itally2011

My husband I and my 4 year old are going to Switzerland , Amsterdam and Paris for 18 days . Need help planning the trip .what we have decided so far is 10 days is swistzerland , 4 in Paris and 4 in Amsterdam . Can anyone help me break this down further . Where to stay etc . Should we just get a 10 day booking in Swiss or move around .

suze

Do you know yet what cities (towns, villages, regions) are you planning to visit with your 10 days in Switzerland?

Are you planning to move city to city with flights or by train?

Michael

In case you have not thought about it--travel by train. Purchase the tickets 3 months in advance, and they can be much less expensive. Try this site to order tickets: https://en.oui.sncf/en/

I assume that you flying to Switzerland and flying from Amsterdam to return home, which is what I would recommend.

Go to a library or a travel bookstore and browse through their guidebooks to see which one appeals to you for the locations you plan to visit.

greg

I think you would have a more rational itinerary if you approach this in different order.

Current approach = set number of days without considering the value of days at each location and then figure out what fit inside.

Proposed approach = identify what and where you want to go, distribute "days", however you have defined "days", to best capture the items most valuable to you (and not to someone else.)

Consider that the days of the week matters if your activities have closure days, crowded days, etc.

Once you have identified which items have value to you and days of the week they fall on, you would have a rational and achievable itinerary where the number of days needed at each stop would naturally be defined instead of artificially forced. You might also realize you need to reduce the number of destinations.

PalenQ

Well yes fly into Amsterdam or Zurich/Geneva and fly out of other - put Paris in between. Take Thalys train Amsterdam-Paris (www.thalys.com - book as soon as possible and as michael says Paris-Swiss destination at www.oui.sncf - in Switzerland a Swiss Travel Pass is often a good deal if visiting more than one or two locals - www.sbb.ch - child gets a free Family Pass and always travels free on anything adults are taking. Lots on trains - www.seat61.com (superb advice on booking own tickets at a discount; general info what to expect on trains - BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

I'd suggest focusing on Berner Oberland - Lucerne and Interlaken areas (like basing in a dreamy mountain village like Wengen (which everyone raves about) and maybe Montreux or somewhere near Geneva - Montreux being a lovely lakeside town everyone also seems to love. You can take one of Switzerland's iconic scenic trains - the Golden Pass between Interlaken and Montreux.

PalenQ

I might suggest cutting a day from Switzerland and adding to Paris as you basically have only 3 days there now - maybe do a day trip from Paris by train - like to Reims for Champagne tours or Normandy's D-Day beaches, Chartres and famous cathedral, Loire Valley, etc. Maybe add 2 days to Paris and do 2 day trips.

itally2011

If you could help me break it down further I would appreciate your help .





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StCirq

Break what down further? You already have some good suggestons, but until YOU do some research particular to your desires to experience Europe, there is nothing further anyone can say. Fodors is not a travel agency.

Sue81

hI, In Switzerland decide if you want to spend more time in city or in mtn areas. What time of year are you traveling? I personally like to mix it up in Switzerland / city/vilage. I like zurich/expensive/ but an interesting city. The trains are great and I think the best way to see Switzerland. With a baby, I think the mtn villages would be very nice. Love Wengen, small village, easy lift in village up to hiking area/Mannlichen for Summer/ might be too cold/snowy in Winter. Much less expensive in smaller villages. No cars in Wengen. Also like Zermatt, but touristy, no cars, more people, but great train/ride up to Gorgernaut. Interesting under ground museum/ church cemetary with hikers/ice axes over grave stones/sad. Wengen has the Jungfrau/Monch high up over the village, awesome mtns. Love Switzerland. Sue

itally2011

We are going in July . Thank you so much .

Sue81

OK, I was in Zurich, WEngen and Zermatt last JUly, Flew into Amsterdam, river cruise to Basel , train to Zurich couple nights, then train to Zermatt 3 nightsand train to Wengen 3 nights and back to Zurich 1 night and flew out of Zurich. Great weather. Fly into Amnsterdam and back out of Zurich or Paris to make life easier. Instead of booking RT, check out prices by booking one way each segment, it was much less expensive by booking the one way for in and out for some reason from US/Delta. Large cities can be a little tough with small child, Swiss villages I find are peaceful, lovely and less expensive. Use grocery stores, COOP right at Wengen train station when I was there. Can give hotel ideas if you are interested, but a bit pricey in Switzerland, others can give ideas on this....enjoy, I want to go back. Sue

neckervd

May be you will have a look at www.myswitzerland.com

PalenQ

www.swisstravelsystem.com has lots on Switzerland's iconic scenic trains.

itally2011

Should we add Bruges to this mix as well ? If so when we cut out days from swistzerland what should we cut ?

neckervd

As you have no program at all for Switzerland, nobody can tell you what you should cut.

itally2011

Would you have any suggestions for us ? We are flying into Zürich have a 4 year old so can’t do much hiking .

PalenQ

10 days - I would suggest again three bases - Lucerne (nice to take boats around)
Wengen or town in Jungfraujoch region. Plethora of nice day trips in area sans hiking.
Take Golden Pass scenic train Interlaken to Montreux - again lake boats and plenty of train excursions from all bases.

Take TGV train Lausanne to Paris.

10 days in one base would be hard - maybe you want to add days to Paris and or Amsterdam and do some easy day trips by train?

No hiking needed in any Swiss area to enjoy it.

itally2011

So we are doing 18 day trips overall . Is 10 days in Switzerland too much? We are thinking 4 days in Amsterdam and 4 in Paris .

KTtravel

It depends on what interests you in Switzerland. As you have not indicated what you plan to do in Switzerland, it is hard to know if you have too much time allotted there. Personally, four days would be fine for me in Amsterdam but not enough for Paris.

Sassafrass

Usually, people decide on how much time or days in a place based on what they want to see and do there and how much time those things will take.
You would move around or stay in one place depending again, on what you want to do in a particular area.
I can't advise on Switzerland, but will suggest on Paris and The Netherlands.
Paris has wonderful parks. Do sightseeing in the mornings and picnics in parks for your little one to play afternoons. Consider staying 4 or 5 days in Paris with perhaps a day trip.
Rather than stay in Amsterdam, consider a smaller town like Haarlem. Do day trips to Delft and Amsterdam, etc. Do a canal boat ride. Do not miss Madurodam!! Your little one should really love it. There is a lot to explore outside of Amsterdam, so 4 days is not too much if you do other places.

You might want to take a foldable stroller, one that lays back so your little one can nap.