Please help with travel itinerary
 

We are just starting to plan a 3-week+ trip to Europe next May or September. We are experienced travelers, however have not traveled extensively in western Europe. <BR><BR>Following is a proposed itinerary:<BR><BR>U.S. to Madrid Spain - stay 2 days<BR><BR>Eurail to:Barcelona (2 days stay); Rome (3 days); Munich (1 day); Berlin (2 days); Amsterdam (2 days); Brussels (2 days); Paris (3 days); London (2 days)<BR><BR>Train travel is in addition to the time we are initially planning to stay in each city. Since we do not really know what to see or how long we should stay in each place we would welcome any inputs.<BR><BR>Please understand that we have spent a lot of time in London, so do not need suggestions for that city. <BR><BR>What we would really appreciate is your suggestions on what to see in each city and if we should expand/contract our stay there. <BR><BR>Thank you all for being so kind as to respond to our message.<BR><BR>Michael & Ling

<BR>If you have travelled extensively to London why add this into your itinerary and take away time from the other great cities you would like to see in Europe.<BR><BR>My personal taste is to spend time in only one country per visit to Europe. Therefore, in my opinion, you are spending too few days in all the destinations you have chosen. <BR><BR>I would skip Barcelona unless you are a big Gaudi fan. If you do visit, hit each of the Gaudi buildings-parks. <BR><BR>I would drop Madrid in favor of Seville. IMO, there is nothing to see in Madrid and Seville has such a pleasant feel. (Giralda Tower, Cathedral, Alcazar, Barrio Santa Cruz are stops there)<BR><BR>I would add more time to Paris or Rome and drop at London. <BR><BR>Because of your tight schedule, I would pick up a Europe guidebook and choose two or three sights that you feel are must sees in each city.

<BR>If you have travelled extensively to London why add this into your itinerary and take away time from the other great cities you would like to see in Europe.<BR><BR>My personal taste is to spend time in only one country per visit to Europe. Therefore, in my opinion, you are spending too few days in all the destinations you have chosen. <BR><BR>I would skip Barcelona unless you are a big Gaudi fan. If you do visit, hit each of the Gaudi buildings-parks. <BR><BR>I would drop Madrid in favor of Seville. IMO, there is nothing to see in Madrid and Seville has such a pleasant feel. (Giralda Tower, Cathedral, Alcazar, Barrio Santa Cruz are stops there)<BR><BR>I would add more time to Paris or Rome and drop out London. <BR><BR>Because of your tight schedule, I would pick up a Europe guidebook and choose two or three sights that you feel are must sees in each city.

Thank you for your input. London is on our itinerary because we are flying BA, and because we just want to relax in a familiar setting for a day before we fly home.

Michael - to me your itinerary does not make sense. You are squeezing in 7 countries in 3 weeks. And the longest stay in any one country is 4 days - in Spain where your first day will be shot due to jet lag.<BR><BR>The most I would try is three countries (axctually one or two would be even better).<BR><BR>Why spend all the time and money to get to Italy to spend exactly 3 days in Rome and go no where else. same for Germany - three days divided between 2 cities.<BR><BR>After this trip you will be totally frazzled and your head will be spinning.<BR><BR>Why not sit down and decide which TWO countries you really want to visit and then go to them and finish up with 2 or 3 days in London.

I agree with other posters - this would too aggresive to be an enjoyable itinerary for my taste. <BR><BR>Also, it is very concentrated on major cities and omits the opportunity of touring the countryside and some smaller towns for a more balanced experience.<BR><BR>In addition, a couple of the cities are not all that interesting; specifically Madrid and Brussels - again just my opinion. A great deal of time will be consumed just getting from place to place - especially from Barcelona to Rome and from Rome to Munich.<BR><BR>I think the stay in London is also sidetracking you for little purpose unless you really must fly in and out of London. If you can, an open jaw ticket might be better, say flying into Paris and home from Rome. I would eliminate London and Belgium, possibly also Amsterdam and Berlin and do a trip that just encompasses a little of Spain such as Barcelona or Andalusia, Rome + Tuscany, Munich + the Romantic Road, and Paris + the Loire Valley.<BR><BR>

