Planning for a 4 week trip this fall to Italy and France. There are 4 of us travelling,with little European travel experience. (none for most of us) As we are not going as part of an organized tour, we are trying to look for accommodations, sights, transportation options etc..., on our own. There is so much information on the internet, it can all be a little overwhelming. Looking for simple recommendations that will make the trip more enjoyable and affordable. We are planning to visit Venice, Florence, Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Provence,Marseilles and Paris. We are still deciding on whether to rent a car for a portion of the trip or if we should just stick to rail, bus etc...
For any of the main attractions, should we buy tickets ahad of time?
Thanks
Posted by
Kamloops, BC, Canada
405 posts
the cities you mentioned are well serviced by train. It sounds as if you probably haven't done much driving in Europe, so it might be a good idea to stick with public transportation. In addition to the internet, i would buy a good guidebook. As you probably know, you are not travelling in peak season, however, since there are 4 of you, it would be a good idea to book most lodging in advance, especially in the Italian cities you've mentioned. Paris will be quite busy with the new fashion season and conventions in September, so start looking for lodging now, especially if you're looking for more luxurious accommodations. You'll find that you will get better service and enjoy your trip more if you learn some basic phrases in French and Italian. If you want to get an idea of train schedules in Italy, go to http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html You can book a maximum of 60 days in advance, but no need to do so for you since you're not travelling at a busy time. Have a great trip!
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Good advice from Susan. I'm a big fan of the rule that: In Europe if trains go there, take the train. All your destinations are well served by train, except parts of Provence and parts of Tuscany. In those two places only, if you want to see towns that are not on the rail lines, a rental car may be needed. Or, you can avoid driving by limiting your travel in those two areas to towns served by rail.