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Venice, Austria, Germany, Belgium & Paris itinerary?

Posted by (Sacramento, CA) on

Hello all,
I am in the early stages of planning a late November European trip. We are a couple in our early thirties. We have traveled to Europe a few times, as well as Africa & Dubai.
We’re looking at traveling mid-late November. I really wanted to see the Christmas markets, but it’s not looking like we can travel in December.

We loved Venice, and thought we’d fly into Venice, spend 3-4 nights, get over jetlag, and enjoy.

Then we thought we’d take an overnight train into either Vienna, Austria, and spend a night or two there, then go to Salzburg, then onto Germany.

Although, with some more research, we thought maybe we’d take the overnight train into Munich (or do you suggest a flight?), and spend about 10 days with a rental car exploring Munich, hopping over to Salzburg, going through the romantic road, Wurzberg, Bavarian Castles/Bavaria.

Then we thought about possibly keeping the car to drive to Belgium. We’d like to spend a night or two in Brussels, and 2-3 nights in Bruges, finally take a train to Paris and spend 3 nights there before flying home from Paris.

We were thinking of doing one of these itineraries (by the way, the Dublin hotel is included because the flights we are looking at has a 24 hour layover in Dublin):

Dates
Flights 11/10-12/2
Venice Hotel 11/11-11/14
Overnight train to Austria
Salzburg Hotel 11/15-11/17
Germany Hotels 11/17-11/24
Beglium Hotel (Bruges) 11/24-11/27
Paris Hotel (Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel) at foot of Eiffel Tower 11/27-12/1
Dublin Hotel 12/1-12/2

Or

Flights 11/10-12/2
Venice Hotel 11-11-11/14
Fly to Munich
Munich Hotel 11/14-11/16
Salzburg Hotel 11/16-11/18
Germany Hotels 11/18-11/24
Brussels Hotel 11/24-11/25
Beglium Hotel (Bruges) 11/25-11/28
Paris Hotel (Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel) at foot of Eiffel Tower 11/28-12/1
Dublin Hotel 12/1-12/2

Thank you so much for your help!!!

Posted by
7175 posts

I like a combination of all your ideas.
There is a late afternoon train from Venice to Vienna that would eliminate a possibly sleepless night train journey. EC30 departs 15:55, arrives 23:35.

11/11 Venice 3 nights
14/11 Vienna 3 nights
17/11 Salzburg 2 nights
19/11 Munich/Bavaria 5 nights
24/11 Bruges/Ghent 3 nights
27/11 Paris 4 nights

Posted by
14580 posts

Hi,

Have you already reserved a hotel in Vienna? If you decide to take the day train direct to Vienna arriving after 23:00, be sure to let the hotel know your projected time of arrival if it's after midnight prior to your arriving at Wien Hbf. otherwise you could lose the reservation as a no-show. (bei Nichtanreise). If you do take the EN night train direct, as you're thinking of, you save a day's traveling. I myself would take the night train since getting in at after 07:00 at Wien Hbf isn't bad. Personally, I prefer Westbahnhof as the terminus since numerous hotels of different price ranges are available.

Posted by
6113 posts

The Christmas markets in Berlin that I visited in 2015 started the last week in November, so check your destinations for 2016, although I wouldn't rush anywhere for these.

I was very disappointed with Brussels, which is one of the dullest places I have ever visited, but Bruges has much more character, albeit too many tourists! Munich and Salzburg is effectively only one day in each city. A lot of upheaval for such short visits.

Don't forget that at the time you will be visiting, it will be dark by 4pm.

I would spend as much time as possible in Paris.

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