Alternate 12.5 days Iten. for Europe

Day 1: land Brussels 6 a.m. Take it easy, but stay awake until after dinner.
Days 2 & 3: In Brussels.
Day 4: Train to Paris in a.m. (1.5 hours).
Day 5: Paris; take night train to Venice
Day 6: Venice (arr. in early a.m.)
Day 8: Venice; pick up car in afternoon & drive to nearest outlying destination
Days 9-12: Italy, various
Day 12, mid-afternoon: return car in Venice
Evening of day 12: board night train in Venice for Frankfurt, arr. in Frankfurt in a.m. of day 13, ready to fly out that afternoon

OR, the skipping-Paris option:

Days 1-3 as above
Day 4: night train from Brussels to Venice (if there is such a thing)
Day 5: Venice (arr. early a.m.)
Day 6: Venice; pick up car in early afternoon & drive to nearest outlying destination
Days 7-12: Italy, various
Day 12 as above

Keep in mind that I have never rented a car or driven in Venice, so someone can correct me if it'd be better to rent one elsewhere.

I'm sure you'll have a great time, whatever you choose to do!

Whatever you decide, be sure to allow for jet lag the first day. If you don't take care of that, it can have negative effect for much more of your trip than just one day.

Well, although some of us (self included) have been advising you to consider skipping Italy in previous posts, I don't really know if that's a good idea after all given your #3 and #4 above. If you can get a good night train from Brussels or Paris to Venice, consider renting a car for driving around in Italy, and then get a good night train from Venice to Frankfurt, AND if you don't tire easily from the first jet-lagged day in Brussels and two night trains later in the trip (including the night before you fly out again), then don't skip Italy. Sounds to me like you'd regret it.

So: my thoughts for an itinerary, depending on the availability of night trains (continued in next post...)

There is too much to see to include everyting in one trip. I agree that including Italy is too ambitious for the time allowed.

I would consider dropping Vienna and adding Salzburg (one of the most beautiful cities anywhere). Fly into Paris, train to Brussels, train to Amsterdam, train to Koln (see the Dom and maybe Roman museum) then on to Munich/Salzburg by train via Rhine with a stop for a boat ride. It's a good idea to rent the car for the Romantic Road/final phase to Frankfurt.

This keeps the trip more compact and the travel times to a reasonable amount. It may also save hundreds per person.

I dont mean to be adamant or stubborn, but Italy is defnitely our top priority. So we are going to spend 7 full days there and split the rest in brussels and paris.
I just need to figure out the best way to travel between Paris and rest of Italy.
Are tickets are booked and can't be changed. Reaching brussels and leaving frankfurt.

Simran...if Italy is your top priority, then why would you suggest an alternate itinerary that leaves it out? Stick with your original target of seeing Italy if that's your heart's desire. But both itineraries you suggest are, IMHO, far too ambitious....two days for each city, minus the unpacking and repacking, minus the travel time between six cities...doesn't leave you with much time to see anything, or to relax! I would suggest you fly straight out of Brussels to Rome, then do the Rome-Florence-CT-Venice axis. Spend day 12 getting from Venice to Frankfurt (train or plane), overnite there (Andreas has had some suggestions on sights to see) then out to the airport for home. Leave the other destinations for your next trip ;)

yeah thats true. :)
i wish we cud get a much longer vacation :) it would be the best...hahahahahhaha
so Paris is nothing great?

Paris is a great city...but if you want Italy from Brussels with only 12 days, there's not enough time. If you want Paris, then do Brussels the day you arrive (Grand Place should do it), then Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, and Frankfurt.

I agree with Norm. Since you're not even that interested in Paris and you do consider Italy your top priority, then don't spend your precious vacation time in Paris. It'll still be there in a few years. Find the most efficient way to get from Brussels straight to Italy. That actually sounds like a really neat contrast.