Amsterdam - Paris - Barcelona
Feb 19th, 2015, 10:01 AM
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Amsterdam - Paris - Barcelona
I'm starting to think about our 20th Wedding Anniversary next year and we definitely want to go to Europe. It would likely be in May/June/July 2016. I've read that you can take Thalys from Amsterdam to Paris, and then fly from Paris to Barcelona. Paris is our must. I've heard great things about Barcelona. My aunt lives near Amsterdam and it would be great to see her.
Our interests include: sightseeing, history, museums, great food, great cocktails, nightlife (not clubs). We like to soak in the culture. We prefer warm weather and beaches, but could survive a few days in chillier temps. We will fly "open jaw".
Are these 3 cities doable in a 2 week time period or should I be looking only 2 cities?
Our interests include: sightseeing, history, museums, great food, great cocktails, nightlife (not clubs). We like to soak in the culture. We prefer warm weather and beaches, but could survive a few days in chillier temps. We will fly "open jaw".
Are these 3 cities doable in a 2 week time period or should I be looking only 2 cities?
Feb 19th, 2015, 11:11 AM
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Last May I flew from the US with one 19 yo grandson and met an 18 yo grandson in Barcelona. We had a total of 16 days. We took the train from Barcelona to Avignon, stayed a few days, then train to Paris for another few days, then finally a train to Amsterdam for another few days. We had a fantastic time. We saw so much and did so much and loved every minute of it, except that at the end of the day I was worn out by 11 and they were still full of energy and off they went for a few hours. IMHO, you can see plenty in two weeks, though none of the places will be in depth. We really enjoyed the train rides. We didn't fly from Paris to Barcelona, but I'm sure it can be done.
We had zero luck finding a hotel with a/c in Amsterdam and it was miserable the first week of June. We were on the third floor of a hotel with no elevator, extremely steep, narrow, winding stairs. If they boys had not been with me I would have just sat down and cried. I'm sure if we had really upped our budget we could have found one, but not in our price range. Having said that, we all loved Amsterdam (my third trip) and encourage others to go there.
Good luck!
We had zero luck finding a hotel with a/c in Amsterdam and it was miserable the first week of June. We were on the third floor of a hotel with no elevator, extremely steep, narrow, winding stairs. If they boys had not been with me I would have just sat down and cried. I'm sure if we had really upped our budget we could have found one, but not in our price range. Having said that, we all loved Amsterdam (my third trip) and encourage others to go there.
Good luck!
Feb 19th, 2015, 12:00 PM
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I took a train from Amsterdam to Paris...very easy.
Also flew from Barcelona to Paris by AF...other airlines fly the same rout.
Amsterdam is rather small...2- 3 full days should be enough....Paris ...perhaps six
and Barcelona 4-5.
That time of the year is very popular with travelers to and in Europe.
Also flew from Barcelona to Paris by AF...other airlines fly the same rout.
Amsterdam is rather small...2- 3 full days should be enough....Paris ...perhaps six
and Barcelona 4-5.
That time of the year is very popular with travelers to and in Europe.
Feb 19th, 2015, 01:35 PM
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Three cities in two weeks is not difficult.
Look at several different options. They would give different schedule pictures, accommodation availability, and cost.
1. home-AMS, train to Paris, fly CDG-BCN, BCN-home
2. home-CDG. train to AMS,fly AMS-BCN, BCN-home
3. home-BCN, fly BCN-CDG, train to AMS, AMS-home
4. home-BCN, fly BCN-AMS, train to CDG, CDG-home
What you don't want to find out is after you have locked in your flight, you find out that there is a big event going on in city and you cannot avoid paying premium over the rack rate at undesirable accommodations. I now study both the airfare and hotels and actually make cancelable hotel reservations before booking flights. On my first trip, I made a mistake of ending up in Paris on the last day of Tour de France and ended up paying premium at a soulless business hotel. I do not want to make this mistake again.
If your flight arrive early in the morning, do understand that you might not be able to check-in until afternoon. Hotels would keep your luggage, but you have no easy place to rest. You can change your clothes in the lobby restroom, but no shower after having traveled many hours. If you hit a heat wave or a rainy day on the arrival day, walking around town is not pleasant, either.
