Taking advantage of 3 weeks

Three weeks seems like a long time, and it is certainly a lovely length of time for a European trip, but your list of locations is a bit ambitious for 20-21 nights. You need to consider why you are going to each place, what you like to do/want to see, and the logistics of making some of the transfers. You might have a look at the website Rome2Rio for estimates on travel times so you can work out a route. For example, Istanbul to Budapest is a flight of over 5 hours, then Prague is a couple of hours by train from Budapest. Those three locations alone will likely take 10 nights (4 Istanbul, 3 each Budapest and Prague). You could easily spend 3 weeks in Italy alone.

What time of year are you planning to travel?

I think it's great that you are taking your boy to Europe. You have already encountered your biggest problem: what to do in three weeks.

Does your son have a favorite activity or interest? Is he old enough to participate in the planning?

As has already been said, 3 weeks isn't that long once you start mapping out the places. We need more information to help you out and even then, you will get dozens of different suggestions, so you may end up even more confused!

Helpful info -

When

Your interests

Age of son

Is this a budget or splurge holiday?

Pace of holiday

Seeing places in detail or just a quick visit?

Are you planning on hiring a car?

Is there anywhere you have already been and don't want to revisit?

As it stands, you will get lots of answers that don't match what you are looking for.

Personally, I wouldn't visit Istanbul at present with the increased terror threat, but that's just my view. I have been and it's an interesting city. I would be more comfortable visiting Paris, despite their issues.

Rome2rio.com is a good start for route planning. For trains, use seat61.com. Flights within Europe are best booked at least 6 months out for the best value and most flexibility. I have just booked for next March. Most rail fares should be booked 12 weeks out for the best prices.

I'll bet you are flying on Turkish Airline, which is inexpensive. Is that why you included Istanbul?

If that is not the case, I would plan on visiting Istanbul on another trip. It will save time and avoid more travel. Unless you take a Danube river cruise from Romania to Budapest.

Budapest is wonderful. If you can, stay at the Hotel Gellert right on the Danube.

Ljubljana is interesting, but not in my opinion to detour for.

Vienna and Prague would fit in nicely with Budapest. If you want to go to the Black Forrest, then try to make it to Triberg. Baden Baden is a larger city in the area. You can do this in conjunction with a trip to Switzerland.

Switzerland is very expensive, about 50% more in cost than Germany or Austria. Still, a trip to Interlake is nice for a couple of days. Go up to the top of the Youngfrau and see a glacier in the summer.

If you visit Florence, might as well do Venice. Save Rome for another trip. The Hotel Balestri is great, right on the Arno.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187895-d203902-Reviews-Hotel_Balestri-Florence_Tuscany.html

Slow down and don't try to do too much in a short period of time. Try to minimize or eliminate one night stops. Three nights in one place is really good, but two will usually suffice depending on the location. And remember this, it almost always takes more time to go from Point A to Point B than anticipated due to time spent checking in/out of hotels, transport to/from airports or train stations, time spent in security / immigration, and just plain waiting. You don't want to just have a blurred memory of train stations and airports. Sometimes doing less, in depth, is much better than a once over lightly of many places.

Jennifer's right, we need more details or we're all just throwing darts ("Be sure not to miss Berlin!" "You've got to see Rome!" Etc.)

I also agree with everyone else - three weeks sound like a lot of time, but you've already listed Istanbul, Budapest, Vienna or Prague, Ljubljana/ Lake Bled or Black Forest, Italy, and Switzerland. There's no way a trip to six far-flung places in that time frame will be enjoyable. In addition to the time it takes to get between, you'll be constantly reorienting yourself, learning new currencies, etc - very tiring.

When planning, remember these facts.

Two nights in a place equals one full day. One night means less than a full day, which can be fine if you understand this going in, but not fine if you want to see a lot of things, or to relax.

Every time you change locations, you lose a minimum of a half day (check out of first hotel, get to train, take train, get to second hotel, check in, get bearings to start sightseeing). That's for close together places like Budapest and Vienna. For farther-flung places (say, Istanbul to Budapest), you lose much more time.

While flying between cities in Europe is now financially viable, don't forget to allow time and money for getting to and from the airports (much farther from town centers than train stations), and remember you have to get to an airport much earlier than a train station. A one hour flight becomes about 5 hours end-to-end, when you factor all this in.

Some places take extra time to reach. For instance, the Berner Oberland in Switzerland is fantastic, and would be my number one priority if you're going to that country; it's also a schlep from almost anywhere, so you'll want to settle in a for a few days. That's also true because it's very weather-dependent, so you want to make sure you have enough days to have a better chance of some good weather.

Do use Rome2Rio as a starter guide to see how long it takes to get between places and what's involved. But don't use it for pricing. Go directly to the airline/train line/bus company to find more accurate prices (Rome2Rio doesn't tend to show discounts).

I looked on Expedia and it says that it's 2 hrs from Istanbul to Budapest by plane. And I want to go to those two because they seem very interesting to me.
This is a budget trip. The thing is that I want to have a good time and see good places, but there is so much that I don't know how to prioritize it. My trip as of now consist of:
-Istanbul
-Budapest
-Vienna or Prague (or I don't know if I should just drop those) Or maybe there is another city around there that I should visit instead? (Is it worth to go to Hallstatt and Lake Bled?)
-I was thinking of going to the Fussen to see the town and the castle, but I don't know if it's too much hassle to get there and if it's worth it. Or should I go somewhere else instead?
-If I go to Vienna and take the train to Venice, it is a good scenic trai? or should I take a night train? Or maybe just a plane?
-Venice
-Florence
- I was also thinking of taking the Bernina Express (From Florence go to Milan just to take the train to Tirano and take the Bernina Express to Chur and then the train to Zurich) This would be with the purpose of taking a sightseeing train, so the whole day would be travelling. I've read that is very beautiful. And stay in Zurich just for 2 nights.
- I want to go to Switzerland but don't know what is best. Do the above, go to Bern or go to Gimmelwald and the Berner Oberland. Suggestions?

