Dana85

Hi all,

This is my first time posting on this forum. Hoping you might be able to help me with some suggestions/recommendations for our European trip. I'm travelling with my young family (baby is 1 year old) and we are looking to travel from Genoa to Barcelona. We have about 3.5 weeks allocated from mid Nov to early Dec 2015.
- Is it easy to travel by train in these parts?
- Any suggestions for stops on the way?
- is this enough time?
- any websites you could recommend? We are hoping to book as much as possible in advance.

Thank you!

PalenQ

Train travel is easy but with a 1-yr-old nothing is really easy - but kid always goes free as long as he/she doesn't occupy their own seat - Nice and the French Riviera, Provence around Avignon would make two sweet places to linger several days - once in Avignon you have fast trains to Barcelona - anyways for a fix on the European railways and train travel check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

3. weeks is more than enough time for that route, especially in late fall when beaching is out - well swimming at least

sandralist

That is a typcally rainy period along the Mediterranean coast, so your schedule needs to be flexible. The train lines along the coast, especially in Italy are very slow. But even where they might be quicker, that's a lot of miles to cover. I don't know that you will want to many marathon days on the train with a 1 year old.

Personally, with young children at that time of year, I would probably just rent an apartment in Barcelona for the entire time. If there are places you want to see in Italy and France, consider two other apartment rentals. I might look into taking the train from Italy into France, but then I would rent a car, and drive it all the way to French-Spanish border, and take another train from there.

But it sounds like you haven't bought any air tickets. If that is the case, then I you might want to reconsider your itinerary entirely. I live on the Riviera, and I think with small children there is really very little to do along the coast in November and early December. You might find it more interesting to split your time between Rome and Barcelona (fly in between), or even Sevilla and Barcelona, with maybe a road trip in between.

Bedar

There used to be a ferry between Genoa and Barcelona. I'd look into that.

sandralist

The ferry runs very infrequently in November-December, and can be cancelled in poor weather. The Med can be quite stormy at the time of year, and even if the ferry isn't cancelled, it can be quite and unpleasant ride due to rough seas.

PalenQ

There used to be a ferry between Genoa and Barcelona. I'd look into that>

Sounds like to me they want to be 3.5 weeks which includes going slowly to Barcelona - if in one fell swoop they could fly.