First Time to Europe May 2013

Old Jan 1st, 2013, 07:28 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
First Time to Europe May 2013

Hello Everyone!

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Europe in May for 3 maybe 4 weeks. I have been doing lots of research on the internet and I must say it's a little overwhelming! (We are coming from Canada)

We already know where we'd like to go and that is London, Paris, Italy and Spain. I have been to London and am familar with that destination. The one place that we are still debating is Spain, wondering if we should pick another destination.

We are big time foodies and want to see the big attractions but want to spend more time in nice little countryside towns where we hope to find great food. We'd also like to take in some beaches if possible.

So this is my cry out for help! What route should we look at taking ? We will be visiting friends just outside London in Warwick and don't know if we should start there or end there. I know it's only a 2 hour train ride from London to Paris. Ugggg....help!
tucker13 is offline  
Old Jan 1st, 2013, 07:51 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you are big time foodies, is it even thinkable to skip San Sebastian? You even get a great beach as a bonus.
greg is offline  
Old Jan 1st, 2013, 09:04 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hello fellow Canadian! Vancouver here. : )

I did my first Europe visit for about the same amount of time when I was 18 in May 6 years ago. Since the weather is a bit fussier, I would think it makes sense to start at the most Southern location and work up (Italy-Spain-Paris-London), to get the better weather in Paris and London at the end. Italy will be fairly nice regardless weatherwise. Plus this way you get the long flight over with at the beginning of the trip, rather than the end.

Are you considering anywhere else in France, in addition to Paris? There are some beautiful places on the south coast (Marseille, Nice etc) and it's a short flight or train from there into Italy. Could fit that into the trip without too much trouble (since you don't need more than 3 days in Paris, IMO).

I only went to Barcelona in Spain, and Florence, Venice and Rome in Italy, so I don't have any advice about quaint countryside in those places. : )
Natatat is offline  
Old Jan 2nd, 2013, 04:09 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 597
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree that if you are foodies and love beautiful beaches, then San Sebastian is a place you don't want to miss. You can usually find cheap flights from London to Bilbao, and then you only need an hour's bus ride to San Sebastian.

From there, you can head up to Bordeaux for outstanding wine and good food, and then on to Paris. How much time you spend in these places should be based on what you want to do there, not on a formula of 3-guidebook-pages-of-tourist-attractions = 1.5 days per page. Travel in the way that makes you happy, and if it doesn't agree with travel formulas for the masses, so what?

As for Italy in May, for true foodies coming from Paris, I highly recommend that you head by train from Paris to Torino or Milan and keep going by train to Parma or Modena, both of which are beautiful, beautiful small towns in the heart of one Italy's greatest eating regions. These towns also have exceptional art, music and shopping, and lovely addiional small towns easily reached by short train and bus rides.

From Parma/Modena, you can take the train down to the Mediterranean coast for more seaside fun and beautiful food. You can find a flight back to London from Pisa or Genova.

4 weeks is better than 3 weeks of course, but I could do the trip I just outlined in 3 weeks. Some people couldn't, and if that sounds like you, don't take a trip you wouldn't enjoy.
goldenautumn is offline  
Old Jan 2nd, 2013, 06:17 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Are you going by train or car or plane or a mixture of all of the above?

If going to big cities and covering lots of territory as you seem to be planning then I'd consider the train - trains go now up to nearly 200 mph in many places and with overnight trains you can sleep whilst you relocate over a large distance (and save on a night's cost in a hotel to boot).

Anyways for help planning the rail portion I always spotlight these fantastic IMO sites - www.seat61.com (great info on discounted online tickets that must be booked weeks in advance often to get as they are sold in limited numbers but which can be great great deals; and www.budgeteuropetravel.com (download this site's free and excellent European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of rail-oriented itineraries) and www.ricksteves.com - another site with a wealth of great info not only of interest to rail travelers but to all modes of travel.

If under 26 you qualify for the bargain Youth Railpasses and even if over 25 if traveling several long train rides investigate some kind of railpass, especially if you want flexibility to chose which trains you will take once there and not pre-book a discounted ticket weeks in advance as they are generally non-changeable nor refundable and are valid only on that exact train.

For Chunnel train tickets London to Paris/Brussels the early bird certainly gets the worm as deep discounted tickets are sold in limited numbers so book that train as early as possible - just show up and you could pay $100 p.p. or more - check www.eurostar.com for all the fares and easy booking.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Jan 2nd, 2013, 06:35 AM
  #6  
ira
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi t,

>We are big time foodies and want to see the big attractions but want to spend more time in nice little countryside towns where we hope to find great food.<

For smaller towns, you must visit San Sebastian.
We enjoyed our stay at http://www.hotelzaragozaplaza.com/en
More details at my (in progress) trip report
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-restos.cfm

In addition Asador Etxebarri is about 1.5 hr drive away.

In Madrid, a must is http://www.elcluballard.com/home/

Skip Italy. Fly into London, train to Paris, Train to Madrid.

