Who thinks I can hit 5 countries and 10 cities in 14 days? It's happening.
Jun 7th, 2013, 09:37 AM
#21
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Not everyone is a slow traveler, I get that. It'll have to be a tightly run operation to keep 5 people on time and in line (and hopefully you won't have a mutiny on your hands on the way to Zurich). If you all make it to San Gimignano, then you definitely have a calling as an EF Tour Guide!
Jun 7th, 2013, 09:42 AM
#23
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Thank you Lexma. I appreciate your thoughtful comment. We won't be spending hardly any time at museums, more just seeing the major sites and enjoying each other's company. I agree it will be very strenuous, most times we will be able to leave early mornings and catch another hour of sleep on a train.
I wish my family had been more outspoken on things they wanted to see, but they weren't. I decided to give them a taste of Europe so that for our next trip we can decide where we want to go back to or skip.
I wish my family had been more outspoken on things they wanted to see, but they weren't. I decided to give them a taste of Europe so that for our next trip we can decide where we want to go back to or skip.
Jun 7th, 2013, 09:45 AM
#24
our schedule actually isn't too jam-packed.>>
oh yes it is. so far as I can work out, out of 14 days, only 3 of them do not actually involve arriving or leaving.
I hope you're all still talking to each other by the end of the trip!
oh yes it is. so far as I can work out, out of 14 days, only 3 of them do not actually involve arriving or leaving.
I hope you're all still talking to each other by the end of the trip!
Jun 7th, 2013, 09:57 AM
#26
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Owww!
What was ok for you may not be ok for your parents. Have you asked them what they think of this itinerary?
Every time you change city you will lose at least half a day, maybe more. It's not only the travel time on the train but also the packing/unpacking, getting to train station, getting to the new hotel, checking in/out etc.
Are you using train passes or buying point-to-point tickets? I certainly hope you already have the tickets, with seat reservations if using passes, otherwise you may have a big problem. Getting five seats together may be impossible to arrange this late. You mentioned having some flexibility. Does that mean you have refundable/changeable tickets? Or that you haven't made seat reservations for your train passes?
Do you already have hotels arranged? Are they close enough to the train stations to easily find and walk to? Or do you plan to take a taxi from the stations to the hotels? It may be difficult to get a taxi large enough for five people with bags, so that would mean two taxis.
A lot of interesting sites close "early". If you get into a town in the afternoon it may be too late to get into the places you or your family wants to see, especially if you have to drop off bags at a hotel first.
And why so many days in Lucerne? Is there something special you want to see there?
What was ok for you may not be ok for your parents. Have you asked them what they think of this itinerary?
Every time you change city you will lose at least half a day, maybe more. It's not only the travel time on the train but also the packing/unpacking, getting to train station, getting to the new hotel, checking in/out etc.
Are you using train passes or buying point-to-point tickets? I certainly hope you already have the tickets, with seat reservations if using passes, otherwise you may have a big problem. Getting five seats together may be impossible to arrange this late. You mentioned having some flexibility. Does that mean you have refundable/changeable tickets? Or that you haven't made seat reservations for your train passes?
Do you already have hotels arranged? Are they close enough to the train stations to easily find and walk to? Or do you plan to take a taxi from the stations to the hotels? It may be difficult to get a taxi large enough for five people with bags, so that would mean two taxis.
A lot of interesting sites close "early". If you get into a town in the afternoon it may be too late to get into the places you or your family wants to see, especially if you have to drop off bags at a hotel first.
And why so many days in Lucerne? Is there something special you want to see there?
Jun 7th, 2013, 10:15 AM
#29
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That makes me sad for you and your family. Is there some kind of prize for quantity over quality?
If your primary goal is to "hit" these places, why not try for 14 cities in 14 days. You could do Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Lucerne, Rome, Florence, Venice, Salzburg, Vienna and Munich, and still have at least 4 hours each for Berlin and Amsterdam.
If your primary goal is to "hit" these places, why not try for 14 cities in 14 days. You could do Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Lucerne, Rome, Florence, Venice, Salzburg, Vienna and Munich, and still have at least 4 hours each for Berlin and Amsterdam.
Jun 7th, 2013, 10:28 AM
#30
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That looks exactly like our very first trip to Europe in '77. My mother & sister bailed out on day 5 - in Lucerne. My wife & I remembered very little about the trip. We returned in 79 to re-visit the exact same places we "passed through" too quickly in '77.
Now we usually spend 2 weeks in just one place.
Live & learn.
Stu Dudley
Now we usually spend 2 weeks in just one place.
Live & learn.
Stu Dudley
Jun 7th, 2013, 10:45 AM
#33
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Thanks for all your help.
You have all helped me realize how strenuous this trip will be on all of us. The more I looked at your comments, the more depressed I got. I am going to try to loosen up our schedule by eliminating a few day trips and staying longer in places that I don't have a hotel booked for the next night. I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I'm going to make the best of it and worry more about being with my family than seeing everything.
