myst

My father wants to do a tour ala Trafalgar and see several countries. He has never been to Europe--he is only 63, but not likely to get back to Europe.

Personality synopsis:
Our group would consist of two 36 year olds, and four mid 60ish types, one with mild arthritis that sometimes limits walking. One person in the party is hard to please, bored, picky etc (ie. thinks Italian food is "unhealthy" -- yes all of it!)......but will nonetheless be included. Another member of the party has a lot of nervous energy and is hard to contain.

I've looked at tours (never tried one), but think we may enjoy longer stays in fewer locations going on our own. However, I am anxious about my own enjoyment if I am the default tour guide.

I thought I might try this (not the way I would do it, but willing to do a whirlwind so my dad can get a good "taste" of Europe).

Is this insane? 16 days......

Leave SFO
Arrive London
London
London
Lon-to Paris (Eurostar)
Paris
Paris
Paris to Rome (Fly)
Rome
Rome
Rome to Florence (Train)
Florence
Flor to Venice (Train)
Venice
Venice
Fly back to SFO

Any thoughts? (I've been to London before for a month and plan to do a day trip up to the Cotswolds)

Michael

It's fine. You picked large cities as destinations, which gives the group the opportunity to split up. The one who feels that Italian food is unhealthy can go look for a McDonalds; the one with nervous energy can roam the cities at will; etc. This is much better than being stuck in a small town where the options are more limited.

Chatters

Go for the tour; other people's enjoyment is their own responsibility, not yours. Make it clear your top priority is having a great travel experience with your dad. Everything else, let it go. The cities in the tour are tops, Hope you and your Dad have a great trip!!

BowenLinda

Hello myst: Yes, of course you are crazy to attempt this but you are a great daughter and will have wonderful, uh "interesting" memories. A quick perspective: 5 cities in 14 days (+2 days of travel) seems a lot to me remembering you also have 4 partial travel days in Europe. All of these cities have lots to offer so I would personally reduce it to 3 major cities, with the occasional day trip. I've never been on a tour either, so I can't address that one, but I'd certainly opt for, at a minimum, tour guides for specific sites. For example, of Vatican City and Ancient Rome, perhaps a walking tour of London, etc. Good luck, stay sane and grab solo time for yourself, and have a wonderful time. Cheers, Linda

janis

Your basic itinerary is fine - but I would probably drop one of the Italian cities. Not an easy choice which one - but you will be just too rushed trying yo squeeze in all three. My own personal choice would be to drop Rome and add those 3 extra days to London and Paris.

The good thing is you won't need (or want) cars in any of the stops so you won't all have to be connected at the hip 24/7. each person/couple/group can go off and do their own thing.

Sue_xx_yy

You could try a hybrid.

Fly everyone to London, do the tour guide bit for them in London for 3 nights. Put them on the plane for Rome, to take a tour like Globus' "Italy at Leisure" (3 nights Rome, 3 nights Florence, 2 nights Venice, 1 night Milan). Meanwhile, you do your own thing for 9 nights, the last one of which at least will be in Paris, because you'll meet up again with them there.

Have them fly out of Milan (where their tour ends) to Paris, where you meet up with them once more. Find out if they're all still speaking to each other, are they exhausted, etc. etc. Paris is an easy place just to enjoy gardens, the view from the Eiffel, etc., no museums necessary if they're tired. Last 3 or 4 nights here.

This gives a combination of time together as a group, while at the same time acknowledging that you have a very diverse group of people here.

**oops, I just realized you have only 14 nights, this means you must consider starting them off in Paris,and skip London. Or have them do only 2 nights in London. (This isn't so bad, no matter what your dad says about not going back, a trip to London is easily enough accomplished.)

cigalechanta

My prayers go with you! I know you'll have a great time even with the disgruntled in the group. Happiness will be contagious.

CarolA

I would somehow make it clear that this is not a full time "group" event. Make sure there are planned "group" times and planned "solo" times. Otherwise you might want to kill the "difficult" person.

Personally I would drop one city with that large a group, but then I am planning to take 20 girls and 3 other adults to London, Paris and Switzerland next year so who am I to talk....LOL!