Enjoy your visit.

ira is offline  
Old Jan 2nd, 2013, 07:04 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
For three or four weeks, I too say skip Italy, you don't have to do everything first time over, and most people find travel stress from moving too often.

I visited Spain for first time this summer and truly regretted that we only gave it 6 days out of 26 ( we visited France and Nederlands also).

We loved a small town we stayed in, its called Tossa De Mar, it was 1.5 hrs by local bus from Barcelona, and it was wonderful .

Paris and London are great partners, the Eurostar between the two is fast ( 2.5 hrs city center to city center) but to get best prices you do need to book soon as sales for dates open, 90-120 days out.

If you are flying with Air Transat ( which we did) we were dissappointed to see they no longer fly out of Barcelona or Rome to Vancouver, so had to fly into Amsterdam and out of PAris, between Paris and Barcelona we just flew on Easyjet( it was cheap, less then 100 euros for both of us) .
justineparis is offline  
Old Jan 17th, 2013, 07:30 PM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you all so much for your responses!

A couple of people said to skip Italy, however it is on the top of our list. Can we do Italy, Spain, France and London in 3 possibly 4 weeks. Our time in London will be short as I have been and know how to get around. The main reason London is included is my good friend lives in Warwick.

My boyfriend has also advised me that the PGA BMW Golf Championship will be going on in Surrey May 23-26. His real dream would be The British Open, however finding anywhere to stay is impossible! So this is the next best thing for him! I looked into the distance between Surrey, Warwick and London and they are all within an hour and a half drive from each other. We would only be taking in one day of the tournament.

Should we go to the golf game then we'd have to end in the UK as we have to be back before June 9.

Can anybody give advice on where to start now?? To fly in one city and out another from Canada is way to much money.
So if this is the case we would fly into London and start from there.

Looking forward to hearing from everyone!
tucker13 is offline  
Old Jan 17th, 2013, 08:50 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,497
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
>

Are you looking at "open jaw" tickets, or two one-way tickets?
Peter_S_Aus is offline  
Old Jan 17th, 2013, 10:57 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We are from Victoria BC tucker, we fly Airtransat usually , this past summer we flew from Vancouver into Amsterdam and out of Paris for not much more then return to single city .

When looking on website you are pricing a "multi destination " ticket , NOT two one ways.
justineparis is offline  
Old Jan 18th, 2013, 01:55 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 597
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm not pushing an itinerary, but I thought the one I outlined above pretty much covered your wish list.

However, are you saying you must be in the UK for at least 3 days between May 22-27?

Approximately what date would you be arriving in Europe? Do you have 3 weeks or 4 weeks? Are you saying you cannot stay longer than June 9 no matter when you arrive?

Also, could you define your interests in more detail? People often come to the message board to ask for help and mention they are "big time foodies", and then when people suggest an an itinerary to Europe's best food and wine destinations, it turns out they want to go to Venice and Florence, or a Costa Brava beach town.

If Italy is on the "top of your list" for seeing the Colosseum or driving through Tuscany, it is a great reason to go to Italy, and you can find nice places to eat nearby if you do some research. If you want to go to Sevilla and drive through the white towns of Spain, likewise.

Why is Italy on the "top of your list"? Do you already know what places you want to see, or are you interested to going to where there is great food, and seeing what's interesting near there?
goldenautumn is offline  
Old Jan 18th, 2013, 07:25 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
t. Can we do Italy, Spain, France and London in 3 possibly 4 weeks.>

by all means - if you mean a bit of Spain and a bit of Italy and a bit of France - not all of each country

Fly to Madrid from UK - day trip to Toledo whilst there - take day train to Barcelona - just a few hours now by new high-speed train

take overnight Elipsos Hotel Train to Paris

Paris days include day trip to Versailles and a place like Chartres or Reims (Champagne tours)

Day or night train to Florence, Venice or Rome (long day train however)

Spend time in each of those three cities

Fly back to UK or home from Rome.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Jan 18th, 2013, 08:32 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It sounds like you want to see a lot in each country. I spent two weeks in Spain and only covered 3 cities so IMO, I'd stick with countries like Spain and Italy. Both have good train systems-Spains are excellent and both have varied countrysides and cities. I'd fly into italy and fly out of Spain or vice versa. With daytrips as well as train travel and getting to and from hotels, you might not have as much time as you think. If it were me I'd leave London and Paris/France for another trip
emily71 is offline  
Old Jan 18th, 2013, 11:33 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A novel way to go between Spain and Italy is also to take the overnight ferries - comfy ships and you save a night's cost in a hotel to boot - something different anyway. Barcelona to Genoa or Livorno I believe.
PalenQ is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jules74
Europe
5
Aug 29th, 2017 10:00 PM
Rajasegaran
Europe
5
Sep 26th, 2015 10:27 AM
queenparrot
Europe
6
Mar 26th, 2013 04:09 PM
ParisNiceLondon
Europe
8
Apr 5th, 2012 06:54 PM
Sandeep
Europe
7
Oct 2nd, 2002 05:15 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -