Does this itinerary make sense?
 

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Europe in October and we would appreciate input on our itinerary. We scheduled a longer duration for Italy and plan to do day trips while there. Any thoughts on hostels or affordable hotels? We have yet to plan out the best transportation method while in Europe.

September 25 - Flight from US to London
September 29 - Leave London to Amsterdam
October 2 - Leave Amsterdam to Barcelona, Spain
October 8 - Leave Barcelona, Spain to France
October 14 - Leave France to Rome Italy
October 20 - Leave Rome, Italy to Venice, Italy
October 27 - Leave Milan, Italy to Athens, Greece
October 30 - Leave Athens, Greece to Dublin, Ireland
November 2 - Flight back to US

We will be graduating in August, and have some money saved so we plan to quit our jobs, go to Europe, and then move to another city when we return and look for work. With that said, our original thought was to go to Europe and not be bound to an itinerary, but it seemed obvious that the cheapest method is to buy ahead so that idea went out the window. We would appreciate any guidance, as we have not done anything like this and are going on a whim. Thank you!!

Your placement of France seems odd. Why not do France after London and then go on to Amsterdam? (Although to be honest Amsterdam seems to be the main outlier on your itinerary...it is out of your way and it would be easier if you dropped it). Apart from that it seems to be well-paced.

Parts of the itinerary are not logical. You haven't identified where in France you'll be visiting. I'm guessing some place in the south because France is between Barcelona and Spain.

Why Milan rather than Florence. Is it cheaper to fly from Milan to Athens than from Rome or Venice to Athens?

Why are you flying home from Dublin?

The itinerary would make more sense if you start in Dublin, then London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, France (some place), Milan, Venice, Rome, and fly home from Athens. This would be more logical geographically.

If you have not bought your ticket yet, I would highly recommend an 'open jaw' ticket flying into one end of Europe (London?) and out the other (Milan?).

I would at least cull Greece from your list -- it is a fabulous country to visit but it is really out of the way compared to the rest of Europe. You should save it for a trip dedicated to that destination.

Since you are just starting out in life, there is no reason to try to see everything all in one trip.

Rigjt, fly into one city and out of another - use the multi city option.

Drop Greece if you're only going to Athens.

Read seat61.com for loads of info on rail travel in Europe. See skyscanner.net or whichbudget.com for cheap flights.

Put France between Amsterdam and Spain, and say which part, it's big!

Consider the ferry from Barcelona to Italy.

Drop Milan and slow down.

IMO your itinerary really doesn't work very well. 2.5 partially jetlagged days for London . . . and 2.5 days for <i>Dublin</i>. A slight exaggeration but that is sort of like planning the same amount of time for NYC and Topeka KS. Not that Dublin isn't OK but London is vast and has ten (probably 100) times more things to see/do.

Look at a map - you are crisscrossing back and forth across all of western Europe.3 times. Unless you simply must be in certain cities on certain dates for a concert or festival or something, a more linear route usually works better.

Seven countries in 36 days is pretty hectic. Not quite sure where all you plan on visiting because you've left out several details, but it looks like you are allowing 6.5 days for "France" to include maybe Paris and other place(s)??

Your plan is doable but if it was me I'd spend more time in fewer places.

Somewhere other than Milan.
Drop Greece only because it is too far to go for 3 days around Athens.
Other ideas given are good--and more logical.
Maybe start in Ireland, London, and then continue down the continent.

Agree that while your list is not TOO long - the order makes little sense.

You should look at open jaw tickets into the first city and out of the last - in more of a straight line not bouncing around. This will save time and not cost any more. You should reconsider how long to stay in some places (you need at least 5 nights in London) and you should lay out a day by day itinerary - showing where you will start and end each day. Note you cannot count days 3 times - as in London, moving to Amsterdam and then in Amsterdam. I think you will find you have less time in each place than you expect.

I don't think the placement of France is odd, or that Amsterdam is necessarily the outlier, based on a few presumptions about how this itinerary was planned logistically.

If it is planned like this;

London- Amsterdam (train or fly)
Amsterdam - Barcelona (fly)
Barcelona - Rome (train across southern France and down to Rome)
Rome - Venice (train)
Milan - Athens (fly)
Athens - Dublin (fly)

it makes the most sense.

If "France" doesn't mean a train from Barcelona across the south of France, it looks like it might become inefficient.

Athens is more of an outlier with a flight from Milan and then a flight on to Dublin sandwiching a stay of under 3 days.

The whole Milan -> Athens -> Dublin -> Home activity in 5 days is a whirlwind end to the trip, that is for sure.

I would hope on a dream trip it would be more than a train trip across southern France--which to one, makes it "reasonable".
Whatever happened to just travelling to contiguous countries!! LOL

Personally - fewer countries and more interesting cities in the fewer countries

Strictly my opinion:
Spend some time in UK in places other than London (there is lots of interesting stuff near London) but DO spend at least 3 days in London
Drop Barcelona and spend the time in France (Paris for a few days and then maybe southern France on the way to Ialy) (Barcelona is interesting but too much travelling)
Skip Milan and go to Florence instead or go to Naples to see Pompei and Herculaneum
Drop Athens - unless you intend to go elsewhere in Greece
and even then it's a bit much

In summary you have a decent amount of time to see some highlights in 3 countries but don't spread yourself too thin or you will be wasting a lot of time in airports and train stations. - Strictly my opinion

The reason that I have not said to skip Milan even if it is not the most interesting city in Italy is because it <b>is</b> the principal transportation hub of Italy, and it looks like this trip is mostly about transportation.