kiwicher2

This is just a starting plan it's all over the place I need help
To make decisions re destinations we have 10 to 12 weeks very excited the longest we have ever had.
I am traveling with my husband and daughter will join us for part of the the time (Greece/Turkey)
We like towns and cities ,history , food not into night life ( daughter might be)
Glassgow is a must my husband is Scottish and still has lots of family there
The last time we did a trip we were in the south of France /Italy/Switzerland loved it but want to go
to different places this trip also tried to choose slightly cheaper destinations as we are away for longer anyway any input is greatfully excepted

Leave NZ
LA / x2 nights
London x3 nights (have been before)
Train to bath x 1 night
Train / Glasgow x 5 nights ( with family)

Barcelona x 5 nights

Berlin x 3/ or Morocco

Flight Poland x 4 Kraków
Train Prague x3 ??? To busy
(Bratislava x4 instead )
Vienna x3 ???
Budapest x 3
Slovenia x3
Croatia Split x 2
Dubrovnik x 2

Venice x2 ( have been before )
Rome x 6 ( have been before ) Maybe base somewhere else?
Naples x2

Greece x 8 Athens/Santorini/?

Turkey x10. ( have been but only Istanbul loved it
not sure if we have time for somewhere else )
Fly back to NZ via Asia/ Aust

KTtravel

In Croatia, I would try to add the Plitvice Lakes National Park -- it is a stunning national park.

kiwicher2

Would we need a car for that ? we are going to try just using
public transport this time found driving stressful on our last
trip. Thanks

welltraveledbrit

It's often cheaper to stay for a longer period in each place, for example if you look at renting an apartment for one week rather than staying for five days. This also cuts down on the costs associated with traveling between all these place. Yes it's wonderful to be able to go for so long, but it's tiring to travel for an extensive amount of time. You'll need time to recoup and if you keep moving you don't have the time to do it because there's always something new you "have " to go out and see. Having traveled foe these amounts of time myself that's my two cents!

FYI the New York times just had a travel piece on modernist architecture in Bratislava.

What time of year will you be in these places?

Bath to Glasgow by train sounds like too much to me. I like Morocco and particularly Fez but I would pick Morocco or Turkey on an itinerary like this not both. I find on these longer trips it helps to have a theme of some kind to give the whole thing a raisin d'être, otherwise it's just a traipse from one place to another and then you could go anywhere. What holds all this together?

In terms of cheaper destinations Spain, Greece, Turkey and Portugal are good contenders. If you've been to Venice and Rome why not go further south to Puglia, you could take the ferry from here to Greece, possibly from Bari.

My suggestions are as random as your itinerary so they may be of no help! Don't worry when you start to look at the logistics of flights/cost/days traveling/days in the place/days relaxing you'll narrow things down.

KTtravel

I think it may be difficult to get to Plitvice without a car but I believe some buses go there. We did see many tour buses arriving and departing so it may be possible to get a day tour from Split.

maltamonument

Hi,

Budapest is rather small so 3 days is a good time frame - may I also suggest to check out an escape room, since they started in Budapest. Was really lovely and an amazing bonding experience. Vienna - depends, you can easily do 4-5 days there. I've been there for 2.5 days, and wished to stay longer to see the Schonbrunn and Hofburg. (I went to the zoo (really nice), natural history museum (Free), military museum (very nice) shopping, cathedral walking round etc etc). You may consider also Bratislava (SK) since it is less than 1 hour away by train from Vienna.

Bratislava isn't really that interesting in my opinion. Was nice to see, but that's it. One day trip from Buda or Vienna is more than enough. Maybe 2 if you want to go to Hrad Devin (still doable in one day).

Rome - 6 days? seriously? and you've been before? I was bored after 2 days in Rome. Rome didn't impress me at all. On the other hand Florence was lovely and the food was amazing. Naples - I have a very bad image of Naples in my mind, though I haven't been there. They have been on the news constantly about Mafia and rubbish in the streets, as well as it is well known to be rather unsafe. In Italy have you considered - Como, Verona and San Marino (another country) or perhaps Malta?

For Croatia, I would too, strongly recommend Plitvice. Haven't been there yet, but probably I'll go next year. Looks amazing. I would take 2 days from Italy and go a day trip to Mostar (Bosnia) and Kotor (Montenegro) from Dubrovnik. Slovenia does deserve a look as well. Lake Bled, Julian Alps, Ljubljana....

My friends been to Athens, they said it's not really that attractive (in their words "looks like slums"). However, the islands are beautiful. I'm going to Istanbul next week, really psyched. Looks awesome.

Also you may do Barcelona in less time, since you're a family. I've been there for 4 days, and managed to see Barcelona, port aventura, costa brava, and Andorra as well (and then continued our tour towards Lourdes in France). Barcelona doesn't have THAT much attractions, as it is more famous for its nightlife. But it's up to you on how slow you want to take it.

Instead of Berlin, may I suggest Bavaria to be closer to Vienna, also there is Hallstat in Austria. (Haven't been but sure looks lovely in images). Morocco haven't been but sure looks lovely and exotic. Also, I simply adored Paris. So much to do, and romantic, and definite favourite with children due to Disneyland... But you may also take in considerations the current terrorist situations (?).

annhig

I agree with WTB that longer stays in fewer places are more rewarding if you have the time. You could even use 2 or 3 places as bases for exploring that country more thoroughly - if you pick carefully, you could do a lot from one place which becomes "home".

one that springs to mind is Vienna - some many places that you can go from there - and also perhaps a base in the Veneto, and another in the UK somewhere.

otherwise a series of short trips interspersed with longer stays - pick a few big cities for a week or so that you then link up with a couple of shorter stops.

this section strikes me as very tiring:

<<Flight Poland x 4 Kraków
Train Prague x3 ??? To busy
(Bratislava x4 instead )
Vienna x3 ???
Budapest x 3
Slovenia x3
Croatia Split x 2
Dubrovnik x 2>>

and you IMO should aim to spend some time in the country/coast - to give your brains time to absorb what you've been seeing in the cities.