traveling with mom
 

Taking my second trip with my Mom to Europe, our first trip was in 2008 to England, next trip is with Mom in 2015 she will be 80. We have decided not to do a bus or train escorted trip as it is quite fast paced. We will be leaving from Boston Ma to I believe Munich Germany, I want to rent a car and drive to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Zurich and back to Prague in about 10 days.
Need to know is this too much to do in this period of time, how is the driving in Europe, should we cut back on some of the stops and if so which ones do you suggest we visit?

Any thoughts would be appreciated
Thanks
Cherylkos

>>Munich Germany, I want to rent a car and drive to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Zurich and back to Prague in about 10 days.
Need to know is this too much to do in this period of time<<

IMO waaaaaay too much territory in too little time . . . and w/ an 80yo?!?

And cars are essentially useless in almost all those places.

Sorry but this isn't a 10 days vacation, it is a forced march.

IMHO way too many places in so few days. and this isn;t the trip to drive.

We have done a ton of road trips in europe - but pick up the car on leaving the first city and drop on arriving at the last - with in between countryside, small towns and perhaps a smaller city. And we allow at least 17 days and generally more like 21.

With 10 days - and is that 10 full days on the ground or are you including the day you arrive and depart, so you have only 8 days - and an elderly mother. I would do TWO (2) cities with a train in between and perhaps a day trip or so no more - or you will be imply exhausted nd find the car to be a stone around your neck (bad driving in traffic, garages at $35 or more per night and car sitting in the garage all day at high rental cost).

Your itinerary is over 3300 km and will take probably over 35 hours to drive. Your car rental agency in Germany may not allow you to drive the car into the Czech Republic and/or Hungary. Also, you will likely incur a large fee for picking up in one country and dropping in another.

What are your top 3 locations that are not too far apart? Prague, Vienna, Budapest is a classic itinerary. And, they can be done by train.

I might even limit just 10 days to 2 locations since your traveling with your mom. She's not going to be able to run around keeping up with you, :-)

I think for the most part the interesting thing is the cities and less so the driving (often not much to see on Autobahns). This is possibly different to how you holiday on home turf (I know we do plenty of road trips where I live). If you were to take out a couple of destinations (say for argument's sake Venice and Zurich), that would leave Munich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest. Still quite a squeeze but possibly more enjoyable. I don't think you need to discount cars altogether but certainly reassess, based on pre-planning things like parking (for instance, is your hotel / Pension in Vienna going to provide parking (possibly not, depends on location)? Would you have any benefit of the car in Vienna (no, there is good public transport)? Where would you get good benefit from a car?). Good luck and keep refining your plan :)

Lavandula

I agree with the above posters. Way too ambitious an itinerary. Which places are your priorities? Perhaps even more importantly since your Mom may not be able to make many more trips, where does she most want to go? With only 10 days I would pick two or possibly three locations and focus on those. If you feel a bus or train escorted tour would be too fast paced, why are you creating your own equally quick trip?

Hi ch,

>, I want to rent a car and drive to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Zurich and back to Prague in about 10 days.
Need to know is this too much to do in this period of time, ...<

Absolutely not. If you and Mom take turns driving, you can do it in about 28 hr.
See www.maps.google.com.

What will you do with the other nine days - visit 6 cities?

((I))

PS,

You should also add about 5 hr each time you change venue (checking in/out of hotel etc) This will take away another 30 hr from your 6 city whirlwind.

Have you asked Mom what she thinks?

((I))
If its Tuesday, it must be Belgium

<< We have decided not to do a bus or train escorted trip as it is quite fast paced. >>

I'm sure this itinerary is a joke. The fastest bus tour would look leisurely compared to what the OP wants to subject her mother to.

Why don't you do a test run at home. Take 10 days and drive your mom to Washington DC, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Toronto, and back home. If she's still speaking to you, you can do the Europe trip.

