8-Week Itinerary in Europe (for my 40th Birthday)
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8-Week Itinerary in Europe (for my 40th Birthday)
Hi everyone,
I am a lost soul, a Filipino who is on sabbatical here in the U.S. broke and brokenhearted. LoL!
However, I would still like to find myself in Europe next year for my 40th Birthday.
Can you please help me with an itinerary that is budget friendly? Don't worry about accommodation, I have that covered. I have hosts in most of these Cities/Countries. I need ideas on what to see, and where to go, and importantly the transportation routes, via train and which flights to take. I will be flying out from either LAX or New York.
In no particular order, I would like to see:
France- Paris, Versaille, French Riviera
Italy- Florence, Rome, Nice, Milan, Venice (2 weeks)
Spain- Madrid, Barcelona, Seville?
Germany- Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin
Norway- Which European Country is best to fly to and from Norway?
Netherlands- Amsterdam, Rotterdam, any suggestions?
Thank you all for your help!
I am a lost soul, a Filipino who is on sabbatical here in the U.S. broke and brokenhearted. LoL!
However, I would still like to find myself in Europe next year for my 40th Birthday.
Can you please help me with an itinerary that is budget friendly? Don't worry about accommodation, I have that covered. I have hosts in most of these Cities/Countries. I need ideas on what to see, and where to go, and importantly the transportation routes, via train and which flights to take. I will be flying out from either LAX or New York.
In no particular order, I would like to see:
France- Paris, Versaille, French Riviera
Italy- Florence, Rome, Nice, Milan, Venice (2 weeks)
Spain- Madrid, Barcelona, Seville?
Germany- Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin
Norway- Which European Country is best to fly to and from Norway?
Netherlands- Amsterdam, Rotterdam, any suggestions?
Thank you all for your help!
#2
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First, you've tagged this as a trip report, which will lead people to think that you've already been. So once you get a better idea of what you're going to do and when, post a follow-up without calling it a trip report.
Second, your question is way too broad to be able to offer an answer. A lot depends on if you are flying from LA or from New York.
Third, even though eight weeks seems to be a lot of time, you have too many destinations, IMO, to see anything well. We spent a month just in northern Italy without seeing everything. I'd begin by cutting Norway (unless there is some special reason to go there). But I'd cut maybe two more of the countries you're proposing to see.
To save time and money, plan to fly into one city--say Paris--and out of another--say Berlin.
So do two things: 1. get a good guidebook or three for Europe and read about what's where. You may find out that what you want to do can be done in, say, Italy, southern France and Spain.
2. write your friends to see when they will be at home to you, so that you can begin to plan this trip around their schedules.
Look forward to seeing an updated post once you get a better idea of what you want to do.
Second, your question is way too broad to be able to offer an answer. A lot depends on if you are flying from LA or from New York.
Third, even though eight weeks seems to be a lot of time, you have too many destinations, IMO, to see anything well. We spent a month just in northern Italy without seeing everything. I'd begin by cutting Norway (unless there is some special reason to go there). But I'd cut maybe two more of the countries you're proposing to see.
To save time and money, plan to fly into one city--say Paris--and out of another--say Berlin.
So do two things: 1. get a good guidebook or three for Europe and read about what's where. You may find out that what you want to do can be done in, say, Italy, southern France and Spain.
2. write your friends to see when they will be at home to you, so that you can begin to plan this trip around their schedules.
Look forward to seeing an updated post once you get a better idea of what you want to do.
#3
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Things for you to think about.
What does budget exactly mean to you? Low budget for some people would be real luxury for me.
You have chosen mostly cities. No walled cities or castles or quiet walks in the countryside? A mix might be nice.
Only you know what you want from this trip, so perhaps you have personal reasons for your choices, but some seem much less interesting than many you have left out.
For example, you included Frankfurt in Germany, but did not include Granada in Spain. You included Rotterdam in The Netherlands, but not Haarlem.
