Debbiesydney

Hi , I have never traveled to Europe before and am planning a trip in April 2016, need some advice !!! My thoughts so far are , fly to Rome jump on a 13 day tour around Italy then hire motorhome and drive to Paris, spend 4 days then leave motorhome there and train to London for 5 days then head to Glasgow to family for 6 days , any advice on the drive from Rome to Paris is it a good idea or should we train or fly ??? We are experienced in motorhome travel , the laungauge barrier worries me a bit ... I will be travelling with my husband and 25 yr old special needs daughter ...
Thanks for any advice , even if you think Ian crazy that's ok to ..
Debbie

Rubicund

Hiring a motorhome in Italy and returning it in Paris is probably hideously expensive for a one way hire, even assuming that you can find a company who does it. I've seen one way charges as much as €1600 in the past and together with the hire cost would probably approach €5000.

You'd be far better taking the train, but don't worry about the language, as most people in the busier areas will speak English. However, you've got lots of time to learn some key phrases in both French and Italian.

mamcalice

Don't consider the motorhome. In addition to the expense, it will be a difficult trip on small and unfamiliar roads and hard to park for overnight stays along the way. Take the train and add a day or two to Paris.

IMDonehere

Another voice against a motorhome, for all the reasons stated above and gas is more money.

You are going to well trodden tourist destinations, where language might be a problem here and there but it is not a constant issue.

The train system in the countries you are visiting is far superior to that in the US. There are also cheapo but reliable airlines in Europe like Ryan, Vueling, and Easyjet. The biggest drawback is the weight restrictions on luggage.

hetismij2

Ok. The motorhome one way costs will be high, if you can find a company that will allow it.
Diesel is generally cheaper than petrol (gas) and most motorhomes manage 10 or 11 km per litre.
There are thousands of places to stop with a motorhome in both Italy and France. Join France Passion and you can often stay for free, or in return for buying produce at vineyards, farms and restaurants in France. Even at campsites campers generally pay less than others.
We are I assume not talking about an 8 metre monster, but something between 6 & 7 metres, in which case you will be fine on most roads.

Mimar

Assuming you're from Australia, gas costs about the same in Europe. If you're from the US, gas in Europe is about $6/gallon, $5/gallon for diesel, so definitely more expensive. If you stay on the faster roads, you will also have to pay tolls, which can add up especially in France.

Another option is renting a car and driving to campsites. They are located on the outskirts of cities and towns, and many of them have bungalows to rent as well as campsites for tents and motorhomes.

But renting a car in Italy and returning it in France will incur drop-off charges also.

Trains are easy and comfortable but generally go between cities and towns. So not so appropriate if you want to spend your time in the countryside.

kerouac

Unless you are more than 80 years old, this is not at all the trip of a lifetime. It is just one of several trips in the future, so do not try to cram too many things into this trip.

IMDonehere

Most European cities and towns were not designed for cars, let alone motorhomes. No matter how expert a driver you may be a vehicle that large will be a nuisance in many areas.

bilboburgler

Ok, first of all congrats on trying for this trip of a lifetime, April is a good time to come, though I'd just check when Easter is as being in Rome at Easter may be a bit of a pain (or maybe you want to be there then). May would be a bit warmer and still fewish (Rome and Paris are never quiet) tourists and is my ideal time to holiday. You have some planning time to think so do so.

You are looking at
1) 13 day tour of Italy
2) 4 day drive to Paris
3) 6 days in Glasgow

clearly you know the condition of your daughter but I have to ask will her needs chime with the regimented discipline of a charge around Italy, with early starts etc? You don't need to tell me to mind my own business just check out you are sure this going to work.

The motorhome thing has hidden costs as mentioned. If the thing is small enough, it will work physically but I don't think you would want it in Rome (covers his face with his hands) or in Paris (less so) so there could be some benefits of doing say Italy to the French Border by train and then motorhome to the Paris edge. Certainly there are great places to stop along the way and 4 days might be nice (but then so would 7 or 8). Avignon, Arles, Beaune, Auxerre etc etc. There are so many, but you should probably chose by reference with camp sites as mentioned above.

Glasgow, easy, catch a flight Paris (various airports but watch Ryanair as I think they use Beauvais which is Miiiiiiiiiles away from Paris) to Glasgow.

Can I suggest a alternative idea for Italy?

Why not do a two centre appartment holiday. You could do Rome for 6 nights and say Venice for 6 nights. Venice is magical, while Roman history is interesting, having an appartment opens up space to sort yourselves out as well as getting out in the noise and mess of two touristy cities.

