Ideas for 2 mothers 2 HS graduated girls, 12 days in Europe

oops! and I'm one who always notices when a poster doesn't give dates of travel.
This would be after this Spring graduation 2010, next summer,, Probably June 2010.

June 2011, you mean?

Do they have twelve days "on the ground," or does the 12 count the days they'll spend traveling to and from Europe? Since your profile states you're from Texas, I'm assuming they're from the States as well. If the 12 days includes travel days, that's only 9.5 days in Europe, and traveling to and from the places you list will take a good part of the day. I do understand wanting to get a lot in, so this is one way to do it, realizing they won't see a lot in each place.

Day 1: Leave US
Day 2: Fly into London
Days 3-5: London (day trip to Oxford if they really want to)
Day 6: Eurostar to Paris
Days 7-9: Paris
Day 10: Fly to Venice (or wherever in Italy)
Day 11: Venice
Day 12: Fly home

That would be one way to do it if they really want to do three destinations. Of course you could take a day from Paris and add it to Italy (if they do a day trip to Oxford, I really wouldn't take the extra day from London), and if the 12 days is "on the ground" then you have more time. I figure you can do what most teenage girls would want to do in Venice in a day and a half, but that's just me.

I found a recommendation for the Morgan Hotel in London here on Fodor's, and thought it was great. The hotel was fine, but the location practically can't be beat, for me. (morganhotel.co.uk) There are lots of small b&b type hotels in the area, though.

Are the girls traveling with their mothers? Or are they off on their own?

And yes, it's covering far too much in such a short time.

To much territory in too little time.

And the girls not doing research is a really bad idea - since 18 year olds are likely to have some definitely different interests than the mother. (Presumably the daughters would want to go out a couple of evenings and meet local kids in pubs or bars.) At a minimum they should read a guidebook and learn some basic French if they haven't studies it. (When we took my stepdaughters to London/paris the 2nd time - at 14 and 17 - they loved the chance to practice their French and spend several evenings with local students they had met.)

Thinking all 4 should be joined at the hip is IMHO a big mistake.

again oops! yes...June 2011 ! following graduation!
Traveling together would be the two mothers, two daughters....who all get along very well, and it's only 12 (maybe 14 days, including the 2 travel days). And certainly the daughters could do some things on their own,,,,,As I said..this trip is for an "overview", and for their first trip will want to see the main "touristy" things in London and Paris. ~~~AND WALK the streets of these cities (always the best experience!)
( if one has a longer time,(and/or 2nd or 3rd trip, then a different senario)
AND, once the trip is "loosly" set, the the girls will, of course, read about specific places and have a part in deciding the path!
I was just wondering: IF Italy comes into the picture , suggestions of the best transportaion from Paris! This all is in the planning stages....and THANKS for any ideas.
Both girls have studied Spanish,,,,,but no French,,though the French will probably resurface with the one mother (our daughter)

"IF Italy comes into the picture , suggestions of the best transportation from Paris!"

The only practical way (both for budget and time reasons) is to fly. Trains will eat up an entire day -- and if they take a sleeper, some or all could have a sleepless/exhausting night. And flying will be cheaper.

The idea of a night in a dorm in Oxford -- There are no 'dorms' similar to Stateside universities. Each small college has its own residence halls and they aren't open to vacation renters.

There are some residence halls connected to a few schools in London which can be rented by the night. If they decide on that option-- then they should stay there their entire time in London.

12 days on the ground will be a bit difficult to squeeze in UK/France/Italy. 14 days on the ground (so 16 days all together) would be a bit more doable, though still rushed.

And they need to build in a down day - or at least a very slow day - when they arrive in London. For a group of 4 any or all of them will likely suffer jetlag/exhaustion.

w/ 14 days O-t-G - one option would be 5 days London (allowing for jetlag and possible day trip to Oxford), train to Paris and 5 days there (which will net 4.5 days), and 4 days in Italy. Those 4 days in Italy will net about 3 full days what w/ transport and packing to fly home.

