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Dec/Jan trip

Posted by on

Hi all,

I recently travelled to America in winter (Dec/Jan: LA, NY, Vegas and San Fran) for a month and am dreaming of an European Christmas and New Year now. I've read a lot of advice that says that europe is just as wonderful in winter, and I can't wait. I'm not into skiing or winter sports, but love museums, going out, food and culture and am hoping to avoid the crowds I will experience in summer. I think the below trip will compliment really well with my summer trip I am taking in jun/July (Italy/Switzerland/Croatia for 6 weeks).

I'd love your valuable advice. I'll be backpacking, late 20's and I prefer an aggressive style itinerary. I will be doing an organised tour over Christmas/NYE so I can't modify that part of my plan. Just checking that the route is logical, that the number of nights are doable and that the places I have chosen are good winter options as I understand day light hours will be minimal.

Fly Sydney to London - 5 nts
Fly to Prague - 2 nts (actually 4)
Organised tour starts in Prague: 2 nts Prague (Christmas) 2 nts Krakow, 1 nt Bratislava, 1 nt Vienna, 2 nts Budapest (NYE) tour finishes in Budapest
2 extra nts in Budapest
Train to Salzburg - 2 nts
Train to Munich - 4 nts
Overnight CNL to Berlin - 1 nt
Berlin - 4 nights
Train to Amsterdam - 4 nights
Train to Brugges - 2 nts
Train to Paris - 5 nts
Fly home

Thanks in advance

Posted by
7132 posts

Looks like a nice trip overall.

Seeing only Munich and Berlin means missing out on old-world Germany. I think you'd be wise to stop over for 1-2 nights in a place in between, like Bamberg.

http://us.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/travel/201204167748/Bamberg-Germany-photo-gallery/0-36-599/a_0137_0007-a.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg#/media/File:Bamberg_town_hall_from_opposite_bridge.jpg
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/624
http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/bambpubs.htm

Your schedule does not seem "aggressive" to me. You actually have a little play here and there as your outdoor activities are going to be limited at that time of year.

You have 5 full days and nights in Berlin and about 3.5 days with 4 nights in A'dam. It would be possible to leave Berlin on your 5th day at around 3 pm and get to A'dam by around 9 pm - then spend just 3 more nights in A'dam... still 4 nights but this trick reduces your stay in both cities by about half a day each. That alone would give you time for a short visit in Bamberg.

I've never been to Bruges in January but I suspect it's a pretty quiet place then; you may want to look at spending that time elsewhere. Antwerp isn't huge but I thought it was quite a cool place and it's right on the train line between A'dam and Paris.

Posted by
11613 posts

I agree with Russ about Bamberg (or Nurnberg, nearby).

Christmas markets are generally open through the first weekend after New Year, so there will be street crowds, but not people rushing from sight to sight, mostly strolling and enjoying a warm cup of wine.

I spent three nights in Speyer and three in Brugge last month, save time for chocolate shopping!

Posted by
7132 posts

"Christmas markets are generally open through the first weekend after New Year..."

If you look into it, I think you'll find that the markets open after Christmas are very few in number. Speyer is one of the exceptions.

Posted by
7175 posts

Looks really nice Brooke.

Could you fly in to Munich?
Munich > Salzburg > Prague.
Then your tour to Budapest.
Fly Budapest to Berlin.
Eurostar to London after Paris.
Fly home from London.

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