If Rome is no good there are loads of other choices. Some Italian cities do not allow cars to enter and some are cobbled, while others have not only trains, trams, taxis and public elevators. If you give us a few clues we could offer cities that might be of interest/easyier to access.

Sassafrass

Strongly advise against taking that 13 day tour of Italy. It is very easy to visit Italy on your own, usually by train. It is much better to pick the places and sights that interest you personally, book your own hotel, and decide how long to spend in each place based on what you want to do, not what some tour operator thinks is best.

Tours are generally pretty fast paced, with no room for even minor changes or accommodations. For your family, it might feel terribly rushed and stressful. There are many other advantages to doing it yourself, like eating when you want, where you want. You can eat at neat, interesting little cafes and restaurants rather than hotels or large places that can accommodate groups. You can sleep late one day if you want, stay in a place or city for as long as you want, stay in unique hotels, not just those that take large groups. You can stay out late as you want, enjoying one of the special things in European cities - evenings with people out walking and eating gelato.

There are many people here who can help you plan your own itinerary. You will probably save money doing it on your own, or at least eat better, stay at better hotels and generally have a better trip by doing it yourself.

nytraveler

You don't mention your daughter's special needs but bus tours are generally very regimented, quick moving with lots of early starts, brief stops to see thing and constantly on the move They do no have the ability to make any modifications for someone for whom any of this is a problem. I have seen tour buses leave passengers behind when they were too late returning (and the people had to find a cab to catch up with the tour) and on another day trip older guests left to sit in a cafe since they could not keep up with the group touring through a sight with a lot of outdoor walking.

Before booking such a tour I would discuss your daughter's special needs with the management to make sure there would not be any issues.

NewbE

<They do no have the ability to make any modifications for someone for whom any of this is a problem.>
This is not true of all tours. Fodor's posters just tend to dislike tours, is all.

janisj

OK -- need for some clarification?

Does >>jump on a 13 day tour around Italy<< mean touring around on your own for 13 days (trains/car/whatever) -- OR -- do you mean a guided 13 day coach tour?

If a coach tour -- This would be a huge <B><red>HUGE</B></red> mistake IMO. They are NOT geared to account for delays/considerations/adaptations that might be required by a special needs member.

And a motor home to get to Paris wouldn't be all that practical. If you want to see places/stop over between Italy and Paris -- take trains. If you mainly just want to get to Paris -- fly.

Sassafrass

I do not dislike tours and have taken two to Italy and one to France and to Spain. Years ago, I also took one to Paris and one to London. With both London and Paris, I ditched the tour after a day and saw the things I wanted to see. It was easy because we were not traveling anywhere else. That would be impossible on a trip that moved from place to place.

There may be tours that accommodate individual needs, but you would need to make sure of that before, and even then, there is no guarantee. They are sure not going to change the times they do things, or rearrange anything, or make unplanned bathroom stops, etc.

There was a thread a year or so ago by an OP who met with strong opposition when she wanted to do a day tour on her own rather than with the group. Things got pretty nasty with the tour director.

No matter what the special needs, I can not imagine any tour that would be better than doing your own trip, at a pace that fits you and your family.

I am not personally aware of any that do, but if you actually know about them, it might be good to let the OP know about tours that make modifications to accommodate individual needs.

Debbiesydney

Thanks for the advice , I have been umming and arring about organising it my self I would prefer a relaxed pace, maybe back to the drawing board and try and plan it myself, I guess it is just confidence in a unformiliar country.. People say that tours get you into all the sites as a priority , if I purchased tickets for the sites either when we get there or before we leave Aus , we shouldn't have to wait in ques , should we ??? The tour for the 3 of us would be about $13000.00 which is a crazy amout of money, but I really want to do this trip ...
If anyone has a itinery they would like to share I would love to see it , I am after all the experienced help I can get ....
Thanks for all the replies ..

Deb

ellenem

Before we start making itineraries, please share your family's priorities for what you hope to do and see during your time in Italy. Love art? Hate history? Dining? Photography? Hiking? Relaxing all afternoon? Any particular "musts"? "I can't imagine visiting Italy without seeing _____." Then we can make the best suggestions for your family. It might also help to know if your daughter has special needs that might influence these choices.