Eurail to:Barcelona (2 days stay); Rome (3 days); Munich (1 day); Berlin (2 days); Amsterdam (2 days); Brussels (2 days); Paris (3 days); London (2 days)<BR><BR>I agree with the posters--too many countries with short stays planned.<BR>I would spend at least 3 days in Madrid (taking into account arrival jetlag), adding a day trip to Toledo from there, then maybe 3 days in Barcelona. I'd suggest a break in the train ride btw Barcelona and Rome as it will be a long ride, maybe stopping off in Marseille or Nice for a couple of days. Rome, 4 days, then Florence for 4 days with day trips to surrounding towns of Siena & Pisa (1 day) and San Gimignano. Florence to Paris for 3 days, then chunnel over to London if you still plan to fly out from there. Otherwise, an openjaw would be a better option depending upon price and availability.

Thanks to all the posters. We will reconsider and probably just try to see 3 or 4 countries.

You picked up one of those Europe in 17 Days brochures, didn't you....<BR><BR>Two things to remember about tours vs independent: 1) Tours have everything arranged ahead - vans to meet the train, people to load the baggage and check you in at the hotel, a tour bus waiting outside the hotel and at each site; 2) Tourspeak - "SEE THE EIFFEL TOWER" means you drive by it on the bus; YOU think it means a trip up to the top. Biiig difference in time and experience.<BR><BR>Pick 3 contiguous countries (railpass is cheaper for 3 countries vs all of Europe) like Italy/France/Spain or Italy/Germany/France or France/Belgium/Netherlands (throw in Luxembourg, too). You'll still be rushed, but not so much you'll be out of your mind.<BR><BR>If you really REALLY want to visit all those places on your original itinerary, buy a tour. Seriously, they are really good at getting lots of people to lots of places in a short amount of time. <BR><BR>

I agree that you MUST see Seville!

Elvira,Love ya<BR>Couldn't have said it better!

Michael, Tell me you are kidding !<BR>That is not even worth discussing. Listen to Elvira and pick 3 contigious.<BR>And, a max of 4 hours travel time from one destination to the next. This one sounds like a Matt Laurer trip.

I pretty much made the mistake of travelling to too many destinations in too short a period, but I knew it. Maybe read my trip report to give yourself a few more ideas of smaller towns that might interest you. (I'm ba-ack. Nevil [email protected]<BR>trip report)

MAYBE TO MANY CITIES FOR ONLY 10 DAYS, BUT WILL DO OUR BEST. I WOULD SPEND 2 DAYS IN MADRID 1 @ THE ACTUAL CITY WERE YOU CAN SEE THE ROYAL PALACE AND THE PRADO MUSEUM (ALL THE MASTER PIECES OF <BR>GRECO,GOYA AND VELASQUEZ.)AND SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY AROUND CITY CENTER THAN <BR>1/2 DAY TO TOUR TOLEDO/MEDIEVAL TOWN AND<BR>1/2 DAY TO SEE EL ESCORIAL AND VALLE DE LOS CAIDOS. WORTH SEEING -BOOK TOURS @ THE HOTEL.AND IF POSSIBLE DON'T MISSED SEVILLA OR SEVILLE(IN ENGLISH) IT'S AW-SOME .BARCELONA 2 DAYS IS PERFECT, YOU<BR>CAN VISIT SAGRADA FAMILIA AND ALL GAUDIS<BR>PARK AND BUILDING(LA PEDRERA.) AND THE<BR>RAMBLAS, MARKET AND WATERFRONT. BRUSSEL<BR>3DAYS , SO YOU CAN GO AND VISIT BRUGES<BR>IS INCREDIBLE. PARIS 3 , ROME 3 AND ANSTERDAN 2 IS OKAY. I WOULD DROP IN THIS TRIP MUNICH ,LONDON AND BERLIN AND<BR>DO A NEXT ONE ADDING TO GERMANY ALSO EASTERN EUROPE( VIENNA-PRAGUE AND BUDA-<BR>PEST.-WHICH ARE THE HOTTEST PLACES TO GO<BR>NOW.)

Are you city people? If not, you may get very weary of visiting just cities. I enjoy Paris, but I see a very different France when I stay in a small town or village. As in the United States, the small places offer the chance to relax, not dodge traffic and get away from the noise. As the other posters said, I would add a few days in some of the small towns in Tuscany and maybe a visit to Normandy or the Loire Valley in France.