Help with my trip!!!
 

Hello all! ok, so my brother and I are finally going to Europe!! I know, it is very exciting. I love to travel!!! History and geography were my favorite subjects in school. We will be in Europe for 2 MONTHS! We have some family that lives over there, but i will get to that laer....


We will fly into Dublin, and spend about 5 or 6 days in Ireland.

Next we will fly to Glasgow, Scotland and spend about 2 or 3 days in Scotland before taking a bus/train down to blackpool/liverpool (for the day?).

Then onto northern wales. maybe a day or two in wales.

Next, we plan to go to London, but would like to see Stonehenge before...In London, we have a cousin that lives there, so no need to find lodging there. we will stay ther probally 3 or 4 days (long enough?) then we will take a train to Paris.

We will be in Paris for 2 or 3 days.

then onto Belgium and the Netherlands. I do not know much about these countrys (except their history), so i will need the most help here.

After these countrys, we want are going to Northern Germany, Hildesheim to be more exact, this is where the rest of our family lives. We will be staying with them for about a week.

After visiting with them, Next is to Denmark. everyone has told us to go here.

The next part of our journey I would like to visit Sweden. Go to stockholm, and surrounding areas. Most likely a bus from copenhagen to stockholm. we will then return through Copenhagen, and then to Hildesheim, Germany. After saying goodbye to the family, we we go south from here.

Go through Cologne, Bonn, frankfurt,wurzberg, rothenburg, (the Romantic Road) all the way to Neuschwanstein Castle and Munich. this whole journey would take probally a week. (yes?)

Then we will go onto Salzburg (a day) Vienna (2 days), Innsbruck & Vaduz Liechtenstein (a day), and into Switzerland. We will then eventually come to Bern, switzerland where a Foreign exchange student was from back in High School (and we will be staying with her, she has already written us).

After switzerland, we plan to go to Italy. Milan, Verona, Venice, florence, Pisa, siena, Rome, Vaatican City, Naples, and then back to Rome. We will then fly from Rome to Dublin, then Dublin to Home.


So this is what I am asking YOU! please give any tips, sites, LODGING, transportation, resturants, cheap fun, information on Belgium/Netherlands, places to miss, places not to miss, rough parts of town (to miss), and anything else you can think of! We are on a budget...cheap as much possible. Willing to "splurge". We each have about $4000 between the 2 of us. 2 Months, flying into and out of Dublin, Ireland. We love the country side...city not to much, but want to see city as well.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Hi, Matt.

A heading like you have used is not helpful to your cause; it's much too general.

I suggest that you post a number of separate questions with more informative short headers. Look at what other people do here.

Then you can assemble all the responses and make a more detailed plan.

I don't really get it. You have 2 full months, yet are running around like a chicken w/ your head chopped off.

5 days for Ireland - what do you expect to see from Dublin in only 5 days? Dublin is on the east coast while many of the scenic bits are on the other side of the country.

Then you want 2 or 3 days in Scotland -- that is like spending 2 or 3 days in California. Scotland is a huge place and 2 days gives you barely enough time for Edinburgh.

A day trip (?) to Liverpool and Blackpool

1 or 2 days in Wales??

then 3 or 4 days in London

and so it goes. This is a nutty itinerary IMHO.

I would first sit down w/ some maps and good guide books and refine, refine, refine . . . . .

(every time you move from one place to another count on losing 1/2 to 1 full day)

My immediate impression is that you have planned to go to WAY too many places. I like to set up a trip on a spreadsheet with a spot for each date. Fill in the length of time for the "definates" such as the family locations and then fit in the rest of the dates around that. You need to allow 1/2 to a full day of travel each time you change locations.

I'd cut out most of the time in Great Britain, except for London and the areas immediately around London such as Stonehenge that you can do on a day trip. I'd also cut out the Italy section entirely.

Also keep in mind that your first and last days don't count...so by the time you take out those days and your travel days, the actual days for touring is quite a bit less than 2 months.

As for your budget, I'm assuming that the $4K doesn't include your plane tickets? $4K won't go very far in Great Britain and Scandanavia....they are both pretty expensive. Add up all of the short-hop airfares, hotels, train fares, any other "fixed" expensives and then you'll see how much is left for your daily budget for hotel/food/entrance fees etc.

Good luck and I hope you have a great trip!

