ITINERARY-6 WEEKS

Old May 3rd, 2016, 04:26 AM
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ITINERARY-6 WEEKS

Myself and my husband are travelling Europe next year, from Perth, Western Australia, we have six weeks and have decided on this schedule at this point in time.
Arrive in Athens, 4 nights then ferry to Santorini for 4 nights.
Fly to Rome, 4 nights, train/ bus to Positano for 4 nights, train to Venice for 4 nights, train to Lucerne, 5 nights, train to Paris for 5 nights, train to Munich 5 nights, and end in Prague for 5 nights. Is this too much, if so would drop Paris or Prague and add the 5 nights between our other visits.
Would really appreciate some feed back on this please.

Thank you,
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 04:35 AM
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Drop Paris, spend an extra 2-3 days in Munich so you can go to Nuremberg (see below on why) and Bamberg (and Rothenburg o.b. Tauber if that interests you), and an extra night in Rome, and the remainder of days you save in Venice. If you can tack on an extra 2-3 for Prague, you can use those days to get to Brno or Pilsen.

If you do Munich before Prague, you can do your last few days of Munich in Nuremberg and take the express bus that DB operates that goes directly from Nuremberg to Prague.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 06:18 AM
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It's hard to advise you without knowing your interests. And how old you are and when you're making this trip.

I like the relatively leisurely pace of your trip. However, I'd drop a day from Santorini, add it to Rome (or Paris but you seem not so interested). Also 5 nights in Lucerne seems a lot. Are you using it as a base to see other places in Switzerland?

sparkchaser seems to like Germany. I'm not so sure about you.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 07:33 AM
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Overall, I think you have a good itinerary. We all have different interests. Spark chaser suggests you drop Paris and add more time to Germany; if it was me, I'd drop Munich and add those days to Paris. So you'll have to decide what interests you most.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 07:47 AM
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For lots about trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. With that much train travel investigate the various railpasses which provides first-class travel and IME that is the way to go on the trip of a lifetime - more relaxed, easier to stow luggage as fewer people in first class cars, etc.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 08:41 AM
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Agree that you trip as designed is not bad and seems to meet your interests - but since we don't know what they are it's hard to make comments.

Also you don't say when you will be traveling, which can make a big difference in some of these places. If you are not going in the summer you might reconsider some of these places.

Just a a personal note: there is no way I would drop Paris but would add to it. But I would cut back or eliminate Santorini - but I'm not a beach person (and don't you have millions of beaches in Oz?)

So really you need to give us more info for us to help.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 09:31 AM
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Your itinerary is fine as it is, although I would probably look to fly between ATH and Santorini and maybe reorder the cities in a more geographically logical order. Taking the train between cities is not always the best option. Obviously nytraveler doesn't realise what the main appeal is about Santorini as it is not the beaches.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 10:54 AM
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5 days in Prague - a much smaller town than Paris or those mega cities - not so much to see or do - 3 days would be more than enough for many (and yes you can spend weeks in any city and enjoy it) - you skip thru Florence on the train - if you have not been to Florence I'd suggest adding some days in there and maybe even replacing Prague with Florence and use it as a base to do some neat day trips by train or bus - to the iconic Tuscany hill towns like Siena or San Gimignano, etc and or to nearby Pisa for the Leaning Tower if nothing else.

