Need helpful advice on planning a first-time trip to Europe
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:26 AM
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Need helpful advice on planning a first-time trip to Europe
Hello! My husband and I are planning a trip to Europe when he finishes his graduate program. It has always been a dream of ours to travel there before we start a family and real life gets under way. We have about three weeks to spend over there. We have never traveled abroad to Europe so I have many questions. We have our hearts set on seeing a few different places while we are over there, but I don't know if it is possible or practical. We aren't planning on going until March 2017 so I realize I have a while to plan this all out but I'd rather get a jump on it now and start doing the research rather than waiting until the last minute! I also plan on purchasing some travel guide as well to give me some additional information. Here are some of the more pressing questions I have! Sorry there are so many! I'm sure there are more that I didn't even think to ask so feel free to share anything else you feel would be helpful to me! Thank you in advance to all who comment! It's truly appreciated!
1) Having never been to Europe, should I enlist the help of a travel agent or try booking it all on my own (flights/accommodations/tours)? I spoke with one travel agent that suggested a pre-planned tour but I don't know how I feel about having every day of my trip dictated for me. I was hoping for a bit more freedom to explore on our own! I don't mind planning trips and being adventurous but I am concerned that trying to do all this for places we've never been may be too daunting or difficult.
2) The cities we desire to see are London, Dublin (or anywhere in Ireland really) and Rome, with the majority of our 3 weeks spent in Italy. Is that too many locations to fit into three weeks or can it be done without making the whole vacation seem to rushed? We want to see a lot because we don't know when we will get the chance to go back, but not too much to where we are rushing through it all and can barely remember what we've seen.
3) Any thoughts on booking rentals abroad on websites such as homeaway.com or vacationrentals.com? Should I stick to tried and true bnb's or hotels instead? What are the pros and cons?
4)What are the best ways to get around in Europe? I've had some people recommend renting a car in places such as Ireland so you can drive and see more of the beautiful sights and then sticking to railways, taxis, buses etc. for locations such as England and Italy.
5)Should I change some currency over before I leave or do it once I get there? Or are credit cards the better way to go, provided my bank doesn't charge astronomical fees to use it?
6)Is it best to book certain things like tours or admission tickets for venues such as museums before we arrive to avoid lines or would it be better to wait until we get there?
1) Having never been to Europe, should I enlist the help of a travel agent or try booking it all on my own (flights/accommodations/tours)? I spoke with one travel agent that suggested a pre-planned tour but I don't know how I feel about having every day of my trip dictated for me. I was hoping for a bit more freedom to explore on our own! I don't mind planning trips and being adventurous but I am concerned that trying to do all this for places we've never been may be too daunting or difficult.
2) The cities we desire to see are London, Dublin (or anywhere in Ireland really) and Rome, with the majority of our 3 weeks spent in Italy. Is that too many locations to fit into three weeks or can it be done without making the whole vacation seem to rushed? We want to see a lot because we don't know when we will get the chance to go back, but not too much to where we are rushing through it all and can barely remember what we've seen.
3) Any thoughts on booking rentals abroad on websites such as homeaway.com or vacationrentals.com? Should I stick to tried and true bnb's or hotels instead? What are the pros and cons?
4)What are the best ways to get around in Europe? I've had some people recommend renting a car in places such as Ireland so you can drive and see more of the beautiful sights and then sticking to railways, taxis, buses etc. for locations such as England and Italy.
5)Should I change some currency over before I leave or do it once I get there? Or are credit cards the better way to go, provided my bank doesn't charge astronomical fees to use it?
6)Is it best to book certain things like tours or admission tickets for venues such as museums before we arrive to avoid lines or would it be better to wait until we get there?
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:45 AM
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No need for a travel agent or tour. If you are capable of booking your own domestic flights and hotels, you can plan your own trip to Europe.
