and rest your feet over a glass of wine at a cafe. Make sure your schedule allows for some of that.

I have been to many (but not all) of the cities you mention. I adore Italy, and could spend weeks just wandering up and down the little windy streets and alleys of Rome. Venice has to be the best place on earth to get lost. Paris is just beautiful, and Barcelona is up there with the greatest.
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Old Dec 30th, 2013, 10:46 AM
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The BIG misconception is the more one dashes around the more one sees/does. Whereas . . . The more dashing gets you more trains, more train stations, more packing/unpacking/checking in/checking out, and a lot more expense. One night train for the 'experience', maybe, but more than that and you will have a mostly sleepless trip.

Every single move eats up a MINIMUM of half a day and often a full day with all the logistics. Even a night train doesn't actually save that much time since your hotel room probably won't becreadybwhen you arrive so you have to leave your bags and return to the hotel in the middle of the day to check in/unpack.

Sit down w/ your husband an decide which four places are your musts. Doesn't matter which four - if one happens to be Barcelona, then fly one of the discount airlines there. Will be cheaper and more efficient than a train.

The reason tours can cover so much ground is they leave VERY early in the AM, use suburban hotels so there is no city center traffic, herd everyone together to the same short meal breaks, and skip the most time intensive sites (you see some castle . . . But don't actually go inside)

So - pick 4, you'll see more and save a TON of money and aggravation.
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