Milan / Venice / Tuscany/ Barcelona

Old Aug 28th, 2016, 08:45 AM
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Milan / Venice / Tuscany/ Barcelona

Hi;

I am planning for my trip to the italy/ france/ spain, a total of 15 day

This is the rough plan which I wish to seek the opinion of those who are familiar

1. Milan ==> 3 day
2. Venice ==> 4 day Or Florence 4 day
3. Nice or Montepellier ==> 4 day
4. Barcelona ==> 4 days

What is your opinion on the distribution on the days spent at each destination?
For option on cities of 2 & 3 which is better?
Lastly, what attraction should I go for during my stay

I will be travelling on the train with my wife and toddler.

Your opinion shall be greatly appreciated.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 08:07 PM
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Where are you coming from? Long flight, short flight?

When is the trip? Expected weather will affect advice.

Do your total 15 days mean on the ground once you land, or are your arrival and departure days part of the 15?

To get 3 days in a city, you have to spend 4 nights, for 4 days, you need 5 nights, etc. Is that how you are counting your days?

Have you looked at transportation and how much time it will take?

Have you added in travel time from your hotel to the train station or airport, time going through security in the airport, going from train station or airport to your new hotel? That can add up to a lot of travel time.

Have your traveled with your toddler before? Actual age? Walking well? You may have lots of experience so no point giving advice on that if you do not need it.

What are you major interests? What made you choose these cities? They are far apart and require more travel.

Train may/may not be best each time. There are also cheap flights between many cities.

Are you into fashion or want to see the Last Supper or Cathedral in Milan? Are you landing there because of cheaper flights? If you want to see Milan, great! If cheaper flight, remember you will have cost of train on to Venice and use 1/2 a day at least doing so.

I have not been to Nice or Montpellier, so others can speak to that. I see you are considering a stay in Tuscany and looking for vineyards or country places to stay. There are plenty. You would want to rent a car there.

Some people find Venice less child-friendly because of the bridges, steps and in some places, crowds, etc. but families do go and manage it. You know your child. You might want a child restraint, but depends on age, etc.

Rent apartments so you have a place for snacks and a place for your child to nap if you all get tired.

Start with this. Choose three bases. Stay 4-6 nights in each and do day trips.

Arrange however you like, but lay it out so you see how much time you have. If you must land in Milan, start there.

This sample starts in Venice.

Day 1, depart from home
Day 2, arrive Venice. get settled, walk
Day 3, tour
Day 4, day trip
Day 5, day trip or tour
Day 6, travel to next place, takes at least 1/2 day. Settle in, walk, eat
Day 7, tour
Day 8, day trip
Day 9, day trip
Day 10, travel to Barcelona, at least 1/2 day
Day 11, tour
Day 12, tour
Day 13, day trip
Day 14, day trip
Day 15, depart for home.
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 08:41 PM
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OP shows 15 nights in Europe:
Milan 3;
Venice 4 [2.5 hours train];
Florence 4 [2 hour train];
Barcelona 4 [FlR-BCN--Vueling nonstop at 10:15PM]
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 08:51 PM
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Improved
Milan 3;
Florence 4 [under 2 hours train];
Venice 4 [2 hours train];
Barcelona 4 [VCE-BCN--Vueling nonstops at 4:25 and 6:40PM]
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Old Aug 28th, 2016, 09:37 PM
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Good plan, RonZ
Then, the OP, adding in time from hotels to stations, etc. with a Toddler, has
Milan, 2 days
Florence, 3 & 1/2 days
Venice, 3 & 1/2 days, plus another 1/2 day
Barcelona, 3 days
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 08:36 AM
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With a toddler?? Good luck!
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 09:04 AM
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The "OP" said Florence OR Venice and also added in Nice.

I agree with cutting Nice out entirely, starting in Venice, to Milan, to Florence, and flying on Vueling to Barcelona.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 09:19 AM
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I would skip Milan, fly into Venice, then Tuscany or Rome, then Barcelona. Three places, period!

Another option, good with a toddler: Rome, Tuscany, Barcelona.
All have enough to do and enough nearby attractions to fill the time well. Easy to find playgrounds, carousels, etc. for the little one too.
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Old Aug 29th, 2016, 10:18 AM
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Or for a cruise like experience you can take an overnight ferry from near Pisa to Barcelona- but it's a long long ride -most of the day and night.

Anyway for train info check www.seat61.com- great info on discounted tickets if you book (in stone) weeks/months early to get them; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

I'd take the Nice Cote d'Azur area over Montpellier- so much to do there- a long train ride from Venice or Florence but not so bad from Milan.

Maybe fly into Venice and go to Florence then Milan for a day and then Nice and train to Barcelona - very doable all by train though you Nice to Barcelona is several hours- maybe fly Nice to Barcelona.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 03:35 AM
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Hi;

Thanks for all that help to contribute to my planning, well appreciated!!

A bit more details..
I am travelling in from Singapore, 12 hours flight, touch down in Milan at 9am. My son is 2 year old.

Is the any word of caution for my boy that you may like to share, this is our 1st long outing with him.

After consideration from your input, I have reshape the schedule as below

8th - 9am Touch down Milan, free and easy
9th - Sight seeing
10th - Factory outlets
11th - Shopping / sight seeing
12 - 9-10 am Train to Venice reach before noon free and easy
13th - Canal tour
14th -
15th -
16th - 9-10 am Florence reach ard noon free and easy
17th -
18th -
19th - 9am Leave for Barcelona by Air
20th -
21st -
22nd -
23rd - Flight Home

Questions
1. Is the schedule consider hectic?
2. Considering the number of day in each cities, what would you recommend me to fill up the time there?
We are more toward seeing nice scenery, architecture and country side.

