fourfortravel

The scheme has been hatched, and it sounded so easy at first. We've decided on a mother-daughter-dog road trip in Europe this summer in lieu of summer camps and lazy days at the pool. The challenge now is deciding where to go, so I'm asking for suggestions from Fodorites before we just throw a dart at the map. Here are the established travel parameters:

1. As a family we have traveled to several of Europe's major cities, but are not opposed to seeing any place again, except for the UK, where we will be over the school spring holiday; and Prague, where we just spent a week during winter break. And of course Vienna, where we live.
2. We desire not to drive more than 3-4 hours (tops) each day unless it works in the itinerary. We are driving our personal vehicle, so we will not need car leasing suggestions.
3. Would like to stay at least two nights in each place visited, mostly to ease road-weariness.
4. The trip will begin sometime after school is dismissed, mid June. We need to be back home to Vienna not later than 1 August. Whether we travel for one week or six is flexible.
5. Family-friendly, and dog-friendly non-hotel lodging suggestions would be welcome, as well. Our daughter turns 12 this summer, so we don't need very young child lodging.
6. We're aiming for a budget-friendly trip, but no campgrounds.
7. We enjoy both outdoor and cultural activities, and can manage time on a beach for a few days.

Thank you, in advance.

suze

Anyone?

Michael

http://en.gites-de-france.com/vacati...s,b-and-b.html indicates if the B&B will accept animals or not; but that is just for France.

adrienne

You have me stumped with no hotels, no campgrounds and hostels are out since I doubt any of them accept dogs. What's left in lodging? Houses probably but you want to move around and people don't normally rent houses for a couple of days.

Where to go on a budget. Since you're driving I imagine you would want some place fairly close to Vienna. I've visited eastern Poland and southern Czech Republic and have enjoyed both of these areas. They are very reasonable for food and lodging and steeped in history and lovely scenery.

Michael

<i>You have me stumped with no hotels, no campgrounds and hostels are out since I doubt any of them accept dogs.</i>

My Berliner cousin used to take his dog camping.

fourfortravel

Thank you, suze, for topping. I guess it was a good idea to repost on the Travel Tips and Ideas forum!

As for budget, I only meant that we are not looking for luxury accommodations, but we also do not want to camp--we both do enough of that with Girl Guides. Apologies for not being more clear.

Since the initial post, we've been able to start planning without having to consider the dog, but with the new constraint that we only have two or three weeks beginning in the middle of June for travel. Not traveling with the dog helps considerably, although we were able to find quite a few houses and B&B type lodgings that were short-term and dog-friendly.

So...this is our first rough draft. Comments are welcome and appreciated.

Day 1 Vienna to Ljubljana (4 hours)
Day 2 Ljubljana
Day 3 Ljubljana to Venice (3 hours)
Day 4-5 Venice
Day 6 Venice to Genoa (or near) (4 hours)
Day 7 Genoa to Marseille (or near) (4 hours)
Day 8-10 Marseille
Day 11 Marseille to Lyon (or near) (3 hours)
Day 12 Lyon
Day 13 Lyon to Interlaken (4 hours)
Day 14 Interlaken
Day 15 Interlaken to somewhere in Vorarlberg (4 hours)
Day 16 Back to Vienna

isabel

I would keep your basic itinerary but you said you could do "two or three weeks" so I'd strongly suggest you do three and add an extra day to some of your stops making them three or more nights. Even though your drives are only 3-4 hours you still have to find the hotel, parking, check-in, etc. so you are going to get at most a half day of sightseeing (or relaxing) on your arrival days and the way you have it now arrival days are every other day.

Add a day to Ljubljana and spend a half day at Lake Bled.

Keep Venice as it, it's expensive.

For Genoa I assume you mean somewhere on the coast such as Camogli or Rapallo. Add a day so you can do the CT one day and other towns on the coast another.

For the southern France portion I'd all as many other extra days as you can. If you can manage five (this would bring your total to 21 days now) then you could split it into two stays: two days near Nice for the Cote d'Azure and three near Avignon for Provence. If less than that probably somewhere near Avignon.

adrienne

<< we also do not want to camp...Apologies for not being more clear >>

You were very clear about not wanting to camp!

