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Post by 2livecrews on Apr 11, 2006 11:46:26 GMT -5
My 3 friends and I are going to Europe for our first time this summer. We are 21yr old college kids and not really into art or museums and more into just the atmosphere and the landscape. Of course we will go see the main attractions like St. Peters. This is our itinerary right now. We are trying to decide between Venice and Cinque Terre. I heard Venice is very expenisive and we are just poor college kids. Also, we have three extra days and we are trying to decide what city to spend it in.
Any help or advice would be great, thank you.
City 1: Amsterdam- (3 nights)
City 2: Interlaken- (3 nights)
City 3: Venice/ or Cinque Terre- (2 nights)
City 4: Florence- (3 nights)
City 5: Rome- (3 nights)
City 6: Nice/Cannes- (1 night)
City 7: Barcelona (2 nights)
City 8: Madrid (3 nights)
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Post by LHR02 on Apr 11, 2006 16:14:28 GMT -5
With travel...if by train....you have a minimum of 25 days listed. How long is your trip? That will affect anyone's suggestions.
DOM
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Post by Eagle on Apr 12, 2006 0:41:57 GMT -5
2livecrews, I concur with Dustoffmom, in that more information would be a big help! The destinations you've listed are some distance apart (in some cases) and there's no mention of travel days, or how you're going to travel between cities?
Based on the cities you've listed, I'm assuming that you're flying "open jaw" - into Amsterdam and fly home from Madrid? What is your departure city?
As you're just "poor college kids", it might be a good idea to choose Cinque Terre over Venice. As you're travelling in the summer (peak season!), Venice might be a strain on your budget.
If you could provide some further details on your plans, I'm sure the group here will be able to provide some great tips.
Cheers!!!
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Post by 2livecrews on Apr 12, 2006 20:00:41 GMT -5
Thanks for the responses, I'll try to provide yall with more details. We are leaving May 15 and arriving in Amsterdam on the 16th. We leave from Madrid on the 8th of June. So that gives us 23 full days. Also, I think I am the only one concerned with the amount of money that we spend.
I'm also wondering about what train pass to get. We are trying to decide between the youth flexi or saver flexi. What are the main differences between 1st and second class and is it really worth it? (This is the only thing my parents are paying for, so $ is not a problem). Should I get the 15 or 10 day pass? We are going to try to take as many night trains as possible. Thank you.
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Post by Eagle on Apr 13, 2006 12:58:35 GMT -5
2livecrews, regarding the trains, first class cars generally have bigger seats and are somewhat more "comfortable". Second class are a bit more "informal". Keep in mind that both classes will get you there at the same speed. I believe "older" travellers such as myself are limited to first class with the Railpasses, so don't have a choice. In terms of which Railpass to buy, you might find it worthwhile to type your Itinerary into www.railsaver.com which will suggest the best option for your circumstances. With regard to the youth pass you mentioned, I'm assuming that you are all under 26 years of age? One final word on the Railpasses -- you can purchase whichever Railpass you want from this website. The cost is the same, and it helps to support this site. Hopefully some of the other "regulars" will also provide some input on your plans, however my impression is that you have too many cities for a 23 day trip (given the distances you will be covering). It will be interesting to see what kind of suggestions are provided by Railsaver? Good luck!!!
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case
Junior Travel Member
Posts: 6
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Post by case on May 2, 2006 13:35:10 GMT -5
I have to say that overnight trains are a great way to go, but go with a sleeper car if possible (I know it's more expensive but 2nd class is usually doable). I took a seat on an overnight train from Madrid to Lisbon and holy crap was I regretting it! We got stuck on the end facing two other travelers, I've never been so uncomfortable for so long. But, we didn't make sleeper reservations in advance so we were stuck with what was available.
That's another thing. If you have to be in a certain city on a certain day, make a reservation to be sure you can get on the train you need, especially with overnight trains.
PS. I spent the year in Florence for study abroad and you have to go to Ruth's vegetarian kosher restaurant (it's next to the only Synagogue in town). My Italian prof recommended it and it's great!
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