2 Months in Western Europe

[inoue]

Hi,

I have been long-time lurker on this forum and this is my first post. ;D
First of all, I would like to say that this forum rocks.
Thanks to all who have helped on this forum. Your detailed explanations and guides have been useful and I am utterly grateful.

My husband and I have been planning our dream trip for some time. We're from Malaysia, and we're newlyweds who just turned 30. So this coming 2-month trip to Western Europe can be considered our honeymoon!

We've already booked our TO tickets, and expect to arrive in London on the 21st of June this year. We haven't bought our return tickets yet, but will soon enough. Below is our itinerary, please give us your thoughts:

21st June - 16:15 Arrive in London
London - 2N
Paris - 4N
Bruges - 2N
Brussels - 2N
Amsterdam - 3N
Berlin - 4N
Prague - 3N
Vienna - 2N
Hallstatt - 1N
Salzburg - 2N
Hungary - 3N
Munich - 3N
Lucerne - 3N
Gimmelwald - 3N
Milan - 2N
Venice - 2N
Florence - 3N
Rome - 4N
Cinque Terre - 2N
Monaco - 2N
Barcelona - 3N
Madrid - 3N
19th August - Fly back to Malaysia

We planned this based on our research on this forum hehe.
Anyway I have some few questions, hope the seasoned travelers here can give us some advice.

1. Does the above itinerary look ok for a 2-month trip? Does it seem like too many places ie. too rushed?

2. Did we miss any MUST-GO places that we should be really listing above?

3. Is Monaco a place worth visiting? Or should we take it out and slip Frankfurt in the itinerary instead?

4. Which are the 'hot-spots' that require us to book our accommodations alot earlier, considering the peak season?

5. For Cinque Terre, can we book our hostels 1 or 2 weeks prior to our visit? Is that too late?

6. We're interested in experiencing the Rhaetian Railway. What is the best way to go about it?

7. Last but not least, is the Eurail Global Pass (2-Month) our best best? Or should we be getting the point-to-point tickets there and then?

Thanks very much for any help/advice given.

[herrbert]

Hi inoue, a welcome would be a bit late ... but welcome to the boards in the way that you have become a poster ... ;D

Checking you route, I notice a few things.

1. is the low number of nights in London and Vienna. Both are big and beautiful cities, which would require more than 2 nights (1 day). to give them the credit they deserve.

2. From Vienna it would be easier to cross into Hungary, instead of backtracking from Salzburg.

If it was up to me, I would save Hungary for a later trip, and I would also check if there are flights between Venice or Pisa to Barcelona, and skip Monaco. It is a long trip by train, even when it is devided in two by the stop in Monaco. (I am not a fan of Frankfurt either.)

In peak season, almost everywhere you should book ahead. Some places are a must, like Paris and Amsterdam, but in peak season almost everybody is on the move in Europe, so my advice is to book ahead. It will also save you time on the road. (and some stress.)

My last tip so far, would be to check Eisriesenwelt as a daytrip from Salzburg.

[inoue]

Thx herrbert.
Agreed on your suggestions, and will put good thought into adjusting the itinerary.

Question though:
In our case, would it be advisable to take the Eurail Global Pass (2-Month)?