Hi. We are planning a tour through Spain, Italy and France during next March (25days). This will be our first time in Europe. Would it be better to travel in a pre-arranged bus tour rather than going by train by our own means? What about costs, lodging and time? Suggestions very appreciated.

f this is your first time and you are set on visiting those three countries, I would consider a pre-arranged tour. Is not that doing it independently is not an option; it does requires a lot of research and planning, which by the way, can be a lot of fun. <BR> <BR>As far as cost, I would guesstimate $100/night for lodging (cheaper in Spain), about $50-60/day food and incidentals (tickets, local train rides, etc...), extras such as souvenirs and transportation within Europe are your call. <BR> <BR>Again, if you think you'll rather enjoy independent travel, this forum can be an outstanding source of info. Otherwise, start researching companies PRONTO; March is not too far away.

Very much a personal decision. Depends on you, your budget and your interests. <BR> <BR>You'll find some help in making the decision at http://twenj.com/pkgtours.htm If you do decide a tour is right, you'll find some help there in selecting one that will make for a happy trip. <BR> <BR>And time _is_ running short, whether you travel in a group or independently.

Carlos&Joyce, you did not tell us your ages or your past experiences with travel in the States. When we first started to travel in Europe, we did it much as Rick Steves suggests -- go on your own, travel light, be thrifty. Now that we are older (and have more $$$), we let others do the heavy lifting, worry about a lot of the nitty-gritty of planning where to stay and how to get around. Needless to say, one's wallet becomes a strong influence on which way one travels. If it were mine to do at a young age, I'd go for the independent way...after doing a great deal of reading, asking questions, and participating in Fodor's Forum. You will be glad you did! But GO!

Carlos&Joyce <BR> <BR>My boyfriend and I did Europe on our own for the first time and enjoyed it immensely. The thought of being your own boss, sleeping, eating, sight-seeing when it suits you is a great way. You can always do a combination of both. <BR> <BR>We went on the train starting from PAris through to Bruge,Amsterdam, Cologne,Rhine,Berlin,Prague,Vienna,Salzburg,Munich ,Lucerne,Interlaken,Montreaux,Venice,Florence,Sien na,Naples,Sorrent to Rome in 7 weeks and we found it great. You get to decide where you want to go. Some places were hard to get to on the train like King Ludwig's castle's in Bavaria and so we took a day tour there. It was nice to have someone else make decisions for us... though looking back at the trip, we would have probably chose to allocate our time differently. <BR> <BR>We also did make special effort to visit some of the out of the way places. It would depend on your age and really, your personal preference. As daunting as the idea may sometime be, it is possible to do europe for the first time on your own. I found this forum a wealth of information and a good guide book like Rick Steve's is invaluable. <BR> <BR>Amanda. <BR> <BR>