Quick 10 day Europe trip
May 23rd, 2017, 06:54 AM
#1
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Quick 10 day Europe trip
I'm from Australia and am in the UK for 3 months. My partner is coming over for 3 weeks, but as this is a work trip for me, I have approximately 10 days to travel to Europe and see some sights that I haven't ever seen before.
My partner surprised me by booking a weekend Late July in Paris. We arrive Friday afternoon, and my main two things I want to do is Moulin Rouge and the Eiffel Tower. We leave Sunday or Monday - yet to be determined.
My two main lusts for Europe are the Swiss Alps and Pompeii. I have always have wanted to see these two places.
So, leaving Sun or Mon - we are planning to drive to Lucerne, Switzerland. I want to try spend a day or 2 here. Following this, we need to get to Naples and apart from Pompeii, there is a volcano we want to see. My partner suggests we also stop a night in Rome, on our way to Naples.
I need to fly back to the UK (Leeds) on the Sunday (or Monday if I am lucky enough)...
I guess my question to the forum is - how possible is this trip to Lucerne and Naples in 1 week from Paris? And, if we drive, what are some good stop-overs/nice views to aim to stop and enjoy a cuppa & biscuits?
Any help is greatly appreciated. We are not sure when funds and time to come back to Europe will next be available. My partner himself is quite well travelled over here, so we are also trying to do some things he hasn't done before, but mainly do things I want to do.
My partner surprised me by booking a weekend Late July in Paris. We arrive Friday afternoon, and my main two things I want to do is Moulin Rouge and the Eiffel Tower. We leave Sunday or Monday - yet to be determined.
My two main lusts for Europe are the Swiss Alps and Pompeii. I have always have wanted to see these two places.
So, leaving Sun or Mon - we are planning to drive to Lucerne, Switzerland. I want to try spend a day or 2 here. Following this, we need to get to Naples and apart from Pompeii, there is a volcano we want to see. My partner suggests we also stop a night in Rome, on our way to Naples.
I need to fly back to the UK (Leeds) on the Sunday (or Monday if I am lucky enough)...
I guess my question to the forum is - how possible is this trip to Lucerne and Naples in 1 week from Paris? And, if we drive, what are some good stop-overs/nice views to aim to stop and enjoy a cuppa & biscuits?
Any help is greatly appreciated. We are not sure when funds and time to come back to Europe will next be available. My partner himself is quite well travelled over here, so we are also trying to do some things he hasn't done before, but mainly do things I want to do.
May 23rd, 2017, 06:59 AM
#2
Hi fellow Leeds inhabitant.
First using a car is dumb, the drop off fees in a different country will kill you. I would look at catching the train, take a picnic and watch the landscape go by. If you do decide to drive get rid of the car at the border, Basel might be good place and then use train in Switzerland. Also Zurich to Rome plane might be a good deal too.
seat61.com will give you all the overview you need on trains, skyscanner gives you a lot on flights.
First using a car is dumb, the drop off fees in a different country will kill you. I would look at catching the train, take a picnic and watch the landscape go by. If you do decide to drive get rid of the car at the border, Basel might be good place and then use train in Switzerland. Also Zurich to Rome plane might be a good deal too.
seat61.com will give you all the overview you need on trains, skyscanner gives you a lot on flights.
May 23rd, 2017, 07:15 AM
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Agree with Bilbo that you don't have time to drive the whole way, and the drop-off fees would be huge.
From Paris, I'd fly to Napoli and tour Pompeii, then train to Rome, then PROBABLY rent a car and drive to the Swiss Alps. The drive isn't all that terrible (Rome2Rio says 8 hours, so let's say twelve). Return the car to Milano to avoid the drop fee, then fly back to the UK.
Reason for getting a car is so that you can drive around in the Alps and see more.
From Paris, I'd fly to Napoli and tour Pompeii, then train to Rome, then PROBABLY rent a car and drive to the Swiss Alps. The drive isn't all that terrible (Rome2Rio says 8 hours, so let's say twelve). Return the car to Milano to avoid the drop fee, then fly back to the UK.
