90 Day trip through Europe

[jeffcoop]

I've been dreaming to be able to go on this trip and saving up for it for ages, and finally I have enough money to leave for Europe.

I'm currently from Australia and am planning on leaving for Europe sometime within the next two months so I have left the detailed planning to very late. My current thoughts and plans are these:

I've got free accommodation with friends and family in the following countries and therefore will visit for sure:

-England (For 1 week)
-France (For 3-5 days)
-Belgium (For 3 weeks)
-Spain (For 3-5 days)

I'm also planning on meeting with friends in and thus will visit these countries for sure:

-Denmark (For 2 weeks)
-Wales (For 1 week)
-Sweden (For 3-5 days)

On top of that I would love to be able to visit the following countries:

-Germany (For 3-5 days)
-Ireland (For 3-5 days)
-Scotland (For 1 week)
-Italy (For 5 days)
-Netherlands (For 3-5 days)
-Finland (For 3-5 days)
-Austria (For 3-5 days)
-Switzerland (For 3-5 days)

Am I shooting for too much in one trip, and am I missing any big countries that I should visit for sure? Sorry if I seem quite uncertain I'm just very new to traveling.

[Eagle]

jeffcoop,

Welcome to the Boards!

I'm assuming this is your first trip to Europe, and if that's the case I would highly recommend pre-reading the Guidebook Europe Through The Back Door. It will provide a LOT of information on things like Itinerary planning, money, languages and especially rail skills.

The first thought that came to mind when I saw your post, is that you'll have to be VERY careful not to exceed the 90-day limits imposed by the terms of the Schengen Visa. Tourists from outside the E.U. are limited to a maximum of 90 days, and can't return for (I believe) 180 days. As Passports are stamped entering and leaving the E.U., they know exactly how long tourists are staying! However, some of the countries that you'll be visiting are not included in this (England, Wales), so you shouldn't have a problem.

Your Itinerary does seem to be a bit ambitious even for a 90-day trip. You'll have to be sure to allow for adequate travel times between cities. In some cases this will be relatively quick, in other cases you'll be spending a half day or longer.

I tend to prefer rail travel for the most part, especially using high speed trains like the TGV in France (although these are more expensive). Budget airlines are a good option in some cases. However even with short flights the travel time is usually at least half a day, as one must allow time and cost to get to the airports, check-in, security and waiting times. Some of the European budget airlines use very out-of-the-way airports, such as Beauvais in France which is not really too close to Paris.

Another point to keep in mind is that you'll be travelling in Europe during the "fall shoulder season" (Sept./Oct.?). The weather will probably be quite nice but the evenings may be cool and perhaps rainy, especially in the Scandinavian countries. Be sure to pack appropriate clothing for "layering".

Cheers!

[jeffcoop]

Thanks for the advice, I'm planning on buying a Eurail Global Pass (Continous formula) which allows me 3 months of traveling between all the countries I wish to visit apart from England, Scotland and Wales.

[seanmtl]

Don't plan too much though! You're trying to see a lot, if you just want to visit a country for the sake of saying you saw it, then stick to the plan, if not just listen to what locals or other backpackers say and take it one week at a time. You don't really need to book anything that far ahead of time seeings as you're traveling in the fall.

[johncarter]

Hi eagle.
Thanks for sharing the informative stuff about traveling to Europe.I want to know that for traveling to Italy and Spain what should i prefer for local travel train or car rental and why?

with regards John
_______________
villa ibiza

[Eagle]

johncarter,

It's difficult to answer your question without having some more detailed information on your travel situation. Which cities will you be travelling to? Also, what is your age (some car rental firms have restrictions on drivers <25 years of age).

I generally prefer travel by train as it's quicker, more efficient and less stressful. However, I will rent cars for short periods of time to reach locations not well served by public transport or if the timing of the normal transport doesn't fit with my schedule.

Cheers!

[johncarter]

Thanks for answering about my question.My age is 27.I prefer to rent a car because i think its best way to explore the whole city which can't be done by traveling in train.I want to know the tourist attractions at Spain and Italy which you suggest for travel during my future travel.

[herrbert]

If you rent a car in Spain, rent one with sat-nav. Also be careful with your choice of hotels. Make sure you book something a bit further away from the city (if you visit a big city), and make sure you hotel has space to park.

Depending on how much time you have, I would recommend to at least see Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Granada. This should take you around 10-12 days. Also from Madrid get to Toledo and Segovia (you can combine a trip to Segovia, with Avila and El Escorial.) If you still have more time, you can discover more places in the South (think Cordoba, Jaén, Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera and maybe find a nice little town on the beach.) Further north from there, you can get to Cáceres, Salamanca, Leon and make you way to Gallicia (Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Vigo and on to the west to Santander, the Picos de Europa, San Sebastian. And then I still forgot to mention Valencia and off course that "little" country to the west (Portugal).

All in all you spend a lot of time in Spain, without getting bored, and your choices should be made depending on your interests.