Europe?

ColleenSwerb

ColleenSwerb

Brodo gettin her Swerb on
Ok so I know some of you ladies are over in Europe, and some of you maybe have been over there. I need some help please :)

We're starting to plan our trip to Europe for our honeymoon next fall (October). Jordan's parents are letting us use their flier miles, so the flights should be free.

We're thinking of flying into London, and then going to Paris, and Rome for sure. Possibly Barcelona, I'd like to do Venice and or Florence as well.

Jordan found some kind of train to get to said places, but it was like $1500 for the 2 of us. Friends of mine went backpacking through 2 years ago and I KNOW they didn't pay that much, lol. Are there different types of trains that we could take?

Also, someone mentioned that there is a small airline that flies from city to city for really cheap. But naturally I forgot the name of it, lol.

So gimme your tips please! We're pretty clueless at this point, lol.
 
Col! I went to Europe on my honeymoon with my first husband. And, I've been several times over the last couple years with work. I can't really speak about the transportation side (rented a car the first time). But, my biggest piece of advice is to limit what/where you are going. Believe me...you will be so tired/have such a come-down after the wedding that you'll be glad you limited your trip scope. London/Paris is a good combo. Or, doing Rome/Florence & possibly Venice. Europe is a lot bigger than you think LOL! Doing all of those places in one trip will leave you tired and wishing you spent more time in one place.

PM me or catch me on YIM - I'll talk your ear off about where I've been and what I've done over there LOL!
 
I was starting to think the same thing Melissa. Like just doing France and Italy with the rail pass. There's SO much to see and do!
 
Check out the Rick Steve's books. Lots of good info for ways to not break the bank, and then you can splurge on a couple of things. We went to Europe in 01 and went to Venice, Saltzburg and London. Just being there is half the fun!!
 
I'm headed to Barnes and Noble tonight actually, so thanks for the tips on his books! :)
I'm leaning towards just doing France, Italy and Greece at this point. 2.5 weeks and 3 countries sounds like it's not TOO too much, kwim?
 
I totally agree, don't try to do too much, just soak it all up for a few days in each place and seek out the "off the beaten path" things to do in addition to the touristy stuff. Jay and I have been to all the places you mentioned except Barcelona and Greece (mostly because of traveling for conferences at work), so if you need any specific advice, I'd be happy to share what I know! :)

Just a few tidbits- if we had to do it over again, we'd probably skip Rome (sorry to anyone who loves it!) and spend more time in Florence/Venice, head to Greece or stop somewhere in the French Riviera (we had the ride of a lifetime through the streets...of Monaco to catch a train and would have loved to be able to stay...the ride was scary and exciting LOL). We'd have spent a few more days in Paris too, I think we were there for 3 days and it was pretty rushed.

If you want an awesome B&B to stay in Venice right off San Marco Square, I'll find the info for you (can't seem to find it right now). The owner is one of the nicest and most helpful people we ever met abroad. If you ask him about a special place to eat, he'll give you a specific menu to try at one of his favorite restaurants (it's not on the menu normally, but they know who's sending you :)).

In Florence, you MUST eat at this restaurant at least once- http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/inglese/frameset.html It's my favorite restaurant of all time (get a picture with the chef/owner- he's one seriously eccentric guy). You can read the history of the restaurant on the site.

We purchased Eurail passes when traveling through France and Italy, but there's no way they were that expensive....hopefully things haven't gone up that much (on glancing it looks like they haven't)! There are different kinds of trains you can take (hi-speed, scenic and hotel).

Have fun planning!!! :) I'm totally jealous!
T.

P.S. Laminated city maps (you can get them in B&N) are a godsend in any of those cities. :) We used them religiously and have very little trouble getting around.
 
Excellent, thanks so much T! I might hit you up once we get the general itinerary nailed down this weekend and book the flights. I have a few friends who have all been over there as well, and everyone is giving me tons of tips. I'm so excited! Since the engagement is so long, the wedding planning itself has been UBER easy, so I'm excited to get to plan something else now too :)
 
when we were stationed on Germany i can remember some of our military friends talking about those cheap little planes that flew all over. i wish we had had the time and the money to see more. we were able to see a little of Germany and thats it. we had planned on going to Italy (my absolute DREAM!) but we left sooner than planned when DH was diagnosed with his ptsd. :(. it was still neat to see Germany. it was really pretty! and driving on the autobahn was fun, lol! we were there for 1.5 years or so.

i still hope to see Italy some day. oh, and Greece!
 
I agree with T about Rome. It's a wonderful city, but sooooo crowded....and terribly expensive. I looooved being in Tuscany. Volterra is a wonderful city ;) I stayed at a really cool hotel just outside the city walls and can get you the name if you're interested.

