30-Day Solo Europe Trip
Mar 14th, 2011, 10:42 PM
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30-Day Solo Europe Trip
Hey all, I'm a 26 year-old female planning a 30 day trip to Europe from mid-August to mid-September. I have a $5000 budget. I can fly into/out of anywhere in Europe, with an origin of Chicago. I found a flight that allows me to fly from Chicago to Zurich, and then Madrid back to Chicago for $920. If there's something cheaper out there (or places that have cheap flights to/from Chicago), I'd love to hear about it.
I've already been to London, Paris, and Rome, so I don't need to return to those cities on this trip. I wouldn't mind more time in Paris, however.
Here's my working itinerary, and I'm not set on any of these destinations. I'm open to suggestions on better cities.
City/Days:
Zurich, 1
Lucerne, 1
Interlaken, 3 (with a day trip to Bern)
Prague, 2
Vienna, 2
Salzburg, 1
Venice, 2
Florence, 1
Tuscany, 2 (what city would be a good base?)
Cinque Terre, 2
Nice, 2
St. Tropez, 2
Aix-en-Provence, 2
Barcelona, 3
Madrid, 2
I could add a few days to the trip (up to 45), and could definitely edit this itinerary. I'm also looking for tips on whether to purchase a EuRail Global pass.
I want to get the most for my money ($5000), so I'll stay as long as I can afford. I would love to fit Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos in my trip, but not sure if it's realistic financially/time-wise.
Thanks!
I've already been to London, Paris, and Rome, so I don't need to return to those cities on this trip. I wouldn't mind more time in Paris, however.
Here's my working itinerary, and I'm not set on any of these destinations. I'm open to suggestions on better cities.
City/Days:
Zurich, 1
Lucerne, 1
Interlaken, 3 (with a day trip to Bern)
Prague, 2
Vienna, 2
Salzburg, 1
Venice, 2
Florence, 1
Tuscany, 2 (what city would be a good base?)
Cinque Terre, 2
Nice, 2
St. Tropez, 2
Aix-en-Provence, 2
Barcelona, 3
Madrid, 2
I could add a few days to the trip (up to 45), and could definitely edit this itinerary. I'm also looking for tips on whether to purchase a EuRail Global pass.
I want to get the most for my money ($5000), so I'll stay as long as I can afford. I would love to fit Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos in my trip, but not sure if it's realistic financially/time-wise.
Thanks!
Mar 15th, 2011, 01:29 AM
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For a guide to European rail passes look here:
http://seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm
It's an awful lot of travelling, Most of what you see will be railway stations and the view out the train window!
You've got 16 destinations there in your 30 days. I'd cut it back by half. that way you get more time to appreciate what you're seeing.
But it's your trip, so it might work for you. I think you'd need a week's break after a trip like that to recover.
http://seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm
It's an awful lot of travelling, Most of what you see will be railway stations and the view out the train window!
You've got 16 destinations there in your 30 days. I'd cut it back by half. that way you get more time to appreciate what you're seeing.
But it's your trip, so it might work for you. I think you'd need a week's break after a trip like that to recover.
Mar 15th, 2011, 02:19 AM
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Definitely too much already!!! With 30 days I would pick 5 - 7 bases (you can always do day trips from the bases) and enjoy the time you have - rather than running from place to place. You will spend most of your time in transit when you consider 1/2 a days time is lost every time you move. There is not much point in 1 night in a city as you will spend 1/2 the day before getting there and dropping your stuff at a hotel, and then 1/2 the next day travelling to your next place. This doesnt give you time to see sites, travel around the cities or spend time enjoying hte place (ie. having a drink in a street cafe etc).
Its tempting to try to cram everything into the trip, but I am sure you want to actually see the places you are visiting rather than seeing the inside of trains and train stations the whole time!
Its tempting to try to cram everything into the trip, but I am sure you want to actually see the places you are visiting rather than seeing the inside of trains and train stations the whole time!
Mar 15th, 2011, 03:05 AM
#4
You are travelling at the most expensive time possible, Italy in August will be busy busy and of course pricy.
Siena is a good base for Tuscany with only 2 days, Genoa for cinque Terre.
If you want to hold with this very rushed trip I'd book hotels now. Alternativley you could stay say in Pisa for 4 nights and take the train to Lucca, Florence, Siena etc
I never understand why anyone wants to go to Switzerland, you going wandering if so might chose other towns?
Siena is a good base for Tuscany with only 2 days, Genoa for cinque Terre.