Positano for 5 days - great if day tripping along the Amalfi or to Capri or Pompeii or Paestum - all viable day trips but if dwelling in one heavily touristed town (in summer) then I'd cut some days there as well.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 04:06 PM
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Hi
Thanks so much for the advice. It's my first post so I will give you more info.
I am 51 and hubby 63 but is more fit than some 50 year olds(that's why I married him ). It's our 25th wedding anniversary, which on the actual date, we will be in Rome, I was thinking 5 days there, it's just that all up we will be in Italy 12 days as it is, would love to fit Florence but have to skip one. We are going to be there all of May and first two weeks of June, we are pretty easy going, just want to taste each city/country and do at least one big attraction, love nature, not really looking for beaches(yes, we have beautiful beaches here, lucky to have our own Ocean view) We are interested in nature, lakes., beautiful scenery, walking, bike riding, history and food. Hubby is a scuba diver but not saying he is wanting to do that anywhere. I am a huge lover of animals. Love the sound of the hop on hop off bus rides. Hubby loves his beer and Munich is a must for him. I'm sure most countries have there good beer though. Lucerne is a base and would also like to do Interlaken perhaps.
I've been onto seat 61, it's great, that's how I've come up with this route that seems more logical. I worked out that it's cheaper not having a rail pass for us. Yes, not at Santorini for beaches. Ok, so maybe just 4 days in Prague or was thinking about Austria as well or instead of Prague? Wouldn't do 5 in Positano, 4 at the most. Have no interest in doing London. Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Greek Islands are a must for us for sure. Would anyone recommend Austria over Prague?
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 05:08 PM
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Much a I love Vienna I tend to find it sort of triste - and between it and Prague I would take Prague any day. It's almost unique in europe in not being blasted to ruins in WWII and so the architecture is organic - grown over the centuries with buildings of all ages and types represented and so is incredibly charming as well as having a lot of unique historic and cultural sights. (It was unique in being a city in which mixed religious populations - about 1/3 each catholic, protestant and jewish lived together - versus the religious wars in much of europe.)

In Germany especially almost all of the cities and larger towns were destroyed and most of what you see is reconstructions from the 1960s on.
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Old May 3rd, 2016, 05:33 PM
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Thank you @nytraveler, I will def take that into consideration for sure.
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Old May 4th, 2016, 07:48 AM
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In our experience the best food and the best beer are in Belgium. But I don't like it so well otherwise.

In your list of interests, outdoor sights and experiences come first. But, in your proposed itinerary, you've listed mostly big cities connected by train travel. Have you considered renting a car and getting out into the countryside? Germany has excellent roads and nice scenery. And I love the Tuscan countryside; it ties with England for my favorite. However, Switzerland has easy (and supremely well coordinated) access to all its sights by train, bus and boat.

There's so much to see around the Amalfi Coast: Capri, Pompeii/Herculaneum, the towns of the AC, Paestum, Naples, Mt. Vesuvius,.... And I think Sorrento an attractive town, perched on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Naples. Look into the AC in detail before cutting any days there.

Given your interests, you might look into Croatia for your next trip. Also other parts of Greece like the Peloponnese or northern Greece, not to speak of all those other islands.
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Old May 4th, 2016, 10:23 AM
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In our experience the best food and the best beer are in Belgium.

Oh god yes.
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Old May 5th, 2016, 12:56 AM
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Thanks for that. I have considered Croatia, wish I could take 3 months in Europe.
Belgium isn't somewhere we have considered though, I'll look into it, nothing's set in concrete yet.
I like your ideas Mimar., we have also considered renting a car in places, because we haven't done Europe yet, it's quite overwhelming, I think of we return another time we will feel more confident.
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Old May 5th, 2016, 07:11 AM
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Czech Republic is the home of Pilsener beer and the original Budweiser - so there is good brew there too. Ceske Budejovice is a nice day trip from Prague by bus or train and you can tgour the original Budvar (Budweiser) brewery and others too:

http://www.budejovickybudvar.cz/en/index.html
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Old May 5th, 2016, 08:46 AM
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...the original Budweiser...

Which honestly doesn't taste all that amazing. There are much better Czech beers but definitely drink some. And get the shirt.
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Old May 6th, 2016, 06:15 AM
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Thanks everyone, hubby will def do a tour and try the beer recommended, maybe even the t-shirt!
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Old May 6th, 2016, 06:39 AM
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http://www.praguebeergarden.com/
this is one of the best sites for info on beer in Prague, I am in the city several times a year and use this website for info on new places to try.
nearer your trip get in touch and I can give you updated info on the ever changing beer scene in Prague.
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Old May 6th, 2016, 10:51 AM
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I had some great times at open-air beer gardens in Prague - live music often - beer hall music and great atmosphere.
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Old May 6th, 2016, 11:02 PM
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Thank you unclegus and PalenQ, I can not wait, especially as far as my husband is concerned!
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