Lisa

My husband and I are planning on going to Europe for a 5-7 day vacation in November. <BR>We are pretty clueless on where to begin. <BR>Have been researching on the internet and I am now even more confused .. do we stick with one city like Paris/Rome or do the rail?

Mike

My suggestion would be to pick a small region of a country and explore. With the length of your trip you will really only be able to see two cities. Europe is a BIG place and there is no way to get a "flavor of Europe" in a short trip. Just concentrate on one or two places and you will have a much more enjoyable trip. <BR> <BR>As far as picking the cities, you are on your own since they are numerous and diverse. I would recommend visiting your local library and browsing some travel books (Fodors, Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, etc) for something that catches your eye. <BR> <BR>Good Luck.

Lori

Lisa, <BR>5-7 days is really not enough time to do two cities justice (actually it is barely time to do one, and make a dent in it!). Of course nothing is impossible, but honestly I would not recommend it and we've traveled many times to Europe and at different times of the year (Spring remains my favorite tho). Remember you possibly will have jetlag the first day and depending upon where you are traveling from it can often leave you feeling a little less than perky, so that is something to consider too. I know excitement can override jetlag but do allow for it in your plans just the same. <BR> <BR>Depending upon your interests I would stick with one city because travel time between cities eats up a lot of good time. Standing around airports, train stations or whatever is not really much fun. You want to concentrate on what interests you most and not overdo it with only 5/7 days. Are you into museums, chateaux, places of religious importance, shopping, etc.? I'd recommend Paris, but that's my personal preference. Actually if you have never been to Europe before London makes a great city to "get your feet wet with", simply because you do not have to cope with language difficulties and there is so much to see there. <BR> <BR>Remember also, November can be pretty chilly (cold) in most places in Europe. The cities don't always look their best with the trees bare, etc. as well. (On the plus side there are less tourists!). It can also be quite rainy so be prepared to chose a city that you can find many things that interest you to do indoors, i.e. museums, palaces, etc. as well. (This is not to say you cannot be outside, we've walked around Paris in November in the pouring rain and it was great, likewise London, .. but each to their own!) It also gets dark pretty early during that time of the year which can restrict time you have to "see" things. <BR> <BR>Please don't think I am trying to discourage you -- just the opposite -- it's great that you are going, 5/7 days is better than no days but there is simply so much to see/do in any of the large cities that in that short amount of time I'd limit myself to one city. If you can do it, try for the 7 day stay. You might be able to take a nice day trip someplace if you have a little extra time and you won't feel as rushed as a 5 day trip will leave you feeling. <BR> <BR>Most of the travelers on this Forum are pretty good with suggestions, etc. so please post again with any other questions, we are all willing to help you out. (Yes, I know the Internet can even make things more confusing, while it is absolutely fantastic .. sometimes too much info can be overwhelming too -- like too many choices of ice cream!!!!

Vanessa

I would definitely stick to one city and add on day trips. For example, if you choose Paris, some good day trips could include Chantilly, Versailles and Chartres. I went to Paris at the end of March and it rained 2 & a half days out of the 5 days we were there. This caused a problem because my friend and I had planned on being outdoors most of the time enjoying the gardens and the river. It sounds like November is another wet time in Paris. If you plan on spending most of your time outdoors, you might want to pick a warmer place such as southern Italy or Spain.

Donna

I would agree with just one city or a section of a country (such as eastern Switzerland). A city would probably be better for exploring, as the scenery will not be as nice in the countryside during November. You may want to consider staying longer, perhaps ten days or two weeks. Recommend picking up a catalog for Europe, such as Trafalgar. Even if you don't go with a tour group, these catalogs are excellent for picking destinations you find most appealing and are full of itineraries you can follow on your own. And, if this is your first trip and you are that clueless, booking a tour would be an excellent way to get started your first time over.

lola

Agree with postings. One city, with one or two closeby trips. Would pick a warmer one, such as Rome, with an overnight in Florence (hour away by train). Or London, which isn't usually too cold in November, with a sidetrip or two. <BR>Also agree that since you are admittedly "clueless," a tour might be your best option to save you loads of time and mistakes--not what you want when you have so little time. In any case, take an overview tour by bus of wherever you are, read up ahead, and try to use the usually wonderful advice of this forum. Have a great one....

RobM

I would pick 2 somewhat nearby cities, and split the time between the 2 for 5 days, or maybe even 3 cities within 7 days, such as Brussels (side trip to Brugges) and Amsterdam and/or Paris.

lisa

It depends. If you have 5 days, that is really only enough to see ONE of Europe's major cities. I would choose Paris, hands down, no question. (My second choice would be Rome, but don't try to do both; you don't have time and they're too far apart.) But if you have 7 days, I would pick two cities relatively close together and divide your time between them -- and I would probably choose Venice and Florence. So basically, my advice to you is to first figure out how much time you have to work with and then go from there.

steve

One city + first time = London