6 weeks in Europe and UK

[rozanne]

Okay this is what my friend and I have gotten together for an itinerary to visit europe in September/October for 6 weeks.

Fly to London
London 3days
Lake District 3days
Scotland 3days
Travel Day to get to Amsterdam by boat 1day ( ???Could this work?)
Netherlands 4days
Germany 7days
Prague 4days (with day trips out)
Vienna 3days
Salzburg 2days
Innsbruck 2days
Venice 1day
Boat trip to Corfu from Venice??? 3days
Switzerland 3days
Loire Valley 2days
Paris 4days
Back to London and fly home 2days

::)I haven't reckoned in any travel days except the one from Scotland because most of the distances are pretty small. Is this a good idea or should I set aside a whole day for traveling in any case?

::)We were thinking of going over onto the continent via Amsterdam but we have no desire to stay there. I've heard that the Netherlands is very beautiful but is there really something to see/do if you don't want to go to Amsterdam? Where would be a good place to stay other than Amsterdam, maybe somewhere more in the country?

::)We're not sure where we want to go in Germany yet even though I really want to see the place. I'm planning on doing some more research. We're mostly into nature and culture and small towns. Any good suggestions?

::)My friend really wants to go to Venice and she has taken a fancy too doing a boat trip to Corfu (not to see Corfu, just for the whole boat thing). As far as I can remember you get a free boat trip from Venice to Corfu with a eurail pass, I'll just double check that. More importantly though is it practicable? How long would it take, is it worth it and what type of boat would you typically be using? Also, (if the boat trip doesn't work out) is it possible to do Venice as a day-trip from anywhere?

::)Where do you stay when you go to the Loire Valley or can you do it as a daytrip from Paris(??)?

Thanks!

[herrbert]

Hi Rozanne,

A boat connection to Amsterdam takes a lot of time. (I think you are looking at the connection Newcastle - Hoek van Holland if you want to go like that). I would rather take a flight.

Amsterdam has a couple of good museums, if that is what you like.

If you would like to visit some nature reserves, then you can take a look at the Veluwe (base yourself in Arnhem), or maybe visit the Biesbosch. www.biesbosch.org/. Other places that can be nice to visit are Maastricht in the South (would make a good combination with the Rhine Valley and Cologne), Groningen (in the North).

For small places in Germany, I think you find Rotherburg to be a favourite on this site. There are also some nice places in the Eiffel/Mosel region. If you would like to do some hiking in the mountains, then look at the Berchtesgaden-Konigssee area, or maybe have a longer stay in Austria.

If you like a green city, with lot's to see, then I would reckon to stay one more day in Vienna. (If you have seen Vienna in three days), you could still go to see nearby Bratislava (capital of Slovakia)

I think that a flight to Greece would by a lot faster, and if i am not mistaken these go at night, so your friend wouldn't see much.

[rozanne]

Thanks! I think I'm going to convince my frind that a boat trip on the Rhine or a lake in Switzerland would be more worthwhile and rather add three extra days to either Vienna or Switzerland.

Also I'm not sure but I think maybe we'll rather take less time in the Netherlands and more in Germany. Of the two which would you recomend?

[Eagle]

rozanne, I have a few comments to add as well.

Regarding possible destinations in Germany, I agree with herrbert that Rothenburg is an excellent choice (the Night Watchman's tour is very entertaining!). You could also consider Berlin (should be easy to fit on the way to Prague) or Munich (an easy trip from Austria). Of the two cities, Munich is perhaps the one that best fits your criteria of "nature, culture and small towns". The downtown (Marienplatz) is awesome, and most people take a day to either tour King Ludwig's Castles and/or a visit to the historical site at Dachau.

If you haven't bought air tickets yet, I'd highly recommend looking at open-jaw tickets, so that you don't have to return to London. Which city you choose as your last stop will depend on what air connections are available to your home city. Speak with a travel agent about the "open-jaw" concept.

I'm not entirely sure the boat trip from Venice to Corfu is a good idea. From what I recall it's a LONG trip and if so would be a waste of valuable travel time. However, I'd have to double check that?

Where are you planning to visit in Switzerland? If your friend is intent on taking a boat trip, the town of Interlaken sits between two lakes, so short (day) boat trips are possible.

Venice is a bit "out of the way" to do as a day trip, even though it might be feasible. You might want to allocate two days for Venice.

BTW, where are you flying from? Also, it appears that Venice is your only stop in Italy. Are there other places in Italy that might interest you?

I'll try and have a more detailed look at your plans in the next day or so, and post additional comments.

Cheers!

[rozanne]

I'm from South-Africa and flying from Johannesburg. I don't know if this will affect the possibilty of flying with an open-jaw ticket but I'll definitely remember to check with the travel agent when we book our tickets.

[herrbert]

rozanne said:

Thanks! I think I'm going to convince my frind that a boat trip on the Rhine or a lake in Switzerland would be more worthwhile and rather add three extra days to either Vienna or Switzerland.

Also I'm not sure but I think maybe we'll rather take less time in the Netherlands and more in Germany. Of the two which would you recomend?

I live in the Netherlands, and very close to the German border, so for me both countries are not that special, as they are the 'norm' for me. I think Berlin is a place not to be missed. Because of the history of the place, the art and music scene at this moment, and also for seeing places like the Pergamom museum (closed on mondays). I think Rotherburg in Germany is a nice place to visit, the same for Nördlingen, in fact they are not that far apart. (Nördlingen is a bit further south). (So maybe a route: Berlin - (somewhere in the Härzgebirge) - Rotherburg - Nördlingen - Munich (daytrips to the Castles) - Innsbruck - Salzburg - Prague - Vienna, could work out.

If you are travelling in September/October I would suggest going a little bit further south in Italy or go to Spain in the last few weeks of the trip, so you are almost certain of good weather. A place like Rome has lots of culture and history, and if you like to see how Christians and Muslims could live together then maybe check out Granada & Sevilla.

[me]

herrbert said:

and if you like to see how Christians and Muslims could live together then maybe check out Granada & Sevilla.

are there many Muslims living in Andalucía now? after the "Moors" were kicked out 500 years ago, i didn't think they'd stuck around.

and after the Madrid train bombings, i thought the Spanish had become even less hospitable to those Muslims who'd more recently moved to the country, post-Franco.

- d

[francefiend]

Where do you stay when you go to the Loire Valley or can you do it as a daytrip from Paris(??)?

No, it cannot be done as a day trip from Paris. If you are traveling to the Loire without a car, stay in Tours or Amboise.

Advice from people who know more than me

[herrbert]

me said:

herrbert said:

and if you like to see how Christians and Muslims could live together then maybe check out Granada & Sevilla.

are there many Muslims living in Andalucía now? after the "Moors" were kicked out 500 years ago, i didn't think they'd stuck around.

and after the Madrid train bombings, i thought the Spanish had become even less hospitable to those Muslims who'd more recently moved to the country, post-Franco.

- d

Should have wrote lived.

to go back to history:

It is not that easy to say that they were trown out. Most people stayed in Spain, but officialy turn Christian. (only on paper). But during the reign of the Moorish leaders, the inhabitans of these places lived peacefully together during a long time (5-7 centuries).

In the places were I come (so mainly Madrid), I haven't noticed that Muslims are treated a lot different. I think (and hope) that in Spain most people know that only extremists will do things like that. And Spain (unfortunately) already has a long history of bombings.