I think it would be possible to hit Aragon & Catalonia in northern Spain, go to Marseille in southern France and then hit Piedmont in nothern Italy and travel less than you would covering all of Spain or France.
I guess I'll just add into this thread. I'm going to be in London all summer (classes and working), but should have long weekends and hope to travel extensively throughout Europe. I definitely want to head to Paris and Brussels. Any suggestions?
My point isn't what's 'possible' its what's practicle. IMO its better to pick a limited area and cover it thoroughly in 2 weeks than try and stretch 3 countries into 2 weeks. You can always go back. From my experience its better to go slowly through a smaller area and really enjoy it than to zoom through a larger area and be harried. But that's just my opinion. Milan sucks. The last supper is underwhelming. Lake Como is awesome, but not in the winter.
Amsterdam is a 40 minute plane ride on Ryan or BMi or even KLM. Paris - go by Eurostar - nothing like sipping champaigne all the way to paris. Brussels - eh. Its ok but nothing spectacular. Once you get there definitely start to check out the last minute travel packages. The brits are REALLY into them so there are a lot of opportunities to travel super cheap to spain and the med (I lived in london for a few years - email me if you want some restaurant recommendations, i think pippendagimp also has a pad in london so he might also have some great recommendations).
Word. It's just not much of a tourist town, I wouldn't say it sucks though. You have to admit HayesStreet, Milan has the hottest women in Italy, without a doubt.
I actually hadn't heard about this movie until after I got back from Europe in January. I still haven't seen the movie. I didn't even know it took place in Bratislava, Slovakia and it turns out that I stayed in a hostel in Bratislava. I'm still alive.
That's fair enough. But you don't get to see 'em in the winter! And he's going with his wife . One of the best trips I ever had that you might want to check out - fly into Paris, take the train to Strasbourg, stay a night there - some cool nightlife an architecture - then follow the old route de vin south from Strasbourg to Colmar. There are ten small towns between the two you can take the local train or bus from one to another (obernai is sweet). Along the way you can stop at the Kroenenberg Castle (spelling probably not right), the largest restored castle in eastern france. From Colmar to Besancon (where valbon's citadel is), then to lyon and back to paris. You can simultaneously hit the route de vin and the old cheese route (the wine route goes through the valleys and the cheese through the mountains). Besancon in Comte is gorgeous as is Alsace. That's an easy trip in two weeks and you hit several provinces in France with a start and stop in Paris.
Thanks for the suggestions. Yeah the concert's in Lisbon. Would be pretty awesome to go, but we'll see. Hotel rooms are booking FAST, so I should get something this weekend.
It's funny but I'd probably come here for advice on something like this too. Have a blast! I'm a senior at UT too but I'm graduating in the fall. I really want to make it over there afterward. Ideally I'd want to try and do some kind of stage acting work or workshop or apprenticeship in London (Old Vic would be incredible) but since I've been in French for a while I might as well check that place out too. I'm a mutt of the British isles so Ireland and Scotland are a must. My grandmother went there a few times in the last decade and loves it. She got me a Scottish tie and kilt that has our decendents' (Lucy or Robert the Bruce) seal/crest/whatever on it so I'd finally have a place to wear it out at. I don't think they'd go over too well on 6th street.
I'd stick to one country and make the best of the two weeks. Figure in traveling time and that's not much at all. Prague and Bratislava are awesome.. but not in the winter. Since you're post college, I would check out Tuscany and S. Italy (skip Milan). 1. Fly into Paris (2 days) 2. Florence as a base, Pisa and Sienna (4 days) -- try and get a vineyard tour too 3. Rome, walking tour first day, soak in the life the second (2 days) 4. Down the gorgeous coast and take in sunny Sorrento, Capri. Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii (3 days) -- skip Naples.. 5. 1 night& day to head back up to Paris by train and 2 days buffer time in Paris or maybe some time in Antibes/French Riviera before you head back home. Probably not enough time to get in everything, but a two week vacation sounds like enough time to get in all the brochure stuff... and of course have some time for all the post-college escapist nightlife. Have fun, whatever you do!
I was just in Europe in February. I went from Paris to Zurich, then to Nantes and the Vendee area. Took the train around. We rented a couchette on the night train both ways Paris-Zurich, and was glad I did. The couchette isn't much more than the regular ticket, and it means you don't pay for a hotel that night. Plus, you don't waste waking hours getting from one place to another. You go to sleep in one country and wake up in another. For me, it was also good because I was traveling with a 1-year old and long train rides with an awake baby is not great fun, even in the French countryside. Also, since you'll be there in the winter, I'd ignore the advice of going to Paris or Switzerland. I spent two miserable half-days in Paris on my trip. It was cold and wet and miserable. Paris is awesome in warm weather, which you won't have. Switzerland was nicer with the snow. But, nicer still will be the very temperate Med weather of Spain, Italy and southern France. I did my honeymoon in the Pyrennees in January and it was 50 to 60 degrees in the valley.
i tend to agree with those who say travel less and explore more thoroughly an few chosen places. the good thing about the cold weather is that most places will be less touristy and you'll find it easier to interact with the locals, which for me is the best part of visiting new places. if you like to ski, then switzerland or austria would be fine in the winter but touristy. lots of good advice in this thread, you just have to decide why you are going to europe in the first place.
wow, hey all. thanks for the input. you all probably had some good memories digging up this advice. if i head down that way, i'll go catch a hold of v-span and tell him to start beefing up.
The lady and I are doing the same thing in a month. We are flying into Amsterdam from Houston and stay one night. The following night an overnight train to Milan. A night there, then a 3 hour ride to Monaco. A night there, then an overnight train to Venice, Two nights there, then a trian ride to Rome, 3 night there, then an overnight ferry to Barcelona, 3 nights there, then an overnight train back to Amsterdam (through paris) for 3 more nights Gotta have Amsterdam at the start and finish of every Europe trip! The train pass is 394 (US dollars) if you are under 26 for 15 days of unlimited travel in any eurail country. You have to pay a small booking fee for each leg of the journey though, usually 10-15 euros. Eurail
Questions... With this $394 pass, do you get to travel by Eurostar or by the domestic company of whichever country you're in (i.e. Trenitalia in Italy). If it's for Eurostar, then you got a great deal. If it's not, then...well, you're kinda screwed. Trenitalia, while great for some short routes during the day such as Milan to Venice, is absolutely horrible for long trips, especially for overnight journeys. I had a 10 hour train ride from midnight to 10:00am from Rome back to Milan (less than 400 miles) and the train was absolutely packed - it was ridiculous! It was impossible to find an open seat and people were crowded in the aisle (some standing around, others were sleeping). Me and a few others were forced to stay in the small area inbetween boxcars right next to the bathroom for 10 hours! It was not fun... Oh, and have fun in Milan! If you're into house/trance music, you have to check out Magazzini Generali for a true Milanese experience!
