shwetacole

Hello,

I'm from India (Mumbai). We are planning a family trip to Europe in June-July. I need some help with the itinerary. There are so many places fascinating me so i'm really confused. We would like to visit London Paris Rome Switzerland Italy. A 2 weeks trip! Can yourl help me plan...which place should we visit first...and also about the accommodation (if possible). You can suggest any other place in Europe which i might have missed.


Thanks,
Shweta

anyegr

1. Fly into one place and out of another. It's called open-jaw. That avoids having to backtrack to the original place.

2. You say it's a two-week trip. Does that include travel time TO Europe? There's a lot of difference between twelve and fourteen days of actual time in Europe. If you only have twelve days I would recommend max three places.

3. Speaking of travel time: Every time you move from one place to another it will take at least half a day. Sure, the train between London and Paris only takes a few hours, but then you have to add time for packing and unpacking, checking out of one hotel and into the next etc.

4. Switzerland is a country. Not a big one, compared to India, but it's still big enough that you can't see all of it in a few days. What exactly do you want to see there? Mountains? There's a lot of beautiful nature there, if that's what you want, but it will take time to see properly.

5. Italy is also a country. Bigger than Switzerland. Lots to see. But you don't have time for all of it. Maybe a single city, like Rome.

6. Some people will say that two or three days isn't enough for a big city like Paris, London and Rome. They're right, but you obviously don't have time for more than that. Some people may tell you that you can come back another year and see the places you had to drop this time, but that's probably a bit difficult if you live in India.

7. If we don't know your interests it will be impossible to make any suggestions.

8. Do you like going to museums? Most of the museums in London have free entry. Most of the museums in Paris cost money to enter. It's been years since I was in Rome (and I skipped the museums) but I'm sure they cost money, too.

9. Any suggestions about accomodation will be impossible without knowing your budget. And if you mention a sum per night it would be a good idea to say if it's for two people or four or half a dozen. And if there are children it will make a difference if it's babies (who may need baby beds) or teenagers or somewhere in between.

dreamon

Do not underestimate how long it takes to get from one hotel to another, especially if they are some distance apart. Typically it is at least half a day and can be more. You don't want to spend too much time enroute.

I think that seeing London, Paris, Rome and Switzerland (even one place) in two weeks is not at all relaxing, especially with children.

To get a taste of Europe, I recommend one major city, one smaller city and a small/rural town. Each time you move country you need to cope with a different language, customs and practicalities.

So I would decide which of the places you mention you want to see the most and leave one or more out. For example, you could visit Paris, Strasbourg and Lucerne (or Grindelwald). Or London, Paris and somewhere more rural. Of course, you could do a city only visit of London, Paris and Rome but you would spend quite a lot of time enroute.

There is so much to see but you need to be very selective in order to have a good time.

bvlenci

I think that in two weeks, you could visit Paris, one town or city in Switzerland, and one place in Italy. I would choose a place closer to Switzerland than Rome, maybe Venice, or one of the northern lakes. These three are not very far apart, and more or less in a straight line from beginning to end. London is a large city with many things to see, and I would add some more days to your trip if you want to include London. You could perhaps include London and drop Italy, but then you'd have two large capital cities, in both of which it's difficult to see much in a few days.

You should first tell us how many nights you'll spend in Europe, and what sorts of things interest you (museums? beautiful scenery? history?shopping? European wines and cuisine?)

PalenQ

London 4 days
Eurostar Train to Paris
Paris 3 days
TGV to Switzerland - Interlaken area
Interlaken-Jungfrau Region 3 days
Train to Rome
Rome - 4 days

Fly into London out of Rome - so-called OpenJaw ticket

That is as quick as it can be done and IMO feasible if rushed a bit.

Going by train it can be done - if driving no way.

For lots of great info on European trains check out these IMO fantastic sources: www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download the latter's free and superb IMO European Planning & Rail Guide for beaucoups info on planning the rail part of the trip.

You are not doing enough train travel to look at any Eurailpass IMO. For London to Paris book at www.eurostar.com and early birds get deep discounts if you book weeks/months early - just show up and pay hundreds more for this train alone.

PalenQ

For discounted tickets Paris to Switzerland check www.voyages-sncf.com - the official French Railways site or its competitor with same fares but easy to get to work - www.capitainetrain.com. Again just show up and pay a lot lot more.

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+...=1600&bih=1075

Images of the fantastic Jungfrau Region - the essence of the Switzerland picture etched in most peoples' minds but only seen in a very few places like the Interlaken-Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen area - if you cut off Rome and just do London-Paris-Switzerland and fly back to Mumbai from there you'll have a much more relaxed trip - or cut Switzerland and from Paris take the train or fly to Rome (or take an overnight train Paris to Milan and day train to Rome).

StCirq

<<As you are going to plan a trip for 2 weeks so you have plenty of days to explore beauty of every tourist place>>

That is simply not true, and VERY typical of Indian travel agent tour packages. You have a mere two weeks, and Europe is an entire continent. You can race around it, spend a lot of money doing so, and get a mere glimpse of this and that, or you can pick maybe three places and actually get to know something about them, saving a lot of money by doing so.

dulciusexasperis

That plan is 17 days by my count PalenQ. Unless you are not allowing a day for travel between places.

I think anyegr has written a very concise,clear and intelligent response to the OP. Until the OP responds to that, I see little point in commenting any further.

PalenQ

I'm only allowing for one travel day in the long trip Switzerland to Rome - the other trains are a few hours long or less than half-a-day - that said if OP wants to even do that I'd add 2 or 3 days and make it more leisurely.