Europe in a week

My employer only allows me to take my vacations one week at a time, so all my trips across the pond have been "one-weekers". Three cities is too much in seven days; do two at the most. October 08, I spent 4 days in the Berner Oberland region, took the night train to Amsterdam, and spent the remaining days there. It was the perfect amount of time for both locales, and I didn't feel rushed.

I was thinking that three might be too much, but we really wanted to hit Rome. Maybe we'll just eliminate the second leg altogether? I was thinking Amsterdam would be feasible because a train trip from Paris to Amsterdam is 4 hrs. We could spend a day there and travel back to Paris, and then head to Rome. So that would work out to be 2 days in Paris, a day or two in Amsterdam and 2 days in Rome. I've never been outside of the states before, so the logistics and time constraints are very abstract to me. Any help would be appreciated.

You're gonna be spending more time riding the rails/flying then actual sightseeing:) Work under the assumption you will return to Europe on another vacation. What I like most about pairing the Alps of Switzerland with one of those three cities is the contrast you will get: rural/tranquil vs an urban experience. The cities are nice but they can get very hectic and tiring.

john,

One week is not a long time to see anything in Europe. However, under the circumstances I'd suggest splitting your time between Paris and Rome. You might want to speak to a travel agent about open-jaw flights.

Would something like this work for you:

• Day 1: Fly to Paris (don't forget that you'll lose the first day in flight times and time zone changes).

• Days 2,3: touring in Paris

• Day 4: fly to Rome from Paris / CDG using either Vueling or Air Berlin - check into Hotel and start touring Rome. Be sure to read the "fine print" of the budget airlines so that you a very clear idea of the rules. They generally have very tight baggage limits and tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable once booked.

• Days 5 & 6: Rome: plan your touring carefully so that you don't waste any time.

• Day 7: take Leonardo Express and fly home from Fiumicino (depending on the flight you select, you'll generally arrive home the same day that you depart).

Given the very short time frame, you're going to have to choose TWO cities only! Amsterdam and Paris would also be possible - your choice?

I'd highly recommend that you read the Guidebook Europe Through The Back Door, as it will provide you with a LOT of helpful information.

Good luck and happy travels!

Unfortunately, those are the only days we can go due to work, school, and family obligations. My brother is currently dead set on the three cities idea, even though I pointed to him to this thread. He didn't want to go to Paris in the first place, so I fear I might have to compromise in some way, and maybe just stay in Paris for a day before moving on. Or I can just pick up Rick Steve's guide and some other brochures and convince him that Paris has more to offer than the Eiffel Tower and, in his words, "snotty culture and art".

You said you brother wants the dining experience and he's bypassing Paris because of "snotty culture and art." Nice attitude????!!! WTF? Maybe he should stay home while you explore. Seriously, you have a week. It's your first trip. How you would not choose to see two of the most historic, intriguing and famous cities on the planet is beyond me.

Well, it's not exactly seven days. We're leaving on June the 15th and returning on the 23rd. Does that change anything? Probably not, but I've never been to Europe before, and will, in all likelihood, not go for a long time since I'm starting medical school in the fall. I was hoping to squeeze as much out of the trip as possible.

And thanks for the advice guys. I would love to pair rural with tranquil as suggested by Michael, but my brother is big on the dining experience, so we'll probably just end up doing Rome and Paris. I'll probably follow your guide, Ken. I suppose a part of me feared we would run out of things to see in three days.

John - based on your dates you have 7 nights overseas. both Paris and Rome have enough things to see and experience to keep you occupied for the entire time.

I think that Ken's trip of Paris/Rome would be a good compromise for you. Decide which city would have a bit greater appeal for you and split the trip 4 nights there and three nights at the other.

So a schedule might look like this.

6/15 leave US

6/16 arrive Paris

6/17 and 18 Paris

6/19 fly to Rome from Paris

6/19 -22 Rome

6/23 fly home from Rome

So 3 nights Paris and 4 nights Rome.

6/15 is a Monday - any way you could take some of the prior weekend and add it to the trip?

Spending one night in Paris is a waste of time and money, two things you say are in short supply. You will spend your time and money getting in/getting out checking in/checking out.

You don't have to be in a big city to have an incredible dining experience.

I think that two cities in a week is the maximum you should try to fit in your schedule.

If you only have a week and little money, then you have to pick destinations that you both like or it won't work. To reiterate my first paragraph in a way, the one-night "compromise" ruins it for both of you instead of just one of you.

Yes, I'm starting to think I've picked the wrong traveling companion as well. Too late for that now (if you're reading this, sorry bro). I guess it's because we haven't traveled much, we're running around like over caffeinated squirrels, wanting to see and do as much as possible. And when I said he was big on the dining experience, I mean ice cream and seafood. We're working with pretty unrefined palettes here. For now, I'm just going to come up with a Paris-Rome spreadsheet and schedule based on the helpful postings in this thread, and hope he is too lazy to contradict me. I think I need to start planning soon because train and plane tickets should be cheaper if we book early.

LOL! Good luck John, I'm sure you will have a great trip. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for laziness.