If you're going to stay in Paris, I've got the name of a great little B&B in the Latin Quarter. A little out of the way, but totally quiet and the owner was an absolute doll. And, if you're going to be in the Loire Valley, I can tell you which of the chateaux are worth it and which aren't ;)

I am super envious. It's going to be several years before dh & I get over to Europe together :( So, I guess I need to start scrapping my travels instead :D
 
Oh! Forgot to add....we used RyanAir while in Europe to fly from Paris back to Stockholm (when I was living there). I think we paid $30 for both tickets. They have lots of incredible deals when you can snag them, but you can usually only take a carry-on, possibly with weight restrictions (and don't expect to get a drink. LOL). They also tend to fly into smaller airports, so you might have some extra travel/expense to get to where you really want to go.
 
MelissaL88 said:
I agree with T about Rome. It's a wonderful city, but sooooo crowded....and terribly expensive. I looooved being in Tuscany. Volterra is a wonderful city ;) I stayed at a really cool hotel just outside the city walls and can get you the name if you're interested.

If you're going to stay in Paris, I've got the name of a great little B&B in the Latin Quarter. A little out of the way, but totally quiet and the owner was an absolute doll. And, if you're going to be in the Loire Valley, I can tell you which of the chateaux are worth it and which aren't ;)

I am super envious. It's going to be several years before dh & I get over to Europe together :( So, I guess I need to start scrapping my travels instead :D
Click to expand...

wasn't that same name of the place in Twilight with the vampire family? the Volturi? :D
 
Yes it is! I was hip before I knew that I was being hip! LOL!

Actually, my company has a manufacturing plant about 15 minutes away from Volterra, so it's really convenient for them to put us up in a hotel there.
 
oh, col, sweetie, find a time to head over to germany! Cologne and munich are great cities and when you are in cologne we can meet :-)))
 
You are so lucky..greece is AMAZING..so is italy. Been all over Europe and the middle east with my dad and ex husband being military. On my way there personally i'd stay in the Azores. Out of ALL the places I went being a military brat...the Azores and London...along with Italy were the most amazing! :)I went to London on our Senior Trip in High school..the week following me and 3 of my best friends went to Spain for Spring break. It was so amazing living over tehre and going to high school! You lucky to be able to go over there. I'm hoping to take a girlfriend with me at some point since we both love to travel and DH HATES planes...:)
 
I can't agree with the others who say skip Rome. I love ya'll, but are you crazy? lol OMG, I've been there twice and both times I was blown away by the history of it all. Yes, it's crowded and pricey, but it's worth it. How often does someone get to see ruins that are 2000 years old?

Living in Germany, we've been fortunate to travel a bit and we use Ryan Air when we can't drive. Most times you can get a round trip flight for like 80 Euros or less. Here's where I've been (I'll bold the places I love & would suggest for you)...

Amsterdam
Munich
Frankfurt
Cologne
Berlin
Paris
Strasbourg (1000 year old cathedral there)
Normandy (lots of American history there)
London
Rome
Venice
Florence
Capri
Pisa

I still haven't made it to Greece or Spain but am DYING to go! I want so badly to see Santorini and Barcelona! My husband says go to Tunisia... and nowhere else. ROFL
 
Thanks so much for all the tips ladies!!

It's funny how different everyone is. Some of you don't like Rome, another friend said she wouldn't go back to Venice if you paid her, etc etc. :p
 
omg you lucky girl!! i have been bitten by the traveling bug ever since we were in Germany. I was very homesick, but i loved Germany. we went to Trier a few times. its a very old city along the Moselle river, with this old ruin called the Porta Nigra. they say was built before Rome was. it was neat to be in the presence of something that ancient. we don't have stuff that old here, lol. i saw the inside of one of the churches there that was so beautiful it just about made me cry. it had guilded cherubs, and a beautiful painted ceiling. GORGEOUS. but Rome is where i am dying to go!! the history there is amazing!! i would do anything to get to Italy! so GO TO ITALY for ME! :D
 
Last edited:
I am also super jealous. I have never been to Europe. I so would love to. I have most of the continent on my must see list. Maybe someday.
 
I have nothing constructive to add, but I wanted to say that my ancestors are from Trier, Germany. Col, dear, if you go there, will you take a picture of the Trier sign for me? Are you even going to Germany? Have I gone insane?

Okay, does anyone live near Trier? :D :D :D
 
For this trip we probably won't be going to Germany, lol. Sorry Sara :p
I'm leaning towards just doing Greece, Italy, and France. Spend a week in Italy and France and do small day trips and such, and a few days in Greece.
 
kscwgirl said:
I have nothing constructive to add, but I wanted to say that my ancestors are from Trier, Germany. Col, dear, if you go there, will you take a picture of the Trier sign for me? Are you even going to Germany? Have I gone insane?

Okay, does anyone live near Trier? :D :D :D
Click to expand...

cool! i took pics, but i cant find them nor do i think i took a pic of the Trier sign. i have no idea where to find my pictures. i think a lot of them were on my old memory stick from my other camera and i lost it :(
 
BrodoNY0123 said:
Some of you don't like Rome, another friend said she wouldn't go back to Venice if you paid her, etc etc. :p
Click to expand...