If you want to hold with this very rushed trip I'd book hotels now. Alternativley you could stay say in Pisa for 4 nights and take the train to Lucca, Florence, Siena etc
I never understand why anyone wants to go to Switzerland, you going wandering if so might chose other towns?
Mar 15th, 2011, 03:33 AM
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yeah, theres is defo a need to cut your stays....
i.E. luzern and zurich are an hour by train apart.. no need to change your base just for that...
and in your age, i wouldnt go to interlaken tbh.. its very touristic and doesnt offer what mid 20s are interessted in... its good homebase to travel into the berner oberland for hiking etc...
i wont comment on the other parts cuz i simply dont have info...
however...
you should name your preferences and plans on what you want to do... we might be able to give you some more focused tips...
i.E. if you are looking to go out or do some cool shopping, you should def. cut out interlaken and lengthen your visit in zürich.. if you want to go hiking, you can cancel zurich and focus onto interlaken and luzern...
it realy depends...
i.E. luzern and zurich are an hour by train apart.. no need to change your base just for that...
and in your age, i wouldnt go to interlaken tbh.. its very touristic and doesnt offer what mid 20s are interessted in... its good homebase to travel into the berner oberland for hiking etc...
i wont comment on the other parts cuz i simply dont have info...
however...
you should name your preferences and plans on what you want to do... we might be able to give you some more focused tips...
i.E. if you are looking to go out or do some cool shopping, you should def. cut out interlaken and lengthen your visit in zürich.. if you want to go hiking, you can cancel zurich and focus onto interlaken and luzern...
it realy depends...
Mar 15th, 2011, 03:34 AM
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What you have is an extensive tour of the train stations of europe. You will spend most of your time either training from one place to another, trekking to and fro train stations and checking in at out of hotels - and will see very little of europe. You really need to cut way back on the number of destinations if you want to actually see something.
Mar 15th, 2011, 03:37 AM
#7
Re-calibrate your itinerary by subtracting 1/2 to 3/4 days from each city. Then you will see how much too much this plan is. It takes that long to check out, get to the station, travel, find your next hotel and check in. So in each of your 1-night stops you will have just a few hours to actually see anything. And in the 2-day'ers, maybe 1.5 days (or less) on-the-ground time.
WAY too much. So if you do add 15 days --then don't add any more destinations -- just add time to those already on your list. But doing 45 days for $5000 inc. airfare is awfully tough. That would only leave you between $85 and $100 a day for accommodations/in-Europe transport/food/entrance fees/etc.
If you stick w/ 30 days, its a little more doable budget wise -- but you need to subtract several cities.
WAY too much. So if you do add 15 days --then don't add any more destinations -- just add time to those already on your list. But doing 45 days for $5000 inc. airfare is awfully tough. That would only leave you between $85 and $100 a day for accommodations/in-Europe transport/food/entrance fees/etc.
If you stick w/ 30 days, its a little more doable budget wise -- but you need to subtract several cities.
Mar 15th, 2011, 04:58 AM
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You've got a lot of good advice above. Stick with the original 30 days to manage with your budget and cut at least two countries from your itinerary. Since you are flying into Switzerland and out of Spain, I would include only Switzerland, Italy and Spain this time.
Mar 15th, 2011, 05:03 AM
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With such a wide-ranging itinerary IMO some kind of railpass is a brainless option - and if you go to all those countries then the Global Pass makes the most sense - the freedome of flexibility is a key with a pass - you as a solo traveler may change plans if you meet someone, etc en route - anyway some great sites IMO to sort out the fog of passes and train travel - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com; www.rickstevs.com. And for schedules no site is better IME than the German Railways site with schedules for all of Europe's trains - www.bahn.de.
Mar 15th, 2011, 05:16 AM
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www.airtech.com cheap flights to europe
but if you must leave from ORD your price is good.
www.aa.com has a CC AAdvantage get one of those get
40000 FF miles pay for flight with it get enough for
another free flight did this recently a good way to go.
cheapest flights RT usually into AMS
www.eurochaepo.com good city guides
usually train cheaply point to point regional trains
like a local hopping on and off avoid pass always a rip off
after calulating pass cost from 25 euro per day
no matter if you train or not plus surcharges.
insuremytrip.com always wise pare back a bit
for best experience probably would just wander down
to www.venice-tourism.com and back like you are doing.
but if you must leave from ORD your price is good.
www.aa.com has a CC AAdvantage get one of those get
40000 FF miles pay for flight with it get enough for
another free flight did this recently a good way to go.
cheapest flights RT usually into AMS
www.eurochaepo.com good city guides
usually train cheaply point to point regional trains
like a local hopping on and off avoid pass always a rip off
after calulating pass cost from 25 euro per day
no matter if you train or not plus surcharges.
insuremytrip.com always wise pare back a bit
for best experience probably would just wander down
to www.venice-tourism.com and back like you are doing.
