Rozza

Hi guys

I'm having a 40 days trip to Europe from 10-8 to 20-9 and I'm starting to plan it

so the first step is to decide which cities um going to visit and I have some options in mind and want your opinion about them

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Option #1: going to all the cities I wished to see (major ones) in a range of 3:6 days each

Example (Venice>Rome>Barca>Madrid>Paris>Amsterdam>Berlin>P rague>Vienna>Budapest)

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Option #2: spending more time in few countries to really see them all and to skip three or four major ones in the end

Example (Venice>Milan>Florence>Rome>Marseille>Barca>Madrid >Lyon>Paris >..)

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option #3: to mix both options, like going big for one country and major in the rest and skip two or three in the end !

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And if I am to skip cities so I would plan another trip in 3 of 4 years, but um afraid at the same time that this chance wouldn't happen again !

Bellarosa70032

What time of the year are you going? That may play a part in deciding where you go.

Gretchen

August to September.
What kind of budget to support your trip.

Gretchen

And if it is this year, better get cracking.

mamcalice

Yes. If it is this year, you have to pin the trip down and make reservations. It is already late to do this as August and September are very busy months. If this is your first trip, Option 2 makes sense, depending on your interests. I might be tempted to skip Marseille and Lyon and choose a couple of more rural stops - maybe in Tuscany or Provence.

Rozza

This year from 10th AUG to 20th SEP a budget of maybe 3,000 Euro

janisj

You want to tour Europe for 40+ days . . . for €3,000? That is impossible.

Rozza

backpacking, hostels, some of the cities with friends with a couch to sleep on, 30% transportation discounts for being a student and a rail pass.
I think I can pull it through

adrienne

You'll have about E75 per day which means that you must couch surf and limit the number of cities you visit as transportation and food will use up your daily budget, not including airfare.

Barcelona sightseeing is expensive for the major sights so I would eliminate this city immediately.

Visit Rome, Florence, Venice, Berlin, Prague, and Budapest. That will give you about 6 days in each city with less moving around thus easier to find couch surfing accommodations.

IMDonehere

Do the old flip the coin in the air. Heads is one place, tails is another. When the coin is in the air, which city do want to win. That is the one you go to. Have a round robin and see where it takes you.

3,000 euros for 40 days will be tough.

Rozza

I have a couch in (Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Vienna) and it can get more idk yet

janisj

Does that €3000 include your airfare and inter-city transport?

If so -- even couch surfing would be next to impossible.

Rozza

okay it seems like every body agrees that 3000 are too little so i might put one more 1000 to make them 4000€ and i already bought the ticket.

Rozza

the idea isn't about the money, If I am there and needed more money I would get more from other savings, I'm focusing on having the best of the trip even if it means putting more money from other savings into the budget.
the idea is which plan to follow to have the best experience !!!!!!!

chris45ny

What are your interests? Shopping, foodie, sightseeing, the beach. Lively or laid back? Your answers could help you decide where to go.

If you have a couch in Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Vienna-definitely go to all or some of these.

I would lean towards Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome but that's because it's a trip I'm planning for next August-Oct.!! My interests are all the churches and museums I'll be visiting.

The best plan it seems would be to decide which cities you must see this trip. Then figure out the sequence thinking about what makes the most sense. Example-I'm flying from Paris to Venice, then taking the fast train from Venice to Florence, another fast train from Florence to Rome. We will fly back to the US from Rome. You don't want to do backtracking and you want to make the most of the time you have.

Where are you coming from? Will you fly in and out of the same city?

You don't have a lot of time but where there's a will, there's a way! Good luck. And have a great trip!

Rozza

@chris45ny
Well I'm very pragmatic and ready to try or see anything new to me but of course churches and museums are a great interest to me
From Egypt
Fly in through Rome
After the 40 days trip I have an exchange program in Poland for another 40
Maybe you could share your plan with me, I could use some tips from it

chris45ny

Rozza-

We will fly from the US on an open jaw ticket. Fly into London for 1 week. Across the channel to Paris for 2 weeks, fly to Venice for 1 week, train to Florence for 1 week, and train to Rome for 2 weeks. Fly home to US from Rome. My trip doesn't start until mid August 2015 so I'm just starting to plan. Search out some trip reports. I know Kathie just did a report from her 10 days in Paris. I like to read the trip reports of others and then use some of that info to help plan my trip. I've also looked through a few guide books. But my interests are churches and museums on this trip. Not into a lot of shopping. Your interests may be totally different. You are a student so I'm assuming much younger than me. I'm a retired teacher/social worker. If I was traveling to these places and I was in my 20s or 30s museums and churches might not even have been on my list!!

We spent a month in Egypt in early 2011. Loved it!!

Here's my tentative list of things I'd like to see/do on my trip. I won't include London as it's not one of the cities you mentioned.

Paris-2 weeks. Heavy on museums and churches. Also my favorite painter-Monet.
Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, Louvre, Orangerie Museum, Orsay Museum, Eiffel Tower, Rodin Museum, Marmottan Museum, Luxenbourg Garden, Pantheon, Seine River-maybe a cruise, Champs-Elysees walking, Arc de Triomphe-rooftop, Pompidou Center, Sacre Coeur-dome, day trips to Versailles and Giverny and Chartres. Just sitting at a cafe to people watch. Shopping in the markets as we will have an apt. for the 2 weeks. Just walking around with no purpose at times.

Veniice-1 week
St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, Campanile, Bridge of Sighs, Doge's Palace, Correr Museum, Rialto Bridge, Frari Church, Sculo San Rocco, Academia, Peggy Guggenheim, San Giorgio Maggiore, riding on vaporettos/traghetto, maybe gondola ride-cheesy but what the heck, day trip to island of Murano. Stopping at a cafe to people watch, soak in the atmosphere. Walking, getting lost.

Florence-1 week
Accademia, Medici Chapels, Duomo Museum, Duomo-dome climb, Baptistery, Bargello, Casa di Dante, Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce Church, Pitti Palace, Ponte Vecchio Bridge, Santa Maria Novella.

Rome-2 weeks
2 days for ancient Rome-Colosseum, Capitoline Hill & Museums, etc.
1 day for Vatican, Castel Sant' Angelo
San Giovanni in Laterano, Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Spanish Steps, Santa Maria del Popolo, Villa Borghese, Borghese Gallery, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, National Museum, Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. Will have an apt. here so will do some shopping in the markets-mainly for breakfast items.

Rozza

@chris45ny
You might be surprised if you get to know me, If your plan means being old, then I must be 60s as well, Um planning to go to Switzerland to chill out in the alps for a week in the middle (a vacation from my vacation)
And thanks for showing your plan that will be very useful for me.

ashwinb

I spent about a 100 Euros a day,on an average. This includes transport(I booked cheap tickets, and none were long distance ones, some were even by buses), ate at pretty good places at times(some meals cost me as much as 15 Euro at times,but most were around 8-10,no alcohol,only tap water), took plenty of cable cars up mountains, visited as many museums and palaces and attractions I could..so 80 Euro a day should be doable,especially with a student card,ofcourse you'll have to make many adjustments.

nytraveler

I would very strongly reconsider Switz - which is often shockingly expensive (McDonalds meal at $20 versus $8 in the US). If you want to relax in the alps do Germany or Austria instead and save a lot of money.