How would you work out this trip?
 

Okay, I've realized I can't travel to 6 countries in 2 weeks...so.....
How about if I plan on France, Italy & Switzerland. What would you say are must sees for those countries? We've already been to Paris (would love to go back) Let's plan on 2 weeks, maybe a few extra days. If that was your time, how would you divide it up?
Don't throw in too many museums...we have young boys. Scenic, beachy, mountains, good food/wine, love it all. Have a go at it!

2 weeks = 14 days - 1 day flying to Europe - 1 day flying home - 1 day to recover from the jetlag - 1/2 every time you move = approx 10 days free for actually seeing/doing.

So -- Do a couple of places in France and a couple of days in Paris, OR 2 or 3 places in Italy, OR a bit of France and a bit of Switzerland. Think in those sorts of terms.

Fly to Paris for 3 days. Then fly to Milan and drive to Lugano, Switzerland (it's on Lake Lugano, and is about 2 hours" drive from Milan). Walking along the shore and taking a boat ride on the lake are once activities. Then drive up the pass (I forget the name) into the high country and back. Then drive back to Italy and drive to Bologna -- a great town for food. Then train to Venice for a couple of days and fly home.

What month?

If you want to see the so-called "must-sees" of France and Italy, you'd better plan on staying for six months (this is for the basic "must-sees" only, of course). And then, you still haven't seen Switzerland...
So in merely two weeks, you won't see "the" must-sees of even one country, unless you choose Liechtenstein or Luxemburg :). So you'll have to choose tiny parts of those countries; obviously, it's more reasonable to stay in just one country for such a short trip, but you could also do two cities, for example Paris and Venice. Everything else seems so overly ambitious that "overly ambitious" is not even an appropriate description...

Certainly agree you can't cover anything close to the "must sees" of those three countries in two weeks (not even if you had two weeks for EACH country).

But assuming you really want to see some of all three countries, and given that you've already been to Paris I would skip it this time. I've been to Paris six times in the past ten years, usually for a week at a time and I haven't seen everything. Sometimes you just gotta skip something.

So I'd fly into Nice and spend 3 or 4 nights and do day trips to Eze, Villefranche, St Paul, etc (pick a few that most interest you, be sure to allow time to see Nice itself). Day trips are easy via train from Nice.

Then go to Switzerland for 3 or 4 days. Pick one region only.

Then pick two places max in Italy for the second week. Florence and Venice OR Florence and Cinque Terre OR Rome and a small Tuscan town. Fly home from Rome.

You said you could get a few extra days to the add to the two weeks. Definitely want to do that - squeeze out as many extra days as you possibly can. But add them to the destinations you already have, don't add new ones.

If you are traveling by train you want to limit the number of places you stay - one each for France and Switzerland and two for Italy. Then you can do some day trips from each base. If you are driving you can do more places (some one or two nighters). But if you are driving be aware that dropping a car in a different country from where you pick it up adds lots of cost. One possible way to get around that would be to do trains in France, and then to somewhere in Northern Italy (Lakes region probably). Then pick up the car, drive into Switzerland and back to Italy so the drop off and pick up would both be in Italy and you'd have the car for the part of the trip where it would be most useful.

Paris - 3 days or 3 days say in Burgundy, near to Switzerland

Train to Interlaken, Switzerland - 3 days

Train to Venice - 3 days

Train to Florence - 2 days

Train to Rome - 3 days

Are you going by car or train - train IMO is best if going to big touristic cities where cars are a liability - wide swathes of those towns off limits to private vehicles, parking problematic and expensive when found, etc.

Now you ask for the major draws of those countries - Interlaken and Jungfrau Region around it is IMO the essence of Switzerland - the gorgeous Alpine scenes etched in our minds' eyes

and Rome, Florence and Venice are the big kahunas - for good reason - in Italy

So little time so so much to see

If going by train then these info-laden sites should help plan a European rail trip - www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download the latter's free and superb IMO European Planning & Rail Guide - suggested rail itineraries, maps, etc. and for schedules all over Europe - www.bahn.de - the German Rail web site that has schedules for all European trains and IME is the easiest to use. And if doing those three countries by rail then consider the Eurail Select 3-country Pass - kids under 12 get 50% off.

