16 Days Europe Trip Budget Planning
May 6th, 2023, 08:18 AM
#42
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Understand the varying points of view and considerations, I try also to figure out logistics to help people achieve what they what. Sometimes, however, everything they want is simply not achievable in a given time frame. It is also being responsible and helpful to point out the flaws in a plan, even if it is not well received.
I don’t think people hate day trips. I certainly do not. A great base with very close by places for day trips and easy transportation works great. Examples: Florence with Siena, Pisa, Lucca or Paris with Versailles. What I hate is day trips where travel is longer than sightseeing. In those cases, a more linear itinerary often works better than a spoke and wheel plan. Linear trips with good transportation connections work great: Venice, Florence, Rome; or London, Paris, Amsterdam. What does not work well are trips that hop scotch all over the place: Paris, Switzerland, Rome, Naples, Santorini, Athens, London.
Millie2112, Glad you enjoyed your day trips from Bologna, Actually, Bologna is not a bad base for what you did. It is only about 40 minutes to Florence and 1&1/2 hours to Venice each way, compared with 2&1/4 hours each way from Milan to Venice. That is a huge difference in overall travel time. Also Bologna makes logistic sense as a stop if one wishes to stay in Bologna. I have done it as a lunch stop between Venice and Florence. To do two day trips, however, you must have had three nights. Much as I really, really hate one nighters, rather than staying in Bologna and doing two day trips, I would probably have just spent two nights in Venice and a night in Florence, because I prefer Venice at night. Nothing as good as the food in Bologna though.
Yes, it is a shorter trip to Europe from the US, but not necessarily true that many go two or three times a year or that they spend more time. Americans get very short vacations. Most trips seem to be about ten days or less. With work, illness, etc. there was a period of 20 years when I did not travel at all.
Many have come to realize how little they got out of very rushed trips for the money spent. Years ago, I did three whirlwind trips (different years) with students, two of Italy (9 days each) and one of France and Spain (15 days total) The only good part was an extra day I planned before the start in Paris and an extra day after the tour ended in Madrid. Our money paid for more time on trains and busses than for sightseeing. On the first trip to Italy, I cried several times in frustration from just rushed glimpses of things with no time to get a feel for any place. Lesson learned.
People who have spent more time in one place or one country can sometimes offer advice on what works best logistically in different situations, if you have one day in Tuscany based in Florence, versus three days in the countryside, etc.
Every person has experiences that give them insight for tips, options and unique solutions to planning questions.
I don’t think people hate day trips. I certainly do not. A great base with very close by places for day trips and easy transportation works great. Examples: Florence with Siena, Pisa, Lucca or Paris with Versailles. What I hate is day trips where travel is longer than sightseeing. In those cases, a more linear itinerary often works better than a spoke and wheel plan. Linear trips with good transportation connections work great: Venice, Florence, Rome; or London, Paris, Amsterdam. What does not work well are trips that hop scotch all over the place: Paris, Switzerland, Rome, Naples, Santorini, Athens, London.
Millie2112, Glad you enjoyed your day trips from Bologna, Actually, Bologna is not a bad base for what you did. It is only about 40 minutes to Florence and 1&1/2 hours to Venice each way, compared with 2&1/4 hours each way from Milan to Venice. That is a huge difference in overall travel time. Also Bologna makes logistic sense as a stop if one wishes to stay in Bologna. I have done it as a lunch stop between Venice and Florence. To do two day trips, however, you must have had three nights. Much as I really, really hate one nighters, rather than staying in Bologna and doing two day trips, I would probably have just spent two nights in Venice and a night in Florence, because I prefer Venice at night. Nothing as good as the food in Bologna though.
Yes, it is a shorter trip to Europe from the US, but not necessarily true that many go two or three times a year or that they spend more time. Americans get very short vacations. Most trips seem to be about ten days or less. With work, illness, etc. there was a period of 20 years when I did not travel at all.
