Suggestions needed for 2 week trip to Europe
 

I was hoping someone could kindly help me with suggestions for my 2 week vacation (1st two of September). My wife and I are planning to spend 3 days in Vienna, 2 in Salzburg, 2 in Munich, then fly to Cologne, 2 days with day-trip to Bonn, 2 days in Brussels with day-trip to Brugges, finally fly to London for last 3 days. With exception of those 2 flights we are travelling by train. I know it's a lot to see in a short time. We will appreciate any advice, thanks!

<i>I know it's a lot to see in a short time.</i>

That's an understatement.

Have you been to any of these places before?

You are trying to cover 4 countries & 8 destinations in 14 days, and moving 5 times in between (not counting day trips).

Just remember, each time you move, you lose at least 1/2 day (check--out, go to airport/train station, go to hotel, check-in etc).

So you really have 11.5 days for 8 destinations, ie, less than 1.5 days per place. Plus, the more you move around, the more expensive your trip will be.

What's the reasoning behind choosing these particular cities? I'd suggest you limit yourselves to 4 destinations at most.

You need to eliminate some cities or you will be seeing nothing but the inside of a train and train stations.

I do fear you're underestimating how much time gets eaten up every time you travel to a place. Sadly, the day going from A to B for me turns into a day *about* going from A to B.

I haven't been to Bonn, but have been to the other spots on your list. Is there some particular reason you are eager to see Cologne and Brussels? Even though Brussels is a good spot from which to see Bruges, which is a lovely little place, you might consider dropping the Cologne/Bonn/Brussels/Bruges interlude and use some of that time to take a daytrip or two outside, say, Munich, to get the small-town bit of the trip in.

Consider your itinerary this way which includes travel time, packing/unpacking.

Vienna - 2.5 days (first half day is arriving, checking in, etc.)
Salzberg - 1.5 days
Munich - 1.5 days
Cologne - 1/2 day
Bonn - 1 day
Brussels - 1/2 day
Brugge - 1 day
London - 2.5 days

This is too much moving around for me. You'll barely get a flavor of any of the places you visit.

Eliasbou, something that helps me get a realistic idea of my plans is to take a large sheet of paper and mark it with a block for each morning and each afternoon, plus a notation of where I'm spending the night. (So: Mon 7 March morning; Mon 7 March afternoon; Mon/Tue overnight; Tues 8 March morning; Tues 9 March afternoon...)

Filling that grid in with the things I want to see *and* all the travel from one place to the next helps me see how much time I've actually allowed myself for being *in* each city.

With 2 weeks pick 4 and have fun--max of 5.

I am afraid I do what you are thinking of doing. I agree- it is a bit much, but that said, if you are taking trains and carefully plan your itinerary so that you (1) stay in hotels near the train stations (2)schedule trains that are either very early or late in the day to minimize eating up the day (3) and pack light, you may be able to manage it, albeit at a blur. Most of the cities you have selected are about 2 hours by train apart

I actually kind of enjoy the TRIP itself aspect of these trips almost as much as the visit.

IMHO you have planned a grand tour of european train stations and airports. You have so little time to see/do anything versus all the time wasted trekking around (get to station, get ticket, ride train, get off train, find way to hotle, check in, figurre out wher you are - be exhausted and spend the 1/2 day you have seeing one sight, eat ameal , sleep and repeat.

this is NOT a vacation. You will learn little about any of the places you visit - and if there are any transit glitches your entire itinerary will be thrown off.

In 2 weeks you should be in no more than 4 hotels. Pick the most important and redesign the trip to actually see something.

Thanks to everyone, I am currently redesigning my trip with Austria and Bavaria only, and maybe rent a car at some point. I will post later for further suggestions. Thanks!