Margy

Hi M,

I agree that there is much too much on your plate.

In 8 weeks you could expect to be rushed visiting 8 major destinations, you have listed 13.

You have your whole life to visit Europe, don't try to see it all in one trip.

When are you going?

Rather than RT Dublin, I suggest that you fly into Dublin and out of your last city.

Is the $4000 for the two of you, or apiece? Is airfare extra?

((I))

First advice is to go to www.ricksteeves.com

Sorry, the website above should read:

http://www.ricksteves.com/

(it is Steves not Steeves

This is a great website for planing your Europe Trip.

I second www.ricksteves.com - especially for transport info and i always recommend for folks planning such a wide ranging trip with lots of transportation and potentially railpasses www.budgeteuropetravel.com and on the home page request their free European Planning & Rail Guide that is a great primer on understanding the European rail system and railpasses.

I also like the Lonely Planet and Let's Go guides for any type trip with their wealth of info

If that's what you want to do, fine. Your choice. I see you're asking really only about Belgium or the Netherlands, and I'm not great on either.

I have some stuff I can email you on Glasgow/ Scotland- it's all on here, but it'll save you a search.

But you CANNOT do Glasgow Blackpool Liverpool in one day by public transport. You just can't.

I don't believe your trip as outlined is possible. Especially at $1000USD per person per month. You would spend ALL your time and money traveling place to place. At a glance you mention 30+ cities/countries!!!

You really need to start over.

Get some maps, look at locations and distances.

Realize that traveling from one city to another will take the whole day.

Understand that for larger cities (London, Paris you really need at least 4 night to see much - more if you're doing day trips).

Start costing things out (even if just train fares, air fares and hostels - so you have some perspectives). For 2 people in a hostel you need to assume $60 per night - so for 2 months - that would be $3600 alone.

And realize that the dollar is pitiful at the moment - so even eating sandwiches from supermarkets won;t be free. And even one beer or glass of wine in a pub or cafe is several dollars.

Then have a look at the cost of some of the major sights. (Entrance to Stonehenge alone is about $10 for students and $14 for adults. So - if you do 30 sights on the trip - for 2 people - that would be $600/$800.)

You will need more like $4000 each for the trip - plus airfare from the US.

Agree to check out backpacker sights to get more ideas from young super budget travelers - but I think you'll find you're still way short of funds - unless you plan on begging or working.

First I think this is a joke or a troll. However, in the event it isn't, I don't think you each can do what you are stating on $33. per day. Hell, doubt that you can eat, let along sleep on that amount. Then transportation cost...can't be done. Stay at home, save more money, buy a map, get real. Then if you did do it, write a book on how you managed it, who knows, you just might be a new " rick Steves".

On this thread the OP says they have $8000, $4000 each.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35085940

I read it as " we have $4,000 between us" Not $4,000 each. Guess it is how you read it. If in fact they have a total of $8,000.then they could manage it provided they can cover a lot of transportation expense.

So Matt, please clear this up.

rogeruktun: On the other thread he wrote &quot;<i>Sorry, I meant to put (*) Between the 2 of us, there is $8000(*) we each have about $4000.</i>&quot;

Seems pretty clear to me.

But even $4000 per person isn't much for 2 months - especially w/ all the moving around. Only about $65 per day which will work in a few places, but not many.

It sounds like they will be doing doing research for the &quot;Dumb and Dumber&quot; sequel...8-} #-O

Sorry, didn't see the other thread. Still, while in Great Britain, if I did my number correctly, they will have around 35 pounds total each day between them. I just think it can be done.

Correction... Can't be done.

I think you need to cut back on the travel and the expensive cities. So this just about kills most of UK Sweden and the Swiss.

Accomodation I think you need to join the international Youth hosteling organisation and base your trio around their accomodation.

Belgium and Netherlands. Good cheap public transport so very useful for your trip. Generally good English skills abound.

You also need to research the cheap flight suppliers so names like Ryanair are going to be part of your research and www.skyskanner.net (can someone put the spelling in here for me??)

Finally which part of the year?

http://www.yha.org.uk/yha-overseas/i...nks/index.aspx

is the link to YHA and this might be the way to visit UK

we may all be talking to ourselves since matt hasn't been back to either thread.

Matt?

wow.....this is harsh...i dont know what to say....


i thought i said the time we would be there....

