Deepraj

We are a group of six people, planning trip to UK, Switzerland and Italy. Below is the Itinerary we have finalized so far. Its definitely subject to change based on the suggestions.

14-Sep Sat DAY 1 Arrive London 08:00 am, post 1000 am / 13:00 Warner Bros Studio tour ( or something else) not yet decided ( please suggest)
15-Sep Sun DAY 2 London – optional Hop on Hop off tour, visit Madamme Tussauds / London Eye / River cruise or Day free
16-Sep Mon DAY 3 London – Paris – Train 07:01 am – 10:17 // Paris – Lucerne via Basel Train 16:23 – 21:30 (01 change at Basel)
17-Sep Tue DAY 4 Lucerne – Excursion to Mt Titlis and in the evening Lucerne Cruise ( can be either day 4 or day 5)
18-Sep Wed DAY 5 Lucerne – Excursion to Jungfrau, evening free
19-Sep Thu DAY 6 Lucerne – Mt Rigi, tour starts from Zurich at 0930 am duration 09hrs 30 minutes ( don’t book a guided tour)
20-Sep Fri DAY 7 Zurich – (50 mins) Zurich – Getaway to the Rhine Falls, in Afternoon go to Lugano
21-Sep Sat DAY 8 Lugano, and evening Lugano to Milan and Milan to Venice, with overnight stay in venice
22-Sep Sun DAY 9 Venice , Day Free
23-Sep Mon DAY 10 Venice – Gondola Ride Experience , Venice to Naples
24-Sep Tue DAY 11 Naples Day - Capri , blue grotto, chair lift
25-Sep Wed DAY 12 Naples to Sorrento and Scuba diving
26-Sep Thu DAY 13 Naples to Rome ( early morning train)
27-Sep Fri DAY 14 Rome Trevi Fountain, Colosseum
28-Sep Sat DAY 15 Rome – Bombay – Depart back home for your early morning flight

Day 3 looks very odd, but cant help as going to Paris is a must for personal work of 1 hour.

Looking forward to suggestions and recommendations from all the travel experts.

sparkchaser

Thoughts:

1. Warner Bros? Wat?

2. Skip Madamme Tussauds.

3. I feel The Eye is overrated. If you absolutely must see "the whole city from above", then go for it. Otherwise, it too is skippable.

4. You only have one full day in London? What madness is this? I'd skip London completely and just fly into Paris and start there.

5. It looks like you're trying to do too much.

bilboburgler

Madamme Tussauds is a complete waste of 2 hours.

Deepraj, we have many fodorites from the sub-continent who want to carry out trips like yours, it gets called "if it's Tuesday it's Belgium". Europe is massive and your itin looks like a rush from pillar to post. Slow down and enjoy the place.

I'd do at least 3 days in London, 3 days in Paris and 3 days in Rome, with 2 in Venice, while I understand Switzerland appears in lots of Bollywood movies it is not that exciting.

What I would do is get hold of a europe guide book (the rough guide is great) and try and limit your friends to max four places in 14 days.

Deepraj

yeah not decided on warner Bros..want an good option for that day, London my Dad wants to go, so cant skip it...Switzerland and Italy are our main priorities..
Madame Tussaud is also skipped....

I have been to Switzerland, Paris extensively..so have a good idea about traveling required there, as far as I see we are getting a good rest in Venice, In switzerland also our base is constant so we will be traveling during the day time to various sites...

Cathinjoetown

Scuba diving? REAL scuba diving? I would not spend time and money doing this unless you are already competent. It is not something you "pick up" in a few hours. Apologies if you are all experienced.

Is Warner Brothers the Harry Potter thing? Read the description carefully because if you are expecting a Disney-type experience, it isn't and it's north of London, at least 90 minutes. Waste of time when you have so little time in London.

Deepraj

yeah that's the information I am looking for, is it possible for first time divers to do a scuba diving in a day...or snorkelling is the option for us..if not both of them ...what adventure under water we can try out there.....

mamcalice

Skip Paris. Spend 3 days in London and then fly to Switzerland. In this day and age there must be an easier way to do one hour of business.

In London see some of the sights for which London is famous, not made up things like the Warner Bros. Madame T's and the London Eye. What about Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London?