This is or first trip, so I really have no idea. I don't know if I should just drop that and go to Venice, Florence, Paris and London. Is it a good experience to go to Budapest and Istanbul? They seem so different and interesting to me.
Our trip starts on sep 28th.

If Istanbul and Budapest are the places that sound the most interesting to you, then that's where you should go. Who cares what the most popular destinations are!

My favorite trips to Europe have been when I spend 2-3 weeks in one country. That gives me enough time to see the big tourist city -- like Budapest -- and the smaller towns, like Pecs and Eger.

I think you will have a much more satisfying trip if you go to Istanbul (and possibly some other places in Turkey) and then Budapest. Prague and Vienna would be logical additions since they are close to Budapest. I would not add Italy and Switzerland. Too much transit, not enough time to see things. Transit is expensive and boring. Move slower and you will see more.

Good luck in your planning. To be honest, I would do Istanbul and Budapest and add a couple of other smaller, interesting destinations in Turkey and Hungary, and save other countries for another trip. And skip the night trains. You get no sleep on them.

Wow - Eef's post is wonderful! Just do what he says, and you'll have a great trip.

Yes, if Budapest and Istanbul interest you now, go to those places now, and don't worry about what other people want to see, or think you should see. Then, see places near them, either in Turkey or Hungary, or else not too far (like Vienna and/or Prague).

A good source of information about Turkey is the Turkey Travel Planner website: http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/

In Turkey, I enjoyed my side trips to Ephesus (staying in Selcuk - nicer than it was billed) and Ankara. I was less fond of Bursa.

In Hungary, I really liked my overnight in Pecs and my day trip to Vac. I was less enthralled with my overnight in Eger and my day trip to Szentendre, although many are fond of these two.

Obviously, there's lots more to see in these two countries. It is easier to stay in fewer countries, as it means no new languages to become accustomed to, fewer currencies to deal with, and generally easier cheaper transit (domestic trains and flights tend to be cheaper and more frequent than international ones). But with three weeks, you can certain add some destinations - just not as many as in your first post.

You still haven't told us the age of the "boy" traveling with you. Unless he's very young, he should have input on this trip too. No one likes being dragged around, but if you make sure to take his interests into account, he'll be much happier.

Istanbul wouldn’t be my first choice right now, but you couldn’t have convinced me of that before I went the first time; so sure. This is what I would do (the first time).

Day 1, Fly to Sofia, Bulgaria
2, Arrive Sofia
3, See Sofia
4, Sofia road trip begins. I won’t list the sights you can figure that out, but figure this night in Plovdiv
4, This night in Veliko Tarnovo
5, This night in Nessebar
6, Drive Nessebar to Istanbul (about 4 hours)
7, Istanbul
8, Istanbul
9, Istanbul

(this first half of the trip is one I have done – only I spent a week in Bulgaria before driving t Istanbul. I’ve been to Bulgaria a few times but this was my favorite trip. A hired guide/driver and hotel rooms will cost you something less than $300 a day last time I checked. )

10, Morning flight to Prague (spend $150 or less and fly to Prague)
11, Prague
12, Prague
13, Prague to Cesky Krumlov (Bean Shuttle)
14, Cesky Krumlov to Vienna (Bean Shuttle)
15, Vienna
16, Vienna
17 Vienna to Gyor / Pannonhalma (train)
18, Gyor / Pannonhalma to Budapest (train)
19, Budapest
20, Budapest
21 Budapest
22, Budapest
23 Return home

(for me Budapest is the crowning jewell so I saved it for last. Its also, for me, the most relaxed, comfortable and certainly the cheapest of Prague / Vienna / Budapest and at the end your pocket might be light. )

I looked on Expedia and it says that it's 2 hrs from Istanbul to Budapest by plane.

Sorry, JessiSaun, I did not mean to mislead. I used Rome2Rio and the total travel time came up at 5 + hours. That included a 2 hour flight time and on closer inspection the site apparently builds in transfer times as a couple of short trains (to/from airports) are included. I'd say 5-6 hours door-to-door with a two-hour flight is about right. It was 8 hours door-to-door for us Rome to London with a 3 hour flight.

If you want to keep the budget low, avoid Switzerland. Traveling by train, Budapest - Vienna - Prague - Dresden - Berlin is a good route, relatively low budget and doable in 2 weeks (Dresden can be a day stop on the way to Berlin). That leaves you a week for Turkey, 4 days in Istanbul, 3 in Cappadocia.

According to wiki, there are direct flights from Budapest to Prague on Titan and Czech airlines. If you want to skip Vienna, you could fly. Vienna is a bit more expensive, but I would allow 2-3 full days there. It is a lovely city with fine museums, a top-notch palace (Schonbrunn), beautiful gardens and western architecture (reminiscent of Paris).

You'll be able to fly home on Turkish Air from just about any major city in Europe (by connecting in Istanbul). Choose the multiple destination option on their website and see what connections you can get. Even consider starting at your farthest point from Istanbul and finishing your trip in Turkey - the further into October you get, the better the weather (not as hot) and fewer crowds.

In 3 weeks you can comfortably manage 6 destinations. Of the places you are keen on I would look at working an itinerary together for Istanbul, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Venice and Florence.