June 2 to August 6. 2008

I also said that I would have a place to stay in London, Amsterdam, Hildesheim Germany, Copenhagen DK, &amp; Bern Switz.

maybe i just should not go....I understand that i have to cut it down, but how? maybe i should skip GB, Italy, and Sweden? dont care much about GB anyways...and YES i have researched these places....i have been in contact with Rick Steves for a couple of years....getting tips and such...i just wanted to take a supertrip....well i guess it cannot be done....

IT IS $4000 a piece!!!! so a total of $8000.

Matt

You must understand that for many on this forum travel is not just something to do...it's a religion. Many here will give you great advice while others will give you crap like...

&quot;It sounds like they will be doing doing research for the &quot;Dumb and Dumber&quot; sequel&quot;

Just ignore the useless posts like that and glean from the good ones.

Depending on how energetic you are the trip you outlined above may be doable...but that doesn't mean it will be much fun. In the past I went on rather hectic trips (trips that were scorned by some on this forum) and had a blast. But after two of those types of trips I'm ready to slow down and spend more time in one spot. It all depends on how you like to travel. Persoanlly for me I'd cut back as many have stated above.

As mentioned above you need to put together a spreadsheet of every day on the trip and really lay it all out. In each box put down the true travel times (see http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/fa...ules/index.htm and http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichel...MaHomePage.htm to truly understand your travel times) and really think if that's the pace you want to travel. And from what some have said parts of your itinerary are impossible...not just hectic.

Have fun planning your trip and as mentioned break your questions down into smaller posts so that things that are important to you won't get lost in all the other questions. For me the planning phase is half the fun! :)

Matt-

Don't worry - you can do it.

Do you already have your flight? If not, I suggest skipping Ireland this time because much of the beauty of Ireland is in the countryside, you will need to drive, and it adds expense. Dublin is also an expensive city to get into and out of.

I know everyone has suggested that you look at some guide books, and you say you have. One thing to take note of is that even though you appear to be young and energetic, moving like you are suggesting on almost a daily basis for 2 months can tire anyone out. My first Europe trip was when I was about 25 - we moved nearly every day for 2 weeks. It was AWESOME, but I came home tired. And that was just 2 weeks. You have 8 weeks. Plus you need to consider the length of time it takes to get from one place to the next. . .

If I were you, this is how I would pare it down - I am basing this on not only what you have said but what I have enjoyed in my travels:

Fly into London as you may get a cheaper flight.

London - 5 nights - you can do a day-trip to Stonehenge if you really want to. Loads of day trips if you run out of things to do (which I can't imagine).

Eurostar to Paris for 4 nights (keep in mind the day you Eurostar it will take 2.5 hours on the train, plus check in, plus getting to St. Pancras, plus getting to your hotel in Paris. So you are looking at about 5 hours of transport time probably.

Now, since you say history is your favorite subject in school, I will highly recommend taking a d-day tour as perhaps a day-trip from Paris or you could train to Bayeux in Northern France and spend a night (or I would spend 2 nights actually) to do it.

I have been to Brussels a couple of times and it is not my favorite place so personally I would skip it. I really like Bruges, and I would spend 2 nights there because it is going to take the better part of a day to get there.

Amsterdam deserves 4 nights as well.

Then you move to N Germany for a week with your family. You are now at 24 days.

I would skip Scandanavia - it is expensive and out of the way. Plus you HAVE to skip something and personally I would rather skip Scandanavia than Italy!

Next stop would be Rothenburg although you will probably have to blow a night or 2 getting there.

Spend 2 nights in Rothenburg - go straight to Munich.

3 nights in Munich. Make sure you go to Dachau which will take you the better part of a day on public transport.

2 at Fussen - Neuschwenstein

2 - Salzburg

2 - Vienna

1 - Innsbruck

5-6 nights in Switzerland including Luzern and visiting your friend - you can visit the Berner Oberland from Bern but you will be better off if you stay in somewhere like Lauterbrunnen.

1 - Milan

3 - Venice/Verona

3 - Florence - do a walking tour of Tuscany day trip and skip siena

5 - Rome

Fly home from Rome.

There you have it - 56 nights in Europe based on some of my favorites places to travel.

I might drop the + day in milan. There is a lot to do and you will end up using it as a station.