Planning a trip to Europe. i need lots of help!

[el_cheepo]

Hi Everyone. I've posted this before, and got a lot of great replies. Now that the time is closer, and I'm starting to look into transportation/hotels etc, i've realized that i need some more advice ;)

I would like to go to Europe this springtime...hopefully around may. I plan to be there for 2 weeks, and have a budget of around 3k.

I've looked into Contiki tours, but I think that I would like more freedom to do what I want, when I want.

Here are the places I'd like to visit:

London, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, and Paris, where I would like to end the trip.

I've started to look at the flights from toronto to london, as I was told that it would be best to fly there first. flights are around 700 return trip.

I've been looking at flights around europe at www.easyjet.com & ryanair.com. They are fairly cheap. The problem is, I'm not sure if I should fly between places, or take the train someplaces. I also have no idea on how their train system runs. also, i should mention that I do not want to stay in hostels, and am going with another person.

I know that there are many people that have knowledge in this area, and i would appreciate any help at all. i really need to hear some experiences. also, if i'm missing any must-see places, let me hear it. and if you have suggestions on my route, and how i should travel, that would be great!

thanks everyone :) :)

[el_cheepo]

ugh, i'm still awake!

i'm been planning the trip and have made up an order.

i would like to start in london, then amsterdam ->venice, rome, florence, paris, and then back to london for the flight home.

I've found a flight to london and back for about 700. then I found a flight from london -> amsterdam for about 50. I can't seem to find a way of going to italy afterward though...

are there any point-to-point rails? from amsterdam to italy? and how should i travel between the different places in italy?

okay, time to go to bed now

[B40]

I've heard of a monthly rail pass which gives you unlimited use.

[canadian trader]

For train travel buy a 5 or 10 ride eurail pass. Check out the rates on their website (http://www.eurail.com) . From my experience, airlines are the better way to go. However with the airlines you mite not get the airport of choice. They usually land at smaller airports that maybe a few miles out of town but u can almost always catch a transit bus to downtown.

With train schedules I wouldnt really worry. Just get a hold of their CS number and call ahead (use phonecards!) to request the timings for the trains that you might wanna catch. Alternatively you could always show up at the station with your Eurail pass and catch the first available one in the general direction of where you wanna go! :razz:

P.S - Always have you guidebook handy. It saved me money countless times and pays for itself within 2 days of being in Europe

Have a good trip. :cheesygri

[chellemi]

two summers ago i went from toronto --> london --> paris --> avignon --> paris --> london --> toronto. :D

my transportation was as follows:
air canada from toronto to london
the eurostar (train) from london to paris
sncf (train) from paris to avignon and then back
the eurostar (train again) from paris to london
and then air canada again from london to toronto ;)

i found cheap airplanes to be a little inconvenient if you're not working on a flexible schedule... the trains were fast, especially in france, though a tad expensive. if you book ahead you might be able to get cheaper fares.

if you're planning to travel all around europe i'd definitely recommend the train to allow for better flexibility. buy the train passes in canada as i think they are cheaper here than if you went over there to buy them. they have a very elaborate train system in europe... they're all connected. and there is an unlimited train pass for europe that might be useful for you.

http://www.eurorail.com

anyway, i stayed in hostels in france and with a friend in london. the hostels aren't bad if you know how to look for good ones.. read reviews and stuff. is there any particular reason why you don't want to stay in hostels? and.. if you're not going to, i assume you're going to stay in hotels? that'll be expensive and i don't know if you'll be able to stay under a $3k budget.

