France/Spain/Portugal

[Lino]

Hi,

I am finding this site very helpful with all the different information being posted and replied to. Thanks in advance.

I've just booked my trip to europe for 3 months and I am travelling alone and leaving on May 13th and arriving in Paris. Very excited! But feel a little unprepared so any help from anyone would be great.

I have to be in southern Italy for the beginning of July for a wedding so I was planning to do 6-7 weeks in France, Spain & Portugal.

France:
Paris 4 days - Tours 2 days - Bordeaux 2 days - Biarritz 1 day

To Spain:
San Sebastian 2 days - Madrid 2 days - Toledo 2 days - Salamanca 1 day

Portugal:
Porto 1 day - Lisbon 3 days - Algarve 5 days

Back to Spain:
Seville 1 day - Granada 2 days - Valencia 1 day - Ibiza 2 days - Barcelona 3 days

Back to France:
Carcassonne 2days - Avignon 2 days - Aix en Provence 2days - Nice 2 days - Monaco 1day - Corsica 2 days - Chamonix for 2 days and Gondal over the Alps into Italy to Valle d'Aosta (Rick Steves Reading)

I know this is a really long Posting but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as well as places to stay especially in Paris since it is most urgent. I am planning to do hostels and/or cheaper hotels.

I don't know if this is too many places and if it works logistically with trains etc. Also Should I buy a railpass.

Thanks,

Lino

[nitsansh]

One thing for sure: Toledo is an ideal day trip from Madrid, and one day should be sufficient. If you have a day to spare, I suggest another day trip to Segovia or El Escorial.

Don't rely on trains for transportation across the border from Spain to Portugal and back. Neither Salamanca-Porto nor Algarve-Sevilla are connected by train.
I would give Sevilla 2 days.

It makes no sense to travel from Nice to Corsica AND Chamonix - they are in opposite directions. It would be easier (and cheaper) to get from Nice to Mont Blanc via Italy.

[Lino]

Thanks for the info..

I'll keep your suggestions in mind when I refine my shedule. You mentioned no trains from Spain to Portugal... Is bus transportation the way to go then?

Also, Nice to Corsica and then Chamonix was only an idea. I read in Rick Steves that it was pretty cool to take the Gondala over the alps and into Italy... Has anyone done this or heard of it?


Lino

[Kim]

Bus is really the only way to go as the train tracks don't meet up between Spain and Portugal. It is a serious pain in the butt! What you could have done in a couple hours via train will take you all day.

Kim

[Lino]

I guess bus is the way to go between Spain & Portugal... thanks for the info.

I am debating about whether or not to buy a rail pass. Do railpasses work on the buses or only on trains? I'm pretty sure it's only on trains but somewhere searching on the net I read that they work on buses too. If someone could clarify it would be great.

Also, how necessary is it to book ahead for reservations in hostels etc. If I don't really know exactly where I'm going it's hard to book. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help out there.

[nitsansh]

There are actually 3 rail lines connecting Spain and Portugal.
1. Night train Madrid-Lisbon
2. Night train Irun-Lisbon. This one should pass through Salamanca, but probably in the wee hours...
3. Vigo-Porto.

There's no trains south of Lisbon, so to go from Algarve to Sevilla by train only, you should do a detour via Lisbon and Madrid...

In general, travel by bus is not covered by rail passes, unless the bus service is operated by the national rail company, as is the case with the line to Val d'Aosta in Italy.

The crossing of Mont Blanc by Gondola may be a good idea, but I wouldn't go out of the way for this... you can find gondola rides in many places in Europe.

[nitsansh]

The train to Portugal depart Salamanca at 4.51AM. To get to Porto, change train at Coimbra. You'll get to Porto at 10AM.
This night train only has sleeping accomodation, so you'll have to pay a supplement even though you won't get much sleep...

[Lino]

Thanks for all your help out here.. your information is coming in handy.

thanks