I think you can do what you want, why not. I can visit three countries in two weeks. But you have to forget that this means you see all the "must sees" in three countries during that time, as well as throwing in beaches and mountains, etc.

I'd fly into Switzerland, spend a few days there wherever you most want, then go down to Italy for a week and finish up in Nice, perhaps, for a few days.

"Scenic, beachy, mountains, good food/wine, love it all. "

You can get all of that in Italy. Not sure what your motivation is for wanting to hit three countries but for me, I would spend it all in Italy.

Well, the food and wine isn't bad in France, either. ;)

franco, I am not a big fan of French food but I do enjoy many of the wines produced there.

Actually, most people seem to love either Italian or French cuisine. I love both, and think both of them belong among the three to five best cuisines of the world, and none is superior to the other.

You can't see much of 3 different countries with only 2 weeks either (certainly not 6 countries, hoping you were kidding about that part!!).

Certainly you can briefly visit a couple cities in each country if you move around quickly enough. One trip I did Geneva (Vevey/Montreux), Venice, and Paris on a 3-week stay.

What is it YOU want to do?

"What is it YOU want to do?" Good question.

Since the OP is looking for advice on where to go, it does not appear she has actual interests driving her desire to visit multiple countries in 2 weeks. "How about if I plan on France, Italy & Switzerland. What would you say are must sees for those countries? "

Normally people choose to visit a country because there is something specific about it that has their interest and that they are interested in seeing/experiencing. There is nothing to explain her reasons in the post, and she mentions initially wanting to visit 6.

I suggest research time with guide books and the internet and to go back to the beginning and make some basic decisions on what the reason is for this trip and what her family enjoys doing. From her post, there is really no information at all about why they are even planning a trip to Europe or why these 3 countries were selected. Perhaps because of their location on a map and a desire to hit as many countries as possible?

This is the time in trip planning when I'd go to the library and check out a pile of guidebooks for Europe. I think that's easier in the very early stages of shaping a trip, than trying to do so on the internet.

With two weeks I'd choose either France & Switzerland OR Switzerland & Italy and go from there.

I think the key question is how old are your boys and what do they like to do?

If they are anything like my son, you must include Switzerland. And not for seeing the sights! It's a perfect place for being active (assuming warm weather months). Our best day there (based in Grindlewald) was biking down mountains. We also found a good place to climb some rocks.

In Paris, go on the sewer tour and climb to the top of everything possible. Eat crepes and croques monsieurs. Rent little boats to float in the Tuilleries or Luxmbourg. If they're older, perhaps a Segway tour?

Venice (water and pigeons -- a great combo) was a big hit as well, and you can't miss with a beach -- almost any beach.

Enjoy. You'll have plenty of time to hit the museums and churches after they're grown and gone (as mine is -- and joining us in France next summer!).

Also, on the rail route between Milan and Venice is a neat looking theme park, http://www.gardaland.it/index_genetix.php
the name of the town is Peshiera del Garda - ON Lake Garda which is beuatiful.

A few mile walk from the Peschiera del Garda train station is also Sirminione, an archeological site from old Roman days that is a major major one in Italy - plus in a neat setting. Lake Garda can make a wondrous few day stop and a great break from only seeing large tourist-mecca cities - mobbed cities in season. That said Sirmione the town by the ruins is also one of the most congested tourist towns i have ever seen - but once you enter the ruins it's all tranquil overlooking the pristine lake.

Yes i think kids that age would simply love to spend a few days in the Interlaken-Jungfrau Region of Switzerland - say staying a few days in Grindelwald and taking mountain trains and awesome aerial cableways around this gorgeous area where glacier-girdled peaks rise steeply just across a wide valley from town.

They and you could take the thrilling train ride up to the Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest train station and one perpetually surrounded by a sea of ice (well at least for the next few decades before it all melts due to climate change perhaps) - they can take dog sled rides, walk in the snow to the nearby glacier - trek thru the vast ice caves, etc.

docdan on Aug 19, 10 at 10:36pm
Also, on the rail route between Milan and Venice is a neat looking theme park>

Ah yeh don't forget to plan things just for kids' fun - and in Interlaken there is a similar fun park on the edge of town - kids if old enough perhaps could stay there whilst you looked around

and in Interlaken you also have the summer tobaggan rides.