Europe winter travel suggestions??
May 20th, 2011, 10:38 PM
#1
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Europe winter travel suggestions??
First time travelers to Europe - can't decide which countries to visit for a ±14 day trip.
Contemplating travelling via rail as we don't have any winter driving experience - maybe France / Switzerland / Austria / Italy. Any suggestions?
Contemplating travelling via rail as we don't have any winter driving experience - maybe France / Switzerland / Austria / Italy. Any suggestions?
May 20th, 2011, 11:41 PM
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Suppose I was a bit cryptic - thanks for the reply!
A bit more information:
We're planning to visit from the 12th to the 26th of December. Idea behind the post is to receive suggestions of your 'ideal trip' if time and money allows...
Not dead set on the countries posted - any must see country / building / festival or market suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Also, we're not that interested in winter sports per se, but would still love to see the alps in winter (from Africa - even snow will be a first
A bit more information:
We're planning to visit from the 12th to the 26th of December. Idea behind the post is to receive suggestions of your 'ideal trip' if time and money allows...
Not dead set on the countries posted - any must see country / building / festival or market suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Also, we're not that interested in winter sports per se, but would still love to see the alps in winter (from Africa - even snow will be a first
May 21st, 2011, 02:39 AM
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A few random thoughts. No doubt others will fill in.
Be flexible on your air travel days. Sometimes a few days in either direction can make a huge difference in price. In this case your proposed return is the day after Christmas. Depending on your country of departure this may be a major holiday, and many people may be trying to fly home from the holiday.
Some would suggest flying between cities so as to have more time in the cities themselves "seeing the sites/sights." I think your idea of train travel is a good one because you can see the countryside out the window and think about what would be good for your next trip. Once you get started . . . .
Unless you have some particular great interest like Romanesque churches or Roman ruins that you have to see, I would spend the amount of time you have something like this:
Day 1 arrive Rome
Day 2-3 Rome
Day 4 train to Florence
Day 5 Florence
Day 6 train to Venice with a stop in Verona for the Roman amphitheater and theater, the museum, and a walk through the town
Day 7-8 Venice
Day 9 Venice to Paris -- if you fly, you will see the Alps like crazy from the plane, assuming clear weather, but you will spend a lot of time in airports and both ends and getting from the airport into the city. I don't know of a mostly daylight train from Venice to Paris, but others may suggest one. There is not a lot of daylight at this time of year anyway!
Day 10-14 Paris
Day 15 Fly home. You can't really do anything the day you fly home, so I would add this onto the 14 days.
Coming from Africa, you shouldn't have the time zone and jetlag issues that we would have coming from the US, so you pretty well ought to be able to hit the ground running. You will be tired but not confused.
Be flexible on your air travel days. Sometimes a few days in either direction can make a huge difference in price. In this case your proposed return is the day after Christmas. Depending on your country of departure this may be a major holiday, and many people may be trying to fly home from the holiday.
Some would suggest flying between cities so as to have more time in the cities themselves "seeing the sites/sights." I think your idea of train travel is a good one because you can see the countryside out the window and think about what would be good for your next trip. Once you get started . . . .
Unless you have some particular great interest like Romanesque churches or Roman ruins that you have to see, I would spend the amount of time you have something like this:
Day 1 arrive Rome
Day 2-3 Rome
Day 4 train to Florence
Day 5 Florence
Day 6 train to Venice with a stop in Verona for the Roman amphitheater and theater, the museum, and a walk through the town
Day 7-8 Venice
Day 9 Venice to Paris -- if you fly, you will see the Alps like crazy from the plane, assuming clear weather, but you will spend a lot of time in airports and both ends and getting from the airport into the city. I don't know of a mostly daylight train from Venice to Paris, but others may suggest one. There is not a lot of daylight at this time of year anyway!
Day 10-14 Paris
Day 15 Fly home. You can't really do anything the day you fly home, so I would add this onto the 14 days.
Coming from Africa, you shouldn't have the time zone and jetlag issues that we would have coming from the US, so you pretty well ought to be able to hit the ground running. You will be tired but not confused.
May 21st, 2011, 03:46 AM
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seat61.com
Day train Paris Geneva Alps stresa.org Milano sirmione.com
Venice-Tourism.com Florence Roma fly train back.
Beautiful Journey tonnes to see and do Otel.com for best
Hotel deals for em eurocheapo.com great city budget guides
Happy Journey.
Day train Paris Geneva Alps stresa.org Milano sirmione.com
Venice-Tourism.com Florence Roma fly train back.
Beautiful Journey tonnes to see and do Otel.com for best
Hotel deals for em eurocheapo.com great city budget guides
Happy Journey.
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