One Weekers
 

Who likes to go to Europe for one week and what is your mode of operation? We don't really like one week, but time restrains us at this point in our lives.

Who out there likes a one week trip over the pond? (In our case, L.A. so it's a long pond hop.)

Anyone refuse to do it for a measly one week?

I remember a similar thread not so long ago. I think it all boils down to one thought:

One week in Europe is better than no weeks in Europe!

Hi
We've gone away for several days once in a while. When we do, it's usually to a specific city. Last January we went to Rome and have gone to Paris and Istanbul. The first day we are jet lagged but after that it's fine. Going from LA is a big trip anyway, but think about visiting a city and maybe taking a tour of the surrounding sights.. we've also gone to Mexico City and Guatemala City for a few day each and it worked out also. We fly out of Atlanta.
alan

As everyone notes, a week in Europe is much better than no trip at all. However, if we have only a week, we prefer to concentrate on one city with maybe a day trip or two. In other words, don't try to force fit a two week itinerary into one week.

I totally agree, one week is better than no weeks! Usually we do a "girls trip" tho we can hardly be called girls to Paris once a year and for one week however, my husband and I prefer to take more time, usually 18-21 days.

When I first went to Europe in the early 90's the 9 day trips I could afford due to time and money were agonizing. I wanted to stay so much longer.

Now that I've been many times I'm OK with the short visits. I'm not quite down to a week but almost. Last year I left Thanksgiving afternoon and stayed until the Sunday 10 days after. That gave me almost 9 full days in France.

It went well enough that I did it again this past April. I'm going at Thanksgiving this year for the same amount of time.

I'm much, much better now about planning an itinerary that I know will work for me. I about killed myself that first 9 day trip to London in 1990 when I tried to see everything. :-)

I could easily leave a Friday night and return the second Sunday after 8 days. I'd work hard on the itinerary. Maybe an open jaw with as few connections as possible: into London out of Paris, etc. Or maybe focus on one large city with a few daytrips. Renting a car for a week and seeing a region of a country is a possibility too: Burgundy, Bavaria, Tuscany.

jelzie, I just hate it when people like you come on this board and advertise. Your signature gives you away.

Here's hoping that Fodors give you the big boot!!! ((b))

The last job I had, I could only take 1 week off at a time (Mon AM - Sun PM). I was living in Philadelphia, which makes it a bit easier to fly to Europe (compared to living on the W coast). It's not that I like one week trips, but like others have said, it's better to spend 1 week in Europe than 1 week in Philadelphia (granted, I come back exhausted every time).

Also, in reality, it is more like a 5-day trip. Since I don't get off until Monday AM, the earliest flight I could take was the Mon evening flight, which arrives in Europe Tues AM. For return, I have to fly out Sunday AM in order to get back by Sunday PM.

Last year I took 4 one-week trips to Europe:
1. Munich (+ daytrips to Salzburg & Innsbruck)
2. Frankfurt/Rhine/Mosel
3. Berlin
4. Paris

Berlin is the only city which I had to make a flight connection to get to; all the others had direct flights from Philadelphia, which saved quite a bit of time.

My trips are no longer more than 7 or 8 nights including the overnight flight. Business and family obligations just don't allow for more time away. I'm used to it now and probably wouldn't know how to handle a two or three week journey. With 7 nights in Europe, I typically spend 3-4 nights in two cities or towns, and try to take one worthwhile daytrip. EX: Rome/Florence, Vienna/Budapest, Nice/Avignon, Munich/Salzburg. I'd say these One-Weekers are well worth it. I've even taken a few long weekend trips off-season on FF mileage awards (ie 3 nights/1 city) that were fun but tiresome upon returning.

My recent trips have all been between five and ten nights. With five or six nights, I have stayed put in one city. With eight nights, I have gone to two cities. My most recent trip consisted of four nights in London, three nights traveling around Denmark and Sweden, and three nights in Copenhagen.

Most of the time I find I am ready to come home just as the trip winds down. I suppose if I went on longer trips I would pace them differently, but with just a week I am on the go so much that I need a vacation from the vacation after I get home.

Call me crazy, but I won't go for less than 10-11 days. Time change, jet lag, and flights (from west coast US) take up 1-2 at the start and last day you're heading back early AM.

Although we once a few years ago did a 4-day trip to London on a spur-of-the-moment whim when airfares were $99 each way, in general, I can't do a week-long trip. It's just too much trouble for too little time. I admit, I'm spoiled - used to month-long trips or more. But being the type-A person I am, what with all the packing and list-making and all, if I'm going to go to Europe these days it's going to be for a bare minimum of 2.5 weeks. Shorter than that and I'd feel as though I hadn't had time to get acclimated before it was time to come home. As it is, I find that it's usually about Day 7 when I actually can tell myself "you're on vacation - it's ok to chill out and relax." Then I get to about Day 16 and start telling myself "only X more days until it's over," which is an instinct I have to fight if I'm going to enjoy the last days of my trip.

cymbeline, if you can only swing one week, go ahead, it is better than nothing like has been noted.

I am going to hop over to Italy from LA for a week at the end of this year myself. I prefer longer trips too but my office has limits and I have almost reached the top.

I would limit myself to one city and maybe one or two days trips in a week.

One week is really not that bad, as everyone says, certainly better than not going. Can't you add the extra weekend to make it more like 10 days. I go every year for a 9 or 10 day trip in March and then my "big" trip in the summer when I can go for 3 weeks or so. For the "one weeker" trips I do as others have suggested and pick one city with day trips. Sometimes if I can get open jaw tickets for the same price I'll pick another city a short (3 hours or so) train ride away and go there for the last few days. For example Paris for 6 nights then train to Amsterdam for 2-4. Something like that. I really enjoy my "one week" trips.