Travel with my daughter to Italy / Greece
 

Hi I am planning a two week trip with my daughter who is a senior. We want to see Paris, and then go to Venice and Rome, then to Athens and Mykonos. I am not sure if I should try to do this on my own or try to do a tour company. Its our first time traveling overseas, although I travel all the time in the US. So far I have purchased our plane tickets going in and out of Paris, but have not reserved any hotels or tours yet. Also any ideas as to whether Greece will be safe to travel? Thanks

Well, 5 destinations in 14 days (assuming it is actually 14 full days on the ground) is 2.8 days in each, minus travel time, which in your case is going to be significant because you've chosen places that are spread out all over Europe. You're going to end up with 1.5 to 2 days at each destination. Going in and out of Paris - as opposed to an open-jaw going into Paris and out of Athens - wasn't a particularly good choice for this trip. At the very least, I'd change that if you can.

I'm sure Greece is perfectly safe to travel.

Agree with St Cirq that you have too many places too spread out for that amount of time. Since you have already booked tickets in and out of Paris (open jaw would have been better but will probably incur significant cost to change) I would drop either Italy or Greece. With two weeks you can pretty easily do Paris for 4 or 5 days, then fly to either Rome or Athens and spend the rest of the time in that country, visiting two places (as you said), then fly back to Paris for one last day before flying home. It may not look like it on paper, but you will almost certainly regret trying to do all you have suggested in two weeks.

Hi,

I'm not sure you can find a tour company with an itinerary that includes your wish list. Even if you could, you'd pay a lot for it and your daughter might find herself the youngest person in the group by several decades.

About the only way I can see your wish-list as doable is

Day 1 -- arr Paris
Day 2 -- Paris
Day 3 -- Paris
Day 4 -- Paris, leave in late evening on overnight train for Venice
Day 5 -- Venice
Day 6 -- Venice, leave in evening on a train to Rome
Day 7 -- Rome
Day 7 -- Rome
Day 8 -- Rome
Day 9 -- morning flight to Athens, connect to flight to Mykonos
Day 10- Mykonos
Day 11-- Mykonos, last flight of day to Athens
Day 12-- Athens
Day 13 -- Athens, evening flight to Paris airport hotel
Day 14 -- Depart for US

Not everybody but would "certainly" regret that trip, but if that looks to rushed for you and your daughter, then eliminate a destination.

You should check into the cost of changing your air tickets. It might make overall sense and savings despite the additional cost to the air tickets.

Nobody has any clear crystal balls on Fodor's about safety of travel in Greece. Many don't appreciate how dire the situation is. I wouldn't hesitate to plan a trip to Greece. I wouldn't hesitate to cancel it if the situation called for it.

PS: Nothing wrong with soliciting ideas about safety of travel, just know that many people who respond previously have posted that they never consider politics or the news when planning a trip, many think travel is the most important thing they do, many think all such questions are an occasion to berate new travelers for asking, some responders are involved in the travel business. So weigh the advice for what it is worth. Ultimately, internet posters don't take responsibility for your trip.

Sorry for my typo. I meant to type "Not everybody but Isabel would certainly regret that trip." She only can be certain for herself, not you. Others would have a blast. Discuss with your daughter the logistical realities and the need to pack to move on the run, or eliminate destinations.

Well I would suggest you leave Greece for another trip - hopefully this will not be your one and only trip to Europe with you daughter. There is not going to be a tour that goes to those destinations and since you have already booked the flights, at this point I'd suggest planning a trip to Paris and Italy. Two weeks will give you a nice amount of time at each destination - I think if you try to add in Greece the trip will become a bit of a endurance trial instead of a pleasant introduction and slow savor of the delights of European travel.

Do you think I will be able to do this trip on my own without a tour group?

Thanks so much for the comments. They are helpful.

I didn't plan to do open jaw becuase when I checked rates it was going to be so much more expensive to do that - 700 pp more. Is there something I am missing on that?

The current itenerary I had in mind was:
Day 1 - arrive in paris
Day 2 - Tour Paris
Day 3 Overnight train to Venice - Arrive Venice
Day 4 Tour Venice
Day 5 More Venice
Day 6 Train to Rome
Day 7 Tour Rome
Day 8 Fly to Athens
Day 9 Tour Athens
Day 10 Boat to Mykonos
Day 11 Mykonos
Day 12 Mykonos
Day 13 Boat back to Athens fly to paris
Day 14 Fly back home

I think my itenerary differed a bit because we didn't want too much time in Paris. However my daughter doesn't want to miss it either.