You are open to B&Bs? To me they fall into the same category as hotels.

I'm also assuming that you are not on a low budget since there are not low budget areas, except for perhaps Croatia.

I agree with Lake Bled which is lovely. You might want to stop in Trieste. I've not been there but photos look lovely and it's on your route so probably worth a look.

Why did you choose these locations which IMHO are not spectacular (other than Venice which is wonderful and Lyon which I have not visited). Between Genoa and Marseille you're bypassing some very beautiful small towns.

adrienne

<< I guess it was a good idea to repost on the Travel Tips and Ideas forum! >>

It would have been better to top this post sooner.

fourfortravel

Thank you for your help. Conceivably we will can be to Ljubljana by late morning, as we're early risers and will be excited to get started on the first day. Plus, we will have no jet lag. That would give us a full day plus a half for Ljubljana and Lake Bled; would this be enough to see the major sights without feeling rushed? We could then add the extra days along the way.

All of the cities are just driving targets to sketch out the route, including Venice. We're not particularly drawn to any of them; if there are more interesting cities to stay in, so much the better (for example, Camogli or Rappalo over Genoa, or swapping Avignon in for Marseille).

Assuming one day each, which destination should not make the list: Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Marseille over three days?

SloJan2

Ah, I have a ton to add. I have done this many, many times; with kids and dogs. I would suggest slowing it down and seeing lots of natural sites. Some excellent areas for you to consider: Ljubljana, Bled and Bohinj, the Logarska Dolina, head over to the coast to Piran. Take your time. Cross over into Italy and visit Verona, the Dolomiti area and work your way over the North of Italy.You could head North into Lake Como and then, into Switzerland which is very dog friendly. Keep heading west at this point and into France. Beaune is lovely. Lyon is nice (though not as dog friendly as you would like). I liked the Beaune and Dijon area more. I would head north and visit the Brittany region, work your way south and start doing the loop back, hitting Avignon etc then. I loved the Perigueux area. I would skip Marseille. This would be closer to a 4 week initinerary though.

Other areas that we have been successful at having a good time with both dogs and kids are Pau in the Pyrenees, the Rioja of northern Spain (a bit dicier with the dog but doable).

We drive across the continent from Riga or Prague to Portugal at least once/year and make it a habit to stop in new towns.

I am stuck on hold with TAP airlines due to the upcoming strike so that is why this post is sooo scattered but will think some more. I would also recommend getting a great book tape for the car. We have done Name of the Wind which was great fun and held everyone's attention (11 and 12 year olds).

SloJan2

Here is another route that I find interesting after playing around on googlemaps.com.
1) Vienna to Salzburg
2) Salzburg to Rothenburg - The Romantic Road
3) Rothenburg to Colmar (the Alsace - great for your daughter and dog)
4) Colmar to somewhere toward Brittany (I am not as familiar with this area)
5) Then, down toward the general direction of Bordeaux (Nantes? Again, not too familiar with this part of France)
6) Bordeaux, play on the beach, run the dunes etc
7) Bordeaux to Carcassone - gorgeous medieval town
8) Carcassone to Avignon
9) Avignon to around Genoa (gorgeous drive through the mountains..very Deliverance like!)
10) Genoa area to VEnice
11) Venice to Ljublana
12) Home

This is a 5 or 6 week itinerary. But wow. Most of this is 3-4 hour hops, though the NW of France I am not sure of. I would say plan the trip and work on lodging later.

adrienne

<< a full day plus a half for Ljubljana and Lake Bled >>

A half day is enough for Ljubljana and a full day for Lake Bled & area seems good.

You might approach Marseille via the Gorge du Verdon and the Route Napoleon and then return via the more southerly route. The Gorge would be a whole day of driving but there are towns where you can stop and look around and have some lunch.

I liked St-Remy, Uzes, Aix, Avignon, Ile-sur-la-Sorgue (Saturday market). If you enjoy Roman ruins then stop in Vaison-la-Romaine.

dwdvagamundo

"Assuming one day each, which destination should not make the list: Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Marseille over three days?"

I vote to drop Aix.