Travelnut

I'd try to make it clear to each person that they are responsible for their own 'happiness' - they should get at least one guide book and figure out 2 or 3 things they want to see or do in each city.

nancy

I like the plan you layed out but would probably drop Florence just to cut down on the travel. The trouble with a tour is you'll spend an awful lot of time on a bus (I've done that and would not again if possible) and get rushed thru the sites. However, everything is done for you on the tour so you have no responsibility for their happiness. If you decide on a tour try to eat "off tour;" the food is usually awful!

Patrick

Personally, I think it sounds great for what you are trying to accomplish. Incidentally, I'm amused by people who talk like seeing five cities in 2 weeks will leave you in a blur. I suspect that many of those same people would go to one or two areas and see 10 or more close-by cities or towns which are all quite similar, since they will all be in the same region. I strongly suspect that kind of trip would be more of a "blur" than seeing 5 rather distinctly different cities.
I say "go for it". In other words it's far easier to keep Paris, London, and Venice separate in the mind than it is to remember the difference between Florence, Perugia, and Siena.

RufusTFirefly

Florence is much bigger than Perugia and Siena.

Patrick

Huh? I hope that comment was just kidding and you understood my comment, Rufus.

rex

Were the destinations picked by someone with the major clout in the family? Unless there is strong insistence on
Rome, I would drop Rome. Venice is a lovely three night taste of Italy.

Is there a family connection or an insistence to go places where English is not the first language? What month is this to occur?

I would urge you to consider Ireland or Scotland as the first three days, then London, then Paris, then Venice. 3,4,5,3 nights.

And yes, you are a peach of a daughter. Our youngest daughter (age 20) is dating (seriously) a young man whose parents will be in their 60's when she is 36. And chances are, they will never have been to Europe by 2020. If she marries him, and if she put something like this together for them, I would be proud.

Best wishes,

Rex

cheriann

Wow that sounds great. I want to go! I would omit either Florence or Venice or both to enjoy more time in the other cites but definately would keep Rome.

yk

Hi myst-

If you think this is going to be your father's only trip to Europe, I'd say stick with your itinerary.

Down the road, it's better that he complains about not having enough time to see everything in each city, than complains about YOU not taking him to Florence or Rome or whichever town you're told to drop.

A tour has its benefits. You don't have to worry about transportation issues, nor hauling your luggage from one city to another and from train stations to your hotels. This may be more beneficial as one of your group has some walking difficulties.

StCirq

I do applaud you for wanting to tour Europe with your dad - some of my most memorable trips have been with my parents, who are now in their 80s, and particularly a couple of trips with just my dad.

I will disagree with most others here, however, and say that you have a recipe for disaster brewing. Sixteen days is a LONG time with hard-to-please picky eaters who are easily bored. I honestly think your enjoyment of the trip could be seriously compromised by such a person, as well as the person who has trouble walking and the person who is "hard to contain."

Sounds to me as though you have already been designated as the resident "expert," and as such no matter what rules you put in place before you go, you'll probably be held responsible for every glitch along the way - and with this group there will be glitches galore. They won't thank you for taking them to that great restaurant in London, but they'll fault you for that horrid walk you took them on in Venice.

Can't you just go with your dad and leave the others behind? Frankly, the rest of the group sound pretty horrid.I'm getting the feeling that you will not enjoy ths vacation much unless you employ really stringent "rules" about separating out and doing different things during the day - and it doesn't sound to me from your description that these folks would even consider "going it on their own."

Send them on a tour and go on holiday with your dad so you can relax a bit - it's supposed to be a vacation, not a babysitting exercise. Enjoy!

ira

Hi myst,

There is a place in heaven reserved for you.

I think that you have done the best you can in these limits.

Can you add one more day and do two nights in Florence? It looks like a lot of trouble to just stay overnight.

Singletail

My only comment would be to TRY to set the limits on what YOU are "responsible" for..both with the others AND in your OWN mind. This should not end up being some sort of "guilt trip" because:
1) Everyone didn't have a "good time"
2) Somebody didn't like this or that city as in "WHO decided on THIS itinerary?"
3) Somebody, and there is ALWAYS somebody, holds up the rest of the group because they overslept, wandered off, made us almost miss the train, etc., etc.
You started it..now allow THEM to finish it as you go along for the ride.
Since this may be the only opportunity to see Italy I would NOT drop Rome.
Have a great trip.

Byrd

And think up a suitable punishment for the first person who asks "NOW what are we going to do?"

Byrd