EUROPE IN FEBRUARY/MARCH 2003<BR>Would you please be kind enough to review our itinerary and suggest time in each city for an 18-19 day trip to Italy, France, and Spain. Also train vs. flying from city to city...?? please advise pros and cons as well as distances if known thanks a million!!<BR>los angeles to venice<BR>venice- 2 nights<BR>rome-3 nights<BR>paris-2 nights<BR>madrid-5 nights (taking a couple day trips)<BR>seville- 2 nights<BR>Malaga-4 nights<BR>ALSO PLEASE LIST ANY &quot;MUST SEE OR MUST DO'S&quot; IN EACH CITY....THANKS AGAIN!

<BR>As much as I love Paris, I'd definitely cut it out of this itinerary. Unless you love to throw away both money and time, it is pretty hard to justify going from Rome to Paris for just one day then going to Madrid. I'd add those two nights probably as one more in Venice (you're going to be tired from the flight and will need a little time to adjust) and one more in Rome.<BR><BR>I'd then do train from Venice to Rome, but fly to Madrid, then take trains again in Spain.<BR>If you insist on Paris, I'd definitely fly to and from there.

I must be dense--I do not get it. Why do people insist on jumping from one Euro big city to the next. Ana, you just went zipping by the best of Europe enroute to your next big city, which will be overcrowded and expensive. Europe is very large--think in regions.<BR>Please rethink your approach. Let me know if you need input.

Hi Ana<BR> You seem to be going to Spain. If you also want to see either Venice or Rome, that seems reasonable, but the detour to Paris sounds unnecessary.

Ana<BR>You will lose so much time in packing/unpacking, checking in and out, and transport, even if flying, from one city to another that in some cases you will end up with not much more than 1 day in several places.<BR><BR>Agree you should rethink this, although I have different suggestions.<BR><BR>If Spain is your priority, keep those places. If you absolutely want Paris, add that in. I haven't done it, but I believe there are doable train connections (esp.connecting through Barcelona) and least you are only one country away.<BR><BR>If Italy is your priority, then you could start or end in Paris, taking a long train ride, including an overnighter, from Paris to Milan and/or Venice.<BR><BR>Venice and Rome are a one-hour flight away from each other but approx a 4.5 hour train ride. If you do Paris and Venice, you could also detour elsewhere in France such as in Lyon or Nice or Monaco.<BR><BR>With your current itinerary you really won't have much time for must sees in the plural sense.<BR><BR>What do you both enjoy doing? Just relaxing, or dedicated sight seeing and museum-going? Elsewhere here on fodors.com you can find basic information on most if not all of the cities you mention, plus others. See what interests you. <BR><BR>Perhaps plan this out again and try a new itinerary, including some of the sights/sites that seem to interest you.<BR>Then people can make more specific suggestions.<BR><BR>good luck, and congratulations.

I would suggest confining yourself to either Italy or spain. Otherwise you will spend way too much of your vacation in transit. <BR><BR>What are your interests? What is it about each country which attracts you?

You must rethink your itinerary! You will spend all your time packing/unpacking and in transit. I would consider less countries and less big cities/ more smaller towns. Don't try to &quot;do&quot; everything, assume you will be back again! And just curious, why Malaga?

Please re-think your itinerary. My husband and I just spent 26 days in Europe and flew (not literally) through 11 countries in that time. I WILL NEVER travel that way again. I was so tired because of all the traveling that I was completely exhausted when we got back to the states.<BR><BR>We are going again in June but will only be going to 2 cities in the 12 days we will be there.<BR><BR>Please, please, please, if this is your honeymoon, slow down and enjoy just a couple or at most 3 cities. I know nothing about Spain or Italy (we were in northern europe), but I would definately ask for help in cutting down on your itinerary!<BR><BR>Sorry to sound to bleak, but I barely remember my month long vacation!<BR><BR>Good luck- Connie

Venice is a great choice for the beginning of a honeymoon - very romantic and not too big. Stay there 3 nights because the first day you will be tired from the trip. Use that day to see St.Mark's square and cathedral. Walk thru some of the small streets. The 2nd day you could do a museum and take a boat ride to Murano for the glass blowers. Day 3, wander down the coast to Ravenna - small city with lovely tile work. Day 4 is for doing anything else that appeals to you. Then - take an overnight train to Nice; book a couchette so you can sleep lying down. Buy Rick Steves' book &quot;Europe Through the Back Door&quot; and you will learn about train travel. It's well worth the $ so get it! OK, day 4 and 5 in Nice. There's lots to do but my favorites were the Russian Cathedral and the Matisse Museum. You can also rent Vespas and ride up into the mountain villages. You then take a night train to Madrid (couchettes again). You already have your time in Spain worked out. Paris and Rome need at least 5 days each. Do that for your first anniversary. It just so happens there is a night train from Paris to Rome. Most of all, enjoy.

I agree with the general opinion that you are trying to see too much. In my experience you lose about half a day every time you change base.<BR>I would suggest that you choose either Italy or Spain. In my opinion, Spain would be better because the weather is likely to be warmer.<BR>You could fly to Madrid, stay there for several days and then visit the south. Your trip will be much better if you only have to change hotels 2 or 3 times.

I agree with most of the other replies that you are definitely trying to see too much in too short a time span. If you have 18 days, I would spend 9 each in Italy and Spain. 3 in Venice, 4 in Rome, 3 in Florence (with a day trip to Pisa). I am planning a trip to Spain myself, and am planning on 3 days in Seville, 5 in Mallorca, and 3 in Barcelona. Paris is definitely a 5-6 day trip by itself. <BR><BR>You could most likely fly inexpensively on Iberian from Italy to Spain, unless you find a convenient overnight train. For travel within Italy, I always took the train. But I think for the time and the cheap airfare, you're better served flying Iberia between points in Spain.<BR><BR>Best of luck,<BR><BR>Brian

Yep, agree with all the other posters. This is too much and too busy. My advice would be to concentrate on one country. What is it that you'd like to see and do? What are your interests? Spain, France and Italy all have their charms. You need to FOCUS; otherwise you will just tire yourself out, and come home with various pictures you won't remember,<BR><BR>I don't know how soon you're planning your honeymoon after the wedding, but I can tell you that you will be SO tired after the wedding! That's a major factor with planning your trip.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>Melodie<BR>Certified Spain and Italy Specialist

I totally agree with Melodie's previous posting and Bob the Navigator's: why are you going up and down and around and traveling back and forth? You must refocus your entire honeymoon. Post your interests so everyone can get an idea about you and your fiance. Believe me, Paris is enough for a honeymoon; so is Italy and Spain. You'll never have enough lives to know each place thoroughly so what do you really want? Do you want to be living out of a suitcase because you won't have time to unpack? Or would you prefer to spend some quality time in and around one place and make some nice excursions while keeping a home base .... at the most two? Otherwise you'll need a vacation from your honeymoon! Happy New Year!<BR><BR>

Ana - as you can tell from all the resposes that most folks think you are travelling too much and not spending enough time just enjoying your surroundings and your honeymoon. Given the time of year I would choose more southern climes. As you probably already have your tickets to Venice I would limit my honeymoon to Italy with 3-4 days in Venice, Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast, though it might be hard to find accomodations in Amalfi in Feb.-March. Indeed, the money you save by not flying all over Europe can be put aside for a return trip!