Most people would do the sensible thing and only see one country with only 8 days. The only thing achieved with 2 days in each country and 2 days wasted to and from airports would be I've been here stamps in passports and a few photos.

"Berlin or Dublin"

What would be the deciding factor?

Mark

Mark, thanks for your reply. I'm not sure if there is a deciding factor. Personally, I think Berlin is a better option, but my GF is leaning toward Dublin.

Do you mean what to see in each city? That's quite subjective. I could create an itinerary for Paris but you might not want to do the same things I would want to do.

You should stay in Paris for 8 days and do a couple of day trip to places like Versailles. If you want to split your trip and visit 2 cities then you'll have 3.5 days in each city. Not a lot of time for major cities.

<< I've been here stamps in passports >>

You won't get a second stamp when traveling within Schengen.

I would stay in Paris for 8 days but since it appears that is not what you want to do, I suggest Berlin. It gets dark quite early at that time of year and the further north, the darker.

Have you considered Amsterdam? A lot easier to get to than Berlin or Dublin and easily seen in 2 days.

Once you decide, make a multi-city ("open jaw") plane reservation, into your first city and out of your last, to avoid time consuming and expensive backtracking

in1986,

if, as i assume, you are from north america, what would you think about someone who said that they wanted to do an 8 day trip to the US, seeing NYC, Chicago and LA? you'd think they were mad, wouldn't you?

well, that is the equivalent of what you are proposing to do in Europe. you'll lose more or less a day moving between these cities, and you haven't got long to begin with.

personally I'd stick with Paris [you've never been before, and you know that only want to spend a couple of days there?], but if you must move on to somewhere new, Amsterdam would make a good, easily accessible choice.

and just in case you think we're old stickinthemuds, you might be right about the old, but the only reason we're saying this is because we want you to have a good time.

you'll LOVE Paris and you'll be really cross when you have to leave.

Hi ib,

>We are interested in seeing Paris, as well as Berlin or Dublin

Since one of you wants Dublin and the other wants Berlin, you could

Fly into Dublin 2 nights, fly to Paris 3 nights, fly to Berlin 3 nights, fly home.

see www.whichbudget.com for low cost airlines.

Do figure that nearly 3 days of your vacation will be taken up in changing hotels.

Berlin is a big city, with a massive park dumped in the middle. Public transport is very good to get about with but given the November element I might make that my least favorite city on the three you mentioned.

I've been in Dublin when it is cold and wet and had a very good time (guiness is not the only beer). Lots of places to drop into and look at while the next rain storm comes through.

Ira's itin is good but I'd try for just 2 cities tops with the 8 days

For 8 days you don;t get an "itinerary". You stay in one place and see something of it - with 1 or 2 day trips.

Stuffing 2 major cities into 8 days (and does that include the day you land and the day you depart - so you really have only 6 days, minus one for traveling from one city to another) gives you 2.5 days each for 2 cites.

I would just stay in Paris, with Berlin as second choice. (I love Dublin but you don;t need that much time there.)