Mar 15th, 2011, 07:28 AM
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like a local hopping on and off avoid pass always a rip off>
garbage you keep repeating without thinking - the OP's outlined itinerary is a no-brainer for some kind of railpass - and you saying that garbage is misinformation - there are no regional trains to connect cities in OP's plan
a railpass for that type of travel is a no-brainer - quit giving out advice that is simply terribly wrong!
garbage you keep repeating without thinking - the OP's outlined itinerary is a no-brainer for some kind of railpass - and you saying that garbage is misinformation - there are no regional trains to connect cities in OP's plan
a railpass for that type of travel is a no-brainer - quit giving out advice that is simply terribly wrong!
Mar 15th, 2011, 08:54 AM
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For Switzerland, I would stay in Lucerne and from there you can daytrip to Zurich and probably Bern. Just remember Switzerland is very expensive.
I would then head to Vienna, there is a night train from Zurich and skip Prague, Prague is just not that well connected by train to anywhere on your list but Vienna.
When planning we always stay at least 2 nights in smaller destinations (2-3 days) and 4 nights (3-4 days) in large citys. One night stops are exhausting and burn tons of time as checking into hotels and relocating between cities takes a lot of time.
I'd look into a Select Rail Pass and if you go to less cities and move around less you will save money.
I would then head to Vienna, there is a night train from Zurich and skip Prague, Prague is just not that well connected by train to anywhere on your list but Vienna.
When planning we always stay at least 2 nights in smaller destinations (2-3 days) and 4 nights (3-4 days) in large citys. One night stops are exhausting and burn tons of time as checking into hotels and relocating between cities takes a lot of time.
I'd look into a Select Rail Pass and if you go to less cities and move around less you will save money.
Mar 15th, 2011, 10:59 AM
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usually I train cheaply point to point regional trains
like a local hopping on, and off, to avoid passing always a rip off>
How about some concrete examples of your regional trains you are on about always that the typical tourist will want to take - that is those going between Venice-Florence-Rome-Naples-Milan
Give some schedules please - if you do you will see how impossible this ridiculous suggestion is for the average tourist.
Some examples please of something you have been repeating ad naseum now for weeks.
What may have been true 20 years ago in Italy no longer is
like a local hopping on, and off, to avoid passing always a rip off>
How about some concrete examples of your regional trains you are on about always that the typical tourist will want to take - that is those going between Venice-Florence-Rome-Naples-Milan
Give some schedules please - if you do you will see how impossible this ridiculous suggestion is for the average tourist.
Some examples please of something you have been repeating ad naseum now for weeks.
What may have been true 20 years ago in Italy no longer is
Mar 15th, 2011, 11:01 AM
#15
That is an extremely intense pace of travel. I agree with the others who suggest you subtract actually travel hours (checking out of hotel/hostel, walk or transpo to rail station, wait for train, catch train take journey, walk or transpo to next hotel, check in to next hostel/hotel). After you accurately subtract that you will see a more accurate picture of how much time you'll have in each city, which for the "1 day" places is more like 1/2 day, and the "2 day" places more like 1.5 or less.
Mar 16th, 2011, 08:17 AM
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usually train cheaply point to point regional trains
like a local hopping on and off avoid pass always a rip off>
About regional trains, which I also love to take and often do because I enjoy train riding as much as anything and love stopping at all the sleepy stations, etc.
But take going from Venice to Florence for example - on the fastest trains it takes about 2 hours flat.
Now by regional train you first have to wait in Venice until 10:57am (unless wanting to start really early in the morning at some unGodly hour) and then you arrive in Bologna at 13:04
and have 5 minutes to hop on another regional train that leaves at 13:09 and get to Florence at 14:52
total of about 4 hours, with one change, vs 2 hrs on the fastest trains with no changing en route.
Now on the regional train there is only a 5 minute connection in Bologna so if you miss it - no unuusal that regional trains are not right on time - then you wait until 15:09 to catch the next regional train, getting into Florence about 5pm - total travel time from Venice 6 hours vs 2 all told on faster train.
like a local hopping on and off avoid pass always a rip off>
About regional trains, which I also love to take and often do because I enjoy train riding as much as anything and love stopping at all the sleepy stations, etc.
