3 Weeks...3 Countries...Any advice? Italy, France, and Spain
 

Ok so October 2012, the plan is to fly into Italy, spend a little over a week there, then Paris, then off to Spain? It's still in the works, so any advice would be great. For instance, is it possible to do it all on Eurorail? If so, how much time will we actually spend traveling to and from? Also any additional must sees while in France for a couple that really appreciates arts/culture?

It seems pretty aggressive to me.

As my mother says about her tour groups to Europe "we saw everything, sort of".

If you're bound and determined to see everything, put together a trial itinerary. You will be surprised at the lack of time you really have.

Rough guess: Rome > Florence > Venice > fly to Paris (Orly if you can)> to Barcelona and finally Madrid. That way you probably won't see much of any of the countries you visit.

I usually spend close to three weeks in a single country. Perhaps that's not possible for you, but I think 3 weeks in 3 countries if too much.

I'd get a guidebook and look at what you want to see. Be sure to include checking in and out of hotels and time spent traveling in your calculations.

What they said.

Way too much as previous posters have said. We spent 3 weeks in Italy last year (and 2 weeks a few years prior). The year before we spent 4 weeks in Spain and never got to the northern part. In France we spent 2 weeks in Provance and a week in Paris. Another trip we spent 2 weeks in Paris. Again, much in France we haven't seen. My point is that these countries have a lot to see and if you try to cram it all in you'll end up seeing very little. Pick one country and spend all 3 weeks there. You won't regret it. All are beautiful and exciting.

I agree with the others. In 3 weeks you can see 3 cities. If you want each city to be in a different country - well, that works. When I was newer at this, I thought you had to run and see as much as possible in the limited time you have. (Because you want to see as much as possible). But you end up an "expert" on the airports, train stations, bus depots and on packing and unpacking suitcases. You don't really get to see much of the country at all that way.

Just believe that you will be back. This is not your only chance or your only trip. And if it is, even more reason to make it a good one. Paris can easily take a week (or three) all by itself. So if you want to travel and get the languages, try Rome and maybe one other city in Italy, but devote a full week to Paris. Ditto with Spain - at most two cities, but again, why spend so much on traveling. See the place you travel to instead.

You can always take day trips to nearby sights...good luck.

I agree that you are trying to see too much. However, what are your likes & dislikes? We enjoy seeing a big city, then a small city/town & then some countryside. If you only want to see big cities, there is nothing wrong with that. If that is what you want, I would suggest a week in Paris, a week in Rome, & then perhaps Barcelona with some daytrips, or Madrid with some day trips.

Ideally, however, if it were me, I would stick to one or two countries in 3 weeks. France & Spain would make a good combination. Spend 1.5 weeks in each country. You could see Paris & then take the train to southern France, either Provence, or the Perpignan/Collioure region; then from there travel to northern Spain, either Barcelona or San Sebastian. I haven't been to SS but I've been to Barcelona. We spent 5 days there & didn't see everything. We then rented a car & went on a 3 night/4 day roadtrip north along the Costa Brava, Girona & into the Pyrenees.

Spain is a huge country. If you only went to Spain, you could see Andalucia, Madrid & day trips, and Barcelona or San Sebastian. I agree you need some good guidebooks, such as Fodors, Lonely Planet or Michelin Green Guide.

I think, by general consensus, it's time to rethink your plan...

Pick one country for your 3 week vacation and buy some guide books to thoroughly explore the region.

Spain - one week in Barcelona (take a couple day trip tours by bus or train), fly to Granada, rent a car, travel to Sevilla, Cordba, Toledo (total 10 days for these 4 cities), finish up with 4 days in Madrid.

Italy - one week in Rome, train to Florence for a week (take day trips by train to little Tuscan towns, train to Venice and spend one wonderful relaxing week in this amazing city.

France - one week in Paris, train to Aviginon (rent a car and spend 10 days doing day trips to lovely little cities in Provance, then drive to the Riveria and spend another 4 days.

When you get home start planning the next trip and the next country. Just don't overdo and overcram stuff in. Enjoy the people around you. Talk to the people in the shops - most will speak English. Do try to say a few words in the language of the country though. The people who live there will appreciate it and be more accomodating to you then what you will ever imagine.

Paul, I disagree. The OP seems to want to go to cities not tour the countryside. Cars are expensive hindrances in cities. And, for cities as widespread as these, flights are better than taking the train.

If you mean Paris, Madrid and Rome, then three weeks is fine. Take budget flights between cities. Much cheaper and faster than trains.
http://www.skyscanner.com

>>>is it possible to do it all on Eurorail?<<<

Eurorail is a company that sells train passes. If you are asking if you should get a pass, you would have to include more details. Each country has their own train companies (Trenitalia, Renfe, etc.) and often have advance purchase discounts that are much cheaper than a pass.

Well I'd prefer Barcelona, Paris and Rome (or Venice) - you can take night trains between the cities and have a week in each one. You could take daytrips out of each city to get a wider range of experiences - one week in each country could give them an idea of which one they might like to linger longer on their next trip but would not be in indepth experience of all any of the countries has to offer.

I agree that 3 countries in 3 weeks is way too much but it's your money and your vacation so you can do what you want.

<< how much time will we actually spend traveling to and from >>

You haven't said where you're coming from and where you're going to. No one can tell you how long things will take if we don't know your plan.

Here's a site you can use for train schedules to determine the amount of time from one place to another.

http://www.bahn.de/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml