Taylort771

My wife and myself are aging so this will be our last trip to europe as there are other areas of the world to explore.! We are taking 2 grandsons aged 17,14 with us! We will be doing a 9 day baltic cruise from Copenhagen May 13th. We want to spend time in Norway and see the Fjords before or after. But also do Germany, Prague, Austria, and spain! I know this is A TON of things.. However these are the only countries we have not been to. We have 6 weeks..
Norway we want to see the Fjords! and oslo! Whats the best way to do this?!

Copenhagen we will spend 2 nights in Copenhagen pre cruise
Germany we will focus on the Rhine region starting in Munich going to Frankfurt
Please help me narrow down sites, towns etc

Prague we will only spend 2 full days or possibly take a day trip from Munich

Austria again day trips from germany or Spend 2 nights in Salzburg and vienna

Spain we will want to do barcelona, madrid seville

Please help this is the rough planning stages! Any help you can give would be great!!!

We are interested in all types of history, castles, scenery, vistas, cute towns etc!
Thanks

seafox

Wow - lots to do. Does the cruise end in Copenhagen.... I think I would head due south in a car to Franfkfurt and work down to Munich, from there an overnight in Salzlburg and then to Vienna for 3 nights..... next stop would be in the Czech village of Chesky Krumkov and than on to Prague for at least 2 nights.... Fly/train to Spain from Prague... Do not miss Barcelona! I have tell you if the kids have not been to Venice, I'd consider a 2 day stop over there as well.... Not really sure how to best fit it all in.....Venice is magical and it may be gone before they grow to be seniors!

Michael

You might want to read my trip report on Norway; click on my name to find it. If you decide to drive in the fjord area, you probably can skip the Norway in a Nutshell package. The only thing you would miss if driving in that area is the train ride from Myrdal to Flåm.

Ozarksbill

Well, I'm likely older than you! It does sound like you are covering lots of territory when you mention all the hoped for places going down to Spain. When you say doing Germany that means lots of travel. Even more so in Spain from Barcelona to Seville.

And with two teen age grandsons the whole time? My advice would be think about what they might like, i.e., planning with them about where to go. That might be interesting. Good luck.

seafox

Thinking about Ozarkbills point about planning with them - good approach. Maybe pick some themes to tailor sight seeing around. For example the 17 year old may just want to learn/see beer being produced....so the Hofbrauhouse in Munich is a must as is a brewery in Prague. The 14 year old may be into castles....castles abound.... try to pick some from different centuries across Europe so he can compare/contrast.... maybe they like church architecture, watch the miniseries Pillars of the Earth and pick a couple of cathedrals along the way....be sure to pick a few movies to watch or books to read with them first - and then the travel experience comes to life! (don't forget The Sound of Music)

ronaldkwok

Yes, wow, there's so much to see out there! I have been to Eastern Europe (Prague, Vienna, Salzburg in your list), Spain and Germany on package tours but you will have much more flexibility doing them on your own. My trip reports on these countries may give you some ideas on the possible stops along the way. Not to be missed, Cesky Kumlov in the Czech Republic, and the Alhambra in Granada, Spain among many others.

Ronald.
http://prague-vacation.blogspot.com/

Ozarksbill

seafox, I like your ideas as to the teens. Especially relating sights to their lives incl. media stuff. I can remember my parents being disappointed as they visited a cousin in Washington D.C. that I at 14 refused to see the sights...prefered to stay in the house game room and throw darts!

How about unique things...such as the covered bridge in Innsbruck, gondolas in Venice, ski lift in Bergen, Tivoli Garden in Copenhagen, Auschwitz (yes really)...also zoos, fun parks, a few castles, hiking, etc.