As you plan, remember that each time you change locations, you will lose at least half a day and perhaps most of a day (think about how long it takes from the time you check out of accommodations in one place until you are settled in in the next place. So fewer locations means more time to see/do/experience what you came for.
You will get mixed advice about vacation rentals, it really depends on you. I'm not a rental person. Others can't imagine staying in a hotel. But I like the convenience and services of a hotel. As a first-time traveler, you may well appreciate the services of a concierge who can make recommendations and booking for you, show you your walking route on a map or recommend a great inexpensive restaurant. Also, staying in an apartment makes checking in/out more complex (no 24-hour front desk) and if you get there early or have a late flight storing luggage is an issue. If it was me - and it isn't - I'd want to make my first international trip as smooth and as hassle-free as possible.
How to get around depends on where you are going. If you want to see the Irish countryside, you'll need to take buses or rent a car. Renting a car in London (or Rome, for instance) would be utter madness. In those locations you'll want to take the Tube (subway) or sometimes, buses. Getting from city to city in Europe, the train usually makes the most sense. But you might find that going from Ireland/England to Italy, a flight makes sense.
The best way to get foreign currency is to get it from an ATM once you get there. Ordering currency from your bank is a great way to enrich your bank. You will find that a credit card that has no foreign exchange fees is your best friend, as you can charge many/most things in Europe. You need to check with your bank about the costs of using a foreign ATM. The big banks charge high fees, $5 per use, plus 3% foreign exchange, but you can do better, Check with small local banks and credit unions.
Some admission tickets are best purchased in advance, but you'll need to give us specifics for us to be helpful with this question. Note that many museums in London are free.
Happy planning!
As you plan, remember that each time you change locations, you will lose at least half a day and perhaps most of a day (think about how long it takes from the time you check out of accommodations in one place until you are settled in in the next place. So fewer locations means more time to see/do/experience what you came for.
You will get mixed advice about vacation rentals, it really depends on you. I'm not a rental person. Others can't imagine staying in a hotel. But I like the convenience and services of a hotel. As a first-time traveler, you may well appreciate the services of a concierge who can make recommendations and booking for you, show you your walking route on a map or recommend a great inexpensive restaurant. Also, staying in an apartment makes checking in/out more complex (no 24-hour front desk) and if you get there early or have a late flight storing luggage is an issue. If it was me - and it isn't - I'd want to make my first international trip as smooth and as hassle-free as possible.
How to get around depends on where you are going. If you want to see the Irish countryside, you'll need to take buses or rent a car. Renting a car in London (or Rome, for instance) would be utter madness. In those locations you'll want to take the Tube (subway) or sometimes, buses. Getting from city to city in Europe, the train usually makes the most sense. But you might find that going from Ireland/England to Italy, a flight makes sense.
The best way to get foreign currency is to get it from an ATM once you get there. Ordering currency from your bank is a great way to enrich your bank. You will find that a credit card that has no foreign exchange fees is your best friend, as you can charge many/most things in Europe. You need to check with your bank about the costs of using a foreign ATM. The big banks charge high fees, $5 per use, plus 3% foreign exchange, but you can do better, Check with small local banks and credit unions.
Some admission tickets are best purchased in advance, but you'll need to give us specifics for us to be helpful with this question. Note that many museums in London are free.
Happy planning!
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:48 AM
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1) Absolutely do it yourself. You have the advantage od shared language in Ireland and UK and Rome will be fine. Do not be daunted. It won't be too difficult. You will have a far better trip.
2) Three places, three weeks is fine. This isn't too much.
3) Check out airbnb, its a great resource. We generally find we'll use a mix of hotels, B&Bs and now airbnb. My first choice though now is always airbnb. You also have time to join up and try a few airbnb experiences closer to home which would assist.
4) It depends on what you want to see - with London and Rome as your other two destinations it would break things up to hire a car and get out of Dublin and see some gorgeous countryside.
