15 day Europe tour starting from Brussel
 

Hey Folks,

This is my 1st ever tour outside India and absolutely no clue on what-n-how to plan; so please share your thoughts and inputs.

I am starting in April 2nd week from Brussel and I have a return flight from Brussel itself. I have total 15 days.

Just by looking at the map I jotted down following,
Belgium(Brussel, etc) to Luxemburg City to France (Paris, etc) - Switzerland - Germany(Munic, Frankfurt) and back to Brussle.

Can you folks please share if this too much to cover or any new addition possible here?
Also, if anyone has travelled this route - please share your detailed Itinerary.

1. What cities to cover
2. How much time for each courtry/city

I know I am asking too many questions :-)

Thanks,
Akash.

How do you panto get around? Train? Fly? Car? Bus? Bike?

Given your limited time, I would skip Frankfurt and use it as an extra day in Munich or seeing Nuremberg.

Speaking of limited time, I think you're trying to see too much in too few days:

Brussels - 2.5 days
Travel to Luxemburg City and seeing Luxemburg City - 1.5 days.
Travel to Paris and see Paris - 3.5 days (a very rushed 3.5 days)
Travel to and see "Switzerland" (Zurich and Basel?) - 3.5 days
Travel to and seeing Munich - 2.5 days
Travel to Brussels and leave next day - 1.5 days

There are your 15 days. I allowed a half day for travel in between point which if timed right can give you more time to see stuff.

As you can see, it's not a lot of time. You could skip a city in Switzerland move that day to another city already on your list (perhaps add it to Brussels and use it as a day trip to Antwerp or Leige)

Others will chime in with better suggested itineraries.

It would also be extremely helpful if you provided the following information:

1. Budget?

2. Number of people?

3. Mode of transport while in Europe?

4. Interests? Things you definitely want to see? Things you don't care if you miss?

5. Do you speak French, German, or Dutch?

6. Do you like beer? (useful for Belgium and Germany)?

7. Arrival time on Day 1 and departure time on Day 15?

8. Lodging preference?

I know you are coming a long distance - butyou really are rushing around. It woud have been helpful if you had open-jaws flights - into one city and return home from the last you visit - versus having to return to Brussels.

I would simplfy by bagging Lyxembourg (quaint but not "A" list and heading from Brussels straight to Paris. Then head to one place in Switzerland - preferbly in the mountains (although you will be there eaarly in the year with a lot of snow still on the upper slopes - would stay in Interlaken or elsewhere in the Berner Oberland), then to Munich and back to brussels.

This is still an aggressive itinerary - but somewhat more doable. Be prepared for Switz to be VERY expenive.

<i>Be prepared for Switz to be VERY expenive.</i>

YES

NO, Switzerland is NOT that expensive relative to the rest of Europe. More expensive than some yes but not VERY much more. It really annoys me when people keep insisting that is the case.

The UK cost more for a tourist and so do the Scandinavian countries. So why single out Switzerland for these type of comments? I never say anyone posting 'and be prepared for the UK to be VERY expensive', when it is included in an itinerary.

You guys need to take a step back and ask yourself where you are coming from with that idea.

Here is a perfectly nice hotel I can suggest with double rooms including breakfast from 81CHF per person per night. It is far better than staying in Interlaken which no one who knows Switzerland would suggest anyone do unless they are on a bus tour and have no other choice.
http://www.gletscherblick.ch/en/prices-summer-2014/

For an additional 22CHF per day per person, you can add half board which I can assure you is very good indeed and comprises 4 courses. If you decide to add a bottle of wine with your meal, they are available at reasonable prices as well and if you only drink half the bottle (common practice in much of Europe) they cork the remaining half and bring it to your table again the following night.

So for $180 USD per night for the room (2 sharing) plus $49 for your evening meal(2 people) plus wine, you are in a hotel in a spectacular location up in the mountains with a view across the valley to a glacier and the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau in the near distance.

Read their reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Revi...n_of_Bern.html

Now tell me of a similar small hotel in an area of outstanding natural beauty, in any part of Europe that you think might provide better value for money.

Do you think the OP is going to get as good in Paris for less cost per day? I doubt that very much indeed.

Come to that, tell me where at HOME you can get a comparable meal for $49 for a couple plus wine. You sure can't anywhere I know of.

Switzerland is full of lovely family run hotels like this which provide outstanding value for money if you just look for them. Meanwhile, in Interlaken you will pay $300 USD for a mediocre 3 star hotel with nowhere near the charm or personal service or location you would get at the Gletscherblich.

So lay off the 'very expensive' and stick to go where you are interested in going in Europe, not where you mistakenly think is cheaper.