5.5 Weeks Europe - Critique my trip!

[occxlr8ed]

Thoughts? We're a mid/late 20s couple, looking to eat, see art and architecture. We don't drink!

Will be going in the European summer.

Mel-Sing-Lon (Fly)
Lon
Lon
Lon
Lon
Lon
Lon-Bilbao-San Sebastian (Fly)
San Sebastian
San Sebastian - Barcelona (Train)
Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona - Granada (Train)
Granada
Granada-Seville (Train)
Seville
Seville
Seville-Paris (Fly)
Paris
Paris
Paris
Paris-Venice (Train)
Venice-Cinque Terre (Train)
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre - Florence (Train)
Florence
Florence - Amalfi Coast (Train)
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast - Rome (Train)
Rome
Rome
Rome
Rome
Rome-Singapore
Singapore-Melbourne

 

[RB]

Have been to all those places & enjoyed them all-Paris would probably rank towards the bottom for me. Have you locked in the actual spots for Cinque Terre and Amalfi Coast? We stayed at Riomaggiore & Amalfi and we were pretty happy with our choices. In Rome we have found the Vatican area a good spot to stay.
In Europe we use trains a lot & found them very reliable. Most times we have travelled 2nd class & haven't encountered any shocks.
Looks like you have the makings of a great holiday!

 

[VPS]

Looks great. I've been to all of those places except Granada and think you've got a good mixture. I stayed in San Sebastian in September and we stayed in the old town which was wonderful but if you're light sleepers then you may struggle and the noise goes on quite late and then a couple of hours later the bin trucks arrive and make an incredible noise.

If you need some recommendations for Seville let me know because I was there in September so it's still fresh in my mind.

Have fun

 

[Pushka]

Looks pretty awesome. How long are you staying in Venice? I love Paris and am back for a third and fourth visit this year. Trains are fantastic in Europe.

 

[n7of9]

I'd take one of those Amalfi nights away and give it to Florence... Actually, if art and architecture are high on the menu, Florence will treat you well for at least 4 nights (it's a fabulous place)

Train travel in Italy is a breeze. If you wanted to add an extra mode of transport for no reason, you can get a ferry from Rome to Venice

In Rome you can get a private tour of the Colloseum which goes underneath the structure, and all the way to the top - standard tickets don't get you that access

Looks like a great trip!

 

[Dr_Goz]

I can only provide info on your time in the Basque country.

With such a short time there, give some thought to just sticking in Bilbao.

In the summer, San Sebastian is beautiful, plenty of world class food, but it seems a bit rushed to really relax and wind down there.

With Bilbao, you can stay in the Old Town, eat lots of tapas, see the Guggenheim (if you are there any other day than a Monday) and a few other galleries/museums as well.

 

[JessicaTam]

You are taking trains in Europe, so that's a tick from me.

 

[occxlr8ed]

Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre, we both haven't locked in places. San sebsatian we just have heard so many good things we thought we would make the trip, we were just using Bilbao as a stopover to get to San Seb - not actually stay in Bilbao.

I need to make amendments as we are spending 2 days in Paris just going to Disneyland. Possibly reduce a day in Seville and also Amalfi coast for 2 days extra in Paris?

Thanks for the tips so far!

 

[offshore171]

Looks pretty good. Only thing I’d change would be to stay at Lake Como rather than the Amalfi coast.

It’s nicer, closer to your route, and easier to avoid horrendous summer traffic jams that blight Amalfi (at Como, use the ferries to visit the villages around the lake)

 

[Pushka]

Looks pretty good. Only thing I’d change would be to stay at Lake Como rather than the Amalfi coast.

It’s nicer, closer to your route, and easier to avoid horrendous summer traffic jams that blight Amalfi (at Como, use the ferries to visit the villages around the lake)

Agree re Amalfi coast traffic. It’s horrendous but you’ve no choice to use it to get around. We are off to Lake Como in May.

 

[occxlr8ed]

Do people think it's a bit too rushed/too many destinations?

Or a good taste of Europe.

 

[UP4014]

I'd rather go to North Platte Nebraska than Paris.

But hey, that's just me.

 

[RB]

Do people think it's a bit too rushed/too many destinations?

Or a good taste of Europe.

