lv2trvl

My husband and I are planning our last hurrah (for now) to Europe from Oct21 thru Nov 1. I'll be 4 months pregnant at the time. We are using up our open jaw freq flier miles...
Here's the plan - feedback would be appreciated:
fly NY-ROME stay 3 Nts
fly ROME-PRAGUE stay 2 Nts
train -(sleeper) MUNICH stay 2 Nts
train - (3hrs) INNSBRUCK stay 1 Nt
train - (5hrs) VENICE stay 2 Nts
Fly VENICE-ZURICH-JFK

Patrick

I'm often the one saying it's OK to cover a lot of ground and get a variety of cultural experiences. But flying from Rome to Prague to have just one day there and then taking an almost all day train to Munich for one day there? And then a train to Innsbruck for an afternoon and night there before going to Venice for a single day there (even with two nights)? Sounds like way too much travel for such a limited time in each place to me!!! Generally I figure if you can't do an absolute minimum of three nights (giving you two full days plus) in a major city, then it isn't worth going. And of course if you can spend a little more time, that's even better.

Many will probably say just do Rome and Venice, maybe with a stop in Florence or elsewhere in Italy only. I would say go ahead and keep Prague, but eliminate Munich and Innsbruck.
My choice would be 4 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Prague, and 3 nights in Venice using up your 10 total.

Travels_with_Food

My husband & I went just in Rome for 6 hours and Venice for 2 days (we were on a cruise ship).
There were strikes going on in Rome so we missed the Colosseum tour and the Roman Forum. Sometimes the Metro was striking so we decided to avoid headaches and just use taxis to get us around. We felt that to see what we wanted to see in Rome, we needed AT LEAST 3 full days, maybe 4. Take into consideration that things might be closed one day and open the next.

Venice is beautiful but I felt that after 3 days and seeing lots and lots of churches, I would be done with Venice. It seemed like a giant American shopping meca with high-end stores lining both sides of the streets. Also, after you've visited about 5 Murano/Venetian glass stores, you are probably done with half the stores in Venice. They all sell glass.

Another thing I just learned.....
we went from Venice to Frankfurt to Newark. We went through NO LESS than 5 security checkpoints when going through Frankfurt to catch our connecting flight to USA. USA has added more security points since 911 and it took us 1 hr 30 minutes to barely make it to our connecting flight. Make sure you have plenty of time in your Venice-JFK connection for these security checkpoints.

TuckH

It is my impression that, because you lv2trvl and you have those flier miles, you're traveling just for the sake of traveling and therefore you have to make all those stops in such a short period of time.

lv2trvl

Thanks for your responses. We do have exactly 11 days and nights of travel time - that is not including the day to get to Europe and the day back.
I do see how we could be 'rushing' it.
Maybe we will narrow it down to
ROME, PRAGUE, MUNICH....I will have to save VENICE for another time.

HowardR

Your revised schedule makes a lot more sense. Rome, Prague and Munich certainly make for a diverse and interesting trio of destinations!
Response to Travels_with_food: The Venice I experience was a helluva lot different than the one you did. "A giant American shopping meca with high-end stores lining both sides of the streets"? Boy, did you miss the real Venice!

lv2trvl

There is a problem with my flight from Rome to Prague.
Can anyone suggest a city to do in between Arriving in Europe in Rome and departing Europe from Munich?

Russ

I suggest you throw away the idea of doing another big city. After maybe 3-4 days in Rome, head north for a change of pace for a day or two in the Italian Alps somewhere - Bolzano, Klausen (both accessible by train), or Castelrotto - and then north to Munich from there. Then from Munich, if you have an extra day or two, just do a daytrip from there to Andechs Monastery (walk from Herrsching), Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Garmisch, Mittenwald, Fussen, or some other popular spot that catches your eye and that isn't more than a couple of hours away. Daytrips by train from Munich are numerous and easy to do.

WillTravel

You must be in your first trimester now. All the advice about not rushing through would hold doubly true when pregnant, I would think. I don't know if you have gotten tired or nauseous yet, but don't count on the mythical second trimester energy boost.

You are likely to want more down time than otherwise. Good luck with the trip!

TuckH

Russ's idea is right on target. I also second WillTravel's well-considered thoughts. Russ's concept will take you to some scenic and relaxing spots.

Patrick

I too like the Rome, Munich, Prague itinerary. But I thought from your original post the Rome arrival and Venice departure were already set from your open jaw FF miles schedule. If you can fly home out of Prague, really great!!!

lv2trvl

Thanks again for all your respones.
I have to play with the idea of those areas in Northern Italy - sounds nice and relaxing. I have to do a little more research.
Luckily I haven't been too tired or nauseous. (I have been known some Sundays to sit on the computer all day in my pajamas before I was pregnant too - ha ha).
Well thanks for the feedback. I'll either go with those ideas or scrap my plans for a new set of cities that fit into a better schedule..maybe Amsterdam Munich and Prague..None of my flights are booked yet so I am still pretty flexible. --uggh I'll ask more questions when I am more decisive...