I don't have time to monitor this thread because I have a lot of planning to do! I'll try to post a trip report afterwards... Auf wiedersehen!
You have all helped me realize how strenuous this trip will be on all of us. The more I looked at your comments, the more depressed I got. I am going to try to loosen up our schedule by eliminating a few day trips and staying longer in places that I don't have a hotel booked for the next night. I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I'm going to make the best of it and worry more about being with my family than seeing everything.
I don't have time to monitor this thread because I have a lot of planning to do! I'll try to post a trip report afterwards... Auf wiedersehen!
Jun 7th, 2013, 10:48 AM
#35
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i thought i was into fast paced travel but your itinerary put my 2012 Griswald European sampler to shame. The Griswalds saw the Louvre 15 minutes before it closed. You might be able to do the same thing. Bring racing shoes and as much redbull as your carryons can manage. (you'll need em!)
in all seriousness your plan is very ambitious. I'm a little bit like you in that i would prefer to see more places than spend more time in the same place. Gimme a week in Europe and i can see 2 places. Gimme 10 days and i can see 3 etc..this style does have it's limits however (and more disadvantages than advantages) My wife was totally on board with this before we left but after we zipped from London to Brussels she got blisters on her feet and began to get more and more tired. This worsened as i continued to whip her to Paris, then Portugal, then Spain. There were times where she was completely irritable and i had nobody to blame but myself. Don't be that guy
in all seriousness your plan is very ambitious. I'm a little bit like you in that i would prefer to see more places than spend more time in the same place. Gimme a week in Europe and i can see 2 places. Gimme 10 days and i can see 3 etc..this style does have it's limits however (and more disadvantages than advantages) My wife was totally on board with this before we left but after we zipped from London to Brussels she got blisters on her feet and began to get more and more tired. This worsened as i continued to whip her to Paris, then Portugal, then Spain. There were times where she was completely irritable and i had nobody to blame but myself. Don't be that guy
Jun 7th, 2013, 11:12 AM
#36
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<<I am going to try to loosen up our schedule by eliminating a few day trips and staying longer in places that I don't have a hotel booked for the next night. I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I'm going to make the best of it and worry more about being with my family than seeing everything.>>
Bravo! And enjoy!
Bravo! And enjoy!
Jun 7th, 2013, 11:57 AM
#37
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" I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach" Quite so, especially since it appears you haven't given much though to where you will be having breakfast, lunch or dinner. You'll have to have reservations if you wan to have a sit down meal together as a family where ever you happen to be. Remember, dining hours change as you head south toward the Med.
Jun 7th, 2013, 12:03 PM
#38
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Going by train or car? If by train check out a railpass for that much constant travel - great sites for rail info - www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
And do not forget to put Belgium into an open Tuesday slot!
And do not forget to put Belgium into an open Tuesday slot!
Jun 7th, 2013, 12:08 PM
#39
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You have all helped me realize how strenuous this trip will be on all of us. The more I looked at your comments, the more depressed I got. I am going to try to loosen up our schedule by eliminating a few day trips and staying longer in places that I don't have a hotel booked for the next night. I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I'm going to make the best of it and worry more about being with my family than seeing everything.
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Nice to see some self-reflection here. Good luck in your further planning.
An easy way to simplify the itinerary would be to ditch the Switzerland portion and be satisfied with the Bavarian, Austrian, and Italian Alps. Then you are working on a much tighter axis from Munich down towards Rome, with stops in Innsbruck or Salzburg possible, or even Bolzano, then Venice and Rome. You might have to purge some of Tuscany from the route as well. In any case, you eliminate a time consuming trip into the Swiss Alps and back out again, but can still see a bit of everything (Munich/Bavaria, Alps, Italy). Saving yourself several hours of train travel might just give you enough of a breather still to squeeze a lot in. You're not too far from a reasonable itinerary, good luck in your travels.
You have all helped me realize how strenuous this trip will be on all of us. The more I looked at your comments, the more depressed I got. I am going to try to loosen up our schedule by eliminating a few day trips and staying longer in places that I don't have a hotel booked for the next night. I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach, but I'm going to make the best of it and worry more about being with my family than seeing everything.
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Nice to see some self-reflection here. Good luck in your further planning.
An easy way to simplify the itinerary would be to ditch the Switzerland portion and be satisfied with the Bavarian, Austrian, and Italian Alps. Then you are working on a much tighter axis from Munich down towards Rome, with stops in Innsbruck or Salzburg possible, or even Bolzano, then Venice and Rome. You might have to purge some of Tuscany from the route as well. In any case, you eliminate a time consuming trip into the Swiss Alps and back out again, but can still see a bit of everything (Munich/Bavaria, Alps, Italy). Saving yourself several hours of train travel might just give you enough of a breather still to squeeze a lot in. You're not too far from a reasonable itinerary, good luck in your travels.
