Hi all,

I'm shifting jobs within the same company and by God's grace, managed to get a break before joining the new division, specifically for fulfilling my dream of traveling to Europe. If all goes well, I'd apply for the Schengen visa by tomorrow and fly out on the 12th July to Frankfurt. I have to report for my new job on 18th Aug and I'm flying back from Rome on 16th Aug. This gives me 34N excluding flights to/fro home country. I know this is all too sudden but I live by CARPE DIEM

I have been daydreaming for years of spending few months in Italy (living like the locals, joining food and language courses, living on farms, etc) but that would have to wait as this is my last 'big trip' for the next 2 years (job issues) and possibly last solo trip for the foreseeable future. I love traveling and recently came back from a 2 week Bali trip.

I have spent few weeks in Spain & visited Paris for 4N couple of years back for which I got great help from veteran travellers on Fodors.

Considering all of the above, I want to travel to the highlights of Western & Central Europe over 5 weeks. Broadly I'm thinking:

Amsterdam - 4N
Berlin - 4N
Prague - 4N
Vienna - 4N
[Salzburg - 2N & Innsbruck - 2N?? Not sure]
Venice - 2N
Florence - 6N (including a day trip in a Tuscan town)
Rome - 6N (including a day trip Orvieto or some other town)

If I include Salzburg & Innsbruck, I still have 4N with me. Looking at flow of travel, any suggestions on how best to utilise 4N? Maybe a recommendation in Germany / Switzerland / Belgium, which is accessible from Frankfurt where I'm landing first, or near any of the places in my itinerary?

I know it's a lot of moving around but I'm young and this is my dream come true kinda trip!

Your kind, freewheeling and honest feedback / ideas are welcome! I'm gonna trouble you more by posting more specific questions as and how I flesh out my itinerary.

If you have 4 unaccounted nights, I suggest that you add them to places already on your itinerary.

Since you are attracted to Italy, certainly add a night or more to Venice. There is so much to see, and it seems to take a day to just get in to the flow of things. I think your time in Venice is too short.

The day trip possibilities from all three Italian cities are almost endless.

And since you're already on the move a lot, I would not add another destination, but would instead add time to your shorter stays.

Munich is pretty accessible from Frankfurt, but it's even more accessible from Salzburg or Innsbruck.

I myself prefer Salzburg to Innsbruck, and there are good day trips from there, as well. Or, you could spend two nights in the Salzkammergut, a beautiful region of lakes and hills near Salzburg. We once took a day trip to Hallstatt (in the Salzkammergut) and I regretted not having planned to spend more time there.

Going by train? Would be the best for cities like those - for a wealth of info to help plan a European rail trip I always spotlight these IMO superb surces: www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - and get a copy of Let's Go Europe (amazon.com) - the bible for folks of your age traveling around Europe - great coverage of cheap places to stay.

If you are a US citizen, why are you applying for a visa? And why don't you fly directly into Amsterdam instead of Frankfurt? And I hope you are using trains instead of renting a car most of the time.

I would not stop in Innsbruck- spend 4 nights in Salzburg and do day trips to Berchtesgaden and the lakes south of Salzburg. Or you could skip stopping in Salzburg and stay in ANOTHER big city (Munich) and day trip to Salzburg... Or take
tuscanlifeedit's advice and add the Salzburg days to Venice and Rome. Six days in Florence seems a little long to me. Conversely, if you have never been to Rome 6 days probably won't be long enough...

At any rate, I hope you have a wonderful trip!!!

That mug is scary.

@tuscanlifeedit - I understand this itinerary looks rushed. Probably I am quite emotionally overwhelmed about this finally happening (just came to know today I can get time off from work) plus the fact that after this trip my next Europe trip might not happen for years I heard Venice is too hot and muggy in July / August and v expensive, hence limited my stay there.

@bvlenci, thanks for wonderful ideas about Austrian destinations. Checking them out now!

@PalenQ - planning trains but open to Eurolines / cheap flights. Last minute trains seem v expensive! Gosh! and yah, am checking these sites out in parallel, thanks

@Travelforbeer, I'm from Asia, need visa Frankfurt was chosen for variety of reasons, including but not limited to its proximity & connectivity to many smaller towns in Germany as well as Benelux. No driving, only public transportation. Your views on Eurolines vs Eurail? Bus seems cheaper for sure! I'm reviewing Austria bit. Florence is 6N as day trips to Tuscany can be done if I get restless after few days. For Rome, if I feel time is less, I'd not take a day trip. Plus I hope to take a long Italy specific trip in future in which I'd return to Rome

Just 2 nights in Venice? It was, by far, my favorite city in Italy. 3 or even 4 nights in Venice would be great.

