What do you think of my itinerary?
Jun 25th, 2005, 06:30 AM
#1
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What do you think of my itinerary?
Hi! Dh and I finally narrowed down our itinerary down for our trip in March/April '06. Wondering what you all think and would appreciate any and all advice 
(Let me preface by saying I have been to Paris, Versailled, Florence and Rome-- DH has never been to Europe)
OK--
Take Red Eye into Heathrow
Day 1- Arrive around 10 am - London
Day 2- London
Day 3 London / Eurostar to Paris
Day 4- Paris
Day 5- Versailles
Day 6- Paris / Fly My Air to Venice
Day 7- Venice
Day 8 - Venice / Train or My Air to Capri
Day 9- Capri
Day 10- Capri
Day 11- Capri/ Train to Rome
Day 12- Fly home from Rome
We know we have a jam-packed vacation but both of us are excited about it.Again, any suggestions, restaurant rec., etc. are much apppreciated!
Thanks!
(Let me preface by saying I have been to Paris, Versailled, Florence and Rome-- DH has never been to Europe)OK--
Take Red Eye into Heathrow
Day 1- Arrive around 10 am - London
Day 2- London
Day 3 London / Eurostar to Paris
Day 4- Paris
Day 5- Versailles
Day 6- Paris / Fly My Air to Venice
Day 7- Venice
Day 8 - Venice / Train or My Air to Capri
Day 9- Capri
Day 10- Capri
Day 11- Capri/ Train to Rome
Day 12- Fly home from Rome
We know we have a jam-packed vacation but both of us are excited about it.Again, any suggestions, restaurant rec., etc. are much apppreciated!
Thanks!
Jun 25th, 2005, 06:59 AM
#3
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Your itinerary is ambitious, to say the least, but since you already know that I am being redundant, aren't I?
We visited Rome and Venice last fall, spending five nights in Rome and four in Venice. I do not know much about Capri, but I think you need to add some time to Rome - one travel day plus one other night is really thin.
In Venice I highly recommend taking a water taxi from the airport to your hotel. There are cheaper ways to go, but they all involve quite a bit of time and some transfering .... plus, it's really cool to be dropped off at your door by a fast speedboat. We paid 85 euro last September and thought it was worth it.
We visited Rome and Venice last fall, spending five nights in Rome and four in Venice. I do not know much about Capri, but I think you need to add some time to Rome - one travel day plus one other night is really thin.
In Venice I highly recommend taking a water taxi from the airport to your hotel. There are cheaper ways to go, but they all involve quite a bit of time and some transfering .... plus, it's really cool to be dropped off at your door by a fast speedboat. We paid 85 euro last September and thought it was worth it.
Jun 25th, 2005, 06:59 AM
#4
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Taxi is always the bst option for gettig delivered to an exact point of your choosing - - if money is no object.
Same is true for Venice. Search here "Alilaguna" for threads on the other choices in Venice, if you want less expensive options.
Best wishes,
Rex
Same is true for Venice. Search here "Alilaguna" for threads on the other choices in Venice, if you want less expensive options.
Best wishes,
Rex
Jun 25th, 2005, 04:12 PM
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If I had only two days in Paris I would never spend one of them in Versailles. It's a huge, beautiful house with large gardens - but Paris has IMHO at least 25 other things to see and do that are more interesting and valuable.
Jun 25th, 2005, 04:20 PM
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I'm getting old...I feel tired looking at your itinerary
Why so much time in Capri ? I know it's beautiful but it seems to me it is a place that you americans specially appreciate. Most people I know here only go to Capri for a day trip and it's difficult to find here a tour that includes Amalfi Coast, it's curious how people from different places like different tourists spots.
Why so much time in Capri ? I know it's beautiful but it seems to me it is a place that you americans specially appreciate. Most people I know here only go to Capri for a day trip and it's difficult to find here a tour that includes Amalfi Coast, it's curious how people from different places like different tourists spots.
