June, July euro trip

[northie]

Just planning to backpack with a mate for around 50 days with about $7000 AUS spending money each. Its our first trip and I'm just wondering if some people with a bit of knowledge could have a look at our plan and tell us if we are dreaming or not.

Train trips are counted as separate days
start June 8th
*London
*Early flight to Dublin start 5 day tour of Ireland (with Shamrock adventures)
*end tour - back to London for a day
*fly to Prague- spend 3 full days
*train to Munich - 3 full days
*train to Berlin - 2 full days
*train to Amsterdam - 5 full days
*train to Paris- 2 full days
*train to Pamplona (running with the bulls) 3 full days
*train to Lisboa (Portugal) 2 full days
*train to Barcelona 3 full days

(we need to get Lipari (a island of Italy) an hoped to catch a ferry from Barcelona but the closes the ferry goes is a port called Civitauecchia about an hour North of Rome. If anyone knows of a easier and cheapish way to get Sicily or Naples please leave a msg) If we have to catch the ferry to Civitauecchia then we will probably stay in Rome for a day see the sites then travel to Naples for a Pizza and a ferry to Lipari the next day

* spend 5 fulls days in Lipari ( my mate has family there)
* Then either head up the west coast of Italy (not to sure of any good places) or head straight to Croatia by train or ferry.
* then on to Budapest or Greece
* Fly back to London, fly home

If anyone has been in Pamplona during the running of the bulls and have any tips for us or know of neighboring towns we can stay at so we can travel into Pamplona early in the morning for the festival please help. We know it bloody hard to find a bed and all the prices are pretty much tripled during the festival.

[herrbert]

You can check at Clickair for a flight from Barcelona to Napels or Palermo. I think that would be the best option. (fast and cheap), also Windjet has flights from Barcelona to Palermo, but they only fly once a week and make a stopover in Catania (also on Sicily)

Pamplona: I have not been there (and have no desire to go as well) but it will be hard to get lodging, but you can try to find something in San Sebastian, and take the train to Pamplona. Take a good look at the connections between Paris and Pamplona. A train will take a long time, and a flight to Madrid, with a connection to Pamplona (or San Sebastian) with a (budget)airline like Spanair or Iberia, will be the fastest way to go.

A few remarks on the rest of your initerary:

Berlin can use a few more days, 2 full days is really too short here. It is a big city, and all sights are pretty much spread out over the entire city. The same comment can be made about Paris i think 2 days is too short.

Amsterdam can be seen in 3 days easily. It's a small compact city, and almost everything is within walking distance.

Lisbon (Lisboa) is a destination that is being discovered by a lot of people over the last few years, and three days makes it more relaxed. Check on Vueling.com for a flight between Lisbon and Barcelona.

If we have to catch the ferry to Civitauecchia then we will probably stay in Rome for a day see the sites

One day for Rome? I would rather drop some of the other cities on your list for a longer stay here.

If you like to go to Greece, then check om Easyjet for a flight between Milan and Athens. (connections from the Balkan to Greece are poor.) But only go there if you have enough time. Don't go there just to see Athens, but be sure to also have some time to visit at least one of the Islands. (3 days for Athens, 3 for an Island) If you don't have the time, leave it for a future trip.

I think the 7000 AUD (= 4350 Euro/6333 USD), will be enough. Only take a good look at the connections you want to make, a lot of time trains are more expensive than budgetflights, which a lot of time are also faster.

[me]

Réné has good advice, flights are often the best way to go: faster *and* cheaper! a ferry from Barcelona to Italy would be silly when flights are so cheap. [Ryanair has flights from Gerona to Trapani and Clickair has flights from Barcelona to Naples]

i'd also advise you to look into night trains - they save time since you travel while you sleep. Germany's www.bahn.de lists many night trains.

[pointofnoreturn]

If you have one week to spare, you can do Greece. Athens can be done in 2-3 days (not including flight/travel dates) and you can visit one island for another 3-4 days (again, not including flight/ferry travel times).