[spdztr]

I just booked my Europe trip for mid-May for 2 weeks also. We're flying to/from Rome, and I booked flights from Rome -> Budapest, and from Prague -> Rome. From Budapest we'll travel by car (c/o relatives there) to Vienna, and then we'll take the train to Prague. The flights I booked were with SkyEurope for leg 1, and then smartwings.net (despite all the bad reviews I've read, it's the only choice we have) from Prague to Rome. Don't forget the taxes when you're looking at the cheap flights in Europe. In most cases, the taxes are almost the same as the flights themselves.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[steve.m]

this forum may help, Graffiti Wall
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/plan_menu.htm

btw I was browsing through a book in the travel section in <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=32 target=_blank>Chapters</a>. It was a book listing all the monastaries you can stay for free in Europe. I would be willing to pay them anyhow for the seclusion and prayer chapels. Would love to see the rich architecture of their buildings too.

[caps]

But over the holidays we did Toronto-Paris-Luzern-Munich-Paris-Toronto. We decided to go with Eurail, cause it gave us the flexibility of travelling to 3 countries in 1 month on any given day. It worked out well for what we wanted to do, but based on your itinerary you might be better off flying (as mentioned). Check out www.ryanair.com for good deals. Lot's of cheap stuff on there.

For Paris accomodations, try staying a bit outside of the central core of the city. We stayed in Montmartre which is the northern area, and it was fantastic. We were 2 min walk from the Pigalle subway which took us anywhere we wanted to go. Food in that area was cheaper as it is less touristy and has a more urban feel. In Montmartre is the Moulin Rouge, Sacre Coeur basilica and the "red light district" of Paris. Nothing compared to Amsterdam, but still interesting.

For lodging we booked through http://www.hostelseurope.com/ cause we wanted a mix of both hotels and hostels.

Have a great trip!

caps...

[el_cheepo]

thanks everyone! i really appreciate the replies. :)

I'm having trouble finding a flight from Amsterdam to Venice. i've tried ryanair.com, easyjet.com, and flybmi. are there any other cheap airlines?

also, I would like to visit venice, rome, and possibly florence. how would i travel between these points? any help?

[sankou]

i also went to europe two summers ago. here are the places we went to:

toronto / london (via aircanada)
london / paris / barcelona (via easy jet)
barcelona / naples (via europebyair)
rome / florence / venice / munich / berlin / amsterdam / brussels (via eurail)
rotterdam / london (via europebyair)
london / toronto (via aircanada)

if you want to travel from amsterdam to rome you can get a flight through europebyair.com, which is $99USD. you can then take the eurail to florence and work your way up north to venice etc...

[litebrite]

I went to europe last summer and spend 3K during my 3 weeks there... this was incl airfare and eurail pass.

For trips in between cities in Italy, it might be more worthwhile to just buy a ticket, instead of using the eurail pass, since it'd be a waste. Plan your route out so you can make the most of your eurail pass, ie, plan overnight trips after 6 so that it'll only count as one day's worth of travel.

Even though you said you'd like to end your trip in Paris, it might be more economical to reroute your trip, since there seem to be cheaper ways to get from London to Paris (ie flights via ryanair, easyjet). And then from Paris to Rome is an easy overnight train trip. Think train over flights!! :lol:

I had a fantastic time in Berlin... VERY interesting city! Definately worth checking out if you have time!

Edited cuz I'm a dummy and I forgot how long I *really* spent in Europe.. which was 3 weeks. :lol:

[el_cheepo]

i appreciate the replies! i have a rough copy of my itinerary. i'm going to go over it again tonight/tomorrow and check for holes..then i'll post it. right now, it looks like the hotels/flights will cost around 4200 but split into 2, it's 2100. not too bad. Do you think 1000 is ok for spending money/food/fares/attractions? i sure hope so.

[espeed]

check out travelcuts and ISIC card just in case too

I think you get eurorail discounts that way too

[Talamasca]

also, I would like to visit venice, rome, and possibly florence. how would i travel between these points? any help?

In Italy, just buy normal point-to-point tickets. The Italian rail system is fast and cheap (roughly three hours between each city - just pray you don't travel on one of their regularly scheduled days when they go on strike!). In fact, you'll be riding Eurostar Italia high-speed trains between these three cities which are very comfortable.

