our trip to Europe
 

Hubby and I have just returned from our first ever trip to Europe. It went without any hiccups thanks to the tips from all fodorites.

We enjoyed travelling to Europe so much that we are thinking of doing it again next year. Cities we are planning to travel to this time are Lucerne, Vienna, Barcelona, Venice and Rome (and maybe even try and fit Greece in if we can) and was wondering which order we should do this in (without back tracking). We will be travelling from Melbourne, Australia. We are thinking of taking the train to the different cities within Europe.

Any advice will be appreciated. Please don't ask me to look at the map and decide, I have and am confused hence the question. Thanks for your help.

Question you will be asked is how much time you have - you know that basically you lose half a day each time you move.
I'd fly open jaw - enter at Barcelona and exit at Rome.

And I would not take trains but planes. I would do Barcelona, Lucern, Vienna, Venice and Rome.

Check sites such as Kayak, and select (or don't deselect) airports in the vicinity - so that they may make you land at Zurich and from there a train to Lucern...

Low cost airlines are Ryanair, Easyjet, Germanwings (when the pilot has taken his /her anti-depressors) Vueling...

Trains are generally the best way to get around in Europe. The rail network is comprehensive, ticket costs are rather affordable, and the scenery is gorgeous.

We are planning on doing this over 4 weeks.

I would start by choosing a more reasonable geographic grouping of cities, or by adding another 4 weeks. You are literally all over the map, which is why you should look at one, and don't have enough time for this.

Lucerne, Vienna, Barcelona, Venice and Rome (and maybe even try and fit Greece in if we can)>

Land in Vienna -

Lucerne

Train or plane to Venice

Rome

Fly to Barcelona

Good resources on European trains and planning a rail trip: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

How long do you have for your future trip?

This multi-capital train trip is perfectly feasible (although I would never do something like that).
There are daily intercity trains between the places you mention:
Barcelona dp 9.25 - Lucerne ar 20.00, 2 changes
Lucerne dp 16.18 - Rome ar 22.55, 1 change
Rome - Venice: direct trains every hr, 3 3/4 hrs journey
Venice dp 15.55 - Vienna ar 23.35, direct

This is more like a wishlist of cities I would like to visit in Europe and thought I would do it in one hit since I don't think I will be able to do a third trip to Europe due to health reasons. We would like to travel in Aug next year for 4 weeks.

Rome and Barcelona, and possibly Venice, are likely to be sweltering in August. Can you do this at any other time of year?

This year, July was rather hotter than August. But don't worry, at the places you mentioned, temperatures almost never exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Maximums of 85 degrees are more realistic. And at Vienna and Lucerne, temperature drops up to 65 degrees cannot be excluded.

Yes June or September are much nicer in so many ways than August, so if possible travel outside of July and August.

Barcelona is on the coast, I don't think it's that bad. Sure, it's summer but it's not like Cairo or anything. I've been there in July, didn't bother me. Highs would be around 85F on average in Rome and Barcelona in August (or 29-30C).

But it's up to you. I've been in Germany and Prague in July-August and it was just as hot, and sometimes even Paris, actually.

You can group these just by looking at a map and seeing logical routes geographically. Barcelona is obviously the outlier (and Greece, I'd forget that one). I certainly would not take the train between Barcelona and any of those other cities myself, but if you have tons of extra time, you may want to.

I certainly would not take the train between Barcelona and any of those other cities myself>

No but there is a ferry linking Livorno, Italy to Barcelona - takes all day and night but the trappings of a cruise!

<Lucerne, Vienna, Barcelona, Venice and Rome>

I think 4 weeks is plenty of time for 5 cities, even ones that are geographically "all over the map".

I agree that four weeks is plenty, if you leave out Greece. Adding Greece would make it a bit too busy, I think.

This has been a very hot year, and 2013 was another hot year, but not quite as bad. (They seem to be coming more frequently.) Not every summer is terribly hot, although most summers will have a very hot week or two.

Rome is not the hottest city in Italy at all, because it's on the coast and gets some sea breezes. Venice also has that advantage, and it's also on the cooler side of the peninsula. I've never been in Barcellona, so I can't advise about that. When I go to Rome in the summer, I always take a light sweater, and several times I've still been chilly in the evening.

"No but there is a ferry linking Livorno, Italy to Barcelona - takes all day and night but the trappings of a cruise!"

As they want to go to Rome (NOT to Florence) I would rather recommend the Barcelona - Sardinia - Civitavecchia ferry (bigger/more comfortable boat and daily)

thanks neckervd - did not know about that boat.