5) I think most people now just use the first atm at the airport. There's no need to get currency although if it makes you feel better then there is no harm in getting a few euros and a few pounds.
6) It will depend entirely on what you are planning to do. Read through here on Rome (I've not been yet). In Florence though last summer we booked ahead and that was certainly the right thing to do.
7) Have fun.
2) Three places, three weeks is fine. This isn't too much.
3) Check out airbnb, its a great resource. We generally find we'll use a mix of hotels, B&Bs and now airbnb. My first choice though now is always airbnb. You also have time to join up and try a few airbnb experiences closer to home which would assist.
4) It depends on what you want to see - with London and Rome as your other two destinations it would break things up to hire a car and get out of Dublin and see some gorgeous countryside.
5) I think most people now just use the first atm at the airport. There's no need to get currency although if it makes you feel better then there is no harm in getting a few euros and a few pounds.
6) It will depend entirely on what you are planning to do. Read through here on Rome (I've not been yet). In Florence though last summer we booked ahead and that was certainly the right thing to do.
7) Have fun.
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:51 AM
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Rick Steves' "Europe through the back door" is a fine book for first-time travelers to Europe who are leaning toward doing it independently rather than in a tour group. You should pick that up and give it a thorough read. It has a lot of practical how-to advice.
1-It's perfectly feasible to travel independently as a first-timer. Many people have done it, including me. The main thing you need is information. Do your homework and everything will go much smoother and be less scary.
2-For a 3-week trip those locations are a bit disjointed if you want most of your time in Italy, but it is feasible. I would do either London or Dublin and then head to Italy, taking a flight from Dublin/London to Rome.
3-Those booking sights are fine, but I would rely on good guidebooks to recommend the best lodging in your price range. Then I would book directly with the hotel via email or phone. You get a slightly better price booking directly rather than through those websites as they charge the hotels a fee to list them.
4-In big cities the last thing you need is a car. The public transit systems are excellent in Europe's big cities; cars are a nightmare. Cars are good if you want to explore the countryside from a small town home base. Use trains to move from one region in a country to another.
5-ATMs are everywhere in Europe and yours will work just fine. ATMs give you a very good exchange rate but charge a small fee per transaction. Minimize this by taking fewer but larger withdrawals. Credit cards also typically have the best exchange rate but there are pitfalls. Buying currency before you go is not necessary and it is very expensive.
6-Long lines can be avoided in a variety of ways. Paris offers a city-wide museum pass which can be a great value just for the time it saves. The Uffizi gallery in Florence offers appointments letting you bypass the line. You can also hit a museum early or late to avoid the worst crowds.
1-It's perfectly feasible to travel independently as a first-timer. Many people have done it, including me. The main thing you need is information. Do your homework and everything will go much smoother and be less scary.
2-For a 3-week trip those locations are a bit disjointed if you want most of your time in Italy, but it is feasible. I would do either London or Dublin and then head to Italy, taking a flight from Dublin/London to Rome.
3-Those booking sights are fine, but I would rely on good guidebooks to recommend the best lodging in your price range. Then I would book directly with the hotel via email or phone. You get a slightly better price booking directly rather than through those websites as they charge the hotels a fee to list them.
4-In big cities the last thing you need is a car. The public transit systems are excellent in Europe's big cities; cars are a nightmare. Cars are good if you want to explore the countryside from a small town home base. Use trains to move from one region in a country to another.
5-ATMs are everywhere in Europe and yours will work just fine. ATMs give you a very good exchange rate but charge a small fee per transaction. Minimize this by taking fewer but larger withdrawals. Credit cards also typically have the best exchange rate but there are pitfalls. Buying currency before you go is not necessary and it is very expensive.
6-Long lines can be avoided in a variety of ways. Paris offers a city-wide museum pass which can be a great value just for the time it saves. The Uffizi gallery in Florence offers appointments letting you bypass the line. You can also hit a museum early or late to avoid the worst crowds.
