suze

Too many places. Too little time.

For Italy between Rome and Venice you would take a train. Pisa is nearest Florence, not Rome or Venice. Venice is a fantastic city, nothing "too romantic" about it.

kleeblatt

The key here is that the OP's parents are senior citizens. Depending on their agility, too much travel can be overtiring and even cause aches and pains where none were at the beginning of the trip.

Less is more and you want this trip to be a happy one, not a hectic one.

sourabh1986

ok, if your query is Paris onwards and related to place of Night stay, here is my plan :
Day 1: overnight Paris
Day 2 : overnight Paris
Day 3 - travel to Switzerland ; overnight Interlaken
Day 4 : Jungfrau - overnight Interlaken
Day 5 : Mount Titlis - overnight Interlaken
Day 6 : Come back to Zurich , Roam around see city, overnight Zurich
Day 7 : Shopping, overnight Zurich

Paris to Zurich by Flight : 1 Hour
Zurich to Interlaken : By Train 2.5 hours
I have to return back to Zurich since all major international departures are from Zurich. Also i am planning Zurich to Rome by flight...
So overall train travel time loss wouldnt be too much i guess.

Comming from India, any trip to Europe is very expensive, its almost like.. "ok going now, dont know when i will go next".. Hence i understand the concern on cramming up but also i feel coverage is important.

Right now, i have reduced to 6-7 cities in 12 days. My initial plan was 7-8 countries (let alone cities).

Initial Plan (2 months back) : (12 day Itinerary)
Places desired to cover :
Spain - Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla
Netherlands - Amsterdam
Italy - Rome, Venice, Milan, Pisa
France - Paris
Switzerland - Zurich, Interlaken, Swiss Alps, Zungfrau
London (3 days at the end)


Plan Now : (13 day Itinerary)
Places desired to cover :
London : 3 days (Tower of London, River Thames, Greenwich Meridian, Big Ben, Westminster Palace, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace , Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Tower Bridge).
Paris : 2Days
Day 1: Louvre (4 hours max), Eiffel + Seine River cruise
Day 2 : Disneyland
Switzerland : 5 Days
Day 1 : Reach Interlaken from Zurich, roam around
Day 2 : Jungfrau
Day 3 : Mount Titlis
Day 4 : Come back to Zurich , Roam around see city
Day 5 : Shopping.
Italy : 3 Days
Day 1 : Rome ( Colosseum, Trevy Fountain, Piaza Venezia, Pantheron) All these spots are within 7-8Km radius.
Day 2 : Train to Pisa & Back to Rome
Day 3 : Roam around + Shopping


Nevertheless, i believe i am improving my plan and also knowing more by every input from all friends here
Pls suggest me, how i can further improve my itinerary.

suze

Well you "initial plan" was not really possible (14 places in only 12 days!), so I would move on and not necessarily refer back to that idea.

I'm sorry you're dropping Venice, only because it's one of my favorite places. I think there's a lot more of interest there than taking a day to see the tower of Pisa from Rome.

I think you "Plan Now" can probably be done, but you are still moving yourself (and your parents) around at a very fast pace, covering a lot of ground in a short period of time.

annhig

you still haven't included your travel - you need to put realistic travel times into your itinerary like this:

London :
Day 1- 3 days (Tower of London, River Thames, Greenwich Meridian, Big Ben, Westminster Palace, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace , Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Tower Bridge).
Day 4 - travel to Paris : 2Days [= 3 nights]
Day 5 : Louvre (4 hours max), Eiffel + Seine River cruise
Day 6 : Disneyland
Day 7 : travel to Switzerland : 5 Days [= 6 nights]
Day 8 : Reach Interlaken from Zurich, roam around
Day 9 : Jungfrau
Day 10 : Mount Titlis
Day 11 : Come back to Zurich , Roam around see city
Day 12 : Shopping.
Day 13 : travel to Italy : 3 Days [= 4 nights]
Day 14 : Rome ( Colosseum, Trevy Fountain, Piaza Venezia, Pantheron) All these spots are within 7-8Km radius.
Day 15 : Train to Pisa & Back to Rome
Day 16 : Roam around + Shopping
Day 17 : go home

Is that what you intend? - because you only have 13 days.

janisj

Yes - travel from India is expensive. We understand that and that is one of the reasons we are trying so hard to help you.

IMO it would be a HUGE waste of your precious time and money to dash around like that.

A couple of comments -- the Switzerland part of your trip is fine. It wouldn't be my choice personally but there is nothing wrong with it.

But the rest is not good. In London -- please don't waste your time at Mme. Tussaud's when there are so many wonderful sites you are missing. And you really have not enough tome in London since the first day+ at least some of you will be jet lagged.

Paris -- not good at all 2 nights = 1.5 days. Barely worth the time/trouble to move hotels and unpack/.

>><i>Paris to Zurich by Flight : 1 Hour
Zurich to Interlaken : By Train 2.5 hours</i><<

That is the time ON the plane or train . . . It does not take into consideration the time it takes to get to/from the airports/train stations. Nor the packing/unpacking and getting acclimated. Whether you fly or take the train it will eat up a good portion of the day

And Rome -- similar to Paris - less than 2.5 days for Rome + Pisa and getting back to Zurich.

Just a LOT of dashing about IMO . . .

sourabh1986

ok guys. i am taking notes from your comments. The best that i can do now is just "KILL ROME". and eat those 3 days in London and Paris.

If thats what would make it a good itinerary, i have to start thinking on those lines also...

No i have to close all this inside 2 weeks max. So yes, there is a time limitation also.

janisj

With your 2 weeks London, Paris and a few days in Switzerland would be great . . .

tipsygus

You are assuming as well that the weather will co=operate and you can do Jungfraujoch, on the day you plan. I would not go to Titlis from Interlaken, if you have managed to go to Jungfraujoch then forget Titlis if not and the weather is good then take the train via the Brunig Pass to Lucerne and if possible spend a night there and go to Titlis about 45 minutes to Engleberg and then cable car from Lucerne and return to Zurich from there. Interlaken to Lucerne via Meiringen, the Brinig Pass, takes 2 hours and theweather can change rapidly in that time so you need to be closer to Lucerne.

As a londoner your London programme is far too crowded some of the sights are walk past sites. If by the Westminster Palace you mean the Houses of Parliament unless you have booked a tour you .will have to queue for the public gallery which will take time. otherwise you can walk past it and Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) the same goes for Buckingham Palace apart from the Picture Gallery and the Royal Mews unless you are in London In July and August.