Itinery nearly sorted
 

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your help so far. Have been reading loads and got lots of great info.

My itinery for our 40 night France and Italy sojourn is just about sorted, but after any final tips, hints, ideas or suggestions.

I havent done this myself before, have always used a travel agent, so am stressing a little (even this far out - we arent going till late August/September)

Paris 8 nights (inlcudes day trips to Brussels and Reims)
Loire Valley 3 nights (Amboise) (hiring car)
Provence 3 Nights (Carpentras) (hiring car)
Venice 4 nights
Lake Como 6 nights (Bellagio)
Amalfi Coast 4 nights (Sorrento)
Rome 3 nights
Cruise 7 nights (Greece and Turkey)
Rome 2 NIghts

We are flying from Provence to Venice, and from Lake Como to Amalfi Coast (well, Milan to Naples), but all other transfers are by train.

We have an apartment in Paris, Bellago and Sorrento, and hotels/chateaux for the rest so should be an ok mix.

Any ideas / pointers?

It's a lot of moving around, but our trip this year does too; sometimes it just works out that way! You probably already know that there is a direct train from Tours (St Pierre des Corps) to Avignon; it's a very pleasant ride.

How are you flying from Provence to Venice? I am trying to figure out how to do that.

yeah there is one direct train ... so will be on that :)


From Provence we are actually getting the train to Lyon, and flying to Venice with Easyjet.

Hi N,

>after any final tips, hints, ideas or suggestions.<

It is spelled "i t i n e r a r y" :)

You do know that Amboise to Carpentras is about 7:30 hr by car? Are you taking a night train?

Otherwise, you seem to have it well thought out.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))
You aren't buying a railpass, are you?

Too much time in Lake Como; too little time in Rome. Otherwise good, once you add the extra syllable to itinerary.

eurocheapo.com seat61.com ricksteves.com good euroewbie tips
Looks fine basically just stay in budget lodging hop regional
trains cheap fun do it a lot..No worries,Have fun!

MoneyChangers and Rail Pass 2 biggest rips avoid those...
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ATMS only pay off quickly, never travel with debit card
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Yes, I'd take some time off Bellagio and add it to Provence. There's a lot to see in Provence, though to my mind Carpentras is a bit far north for a base. However, it's relatively close to Lyon. That trip from Carpentras to Lyon to Venice will take up one whole day, leaving you less time in Provence. And the trip from Amboise to Carpentras will take another day.

In general I think you need to look a little more closely at the time it will take to get from one place to another.

My DH has family in northern italy, near Bellagio so that is why we have a few extra days there rather than anywhere.

Amboise - Carpentras ... we are hiring a car at Tours, so will drive back to Tours (1/2 hr), train to Avignon (4 hrs) and then drive to Carpentras (1/2 hr).

Carpentras - Venice - 1/2 hr to Avignon, 1 hr to Lyon, 2 hrs waiting at airport and 1.5 hr flight.

Both trips appear to take about 1/2 day each, so hopefully should be ok.

Have been reading LOTS - so no rail pass. Thanks

You're not taking into consideration checking out time, time in the rental car office, time to get from the Venice airport to town, getting to your hotel, checking into your hotel. Plus a little ease in all these.

Where are you getting your train times? From what I see on the German train site, at present there's only one train a day that takes one hour between Avignon TGV and Lyon-St. Exupery. The rest take a minimum of 2 hours. Or are you using a different airport?