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:52 AM
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Kathie,
Thank you so much for all the information! It makes me feel a bit more confident about my ability to plan this trip! As for the admission tickets, I was thinking mostly in Rome. I have my heart set on the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, etc. I am really captivated by ancient Roman history. Are there any tour sites you would recommend? I guess my biggest worry is that since we are going in March, a lot of the tours may not be operating due to the time of year or the weather. Or maybe March isn't a bad time to visit abroad. Since I've never been, I'm not too sure! Thanks again for your response!
Thank you so much for all the information! It makes me feel a bit more confident about my ability to plan this trip! As for the admission tickets, I was thinking mostly in Rome. I have my heart set on the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, etc. I am really captivated by ancient Roman history. Are there any tour sites you would recommend? I guess my biggest worry is that since we are going in March, a lot of the tours may not be operating due to the time of year or the weather. Or maybe March isn't a bad time to visit abroad. Since I've never been, I'm not too sure! Thanks again for your response!
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:53 AM
#6
1. No, you absolutely do not need either a travel agent or a tour. You have more than enough time to figure this out for yourself.
2. Three places in three weeks is fine - you could easily add another one or two. Fly into Dublin, get a cheap flight to London and another to Rome, fly home from Rome (multi-city option on the airline websites). I prefer to travel by train, but on those routes flying make more sense. But if you wanted to add Paris, take the train from London to Paris (see seat61.com for info on trains).
3. For the cities you are considering either will work. You might want to put up a separate question later on.
4. For Ireland a car will be useful if you want to see more than Dublin. You absolutely do not want a car in London or Rome. You can do day trips from London by bus or train or day tour.
5. You get money the same way you do at home - from an ATM. There are loads of threads here on that - do a search.
6. In big cities for main attractions you should book ahead.
I suggest you start by reading a couple of general books on traveling in Europe:
Rough Guide's "First time Europe" - http://www.amazon.com/The-Rough-Guid.../dp/140936383X
Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door" - http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/ca...ntId=163&id=20
Then you can move on to guidebooks to the areas you want to visit - for general planning I like DK Eyewitness and Insight, and for logistics I like Lonely Planet and Rough Guide, as well as Fodors and Frommers and Footprints.
2. Three places in three weeks is fine - you could easily add another one or two. Fly into Dublin, get a cheap flight to London and another to Rome, fly home from Rome (multi-city option on the airline websites). I prefer to travel by train, but on those routes flying make more sense. But if you wanted to add Paris, take the train from London to Paris (see seat61.com for info on trains).
3. For the cities you are considering either will work. You might want to put up a separate question later on.
4. For Ireland a car will be useful if you want to see more than Dublin. You absolutely do not want a car in London or Rome. You can do day trips from London by bus or train or day tour.
5. You get money the same way you do at home - from an ATM. There are loads of threads here on that - do a search.
6. In big cities for main attractions you should book ahead.
I suggest you start by reading a couple of general books on traveling in Europe:
Rough Guide's "First time Europe" - http://www.amazon.com/The-Rough-Guid.../dp/140936383X
Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door" - http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/ca...ntId=163&id=20
Then you can move on to guidebooks to the areas you want to visit - for general planning I like DK Eyewitness and Insight, and for logistics I like Lonely Planet and Rough Guide, as well as Fodors and Frommers and Footprints.
Jun 6th, 2015, 07:57 AM
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I'll tackle a couple
first, if you don't even like the ideas of tours and are already researching, I think you can certainly do it on your own, if you are good with the computer and internet. I'm guessing you are as you are already here. BNooking airfare is super easy nowadays, all airlines have their own websites where you can buy tickets, and you can compare ticket prices before choosing on sites like www.kayak.com
I don't see any problem at all in visiting 3 cities in 3 weeks, plenty of time. If you want to spend a lot in Italy (2 weeks?), that means in London and Dublin you will mainly visit the city, of course, not tour all around. That makes it fairly easy there, actually, you only need to book one hotel in each city and figure out how to get between them (probably fly into Dublin -- go to London, then fly from London to Rome and fly home from Rome or somewhere in Italy). You could spend 3-4 days in each city (Dublin and London), at least.
