rex

<< I am a first time traveler that will probably only be able to do this once. >>

I think that one of the most important functions of this board is to stamp out this notion - - and help you see how you can become a lifelong traveler, instead of blowing this $10,000 and never traveling abroad again.

Please see my reply on http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34667484

kellyann

what is the best months to go to Europe?

rex

May 20-June 30 or September 1 to October 10, in my opinion. I urge you - - pick 15-20 days max, and see my post of less than an hour ago.

bobludlow

February is very cold, wet, and dark in Northern Europe (most of the continent is at higher latitudes than the states so gets fewer hours of sun in the winter, more in the summer). If you do visit Ireland you will be glad they have so many warm and cozy pubs to hang out in. The Venice Carnival will be Feb 10th-20th in 2007 - that would be a sight to see. Southern Italy and Spain will be far more bearable than northern Europe. But even there you needn't bother with a swimsuit - so why suffer the chilly winter ferries between the Greek islands? You mentioned Madrid and Barcelona - both will be much cooler than places in southern Spain like Seville and Granada. If you ski then France, Switzerland, and the Italian alps would be lots of fun, though you would likely blow your budget.

If you want to focus on "everything ancient" then spend some time in Rome and Pompeii. For a great contrast to Pompeii I highly recommend Ostia Antica, which is an easy local train-ride from Rome. Moving from B.C. to A.D., you have plenty of time to contact the Uffico Scavi and request their tour of the excavations below St Peter's Basilica. But wait until your plans are a little more solid so you request the right date.

Another variation on "everything ancient" that would be great in February is Egypt - though like skiing in the Alps it could break your budget.

Don't let the posters dissuade you - feel free to keep the questions coming as you keep developing your travel plans. Two months of vacation - I am extremely envious!

ira

Hi K,

>... i just want to spend one day in amsterdam the red light district is all i want to see there.<

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

You have a lot of research to do.

ira

Hi k,

If you take about $1000 out of your budget for airfare, you have about $150, or 120
Euro per day.

If that is for one person, it will be fine.

Also consider that 60 days is a long time to be on the road.

Have you thought of taking a 30-day tour this time and another 30 days in a couple of years?

From your email address, I see that the company has offices in CA and China. From which country are you leaving?

capxxx

Ok how about this for a Grand Tour:

1 week: Ireland/England. Pick 2 cities (1 big, 1 small) and split your time.

1 week: 3 nites Amsterdam, 4 nites Paris.

1 week: Pick southern Germany or northern Spain or southern France or Austria/Switzerland and visit small cities and towns. A car might be best for this part.

1 week: Through the Alps and the Dolomites (3 nights), to Venice for 4 nights.

1 week: Florence/Tuscany 3 nights, Pompeii 1 night, Rome 3 nights.

1 week: In Greece. You might want to take a cheap flight from Rome.

A railpass is convenient, but usually only cost-effective if you travel by train almost every day. They are also convenient, but it is not difficult to just buy the ticket -- and if expenses are getting out of hand, you can cut down on the rail travel on the fly.

Don't book hotels ahead everywhere, just your first few days and last few days. Especially if you can travel in the off-season.

Daily expenses depends on what you want -- how fancy the food and hotel. Do you want dorm-like accomodations for 50/person/night, or a nicer hotel for 100/person/night?

You can get by on groceries/ picnics/ pizza for < $80 a day, or eat in restaurants for > $100 a day (per person).

Ignore the nay-sayers and keep asking. It sounds like fun.

capxxx

Yikes, somehow I erased 2 weeks!

Put 1 week in Scandanavia and 1 week in northern Germany (Cologne, Trier, Rhein, etc) between England and Amsterdam.

annhig

Glad you decided to concentrate on one continent. And you're in the right place to get some very good advice on how to get to know it and its people better [assuming that's your intention, and you haven't just got alist of "must sees] [sorry if that sounds a bit waspish!] Here's my two pen'oth:
Forget Ireland. It's very nice, but you won't get to appreciate it in the time you've got.
Start off in Paris - it's wonderful and it'll be a good place to start.
Get the TGV to Provence. Pick a spot and rent an apartment and stay for at least a fortnight. Hire a car and travel round; find your bar, your cafe, your deli, meet some locals, if only to say Bonjour" to.
Take your car and tour round, perhaps down into Italy, as far as Venice.
Return car. Stay for a while.
TRain to one of the lakes, or go walking in the Dolomites.
Train to Rome. Rent an apartment.
Home.
I've been to lots of places in europe [it's easy, I live there] and if I had 2 months to travel round, this is the itinerary i'd use.
TRaveller, not tourist!

bobludlow

How about this - fly into Rome, and spend 3 weeks enjoying Rome, Pompeii, Tuscany, and Venice. Then fly to Madrid and work your way south through Cordoba, Sevilla, and Granada. Perhaps take a jaunt to Gibraltar and/or Morocco. A rail pass would be useful in both Italy and Spain. You could finish your vacation (hopefully it will be a bit warmer by now) in Ireland. Spend some time in Dublin and then take buses to Galway and Dingle - it will be off-season but those towns are great to visit at any time. Take a ferry or Ryanair flight to London for your last few days and fly home from there. The open-jaw ticket (into Rome, out of London) will save you some shekels. And you will have hit some wonderful places at a relatively leisurly pace.