But take going from Venice to Florence for example - on the fastest trains it takes about 2 hours flat.
Now by regional train you first have to wait in Venice until 10:57am (unless wanting to start really early in the morning at some unGodly hour) and then you arrive in Bologna at 13:04
and have 5 minutes to hop on another regional train that leaves at 13:09 and get to Florence at 14:52
total of about 4 hours, with one change, vs 2 hrs on the fastest trains with no changing en route.
Now on the regional train there is only a 5 minute connection in Bologna so if you miss it - no unuusal that regional trains are not right on time - then you wait until 15:09 to catch the next regional train, getting into Florence about 5pm - total travel time from Venice 6 hours vs 2 all told on faster train.
Mar 16th, 2011, 08:54 AM
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Save Italy for another trip. She deserves more than just a week of your time! (I travelled Italy with my friend for 3-weeks, just wandering about and that wasn't enough time).
Do you really need to go to Zurich? I've heard from plenty of people that it's not worth visiting (no disrespect to people from Zurich...just what I have heard). I've been to Lucerne and it really cute! You may be able to just see the sites on a day trip.
Have you heard of www.couchsurfing.com? As a solo young traveler, you may benefit from the site by getting in touch with locals and other travelers. I've been a member since 2005. If you want more info, feel free to private message me (if that's possible).
Do you really need to go to Zurich? I've heard from plenty of people that it's not worth visiting (no disrespect to people from Zurich...just what I have heard). I've been to Lucerne and it really cute! You may be able to just see the sites on a day trip.
Have you heard of www.couchsurfing.com? As a solo young traveler, you may benefit from the site by getting in touch with locals and other travelers. I've been a member since 2005. If you want more info, feel free to private message me (if that's possible).
Mar 20th, 2011, 11:47 PM
#18
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Hello all,
Thanks SO much for the feedback. I really do appreciate it. I'm very flexible for this trip- I basically have two and a half months free (August 1 - Oct 15) before starting a new job, and I thought an August 15-Oct 1 (45 days) trip would fit in nicely. I think I can probably afford about $8000 budget wise.
How about this?
City/Days:
Lucerne, 4 (with day trips to Bern, Zurich, anywhere else?)
Vienna, 3
Salzburg, 3
Venice, 3
Tuscany, 5 (including day trip to Florence)
Cinque Terre, 3
Nice, 3
Provence, 4 (which city is best to stay in?)
Barcelona, 4
Madrid, 4
This puts me at 36 days... any suggestions for added cities, or added time in the cities above (or subtracted time, for that matter?)
Thanks SO much for the feedback. I really do appreciate it. I'm very flexible for this trip- I basically have two and a half months free (August 1 - Oct 15) before starting a new job, and I thought an August 15-Oct 1 (45 days) trip would fit in nicely. I think I can probably afford about $8000 budget wise.
How about this?
City/Days:
Lucerne, 4 (with day trips to Bern, Zurich, anywhere else?)
Vienna, 3
Salzburg, 3
Venice, 3
Tuscany, 5 (including day trip to Florence)
Cinque Terre, 3
Nice, 3
Provence, 4 (which city is best to stay in?)
Barcelona, 4
Madrid, 4
This puts me at 36 days... any suggestions for added cities, or added time in the cities above (or subtracted time, for that matter?)
Mar 21st, 2011, 09:40 AM
#19
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If doing that by rail and it does look relaxed enough IMO then be sure to look at some kind of railpass - such as the Eurail Select Saverpass valid in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. And if you buy a 6-day or longer pass before the end of March then you get a 7th day free - this is a first class pass and after decades of incessant European rail travel I strongly advise first class for a plethoa of reasons - that is for the average traveler on the trip of a lifetime!
Mar 21st, 2011, 09:55 AM
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I'd consider adding 4 nights in Sevilla and 2 in Granada for a sampling of Andalucia - providing you do this in September when the heat is more bearable. You may also want to add a couple of days to Madrid and/or Barcelona. This would give you time to do daytrips to some magical smaller cities (ie. Segovia & Toledo from Madrid or Girona & Tarragona from Barcelona). If you time it right you may be able to be in Barcelona for the biggest festival of the year, La Merce. It's usually around the 24th and lasts about a week if I recall correctly.