Reason for getting a car is so that you can drive around in the Alps and see more.
May 23rd, 2017, 07:21 AM
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Your plan makes no sense to me for several reasons.
First, it sounds like you are thinking of renting a car? Yes/no? If so, there is likely to be a very hefty 'drop-off fee' when you leave the car in Naples.
Second, a car provides flexibility but you have to have the time available to make use of that flexibility. You do not have that time. So given those two reasons, it makes more sense to use trains to get from A to B as quickly as possible.
Third, a day or two (how many nights is that) in Lucerne is hardly going to let you say, 'I've been to the Swiss Alps.' All that will let you do is 'list tick'.
Most people on their first visit to the Swiss Alps tend to head for the Bernese Oberland to see those picture postcard views of the mountains. Most people I think would also agree that you need to spend more than just 1 or 2 NIGHTS in a place to get any feel for it at all. I consider 2 weeks as a reasonable minimum for a first visit to Switzerland.
You could take a train from there and get to Rome in a day and spend the night. When would you spent any time IN Rome though if you did that? You have to count travel time separately, you can't count a day twice in other words. If you are enroute to Rome you are not IN Rome for that day. If you stay a night, it is only the following day that you can be IN a place and then only if you stay a second night there as well. See what I'm saying?
Leaving Rome and going to Naples is fine, easy to do. But again, you will not spend that full day in Naples, only part of it. Do you actually think that half a day in Naples will be enough time to go out and visit Pompeii and the volcano you are interested in? Are you just going to again 'list tick'? I consider Pompeii as needing at least half a day just to walk around it.
If I wanted to visit Pompeii and a volcano (I'd also expect to include Herculaneum), I would expect to leave Rome in the morning, check in to a hotel in Naples in the afternoon and stroll around Naples for a few hours. The next day I would plan to visit Pompeii and return to Naples. The next day perhaps the volcano and Herculaneum depending on location and again return to Naples for the 3rd night. That covers 3 full days and then departure on the 4th day for home. How does that fit into your one week?
Even with Paris if you arrive Friday afternoon and leave Sunday morning, you are allowing only 1.5 days for Paris. Really, that's as long as you think it will hold your interest?
People make two common mistakes when travelling. They pack too much stuff and try to cover too much in too little time. How's your packing list?
First, it sounds like you are thinking of renting a car? Yes/no? If so, there is likely to be a very hefty 'drop-off fee' when you leave the car in Naples.
Second, a car provides flexibility but you have to have the time available to make use of that flexibility. You do not have that time. So given those two reasons, it makes more sense to use trains to get from A to B as quickly as possible.
Third, a day or two (how many nights is that) in Lucerne is hardly going to let you say, 'I've been to the Swiss Alps.' All that will let you do is 'list tick'.
Most people on their first visit to the Swiss Alps tend to head for the Bernese Oberland to see those picture postcard views of the mountains. Most people I think would also agree that you need to spend more than just 1 or 2 NIGHTS in a place to get any feel for it at all. I consider 2 weeks as a reasonable minimum for a first visit to Switzerland.
You could take a train from there and get to Rome in a day and spend the night. When would you spent any time IN Rome though if you did that? You have to count travel time separately, you can't count a day twice in other words. If you are enroute to Rome you are not IN Rome for that day. If you stay a night, it is only the following day that you can be IN a place and then only if you stay a second night there as well. See what I'm saying?
Leaving Rome and going to Naples is fine, easy to do. But again, you will not spend that full day in Naples, only part of it. Do you actually think that half a day in Naples will be enough time to go out and visit Pompeii and the volcano you are interested in? Are you just going to again 'list tick'? I consider Pompeii as needing at least half a day just to walk around it.