Jun 25th, 2005, 05:03 PM
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Assuming all these stops are musts, giving your husband one day in Paris seems silly to me. If you want to show it to him, give the man two days and skip Versailles, especially since you've already been there.
I guess you're saying he doesn't want to see Rome since all you are doing there is sleeping there one night.
This isn't a matter of being jam packed, it amounts to less than two days in some very important cities.
I also think you should skip London, start your trip in Paris, and have one less 'seen it, done it.'
I guess you're saying he doesn't want to see Rome since all you are doing there is sleeping there one night.
This isn't a matter of being jam packed, it amounts to less than two days in some very important cities.
I also think you should skip London, start your trip in Paris, and have one less 'seen it, done it.'
Jun 26th, 2005, 05:31 AM
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Hi E,
You can't fly to Capri. Myair will take you to Naples airport.
From there I suggest a cab to Molo Beverello for the ferry to Capri.
May I suggest that, with only 2 days in Paris, you skip Versailles?
Since you are finishing in Capri, would it not be easier to fly home from Naples?
Just how important is London? You could add a day to Paris and a day to Capri if you left it out.
>best way to get from Eurostar in Paris to hotel
Cab
>.. best way to get from Venice airport to hotel? Water taxi?
Yup. 80E for the boat ride.
You can't fly to Capri. Myair will take you to Naples airport.
From there I suggest a cab to Molo Beverello for the ferry to Capri.
May I suggest that, with only 2 days in Paris, you skip Versailles?
Since you are finishing in Capri, would it not be easier to fly home from Naples?
Just how important is London? You could add a day to Paris and a day to Capri if you left it out.
>best way to get from Eurostar in Paris to hotel
Cab
>.. best way to get from Venice airport to hotel? Water taxi?
Yup. 80E for the boat ride.
Jun 26th, 2005, 06:25 AM
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I think this itinerary is really crazy -- ESPECIALLY if your DH has not been to Europe.
You are spending fully 1/3 of your time on Capri which is neither the nicest place in Italy, nor easy to get to by train or plane.
1/3 of your time in Paris is spent going to Versailles. Now, it is a great place to visit - but only about 10th or 12th on the list of "musts" in Paris. I would definitely skip it.
And London is one of my favorite cities on Earth - but you are only giving it 2 days (and the first one will likely be a jetlagged haze) so you won't see much and it will just be an overwhelming blur.
If London is important to your plans - and it may be because you haven't been there before - I would just do London (4 or 5 days), Paris (4 or 5 days), Rome (2+ days) and skip Capri.
But if London isn't essential - then something like Paris 5 days, Naples/Capri 2 days, Rome 4 days.
You are spending fully 1/3 of your time on Capri which is neither the nicest place in Italy, nor easy to get to by train or plane.
1/3 of your time in Paris is spent going to Versailles. Now, it is a great place to visit - but only about 10th or 12th on the list of "musts" in Paris. I would definitely skip it.
And London is one of my favorite cities on Earth - but you are only giving it 2 days (and the first one will likely be a jetlagged haze) so you won't see much and it will just be an overwhelming blur.
If London is important to your plans - and it may be because you haven't been there before - I would just do London (4 or 5 days), Paris (4 or 5 days), Rome (2+ days) and skip Capri.
But if London isn't essential - then something like Paris 5 days, Naples/Capri 2 days, Rome 4 days.
Jun 26th, 2005, 06:29 AM
#13
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Oh, sheesh - I completely overlooked the Venice bit!
Venice is great of course - but it is not convenient to Capri. If you want Venice included (and I definitely would) I don't see going to Capri at all.
I'd do London/Paris/Venice OR Paris/ Venice/Rome. . . . . .
Venice is great of course - but it is not convenient to Capri. If you want Venice included (and I definitely would) I don't see going to Capri at all.
I'd do London/Paris/Venice OR Paris/ Venice/Rome. . . . . .