Now for flights within Europe, you do need different websites or have to know which budget airlines to check. I prefer Easyjet in Europe, their website is easy to use. I'm sure they have flights from London to Rome (they fly from Gatwick to Rome or Pisa, for a couple choices). You can check www.whichbudget.com to find within-Europe air choices. I know Aer Lingus, BA and Ryanair fly from Dublin to London direct, you can compare fares. Ryanair is a super budget airline and has more limitations (and I think tighter seats) than Easyjet, and has more luggage restrictions (which may or may not bother you) with fees, so just beware of that. For one short flight, it might be okay, though, if the alternatives are way too expensive.
If you want to rent cars and drive around Ireland, go ahead, but it will cut your time short in Italy, of course. Still, nothing wrong with one week in each place. Or one week in Ireland, 3-4 days in London, and the rest in Italy, if you prefer.
first, if you don't even like the ideas of tours and are already researching, I think you can certainly do it on your own, if you are good with the computer and internet. I'm guessing you are as you are already here. BNooking airfare is super easy nowadays, all airlines have their own websites where you can buy tickets, and you can compare ticket prices before choosing on sites like www.kayak.com
I don't see any problem at all in visiting 3 cities in 3 weeks, plenty of time. If you want to spend a lot in Italy (2 weeks?), that means in London and Dublin you will mainly visit the city, of course, not tour all around. That makes it fairly easy there, actually, you only need to book one hotel in each city and figure out how to get between them (probably fly into Dublin -- go to London, then fly from London to Rome and fly home from Rome or somewhere in Italy). You could spend 3-4 days in each city (Dublin and London), at least.
Now for flights within Europe, you do need different websites or have to know which budget airlines to check. I prefer Easyjet in Europe, their website is easy to use. I'm sure they have flights from London to Rome (they fly from Gatwick to Rome or Pisa, for a couple choices). You can check www.whichbudget.com to find within-Europe air choices. I know Aer Lingus, BA and Ryanair fly from Dublin to London direct, you can compare fares. Ryanair is a super budget airline and has more limitations (and I think tighter seats) than Easyjet, and has more luggage restrictions (which may or may not bother you) with fees, so just beware of that. For one short flight, it might be okay, though, if the alternatives are way too expensive.
If you want to rent cars and drive around Ireland, go ahead, but it will cut your time short in Italy, of course. Still, nothing wrong with one week in each place. Or one week in Ireland, 3-4 days in London, and the rest in Italy, if you prefer.
Jun 6th, 2015, 08:10 AM
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4)What are the best ways to get around in Europe?>
Cars can be great for rural areas like much of Ireland where the trains are marginal - though buses are pretty good. But for Italy if going to places like Rome, Florence, Venice cars are useless and a liability even - wide swaths of city centres now off limits to privatre vehicles, parking can ber scare and expensive when found and Italian trains are now amongst the best on the planet!
Anyway for lots of ideas of planning a rail trip check: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com. Booking train tickets way in advance to get the limited in number discounted tickets can save a ton of money.
Cars can be great for rural areas like much of Ireland where the trains are marginal - though buses are pretty good. But for Italy if going to places like Rome, Florence, Venice cars are useless and a liability even - wide swaths of city centres now off limits to privatre vehicles, parking can ber scare and expensive when found and Italian trains are now amongst the best on the planet!
Anyway for lots of ideas of planning a rail trip check: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com. Booking train tickets way in advance to get the limited in number discounted tickets can save a ton of money.
