I'm planning on taking a trip to Europe when I graduate in May of 2006. I would like to stay at least a month. I know I wont be able to see everything, but I would like to have some fun before I head off to grad school. I'm interested in just about everything (double major in biology and history). Where should I focus most of my travel? My twin sister is going with me. Will 2 young girls be safe? What airlines should I look into? How far in advance should I book?

The best backpacking young persons' travel advice on the internet IMO is at www.lonelyplanet.com and go to their BB (similar to this one) called The Thorn Tree, Western Europe branch. But I suggest you read there before you post, so you will have more specific question to ask.

If I were to answer your questions...

<Where should I focus most of my travel> An impossible question to answer. Depends on what your interests are. Are there certain countries you dream of? Do you want to see major cities and sites or spend time in the country side? Do you speak any other language than English?

<will 2 young girls be safe?> Depends on what you do, where you go, how smart you are about your own personal safety and belongings.

<What airlines?> That depends on where you are leaving from and where you are going to. Again what is most important to you, i.e., low price, non-stop, decent connections, schedules, etc.

I do not mean to be harsh but the more specific questions you ask the more helpful answers you will get. I suggest reading several guidebooks ASAP and/or travel magazines and you will start to answer many of your own questions. Then post again for more detailed assistance from us all.

The best information about railpasses and how to use them is on the Rick Steves website:
http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/rail_menu.htm
That will entertain you while you're thinking about where to go...

Something like this would be a fun but busy itinerary:
Fly over
London (3 days)
Paris (4 days)
Amsterdam (3 days)
Berlin (3 days)
Munich (3 days)
Switzerland (5 days)
Venice/Florence (3 days)
Rome (4 days)
Fly home

Another vote for Thorntree.

>Will 2 young girls be safe?<

Yes, if they learn how to say "no" in several languages.

Enjoy your trip.

I like that itinerary of the highlights and cities, but for myself feel better seeing fewer places but spending more time in each. So my similar plan would look more like:
fly into Amsterdam 5 days
train to Paris 5 days
train to Geneva/Lausanne/Vevey Switzerland 5 days
train to Venice 5 days
train to Rome 5 days fly out

I've been in all these cities excepting Rome, solo female (although older), not speaking a 2nd language, and have done fine as far as safety and getting around on my own. Happy planning!

I did a "backpacking" trip my first year of grad school. We saw a lot and were exhausted after our travels, but it gave us some idea of areas that we definitely wanted to return to.

We flew into Frankfurt and spent one night there before taking the train to Paris for 3 nights. Then one night in Barcelona. Long train trip to Cinque Terra for a couple nights. Rome for sevral nights with a side trip to Pompeii. Long train ride to Interlaken for a couple nights, then Fussen (Neuschwanstein), Munich, and back to Frankfurt.

It was a good itinerary, but we eneded up with some very long train trips. These were partially because we didn't really know what we were doing and partly because of things beyond our control - like train strikes in Italy.

One thing I would definitely recommend is to allow some down time for yourselves in small towns. We got burned out in the cities and really needed the time in Cinque Terre and Interlaken to regroup.

Good luck

Yes, it is safe for women to travel, whether solo or in groups, in Europe. If you are lacking confidence there are many books about women travelers that might inspire you.
Others suggested reading guidebooks and gathering ideas of what appeals to you; I'd also rent travel videos from the library. You'll undoubtedly fall in love with some of the places you see and decide you must go there. I like the Rudy Maxa Savvy Traveler videos-they are pretty basic, so appropriate for the first time travelers, nicely filmed and enjoyable to watch.

You will have a great trip. I would suggest checking ou the Lonely Planet web site and bootsnall.com. the latter is particularly helpful and has lots of posts for first time backpackers. These 2 sites are also geared towards younger travelers. I would avoid the Rick Steves intineraries. The schedule is hideous and brutal. You may be better served in just picking out a few places that you must see and then filling in the rest along the way. I also recommend staying in youth hostels where you will meet other like minded travelers. I'll bet that you will remember more about the people that you met than what you saw. Enjoy. You'll have plenty of time later in life to revisit those places that you were'nt able to see the first time around, but you will never be travelling with so many people that are in your age group and stage of life.

Also check out these sites:
http://www.bugeurope.com
http://www.eurotrip.com/forum
http://www.guideforeurope.com

Speaking as a younger, backpacking type traveller, I think it's great that when other younger people post on here that the fodorites often refer them to Lonely Planet's board, but I would just like to say that while Lonely Planet is great for finding a cheap, clean hostel, the Fodor's board is amazing and better, IMO, for getting detailed answers to specific questions from seasoned travelers. I found this board far more helpful than LP for planning my trip to Italy last year. So, amateller, stick around and listen to what these travellers have to say - they know their stuff!

I don't find the Thorntree to be a very easy to use board, although there is a lot of good information. This board's organization is much more user-friendly. For airfares, I suggest here, Flyertalk, and the Cheap Flights forum at Eurotrip.

I agree, I am 31 and going to Europe for the first time (backpacking). My former company worked hand in hand with many of the sites mentioned and none of them proved as important as this site to me. In fact, I only have three weeks to plan my trip (i have the cities but not the sights and food to plan) and there is no doubt that the knoweleged on this board is unsurpassable. Some you like, some you dont.

Eurotrip is good for the packing issue...other than that...this is the best site.

BTW...as for flights I have been using the whichbudget.com site recommened by members of the board.

AMATELLER...I am using the train most of the trip, however that site helped for some flights I have to take to save time. Feel free to email me at [email protected]. I am coming back in April and can probably give you some advice from my travels.

Good luck w/ the planning.

An excellent book for you is Let's Go Europe, written by US college students and contains a wealth of info. Lonely Planet is also good but not so student oriented and not good on cheap hostels, etc., whereas Let's Go has a ton of hostel, budget hotel listings. Also call Budget Europe Travel Service (800-441-9413) and get their excellent and FREE European Planning & Rail Guide, which contains a wealth on info not only on trains but many topics like changing money, packing, weather, etc. - just an excellent resource and free! Lots of women you age travel around on trains in Europe - from all over the word using the bargain Eurail youth passes for those under 26 - literally thousands so i wouldn't worry about the details, just go!

In response to Amanda, I would say that fodors, due to its huge traffic is excellent for general questions, like for instance "How much willl the train cost?" "What to see in city X?" "Is my itinerary sound?", etc...

However there are questions more specific to a young crowd and budget travellers, for instance about hostels, clubbing, unexpensive meals, etc..or even exchanges about the overall experience of backpacking that are better answered on other boards.
Still, you'll get more answers on this board when asking about a 150 $/night hotel than when enquiring about the athmosphere of a hostel.

So, I too would advise the OP to check www.lonelyplanet.com, and even more so www.eurotrip.com, the latter being more friendly in my opinion. It's not exclusive,of course, and most certainly both ressources (fodors and backpackers sites) should be used, depending on the question.