Sassafrass

Do not worry about language. It is good to at least learn hello, thank you, goodbye, toilet, exit, entrance, etc., but the truth is most travelers do not speak the languages of the countries they are visiting. A lot of words are similar and many people in Europe, especially in the cities, speak some English.

Book multi-city flights, into one city and out of another, not two one way, which is terribly expensive. Multi-city may cost a little more than RT, but saves the cost of returning to your arrival city and saves a day of travel, which could be used for sightseeing.

It is usually best to spend your last night in your departure city. It is best to put all the time in one city together. Look at which cities are cheaper to fly into from Australia and which are cheaper to fly from to home. You might be able to create an itinerary to take advantage of that.

You will be jet-lagged, so don't count on doing much the first day.

Arriving in Venice is nice - an easy place to walk, relax and get over jet-lag, but depends on what flights you can get. Arriving in Rome and flying from Venice to Paris might be better for you.

Check guide books and destinations here on Fodors. Decide what you most want to see in Italy. Lay out an itinerary to include travel time, including time getting from your hotel to the train station or airport and time getting to your next hotel.

This is only a sample: You will want more or less time in places, or different places depending on your own interests?

Day 1, arrive Venice, get to hotel, walk
Day 2, Venice
Day 3, Venice
Day 4, travel by train to Florence, arrive around noon, half day of sightseeing.
Day 5, Florence (real art city if this is your interest)
Day 6, day trip to nearby city, Sienna, Pisa, wine tour, etc.
Day 7, travel by train to Rome, arrive mid-morning, 3/4 day of sight seeing
Day 8, Rome
Day 9, Rome
Day 10,Rome
Three days to see another city or place. Once you decide, then you can arrange your itinerary. Whatever you decide, you will fly to Paris from Rome or Naples or whichever is your last city in Italy.

Day 14, fly to Paris, maybe a half day there.
Day 15, Paris
Day 16, Paris
Day 17, Paris, perhaps a day trip
Day 18, Paris
Day 19, train to London
Etc, etc.

Take things one bite at a time. Get advice for all of it, like travel, hotels and tours from knowledgeable people here.
Decide your itinerary first, before booking flights. Run it by the forum for fine tuning.
Book flights
Book trains or transportation. In Italy, you save money booking ahead, and point to point is best. It is also easy to book last minute, but costs more, there are fast trains and locals, which are slower.
Book flights within Europe
Pick hotels, BnB or apartment or airbnb. You might like the extra room in an apartment or airbnb. If you need it, ask about elevators. Location is extremely important.
Order tickets to major sights
Book any local tours.

Hope this helps. Enjoy planning.

KTtravel

If you don't already have your tickets, do consider flying into one city and out of another as that will save backtracking time, unless the cost is prohibitive.

You might consider reversing your trip flying into Glasgow first where you will be more comfortable with the language and ending in Italy. By the time you hit Italy you will be savvy travelers!

I would also nix the motorhome and consider flying, training or renting a small car.

Peter_S_Aus

Fly into Venice for sure! We have flown Emirates Melbourne to Venice four times, and it is easy. You arrive in Venice early afternoon, after a change of planes in Dubai.

Consider renting an apartment in Venice for a few days.

Trains in Europe are not the same as in Australia. They are fast, clean, run on time and land you right in the middle of the cities. Venice to Florence is two hours, Florence to Rome also two hours.

A motorhome might be really difficult. You can't drive into the centre of many cities, and camp sites are often well out of town. Driving in many cities is like George Street in Sydney at peak hour.

Consider flying Rome or wherever to Paris, Then train to London.

It is good to start thinking in euro and pounds for the UK leg of your trip. One euro is about $1.50 Australian.

If you click on my user name, and scroll to the bottom of the page, you will find trip reports that I have written about Venice.

Debbiesydney

My daughter has an intellectual disability , so getting around is ok .. I would love to stay in Sorento and spend some time around the Almalfe Coast, and a visit to Pompeii , I love old building and churches not reall arty type , would like to see the Vatican , colosseum, and all that type of things .. Pisa, Assis , Florence oh and Tuscany !!! ( hope it is like the movie "under the Tuscan sun) !! Venice that is a must to have a Gondola serenade , happy for any other suggestions ...
I was thinking of starting in Glasgow but going in April it will be cold and I thought it might be a little warmer in Italy then it would be a couple of weeks further into the month so might be a tad warmer in Glasgow ?? Thoughts please !!!
I am thinking I will be forgetting about the motorhome sounds all a bit to hard and costly ...
Thanks everyone it has made me think things through a bit more ...