europe trip first time

So, are we to understand that it is July 16 today, you plan to leave in August for 21 day trip and you haven't done any planning at all? Have you bought your plane ticket yet? Do you know that all of France and their dogs go to the Riviera in August? Getting a hotel room in Nice at this late date will be a challenge, just one of the many you face if you are really serious about your itinerary.

Go in September. Less crowds and heat, but plenty warm enough for you to enjoy (if that is the word) those stony beaches in Nice. And you'll have more time to plan your trip.

Seriously, were it me I'd pick September--it's a perfect time to travel.

September is still going to be fairly crowded for most of the places he listed, crowds don't begin to thin out until October....there just won't be as many Americans around after labor day. But it will be a bit cooler.

Plan or not, that's one of the biggest shotgun projects I've ever seen. The inter-spot transportation time and expense is going to make sure you don't see anything and go broke doing it.

Get a map. Put some dots on it. Try to connect them.

Without scratching my head too hard, it looks like there are five three-quarter day moves, maybe full day moves since you have to find a place to sleep each time or at least get to it, so the whole day is shot.

If you've actually got nineteen effective days in europe and spend five moving around, that gives you two days in each city.

By the time you've been home a couple of months, everything is goind to fuzz together.

Maybe settle for London, Paris, Rome -- in that order. Arrive London and depart Rome. That covers the first-tier places and they're different enough that you can remember them.

I am just going to echo Norma's post. You want to go to all of those places in 19 days (not going to count day of arrival and departure), and you're just now starting plan it?

Also, I am all for visiting as many places as you can, especially on your first trip, but you might really want to cut out a couple of these places. This is due to not only time constrictions but also location. You'll probably want to skip either Barcelona and Nice or Rome and Milan -- too much backtracking otherwise.

I have to agree with Ed. With 21 days and no significant planning time, I'd pick 2 or 3 places and stay there. Even doing one country would simplify things. I agree that September or October would be a better time to go, too. More planning time, fewer crowds, possibly more "tolerable" weather in the southern locations. Personally, I'd do London, Barcelona and Rome- in that order- using cheap flights between them. Why? I love London, and have always wanted to see Rome and Barcelona, but haven't made it there yet. Paris is not my cup of tea, but it is a part of the "Big Three" and would make a good, fairly easy to plan trip, if it interests you. Arrive London, Eurostar to Paris, cheap flight to Rome.

Thank you for your replies. They are all good advises. It is the only month (August) that we could leave because September, kids start going back to school. Yes, I think, too many cities to see and we will try to slim down the places or countries to see. I always wanted to see Barcelona, have to visit a friend in Lucerne, Switzerland and probably take off to Toronto from Paris.

Maybe we should consider going then in September if I can swing it. Thank you all.