Jun 6th, 2015, 08:14 AM
#10
Good advice above. March is a poor time to come, not because of tours but just because the weather can be so poor. Ireland gets it worse, wet, windy and cold but the UK can easily be as bad. Italy tends to be a little warmer and drier in March but it depends.... and you could be very lucky and have a wonderful Spring like we just had when you can sit outside all the time. London, being such a large city is always a degree C (or more) up on the rest of the country. However, if you are staying in cities at least there will always be bar to jump into to warm up. In Britain we say "there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing".
You could use public transport for the whole thing. Dublin is pretty small and trains/buses do well but if you want to get out of town a lot I'd hire a car. UK/Italy given your time scales, you can do a great deal with trains and buses. Some Italian towns will not allow cars and in London you don't want one.
Lines are generally small in March, London museums are mainly free so the only need to queue is for security and there is no beating that. Italy there are some web bought tickets that help, but unless you are coming in Easter week to Rome not really necessary
Money, search a few threads on this site for recent discussions, but you have two currencies to contend with, Sterling for the UK (also called the pound) and the Euro in Ireland and Italy. There is a general move away from notes and coins being used so by 2017 things may have changed but right now, pick up cash from an ATM when you land.
March is a cheap time for deals on rooms but book a bit nearer the time.
Tours, don't worry in Rome there will always be people ready to service the tourist market. People have been touring there for 2000 years.... But if you get the Italian Rough Guide there is little reason to pay someone to chat about stuff which, let's face it, will be gone from your mind in a couple of days.
What I would do is plan to do some Italian cooking. Find a course and book it with your man. The kitchen is important in an Italian family and joining in is real fun. Not sure what courses there are in Rome but in nearby cities there will be stuff going on. Bologna and Parma are especially well known for their style of cooking.
You could use public transport for the whole thing. Dublin is pretty small and trains/buses do well but if you want to get out of town a lot I'd hire a car. UK/Italy given your time scales, you can do a great deal with trains and buses. Some Italian towns will not allow cars and in London you don't want one.
Lines are generally small in March, London museums are mainly free so the only need to queue is for security and there is no beating that. Italy there are some web bought tickets that help, but unless you are coming in Easter week to Rome not really necessary
Money, search a few threads on this site for recent discussions, but you have two currencies to contend with, Sterling for the UK (also called the pound) and the Euro in Ireland and Italy. There is a general move away from notes and coins being used so by 2017 things may have changed but right now, pick up cash from an ATM when you land.
March is a cheap time for deals on rooms but book a bit nearer the time.
Tours, don't worry in Rome there will always be people ready to service the tourist market. People have been touring there for 2000 years.... But if you get the Italian Rough Guide there is little reason to pay someone to chat about stuff which, let's face it, will be gone from your mind in a couple of days.
What I would do is plan to do some Italian cooking. Find a course and book it with your man. The kitchen is important in an Italian family and joining in is real fun. Not sure what courses there are in Rome but in nearby cities there will be stuff going on. Bologna and Parma are especially well known for their style of cooking.
Jun 6th, 2015, 08:19 AM
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I think you can easily plan your trip since you have so much time and are already asking good questions. Many group tours (if this is what you mean by pre-planned) are geared more toward older visitors or the younger party-bus crowd.
Three weeks is a good length of time. You mentioned London, Dublin and Rome which certainly can be done in three weeks. You do not need a car if you'll be staying in cities. Renting a car in Ireland is a nice idea but you'll need to be comfortable with driving on the other side of the road. If you want to spend most of your time in Italy, you'll have to decide if you want to add the Irish countryside or whether or not you want to focus on the cities of Dublin and London and the rest of your time in Italy.
Guidebooks will be helpful for you to figure out what you will want to do in each place and that will guide how many days you have for each. You will lose half a day or so traveling from location to location.
Depending on where you land, your first day or two is almost a wash while you adjust to the time change and get over jet lag.
I haven't been to Dublin in a long time but I would guess you would need at least 3 days there, more in Ireland if you want to visit the countryside.
