pdx

My two cents is to think about how much time you've spent getting to and from the airport on previous trips, domestic or international. It takes much of your day even for a short flight. It can be an hour travel to and from the airport. Customs and luggage can take some time. I'm just advising you to not underestimate how much of your vacation is actually tied up in travel time.
Most people here have probably tried the frantic see-everything-all-in-one-trip vacation you are planning and understand the urge. But the fact is you'll be seeing a lot of airports and train stations with that kind of trip. Be sure to consider two one-week destinations and renting an apartment in each city. I think shopping in the neighborhood of your apartment is one of the most revealing and rewarding experiences you'll have on your entire trip.
My two cents just turned into 30¢, didn't it?

WTnow

It will help a LOT that you are fluent in French and have relatives there. Traveling with 4, though is harder than traveling with one as each persons needs must be met.

The more you plan & listen to "insiders" the better. If you go to Paris & London DO get the subway & other maps before going and get a real sense of where you want to go & how you will get there.

Know the little things like how to skip the lines in the Louvre & to see it late in the day without the crowds.

http://www.soultravelers3.com/2006/0...eums-in-a.html

(even with a young child, one can see a lot if it is well paced and well planned).

Make sure everyone is in good walking shape with comfortable, worn in shoes as no matter where you go there will be MUCH more walking & standing than you are used to.

We've been traveling as a family non-stop since 2006 & when we went back to the U.S.(CA), we were astounded by how people drive to everything no matter how walkable it is.

If you can all do serious walking & standing, have a good understanding of the mass transit (& how to get best price on it)& speak the language, that will help tremendously and grant you more freedom.

I agree with the less is more crowd as I like slow travel, but that said, you COULD do a taste of France, Italy & Spain, if that was important to you.

You could do Nice area (lots of beautiful towns like Eze plus maybe even add Monaco for a day), Cinque Terre & Costa Brava/Barcelona.

http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/0...rre-italy.html

http://soultravelers3.com/2009/07/to...ems-spain.html

People often think cities and they certainly have wonderful museums, culture & such, but being in a crowded, huge, busy city where you do not know your way around or how to do the simplest things, can be exhausting. What you think can be done & what can really be done in a day are usually different. Remember to schedule in "down" time.

We have spent many weeks in both London & Paris as they are great cities that one can see again and again and not see them all, but for me, the beautiful small villages and countryside is the best of Europe, if chosen well.

Provence?

http://www.soultravelers3.com/2006/1...llon-ochr.html

Perhaps if you do an all France trip you would combine Paris and some of the country side?

Also you could do this with UK, if you chose that route. At the very least combining London with the Cotswolds will add much to your trip.

http://www.soultravelers3.com/2009/0...f-england.html

As a couple, we once toured all around England ( Cotswolds, Lake District on the way up, York on the way down) & around Scotland (Glasglow, Edinburgh, Findhorn, Isle of Skye, Highlands, etc) in 2 well planned weeks. We used a rent a car & B&B's.

That's probably too much for 4 people, but gives you an idea of what can be done. If you just have time for one sight in Scotland, I think Edinburgh is a good choice as is Dublin for Ireland.

Also keep the weather in mind and crowds in mind. You did not mention what time of year that you would be going. We spent the summer before last, totally in Ireland, England & Scotland & found July and August there, very cold, dark (very cloudy), and rainy.....MUCH worse than the winter in southern Spain.

So be prepared & dress appropriately and if you can, try to avoid the crowds (although thanks to the economy crowds are better now even in high season).

You will have a ball! Happy planning & happy travels!

primeranoche

People speak French in Belgium, Switzerland and even parts of Italy.

primeranoche

I read some of these posts and I don't know where the numbers come from. Two weeks to see a country? It takes two weeks to Sicily, let alone Italy -- but why spend two weeks in Belgium? Five nights for a major city? But who needs that for Edinburgh? (No aspersion on Edinburgh, but one could trim, yes?)

I could see somebody flying to Barcelona, staying four nights, taking the ferry to Genoa then going to Florence or Venice, spending 3 nights there and then taking trains up to Paris through Switzerland. Or combining Amsterdam, Belgium France and London. Zig zag , I admit, but it's no crazier than flying to Italy and spending two weeks going all over the place -- Venice, Florence, central Italy, Rome, the Amalfi, or going to Spain and doing the same.

Actually, I think Ireland and Scotland are hard to fit into a European trip.

travel88,

It's not bad advice not to try to cover too much geography unless you've got good train connections.

WillTravel

Primeranoche, 5 nights in Edinburgh, particularly including daytrips, will pass in no time at all. If it were during the festivals, even more so.

janisj

"<i>Five nights for a major city? But who needs that for Edinburgh? (No aspersion on Edinburgh, but one could trim, yes?) </i>"

Heck - I could spend 5 weeks in Edinburgh. Five days is nothing. Unfortunately, most visitors only have a few days -- so out of necessity we help them w/ how to see the highlights in a couple of days and day trips to other places. Doesn't mean Edinburgh is only "worth" 2 days.

primeranoche

I could spend 5 weeks in Ediburgh too. Of five months. Or five years if global warming goes the right way. That wasn't my point. My point is that it is STUPID to -- oh, never mind. Go on thinking the numbers game means something.