In early may 2015 we are planning a 3 week trip( +a day or two, whatever we have left of vacation time). We'll fly into Amsterdam on a Friday after work and arrive midday Saturday, spend a few nights there, then take the train to Paris. We have 6 days/7 nights there, then I had planned to visit Interlaken and Lake Maggiore for 8-10 days, then head on to Venice for 4-6 days.
So, we really wanted to visit Ireland if possible, but have already seen England, so we'd like to skip that for now. Munich, Vienna, Denmark, Marseilles, Genoa, Milan, or Turin were other preferred options. It would be May 20-30 that we would leave Paris, so is the weather good enough then to visit mountain towns or Italian/Swiss Lake Towns? Would it be a good idea to rent a car on one of the last days in Paris to visit lots of little places in between Paris and Venice(on a budget, BUT I really love driving)? Should we stop in some other lesser known areas along the train from Paris to Venice instead of the Alps and lakes(if we don't go the car route)?
The last time I visited, I had the best experience in Florence, so I'm partial to Italy. My fiance speaks some French so she's partial to France. We're in our early 30's and will be backpacking so we don't need anything too safe or fancy. We don't know how long it might be until we're able to do this again, so we are open to a somewhat crazy itinerary too.
I've heard that renting a car is expensive, especially taking it through Switzerland and insuring it in Italy, so I'm open to maybe returning the car in Dijon, Geneva, or Bern and taking the train into Italy. I'd love to hear any and all advice or recommendations people might have.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
This does not quite add up.
That is, a few nights in A'dam + 7 in Paris + 8 in Alps/ northern Italy + 4 in Venice is a full 3 weeks, so why are you asking about other destinations?
On the other hand I think you will be disappointed in the Alps in May, so will pitch a completely different idea to you. which is to fly to Venice from Paris and then work your way to Rome. Or, to head to Provence from Paris and then to Turin and Venice.
if you have car cravings, a car will serve you well in Provence.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"So, we really wanted to visit Ireland if possible, but have already seen England, so we'd like to skip that for now."
Not sure what you mean by this. You can easily visit Ireland, then fly to continental European destinations, without going to England at all. To investigate flight options, use Skyscanner: http://www.skyscanner.com/
I've never been to Switzerland, but numerous posts here indicate that early May is a bad time for the Alps (very iffy weather, off season so lots of places close, and some lifts are closed for maintenance). The Italian lakes, on the other hand, should be very nice. Other than the Alps, weather in early May in most of Europe is lovely, and you have the advantage of long daylight hours too.
Yes, cars rented in one country and dropped in another come with high surcharges (the lowest I've seen posted here was €100 and the highest was €600). Of course, this has to be balanced against the cost of whatever alternative transport you'd by using. Cars returned in the country of pickup (even if different cities) usually have no surcharge. To drive on highways in Switzerland, you need a vignette (windshield sticker), currently 40 CHF for one year (shorter term not possible). On French and Italian highways, you'll pay tolls, some surprisingly high. To get estimated driving times and costs (tolls and gas) in Europe, you can use http://www.viamichelin.com/. Key word, of course, is "estimated."
Don't overlook the option of taking a cheap flight from Paris to Italy; you can then take trains or rent a car in each place if you want to drive around smaller towns and rural areas. If you're thinking of driving in Italy, be sure you know about ZTL's.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7897 posts
Consider Vienna - the weather should be beautiful in early May. Also, for Alpine parts of Switzerland and Austria, you likely won't be snowed in or encounter freezing blizzards, if that's your question. Bigger towns should have very pleasant weather, but you won't get the best of winter or summer (with best skiing or hiking opportunites).
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Hello Robert. You said you wish to go to Amsterdam, Paris, Lake Magiore, Venice. That will fill the three weeks. Do not rent a car.