Visiting Multiple Countries in a Single Trip in Europe

1. 58

   ifunnyposted 11 years ago

   Is it best to visit one county for about 12 days. eg. Just France Or Germany Or Netherlands, Germany and France?

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      One of the big things about Europe is how different European countries are from each other. Although they're close, the Dutch are very different from the French and neither are like the Italians, for instance. So you'd be mad not to see a few different countries (unless you're particularly passionate about just one).
      
      As Amber says, sleeper trains are a neat idea but you can go a heck of a long way in the course of a night, so you have to plan your trip accordingly.   I wouldn't recommend using a sleeper for Paris to Amsterdam, since that trip is only about three or four hours, from memory.
      
      Only you can decide how busy or relaxed you want to be. If you're desperate to get a taste of everywhere, book yourself on a coach tour that stays one night in each city - you'll see the maximum.  However it's likely to be a blur and you won't get much of a flavour of the places you go. 
      
      I'd recommend allowing 2 full days in each city.  See if you can arrive at one city and fly back from another, that way you don't have to repeat yourself. 
      
      For instance, you could arrive in Amsterdam, train to Paris, then overnight train to Barcelona, returning by overnight train to Zurich - spending a few days in each city.  That's the Netherlands, France, Spain and Switzerland covered.
      
      TripAdviser has a great travel forum where you will get lots of good advice on planning your itinerary.
      
      http://www.eurorailways.com/sitemap/night_trains.htm

      replyreport
      1. 73

         nArchuletaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I concur. If you haven't traveled to a lot of places, anything less than 2 days in one location will be exhausting and not fun. (I have traveled a lot, and my Baltic march - different city every day - still makes my head spin. But I made the Finnish music fest!) Germany and France, heavy on France if u like food & wine, Germany if u like beer & well run. Have fun!

         replyreport
2. 63

   prettydarkhorseposted 11 years ago

   They are pretty near to each other, you can ride the train and visit all the countries you mentioned!

   replyreport
   1. 93

      Thelma Albertsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, you can. The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, ... Just plan which of them and what would you like to see. By train would be expensive visiting between neighbouring European countries. Research which airline you can fly the cheapest bargain. I would not try to fly Ryanair as there are lots of negative comments about them in Europe.

      replyreport
3. 94

   Iammattdoranposted 11 years ago

   It depends what you want to see and do.  Personally, I like to try and fit in as much as I can in short trips like this.  Train travel between countries in Europe is frequent and to a high standard but is very expensive.  Budget airlines serve all parts of europe and the prices can be very low (easyjet, ryanair).
   It would be easy to cover Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris in a single trip and explore some surrounding areas too.

   replyreport
4. 54

   ocbillposted 11 years ago

   I am jealous now. That is a trip I remember taking while in college. The train ride & scenery to France was incredible. The architecture in Germany is exquisite and so was the food. Have a great trip!

   replyreport
5. 81

   Marcy Goodfleischposted 11 years ago

   I've heard good things about Mediterranean cruises - you see several ports, food and housing is included, and it costs way less than I'd have thought.  I'm not much for cruises (only taken one so far), but I could see doing one of those.

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'll vote for that. 
      
      If your goal is to see Europe rather than laze around in luxury, Pick a cruise where you wake up every morning to find yourself in another port.  Then you can get off the ship and explore a new city for the whole day, returning for dinner and to collapse into bed!     
      
      A ship that has a lot of days "at sea" may be good if you want to relax, but it means you're wasting time stuck on the ship, and you're not close enough to land to enjoy the views. 
      
      That's why I don't like the idea of European river cruises, because you get half a day in each location at best, and spend most of your days stuck on the ship, cruising down the river.  It's true, when you're on a river you're close enough to admire the scenery, but it's still too confining for my taste.

      replyreport
6. 60

   Amber Vynposted 11 years ago

   You can easily do a great trip to all three countries in 12 days. There's an overnight train from Paris to Amsterdam, which can save you both a hostel/hotel night and some time. You didn't mention where you want to go in Germany. If you can plan a couple of overnight trains, then you can add in some more sights and more fun!

   replyreport
7. 60

   Amber Vynposted 11 years ago

   Marisa's right: Cruises in Europe might be good for the Mediterranean, but not so much for the Northern mainland. However, if you're planning on traveling in the Rheinland, I would use the boats instead of the trains to visit St. Goar (great old school castle), Bingen, Bacharach, and Neuschwanstein ('mad' King Ludwig's castle - the one that looks like a Disney castle).
   
   It's a day cruise, so you'll need to plan to stay somewhere else at night. But the boats are super-convenient, and the scenery is gorgeous! You'll also see a lot of smaller castles along the way because that's how all the little city states made their money - charging levies to every ship that traveled down the Rhine!

   replyreport
8. 59

   thakurrajeshposted 10 years ago

   Visiting multiple countries in a single trip is wisest idea if you are really fond of travelling. Because you are travelling to European countries, so visiting 3-4 countries is must do thing from my belief. Zurich, Paris, Rome & France are few destinations which I would recommend you to visit during your trip. Here is the best guide to Europe & European countries: http://www.weareholidays.co.in/travel-g … pe-tourism

   replyreport
9. 61

   Johanmilposted 18 months ago

   No dought, these centuries are beautiful but i recommend you to visit the Spain because
   Spain has something to offer for all kinds of travelers - from foodies and wine lovers to beachgoers and history buffs. Consider what kind of experiences you'd like to have, and plan your itinerary accordingly. Generally warm and sunny throughout the year. However, the best time to visit depends on your travel preferences. The peak tourist season is during the summer months (June-August), but this also means higher prices and more crowds. you can consult with https://sitgesenvyrealty.com/ for more details. If you prefer a more laid-back experience, consider visiting during the shoulder season (April-May or September-October).

   replyreport