Which of these 3 options??

What time of year? I’d factor weather into the decision if you are going in summer or winter (e.g., in July, I’d choose Scandinavia over Italy). Other than that, I’d go with what most appeals to you.

We will be traveling in the summer. Probably train. I want to know what YOU would choose and why? Just starting to play with ideas.

If you can plan your trip for early summer before it gets so hot, Switzerland and Italy. Our first trip to Italy was in August and the temperatures were normal for us, but they wouldn't be for you!

Okay, I'll bite.

Never Italy or Spain or Greece in summer, except for the north of Spain (mountains) maybe with a car. I never warmed up to Germany and Scandanavia's too expensive for me.

Paris and London - I could spend 2 weeks in either and not want to leave. Belgium and the Netherlands would fill up 2-2.5 weeks nicely for me. I could happily spend 1.5-2.5 weeks exploring parts of "rural" France - villages, chateaux, abbeys, museums, but only with a car. 2.5 weeks classic Central Europe: Krakow > Prague >Vienna > Budapest.

Zurich is pretty close to Kandern - is that the airport you are planning to fly into? And are you locked into a fly-out-airport yet?

Rick also advises summertime visitors to stick to the Alps and north. Good advice I think.

"Do we do Switzerland and Italy? France and Spain? Or Germany and Scandinavia?"

Well, you're starting in Germany... other combinations - Germany and Switzerland, or Germany and France - or Germany and the Netherlands - would make sense as well. Budget concerns, if you have any, may eliminate Switzerland and Scandinavia, where prices are shocking. The best European countries for train travel are Germany and Switzerland, IME. You've traveled in Germany before (where??) - if you want to see more of Germany, what places are under consideration? There are 4 of you traveling, right?

Chani - we did Netherlands, Belgium, Paris, Germany last year. Loved Belgium and Netherlands. May need to revisit that.

One option we were considering was Kandern,Colmar, Strasbourg, Paris, Normandy, Mont St Michel, Barcelona

Your mention of Vienna, Prague, etc. ....is intriguing. Tell me more!

And why not by train? Accessibility? Is travel by car easy? Our last trip (mentioned above) was all by train.

Chani - we did Netherlands, Belgium, Paris, Germany last year. Loved Belgium and Netherlands. May need to revisit that.

One option we were considering was Kandern,Colmar, Strasbourg, Paris, Normandy, Mont St Michel, Barcelona

Your mention of Vienna, Prague, etc. ....is intriguing. Tell me more!

And why not by train? Accessibility? Is travel by car easy? Our last trip (mentioned above) was all by train.

"One option we were considering was Kandern,Colmar, Strasbourg, Paris, Normandy, Mont St Michel, Barcelona"

Sounds good. I assume you'd probably fly to Barcelona.

"Our last trip (mentioned above) was all by train."

Some countries make train travel easier than others. Belgium and the Netherlands are fairly small, and towns are relatively well connected by the train system. Germany is much much larger yet extremely well covered by trains and tracks. The French transport system isn't nearly as comprehensive as the German system. Colmar, Strasbourg and Paris are well served, but Normandy is very spotty - we rented a car in Caen in order to visit Bayeux, coastal towns and the D-day beaches etc. because we'd have spent far too much time riding buses and waiting for connections. For Vienna and Prague, trains make very good sense.

https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/prague-vienna-railjet-train.htm
https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/trains-from-Prague.htm

Russ - thanks for your advice about summer travel!!!
We will be flying on and out of Basel, due to visiting my son and DIL and them joining us on our travels. There will be 4 of us.

You've traveled in Germany before (where??)

• our trip last year was by train with our 2 teen boys.....Amsterdam > Bruges > Paris (5days) > Munich > Regensburg > Bamberg > Rothenburg ob der Tauber > Cologne > Duisburg > Utrecht >Amsterdam

For summer travel, I'd stick to Scandinavia (or the UK) as I dislike heat. I love Sweden, but that is just me...someday maybe I'll visit the rest of Scandinavia...

Wray - we considered Scandinavia, but thought it would be to far (??) would be fun since my husband studied in Copenhagen 30 years ago.

OK, so your previous travels in Germany were limited to Bavaria. So if you'd like to see a few things in Germany right after Kandern or at the end of your trip... there are many options but you might enjoy one or more of these places in southwestern Germany.

Speyer - and the Technik Museum
Gengenbach
Tübingen
Gutach and the Black Forest open-air museum
Scenic Black Forest Railway (which connects Gengenbach, Gutach, Triberg and other central Black Forest towns)
Freiburg

Stay in smaller towns like Gengenbach or Gutach,, and all of you receive the KONUS card, which provides discounts and FREE train and/or bus transportation around the Black Forest region and to Basel. Details:

http://www.camping-muenstertal.de/en/konus-flyer.pdf

Given your choices and the time duration, my choice is "France and Spain." with most of the time being spent in France.

First, I suggest Switzerland and Italy. Here's one idea: Basel/Kandern > Lauterbrunnen valley > Lake Como > Milan > Verona > Venice > the Dolomites > Innsbruck > Basel. It's a circular route, but probably too many places for 2 1/2 weeks. So you choose what to omit.

Second, you could attend the Oregon RS travel group meeting on the third Saturday of the month at the Panera in Tualatin and get more ideas with details.

Have a great trip.

Scandinavia in the summer is nice. The weather is good and it's not that crowded. Downside is train transportation is pretty limited. You would do better taking planes or ferries most of the time. Even driving a car isn't scenic or convenient.

Germany has the best rail transportation IMO. If train is the deciding factor, you could do a loop starting there and work into Netherlands and the low countries then back through the north half of France.

Like others have said, I'd avoid Italy. I love northern Italy in October and Rome/south in November. Even in early November you can sense that Rome would be miserable in the summer. Spain is the same except for the Atlantic coast in the north, which is ideal that time of year (but also crowded).

With 2.5 weeks all up I would look at a maximum of 5 stops of 3-4 nights each.

•Luzern - possible visits to Bern, Zurich, Pilatus
•Lauterbrunnen - possible visits to Murren, Grindelwald, Jungfraujoch
•Milan & Lake Como
•Verona - possible visits to Vicenza, Padova, Mantova
•Venice