Katie_Elizabeth

My boyfriend and I are in our early 20s and want to go to Europe this summer. We will only have between 7-10 days to be away because of my work schedule. I have been on a European tour in high school, and it was great, but I have no idea about how to deal with transportation, finding a decent hotel/hostel, etc, since all of that was taken care of on my last trip. We have thought about going the tour route, but want to have freedom also. We want to go to every country of course, but realize that with our fairly short stay, we will be limited. I would love to go back to Italy, Spain, Germany, perhaps see Ireland. As "touristy" as it sounds, we want to see popular locations, not just stay in some bed and breakfast in the middle of nowhere in Ireland for a week. We would also like to keep it under $4000/person for the time we're there (including all expenses). Any advice or good resources at all would be greatly appreciated!

kybourbon

With only 7-10 days, you need to stick to one country or 2-3 cities.

Sassafrass

Your budget is huge, so no problem there. With that budget, you could do two or three weeks if you could possibly stretch it.
Your time is dreadfully short though. Take Kybourbon's advice.
You can see a lot and you don't need to be stuck in some out of the way place.
Examples:
Italy: Rome, Florence and a bit of Tuscany or Venice, Florence, Rome (You said touristy and popular).
Paris and London: (four or five days each). Lots and lots to see in each place without using up time sitting on trains.

daveesl

What are your interests? History, art, culture, food? $4k per person for that amount of time can give you a bunch of options, even if it includes airfare. Kybourbon is right, you do need to focus on maybe 2 cities, 3 absolute max (10 days) or you'll be spending all of your time in train stations or airports. Figure .5+ days lost for each location change.

dave

Katie_Elizabeth

Thanks everyone, and we're both interested in history (especially WWII), art, culture, food, not so much shopping. I would say top 2 interests are history and art though.

AisleSeat

Depending on where you have been before I would agree that 2 cities should be the limit because you will have to subtract on day coming and one day going. If you haven't been there before pick from London, Paris and Rome. London/Paris is a good combo with flying into one and out of the other with the Eurostar Chunnel train in between. Both cities, particularly London, have lots of WWII history plus a whole lot more. Save the rest of the continent for next time.

docdan

You may wish to consider 2-3 days in Tuscany (Florence and/or Siena) 3 days in Venice, then either fly or rail to Munich. Venice is just too special. When in Munich, you then go for WWII hsitory with a tour of Dauchau (this is a must for anyone interested in Germany and WWII hsitory) and then you can do day trips to Neuschwanstein/Liederhof for the ultimate touristy expeience, and then a 1 or 3 day trip to Berchesgaden/Konigsee for the salt mine tours and the tour of Hitler's Eagle's nest. (Not a must see, but a really neat experience)I'd propose this itinerary is a nice mix of history, touristy things, and romantic venue, without the pressur eto scream from one city to another. (Warning, don't plan a romantic episode after Dauchau) When in Venice, eat pizza and seafood, along with light Italian reds and white. When in Tuscany, eat your heavier meats with risoto and swill as much of the Sangiovese based heavy red wines (Chianti, Nobile de Montepulciano, Brunelo) as your liver can allow, then when in Munich, go for wurst and schnitzels, with the nice typical German lagers and pilzners.

Aramis

London, Paris, Rome, Venice and Florence don't offer much in the way of digestible WWII history. Of the places that do, some are obviously going to be in the middle of nowhere category you aren't really interested in. There is one place that offers everything you want - Berlin. More WWII and 20th century history than you can shake a stick at as well as some fantastic museums and galleries. It's a pretty decent place for the younger crowd, too with it's nightlife.

$4,000 per person should be plenty for a week. Our 10 day trips usually end up costing about $2,500-$2,700 per person, for everything, and we don't do it on the cheap; 3-4 star hotels, car rental,, etc.). I am an inveterate investigator and deal finder, but even with that I don't think I am shaving $1,500 off the average trip.

Sort out where you want to go and then ask specific questions on the how and lots of folks will chip in with ideas. Trains are frequent, and easy to use, cars are cheap (especially in Germany), fun, and liberating - you'll get it sorted out soon enough.

it's a good thing you are starting early and getting some "pre-kid" Europe travel in. Time runs out on Europe too quickly if you get addicted. I'm up to 3 or so trips every 2 years now and can't seem to squeeze in everything I want to do. People actually tell me they can tell when I am "jones-ing" for my fix.