I've been to all the cities you want to visit except for Amsterdam so feel free to ask any questions. To briefly sum them up:

London - easily the ugliest and dirtiest of the cities you'll be visiting but you won't care as this place just rocks. Forget the stodgy "tea with old ladies" image that you might have - London is dynamic and absolutely filled to the brim with things to see and do. I was there for four months and wasn't bored once. Truly a world capital in every sense.

Paris - just as gorgeous as you'd imagined. All the women are impeccably well-dressed and beautiful. Add to that all the cultural attractions and you will soon realize why it is the most visited city on Earth.

Rome - walking on the same marble floors and walkways that emperors used to walk on is so frickin' cool! Fantastic food and nightlife and everyone (even the homeless) look like supermodels.

Florence - known by the much cooler name of Firenze to the Italians. The greatest collection of Renaissance art in the world and located in the heart of Tuscany, the most famous and arguably the most beautiful part of Italy.

Venice - a fairytale city come to life. Cruising the Grand Canal admiring the palaces and cathedrals on each side with a light mist coming down is magical.

I'm planning a trip to Spain and Morocco later this fall (with a quick stop in London) so I'm open to any info as well.

[Hymac]

$1000 for spending money/food, etc (if this is for 2 people) could be pretty tight.

[manixc]

I would start calling travel agencies/airlines to see if they will have cheap ticket around the time you want to go. Definitely call British Airlines.

It is probably cheapest to fly to London then train to either Amsterdam or Paris. Once you are in Europe, I would suggest avoiding taking planes. Trains in Europe are fairly efficient. Someone mention railpass already so check out some sites that sell them. I think there is one that is for two people (not 100% sure). One trick to save hotel/hostel fees is to take overnight trains for the long distance trip, say Paris to Rome, or Rome to Amsterdam.

Check weather, it will proabably be warm in Rome by springtime while it's still chilly in London.

I've only been to Amsterdam and Paris myself.

For Amsterdam, must see the Red Light District (drool), Canal tours, the Heinikli museum, Van Gogh (only if you are REALLY interested), etc

Paris, Talamasca said it already, the women are hot (drool again). well Paris is pretty standard for must see. The Arc de Triomphe around 6pm

Have fun


more:

Goto supermarket and make your own lunch/dinner.
Some hostel actually has private room.
ISIC card is a must
Some museums are free. Likewise for other form of enterntainment
Carry loose change for toilet or go to museums for toilet.
Museum pass is worth it in some case.
Learn the local language (at least "Hi", "Can you speak English", "Thank")

[el_cheepo]

thanks again for the replies. real experiences are so much better than reading brochures etc.

here is my itinerary. I've left out hotels, as they are still undecided.

First Day - fly from T.O. to London. Check in for 2 nights.

-fly to Amsterdam. Check in for 2 nights

-fly to Venice for 2 nights

-fly to Rome for 3 nights

-fly to Paris for 4 nights.

-fly back to London for 1night. Then take the return flight home.

I know that's alot of flying...but adding trains into the mix actually increases the budget since the flights are soo cheap. We are also gaining 2 whole days when we fly which is a big bonus.

I need suggestions on Hotel locations for Rome, Paris, and London. I have been using expedia.ca, hotels.ca, and lastminute.com for hotels. Are there any other good ones?

Has anyone been on the EuroStar? I may take the train from Paris to London, just to experience a train ride. It's going to be 100extra over a flight. Is there scenery during this route? Am I going to be cramped next to a stranger? Or should I take another train ride somewhere else...

We plan on bringing $1000 extra EACH for food/transportation/everything else. Is this ok for 2 weeks?