<< should we cut back on some of the stops and if so which ones do you suggest we visit? >>

Visit Prague and Vienna. Take the train or private car between the two cities.

Your itinerary is matricidal.

Re-work it.

Five cities in 10 days, with lots of driving between them, with an 80-year-old?????? Sorry, that's insane. Pick two cities. Travel by train.

Speaking as an older lady, the great virtue of trains, in addition to traveling from city center to city center, is the toilet at the end of each car. And I love sitting in my comfortable seat watching the scenery flow by my large window.

The downside of train travel is transferring luggage. Do your best to minimize your luggage, preferably to a roll-aboard each. For 10 days you won't need a lot. You should be able to carry both those suitcases up a flight of stairs.

And make use of cabs in cities. When your mother gets tired, take a cab.

>>>We will be leaving from Boston Ma to I believe Munich Germany, I want to rent a car and drive to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Zurich and back to Prague in about 10 days. <<<

Why would you want to go to Prague twice? Book your flight into the furthest city (after prioritizing and dropping a couple from your list) and fly home from your last city. Zurich is totally out of the way. Is there a particular reason this is on the list?

Thanks for all the help, most of the suggestions were my Mom's I see a lot of you think it is crazy and a lot of traveling. Actually traveling between most of those cities is that far apart. But I have taken your comments and make the decision on what we both want to see the most. Right now we have narrowed it down, and have decided on just Italy and Switzerland. Which we will take a train I believe.

So As I understand the revised plan it is Venice and Zurich with a train in between. Right? Is there some reason why you are going to Zurich. The Southern parts of Switzerland and much more spectacular.

You might consider focusing your geography even more to something like Venice, Florence and maybe Rome. That would be a wonderful trip. All those other places are wonderful gut you have to save something for next time.

The original plan is no good. WAY too much driving and way too many cities and great distances for such a short trip.

I would start from scratch. Plan around what you can do by train. That will be way more relaxing for the two of you traveling together than trying to deal with a car and driving around foreign countries.

Pick 2-3 cities, not 6 for your 10 days.

Italy and Switzerland. Which we will take a train I believe.>

can't you go for about 2 weeks at least - hard to see the biggies in Italy - Venice, Florence and Rome and anything in Switzerland in 10 days - either that or just chose two of those Italian towns and a few days say in the fantastic Jungfrau Region around Interlaken - stay in a quiet car-less mountain village like Wengen for a few days where you need not move off your hotel balcony to get intoxicated on the views or can take a myriad of mountain trains, aerial gondolas or do some really easy walks.

How fit is Mum?

for lots of good stuff on trains in general check out www.swisstravelservice.com for Switzerand and www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com to get a geat fix on planning a train trip in those areas.

Possible:

Zurich - 1 day to recuperate
Grindelwald, Wengen or other mountain village for 3 days
Take train to Venice - 4th day
Venice 5
Florence 6,7,8
Rome 9, 10, 11 and 12

For your Mom's comfort I'd consider going first class where seats are bigger, more room to easily stow luggage, often empty seats to spread out on and even complimentary beverage and snack in Italy - www.trenitalia.com is the Italian Railways site for schedules and fares - purchase far enough in advance and get discounted ticket for a specific train that however may be hard to change or refund but you can save some money and have everything taken care of by booking by yourself on Trenitalia.com.

There is no railpass IMO that would be worth looking into.

I love Venice and think everyone should see it before they pass from this life. It would be high on my list. :)

Then, instead of Switzerland, what about the Lakes Region of Italy? Mountains, lakes, lovely things to do and see. Have you looked at pictures from Lake Como? Lake Maggiori? I really think you could substitute that for Switzerland. And it's a short train ride from Venice.

Good luck!

I love Switzerland. Stick with your original Italy/Switzerland plan!!

The reason I think the train is better is then you both can relax, enjoy the scenery, not stress, it's just so much nicer than one person having to drive, the other having to navigate.

Yes indeedy - Venice should not be missed - would be my #1 focal point in Italy.