length of stay allowed

Debra, If you look lust below the thread you started to the thread called "schengen question" which can also be found by clicking on http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/95035/schengen-question.html Much of what might be written to you was written there, so that may be a good place to start.

Debra, As shown in the link that Nigel provided, you're allowed to stay in the Schengen area (about 25 countries) for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period. While the U.K. and Ireland are part of the E.U., I don't believe they're part of the Schengen tourist visa. You may find it helpful to have a look at the U.K. Border Agency website. There are some countries in eastern Europe that are also not included in the Schengen area. Happy travels!

A summary I have previously written is: When travelling to a foreign country you need permission from that country to go there. Most countries do that by means of a Visa. The visa will allow you entry for a specified length of time and the conditions under which you may remain. Many of the countries of the European Union, and at least one from the EEA, have signed a treaty named for where it was signed, Schengen. Assuming you are a US citizen, (or of various other specified countries) the provisions can save you obtaining a formal visa for travel to those countries in Europe. If you are not coming to work but only as a tourist you can go to the following countries: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark (excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands) Estonia Finland France (excluding overseas departments and territories) Germany Greece Hungary Iceland (EEA) Italy Latvia Liechtenstein (EEA) Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands (excluding Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands) Norway (excluding Svalbard)(but including Jan Mayen) (EEA) Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain (excluding Ceuta and Melilla) Sweden Switzerland (not EEA but Council of Europe) and three micro-states not members but allowing free travel over borders: Monaco San Marino
Vatican. ... more ...

... continued ... Entry into one of these allows entry into all of those. The restriction is quite key: Being admitted into the Schengen area is only for 90 days in any 180. If you overstay a Schengen visa waiver there can be high fines and other penalties. The 90 day clock will pause if you leave the Schengen area to a country such as UK or Ireland, and the 180 day clock keeps running. If you are going for 6 months half of that time would need to be outside the above list.
To go 6 months you will probably need a long term visa from a specific country which are hard to get, and the process is slow and expensive.

That previous post was for somebody who hoped to stay 6 months. I see that you hope for 6 to 9 months. That may be even more difficult without a long stay visa. To clarify some specifics in your post, it is important to get familiar with terms: You refer to "Continental Europe". Europe is composed 50 sovereign countries and several more areas which are not. Only Iceland, UK, Ireland and (maybe, Cyprus and Malta) are not considered "Continental". Only 28 of those are in the Schengen Area. You use "months". Months don't enter into it, it is days. No more than 90 days in any 180. 3 months is not the same as 90 days. It is the number of actual days an individual spends any part of a day in the Schengen area. Each country not participating in the Schengen accords sets their own visa and entry requirements. I have not checked all the rest of the 50 countries in Europe. You would need to do that. I can answer about Schengen and about the UK, where I live. I have no idea how long you might be able to stay in, say, Albania. If you are granted entry into the UK if you can demonstrate sufficient funds and accommodation you would often be granted up to 6 months. So, if all worked out, under Schengen rules you could use up your 90 days all in one go (you don't have to, you can spread them out if you wish), leaving the Schengen area on the 90th day, go to Wales and spend 90 days there - your 180 day clock would now be spent - and return to Italy for up to 90 in the next 180. Usual disclaimer - not a lawyer, don't play one on TV, not a travel writer, may be wrong, not an immigration official Check official sources

Thank you, that answers my question. So grateful for this very helpful message board!

Here's my understanding: You can only stay in the schengen area for 90 days within a 180 day period. A new period starts every time you enter the schengen area (so you have multiple 180 day periods) and you may not have in any of those periods more than 90 days. If you did what you wrote, 90 days in the schengen area, 90 days outside of the area, then you would be OK to go back in to the schengen area for another 90 days because your original 180 day window would have lapsed on the day that you reenter the schengen area. A new 180 day window would start at that point. That is a pretty straight forward example.