[Ben Jr]

I'm surprised noone has mentioned that it seems like your overdoing it. This is a vacation, take some time to enjoy your surroundings. It just seems to me that your spending half your time in the air.
Paris is a beautiful city, you could spend 2 weeks and not see everything. The cafes, museums, and all the culture is only really enjoyed when taking the time to see it. I've been to each one of those places and I can tell you, each are amazing, and are worth splitting the cities into 2 separate vacations...
Don't forget the fact if your taking Ryanair/Easyjet, their airports are outside the cities(at least Paris and Rome) and it will take you awhile(30-45mins) getting from and to your final destination.
I'd take the train from Paris/London, it stops right downtown London...
The $1000 cash won't last too long, at least it didn't for me, I ended up spending $1500 in Paris/Rome alone...

thanks again for the replies. real experiences are so much better than reading brochures etc.

here is my itinerary. I've left out hotels, as they are still undecided.

First Day - fly from T.O. to London. Check in for 2 nights.

-fly to Amsterdam. Check in for 2 nights

-fly to Venice for 2 nights

-fly to Rome for 3 nights

-fly to Paris for 4 nights.

-fly back to London for 1night. Then take the return flight home.

I know that's alot of flying...but adding trains into the mix actually increases the budget since the flights are soo cheap. We are also gaining 2 whole days when we fly which is a big bonus.

I need suggestions on Hotel locations for Rome, Paris, and London. I have been using expedia.ca, hotels.ca, and lastminute.com for hotels. Are there any other good ones?

Has anyone been on the EuroStar? I may take the train from Paris to London, just to experience a train ride. It's going to be 100extra over a flight. Is there scenery during this route? Am I going to be cramped next to a stranger? Or should I take another train ride somewhere else...

We plan on bringing $1000 extra EACH for food/transportation/everything else. Is this ok for 2 weeks?

[manixc]

Is that $1000CAD or €1000??
If it's Canadian, then bring more.
If it's Euro, then you should be fine.

Also, I hope you are not including hotel fee in that 1000 dollars.

[el_cheepo]

Thanks for the replies. I would love to have more time, but unfortunatley, I don't, I also think that there is a lot of flying but I want to see all the places listed.... The 1000 is CAD and does not include hotel fares.

[Ben Jr]

I got screwed when I flew from Paris -> Rome on Ryanair. I came into Rome around 11pm at night, there were only 8 taxis waiting at the airport, and each wanted 80euros to take us downtown. We decided to wait 30mins for the bus to take us downtown, was around 10euros each. All in all, from the airport to our hotel in central Rome took us over an hour to get there...
Nevermind the fact that we took a bus from Paris to the Ryanair airport, (about 45mins from start to finish)...It was a very long night and I don't think I'd do it that way again...
For the hotels, I used priceline. Since I wanted to be in the center, and not out on the outskirts of the cities I paid more for the hotel rooms. Even with priceline, I was still paying well over $100CAD/night, typical sit down dinner is 30-40euro each...After all, your in some of the most famous food places in the world, have to try it out...
I have seen this echo'd in some other threads, but don't bring all the cash with you, use the bank machines all around if needed...

[PennyArcade]

I flew around and it was fine (london -> toulouse, toulouse -> Paris, Paris->london). It is quicker to get around than train and I don't find the train all that scenic when I did use them.

Overnight trains are useful though. Save on time and money. But they are uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. Imagine 4 sweaty people in one cabin, one on top of each other, snoring loudy, smells of unknown origin.... then add another 2 people to that cabin. I had chest pains when I woke up for some reason :(

I think you can do it with $1000 CAD, but don't expect to eat anywhere nice. France is lovely just to go to a park and have a nice baguette, cheese, meats and wine (which is REALLY cheap and REALLY good). We picnic'ed almost everyday.

London is going to be the most expensive place. I can't imagine living there. I went when it was 2.50 CAD = 1 pound. Fish and chips costed me 10 pounds! I don't pay that much for sushi let alone fried fish.

[Hymac]

$1000 cdn each is not impossible, though it will be extremely tough. Be prepared to spend more (I think $1500 was previously mentioned) if you want to enjoy the sites and food. If you try to convert everything back to Cdn funds, you won’t have a good time.

The Eurostar from London to Paris is anything by scenic, but it's pretty fast and convenient. It's something like 55 euros (return), takes you from Central Paris to Central London in 3 hrs, and you can show up 20 mins b4 the train leaves.

