Birthday_Trip_2025

Happy Birthday! Well, Europe is a grand way to celebrate, but I fear you want to move around too much in 10 days with four stops. You will spend a good part of your travel days in just that, travel, leaving you only 6 or 7 days at the most enjoying your destinations.
My comments are:
1. September is the most expensive month of the year to visit Paris. It is fashion month, and there are many business conventions in town that month also. Lodging is hard to find and prices are much, much higher.
2. If you are thinking of the Normandy beaches as a one day visit from Paris, know that more than half your day will be in transit, allowing you only an afternoon for a tour. If you spend the night there, in Bayeux, for example, you will have a better visit.
3. You will have to return to Paris (probably Orly airport) to fly to Munich or Prague. Whether you fly or take the train, your day will be used up in moving. (Remember the time involved in security checks before flights, getting to and from airports or train stations, checking out of and into lodgings, and the time for a train ride or flight.)
4. Train time from Paris to Munich 6-7 hours; from Paris to Prague, 10 hours, from Munich to Prague (or vice-versa) 6 hours.
5. Flight times are quicker, but you need to be at the airport about 2 hours ahead of time for security.
6. Perhaps pick two locations to celebrate your special day. IMO Paris is the premier city in Europe, but I avoid it in September due to the higher expenses then. If, however, you favor Paris, then go by all means! It is in a class by itself and never fails to enchant. And a stay in Paris of a week, with two more days for the Normandy area would fit your time frame. You will NOT run out of things to see and do in Paris in a week. (As a matter of fact, you will probably wish you had more time there.)
Munich is a very joyous and joyful city, great for celebrations. It is often underestimated but has tons of interesting things which I won't cover here. Prague is interesting, very affordable, has lots of concerts, but IMO is less "fun". Many will disagree with me on that, but we all have different likes and preferences.
7. Open air bus tours in Normandy and Paris, meh. I have only taken them in Dublin and London, so can't comment. Museums will be found in all your locations, especially Paris, but you won't be disappointed anywhere you mentioned. Food, delicious options everywhere also.
8. When you finally decide on your destinations, let the forum know for more detailed recommendations.

Bonne chance et bon voyage! Bon anniversaire!

The prior detailed answer covers a lot, I'll just ditto that picking two locations is going to give you more time on the ground in each, three will be a whirlwind. Every time you change locations you lose about a half day to travel. I suggest you fly into one city and home from another to maximize your time. This is called "multi city" or "open jaw" in flight searches.

It's a little unclear how much time you have based on your question (is it two weeks or 10 days?). Whatever time you have, chart out your trip by days and where you're going to sleep to help you visualize logistics (and by no means is this what you should do, it's just an illustration):

Day 1 - leave USA flight to Paris
Day 2 - arrive Paris, sleep Paris
Day 3 - Paris
Day 4 - Paris
Day 5 - Paris in morning, afternoon train to Bayeux, sleep Bayeux
Day 6 - Normandy Beach tour
Day 7 - morning train to Paris area airport, afternoon flight to Munich, sleep Munich
Day 8 - Munich
Day 9 - Munich
Day 10 - fly back to USA

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your celebration. Just make reservations for hotels and any special meals well in advance due to the busy times in Paris and Munich.

What a great birthday present!

Yes, you're really squeezing a lot into 10 days. As Judy said, every travel day takes away from your time being and experiencing your destinations.

For 10 days, I would choose 2 places.

If Normandy Beaches is top priority, I would combine a few days along the coast with a stay in Paris.

Another idea. Would you consider swapping Munich for 3 nights in the Alsace area of France. You won't get the huge beer tents and the crazy Oktoberfest crowds, but you can enjoy the region's German influence with good beers and food along with some picturesque villages. Spend the rest of your time in Paris with a day tour to the D-Day beaches.

If beer and Oom pah pah are what your after, then save France for another trip and just go to Munich and Prague and enjoy your birthday.

Of course, there are other combinations you could do.

Choices, choices. Good luck!

It's not open-air, but Bustronome.com makes for a fun celebration dinner in Paris.
I'd say you better get to choosing so you can make your reservations before prices get any higher.
Happy birthday!

I'm going to take the majority view- just do 2 cities, plus a 1 or 2 night stay in Bayeux. And book those flights and hotels yesterday! Finding a D Day tour with availability this late may also be a trick. Both Paris and Munich will be expensive, with some difficulty with availability due to your late booking, but both are very much worthwhile. If you have 2 full weeks, and not just 10 days, you might be able to fit in an overnight in Salzburg from Munich. For sure look into multicity flights into Paris and out of Munich.

I looked at it and I say it works …………… in 11 days.

With 10 days take one day out of Paris. But I think it’s a mistake because, honestly your biggest cost is crossing the Atlantic and two weeks is 16 days. Either way 10 or 16 I suspect you miss the entire week of work. So, use it (in which case you have five more days than what is below. I would add a stop in Cesky Krumlov on the way to Prague. You can do that fairly economically with 3 or 4 people using Daytrip.com to reach Cesky, maybe see Passau on the way, spend one or two nights, then CK Shuttle will get you to Prague for about $50 each.
But With ELEVEN Days. It works pretty nice I think.

1 Saturday Depart USA (DAY 1)
2 Sunday arrive Paris about noon (a guess)
3 Monday see Paris but get a guide because your time is short.
4 Tuesday go on small group tour to Normandy. They last 12 to 14 hours and cost $150 to $350 a person. Maybe 6 hours of that is travel.
5 Wednesday see more of Paris
6 Thursday see more of Paris

OPTION 1:
6 Thursday night NightJet to Munich. Two to three hundred dollars a ticket for a sleeping compartment. But only runs on very selective dates. Not sure on your dates. Next morning,
7 Friday, start drinking beer in Munich.

OPTION 2:
7 Friday Morning train to Munich. I would guess 7 hours door to door right now. A couple of direct trains buy not good hours and not much faster. With one change you can get there by early to midafternoon. $85 a ticket. Start Drinking Beer in Munich

OPTION 3:
7 Friday Morning fly to Munich. About 5 hours door to door. A few hundred dollars a ticket and you can be checked into your hotel by noon. Start Drinking Beer in Munich

8 Saturday. More beer drinking in Munich
9 Sunday, Munich to Prague

OPTION 1:
9 Sunday, Take the train to Prague. 7 to 8 hours door to door and requires a change. Mid to late afternoon arrival in Prague. Maybe $65 a ticket.
10 Monday in Prague
11 Tuesday in Prague
12 Thursday depart for home

OPTION 2:
Sunday, Fly Munich to Prague. 5 hours door to door and you will be checked into your hotel long before lunch. Probably close to $200 a ticket.
10 Monday in Prague
11 Tuesday in Prague
12 Thursday depart for home
Technically you have 3 more days in your two weeks. Put the days in Paris or Munich or Prague.

Just wondering if the OP has decided on his itinerary. I am always curious about whether any suggestions here are accepted. There is always so much great info and help on the forum!