Look at several different options. They would give different schedule pictures, accommodation availability, and cost.
1. home-AMS, train to Paris, fly CDG-BCN, BCN-home
2. home-CDG. train to AMS,fly AMS-BCN, BCN-home
3. home-BCN, fly BCN-CDG, train to AMS, AMS-home
4. home-BCN, fly BCN-AMS, train to CDG, CDG-home
What you don't want to find out is after you have locked in your flight, you find out that there is a big event going on in city and you cannot avoid paying premium over the rack rate at undesirable accommodations. I now study both the airfare and hotels and actually make cancelable hotel reservations before booking flights. On my first trip, I made a mistake of ending up in Paris on the last day of Tour de France and ended up paying premium at a soulless business hotel. I do not want to make this mistake again.
If your flight arrive early in the morning, do understand that you might not be able to check-in until afternoon. Hotels would keep your luggage, but you have no easy place to rest. You can change your clothes in the lobby restroom, but no shower after having traveled many hours. If you hit a heat wave or a rainy day on the arrival day, walking around town is not pleasant, either.
Feb 19th, 2015, 02:56 PM
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You could easily spend all of your two weeks in two cities (especially Paris), but you could fit in those three cities in two weeks, especially if two weeks actually means the weekend on both ends, which gives you more than 14 days. Get a bunch of guidebooks (preferably from the library) and watch some videos of the locations; make a quick list of things that appeal to you at each destination. Then see if you could fit all those things into the time that you have. That may help you decide whether to visit two or three cities.
All three are marvelous cities, and each has most of the items that you said are high on your list. Try for the end of May - the weather should be great, but not too many other tourists yet.
Personally, we tend to focus more on one country at a time, and like including both city and country destinations. So while all three are great cities, if it were me, I would be planning, for example, a two-week trip in France that included Paris, or in Barcelona that included other parts of Spain. But that's just a personal preference.
All three are marvelous cities, and each has most of the items that you said are high on your list. Try for the end of May - the weather should be great, but not too many other tourists yet.
Personally, we tend to focus more on one country at a time, and like including both city and country destinations. So while all three are great cities, if it were me, I would be planning, for example, a two-week trip in France that included Paris, or in Barcelona that included other parts of Spain. But that's just a personal preference.
Feb 20th, 2015, 08:56 AM
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Thank you everyone for your replies. It's nice to know that 3 cities in 2 weeks is doable.
Greg, we're using hotel reward points and free night certificates to fund most of our hotel stays. Because of this, I need to figure out our 2016 dates so I can book the rooms well ahead of time. Also, thank you for the different combinations for scheduling the cities....how do I figure out what the most cost effective option is from LAX?
Greg, we're using hotel reward points and free night certificates to fund most of our hotel stays. Because of this, I need to figure out our 2016 dates so I can book the rooms well ahead of time. Also, thank you for the different combinations for scheduling the cities....how do I figure out what the most cost effective option is from LAX?
Feb 20th, 2015, 10:34 AM
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Thalys tickets A'dam to Paris-Nord can be as cheap as 39 euros but only if you book weeks in advance to get the limited in number discounted tickets on each train and they often do sell out early -just show up and you may pay full fare of about 199 euros or so!
www.thalys.com - for lots of great info on what to expect on European trains - www.seat61.com (good info on discounted train tickets); www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
There is a night train from Paris to Perpignan where in the morning a train whisks you onto Barcelona - save day light travel time and book early for cheap fares at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.capitainetrain.com - save on the cost of a night in a hotel and if never done a night train before it could well be rather romantic (if you book a private compartment that is!)
www.thalys.com - for lots of great info on what to expect on European trains - www.seat61.com (good info on discounted train tickets); www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
There is a night train from Paris to Perpignan where in the morning a train whisks you onto Barcelona - save day light travel time and book early for cheap fares at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.capitainetrain.com - save on the cost of a night in a hotel and if never done a night train before it could well be rather romantic (if you book a private compartment that is!)
Feb 20th, 2015, 10:35 AM
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The airfare is market based. There are so many factors. Don't rely on any one rule. Look what you can actually book.