Skip Naples and spend the extra time in Rome and Venice. The best scuba diving is NOT on the Amalfi Coast. You can find far better closer to India.

janisj

Why a new thread??

Wasn't all this totally kicked to death on your original thread? Reinventing the wheel - you'll have to explain (again) about the scuba diving and all the other 'quirks' like why you are transiting through Paris, etc.

It is still a nutty plan IMO . .

jamikins

Here is the original thread with 70+ reponses:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-464394-2.cfm

Deepraj

Thanks Mamcalice, yes but some works are unavoidable ( long story behind it)
Yes in London we are going to see all that you mentioned, no MADAM TUSSAUD ....
Naples is because we all love sea... and will definitely like to experience Mediterranean sea...and Capri Island is beautiful as far as I can see on the net and reading reviews for the same...

Keep them coming..thanks in advance

@ JANISJ ..New thread because yes that plan was ridiculed and I agree with that, but this plan IMHO is better than that and seems feasible...we are obviously geared up for travel..and some exertion is obvious.. as we cant travel to these parts as often..

Deepraj

and may be because of responses there in the old thread no one was replying to the plan there...so decided to start a new thread....and its not that I will not listen to any of your suggestions as that thread suggested..

I am trying to make a feasible plan with all you experts..and some exertion is obvious on such a trip ..where we save money for long time to go on such trips.....and also there are some emotions attached to this ..as its my dream to take my parents to Europe..and incorporate atleast 80% if not all ..what my parents like..

Thanks all for your suggestions and expecting to get some more

FHurdle

I don't see anything wrong with devoting one full day plus a half day on arrival to London. It will let them know what the city looks like, they can see a few sights and return. The "time cost" of adding London is quite low when traveling by Eurostar. I think the OP's choice of sights in London is poor.

I think the visit to Naples is ill-advised. It's a long train trip from Venice and then the OP will have to double back to Rome.

So I would cut out the Naples days and add a day to Lucerne, which clearly has sights the OP wants to see. Add an overnight in Paris and an extra day in Venice and I think the trip is do-able, even if not what I would plan.

I personally think it is okay to have a couple of one-night stands, even in major cities, so long as you understand that you aren't going to see much and are just going to get an idea of what the city is like. Then you can return later if you like it or scratch it off your list if you don't.

janisj

Deepraj: That thread evolved and this is the same plan you arrived at after all the give and take and modifications.

LLand

Don't do Toussads! Try the Tower of London instead. Also the Natural History Museum is excellent. Kew Gardens are really nice.

I agree with others, if you must go to Paris...do Paris!

Rome is stunning in September. Just stay in Rome, 2000 years...there's plenty to see and do right there.

Deepraj

yes we will be doing Buckingham Palace, tower of London , Tower bridge

@Janisj..this is the different plan, we have Lucerne as our base and we are there for 4 nights..only in Lugano we are doing one night stay..otherwise we have everywhere at least a 2 night stay....

In Rome we are for 2 days.. and will try to explore as much as possible.....

jamikins

With 1.5 days in London how are you going to do all the sites you have listed in your original post AND Buckingham Palace, tower of London , Tower bridge??

The Tower will take 1/2 day to see, Buckingham Palace is on the other side of London. Your other sites are all over the place as well. You have listed about 4 days+ worth of sites for London. Plus you will likely be jetlagged...

You are really understimating the time it takes to do all that you have listed for most places you are visiting.

Can you even do Jungfrau from Lucerne as a day trip? I thought it was in the Berner Oberland area...

Deepraj

In London nothing is decided as of now...whatever is possible in the available time will be seen based on opinions from here...yes jetlag will be there..but cant help..therefore on the first day of London only one sight will be planned...and next day whatever is possible...

janisj

You need to factor in that there are six of you- including your (elderly? ) parents.

The London stay, crazy travel day London to Lucerne, and 1.5 days in Rome will be very difficult with a group that size.

Deepraj

yes Janisj point taken, it will be taxing
we have discussed this at length with them and donno how else we manage this, as dropping anything is not an option for them

Deepraj

yes Janisj point taken, it will be taxing
we have discussed this at length with them and donno how else we manage this, as dropping anything is not an option for them