We are considering taking our boys (will be ages 11 & 14) back to Europe next summer. They have traveled to visit family in Northern Ireland before and are good travelers. While we want to visit family again in the Belfast area - we would also like to visit a cousin in Northern Scotland, a friend in Paris as well as Normandy (husband & son are history buffs); Wiesbaden, Germany (where my parents met) and Basel; Switzerland (where my parents married). I think our trip would be about 20 days and we would likely fly out of Chicago. I am trying to figure out the most efficient (in terms of time and cost) itinerary. I am not sure where we should fly into and if it makes sense to rent a car and then take ferries or if we should fly between countries or a combination of the two. Also, we are open to staying at hostels when not staying with family and friends and would welcome insights/suggestions regarding family hostels.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
So, in 20 days, you want to connect:
Northern Ireland
Northern Scotland
Normandy, France
Basel, Switzerland
Weisbaden, Germany (could alternate position with Basel)
That order seems logical, and you can buy a "multi-city" airline ticket from Chicago to Ireland but home from Frankfurt (or from Basel/Mulhouse). For your transportation within Europe, you'll need several separate pieces, including:
Train/bus/car within Ireland
Ferry to Scotland - see www.aferry.com or www.seaview.co.uk
Train/bus/car within Scotland - there is a BritRail pass for just Scotland
Fly to France - see www.skyscanner.com
Train through your remaining three countries - Book 3 - 4 months ahead for the best rate on the rather expensive, reserved train from Paris to Basel (or Paris to Germany). See also https://ricksteves-cms.herokuapp.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/buying-tickets.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7779 posts
It's great that you have friends and relatives to visit, and what a great opportunity for your kids! In Normandy, if you stay in Bayeux, it's not a hostel, but we stayed at a convent B&B that was in Rick Steves' France guidebook. I don't have access to that guide immediately, but let me know if you need the name and contact info & I'll get it (Rick's book was a must for our time in Normandy) . The nuns run a great place, the price was really good, and breakfast the next morning included huge bowls of coffee or hot chocolate for dunking your rolls and jam. A bunch of kids suddenly entered the room for breakfast, too, and left quickly. We didn't quite find out if that was a summer "camp" kind of thing or a special church program, or what.
There's a fabulous neighborhood bakery and charcuterie across the street and down a couple of doors, and we were within really easy walking distance of the Bayeux Tapestry and the cathedral. We stumbled into town the weekend of their annual Medeival Fest, too - bet your kids would have a blast!
Posted by
Reston, VA, USA
809 posts
So you are looking at 6 locations, several of them with friends or family you want to spend time with, over 20 days? Figure a half-day travel at least to connect each, which brings you down to 17 days - so you will have about 3 days in each spot. Do you want to sightsee in the places with family/friends, or just hang out with them? It seems to me to be a LOT of moving around and some fairly significant distances; I'd suggest you consider saving Wiesbaden and Basel for another trip, and spend a few more days in your other four locations. Or substitute a few days in Edinburgh and then fly EasyJet from there to Paris.
If you are thinking about renting a car, be aware that there are likely to be significant fees if you drop off in a different country from where you picked the car up.
Whatever you decide, have a great trip!
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7779 posts
Well . . . digging out the old 2008 Rick Steves' France book, I don't find that Bayeux convent mentioned! I thought it was a Rick recommendation, but we also used the Lonely Planet guidebook on that trip -- maybe that's where we got the convent tip. If they're still offering beds and breakfasts there 6 years later, and you can find the details, it would be worth considering.
Posted by
OP
Sheboygan Falls
4 posts
Thanks for the information so far. Thought a little more background might help - We spent 20 days in Ireland four years ago, 3 days touring on our own in the Republic and the remaining days were spent with family (including 7 others who came over from the US) and sight seeing in the north (Newtownards/Bangor). This trip I envision spending a bit of time visiting with family in Northern Ireland and a few days sightseeing in Scotland, as we have never been, as well as visiting my cousin and family. I would like to see my friend and her family in Paris but neither my husband nor I feel a great need to spend much time in the city. As far as Wiesbaden and Basel go - I just thought it would be neat to show my kids and see for myself where my side of the family started - my Irish mother met my airforce MP father in Wiesbaden and the city where they married - Basel. As was stated - this might have to wait for another trip.