shootingrubber

Ok, I am not sure that I should do this, but I am considering dropping London for this years trip. I am thinking of skipping London this time and instead of flying to London from Athens, we could fly to Amsterdam and spend some nights there, and then move onto Berlin. Nothing is booked, so I am simply brainstorming at this point. I do want to see London, but I am not quite sure it makes the most sense for this itinerary. Thoughts?

Aramis

Switching London for Amsterdam isn't going to change much of the advice already given. A slightly shorter flight, 3 hours closer to Berlin by train and maybe some easier (shorter travel time) day trips (Delft, Leiden, Utrecht, Haarlem, Alkmaar, etc.) is what you will get.

LeslieC

I would like to make suggestions in response to your request of me. At first, I was thinking I needed you do remove a country or two, so you helped out by doing just that. As much as I loved visiting Ireland, I am glad you eliminated that for this trip. Ireland, to me, is about the people and the music, pubs, B & Bs and lingering wherever you are, not just about sightseeing. Of all the countries you originally listed, that's the one that is the hardest to enjoy with day trips (bus tours) from a city. I hope someday you can go there and take along someone willing to do the driving so you can travel that one by car.

You can take many day trips or even use trains to visit some ot the common tourist destinations, but it is not always easy. You waste alot of time in train stations and don't really get to the tiny villages incognito (as on a regional tour you are still on a big bus with many travel mates which distances you from meeting locals). Plus you waste time going out to your daytime destination (let's say Bavaria/Neuschwanstein as a day trip from Munich) and coming all the way back only to sleep in the high priced city hotel. Overnight in Munich is much more costly than any small town in Bavaria or on the Romantic Road between Munich and Frankfurt.

I like that you've kept London - but I'd at least day trip to Oxford/with Blenheim Palace in Woodstock and or to the Cotwolds. Better still, take a two to three day tour outside of London, maybe including Bath or Stratford upon Avon with the Cotswolds or to Cambridge/Ely/East Anglia.

From Paris - you could take a tour of Chartres, Loire Valley, Fountainbleu, Versailes, Giverny - maybe event to Normandy with Mont. St. Michel.

shootingrubber

Alright, now I am considering flying straight to Berlin from Athens. I would rather have more time in fewer destinations. IMO, I think London is best done with other cities in the UK and Ireland, seeing as they're so close together. I am working on another itinerary:

Santorini
April 26 - April 29

Athens
April 30 - May 1

Berlin
May 2 - 5

Dresden
May 6 - 8

Prague
May 9 - 12

Vienna
May 13 - 17

Salzburg
May 18 - 20

Munich
May 21 - 24

Lindau
May 25 - 26

Zurich
May 27 - 28

Luzern
May 29 - 31

Interlaken
June 1 - 4

Paris
June 5 - 7

shootingrubber

Alright, I am about to finalize my final plans soon by booking my flights within Europe, and this is what I am thinking of doing. We went to Rome last year and loved it so much that my girlfriend and I decided we want to go back. We did all of the main sights there last time so we will spend most of our time relaxing. Same with Paris. We love to go back to Paris, but we will be spending most time relaxing, trying new food, wine, etc. Here is the tentative itinerary.

Athens
April 26 - 29

Rome
April 30 - May 3

Geneva
May 4 - 5

Luzern
May 6 - 7

Zurich
May 8 - 10

Munich
May 11 - 14

Salzburg
May 15 - 17

Vienna
May 18 - 21

Prague
May 22 - 25

Dresden
May 26 - 29

Berlin
May 30 - June 2

Paris
June 3 - 7

Aramis

Well Hello, Zurich (for the first time in your itinerary)

Zurich is pleasant enough but nothing to drag you away from some time in Interlaken, which you have now dropped.

Including Rome changes the geographical logistics quite a bit. Your routing isn't bad, but depending on flight prices and availability, you could also consider traveling from Athens to your east/west outliers first; Vienna or Paris, and then working you way east, or west, to all other locations before ending up in Rome for the return.

As for length of stay, you seem to be planning about 4 days in each (really) large city and 2-3 in the others. From a relative "sights to see" perspective, Munich and Dresden could drop a day and Vienna and Berlin could pick those up.

shootingrubber

Well, I have already found good flights from Athens to Rome, which is also part of the reason why we have decided to go back, so, preferably, I will stay with the geological routing I have now. I may drop a day in Dresden and add it somewhere else, but I would prefer to stay 4 days in Munich. I may have to drop yet another city, to make more time for others, but I am not quite sure which or if I want to.

Not sure if this itinerary is too rushed either.

I was hoping to spend 5 days in Vienna, so maybe I will drop a day in Dresden for that.