Seems like a good taste to me. For 20 odd year olds the moving shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Looks like you are talking around 5 weeks or so?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Agree re Amalfi coast traffic. It’s horrendous but you’ve no choice to use it to get around. We are off to Lake Como in May.

There are other choices, and in particular take to the water.

There are ferries up and down the coast.

Plus you can hire boats or go on boats tours to Capri etc.

Also shanks pony to do the stunning Il Sentiero degli Dei - The Path of the Gods.

• We chose accommodation near where it finished and so only had to get transport to the start of the walk.

Base yourself in Positano, rather than Amalfi. It is much nicer and much easier to book accommodation with stunning views and IMO is the best base on the Amalfi Coast. You can then catch a a ferry to visit Amalfi.

While one can go on a tour, or pay for a guide, it is a pretty easy walk to self-navigate the Il Sentiero degli Dei - The Path of the Gods.

One way down hill is best!

It is expensive to get a taxi to the start of the walk at Bomerana, but the local bus is cheap though slow. ,Without the guide and taxi this becomes a very cheap half-day activity, but is a very beautiful walk.

We took the morning ferry to Amalfi, from where we were staying in Positano, to enjoy the water views and a nice lunch. Then we took the local bus to Bomerano where we started the walk from there back to Positano. We stopped fora light dinner near the end to descend the final steep stairs to Positano in the dusk.


This site describes the walk well and has some excellent pics.
Hiking the Path of the Gods (And the Amalfi Coast on a Budget)/


As we flew into Naples we spent 2 nights in Pompei at a hotel just near the entrance so that we could spend a full day walking around the vast Pompei site. The next moring we caught the tain to Sorrento and stayed in an AirBnb for one night. We then had 4 nights at Positano which was ample to do the walk, take a day trip to Capri and thena couple of days just chilling in a beach club a short walk from our hotel.

We used www.airportstaxitransfers.com to book limos (Meredes E Class) at good rate for Naples to Pompei, and from Sorrento to Positano. And then from Positano to Naples train station to catch a train to Rome.


We visited in August. Doing it this way we minimised battling the traffic and had a fantastic time. While we often very much try and avoid crowds I think being there in the height of summer is seeing the place at its best and you can enjoy the buzz on the beaches, the bars and the cafes/restaurants.

Watching the sunsets at a bar and just people watching is fantastic.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Do people think it's a bit too rushed/too many destinations?

Or a good taste of Europe.

Overall I think it is an excellent blend.

However my main suggestion is that the Cinque Terra and the Amalfi Coast are similar in scenery and settings and so on the one trip I would suggest just doing one. Cinque Terra is more laid back and smaller. It also has a much wider choice of day hikes. Its train system makes it easier to get around. The Amalfi Coast has more of a buzz and more bars, restaurants etc.

In addition I think the segment of your trip shown below is too rushed with a lot of effort getting to Venice and Florence but then without enough time to enjoy them properly.

Paris-Venice (Train)
Venice-Cinque Terre (Train)
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre - Florence (Train)
Florence
Florence - Amalfi Coast (Train)
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast - Rome (Train)

By deleting one of Cinque Terra, or the Amalfi Coast. you can spend:

• another night or two in Venice (you current itenary does not do Venice justice. Apart from the main sights it is also fun to just spend a day walking around exploring the lanes and plazas and getting lost away from the main tourists sights)
• and say 3 nights in Florence. (emember too that in Florence you can day trip to many other villages or just go a day bicycle tour out in the countryside.

If you keep the Amalfi Coast you can add on Pompei which I would highly recommend.

 

[GarrettM]

I concur with the idea of finding at least one extra day for Florence. Four full days on Amalfi would be too much for me.
But it's your trip.. .and as long as you're happy you can't go wrong.

 

[Janusjiang]

You could take a day off from Rome to Pompeii, so many historical things to see.

 

[Pushka]

You could take a day off from Rome to Pompeii, so many historical things to see.

That’s a long detour.

 

[Janusjiang]

That’s a long detour.

It's just 2 hours by train from Rome. I visited it as a day trip from Rome without any problem.

 

[kookaburra75]

Looks good - (slightly jealous emoji). Paris is ok if you have never been there before, and do the highlights like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame etc. Check out the Le Marais district, as it's close to the action and has a good selection of bars and restaurants.