3 months until Germany, then 4 more until Austria and Poland. It's a "good" year, so far.

rosetravels

You might also consider Paris and Normandy. I've never been to Normandy but it's high on my list and Paris is wonderful for art, food, city experience.

This won't cost nearly 8,000. Set the rest aside to return within the year for a second trip.

cigalechanta

First of all decide where you want to travel the most.
Get a guide book .Google is your friend

cigalechanta

I suggest the places you really want to visit with some passion. We can't tell you. Read a guide book, it will show the way to your interests.
.

AllyG3

Hi Katie,
I would definitely do it on your own instead of booking with a tour group. My husband and I are going to Italy this summer (1st time out of the country) and we were so overwelmed at first, but things are coming together and I feel a lot more confident now. We had the same reservations you do about getting from place to place, finding things, etc. But, it all works out and lots of people do it on their own...think of it as an adventure!

Anyway, like others have said, stick with only (1) country. We are just sticking to Italy and our schedule feels a little abitious and we are going for 2 weeks (Venice, Florence, Sorrento, Isle of Capri, Pompeii, Rome).

When it comes to your budget...I don't think your overbudgeting too much as others have stated, depending on what country you are leaving from of course. I am leaving from USA and we have a budget of about $8-9k for 13 nights, 14 days. I think you will be in the $6-7k range (see below).

Flights - we just booked them & the cheapest we found was $3,000 for 2 economy tickets (USA to Italy)
Hotels - factor $200 for 10 = $2,000
Transportation costs (mainly trains) - $300
Attraction costs - $500
Food, suveniers, etc. - $1200
TOTAL = $7,000

I know these estimates are a little on the high-end, but it's always better to round up, then not have enought!
Good luck!

StCirq

Tuscany makes no sense if your primary interest is WWII. I would spend 5 days in Paris and 5 in Normandy assuming you have 10 days total). That's a nice mix of city and countryside and affords you some quality time to see a lot of WWII sites. The Mémorial Museum in Caen is one of the world's most magnificent repositories of WWII archives, and then there are of course the beaches, cemeteries, promotories, bunkers, etc., along the coast.

Take a train from Paris to either Caen or Bayeux and rent a car. Stay in Bayeux (Caen got bombed to smithereens in the war and is largely a rebuilt ugly mess - Bayeux was spared and is charming). Get the Michelin Green Guide to Normandy, read up, and off you go!

Your budget is more than adequate. There's no need to pay $200 a night for a hotel, even in Paris.

MarthaT

You could also think about Amsterdam, and Belgium and Luxembourg. They all have lots of WW11 sights.
Ann Franks house, George Patton and the Battle of the Bulge, all fairly close to each other.

PatriciaOne

If you just have a week to 10 days, I'd limit it to London. Lots of history especially WWII. Your budget is terribly generous. Do Priceline or others like it and bid on your hotel by first selecting the area you want and then pick four star-facilities. You have the theater to go to at night, it is easy to navigate for a first time traveler and you know the language. You will experience jet lag the day you arrive and will want to do nothing and the day you leave is a loss too. That brings the time down for exploring. So just do one city on this trip.

AisleSeat

A website called TheBiddingTraveler.com is a good place to find out what people are getting for bids on Priceline.

AisleSeat

I have used this trick with first timers and it may work for you. Each of you close you eyes and imagine yourselves in Europe. Great now compare notes on whether you saw yourselves enjoying the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta stone at the British Museum or did you see yourselves kissing th blarney stone. This probably won't be your last visit to Europe so just go for your top places and save the others for next time.

Once you figure out what 2-3 places you want to go see what the airfare will be, then hotels. Add in your food and your fun (admissions). It will all come together very easily. If you hit any snags come back here and let the Fodorites help out. You're going to have a great trip.

Sassafrass

AisleSeat, I love, love, love your advice!

Aramis

Terrific advice AisleSeat, and I think it is even more true if this might be ones only trip to Europe.

There are, however, a lot of people handing out advice who try and "redirect" those asking for advice to what they think a vacation should be.

Some people who post here ask for their choices and itinerary to be critiqued, or ask where they should go. Those posts are open season for anything - fair enough. Many come here to post who have specific plans, or dreams, those who have performed your thought exercise, and are seeking advice on how to make those plans work or to flesh them out with experienced insight. It is disappointing to see those folks told that they should be doing something different. We have all seen the references to "crazy" "nuts" and "impossible" in those responses.