minidanny

Hello guys, im new to this forum and I'd like to ask Has anyone done a Europetrip over summer time?, my plan is to bring my Daughters on a little holiday trip around europe.
I am thinking about spending a week in europe traveling around but i cant decide would it be better and cheaper to go by bus or rent a car? Also is renting cars in europe expensive? looking for the most effective yet not very expensive way to show my daughters Europe.
Any help is apreciated
Thankyou!

Moderator3

Moved to Europe forum

ribeirasacra

Europe is made up of different counties. Which ones are you going to and which locations in those countries are you going too?
One should never think of Europe as one!

StCirq

It sounds as though you would benefit from a lot of research in guidebooks, on websites, and perusing maps. With one week you can only hope to see a small part of one, perhaps two contiguous, countries. There are 50 of them, so the first thing you need to do is narrow it down - severely.

Whether to rent a car or take a bus (or far better, trains) depends entirely on where you settle on going, so figure that out first. All of the aforementioned - car rentals, trains, and buses, can be inexpensive if you do the proper research ahead of time.

If you are thinking of doing this THIS summer, you are already very late to arrange accommodations and trains. Buses and car rentals don't need much lead time.

PalenQ

Car vs train depends on where you go - to big cities like Paris, etc cars are useless and a big hassle so take trains - if wanting to meander thru rural areas rent a car but for a week I'd just select two cities like London and Paris and take trains between. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

How old are you daughters?

RoamsAround

Trying to "travel around Europe" in a week is foolhardy. You won't have time to do or really see anything. It's a bit like asking - I want to travel around the US in a week, where should I go and how should I get around.

With only a week for this trip you'd be wise to confine your stay to one country in Europe and then further narrow it down to one specific area or even just one city, assuming you want to plan this all on your own. For example, you might want to spend a week visiting Paris and include a side trip to Normandy, or go to Rome and spend time in Tuscany.

If you wish to cram more into that short of a period your best bet is to book an organized land tour (you know like the old movie "If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium") or take a River Cruise where you'll make multiple stops in several countries, or a cruise through the Mediterranean where you'll visit numerous ports of call in several different countries. With these types of tours the itinerary, transportation, hotel accommodations (if required) and even some or all of your meals are all planed out for you.

tuscanlifeedit

Friends have taken three Mediterranean cruises that made stops in Spain, France and Italy, but they took a little longer than a week.

suze

Yes I have gone to Europe in the summer many times. It is a very popular time to go.

Trains are very good in Europe. I would plan the trip around what you can easily do by train. I think that is a lot more fun and less stressful than renting a car and driving in a foreign country where (I assume) you don't speak or read the language.

With only 1 week (7 days) I would pick one city and do some day trips, or two cities. Having no idea your or your daughter's interests I'll just propose a few popular combinations:
Paris w/ day trips
Venice & Paris
Paris & Amsterdam
London & Paris
Venice & Florence
London & Amsterdam
Paris & Lac Leman

Or you could pick one place and just go there - for example fly into Geneva and take the train out to Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux and spend your week on Lac Leman ("Lake Geneva") which is absolutely lovely in the summer-time.

janisj

I'm pretty sure the OP has been to Europe before. On another thread he is recommending a particular sim card that he used in the Netherlands.

PalenQ

Forget anything about buses - trains are much nicer and can be cheap if booked in advance.

AJPeabody

The ancient yuletide carol.

minidanny

Hey guys!, Wow im surprised with the feedback from you all so first of all i want to say thankyou for suggestions and your time!I decided to max it out to 2 weeks after reading your comments, So We decided that we will be arriving in Paris And heading down towards Zurich, Milan, Monaco, Barcelona.2 full days in Paris, Fly to Zurich on the 3rd days morning Rent a car over there and explore the mountains while heading up towards Milan(around 2 days for Zurich), on the 5th Morning were in Milan spend 2 days there and head towards Monaco passing by Genoa. 2 days in Monaco&Cannes and off to Barcelona!We will be taking Every possible type of transport Plane, Car, Trains (Girls idea)
Hopefully everything will go as planned

Will keep you update with how it all goes!
Leaving in just over 2 weeks Whop Whop!

thankyou for your time guys! Apreciated

bilboburgler

what to say.
days are not nights, I find it easier to plan nights.
2 full days in Paris (of which one is the flight in day with added jet lag and the second day is departure............. 2 million people live in this little city and that is all you give it?
Fly to Zurich, you are going city centre to city centre and yet you are flying (ah will the strikes still be on then)
Milan is okish (oh lucky girls who visit Milan for their first time in Europe), Genova (treat it as a roundabout) and then to Monaco (what is there at Monaco?)