London is a big city with much to see. Depending on your interests, you may want at least 4-5 days there.
Where in Italy do you want to go? I always think of Rome, Florence and Venice but there are many other places as well. If you spent 4-5 days in Rome, 2-3 in Florence and 3 in Venice plus half a day of travel time your trip would look something like:
Dublin 3 nights
London 4 nights
Rome 4 nights
Florence 3 nights
Venice 3 nights
The above is, I think, the minimum amount of time for each location. You would likely want to pad the places that interest you most with an extra day here and there which would give you a three week trip. If you want to add in countryside visiting (which is worth doing) you would want to decide how to fit that in.
You can't do it all, even if you had three months! You might also decide just to focus on Italy for this trip and save London, Dublin and the Irish countryside for another time.
Happy planning!
Three weeks is a good length of time. You mentioned London, Dublin and Rome which certainly can be done in three weeks. You do not need a car if you'll be staying in cities. Renting a car in Ireland is a nice idea but you'll need to be comfortable with driving on the other side of the road. If you want to spend most of your time in Italy, you'll have to decide if you want to add the Irish countryside or whether or not you want to focus on the cities of Dublin and London and the rest of your time in Italy.
Guidebooks will be helpful for you to figure out what you will want to do in each place and that will guide how many days you have for each. You will lose half a day or so traveling from location to location.
Depending on where you land, your first day or two is almost a wash while you adjust to the time change and get over jet lag.
I haven't been to Dublin in a long time but I would guess you would need at least 3 days there, more in Ireland if you want to visit the countryside.
London is a big city with much to see. Depending on your interests, you may want at least 4-5 days there.
Where in Italy do you want to go? I always think of Rome, Florence and Venice but there are many other places as well. If you spent 4-5 days in Rome, 2-3 in Florence and 3 in Venice plus half a day of travel time your trip would look something like:
Dublin 3 nights
London 4 nights
Rome 4 nights
Florence 3 nights
Venice 3 nights
The above is, I think, the minimum amount of time for each location. You would likely want to pad the places that interest you most with an extra day here and there which would give you a three week trip. If you want to add in countryside visiting (which is worth doing) you would want to decide how to fit that in.
You can't do it all, even if you had three months! You might also decide just to focus on Italy for this trip and save London, Dublin and the Irish countryside for another time.
Happy planning!
Jun 6th, 2015, 08:52 AM
#12
We rent cars in Europe on every trip. However, it is a bit more challenging in the UK and Ireland driving on "the other side of the road" if you are from the US.
Planning your trip will be a lot of fun. Ask questions here as you plan and you'll get a lot of help and support from well seasoned travelers.
Planning your trip will be a lot of fun. Ask questions here as you plan and you'll get a lot of help and support from well seasoned travelers.
Jun 6th, 2015, 09:14 AM
#13
Hadn't noticed March. If you are coming in March you should start in the south and go north, and forget touring the Irish countryside.
For this trip a car would only make sense for touring the Irish countryside - but see above for weather related advice not to do that - or for Tuscany in Italy. It is bad advice to suggest a car for any big European city, especially for first-timers.
For this trip a car would only make sense for touring the Irish countryside - but see above for weather related advice not to do that - or for Tuscany in Italy. It is bad advice to suggest a car for any big European city, especially for first-timers.
Jun 6th, 2015, 09:22 AM
#15
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Also, I just saw the advice not to tour the Tuscan countryside in March. There is no reason to avoid the Tuscan countryside in March. It is very beautiful in March and it only occasionally rains -- but that could happen any other time of year. You would need to rent a car.
Jun 6th, 2015, 09:42 AM
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Sorry - but March is not really a bad time to come. It will be cool (not cold within the meaning of the act) and you will get some rain but also some sunny days. And in Italy you will be in early spring. But you will face many fewer lines/mobs of tourists and will have options for discounts on many hotels.