Many have come to realize how little they got out of very rushed trips for the money spent. Years ago, I did three whirlwind trips (different years) with students, two of Italy (9 days each) and one of France and Spain (15 days total) The only good part was an extra day I planned before the start in Paris and an extra day after the tour ended in Madrid. Our money paid for more time on trains and busses than for sightseeing. On the first trip to Italy, I cried several times in frustration from just rushed glimpses of things with no time to get a feel for any place. Lesson learned.
People who have spent more time in one place or one country can sometimes offer advice on what works best logistically in different situations, if you have one day in Tuscany based in Florence, versus three days in the countryside, etc.
Every person has experiences that give them insight for tips, options and unique solutions to planning questions.
May 6th, 2023, 12:18 PM
#45
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I too enjoy the advice provided by Sassafras. We Australians do tend to go to Europe for six weeks or more for several reasons. The long 23 hr flight is one of them.
We prefer to stay in one place for a good length of time and use it as a base as we detest the packing/ unpacking. Even then we do three driving day trips and one or two train trips.
When I read the post from the OP I hoped that some great people on here would provide wise suggestions, and that has happened.
My concerns were the same as others about what could possibly go wrong as there is no flexibility if something does go wrong. I’m not sure about the strike situation in France and Italy over the next few weeks. All you need is for one flight/ train to be cancelled, and the whole itinerary is blown apart.
tvis09 while it is your trip, ultimately you will decide. We all want you to have the best trip that you will remember.
We prefer to stay in one place for a good length of time and use it as a base as we detest the packing/ unpacking. Even then we do three driving day trips and one or two train trips.
When I read the post from the OP I hoped that some great people on here would provide wise suggestions, and that has happened.
My concerns were the same as others about what could possibly go wrong as there is no flexibility if something does go wrong. I’m not sure about the strike situation in France and Italy over the next few weeks. All you need is for one flight/ train to be cancelled, and the whole itinerary is blown apart.
tvis09 while it is your trip, ultimately you will decide. We all want you to have the best trip that you will remember.
May 7th, 2023, 03:07 AM
#47
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If you can really reschedule (ie have not bought tickets), I suggest looking at the shoulder season in the fall. I did a quick check. By RT airfare to Paris or Amsterdam drops to low-mid $800s per person on several airlines. It would also give you time to rework your trip.
May 7th, 2023, 05:23 AM
#48
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What an interesting read. As a European (British), I am often lightly amused by the intensive itineraries a lot of Americans and Australians complete. The Cook’s tour- a different place every day of the trip! However many people do the same when visiting the USA or Australia from overseas and then need some R&R when they get home.
Personally I try to spend about 3-5 nights somewhere with perhaps the odd over-nighter and if travelling long haul assume I will feel yucky for the first day or so. This approach means that you have to focus on the “must do’s” and ignore the “nice to do’s”. So, my question to you is “what are you top 3 locations on your wish list?” Once you have those, you can put a more straightforward forward multi-centre trip and add back in any “nice to do’s” if they fit or find more local alternatives.
Good luck.
Personally I try to spend about 3-5 nights somewhere with perhaps the odd over-nighter and if travelling long haul assume I will feel yucky for the first day or so. This approach means that you have to focus on the “must do’s” and ignore the “nice to do’s”. So, my question to you is “what are you top 3 locations on your wish list?” Once you have those, you can put a more straightforward forward multi-centre trip and add back in any “nice to do’s” if they fit or find more local alternatives.
Good luck.
May 8th, 2023, 01:15 PM
#49
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I think it may be more visually descriptive if you compare your itinerary to a similar trip (distance wise) in the US. Start with Paris and Santorini, they're 2000 miles apart, nearly the same distance as NY city and LA. So you fly into LA (jet lagged) and spend three nights. Then bus up to Vegas for 2 nights. Then go over to tahoe for 2 nights. Then go up to Reno for a flight to Denver and stay one day. Then go to St. Louis for 2 nights. From there head to Nashville for a day. Then go to Memphis for a day. Then go back to St. Louis for a flight to New York city for 3 days. Then fly home.
That is similar to what you've proposed.
That is similar to what you've proposed.
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