Hi Guys,

I am planning my first ever solo trip from India - 13 days to Spain and Italy .. I wanted to cover more of europe but decided to start with 2 countries first
so here goes my itinerary as i need to start booking hostels and train tickets .. 30 days to go for my trip .. so excited

I have booked my international tickets already so I land in Madrid and fly out of Rome

So I start with 2 days in madrid , Once day to see madrid - Prado muesum, stroll through Buen Retiro Park, enjoy sapme tapas and churros and night life. Next days take a day trip to toledo

3rd Day - i take a day train to Barcelona and keep it open for next 6 days. I plan to cover 2 days of barcelona, 1 day of day trip to costa rica (i might skip this if ist too expensive) and if all goes well take a flight to Ibiza and enjoy 2 days partying. My only only worry is if Ibiza safe for single females and also the fact that I will land in Ibiza on Monday evening. are weekdays fun in ibiza ?
I have already takem first weekend in Barcelona to enjoy night life.

If I do ibiza, I take a flight to Rome as there are no direct flight from Ibiza to Naples. Then take a train from Rome to Naples. Cover Naples and Amalfi in next two days. come back to Rome . Spend next 3 days in Rome and Florence and then fly back to my country.

Please give suggestion for inclusions and exclusions and also travel tips for booking train and flights.

Can I leave Ibiza flight booking till the end of the travel and book once I land in barcelona. will it be too expensive?


Thanks

kritigard - i understand the desire to cram in as much as possible but you are really spreading yourself very thin, running the risk that you spend more time in planes than actually having a holiday.

I can't really help you with Ibiza, but I'm pretty certain that Barcelona has nightclubs, and it seems a long way to go to Ibiza just to party. I'm also not sure if you've counted your days correctly - you need to allow for travel time in between places. Finally I think that a bit longer in Madrid to start off with would give you longer to recover from your long flight, and to enjoy more of Spain.

Setting it out like this can help

Day 1 - arrive Madrid. [Time?]
Day 2 - Madrid.
Day 3 - Toledo
Day 4 - Madrid
Day 5 - train to Barcelona - arrive midday. rest of day in Barcelona.
Day 6 - Barcelona
Day 7 - trip to Costa ?
Day 8 - Barcelona
Day 9 - fly to Naples - train/bus to Amalfi
Day 10 - Amalfi
Day 11 - train/bus to Naples, train to Rome
Day 12 - Rome
Day 13 - fly home.

Honestly you don't have time for Florence unless you miss out Rome or cut down your time in Spain.

Unless you give yourself more time to adjust to the European time schedule, or are completely immune from jetlag, you'll be a mess from the very start of your trip.

I am totally confused by your mention of Costa Rica.In fact, I googled to see if there were maybe a place in Spain called Costa Rica, but came up with nothing. You aren't seriously trying to zoom off to another continent in this midst of all this, are you?

Overall, it's too rushed. Forget Florence to begin with. You don't have time.

Study carefully The Man in Seat 61 website to learn about train travel in Europe. You can find great bargains or you can remain clueless and spend a fortune if you don't understand how the national railways work.

Please give suggestion for inclusions and exclusions and also travel tips for booking train and flights.>

Yes, www.seat61.com is the best place to learn about booking your own train tickets - at a discounted fare if early enough to grab those limited in number cheaper fares - you can always get on trains waiting until there but then you'll probably pay full fare - general train sights for what to expect on trains www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts. You really have few train trips that you should book in advance for discounted fares- Madrid to Barcelona and Rome to Naples and back and to Florence of course - but like StCirq says that may be a bit too much - could do a day trip to Florence from Rome but there is so much in Rome...

For budget airlines check Cheap Flights with low cost, charter and other airlines: find cheap air tickets and www.skyscanner.net.

Actually you may consider instead of Amalfi for such a short time - 1 day in Naples and a day in Amalfi is not enough for the latter - I'd suggest doing Rome and Florence instead in more depth.

There are also ferries Barcelona to Ibiza but it's a long ride of 8-9 hrs -there may be overnight ferries that may be interesting and save a hotel cost.

Your itinerary is pretty crazy. For example, take train to Naples from Rome and cover Naples and Amalfi in two days? You need to eiminate certainn destinations; with lots of partying, which will begin around midnight in Spain or, more likely at 2am, will you be up and ready to roll a few hours later?

I've heard (from perhaps unreputable sources!) that Ibiza is not what it once was.

Here's an article, from 2015, about the party set having moved on from Ibiza now that it's a destination for the low-cost airlines. I've never been to Ibiza, though, so am just passing along what I've heard and read.

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle...-10308963.html

How much interest do you have in actual sightseeing? For example, trip to Toledo...?? It sounds to me, please pardon as I mean no offense, that you want to check off from a list without having done any in depth research on these various places.