Agree with above responses...don't add more destinations, add nights to your existing stays. After a while, moving around so much will become bothersome.

Have a awesome trip!

It's tru Venice is hot and humid but both Florence and Rome are likely to be even more so. If you don;t want that kind of weather stay north of hte alps.

And agree you have enough destinations - add any extra days as day trips or a day to some of the places you are already going. Salzburg has way more to see and do than Innsbruck (good for a day - 2 nights) where you could spend 4 nights at least in Salsburg.

I suggest you add one more night to Berlin, and even though I think your concerns about Venice are realistic, I still suggest adding another night there, just to keep from overtiring yourself with too much moving around in the heat.

Instead of a day trip from Florence to the countryside, consider spending 4 nights in Florence and 3 nights right in a smaller hill town (or 5 +2). Consider staying in Orvieto (actually in Umbria but on the train line to Rome) or take the train from Florence to Chiusi and take the money you would have spent hiring a driver for a daytrip from Florence and spend it on a 50e taxi ride to Montepuliciano, and spend the nights there. You will need another 50e for a taxi back to the train station, but Montepuliciano can be a very nice experience of Tuscany, with beautiful views and shops and enough to enjoy for a few nights to give you a break from all the cities.

I have never been to Prague but I have gotten the impression that it is very compact and most people feel they have aced the town in 3 nights, but nothing wrong in staying longer if you know there is lots you want to do there.

I think that you have outlined a fairly sensible itinerary. With respect to the extra 4N, I would, as many have said, add them to one or two of your already-chosen cities. Travelfor beer suggests that 6N in Florence seemed a bit long; we have been to Florence multiple (9+) times in the past dozen years, and because of its compact and walkable nature, we still find new things to do. Would also recommend considering adding nights in Rome.

As has been suggested, add the extra nights to your existing sites as moving from city to city wastes a lot of time, even if you are young!

@sasaco, thanks. I am reviewing my itinerary.

@ nytraveler, I was going thru all the villages, mountains, hiking & biking trails around Innsbruck. It seems like a great place for me (love biking, taking long walks/hikes, mountains). Do you think that I could get similar experiences on day-trips from Salzburg / Salzburg has more or less similar experiences to offer?

@sandralist, when you say add 1 more day to Berlin, is it to make a day-trip from Berlin to a nearby place, or you think 4N are not enough for Berlin at all? Secondly, I am reviewing my Florence piece altogether. My idea of spending 4N in Prague is that I might not return to Prague in a while unless I have exhausted other European destinations on my list. I am ok to give 6-7N to Rome/Florence knowing fully well I'd want to visit them again & again

@pctraveler, thanks. You have no idea how good it feels to know one is not completely off-track I am re-jigging the nights allocated & trying to prioritise destinations.

With regard to trains, most countries have various online discounts. It may be a bit late to get some of them, but even if you don't, a Eurail pass would very rarely be a cost-effective way to travel.

Look on the national rail sites of each country. Cross-border trips are a bit tricky. In the country of departure, you can book a train only to the first station where you arrive or change trains. Then you have to book from there on in the next country where you board a train. Between major cities, there are usually direct trains, and these can be booked on the website of the country of departure. It's only when you have to change trains that it gets complicated.

More nights in Venice! I'm not sure why people always seem to want to short-change their time here. Maybe because it's smaller? Or no traffic? Or why I don't know. Because it's one of the most magical places I have ever visited. I've only been there twice and only spend 4-5 nights each time, but would return in a heart-beat.

What a wealth of info from all of you!

Sorry for my late and sporadic replies on the forum, the trip began 2 weeks back and it gets crazy once you're there

So far, I have covered Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna and Salzburg in 2 weeks.

Now moving on to the remaining 3 weeks in Italy.

3 nights in Venice (@Suze, thanks!) and 5 in Florence. Rest all still not figured out. Ouch! Got 12 more nights to plan. From 12, at least 5 to maximum 7-8 in Rome. Flying back from Rome. But don't know what to do with the rest. Just put another post asking for info on the same.

Help appreciated!!!

There are a plethora of great day trips from Rome - consider Tivoli and the Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa - both close to each other and awesome!

Ostia Antica is a short metro ride away - ancient Rome's port and now a stellar archaeological site.

Pompeii could be a longer day trip - via Naples.

Or take the train or drive to Viterbo, a classic hill town or to Orvieto one of the finest hill towns - 7-8 days in Rome itself seems a little long but at Rome's doorstep are lots of gems - even the Castelli Romani - the hills south of Rome that are studded by old palaces of rich Romans trying to flee the heat of Rome - Castle Gondolfo is one neat town there - Pope's summer home.