LOL, see, I kinda feel that way about Venice. Personally, I WAY prefer the history of Rome. Venice is beautiful, but there really isn't a WHOLE lot to see and IMO it's WAY more expensive than Rome. But you really should see it at least once in your lifetime.
 
BrodoNY0123 said:
For this trip we probably won't be going to Germany, lol. Sorry Sara :p
I'm leaning towards just doing Greece, Italy, and France. Spend a week in Italy and France and do small day trips and such, and a few days in Greece.
Click to expand...

I knew I got confused somehow. :D
 
sprauncey1 said:
Check out the Rick Steve's books. Lots of good info for ways to not break the bank, and then you can splurge on a couple of things. We went to Europe in 01 and went to Venice, Saltzburg and London. Just being there is half the fun!!
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree - check out his website, too... www.ricksteeves.com. He also has PBS shows that you can catch between now and then (or even netflix them) that are good to watch - he's got great tips for budget travel that isn't TOO budget if you know what I mean, and lots of great tips for doing things that are a little off the beaten path.
 
Exactly Laura, I want to do a few of things now that you should do once in your life (like Venice). Then the next time we try and do this, we don't have to worry about those, kwim? :)

Jordan's a huge history buff in general, and I love ancient cultures and stuff. I'm SUPER excited to go wander around France and look at Cathedrals and Castles and things. I LOVE all the architecture there is to marvel at in Europe.
 
The name of the cheap airline is Ryan Air. DD uses it when she and the girls go to London to visit her friend. I wouldn't miss Rome. We had a blast there, but missed the catacombs. Saw everything else though. You should also plan some time to visit Pompeii. When we go back we plan on spending a few days there. We didn't get to see everything and we want to see it all. Have fun.
 
London has Westminster Abby which is breathtaking and Buckinham Palace. If you really want to see an amazing, ancient, gothic cathedral... go to Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame (and if you go there, I can meet you teehee). Rome has St. Peter's Basilica which has the Sistine Chapel. The Basilica itself is incredibly beautiful... and if you're Catholic, it's really sureal... and it's full of art... thousands of pieces. Florence is pretty, but for me the only real thing to see there is Michelagelo's David... WOW! Of course Paris is a must... DH would go there every weekend if we could. lol
 
Laura_A said:
Funny you should mention this... we're about 80 miles from Trier and DH & I were talking about heading over there this weekend. I'll take a pic for you if we go.
Click to expand...

are you military? we were stationed in Baumholder when we were there. i hated that base, lol. it was so tiny and boring! we usually went to Ramstein air base or K-Town (Kaiserslautern) for more things to do, lol. too bad DH was so busy or we would have done more :(

oh, and if you do see Rome, go to the Sistine Chapel. get lots of pics if you're allowed! this is the main reason i want to see Italy. i would die happy if i could see that beautiful, painted ceiling :wub:
 
Last edited:
Yes, DH is Army... we're stationed in Wiesbaden. We just got here in May but before that we spent 4 1/2 years in Darmstadt... which SUCKED. lol Ours was tiny like Baumholder. We too go to K-town and Ramstein a lot.

DH makes it a point to take leave so we can see things.. and a few times I just went by myself or with a girlfriend cuz he was too busy. lol
 
i had an Italian friend, Marilena,who lived below us that was married to a soldier. she took me with her to Saarbrucken to go shopping once. i love how the shopping districts there are closed off with the cobblestone streets. so quaint and pretty.

she and i had other plans made, but her DH was killed in Iraq a short time later. horrible, horrible thing to see a friend hurting like that :(
 
I LOVE Rome, L-O-V-E it! Mr. Eve's family is all there, in fact his dad owns an apartment complex and they spend the winter there every year. Personally I think you should visit Copenhagen, it's not a very cheap place to visit though since we just got promoted to THE most expensive city to live in in the world....lol
 
Laura_A said:
If you really want to see an amazing, ancient, gothic cathedral... go to Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame (and if you go there, I can meet you teehee).
Click to expand...

Me too! I live about 30 minutes away from Strasbourg! If you want to travel in France and England, just use the trains, it's usually much cheaper than plane (and more convenient than the cheap airlines like Ryanair: the train station are in the center of towns, you can have as much luggage as you want, etc.) You can take the Channel tunnel to go to London from Paris: just 2 hours of train and here you are!

I've never been to Rome but Florence is absolutely gorgeous!! If you have the chance, try to go to Sienna. It's not far from Florence and this city is absolutely unbelievable. There are no cars allowed in the center of the ancient city, and it's so charming and lovely (even for a European like me! LOL) Hope you'll have fun! Don't hesitate to PM me if you need anything!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2026 XenForo Ltd.
Back
Top