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?

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...

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