Air Berlin and Easyjet both fly to Venice from Paris Orly. (Orly is easier to get to by public transportation and easier to traverse than CDG.)

How about flying home from Venice? It'll mean an early flight, but you don't need to get to Venice Marco Polo a full 3 hours ahead of time; it's a small airport.

In any case look at open-jawed tickets, into London, out of Paris or Venice or ?.

These 3 cities are a lot to stuff into a 12-day vacation. Especially considering jet lag. Janis's 14-day itinerary sounds better.

Or just stick to London and Paris with daytrips out of town. From London to Oxford or Cambridge, maybe Bath or York, from Paris to Versailles, maybe Giverny or Chartres or Reims.

London Walks www.walks.com does a number of guided walks around town and also daytrips to surrounding destinations. We especially enjoyed a trip to Richmond and then by boat up the Thames to Hampton Court Palace. There are similar walks in Paris and guided bus tour daytrips from Paris.

janisj: Yes, the residence halls in many UK colleges....ARE open to renters, Keble in Oxford being one..Summers, vacations etc!
3000 rooms available under "universityroom.co.uk".
I wouldn't have mentioned it if I hadn't done the research. Sounds fun for the girls, . Accommodations are clean, but sparse...with beautiful dining halls etc. The price is right! A few negatives of course but Hey.

mimar: thanks for hints on AirBerlin and Easy jet. Yes, my husband and I alwys fly open jaw,,,,it's great!....and the only way to go when covering a lot of territory.

Plenty ,of course, to do in London and Paris for the girls first trip.....it perhaps will end up that way.....OR who knows, maybe JUST Italy......but we're all "working on it".
and DO appreciate the hints from y'all!

Sorry. When I lived outside of Oxford the only way to stay in the res halls was to take a summer study course. So apparently they have all gone the way of the London colleges and book B&B accommodations. Great.

But, if they plan an overnight to Oxford they definitely need more than 4 days in the UK. The trip to Oxford will eat up a minimum of 1.5 days and leave very little time for London.

Mari5,

I have two daughters, now 20 and 17. Last June we took them to London and Paris for 12 days. Two years prior to that we took them to Italy...Lake Como, Milan, Umbria, Rome, Florence, Lucca, Pisa and Venice last. That's just to give you a background on where we have been with teenage girls. Both of my girls really like traveling and historical places AND shopping!!

So, taking into consideration the ages of your granddaughter and friend and what my daughters liked the most out of those two trips, I would take them to London, Paris and Venice or Rome.
I agree with Jent103 above. Fly in to London and out of Venice or Rome.

I would recommend London for 3 nights, then take the Eurostar to Paris for 6 nights then fly to Venice or Rome for 2 or 3 nights at the end. I really think more time in Paris than London. There is so much to see and my girls loved Paris. Venice and Rome are a toss up. Venice is really unique and fun but there is so much more to see and do in Rome in my opinion and I think my girls agree. You would not need a car in any of those cities.

I think it will be a great time for grandma and mom's and girls to bond together. I don't know your granddaughters but I think they will love being with you all and have a fabulous time.

One more comment I would like to add. We stay in apartments whenever we can instead of hotels. It gives us way more space, more bathrooms and a kitchen making it more comfortable for everyone. With 5 of you going together it would be something to consider.

bethyk: Thanks for your ideas. You have misunderstood... I'm not going on this trip...my husband and I usually go together each year, and drive around to smaller places and cover a lot of territory. We're at the age now where we probably can't quite keep up with two 48 yr. old mothers , who each have a 17 yr. old daughter. I have done travel planning for us for years,, it's my hobby,,,so I am just setting the groundwork for these 4 ladies....
Our original plan a year or so ago was for my husband and I to take daughter and 17 yr. old granddaughter to Europe....but I think them going with another mother and her 17 yr. old daughter will work out better. Our daughter and grandaughter live in our town so we get to enjoy them often.
Your Italian trip sounds great....my husband and I have driven to those places and I know they are all wonderful! Was that your girls first trip to Europe.? There is always some discussion on forums about where one should visit for their first time abroad.