Working on our trip schedule for next year (last week of August through first week of September) and want trying to keep everything realistic and not rushed between each stop. We were originally planning on Brussels, Brugges and Barcelona but I was able to convince my husband to get Paris in there as well;) Our main focus is less museums and more food, drink and exploring on our own. Here is what I had in mind: Day 1 - Fly to Brussels Day 2 - Arrive (eat chocolate and drink beer!) Day 3 - Brussels (bike and explore) Day 4 - Train to Brugges(explore town) Day 5 - Flanders Field tour from Brugges Day 6 - Brugges (biking to coast) Day 7 - Train to Paris Day 8 - Paris (bike and explore) Day 9 - Paris (tbd) Day 10 - Flight to Barcelona Day 11 - Barcelona (Gaudi sites) Day 12 - Barcelona (explore Boqueria, beach/port) Day 13 - Barcelona (enjoy last day in Europe)
Day 14 - Fly home. If you have any suggestions for a must do in Paris I'd like to hear it. I haven't had a chance to do much research.
Posted by
OP
Des Moines, IA
27 posts
Don't worry Larry, we are focusing on Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell for Gaudi sites.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Heather, that should work. To easily get to Parc Guell, don't take the metro. It's quite a walk uphill to get there. Instead, take the #24 bus up to the Parc Guell stop. From there, you walk into the park. You'll pass the Guell house along the path. Then, keep going until you see large elevated plaza. Don't miss the great mosaic-tiled chameleon. It's between the steps on the lower level by the main entrance.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7887 posts
Heather, one of Rick's travel principles is "Assume you'll be coming back". Now, it's hard for a first-time or young traveler to imagine that they'll ever have the money or time to go to Europe again. But you've got a lot of travel "overhead" in this itinerary. The first trip my wife and I took to Europe, thirty years ago, was a week in London and a week in Paris. We didn't feel overexposed to either of those cities! We've been back to Paris on both business and pleasure several times, and aren't bored with it yet, probably adding up to three weeks. You might also consider how exposed your plan is to the weather, which you can't control. As for research, when you are spending so little time in three big cities, you need to do a lot of it to make the most of your visit to each of them. I don't think any big attractions will be closed, but you might find some bicycle stops (I mean tiny, isolated restaurants or out-of-the-way attractions) closed for the end of the European vacation month.
Posted by
Ojai, CA
591 posts
You're itinerary looks really good; reasonable and fun. Something that you'll need to focus your research on is selecting which airline and airport to use for your flight to BCN. Read all the fine print about extra charges for luggage sizes and weights.
Your husband will be glad you added in Paris......... have a great trip.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
You won't be able to see all of the Gaudi sites in one day. Just can't be done if you intend to go inside and tour each one - including the rooftops which were a Gaudi specialty. It took us two days. You might have to pick and choose. For the hotel, I would suggest one near the Plaza Catalunya as that's where the Airport bus goes. It's also very close to La Rambla.
Posted by
Denver, CO
796 posts
Heather - your trip sounds like fun! I've done some research on our upcoming trip and wanted to share a couple things that I've seen highly rated: In Bruges, a bike trip from Damme and then continue on to Oostkerke or Sluis In Paris, Fat Tire Bike tours - especially the Night Bike tour, has gotten rave reviews. The tour ends with a cruise on the Seine, along with some free flowing cheap wine (I'm sure the sights and ambiance enhance the flavor of the wine!) Enjoy!!