Jun 26th, 2005, 06:32 AM
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If I only had 10-12 days in Europe, there is no way I would try and fit 5 places in. It's way too ambitious, and you won't see the stuff you came to see in enough time. I went to Europe in 2003 and spent so much time travelling across it, rookie mistake that it was, I feel like I barely got a taste of the cities before we were leaving. London, Rome and Paris are massive cities with plenty to do for 4-5 days each, so 3 is an absolute minimum, and that's FULL days, not just flying in, staying a couple of nights and flying out the third day.
I'd spend Days 1, 2 and 3 in London,
Days 4-6.5 in Paris, take the night train to Venice on the 7th, spend one night there, then head off to Rome and spend days 9-11 in Rome, leaving on the 12th day. Rome has The Vatican, which is a day unto itself and should not be missed.
Even that schedule is ambitious, but you could do it. Capri is so out of the way, and I don't think it's big enough to fly into, I'd save it for another time.
Also, all this flying around is going to cost you time getting to/from all the airports. Everytime you pull up stakes and move to another city, you lose a minimum of 1/2 to a full day. Personally, if you can take a train, I'd do it, as it gives you time to read up on your next destination, gives you a chance to meet a few locals and lets you reflect on where you've been. If you reserve a night train berth from Paris to Venice and leave at 8:45 from Paris Bercy, you wake up at 8:30 a.m. in Venice, ready to start your day. It's also 4.5-5 hours from Venice to Rome, and if you get up early and get a 7 a.m. train, you can be in Rome by lunchtime.
Day 1- Arrive around 10 am - London
Day 2- London
Day 3 London / Eurostar to Paris
Day 4- Paris
Day 5- Versailles/Paris afternoon (Versailles only takes 1/2 day unless you want to really wander the gardens)
Day 6- Paris
Day 7- Paris/Night Train to Venice
Day 8 - Venice
Day 9- Early train to Rome/see some of Rome
Day 10- Rome/Vatican City
Day 11- Rome
Day 12- Fly home from Rome
Happy travels.
Julie
I'd spend Days 1, 2 and 3 in London,
Days 4-6.5 in Paris, take the night train to Venice on the 7th, spend one night there, then head off to Rome and spend days 9-11 in Rome, leaving on the 12th day. Rome has The Vatican, which is a day unto itself and should not be missed.
Even that schedule is ambitious, but you could do it. Capri is so out of the way, and I don't think it's big enough to fly into, I'd save it for another time.
Also, all this flying around is going to cost you time getting to/from all the airports. Everytime you pull up stakes and move to another city, you lose a minimum of 1/2 to a full day. Personally, if you can take a train, I'd do it, as it gives you time to read up on your next destination, gives you a chance to meet a few locals and lets you reflect on where you've been. If you reserve a night train berth from Paris to Venice and leave at 8:45 from Paris Bercy, you wake up at 8:30 a.m. in Venice, ready to start your day. It's also 4.5-5 hours from Venice to Rome, and if you get up early and get a 7 a.m. train, you can be in Rome by lunchtime.
Day 1- Arrive around 10 am - London
Day 2- London
Day 3 London / Eurostar to Paris
Day 4- Paris
Day 5- Versailles/Paris afternoon (Versailles only takes 1/2 day unless you want to really wander the gardens)
Day 6- Paris
Day 7- Paris/Night Train to Venice
Day 8 - Venice
Day 9- Early train to Rome/see some of Rome
Day 10- Rome/Vatican City
Day 11- Rome
Day 12- Fly home from Rome
Happy travels.
Julie
Jun 26th, 2005, 06:38 AM
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Julie - You did a great job with your itinerary, especially using the night train to gather some extra time. I agree, the original poster is doing way too much.
I finally agreed with my wife to slow our trip to Italy (fall 2004) down and we spent five nights in Rome and four in Venice. Although it was against my nature to stay in one place that number of days, it turned out to be the best trip we have ever had. I am a convert now to traveling a bit more slowly and enjoying where you are...
I finally agreed with my wife to slow our trip to Italy (fall 2004) down and we spent five nights in Rome and four in Venice. Although it was against my nature to stay in one place that number of days, it turned out to be the best trip we have ever had. I am a convert now to traveling a bit more slowly and enjoying where you are...
