My wife and I + 2 kids (12 and 7) are planning out first Europe trip in August 2013 and would like some guidance. We want to see Rome, Venice, Paris and Switzerland.
I had Milan and Pisa on my list and dropped it after reading some post. Swiss has been a last minute add so I apologize for my lack of knowledge. Also in Paris we will not be visiting Disneyland.
Here is my tentative itennary
Friday, August 09, 2013 Travel from US
Saturday, August 10, 2013 Arrive in Rome, check-in and half day sight-seeing
Sunday, August 11, 2013 Rome
Monday, August 12, 2013 Rome
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 Travel to Florence - sight-seeing in Florence
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Florence sight-seeing , travel to Venice
Thursday, August 15, 2013 Venice
Friday, August 16, 2013 Venice
Saturday, August 17, 2013 Travel to Switerzerland - Interlaken ??
Sunday, August 18, 2013 Interlaken
Monday, August 19, 2013 Some place in SWI - TBD
Tuesday, August 20, 2013 Some place in SWI - TBD
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Some place in SWI - TBD
Thursday, August 22, 2013 Travel to Paris
Friday, August 23, 2013 Paris
Saturday, August 24, 2013 Paris
Sunday, August 25, 2013 Paris
Monday, August 26, 2013 Paris - Fly Back to US
Let me know if this makes sense. Thanks in advance.
Summer trip to Italy, Switzerland and Paris
Recent Activity
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- 1 1st, 6th or 7th in Paris
- 2 Savona - San Remo - where to spend the night?
- 3 portugal
- 4 12 days, 3 couples, one week in London Sept 2013
- 5 Cell Phone for Italy travel
- 6 I Need To Vent!
- 7 Italy-Locarno or Stresa
- 8 6.5 hour layover in Lisbon, Portugal
- 9
TR Provence, Israel, Switzerland, Italy..April 16 a day of AA infamy
- 10 Zurich to Montreux to Paris round trip - drive or train??
- 11 Venice experts--the apartment in Castello or the one in Canareggio
- 12 2 weeks in Copenhagen-Helsinki-Stockholm
- 13
A bit of Scotland, wing mirror casualty, 7 days in London, and a Fodors GTG
- 14 A chacun son goût
- 15 Brive - drop off point for Avis
- 16 Am I in an unsafe Parisian neighborhood?
- 17 Has anyone rented an apartment in Venice for 2-4 weeks?
- 18 Seville Cordoba and Grananda
- 19 Good Base for Costa Brava Spain
- 20 Help with itenerary
- 21 Train from Civitavecchia port to Rome
- 22 Swiss visit - Mürren for Berner Oberland and Chur? Sargans? for Engadin hub
- 23 Brown Bear sites Slovenia
- 24 train from Krakow, Poland to Venice, Italy
- 25 Venice Hotel near Cruise Terminal
I think it sounds fine. I would probably spend your time in Switzerland in only one place, choosing somewhere in the mountains. Distances are relatively small and transport is absolutely brilliant. And any journey in Switzerland is going to give you great scenery out the window. The journey from Venice can be around 7 hours or more, depending upon where you're heading. Check sbb.ch/en for train timetables. Our kids were 12 and 9 when we visited Switzerland and they loved it.
The rest sounds fine, although I'm not keen on one night stops which you've got in Florence. If you're not desperate to see Florence, then I'd consider skipping it and break the journey between Venice and Switzerland (perhaps near one of the Italian lakes). If you want a flying visit to Florence (I can hear the howls of outrage) there is a left-luggage service at Florence train station so you could spend half a day there before catching a late train to Venice.
You'll see some wonderful places!
What kinds of things do you hope to see and experience while on this trip? Knowing that would help us comment on your plans.