For first timers I would reco hotels where you can get support if you need it and have 24 hour front desk. Apts are fine if you need more space or want to do cooking on your own - but there is usually no/minimal support and you have to check in and out at hours set by the owners.
I would fly into Dublin and home from Rome (open jaws or multi-destination ticket - no more than 1/2 RT of each place). How to get between cities depends on exactly where you go. Trains between Italian cities makes the most sense. To see the Irish countryside you will need a car. Dublin to London and London to Venice budget flights may make the most sense - depending on your final itinerary.
You have received the best advice on handling finances.
Getting reservations in advance depends on the specific sight and the specific date. Some may be needed, but many places you can just walk in. You need to consider Easter - which is late March and can be an issue especially in Rome.
Once you have read some guidebooks you can come back with specific questions about itinerary - just remember to count by nights and that 2 nights in a city gives you one full day of sightseeing.
For first timers I would reco hotels where you can get support if you need it and have 24 hour front desk. Apts are fine if you need more space or want to do cooking on your own - but there is usually no/minimal support and you have to check in and out at hours set by the owners.
I would fly into Dublin and home from Rome (open jaws or multi-destination ticket - no more than 1/2 RT of each place). How to get between cities depends on exactly where you go. Trains between Italian cities makes the most sense. To see the Irish countryside you will need a car. Dublin to London and London to Venice budget flights may make the most sense - depending on your final itinerary.
You have received the best advice on handling finances.
Getting reservations in advance depends on the specific sight and the specific date. Some may be needed, but many places you can just walk in. You need to consider Easter - which is late March and can be an issue especially in Rome.
Once you have read some guidebooks you can come back with specific questions about itinerary - just remember to count by nights and that 2 nights in a city gives you one full day of sightseeing.
Jun 6th, 2015, 09:54 AM
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Typical Fodors responses covering Ireland.
Personally I would avoid Dublin for most of March next year it is going to be stupid expensive with St Patricks week and Easter thrown into the mix with the 100th anniversary of 1916 Easter uprising.
I would though consider many other places in Ireland, flying into Shannon will have you on the west coast and if coinciding with St Patrick's parades then Either Galway or Limerick are possibly the best genuine parades in Ireland. You could always get an express bus to Galway if you fly into Dublin and Cork airport is an option for travel between Ireland and London.
As to Guide books.. Rick Steves is a long way from being a good guide book unless you want to go where he wants you to go and experience what he wants you to experience.
Personally I would avoid Dublin for most of March next year it is going to be stupid expensive with St Patricks week and Easter thrown into the mix with the 100th anniversary of 1916 Easter uprising.
I would though consider many other places in Ireland, flying into Shannon will have you on the west coast and if coinciding with St Patrick's parades then Either Galway or Limerick are possibly the best genuine parades in Ireland. You could always get an express bus to Galway if you fly into Dublin and Cork airport is an option for travel between Ireland and London.
As to Guide books.. Rick Steves is a long way from being a good guide book unless you want to go where he wants you to go and experience what he wants you to experience.
Jun 6th, 2015, 10:30 AM
#19
@Tony2phones - "Europe Through the Back Door" is not a guidebook in the sense you mean. It is a general guide to DIY traveling Europe on a budget.
I see that you live in Ireland, and are therefore used to the weather. Average max temps in the high 40s and min temps close to freezing may not be enticing to others (for mid-March from Weather Underground).
I see that you live in Ireland, and are therefore used to the weather. Average max temps in the high 40s and min temps close to freezing may not be enticing to others (for mid-March from Weather Underground).
Jun 6th, 2015, 10:47 AM
#20
Personally I would avoid Dublin for most of March next year it is going to be stupid expensive with St Patricks week and Easter thrown into the mix with the 100th anniversary of 1916 Easter uprising.>>
good tip, Tony, but for the fact that the OP's trip is scheduled for March 2017.
good tip, Tony, but for the fact that the OP's trip is scheduled for March 2017.
