Sammy818

I will be backpacking around Europe for 35 days in a few months and I am starting to really knuckle down and sort out my itinerary and would just like some feedback on the places I've chosen, length of time in each place and maybe suggestions on other places to visit instead of others, etc.

I am flying to and from London (tickets already booked)

My possible itinerary so far is:
London 4
Paris 4
Milan 1 (is a stopover so might as well spend a little time there)
Rome 4
Venice 3
Budapest 3
Munich 4
Amsterdam 4
London 2 (fly out at 9 pm on the second day)

These days generally aren't including long travel days and I will be taking overnight trains from Paris to Milan, and also Munich to Amsterdam. I am also planning on travelling on trains everywhere except for a flight from Venice to Budapest.

I know these are generally all large cities but I am only travelling for a little while and am already planning on going back for a longer and more in depth trip (I hope at least) and I am also thinking about going on some day trips out of the big cities.

Also, this probably isn't the most logical order of cities but it is the order that I have chosen so I probably won't be changing that.

Any thoughts???

dfourh

It sounds like you have your transit times planned out (e.g., overnight trains) and that is the key to a big multi-hop like this one. If you haven't done so already, you might want to get a big sheet of paper and chart out all of the travel times and hotel/hostel nights so that all the hours that can get eaten up by transit times (e.g., to/from airports) are accounted layed out graphically. If you still feel it is a comfortable trip and you will have time to see the things you want to see, it looks like a fun trip, though it would be too demanding for people with lower energy.

Are you using a railpass? If so, I hope you know that the fast trains have mandatory supplements and reservations that go far over the price of the pass (and virtually render trainpasses impractical). It's easy enough to leave bags at the station in Milan to go explore for a few hours - - it's just a matter of knowing what train you will have reservations on to Rome.

It's an intense trip from the perspective of exposure to big city people numubers, action, and sensual overload, but as you say, you can get a whirlwind exposure to a lot of fantastic places, and then choose how to do your next trip based upon your experiences on this one.

bobthenavigator

Start in London and end in Rome---flying open jaw. Why backtrack?

I would include some smaller venues for variety. Such as Salzburg abd Siena. I would drop Budapest.

Gretchen

I think it's a pretty nice "loop", since the tickets are already purchased. I might also drop Budapest but I think my main advice would be to stay loose, and stay longer "some" place if you are enjoying it. On this kind of trip that is easy to do--you have the "bones" and idea of what you want. Our daughter spent a month in Europe travelling--they go to Spain and hated it so they left.
You might add a little time in Provence, for example, or as someone else suggested, Salzburg or Vienna.
With a number of days in places like Munich, some side trips will be possible, such as Dachau.
Have fun!!

Jean

It's just personal preference, but I would reduce the number of destinations and then make some day trips out of the cities and into smaller towns. IMO, big city after big city after big city isn't as enjoyable as mixing in some smaller, slower places here and there for contrast and a little respite.

Your airline tickets are already purchased, but I still wouldn't stay in London twice. I'd head to Paris immediately on arriving in London and put all of the London days at the end.

suze

I think it looks fine and sounds like you have your reasons for what you have chosen.

I do agree with keeping London all together. Go directly to Paris when you first arrive.

I'd probably cut one city (Munich) and spread those 'extra' 4 days among the other stops.

Gretchen

Third agreement with consolidating London at the end.
Each of us would probably cut one city. Munich can be interesting, but it depends on what he wants to see. The BMW plant is there!! and good beer.

bilboburgler

I like the plan though I'd open jaw it, fly in London and out of Amsterdam or Paris if possible. Budapest is worth keeping in. Munich is great if you love Baroque, but other than that there are better cities or areas, certainly I'd add Florence rather than Munich but it does depend on your interests. If you love Beer (the logical reason for visiting Munich) then Belgium is far more interesting

suze

*I am flying to and from London (tickets already booked)
*probably won't be changing that.

Tickets are already booked, and not changing the order of the cities.

I'm not sure how much we can help.