sandralist

You don't have to decide now but you should do some research on easy day trips by train in case you get in the mood. My first choice would be Antwerp, but there are other possibilities.

I've flown to Paris from the US and returned in the same week and I did not lose 2.5 to 3 days in travel time or jet lag. I had time to visit other places outside of Paris.

PalenQ

fly into Paris and fly out of Venice - spend 5 days in Paris, hop the overnight Thello train to Venice - saving on wasting any travel time and also saving on the cost of a hotel - spend a few days in Venice and fly home.

Easily done if you really want a taste of Italy and Venice to me is the world's most sublime and beautiful cities.

Go for it - you may never get back to Europe. All 8 days in Paris would be about 4 too many for the average novice traveler. If not into night trains, fly to Venice.

For more on night trains and trains in general check www.seat61.com - good info on discounted fares on the Thello night trains; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. www.thello.com is the official site for booking.

janisj

PQ - >>spend a few days in Venice and fly home<<

If they spend 5 days in Paris they will have less than one full day in Venice . . . do the math.

ttrent

If you can add a day or two to the trip, do it! Even if you can't, going to another city is definitely do-able. If you take a late evening flight over, the first leg won't cut into your vacation time. You will definitely lose the last day to travel back (whether you do an open jaw ticket or not). That gives you 7 days in Europe. Yes, you'll be groggy the first day, so spend split the time so that you have 4 days in the first location, and 3 in the second. And yes, if you book a flight or take a train at 1:00 in the afternoon, you will lose most of that day to traveling between the cities. So don't. Get an early morning flight, late evening train, etc. Or decide that the train trip in the middle of the day watching the scenery go by is part of the experience of being in Europe!!

While I might choose to stay in Paris and see more of the surrounding area, I might also choose to do a Paris/Amsterdam trip or Paris/Barcelona trip or Paris/Venice. All are great choices and completely do-able with a little planning and understanding the trade-offs.

Enjoy!

PalenQ

Amsterdam is definitely a possibility - just don't think that 3+ hour train ride means you get a full day in the next city>

that's why the night train to Venice is a good possibility - no transit time in the day.

Yes janis I did not note 8 travel days total - means 7 as the last day you just go to the airport. The first day some folks make a whole day of it - like me, wishing to stay up to a normal clock time bedtime but still could be a wash out.

So Day 1 Paris
2, 3, 4, Paris
5, 6 in Venice

I think that is a very possible scnerio - assuming they travel at night - otherwise most of a day is wasted even if flying.

TDudette

From Paris, we took day trips to Bruges, 3 Loire Valley chateaux, Versailles and Chartres. Obviously only Bruges was out of the country. First two were bus tours and second 2 we did ourselves on the trains.

I think a good day tour can save a lot of schlepping for tickets, directions, etc.

I agree that will all there is to do in Paris, you might not need to leave the city!

robertcoon

I second doing the Loire Valley, or perhaps head to the coast and see Mont St Michel!