Fodorites have been so helpful thus far, I thought it would be best to seek help once more!

I'm a student studying abroad for the fall in Berlin, Germany, and have a 9 day break. For this extended break I've already made plans to travel to Rome and I have a ticket back home from Milan (BYG) to Berlin. Draft itenerary is as follows:

Oct. 20 - Oct 22 --> Rome
Oct. 22 train from Rome to Florence
Oct. 22-25 Florence
Oct. 25 train from Florence to Nice, Fr?
Oct. 27 train from Nice to Lugano, Switzerland
Oct. 27 and 28 overnight in Lugano
Oct. 29 take train from Lugano to Milan then take (bus?)to Milan BYG airport.

questions. . .

should I even make an extra trip to Nice? I would really like to go to the south of france before I leave Europe, and I'm not sure when that will be. Also, should I take a sleeper train from Nice to Lugano? How much will that aprox. cost? I plan on booking all trains upon arrival.

thanks for all your help.

Hi JY,

With only 9 days I would limit my visit to Italy.

You could do Florence/Venice; Rome/Venice or even Rome/Florence/Venice

With your current plan you have much too little Rome and no Venice.

You will probably find it cheaper to fly from Rome or Venice to Nice (See www.whichbudget.com), but I don't see any flights from there to Lugano.

>I would really like to go to the south of france before I leave Europe, and I'm not sure when that will be. <

You can fly to Nice from Berlin. You can fly almost anywhere in Europe from Berlin.

Plan for weekends in other countries.

See www.whichbudget.com.

You are aware that BYG is in Bergamo, about 55 km from Milan?

You can find train schedules and costs for Nice/Milan/Lugano (you have to break the trip in order to get rates) at www.voyages-sncf.com and/or www.trenitalia.com

Have a nice semester abroad.

Hi jyabroad

I agree with Ira. We have just returned from a month in Italy & France. Given the short amount of time you have I would spend it only in Italy and do Rome, Florence & Venice.

We spent 2 days in Nice and enjoyed it but would never choose to spend time there instead of Venice. Rome needs at least 3 days for a first-timer.

With your schedule I would start in Rome, do Florence, then Venice, take train to Milan and fly home.

Save France for another trip. Whatever, you decide - have a wonderful trip.

thanks so much for your help. I originally thought Florence to Venice would be best, but the prices seemed a little steep (especially in the city). Opinions on this forum said that Lido was too far; however as a student staying anywhere in the city (like the Westin would be out of the question). I'd prefer to stay somewhere in the city and at a hotel chain.

thanks in advance,

Check out Airberlin for cheap flights.

Agree with previous poster; Italy has plenty for a year, let alone 9 days. As a student, you need more time in Rome and definitely a stop in Venice. There are student travel discussion forums all over the internet and finding cheap accomodations in October should be no problem. If anything, get to the city and head out to the Office of Tourism. Typically, their staff are the ones with the best information as far as budget accomodations, often calling the owners from their offices and making the reservation for you. Have fun! Be safe!

Hi JY,

>as a student staying anywhere in the city (like the Westin would be out of the question).

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

That is so far above my wage grade I don't even know the rates.

What's your budget?

Jyabroad,

In Venice, we stayed in the Dosodurro section, at the two star Hotel Messner. Current rate for a single, regardless of season is 110 euro per night.

This is not a plug or endorsement, just a reference point.

Skip Nice - too far and too late in the year (beach weather is over). Skip Lugano - too late in the year, flowers disappearing, more for older folks who like to walk slowly along the lake promenades...

Try this:

Oct. 20-22 Rome
Oct. 23 train to Florence (early if you've had enough of Rome, late if you want another day in Rome - wait and see, lots of trains, fast ones only take 1:36)
Oct. 27 train to Venice (early if you've had enough of Florence, late if you want another day in Florence - wait and see, lots of trains, fast ones only take about 3 hrs)
Oct. 29 train to Bergamo for BYG flight, or to Milan then bus (every half hour, see http://www.lowcostcoach.com/italiano..._bergamo.html#)

Trains at www.trenitalia.it.

This schedule allows for side trips to Pisa and Lucca and Siena from Florence, etc.

On the way to Venice you might want to break the journey in Bologna (read up on the city and its wacky towers (http://goeurope.about.com/library/ph...a_towers_1.htm), and in Padova (or go to Padova from Venice, it's only a half hour by train).

Don't book all trains in advance, it locks you in - buy tix as you go, it's not like air travel, you can be spontaneous, even use vending machines to avoid lines at the ticket windows.