I think I'd wind back in here a bit and maybe reselect your target cities choosing fewer with more class. But that is just what I think

StCirq

Good grief. I guess there's some hope, since the OP now has 2 weeks instead of 1, but beyond that, what a mish-mash.

I hope the OP is aware of the monstrous extra charges for renting a car in one country and dropping it off in another - though the plans are so unclear it's hard to say if he/she means to do that.

<<Hopefully everything will go as planned>> Umm, I'd actually hope not.

Tulips

Since you are leaving in two week's time, I suppose all travel and hotels have been booked?
2 days is very little for Paris - if you can change it, spend at least 4 nights there.
If you are renting a car in Zurich, return it there and take the train to Milan. Is there a reason you want to visit Milan, as opposed to other Italian cities?
I would then take a train to Nice (rather than Monaco), stay there for 4 nights (at least) and maybe visit Monaco as a day trip.
Are you flying back home from Barcelona? Otherwise I would add those days to Italy or to Nice.

It's better to write out your itinerary like this:
Day 1 - arrive at ... am - check into hotel in Paris
Day 2 - Paris sightseeing .....
Day 3 - Paris sightseeing ....
Day 4 - leave for Zurich at ... am - arrive in Zurich hotel....
Day 5 - Zurich etc.
Don't forget to account for travel time.

thursdaysd

Maybe they are practicing for the Amazing Race.

Or maybe this is not a serious thread.

PalenQ

Renting car in Switzerland to explore the mountains is mal-informed as many Alpine areas are off-limits to private vehicles and you must take trains or lifts or hiking paths, etc. I'd take train in Switzerland and to Milan

but anyway car trip previewed means they will be in a car most of the time and to make decent time to cover the Guinness Book or World Records trip attempt have to take boring autoroutes the whole way - seeing for a fleeting time some cities. Americans can do this at home and fine but not in Europe where cities are terrible for cars - Italian cities may even restrict them from their centers.

Get an International Driviers Licence at AAA before leaving.

StCirq

Well, at least they're not coming through the Dordogne. There's enough Whop Whop going on here already as the season heats up.

janisj

You have almost no time in any of those destinations -- and three stops are Zurich, Milan Monaco??? Only 2 jet lagged days in Paris (is that three nights? )

Sassafrass

You said not expensive.
Every time you change locations you will eat up at least a half day and cost money. You are still all over the place with no clear idea of where you are going, what to see, how or why. This lack of planning is going to cost you dearly in time and money and nerves.

You seem to be including tons of travel time seeing highways, airports and train stations. That is just plain sad when you could be seeing interesting cities, architecture, cathedrals, walled cities, museums, art, plazas, cafes, etc. I feel sure you want your girls to remember some wonderful places they see or things they do, and they won't if they have no time to absorb anything.

why Milan?
why Monaco?
Two weeks, pick four great places that can be connected by trains. If there is time, do day trips.

If you need a car, rent it just for the time necessary.

"every transport possible" that is nuts! If riding around is what the trip is about, you can be in cars, planes, busses and trains at home. Why spend all that money to go to Europe for that.
If you must fly between countries or cities, check flights now. It is really late for booking decent flights and remember to check weight and luggage limits carefully or you will rack up some hefty fees.

How old are your girls?

On arrival, Paris? Allow extra time to recoup from flights. At least 4 nights (3 days). See Versailles one day.

Have you bought tickets already, into Paris, out of Barcelona? That would be multi-city, not two, one-way.
If you already have RT tickets to Paris, then you need a different plan since you have to be in the city of departure the day before the flight.