Check out this site for train fares in Italy, I would take a train from Venice to Italy.
http://www.trenitalia.com/home/en/index.html

Also, watch out for pickpockets – they’re all over Europe. And watch out for sketchy dudes in the Red light district in Amsterdamn...they will harrass you for change like no other bums...

[KevC]

How about driving? I wanna do this when I graduate. Rent a car with a few buddies and go across europe.

[manixc]

Also, watch out for pickpockets – they’re all over Europe. And watch out for sketchy dudes in the Red light district in Amsterdamn...they will harrass you for change like no other bums...

I completely forgot about this.

One of my friends got mugged in Amsterdam, but he has a fake wallet in the back pocket so he only lost a cheap old wallet.

Another one of my friend got mugged in Paris, he managed to chase the mugger(teeager, i think) down and got his wallet back. Again his wallet is in the back pocket.

Just beware of your surrounding and you should be okay.


Speaking of Amsterdam, beware of drug dealers on the street corner.

[Talamasca]

Has anyone been on the EuroStar? I may take the train from Paris to London, just to experience a train ride. It's going to be 100extra over a flight. Is there scenery during this route? Am I going to be cramped next to a stranger? Or should I take another train ride somewhere else...

I've taken it from London to Brussels. Not much in the way of scenery as it's pretty much just farmland and industrial areas. Southern England and Northern France aren't exactly renowned for their scenery anyway. You don't really feel that you're going 300 km/h as there's nothing to compare it to. Seats are comfortable - I took 1st outbound and 2nd class inbound and they were both fine with no problems.

Unless there's a big savings, I'd recommend taking a train from Venice to Rome. Both city's train stations are centrally located and you'll be riding through Tuscany, one of the most beautiful and scenic regions on Earth.

How about driving? I wanna do this when I graduate. Rent a car with a few buddies and go across europe.

No. Gas is very expensive in Europe (roughly twice what it costs here) and driving and finding a parking spot in the major cities is a nightmare. A lot of Europeans also drive like maniacs - in Rome, red lights seem to mean "go faster!" rather than "stop."

As for accommodations, check out the Let's Go travel guides for their recommendations. If you're willing to do the hostel thing, you can save some money there as even a basic hotel room with shared bath can easily cost $50 CAN/night.

[afong56]

I completely forgot about this.

One of my friends got mugged in Amsterdam, but he has a fake wallet in the back pocket so he only lost a cheap old wallet.

Another one of my friend got mugged in Paris, he managed to chase the mugger(teeager, i think) down and got his wallet back. Again his wallet is in the back pocket.

Just beware of your surrounding and you should be okay.


Speaking of Amsterdam, beware of drug dealers on the street corner.

maybe, just maybe, this suggests that you should not carry a wallet (real or fake) in your back pocket, if at all possible. . .

[KevC]

No. Gas is very expensive in Europe (roughly twice what it costs here) and driving and finding a parking spot in the major cities is a nightmare. A lot of Europeans also drive like maniacs - in Rome, red lights seem to mean "go faster!" rather than "stop."

As for accommodations, check out the Let's Go travel guides for their recommendations. If you're willing to do the hostel thing, you can save some money there as even a basic hotel room with shared bath can easily cost $50 CAN/night.

Totally forgot about that. I'm sooo doing the hostel/train thing though. I'm a budding photographer so I can't wait to capture the sights. Just afraid of getting my equipment stolen though. Hm... insurance ;)

[el_cheepo]

wow, the feedback is great! please keep the replies coming....any advice appreciated. i'll be going over the itinerary over the weekend, and if it's revised, i'll post.

and i think i need a second job :o

[el_cheepo]

also, how early should i book the hotels and reservations?

[lqd_ice]

I'm heading to Europe on Wednesday, I did all the bookings myself. I fly into London and out of Frankfurt. I also bought a train pass, the 10 days within 2 months, for 4 countries. For accomodations, I'm sticking with hostels. I didn't want to go with a tour because this way I can do my own thing, and if I want to stay longer in one place, then I can.

