kdryer

I am starting the planning stage for a trip with my 75 yr old mom to Europe. We prefer to absorb the culture and quaint villages while still seeing the highlights, like Louvre, castles, etc. We were thinking 11 to 15 days but are having trouble figuring out the most cost effective to get from here to there. We want to see Paris, the alps near Switzerland and maybe a city or two in Italy.

Would be flying out of Chicago. Is is more cost effective to fly Round trip or Open Jaw, land & depart from different cities?
Suggestions as to best cities to visit. Paris is a definite, what cities in Switzerland and or Italy would you suggest?

We both prefer quaint villages, interactions with locals and I really want to see beautiful mountain vistas.

Is it cheaper to fly between cities thereby freeing up more time in the cities or other suggestions? We are open to VRBO or Bed & Breakfast type stays.

Any suggestions would be most welcome!

elberko

People were helping you on your previous thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-555562-2.cfm

PalenQ

Land in Paris

4 nights

take train to Interlaken, Switzerland
go up to a mountain village like Wengen or Grindelwald where you will be eyeball to eyeball with soaring glacier-girdled peaks - the Swiss Alps of your dreams -and right on the way to Italy

3 nights in say Wengen - a car-less town

Take train to Venice

2 nights

Take train to Florence
2 nights

Take train to Rome
3-4 nights

is one possibility- for lots of info on trains and places to go on them check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Open Jaw is almost always better than a return ticket if your ending place is very far from your landing place.

PalenQ

Have you dropped the Loire and Normandy from your wish list?

kdryer

Thanks so much. I appreciate the route info. I will do more research on hotels, and train schedules. We are planning for mid to late September so we need to research the weather as well.

kdryer

Yes we have dropped those destinations. Too much to see so we must narrow down.

PalenQ

We are planning for mid to late September so we need to research the weather as well.>

Perfect time for all places on trip and start north and go south-mid-Sep fine time for Swiss Alps -less crowds still nice weather though Alpine weather can be fickle anytime of summer.

check www.voyages-sncf.com (French Railways) for Paris to Switzerland trains

www/sbb.ch for Switzerland (Swiss Railways) to Italy trains or www.trenitalia.com (Italian Railways)