Very few places are inherently unsafe. It's the behavior of the visitor that makes a place safe or unsafe in most instances. You are a single, young female intent on partying. Have you been out of your country and done this before?

For sure, I'd add a week in a Swiss or Austrian clinic at the end, just to rest up before returning home!! Anyway, have FUN and take good care of yourself.

I agree with previous posters. Slow down. You will be jet lagged when you arrive and must factor that in. You can still have a blast without wearing yourself out. I would strongly recommend cutting out Ibiza.

Spend several days in Madrid. It is a vibrant and interesting city. Maybe hit some clubs at night...

Train to Barcelona & same recommendation for Barcelona!

Fly to Naples & go on to Amalfi for couple days.

End trip with a few days in Rome. I hope this helps

Or skip Amalfi and fly Barca to Genoa and then visit the Ligurian coast (CT, etc) before taking train south to end in Rome...

Thanks everyone for ypur feedback This really helps Even I was thinking it more like a checklist than relaxed trip .. I am revising to fewer cities now
3 days in Madrid, 4 days in Barcelona .. take a flight to Naples ..2 days in Naples (skip Amalfi) and then 2 days in Rome and 2 days in Florence.
Rest since its a back pack trip .. I will leave to on the spot decisions.
How about taking a ferry from Barcelona to Naples .. I feel it will a good experience than taking a flight.

Thanks @annhig for detailed feedback


Hi @ekscrunchy , I have traveled many part of the world alone as work travel and I have been out partying on weekends alone. So I know my limits but thanks for reminding me. At times I feel i am a superwoman but one needs to be careful about their safety as well.

Krits

still very confused on your itinerary. Why go Barcelona to Naples then Rome-Florence-Rome? Makes no sense. You present yourself as a seasoned traveler and yet I’m not sure you’ve even looked at a map? i don’t believe there is a ferry Barcelona-Naples. Getting from Spain to Italy by ferry takes a crazy long time and is $.

why not fly Barcelona to Genoa or Florence? then high speed train to Rome. If Naples is a must it is 1hr south of Rome by train. Try not to backtrack...

Hi kritigarg - glad that what I said proved to be of help.

<<I am revising to fewer cities now
3 days in Madrid, 4 days in Barcelona .. take a flight to Naples ..2 days in Naples (skip Amalfi) and then 2 days in Rome and 2 days in Florence. >>

Refining your trip still further, as you are flying out of Rome, it would be better to get the train straight to Florence from Naples, and then finish your trip in Rome, thus putting you in the right place for your flight home and making your trip less "bitty".

Better still think about making Florence a day trip from Rome, which you could decide to do [or not] when you were there. You many well feel when you get there that you have enough to do in Rome without going to Florence, but if you want to go, it's an easy day trip on the fast trains which take approx 90 mins from city centre to city centre. plan well and you could see a lot of Florence in a day. As you could of Naples of course, as or2 suggests.

Yes a day trip to Florence from Rome makes sense - no relocating hotels which always takes loads of time - if like it take two day trips to Florence!

Naples easy train ride to Pompeii via commuter trains that run all the time.

take a flight to Naples ..2 days in Naples (skip Amalfi) and then 2 days in Rome and 2 days in Florence.>

2 days is about 1.5 with relocating and travel time factored in. Personally I'd skip Naples all together if never been to Rome or Florence or skip Florence - less can be more. Naples is a great city but for first-time traveler I'd spend more time in Rome and maybe do a draytrip to Naples - just over an hour by high-speed train.

A big thanks to all you .. I have made my major bookings today with levy of being able to decide on the spot

I am keeping as
3 days in Madrid
Booked the morning train to Barcelona using AVE/Renee
4 days in Barcelona-
Got at amazing flight tickets costing 50 Euro only to Rome
3 Days in Rome
Now I will book my hostel for 3-4 days in Rome and keep it open for Florence/naples etc.
I am sure i can get 2 days accommodation on the spot wherever I decide to day (Naples/Florence or Rome) may b at a higher price
Its my Bday during these last 2 days and I might want to pamper me
This way I will have the flexibility of including anything new I hear or like

Team- any recommendations for hostel- I stayed in generator hostel in London 3 years back and that hostel was more than awesome.

Kriti

Check Let's Go Europe for superb critique of hostels in Rome and everywhere. www.letsgo.com.

ok, kritigarg - it looks like a good plan. Hope you have a wonderful trip and a great birthday at the end.

An please come back and tell us how it went.

www.hostelworld.com and other hostel sites let you book online - you could do even shortly before going or call or whatever to see if they have vacancies or else a lot of time could be wasted.