Others will recommend Paris - I say save it for another trip (whatever you think now, if you enjoy yourself you will make time in the future for more such trips) in the Spring or Fall. Same thing with Germany, Scandinavia, Greece, Turkey, etc.


As for your non-European vacation ideas, I agree with the rest that you shouldn't try to lump them into the same trip as Europe. If you decided to skip Europe entirely I would focus on India. The weather will be quite bearable and it is a huge country - you would only be scratching the surface even with a two month trip. Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Rajasthan, Calcutta, and then south into Goa for great food and wonderful beaches. You could fly into Nepal if that is your heart's desire (the State Dept has lifted its travel warning) but I would implore you to not leave the Kathmandu Valley - Maoist rebels are still regularly stopping vehicles on the freeways to Pokhara, Chitwan, India, and China.

How to choose between two such different vacations? Ask yourself how you might respond to the crowds, noise, and pollution of a 3rd-world country. I am assuming that you live in California - have you spent much time in Mexico or other parts of Latin America? As a self-described first-time traveler Europe might be less of an assault on your senses. But either trip could be life-changing.

kellyann

should we stay in hostels or hotels? I would perfer hostel because of the price but safety is big.

saps

I'm I alone in thinking this entire thread is very odd???

Kelly if you are for real then my apologies but many folks have given you advice yet rather than ask specific questions or comment on what people have said you come back and ask random questions.

(Could that sentence have been any longer).

I'm done with this thread!

suze

saps, you are not alone.

jenblase

Me three in thinking that this is odd and wondering why anyone is wasting time on suggesting an itinerary when she clearly has a lot of research to do first!!

bobludlow

Both hostels and B&Bs offer great alternatives to more expensive hotels. There are literally thousands of well-run hostels in Europe. Men and women generally sleep in separate rooms, and since you will be traveling with your sister I think that the only (minor) issue with staying in hostels would be the need to follow your own common sense in protecting your more valuable property from those who might share your room.

kellyann

I really tahnk every one for there help, I just have no idea what to do and where to go thats why i ask questions.i will no longer be coming back here some people are just to negative on here and thats to bad. instead of being negative you should be helpful not everyone knows what you know i came here for help and i received alot but i also received bad help. in the future if you dont have anything nice to say just leave people alone i didnt ask for that i asked things i didnt know. if you didnt know that is what a question is, do you think i just came on here and was like hey i'm going to start this for fun because i have nothing better to do. so thank you once again and do take care, remember positive people make a difference in life negative people set it back.

suze

kellyann, people here were trying to be helpful. Trying to understand what you wanted to do first, then giving different options for a good plan for an 8 week trip. i'm sorry you don't see it that way. kindly, suze

saps

I had to respond:

You asked questions but gave no information. You wanted the folks here to plan a trip for you but you gave them no help. You asked questions that seemed like you didn't do any research at all on your own.

- "would it be the a smart choice to get the euro rail pass for the two months were there" (You didn't give any city options.)

- "my budget is $10,000, so if anyone would like to be nice about it and help me out i would appreicate it" (You were asked several times if that was for 1 or 2 and if that included transporation. You never answered.)

- "what is the best months to go to Europe?" (For what skiing, sunbathing, football? You gave us nothing.)

- "should we stay in hostels or hotels? I would perfer hostel because of the price but safety is big" (What cities? What was your per night budget for lodging? Again you gave us nothing to work with)

Every question that you asked had Fodorites asking you a follow up question but you responded to none of them. Many folks gave you trip ideas and advice and you didn't show any signs of your so called "additional research".

This site is great if you show the slightest bit that you actually care.

Good luck in your trip.

JandaO

I was being nice and helpful but you never answered any of my questions?

irishiningo

kellyann - I've only been visiting this forum for 4 days and the help I've gotten from most posters is invaluable and saved me time and money. Yes, there are some wiseguys but there are in every facet of life. If you are wise, you will take their advice, sort through it, and come back again for another trip.

My own experience with trying to pack too much in too few days was in Ireland. I did the entire West and Southwest Coast in 14 days, and I still missed tons of sights. I sometimes feel that half of my time was spent in the car. Take a while in one country and don't just see the sights; spend some time with the people. That's what I'm doing this time.