I have no problem taking Greece out of the trip, but would like suggestions on another beach type resort place to relax in Italy with nice sandy beaches? Or near Italy.

I'm guessing you were looking at two one-way tickets instead of the "multicity" option for airfares. That would explain the whopping extra fee. It shouldn't be much more expensive, if at all, to fly open jaw.

I think it's probably going to prove fruitless to find a tour that takes you to those places, in the order in which you want them, for the times you want to spend. Tour operators aren't interested in herding people all over the Continent or getting them on successive trains or flights - it wouldn't be cost-effective - and a bus tour for your itinerary would be impossible.

There are some nice sandy beaches south of Rome, like Sperlonga and Gaeta.

So why so much time in Mykonos? And only a day each in Rome and Athens as well as Paris. You are scanting 3 great capitals of the western world for more time in the party central.

Well, if you drop Greece, that will give you 6 days to add to Paris and Rome with maybe some time at the beach.

Re: the beach. Why is this a priority? Beaches are not a strong point of European tourism, especially on the Mediterranean, which has very small waves. Cultural sights and beautiful views are what I go to Europe for. And an introduction to a different society.

"Beaches are not a strong point of E tourism"........hmmmmm, tell that to the many many Europeans that vacation at numerous resorts along the various coasts. True, most Americans don't go to Europe primarily for that kind of trip but there are certainly options tho a sandy beach (like Florida) is not always available.

I have always liked a beach vacation and after a couple trips to Europe that were more culture oriented I started to mix culture and beach - there are several options for you and your daughter without having to go to Greece. The Cinque Terre is one option, also Portofino and Santa Maria Liguere or head down to the Amalfi coast. Also I know there are other resorts that I am not so familiar with that are north of Rome - Viareggio?

So start in Paris and then pick several destinations in Italy or what about the Cote D' Azure - that is a great beach location.

Do you really want to spend the better part of 6 days of your 14 day trip travelling and not enjoying where you are?

I would definitely drop Greece for this trip seeing as you are booked to fly in and out of Paris. Then add those days to Paris, Rome. There is almost no point in spending the money and time to get to these cities to spend 1 day!

Just think of it this way - you will see amazing sites no matter whether you spend 3 days in Paris or a day in Rome, Paris and Athens - but by slowing down and seeing less places you will see more of the places you are in and spend less money/time in transit.

Another option would be to drop Italy and do Paris and Greece...

I agree with Mimar that many Americans don't go to Europe for beaches (I'd actually say most don't, but I don't want to over genralize). The US has a lot of coastline, and a lot of wonderful beaches that you can get to without the cost and time of an overseas flight. That's not to say that there aren't some absolutely fabulous coastal areas in Europe, as there certainly are. But I really think most people who want a beach vacation would go to the Carribean or a US beach destination.

But if you want some great coastal scenery in Italy you could add a few days on the Amalfi Coast - absolutely breathtaking scenery, even though the actual beaches are not that great. http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/ital...aples__pompeii

How about:
4 days/3 nights Paris, overnight train to Venice
2 days/nights Venice, train to Rome
3 days/4 nights Rome
3 days Amalfi Coast
fly Naples to Paris for one last night (check easyjet.com)

There are no sandy beaches on the Amalfi coast.

Consider southern France.

What might work for you is:

Fly to Venice. Train to Rome. Fly to Nice. Train to Paris. Fly Home.

if you really must fly in and out of Paris:

Fly to Paris, overnight train to Venice, train to Rome, fly to Nice, train to Paris.

South of France does work better than Greece, but the Nice beach isnt sandy, its rocks.

You can find sand beach along the southern coast of France within easy reach of Nice. Stay in one of the nearby towns with a sandy beach.

http://allaboutnice.blogspot.com/200...h-to-nice.html

Visited Greece with my daughter last year (Athens, Naxos & Santorini)& Italy a couple of years prior. I too, try & pack in as may places as I can but one definitely needs at least 2 full days in every place. Your itinerary has too many places to do justice to but if you are determined to cover all the above, I would definitely add a day to Rome. You can take the day out of Mykonos or even Venice.
We will be going to Nice/Paris this May and even though the beach in Nice is rocky, we are hoping to find some nice beaches in neighboring towns as Zeppole's blog indicates. Substituting Greece for Nice would provide more time in each place and Greece will wait for your next trip )as will Spain for me!)

I was wondering how your trip went? I have two daughter and love going on trips with them as well. Would love to know what you did and enjoyed. What you would recommend and or not recommend. You can email me direct at: [email protected]

Thanks! Hope you had a great time.