Denise

Partner and I are considering a one year European trip. We were thinking of basing ourselves in three or four different regions, maybe France, Spain and Italy. During that time we could visit Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal, etc. Budget of course is a big consideration because we essentially have to leave work either to others or suspend it altogether. If you were in our shoes, where would your travel diary take you for one year.

frenchwow

Paris Paris Paris and then take weekend trips to England, South if France and Italy by TGV

alanRow

Your main problem is Schengen - if you don't know what it is, then look it up as it puts a rather large stick in your spokes

StCirq

Assuming you are not an EU citizen, my diary would take me first straight to the French Embassy to find out how I would finegle getting a visa that would enable me to stay more than 90 days.

acprincess

Consider Slovenia. Ljubliana is one of the most charming cities I've ever seen. The food is great, everyone under 30 speaks English (everyone over 30 speaks Russian), it felt safe, and it was a lot less expensive than other areas in Europe.

flanneruk

Schengen isn't quite the bar for you it would be for many others, even if you haven't got citizenship of an EU/EEA country

75 days in the Schengen area. Then six months in Britain, during which you can't spend more than 15 days on trips to Schengen so you have to limit your quick trips to Croatia, Turkey, Egypt etc.

Then three months in Schengen.

mr_go

Maybe I'd think in terms of 4 seasons.

Winter in Greece or Sicily.
Springtime in Paris, or a villa in the Loire or Dordogne valley.
Summer in Amsterdam.
Fall in Spain or Portugal.

Four bases, 90 days each. Just a thought.

jetsetj

mr_go may be on to something

nytraveler

Well - that depends.

If you're American traveling without a visa you fall under the Schengen rules and have limited time (90 days) before you have to leave for another 90 days (UK and some places in estern europe aren't Schenger - you would have to look up the latest list). If you try to stay in Schengen for a year and come to the attention of the authorities you will be summarily deported - and risk not being allowed back for years.

If you're an EU citizen and can live where you please: I wold pick based on weather in the varoius seasons (Spain and Italy in spring and fall but never summer) and cost of living.

Have you run a budget on this? The cost of housing alone will be enormous?

travelbunny

My approach is completely different. I would ask myself what I would like to get out of the year- example working on a language, together time, a year to read or write, do e-courses ect. Based on the above I would then choose a place based on the budget and weather (and visa constrants). Do remember that no matter how long you stay in one place you will still be a visitor unless you take a course, work or do some volunteering with a local group...the exception being a longterm relationship which cant be scripted.

ira

Hi D,

Paris

You are unlikely to find legal work.

Enjoy your visit.

Guenmai

I'd enroll into a school. Happy Travels!

Denise

I am Canadian and familiar with Schengen - I will be inquiring about a visa as StCirq suggested. Putting that obstacle aside, we'd be interested in the dreams you have dreamt if you had a year in Europe like walking along the beach in Cassis, overlooking Santorini's blue topped houses with a coffee, shopping in Paris, eating the best tomato ever grown in Spain, hiking the Matterhorn, something like that. What a minute I might be answering my own post. Keep 'em coming.

LJ

We are Canadians who have lived (and worked/taught) in small town Italy at mid-life. We loved almost all of it. Here is what you need to stay happy.

#1. a really comfortable place to live (home-sickness lurks in depressing digs)
#2. good means of communication back home (and they to you!)
#3. a car (trains/buses are fine for a while, but you will feel very constrained without a car: we were much more successful once we acquired one)
#4. enough money to get back home IMMEDIATELY in an emergency
#5. make friends with the locals, not just the ex-pats

Our dreams were to live, cook (we are passionate foodies) and work in ONE place and thoroughly learn the language...while there we did visit other regions of Italy and we did visit other countries. But Italy was always the dream...and we will be returning within the next 5 years for a repeat performance.

logos999

Not having to work for one year, that would be a dream. Maybe someday. Who has those dreams about Europe? I'll go camping in a few days in France, not to dream but to relax. No work and no hassle anymore that would be a dream.

Claudia_A

One year will go very fast but here is what I would do. I would travel by trein and by car, depending on the country where you are:
I would start in spring and I would go to Paris directly. There you should stay in Montmartre. I have used this company which has the best apartments in Montmartre and different prices: http://www.paris-apartment-rent.com/
Then I woould go North, a little visit in Brussels and here I would use this other company which I have used in the past. They are also very service oriented and have different prices http://www.bbf.be/apartments.aspx
Then I would go to Holland, here I have stayed at friends so I don't have a reference to give you.
I would then go to England in July. In this period you find the best light in England and the temperature is very nice. Here I have used this company which has a very good choice of apartments in the center of London http://www.apartmentsapart.com/london_hotels/index.htm
Then I would travel NOrth again to Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Here I stayed in different hotels, couldn't be able to give you a real reference.
Then I would come down to Germany in December and would spend Christmas Eve and New Year Eve in Munich. It is incredible how romantic this city becomes in that period. In Munich Ihave stayed at some friends place so I don't have a real tip to give you on where to stay but I know that the hotels, even the very simple ones are very clean and comfortable.
Then I would spend January in Austria visiting Vienna and some sky resort. Then I would go to Budapest where there are some very good hotels which are spa and are very cheap. You can try this website to find the one you like the most http://www.budapesthotelstart.com/.
Then I would go down to ex Jugoslavia, which I don't know very well but I was told Croatia has wild spots which look like Paradise. Then from there I would get to Greece and from Greece to Sicily in Italy and up to Rome, Florence, Venice and back to South of France where you could end your trip.
In Rome you should try this website to find a good apartment http://www.romecityapartments.com/
When you are in South France, don't forget to visit Monaco.
This is what I would do.

traveller1959

>>>like walking along the beach in Cassis, overlooking Santorini's blue topped houses with a coffee, shopping in Paris, eating the best tomato ever grown in Spain, hiking the Matterhorn,<<<

This is a program for three weeks, not for twelve months. It is completely different to visit a country as a tourist or to live there for a year. The Cassis beach walks start to get boring after two weeks, and after three weeks on Santorini the hygienic and organizational deficits will annoy you more than the blue roofs will please you.

I do not say this to discourage you - LJ greatly enjoyed their stay in Europe. But you should think thoroughly what you really want - to avoid deep disappointments.

LJ

And LJ and company were working...don't mean to rain on anyone's dreams but a year of leisure could be darn hard work!

Korin

I would start in Sweden in the spring and go to Finland (by boat, from Stockholm) as well, then to Scotland and Ireland in summer and fall in Spain and Paris.
I would stay in the Montmartre's area, I would spend some time there, and then go to Italy.
Why not stay in apartments as suggested by Claudia_A, and why not find a way to work as travelling, for instance through computer? Or finding small jobs as you go, depending what you can do.

Denise

Thank you all for the thoughts and suggestions. Some very pleasant ideas indeed. We have been to Europe on holiday but only scratch the surface really before heading back home. Hence the desire to return again and again. The airfare from where we are is very expensive so even on a month long holiday almost 1/2 goes to airfare. True I might get homesick and possibly bored but then that is part of the experience as well which may make returning home much sweeter.