Hi, I'm trying to plan a trip to Europe with my boyfriend in August of this year, but I'm hearing that I may be planning too many trips in too short a time. I was thinking of flying to Barcelona and spending about 2 days there, then flying to Paris for about 3 days, then flying to Venice for 3 days, then flying or taking the train to Rome for 4-5 days, then flying to Athens for about 4-5 days, then flying back to Barcelona for 2 days, then home. Would we have enough time in each place? I really want to see the Gaudi architecture in Spain and go to Versailles. Thank you for your replies.

Well, five cities in three weeks might not be a bad idea, but THOSE five cities, which are all over the map, in three weeks IS a bad idea, unless you're doing a thesis on airport interior design or cloud formations.

If what you really want to see is Gaudi architecture and Versailles, plan the trip around France and Spain: Paris, maybe some of the French countryside, then Barcelona and maybe a bit of the coast.

Your title might more appropriately be worded "Is planning 4 countries in 3 weeks too much?"

I agree with StCirq - I would visit 5 cities in 3 weeks but just based in two countries. Do you actually have 21 days on the ground, or do they include travel dates? Book an open-jaw ticket so no back-tracking and work in some travel in the countryside to offset all the city-vibe and give you a more-rounded glimpse of the area.

Keep in mind as you plan that every time you change hotels/cities, you will use up at least half a day, if not more, with the busyness of changing locations . . . checking out of hotel, traveling to airport/train station, security check-ins and waiting, the actual trip, getting from airport/station to hotel, checking into hotel. Because of security check-ins and the locations of airport well outside cities, even a one-hour flight will have at least two hours of busyness before and at least one hour after.

Do you need to fly home from Barcelona for some reason? It would be more efficient to book flights with the multi-city option on flight websites (also called "open jaw") and fly from home to one city and return home from a different city. Saves the time (all that stuff mentioned in the previous paragraph) and money of backtracking and should not cost more (or that much more) then a typical round trip flight.

For example, fly to Barcelona to Paris to Venice to Rome to Athens to home.

August is a hot crowded time to be traveling in Europe, and to be staying just in cities. You might want to delete a country and add a little down time in the countryside or at the beach somewhere in the middle of this. Or extend your stay in some places so you really will have downtime, even in a city.

Have you flown to Europe before? Are you flying from the U.S.? If yes, you may be plagued by jetlag on your arrival day. Since the architecture of Barcelona is so important on your list, I wouldn't be so quick to leave to the next place. Put all your Barcelona days together and really have a good amount of quality time to explore your interests.

Some would say you are trying to see too many different places while others would say this schedule is fine. For me it would be too far afield, but I am not you. My first inclination would be to take Athens off this list and then re-allot your days.

Fly from home to
Barcelona 4 nights
Fly Barcelona to
Paris 4 nights
Fly Paris to
Venice 3 nights
Train Venice to
Rome 5 nights
Fly Rome to home

This leaves 3-4 days from your original plan to add to each of these locations, or to add a country/beach spot near one of these locations.

Oh, and Spain and Greece will be sweltering in August, and if you go anywhere near a beach, it will be standing room only.

Good point about the open-jaw ticket.

I agree with StCirq. Those five cities are not really convenient to each other. You'd be spending a lot of time in transit. You'd also have to pack wisely if you are using budget airlines because of their weight restrictions.

Plus - have you looked into how much it would cost to fly to each one? check out www.whichbudget.com . This will give you an idea of which cheapo airlines go to which city and how much. Then you could fine tune your itinerary.

If it was me, I'd fly into Barcelona and out of Paris, or vice versa. With that in mind, you might be able to squeeze in one more city in Italy - since you are probably younger than me and have more energy! Say, US-Barcelona, Barcelona-Rome, Rome-Paris, Paris-US.

I'd say that three cities, three countries is probably doable. But that would be the limit, IMO.

I'd drop Athens and consider 4-6-4-6 in Barcelona, Paris, Venice, and Rome... with open jaws.

You will still lose a day from each city with the travel time, which means the actual useful time on the ground will be 3-5-3-5. Keep in mind I've never been to Barcelona but I've been to the others and that time seems about right. Venice/Rome at least you can do on the train, which is about 5 hours. A flight is quicker unless you factor in security and whatnot.

Dropping even one more city is probably even smarter. Visit only three, have more time in them, and do day trips from each one.

Thank you for your replies. I really have to think because I know that Athens is the best idea of a city to drop, but my boyfriend wants to go there the most. Flying within Europe, how much time do you have to allow at airports for security?

If you are flying cheap airlines their checkin is open 2 hours before. We always get there 2 hours before because they also close their checkin EXACTLY on time - even if you are standing in the line up to check in and are delayed because their check-in is so busy. Then you miss the flight and have to buy another one on the next available flight at whatever price it is on the day (i.e. not cheap). So plan to be at the airport at least 2 hours before your flights.

Oh and they are also very precise in their luggage weight restrictions and if you are over it is quite costly, so keep that in mind when packing.

I agree that dropping Athens makes the most sense. Also be sure to book open jaw into Barcelona and out of wherever you end.

I suppose you could substitute Rome with Athens...not sure if there are cheap flights from Venice to Athens but you could check...or maybe a ferry (I really have no idea, just throwing it out there)

Seriously, I'd go into this assuming that each day you move from place to place you are giving up that day. Just build that into your plans, plan accordingly, and be pleasantly surprised if you squeak an extra 4 hours into your day.

If Athens is his "must do", then perhaps drop Barcelona. Again I say this as someone who hasn't been there - I just couldn't see dropping Paris or Rome or Venice. Whatever you do, don't split up the days in one city like you originally planned. Then you really are wasting time. Visit, then leave. Don't backtrack to any of them. Open jaw.

ps. In your case I'd either start or end in Athens.

Maybe start the trip there, because it will be by far the longest flight home and that would be nice to avoid.

Get the longest flight over right at the start (Athens) and then Venice, train to Rome, fly to Paris, then fly home. Paris is the most likely to have direct flights.

Fly into Paris
overnight train to Barcelona
ferry/flight to Italy from Barcelona
train to Venice
Train to Rome
Fly to Athens
Fly home from Athens

I agree with most of the above, especially the advice not to backtrack to Barcelona--that is a time waster. Better to stay in Barcelona 3-4 days at the beginning of your trip and fly home from one of your other cities. I also second the advice about possible jet lag.

If your boyfriend really wants to see Athens, then I advise you not to drop it from your itinerary. You never know if or when you/he will be back in that part of the world. When I went to Italy I wanted to combine it with Greece, but decided it was too expensive. I did eventually make it to Greece, but not until years later. In retrospect, I wish I had just done an Italy-Greece combo at the outset.

Your itinerary is ambitious, but I have done similarly--four countries in S.America in two weeks, flying between cities (Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Santiago,and Lima/Cusco). It was fast-paced, but I liked that. When I go back to S. America I will do it more leisurely, but for my first time on the continent, hopping from place to place and getting a quick overview of each city worked for me. If you feel likewise, IMO your itinerary is energetic, but doable.

Good luck to you, whichever route you choose.