Pick your top three or four places to start, places you have longed dreamed about seeing. Read about what to see there. Nobody can possibly tell you what to see in all those places. Also, what do you enjoy seeing and doing? Some people love to hike. Others prefer sitting at a cafe. Can you spend all day at a museum or rather stroll and shop? Figure generally how much time to comfortably do that. Add more cities and places if there is time.
On short trips, you can go at a whirlwind pace. On long trips, you have to take breaks.
Are the places your friends live in actually in or very near places you want to visit? No point staying where you won't see anything, except for a rest and to visit.
You can't figure out transportation until your itinerary is narrowed.
What time of year?
You have plenty of time to enjoy the planning part.
What does budget exactly mean to you? Low budget for some people would be real luxury for me.
You have chosen mostly cities. No walled cities or castles or quiet walks in the countryside? A mix might be nice.
Only you know what you want from this trip, so perhaps you have personal reasons for your choices, but some seem much less interesting than many you have left out.
For example, you included Frankfurt in Germany, but did not include Granada in Spain. You included Rotterdam in The Netherlands, but not Haarlem.
Pick your top three or four places to start, places you have longed dreamed about seeing. Read about what to see there. Nobody can possibly tell you what to see in all those places. Also, what do you enjoy seeing and doing? Some people love to hike. Others prefer sitting at a cafe. Can you spend all day at a museum or rather stroll and shop? Figure generally how much time to comfortably do that. Add more cities and places if there is time.
On short trips, you can go at a whirlwind pace. On long trips, you have to take breaks.
Are the places your friends live in actually in or very near places you want to visit? No point staying where you won't see anything, except for a rest and to visit.
You can't figure out transportation until your itinerary is narrowed.
What time of year?
You have plenty of time to enjoy the planning part.
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Everytime you change locations, it will eat up half to a full day of your time - so, that is 2 weeks gone due to all your city changes.
Even though this is the Fodor website, you call yourself 'broke' and need to travel on a budget - so get the 'Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring' travel guide - this is what really low budget folks use for a guidebook.
Rome2Rio website gives some sequence planning with routes and travel options - now, it does not take in all high season/low season pricing or scheduling, so use it only as a broad start. Even as a starting place, it will give you some idea on the costs of all those city changes.
seat61.com website is probably the best train travel website out there. Train isn't always the cheapest method of travel, however. For example, traveling from Paris to western Belgium, people in the know get off last town in France and have a Belgian friend pick them up because the cost almost triples when you stay on the train to cross the border.
Order train tickets on line and early to save up to 60% on some routes.
Also, if you want to travel in the summer, everything is going to cost more than if you go in off season (also avoid Christmas or Easter)
Even though this is the Fodor website, you call yourself 'broke' and need to travel on a budget - so get the 'Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring' travel guide - this is what really low budget folks use for a guidebook.
Rome2Rio website gives some sequence planning with routes and travel options - now, it does not take in all high season/low season pricing or scheduling, so use it only as a broad start. Even as a starting place, it will give you some idea on the costs of all those city changes.
seat61.com website is probably the best train travel website out there. Train isn't always the cheapest method of travel, however. For example, traveling from Paris to western Belgium, people in the know get off last town in France and have a Belgian friend pick them up because the cost almost triples when you stay on the train to cross the border.
Order train tickets on line and early to save up to 60% on some routes.
Also, if you want to travel in the summer, everything is going to cost more than if you go in off season (also avoid Christmas or Easter)
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I'm wondering about this post. Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that OP is broke (by their own account) but wants to fly to Europe from the US and spend 8wks there (and has places to stay in all of these countries?).
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the transportation routes, via train and which flights to take>
To get a fix on trains and where to go by them check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com. If doing a lot of trains in several countries check out various railpasses.
To get a fix on trains and where to go by them check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com. If doing a lot of trains in several countries check out various railpasses.
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I'm wondering about this post. Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that OP is broke (by their own account) but wants to fly to Europe from the US and spend 8wks there (and has places to stay in all of these countries?).>
wanderfulgoddess - what is your 'budget'- do you have enough funds for transportation between those cities- are your hosts supplying your food?
wanderfulgoddess - what is your 'budget'- do you have enough funds for transportation between those cities- are your hosts supplying your food?
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