I will be booking the hotels and train ticket tomorrow, hence any input appreciated.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 05:08 AM
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From Florence - you may take bus to Siena for a day-trip, to see the compo and the Duomo.

From Florence - you may take a frequent regional train to Pisa Centrale and spend about an hour admiring the beautiful monuments on the Piazza dei Miracoli. This can be done toward the end of the day, so you still have the bulk of day in Florence.

If you run out of time in Florence, I would take a day off Venice and add it to Florence.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 05:40 AM
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In Barcelona, I recommend taking a Gaudi walking tour with Runner Bean, http://www.runnerbeantours.com/ . The tour ends outside Sagrada Familia, but do not take you into the church. So you may pre-purchase online two timed admissions to Sagrada Familia, and visit inside the church after the tour ends.

You will have plus/minus 30-min's window to enter the church from the time printed on your ticket. But I did not have an impression that the ticket takers were looking at the timestamp on our ticket at all.

This Gaudi walking tour is free, but you still book online with Runner Bean so that they will have a head count. At the end of the tour you tip the guide.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 06:08 AM
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Venice may be one of the least toddler-friendly cities in the world. People always extol the experience of wandering around the city, but it's not a lot of fun with a 2-year-old: crowded, narrow streets; lots of up-and-down bridges with steps. Plan carefully and accordingly.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 07:01 AM
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You still haven't mentioned what time of year this trip is... Generally, the itinerary you now contemplate sounds OK, but I think you have to be prepared that any particular day (or several) can be wiped out by unforeseen circumstances with your son. Since this is your first long trip with him, you don't know how he will handle the time change, disruptions to his normal routines, new beds, new food, etc. It might take several days for his sleep cycles to adjust, and he might not enjoy this trip at all. Or he might take to it all like to a fish to water. Who knows...
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 07:58 AM
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Hi,

Thanks for the input.

I think I wil probably stay one more day at Florence and reduce Venice ��

My trip will be next week, the weather is generally 25 degC in day time and 18degC at night right?

Pls keep the ideas coming now that I hv
3 1/2 day in Milan
2 1/2 day in Venice
3 1/2 day in Florence
3 full day in Barcelona

Jean, thanks for pointing out the potential issue w my Son.. Pray hard that all will be good. Any more precautionary advise is welcome.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 08:04 AM
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You have two whole days of shopping right at the beginning of your trip. There is good shopping everywhere and prices at the outlets may not be much better than regular stores.

Are you planning to buy a lot?

I don't know what your savings would be or if the things you want are very special, but is it worth dragging a lot of stuff around for the rest of the trip?

If you are not wanting to buy a lot, take one of those days and add it to Florence for a day trip.
Lucca would be great day trip for you. It is a short trip by train. It is flat, great for walking with a little one. It has a beautiful carousel for him to ride and a wonderful toy store. It has a piazza on the oval that was once a Roman arena, so history. You can walk or bike on the walls. It has very good food. Plus, it has excellent shopping for your wife.

Florence also has some very nice shopping, beautiful women's clothing. If you are looking for leather, choose the shops carefully.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 08:13 AM
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Hi Sassafrass,

I dread shopping... But my Wife, LOL.....

When u mention Lucca, is it meant as a day trip or a night stay? How Long is the journey fm Florence city centre... Just a rough idea. Thnx

Also, what hotel is good in Florence? Seen from the hotel booking site that they are oldish, my Budget are €100 a night
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 08:59 AM
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I stayed overnight in Lucca, because I was there a couple of days, but would just do it as a day trip if I were in Florence. Train time is an hour and a half or less from Florence. Many people combine it with a stop in Pisa. That might be a bit tiring with a little one, but you could judge.

Are you taking a fold up stroller for your child? It would be handy. Child could nap in it while you walk around.

Since Florence is an old city and all the buildings in the city center are old, so are the hotels. That is often the charm of visiting Italy. Some are beautiful - and cost more, but there are many small, family run BnBs in Florence in your price range. They often are on one floor of a larger building. Sometimes there are two or three in the same building. My experience is limited to those and the ones I have stayed in were clean, but simple and old.

I recommend looking for an apartment.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 09:48 AM
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"There is good shopping everywhere and prices at the outlets may not be much better than regular stores."

Depends on what you're shopping for and where. If the OP goes to Foxtown, just over the border in Switzerland, there are definitely some great bargains on designer brands, especially at Ferragamo, Fendi, Missoni, Agnona, Tod's, Dole & Gabbano and Burberry. For example, I bought a Fiamma bag at Ferragamo that was less than half the price six months earlier at the Ferragamo flagship store in Florence. Ditto for Varina flats. I bought my husband a beautiful selleria messenger bag for 60 percent less than the Barney's price. Foxtown does not allow stores to sell seconds.

DH and I go to Milan a few times a year for long week-ends as well, we really like the city and stay in the Brera neighborhood (at the far end of the area, closer to the Moscova metro stop), which has great little streets for exploring as well as restaurants, cafes, etc that are much less touristy than the places closer to the Duomo. In December, it's great to see the holiday displays in the Golden Rectangle stores, but it's good people-watching year round.
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Old Aug 30th, 2016, 09:50 AM
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Dolce & Gabbana, of course! A few keyboard keys keep sticking with some odd results.
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