[Talamasca]

also, how early should i book the hotels and reservations?

If you're going this spring, book asap. If you're going to be in Italy during Easter, book NOW!

[afong56]

As for accommodations, check out the Let's Go travel guides for their recommendations.

hmm, i think we have a philosophical difference on that one. . .i've found the lonely planet guides to be vastly superior travel books--i've used let's go before and found them to cater to americans, whereas the rest of the world tends to prefer the lonely planet guidebooks.

then again, if you want to guarantee to run into americans as you travel, you will find hundreds of them dutifully toting their yellow let's go guides around to all the same hostels and hotels.

really, it's probably 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

what have you found?

[porkchopbread]

watch out for ryanair. they post super low fares on their sites, but you pay an insane amount in taxes. if they advertise a ticket for 20 pounds, total bill will be about 40...easyjet is pretty good...there's also

http://www.thomsonflights.com/

i flew to rome from coventry (crap airport by the way) but for only 28 pounds!! that was dirt cheap.

[canrocks]

Fly Easyjet, sleep at Easyhotel in London - rooms starting at 5 pounds per night.
http://www.easyhotel.com/images/easyRooms/puffs/easy_room4_300x200.jpg
http://www.easyhotel.com/gallery.html
It might not be open by the time you go though. . .
The guy that runs easygroup is so my hero --> Canada really needs a Stelios! (Hopefully it'll be me in 5 years)

[enlighten_me]

2 weeks is kind of compressed, but London, Amsterdam, Paris should be done in a group. I found Ryanair to be reliable and cheap to fit in the Italy leg - take into account the time it takes to get to Stansted airport though.

Getting to/from airports is time consuming. A good itinerary would be to land in London, take the train through Paris, Amsterdam... cut through Switzerland (awesome view of the alps if you pick the right route), and make your way to Italy. Fly Ryanair back to London. Trains are extremely punctual, offer tons of flexibility, and you can get accurate schedules on the fly at www.bahn.de (click the English link). If you're short on time, the night trains may come in handy.


Make sure you use a money belt, and bring an ISIC to save lots.

You can read my travel logs from my backpacking experiences at my website (http://www.variance.ca)

[Talamasca]

That's a really nice website, Jesse. Question: which hotel in Madrid did you stay in for $30CAN? Thanks.

[enlighten_me]

Can't remember, but it was listed in my Lonely Planet on a Shoestring. Also note that I was in Madrid just before the adoption of the Euro.... it was really a cheap city to visit back then.

[jackass124]

another cool option for hotels throughout Europe is Forumla 1...it's kind of like staying in a space station...but, it's VERY CHEAP....it's like an automated hotel:

http://www.hotelformule1.com/formule1/index.html

I stayed in one in Barcelona (actually on the outskirts of the city--took a train in) for like 27euros a night i think...looks like they're in about 7 European countries...especially cool if you're travelling with one or 2 other people...split the cost, and it's a joke for accomodation!

Good luck!

[gacomeau1]

To find out which European budget airline flies where, visit www.whichbudget.com. They're all listed on the same, easy to navigate site.

[markreda]

I spent 2 months backpacking across europe a coupple of years ago.
here's what you need to know....

1. Buy Lonely Planet's Europe On A Shoe String or Lonely Planet's Western Europe.
2. If you don't have a lot of money stay in hostles, if you don't know of any hostles check out hostles.com . Remember, you'll probably have more fun at indipendant hostels over Hostel International (HI) which tend to be very steral and boring.
3. Plan your route. Consider travel time. Don't rush youself. If you like a city, stay and enjoy it.
4. London is very expensive. I spent more money in 5 days there than anywhere else in 2 weeks.

I'm going to stop counting.....

