21 days in western europe

[archdukej]

I might be stretching myself a bit too thin, but I was hoping you guys could check over this itinerary.

Salzburg - 3
St. Johann/PG - 3
Vienna - 3
Aachen - 2
Brussels - 2
Luxembourg - 2
Reims - 2
Caen - 2
Paris -3

I want to hit up Aachen because of it's historical context. I've heard a few bad things about Brussels and was thinking maybe about Brugge. But what about Reims to Caen and back to Paris? Too little time in Paris?

Justin

[archdukej]

Well, things have changed and I have already made arrangements for a few places. But here's the itinerary I am working with now.

Salzburg - 3 nights
St. Johann/PG - 3
Vienna - 4
Luxembourg - 2
Reims - 2
Arras - 1
Paris - 4

In with the Paris stay is a day-trip to Caen to see the Juno Beach war museum.

Justin

[me]

what's taking you to Sankt Johann im Pongau? i know nothing of this place, so i'm curious.

Reims has a nice cathedral, but i don't remember much else. [went there as a teen con mis padres. Dad was grossed out when a woman at a street café's next table feed ice cream to her dog, then kept eating from the same spoon ]

too bad you've dropped Aachen, one of Europe's "capitols" when it was where Karl der Grosse, a King of the Franks who was crowned "Emperor" by the pope in 800, lived.

if history is an interest, perhaps a visit to Münster would fit? Treaty of Münster, one of two that make up the Peace of Westphalia, was negotiated there in 1648. as i've mentioned before, Peace of Westphalia set the rules of international relations for almost 350 years.

EU's pooled sovereignty is notable for it's dejure abandonment of the Westfphalian system for relations between states within the EU.

[herrbert]

Hi Justin,

St. Johann im Pongau is a nice little place in the Alps, and the Liechensteinklamm www.liechtensteinklamm.at/english/klamm.htm is surely worth a visit, but it's not really long, but nice to see. (I can remember spending not more than 30 minutes to reach the end of it, and 30 to get back to the entrance)

If you want to go hiking, I would opt for a town in Pinzgau. Somewhere between Krimml and Mittersill. (I am completely biased, as I spend about 15 holidays here, In Habachtal to be precise). For hiking this is paradise, but is also an area, where a car would do perfectly. In Pinzgau, you have one mean valley, with the roads, and trainconnections, and paralel to it is the mainridge of the Alps, and in between them from North to South a lot of smaller valleys, that you can hike in, and that is declared National Park, so cars are limited, to the cabins, and the few people that live there, and in most valleys some taxis, but normaly not more than 2 or 3 trips a day. If you want you can even sleep in one of the cabins in the mountains. These cabins are small restaurants, you can go for a drink, or a meal.

Coming from Salzburg, you might want to make a stop in Werfen for eisriesenwelt (I should get paid, for the number of times, I mention this ... , check www.eisriesenwelt.com

Salzburg and Vienna are perfect for the days. France I leave to the rest.

[archdukej]

I'm going to Reims to check out France outside of the big city. Maybe get a feel for the smaller cities on the way to Paris. Arras because it's close to Vimy, where there's a large Canadian war memorial. As well, small French town.

As far as Sankt Johann im Pongau, it's where my Grandma's family is from and I am hoping to find some relatives. I realize it's probably a long time to spend somewhere so small, it is essentially the point of my trip. Hopefully I don't come up empty-handed and spend three days in small-town Austria. At the very least, it will give me a chance to clear my head early in the trip before it starts to get crazy in Vienna. I am staying at Wombats Lounge, which I understand can get a bit nuts.

Justin