It depends on where you are flying, when you are flying (Mid June on, the carrier would increase the fare to snag most revenue out of families with children who have to travel in June), if your route is non-competitive and lead by a dominant carrier, market condition - the carriers sense that there is a demand for that route for that day and the booking system takes advantage of the demand, etc.
Also, if you poke the booking system heavily, that alone seemed to incite the system to decide there is a demand and increases the fare, if only temporarily.
For just looking at possibilities, I like matrix.itasoftware.com. I used the "bar" view, and look at the offering from many point of view. Beside prices, look also at departure/arrival time, duration, layover airport and how much they are giving you. Some airport like LHR/CDG require much longer layover than AMS/MUC to not to miss a connection. Then compare what you see at carriers' own booking sites as well as other sites such as expedia, orbitz, kayak, etc.
I would suggest start collecting the weekly price trend and seat availability for different itineraries NOW as if your trip is in 2015. While the trend would not repeat exactly next year, you have at least some empirical data on how airfares go up and down and availability decrease as May/June/July approach..
It depends on where you are flying, when you are flying (Mid June on, the carrier would increase the fare to snag most revenue out of families with children who have to travel in June), if your route is non-competitive and lead by a dominant carrier, market condition - the carriers sense that there is a demand for that route for that day and the booking system takes advantage of the demand, etc.
Also, if you poke the booking system heavily, that alone seemed to incite the system to decide there is a demand and increases the fare, if only temporarily.
For just looking at possibilities, I like matrix.itasoftware.com. I used the "bar" view, and look at the offering from many point of view. Beside prices, look also at departure/arrival time, duration, layover airport and how much they are giving you. Some airport like LHR/CDG require much longer layover than AMS/MUC to not to miss a connection. Then compare what you see at carriers' own booking sites as well as other sites such as expedia, orbitz, kayak, etc.
I would suggest start collecting the weekly price trend and seat availability for different itineraries NOW as if your trip is in 2015. While the trend would not repeat exactly next year, you have at least some empirical data on how airfares go up and down and availability decrease as May/June/July approach..
Feb 20th, 2015, 02:58 PM
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Thanks again for your replies!
Greg, thank you for the website. I will start scoping out fares so I know what I can expect market pricing to be for our flight.
I'm a planner by nature, so it would be ideal if I could book flights and hotels up to 9-10 months in advance and take advantage of earlier discounted seats. I checked out events in the different cities and May looks like a good time to go.
Greg, thank you for the website. I will start scoping out fares so I know what I can expect market pricing to be for our flight.
I'm a planner by nature, so it would be ideal if I could book flights and hotels up to 9-10 months in advance and take advantage of earlier discounted seats. I checked out events in the different cities and May looks like a good time to go.
Feb 20th, 2015, 03:14 PM
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This is a reasonable and should be a most enjoyable trip.
There is now a high speed train from Paris to Barcelona.
We have been to Barcelona and Paris many times, but we have only been to Amsterdam once and that once that was last year. The weather was most;y cold and rainy.
Barcelona does not have the museums of Paris and Barcelona but the art is in the streets in the form of everything from Gothic to modernisme.
There is now a high speed train from Paris to Barcelona.
We have been to Barcelona and Paris many times, but we have only been to Amsterdam once and that once that was last year. The weather was most;y cold and rainy.
Barcelona does not have the museums of Paris and Barcelona but the art is in the streets in the form of everything from Gothic to modernisme.
Feb 20th, 2015, 03:30 PM
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When setting dates, be aware of "bridged holidays." The travel infrastructure tends to get loaded on these holidays.
http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/fairelepont.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_weekend
For example, for France, you can find national holidays and when these bridges occur:
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/france/2016
I tried to get discount French TGV train tickets for Ascension Day travel last year as soon as the tickets became available for purchase. The discount tickets were either never offered or got sold out within a day.
http://french.about.com/od/vocabulary/a/fairelepont.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_weekend
For example, for France, you can find national holidays and when these bridges occur:
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/france/2016
I tried to get discount French TGV train tickets for Ascension Day travel last year as soon as the tickets became available for purchase. The discount tickets were either never offered or got sold out within a day.
