7 Weeks in Europe

[bex]

Hiya,
I'm new to all this, but I have been reading all the threads and posts religiously for the last couple of months haha. This is my first post, but I was just wanting to get some friendly advice on planning itineraries. My friend and I (Im from Aus and shes from Canada...but we will hopefully be meeting up in London or something), are planning on backpacking around Europe next year from about the end of may to the begining of July (roughly 49 days give or take). I know its a long way away but I love to plan haha, so I'm just gathering tips and advice and what not.

So here is a bit of a list of the places we want to go...apart from Scotland, where we will probably be spending a minimum of 5 days (because Im originally from there and I have family there)....most of the rest is up for debate. We're not sure how long we should spend in each place and if there is some we should miss out or definatley see. Ohhh I should mention that this is our first time to Europe. We will both be 20, and we love art/literature...but we also both love quirky things as well. anyway heres what we have so far (in no particular order),

Scotland
London
Paris
Brussels
Amsterdam
Nice
Monaco?
Milan
Florence
Rome
Venice
Salzburg
Vienna
Budapest
Brasov
Prague
Krakow
Berlin

Do you think this is realistic in 7 weeks? Anyway thanks in advance for the responses.
Bex

[Eagle]

bex,

To begin with, welcome to the Boards! I have a few comments to on some of the places you listed in your Itinerary.

You might consider meeting your friend in Scotland, as there are good flights from Canada with Air Canada, Air Transat or Canadian Affair. As you'll be with family, it would probably be a nicer place to get over jet lag.

On your way south to London, you might consider a stop in York for a day or two. It's a wonderful and historic city, and there's a good Hostel there in an old mansion.

Plan at least four or five days in London, as there's LOTS to see! London can be an expensive city, but many of the public Museums and other sights are free (although not all).

Take the EuroStar from London to Paris. It's a bit expensive, but I believe it is possible to get some discounts. You might consider Bruges instead of Brussels (unless there's a specific reason you want to visit Brussels?).

I'd recommend only two or three days in Amsterdam (herrbert can provide more specific advice on that).

For the south of France, I'd suggest using Nice as a "home base". There are some wonderful galleries and other sights there. It's easy to see Monaco or Villefranche as a day trip (as I recall, the Bus fare is only €1 each way).

My preference wouldn't be to spend too much time in Milan, unless you want to visit The Last Supper or see the Duomo. You could substitute the Cinque Terre or Lago di Como for Milan.

I'd suggest 2-3 days in Florence, perhaps two days in Venice (it's expensive!), and at least 4-6 days in Rome (there's LOTS to see - plan your touring carefully).

Salzburg is a beautiful city and it's a good spot to use as a home base for visiting other towns in the region. You could (for example) visit Berchtesgaden or Hallstatt (although spending a few nights in Hallstatt would be a good idea, as it's located in the incredibly beautiful Salzkammergut region - the town is over 5000 years old and has a Salt Mine that can be toured).

I'll leave the sights in Eastern Europe to the rest of the group, as I don't have a lot of information on them.

As usual, I would highly recommend pre-reading the Guidebook Europe Through The Back Door while you're planning your trip (your friend in Canada will be probably be able to find it in local bookstores - the 2011 edition will be released in the fall, but I don't have the exact date yet). Use country-specific Guidebooks for planning your touring, accommodations and transportation. If you're planning to stay in Hostels, check www.hihostels.com/dba/continent-EU.en.htm for information.

If you're planning to use a Railpass, note that these DO NOT include fees such as reservations which are compulsory on some trains, nor Couchette fees if you plan on using those.

Good luck with your planning!

[seanmtl]

Your list of cities looks good.

I always like to stay flexible and not have too many expectations (this way if I don't get to see a certain city, I won't be too disappointed). You'll meet a lot of people, and they'll all have recommendations of cities you have to see, if they sound interesting, then go!

btw You should check out the Rome > Barcelona ferries. If you're into Art you're going to love Barcelona. And the ferry is quite an experience...