-Buy a backpack at Mountain Equipment Co-Op, they'll fit to you
-buy big zip-lock freezer bags and keep your shampoo and liquids in it
-bring a few green garbage bags for dirty laundry
-bring some vitamins, you won't always be eating right and you'll need your energy for sight-seeing
-bring some anti-diarhea stuff
-bring flip-flops for showering
-bring a bicycle cable lock (I like Kryptonite) if you want to lock your bags up when you leave your hostel or hotel room.
-don't lock the zippers on your bags when you check your luggage at the airport
-always lock the zippers on your bags when you're traveling (not on airplanes)
-rent a scooter while you're in Rome but don't rent it from the place at the train station. You can get a way better deal from other places in the city.
-If you want to get into the Colosium faster look for tour guides, it may
cost a bit more but you get a tour and you by-pass the line.
Also, in Rome go to Spanish Steps, Piazza Novana and Campo De Fiori, they're great places to hang out and they have great gelatoria's (ice cream parlours).
-While you're in Rome, the pope addresses the people from his papal window on Wednesdays and Sundays at 1:00pm, ask the people at the hotel, they'll know for sure.
-Never put your bag down or never watch other people's bags, you're asking to get robbed.
-Phone cards only work in the country you buy them in. And don't call home collect it will cost $20 per call.
-Dont take cabs around any city, travel by bus and find out which busses to take
-always have a eye on your back and know your surroundings there are very many theives waiting to rob you
-carry a day-pack (small back pack) with you when you're on day trips
-If you plan on bringing any electrical devices you will need a power converter/inverter you can get it from any <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=126 target=_blank>radioshack</a> or Henry's camera
store.
-Bring a pocket knife with you and carry it in your pocket
-Eating at restruants can get expensive, shop at supermarkets and make your own food.

more info...
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/eurobackpack/eurobackpack.html
http://www.backpackeurope.com/tips/index.html

[ah802]

Check these guys out... I booked through the internet the night before and got a $70 euro price for Greece to Brussels.

It looks like you're thinking CDN dollars... the prices of the hotels will kill your budget big time. If hostels are out... (they are the most common) at least consider backpacker hotels. Arrange as much of the accomodation as you can, last year I checked in with the lastminute hotels in london and the cheapest they had was 70 pounds a night. BurgerKing or MacDonalds combo's in London are 7 pounds!

Brussels -> Paris high speed train (GTV) is 68 euros and 2.5 hours.

If you're thinking backpack.... get wheels on it. Contiki tours are good.

[el_cheepo]

thanks again for all the replies!

well, pretty much everything is booked....flights/hotels....i'm still undecided as to whether to take a flight from venice to rome or take the train (www.trenitalia.com). We will most likely take the train as there's enough flying around already :lol: . The hotels we got are in excellent locations!
we came way over budget, but that's expected. Also, spending cash (credit card lol) budget has been increased to 1500 CAD each.

i know we are going to be tired but i hope we enjoy!

thanks for all the help!

[sankou]

take the train. as another poster said earlier, the views are spectacular!

[manixc]

take the train. as another poster said earlier, the views are spectacular!

depend on which route though.

the view on plane rides aren't too bad. I was on a flight that went over the Swiss alps; the day was clear and I was able to look down and saw the mountains and snows. I thought that was cool.

[ah802]

thanks again for all the replies!

well, pretty much everything is booked....flights/hotels....i'm still undecided as to whether to take a flight from venice to rome or take the train (www.trenitalia.com). We will most likely take the train as there's enough flying around already :lol: . The hotels we got are in excellent locations!
we came way over budget, but that's expected. Also, spending cash (credit card lol) budget has been increased to 1500 CAD each.

i know we are going to be tired but i hope we enjoy!

thanks for all the help!

The trip from Venice to Rome via train is great, the scenery is spectacular down the backbone of Italy. There's more than one track to Rome.. I took the Frienza side trip (including Piza). The central Rome train station has a very nice buffet restaurant with some great local food with wine cheap. The Vatican tour is something I'll never forget.