[Itinerary] Need help creating itinerary for 22 DAYS 5 CITIES
#22
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Florence is never relaxed, not even in the off season. I tried to take a 2-year-old to Florence once and left after 24 hours, and this was with a 2-year-old who was already pretty used to being carted around Europe. The place just frayed all of our nerves. We ended up spending a week on Lago Maggiore and having a ball.
#23
Still too many places, too little time, too much moving around, especially with little kids. You don't have time for "day trips" when you are only allowing a day or two in a major city.
How about this -
6 days - Paris
5 days - Switzerland, I suggest the Lac Leman area
5 days - Venice
5 days - on a lake somewhere
1 day - fly home from Milan
___
22 days
How about this -
6 days - Paris
5 days - Switzerland, I suggest the Lac Leman area
5 days - Venice
5 days - on a lake somewhere
1 day - fly home from Milan
___
22 days
#24
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As a general rule, you can never fully predict how long it will take to do anything with a two-year-old or whether or not he/she will love what you're doing or fight you all the way. (Of course this is generalization, but most generalizations are based on some truth/experience.)
We spent a week in Paris four years ago with our son, his wife and 2-year-old grandson, so I speak from some experience. It was fun, but we often had to throw our planned schedule for the day out the window and ad lib. Give yourself lots of extra time for everything.
I think four places is reasonable for three weeks, remembering to allow a whole day to go from one place to another regardless of how many hours the train/plane schedules say.
ssander
We spent a week in Paris four years ago with our son, his wife and 2-year-old grandson, so I speak from some experience. It was fun, but we often had to throw our planned schedule for the day out the window and ad lib. Give yourself lots of extra time for everything.
I think four places is reasonable for three weeks, remembering to allow a whole day to go from one place to another regardless of how many hours the train/plane schedules say.
ssander
#25
In a perfect world - with a 2 year old and older child and three weeks to play with -- I'd stay three places for one week each. Renting apartments or cottages where that is possible. That gives one time to ad lib, make allowances for toddler 'issues', give everyone a chance to settle in/get acclimated to a place, leave time for a day trip if the stars align, and not hassles with so many trains / planes / transfers.
4 places would be OK -- but IMHO a week each in 3 destinations would be so much easier.
4 places would be OK -- but IMHO a week each in 3 destinations would be so much easier.
#26
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StCirq thursdaysd I hear you. I will consider dropping Florence off my trips.
cheska15 I will book accommodation as soon as itinerary and flights bookings are done.
ssander janisj Also, I will extend my stay in each base longer so that we have buffer time to ad lib. Will definitely prepare ourselves for when things don't go our way.
suze I will go back to the drawing board and come up with new itinerary based on your suggestion.
cheska15 I will book accommodation as soon as itinerary and flights bookings are done.
ssander janisj Also, I will extend my stay in each base longer so that we have buffer time to ad lib. Will definitely prepare ourselves for when things don't go our way.
suze I will go back to the drawing board and come up with new itinerary based on your suggestion.
#27
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Florence is never relaxed, not even in the off season. I tried to take a 2-year-old to Florence once and left after 24 hours, and this was with a 2-year-old who was already pretty used to being carted around Europe. The place just frayed all of our nerves. We ended up spending a week on Lago Maggiore and having a ball.
We took a 2 years old on a trip around west coast with her 5 years old bro. Never more than 3 nights same place. 3 weeks. Gorgeous trip.
We took the same team year after 3 weeks in Cuba. Fantastic trip.
Depends n you your kid and some luck.
#28
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ahbonvraiment, I was specifically referring to Florence with the 2-year-old. We had already taken her to Paris a couple of times, Strasbourg and Obernai and Colmar, Rome, and probably a couple of other places I have forgotten. No problems with any of those. It was just Florence where we all had a meltdown. But yes, it could have just been bad luck.
#29
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ahbonvraiment, I was specifically referring to Florence with the 2-year-old. We had already taken her to Paris a couple of times, Strasbourg and Obernai and Colmar, Rome, and probably a couple of other places I have forgotten. No problems with any of those. It was just Florence where we all had a meltdown. But yes, it could have just been bad luck.
#30
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Crowds, lines, prices, general attitude of catering to tourists instead of locals. I had been in Florence many times on business before I had children and enjoyed it, and the escalation in a general frenzied atmosphere just put me off. I adore Italy, but have no desire to revisit Florence. If you've never been, of course it is a treasure-trove, but with a 2-year-old I can think of hundreds of places in Italy I'd rather go.
#31
The reason Florence is on all the top ten lists is "great art". Specifically, the Duomo, the baptistry doors, Michaelangelo's David and the Uffizzi. None of which are going to be of interest to the two year old. Also, Europe is overloaded with great art. You are going to Paris and Venice. Unless you are an expert, you can easily OD on art in both places. Adding Florence is overkill on a first trip.
It may once also have counted as a "charming town", but from everything I read the charm has been overtaken by huge crowds. And again, Europe is overloaded with charming towns, you don't need to go to Florence (along with so many others) to see one.
It may once also have counted as a "charming town", but from everything I read the charm has been overtaken by huge crowds. And again, Europe is overloaded with charming towns, you don't need to go to Florence (along with so many others) to see one.
#32
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StCirq thursdaysd given my original route was Paris > Lauterbrunnen > Venice > Florence, if we were to drop Florence what would be your suggestion for alternatives? Lago Maggiore seems lovely but a bit off the track (which will require rental car to get there?)
#35
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StCirq thursdaysd given my original route was Paris > Lauterbrunnen > Venice > Florence, if we were to drop Florence what would be your suggestion for alternatives? Lago Maggiore seems lovely but a bit off the track (which will require rental car to get there?)
#38
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Hi guys,
I do like the idea of breaking up my long trip from Paris to Lauterbrunnen. Will look into Strasbourg vs Dijon.
Geneva and Lac Leman look appealing too but I'm worry about the expensiveness of Switzerland considering that I plan to spend 3-4 days in Lauterbrunnen already.
I do like the idea of breaking up my long trip from Paris to Lauterbrunnen. Will look into Strasbourg vs Dijon.
Geneva and Lac Leman look appealing too but I'm worry about the expensiveness of Switzerland considering that I plan to spend 3-4 days in Lauterbrunnen already.
#39
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"I do like the idea of breaking up my long trip from Paris to Lauterbrunnen. Will look into Strasbourg vs Dijon"
First you wanted to do the big detour via Zurich (nobody knows why) and now you want to do a detour via Strasbourg.
Dijon is worth a visit, but that cuts your 2nd day journey by 1 hr only.
First you wanted to do the big detour via Zurich (nobody knows why) and now you want to do a detour via Strasbourg.
Dijon is worth a visit, but that cuts your 2nd day journey by 1 hr only.
#40
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"I do like the idea of breaking up my long trip from Paris to Lauterbrunnen. Will look into Strasbourg vs Dijon"
First you wanted to do the big detour via Zurich (nobody knows why) and now you want to do a detour via Strasbourg.
Dijon is worth a visit, but that cuts your 2nd day journey by 1 hr only.
First you wanted to do the big detour via Zurich (nobody knows why) and now you want to do a detour via Strasbourg.
Dijon is worth a visit, but that cuts your 2nd day journey by 1 hr only.
Since I've also decided to drop Florence and I've got some more days to spare, either Dijon or Strasbourg are suggested by others as stops between Paris and Lauterbrunnen as they're on the train route anyway.
I've done some more research and Strasbourg appeals more to us. Would it not make sense to add 3 days in Strasbourg in between Paris and Lauterbrunnen?