If I wanted to visit Pompeii and a volcano (I'd also expect to include Herculaneum), I would expect to leave Rome in the morning, check in to a hotel in Naples in the afternoon and stroll around Naples for a few hours. The next day I would plan to visit Pompeii and return to Naples. The next day perhaps the volcano and Herculaneum depending on location and again return to Naples for the 3rd night. That covers 3 full days and then departure on the 4th day for home. How does that fit into your one week?
Even with Paris if you arrive Friday afternoon and leave Sunday morning, you are allowing only 1.5 days for Paris. Really, that's as long as you think it will hold your interest?
People make two common mistakes when travelling. They pack too much stuff and try to cover too much in too little time. How's your packing list?
May 23rd, 2017, 07:35 AM
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A word on, "We are not sure when funds and time to come back to Europe will next be available."
People often use a 'reason' of this kind as somehow justifying what they plan. It does not.
You cannot fit a quart into a pint pot as the saying goes. Wanting to cover several places does not mean you have enough time to cover those places. Any attempt to then cover them in less than ENOUGH time, simply results in covering NONE of them at all, you just 'list tick'.
People often use a 'reason' of this kind as somehow justifying what they plan. It does not.
You cannot fit a quart into a pint pot as the saying goes. Wanting to cover several places does not mean you have enough time to cover those places. Any attempt to then cover them in less than ENOUGH time, simply results in covering NONE of them at all, you just 'list tick'.
May 23rd, 2017, 07:58 AM
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I guess my question to the forum is - how possible is this trip to Lucerne and Naples in 1 week from Paris?>
not by car -trains and planes maybe. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
Planes www.skyscanner.com.
Lucerne but no real aweing Alps there - head instead to the Interlaken area and the Jungfrau region - and train from Paris - quicker than driving as trains go up to nearly 200 mph much of the way.
not by car -trains and planes maybe. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
Planes www.skyscanner.com.
Lucerne but no real aweing Alps there - head instead to the Interlaken area and the Jungfrau region - and train from Paris - quicker than driving as trains go up to nearly 200 mph much of the way.
May 23rd, 2017, 08:04 AM
#7
I agree with no cars.
Your itinerary is very rushed but with you want to see these places:
Sunday: fly Paris-Naples one way (try skyscanner.com). I would train/ferry to Sorrento because I like smaller cities. Night in Naples/Sorrento
Monday: night in Naples/Sorrento
Tuesday: train to Rome. Night in Rome
Wednesday: night in Rome.
Thursday: LONG DAY OF TRAVEL. Fly to Zurich from Rome. Train to Mürren/Wengen. I agree with the previous mention that when one thinks of Switzerland, the Bernese Oberland area is what comes to mind. I would 100% just skip Lucerne and go to Mürren. Night in Mürren.
Firday: Night in Mürren
Saturday: Night in Mürren
Sunday: Night in Mürren
Monday: LONG DAY of traveling back to UK (train from Bernese Oberland area to Zurich or Geneva, then fly to the UK.
Your itinerary is very rushed but with you want to see these places:
Sunday: fly Paris-Naples one way (try skyscanner.com). I would train/ferry to Sorrento because I like smaller cities. Night in Naples/Sorrento
Monday: night in Naples/Sorrento
Tuesday: train to Rome. Night in Rome
Wednesday: night in Rome.
Thursday: LONG DAY OF TRAVEL. Fly to Zurich from Rome. Train to Mürren/Wengen. I agree with the previous mention that when one thinks of Switzerland, the Bernese Oberland area is what comes to mind. I would 100% just skip Lucerne and go to Mürren. Night in Mürren.
Firday: Night in Mürren
Saturday: Night in Mürren
Sunday: Night in Mürren
Monday: LONG DAY of traveling back to UK (train from Bernese Oberland area to Zurich or Geneva, then fly to the UK.
May 23rd, 2017, 08:30 AM
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Lucerne can be easily reached from Paris by train. You have to change trains at least once, but it's an easy change. You'll see some nice scenery on the way. I suggest you spend three nights there.
