Gordon77x

Hi fodors mates,

Thank you for willing to click into this topic to help me to review my itinerary.

I am going to bring my family to visit a few cities in Italy and France but i haven't made the final decision on the cities to visit.

As a start, we will reach Bologna on 13/8/2013 and will leave from Paris to Dublin on 25/8/2013 but the itinerary between the two cities are still empty.

This is my rough plan:
Bologna: 3 nights (13th-15th) - trying out the local food and visit around
Verona: 3 nights (16th-18th) - a day trip to Venice and/ or another village around. (I think it might be cheaper to stay in Verona and day trip to Venice)
Milan: 3 nights (19th-21st) - shopping a day in the outlet and visit the city
Paris: 3 nights (22nd-24th) - try out the French food and visit the city

I listed those cities as i am not familiar with the locals and I thought it might be more convenient and cheaper (maybe) in overall to stay there. I wish i could visit Rome but it was way too South and i'm afraid the journey will be too tiring for my parents

I planned to travel inter-cities with trains in Italy and fly to Paris from Milan. We are planning to spend 20-30 euros per night for accommodation though some very cheap hostels are available but i hope my parents will not have to squeeze with too much people in a hostel.

Could you please advise me on whether the plan is feasible and if there is any way to cut down the budget as we are travelling in a family of 4 people.

I am very grateful for your positive feedback and advice and i wish you will have a wonderful summer too

nytraveler

OK -

I'm not getting the 20 to 30 euros per night for accommodation. Is that per person? Are you putting your parents in dorm rooms filled with partying, backpacking teens (it certainly sounds like it)?

How many of you are there? Have you looked into reserving private rooms for your group in advance (you really must reserve in advance to get decent places)> For instance - if there are 5 of you for 150 euros you might get a private hostel room.

Also staying in Verona and ay tripping to Venice (which has about 10 times as much to see/do) is a terrible idea. You will be thre when it's at its most mobbed with tourists.

Also - not sure about Milan - really a business city - and not a tourist haven.

And if you are looking to pay 30 euros per night for accommodation not sure what you will find to buy - prices in europe are generally very high.

It would help if you provided a little more info - who, how many you are. Goals of the trip, interests and if you are really trying to travel on a couchsurfing budget.

kybourbon

Rome is two hours from Bologna by fast train, but you would need to drop one of your other cities to add Rome.

>>>We are planning to spend 20-30 euros per night for accommodation<<<

Is that per person per night? If not, it's much to low for major cities.

bilboburgler

stay in padua and day trip to venice

milan, well the duomo and one station is great but 3 days... trip to Bergamo maybe, i'd move a day to paris

Gordon77x

Hi nytraveler and kybourbon,

Thank you for your response, i appreciate it a lot.

I didn't realize that Milan and Verona aren't that good a place to tour. i wonder if you could please suggest me an alternatives without being too pricey and lots of city crimes like pickpockets? (i'm very wary about it)

Yeap, i mean 20-30 euros per person per night
i didn't realize that is too low a budget for a stay in Europe as i saw these deals in Milan

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/hote...fc857729716X14

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/tren...fc857729716X16

We are a family of 2 elders of 40 years old and 2 teenagers.
I am studying in Ireland and my family are from Malaysia so i wish to give them a taste of Europe especially in Italy and France especially the food and culture. (e.g. churches in Italy?. I had also planned to bring them to Germany, UK and Ireland though all these places are too few to represent the whole Europe.

i was also hoping to bring them to visit an outlet. (maybe Bicester village in London or outlet in France will be better?)

Thanks lot =)

mamcalice

Elders? 40 years old? They are in the prime of life! I think you are underestimating their stamina. I would spend a few days in Rome and a few in Paris before returning to Ireland. As long as they are making the effort to come all the way from Malaysia, show them the best.

StuDudley

We just returned from Italy - visiting Milan 2 nights, Verona 3 nights (with a day trip to Mantova), & Bologna. Plus Tuscany for 2 weeks. We've spent perhaps 4 months in Paris, 3 weeks in Rome, and 1 1/2 weeks in Venice.

If I had to rate these cities based on what I like to do & see (architecture, culture, food, history - not outlets or chain stores) here is what it would be:
- Paris A+
- Venice A (although, I'm not sure I would want to be there in August with all the crowds)
- Rome A- (but I would definitely not want to be there in August because of the heat)
- Verona B
- Bologna B- if you don't like architecture and arcades, I would give it a C+. It can seem like a somber city to some people. I didn't like the food - but you might.
- Milan C+ Cathedral & galleria are great - but that's about all - unless you like to shop & shop & shop.

If this was my trip, I would try to mix a little countryside into the itinerary and only visit 2 large cities. I would also not spend so much time on a train or plane. I would perhaps do this:

- Rome 4 nights
- Train (hourly departures) to Orvieto, visit Orvieto, then rent a car & spend 4 nights in Tuscany - perhaps Montepulciano, Pienza, San Quirico, or Montalcino. Explore the perched villages & wonderful countryside by car. Day trip to Siena (not on a Sun or Mon) 4 nights.
- Return car & train from Orvieto to Venice. 4 nights.

Save Paris for another trip - when you have more time.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

You could spend 1 less night in Venice & add a night in Orvieto to make the train access easier. I would rate Orvieto slightly higher than Verona. You could also swap Siena for Orvieto. I would give Siena an A-.

Stu Dudley

nytraveler

Sorry I cannot help with hotels - since I don;t know Milan well and this is not our price point. Have you looked them up on tripadvisor.com to see how they are rated?

In any case - I don't think it makes sense to go to Milan just because you found a cheap hotel there.

What do you want to see and do there?