Then, you can also take a train to Milan from Lucerne, again with one change of train, and with some lovely scenery. From Milan, you could take a train straight to Naples, or you could stop for a night or two in Rome. If you stay in Rome for just one night, you should plan just to take a whirlwind walking tour of the city, leaving your bags at your hotel, or at the train station, before departing on a late afternoon train to Naples. Coming from Lucerne, you'll arrive in Rome too late to see much, except maybe some fountains by night.
Spend the rest of your time in Naples, before flying back to London. You would need at least two nights there to have a decent visit at Pompeii. I suggest you also stop to see Herculaneum, which is between Pompeii and Naples, on the same train line. It's not difficult to see both in one day.
If you're interested in ancient Rome, the ancient port city of Ostia is on the outskirts of Rome, and well worth a visit. The site is as large as Pompeii, and it's pleasantly uncrowded, unlike Pompeii, and has a lot more shade.
http://ostia-antica.org/
Trains are usually much faster than cars at getting from one place to another. For example, from Lucerne to Naples would take 8 hours by train, with changes in Arth-Goldau and in Milan. (Stopping in Rome would cut that to less than 7 hours.) It would take more than 10 hours to drive from Milan to Naples, if you were lucky and didn't hit heavy traffic. There are also flights from Zurich to Naples, but you'd miss the scenery on the Swiss portion of the trip.
Then, you can also take a train to Milan from Lucerne, again with one change of train, and with some lovely scenery. From Milan, you could take a train straight to Naples, or you could stop for a night or two in Rome. If you stay in Rome for just one night, you should plan just to take a whirlwind walking tour of the city, leaving your bags at your hotel, or at the train station, before departing on a late afternoon train to Naples. Coming from Lucerne, you'll arrive in Rome too late to see much, except maybe some fountains by night.
Spend the rest of your time in Naples, before flying back to London. You would need at least two nights there to have a decent visit at Pompeii. I suggest you also stop to see Herculaneum, which is between Pompeii and Naples, on the same train line. It's not difficult to see both in one day.
If you're interested in ancient Rome, the ancient port city of Ostia is on the outskirts of Rome, and well worth a visit. The site is as large as Pompeii, and it's pleasantly uncrowded, unlike Pompeii, and has a lot more shade.
http://ostia-antica.org/
Trains are usually much faster than cars at getting from one place to another. For example, from Lucerne to Naples would take 8 hours by train, with changes in Arth-Goldau and in Milan. (Stopping in Rome would cut that to less than 7 hours.) It would take more than 10 hours to drive from Milan to Naples, if you were lucky and didn't hit heavy traffic. There are also flights from Zurich to Naples, but you'd miss the scenery on the Swiss portion of the trip.
May 23rd, 2017, 08:32 AM
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" how possible is this trip to Lucerne and Naples in 1 week from Paris?"
Paris - Lucerne: spend the whole day at Paris, leave Paris at 18.24 by TGV to Olten ar 22.17, change to Lucerne bound train leaving Olten from the same platform (track 12) at 22.30 and arrive at Lucerne at 23.05.
Lucerne - Rome: Lucerne dp 16.18 - Milan 19.45/20.20 - Rome ar 23.40
Paris - Lucerne: spend the whole day at Paris, leave Paris at 18.24 by TGV to Olten ar 22.17, change to Lucerne bound train leaving Olten from the same platform (track 12) at 22.30 and arrive at Lucerne at 23.05.
Lucerne - Rome: Lucerne dp 16.18 - Milan 19.45/20.20 - Rome ar 23.40
May 23rd, 2017, 09:12 AM
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The suggestion to "stop a night in Rome" is terrible. Either stop long enough to see Rome, or skip it altogether and fly to someplace you are actually interested in.
In Paris, do you not even want to see Notre Dame or walk along one of the parks, or the river? Not even one museum? Just a fly-by?
Your trip may not be as satisfying as you hope if you experience nothing.
In Paris, do you not even want to see Notre Dame or walk along one of the parks, or the river? Not even one museum? Just a fly-by?
Your trip may not be as satisfying as you hope if you experience nothing.