Also I doubt you will find similar "bargains" in other places - we typically pay 10 times that for moderate hotels in central locations. Luxury hotels are 500 euros and up per night.

kybourbon

I wasn't paying attention to your dates. Yes, you can get some decent prices in the major cities in Italy in August as that is when everyone tries to escape the heat of the city for vacations. One of those hotels wasn't close to anything. A budget of 80-120€ is still low for major cities in Europe. Whatever you book, you will need AC at that time of year.

If you haven't booked flights yet, I would fly to Rome and start there. As for Tuscany, I'm not you would be able to rent a car (you said you were in your teens) and your parents might not want to drive.

kawh

if you do go to milan, we stayed at the hotel rio last spring and it was inexpensive and in a perfect location within 3 minuts walk of the things you said you want to do there... shop and duomo. the rooms are , very basic-- but there is an elevator, breakfast was decent, and it is in the best location ever.

i agree with above-- i would try to mix in at least one country location. or maybe the lake como region (bellagio area) where you can take beautiful walks.
have fun!

Gordon77x

Hi bilboburgler, mamcalice, StuDudley, nytraveler, kybourbon, kawh,

Thank you for your feedback especially regarding Milan.

This is a new rough guide and i wonder if it might be too much of moving from places to places.
Bologna (13th-15th) 2 nights
Florence (15th-18th) 3 nights
Siena (18th-20th) 2 nights
Venice (20th-22nd) 2 nights
Paris (22nd-25th) 4 nights

I had booked my ticket to depart from Paris to Dublin as the initial plan is different from the current plan and i had booked the tickets earlier.

I think will not rent a car as i am not familiar with the transport system in Europe and i might get lost instead.

I am also wondering if i should spend the 5 days 4 nights in Paris just in the city or should i go outskirt for a day trip.

I had also checked again with the accommodation and we will probably go for a budget hotel with sensible positive reviews.

At the moment, i'm pretty worried about the street crime and language barrier, do you think i could use only English in these few places?

Thanks for being so helpful!

StuDudley

I would drop Bologna & add the nights to Venice & Paris. Bologna will seem quite dull compared to the others on your list.

You don't want to be in Siena on a Sunday or a Monday morning when most of the shops will be closed. OK to be in Florence, Venice, or Paris on a Sunday or Monday.

Florence 13th-16th 3 nights.
Siena 16th-18th 2 nights
Venice 18th-21st 3 nights
Paris 21st-25th 5 nights

Stu Dudley

frenchfrenchie

What a funny idea to give European cities school grades! "A minus" C plus. Did Mantova not pass the "test"? How sad.

Gordon,

Bologna is very close to Florence, so if you are arriving in Bologna, you can go right to Florence very easily on the train right away. If you stay in Florence renting an apartment, it will be very much cheaper than going to all these hotels. You can visit Siena one day from Flroence by taking a cheap bus. If you very much want to see Bologna, stop there for lunch on your way to Venice by train. You put all your luggage in the train station. (Bologna is more expensive than Florence as a place to stay).

A good trip in August would be fly to go to an apartment in Florence for 4 nights. Go to Siena on the bus one day. On your way to Venice, stop in Bologna for lunch and looking around. Stay in Venice for 3 nights in an apartment. Take the train or plane to Paris and stay in an apartment there.

It is okay to speak English in all these places but if your family looks Asian, you shouldn't carry around valuable things on the street. If you go shopping, bring your own bags to put things in. Don't walk around carrying bags with the names of expensive stores on them. If you don't carry around expensive things, you can be less worried about theft.

StuDudley

>>What a funny idea to give European cities school grades! "A minus" C plus. Did Mantova not pass the "test"? How sad.<<

I'll pass your opinion on to the people who put together the Michelin Green Guides. They "grade" sites also - and I find their grades to be extremely useful when I put together an itinerary for visiting a region.

Stu Dudley

Jean

Many travel guides rate destinations and sights within these destinations. Even our dear Fodors. This is not just a Michelin thing.

kawh

i'm a bologna fan, so wouldn't want to just do lunch there.. it's a university town and love the architecture... but i know choices make it tough. would recommend you take the very convenient sleeper train venice to paris to save time-- perhaps you were planning that anyway... but that would definitely put you in venice as the last stop before paris.

Gordon77x

Hi guys,

You all are so helpful and i am very thankful for your feedback.

I had re-scheduled again but i need help for the transport.

Bologna - 1st night (13th)
Florence - 4 nights (14-18) with day trip to Siena
Venice - 2 nights (18-20) then overnight train to Paris
Paris - 4 nights (21st-25th)

Transportation:
Bologna -> Florence (train?)
Florence -> Siena (bus?)
Florence -> Venice (train - trenitalia 16 euros)
Venice -> Paris (overnight train - raileurope.com)

I am planning to stay in either an apartment at via pratese or via pisana (slightly more expensive)
However, I am wondering if via pratese which is near to an airport will be a bad stay

Thanks

Gordon77x

May i also ask if i should spend the whole 3 days 2 nights in Venice or is there any point i should visit anywhere outside Venice island? Is there anything in particular i should not miss?
Thanks

kybourbon

>>>Venice - 2 nights (18-20) then overnight train to Paris <<<

There was a poor review of the Thello overnight train last week. You can read about seafox's bad experience on this thread.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

If you still want to take it, you need to book on Thello or Trenitalia. Raileurope is a reseller. If not, Easy Jet flies Venice/Paris Orly (Orly is closer to the center than the other airports).

>>>Bologna -> Florence (train?)<<<

Yes, you would take the train - Trenitalia.

Although if you didn't want to stay a night in Bologna, I believe there is a bus from the Bologna airport to the Florence airport (Florence airport has a shuttle for a few euro as the airport is not far from the center).

>>>Florence -> Siena (bus?)<<<

Yes, bus.