14days: Amsterdam + France + Italy + Greece

anonymoususer on 30/09/2018 - 23:14
Last edited 01/10/2018 - 01:18

Looking to visit family in London in start of July 2019. We are 2 adults and 2 kids ( 4 and 6yrs). We will stay in London for 2weeks. Then planning to spend 2 weeks in France + Amsterdam + Italy + Greece. So we are wondering:

1) Is it feasible to cover France + Amsterdam + Italy + Greece … at least one main tourist place per country in 14days ?

2) Or given 14days in hand, do you suggest any other list of countries which could be possible to do with kids?

3) From flights point of view… should we book Sydney <—> London or just Sydney —> London and then return flight from other city? Which?

PS: I know 4 countries (cities) is too much in 2 weeks but really appreciate your help to fine tune my plan.

Thanks.

PS: I removed Switzerland from original list and added Amsterdam due to cost factor.

Travel

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2018 - 00:19

    Its pretty common for an entire UK + European tour to be about your 1 month time-frame.

    I have a friend who did the whole of UK inc. Scotland and Ireland over 2 weeks and also went on a euro tour to france, italy and greece. (he also spent a couple days in dubai from layover) so its definitely possible in your time-frame to go to those countries you have planned and visit all the iconic locations (my friend looked like he had a great time)

    What i suggest is to find a holiday/tour planner who can work with you in person to figure out what times/flights you can order to get you around and also book you into tours in those timeframes. (many tours accept people joining in on a tour group halfway through a tour) or if you'd like to go and explore on your own accord then be sure to research how to get around effectively in the places you go to to make most of your time there.

    So to answer

    (1) yes
    (2) dubai is on the way you could stop by for a couple days for the dune riding, camels and indoor skiing
    (3) Speak to holiday planner/flight agent. they will be able to tell you how to fly for the cheapest. To get to london you will need to layover somewhere like dubai to and from

  • AdosHouse on 01/10/2018 - 00:50

    I liked Switzerland, but it's a bit pricey, at least I found it to be. I'm looking at you 20 Euro for a pizza, for perspective it's like half that in Italy.

    • anonymoususer on 01/10/2018 - 01:18

      PS: I removed Switzerland from original list and added Amsterdam due to cost factor.

  • GourmetFoodie on 01/10/2018 - 05:14
    +1

    1) and 2)
    I'd cut Greece or Amsterdam/The Netherlands at a minimum. Especially if you're traveling with kids you will find every "travel day" is pretty much a waste when you are traveling between countries via plane, so you would be left with 10 days for all 4. That's max 3 days in 2 places and 2 days in 2 places. I mean it's doable but is it worth it?

    Not IMO when you could easily spend 14 days in Italy or France alone. You will feel rushed and like you are missing out on key attractions. If you want to do "more" you would be better seeing multiple cities in the one country and traveling via train between them as train travel days within the same country are far more efficient than plane travel days (less security to go through, shorter distances and train stations more conveniently located). Eg. 1 week France (3-4 cities), 1 week Italy (3-4 cities). Think you'd get more of a "feel" for the country and enjoy yourselves more IMO.

    If I was you I'd also work out my itinerary based on the things you are most interested in doing and seeing rather than trying to check a box saying "done every key Western European country". For me food, art and shopping are my priorities so I've been to France and Italy 5 or 6 times each and seen many cities in both places… but never been to Greece because it just doesn't rate on those factors. But if you want to spend a lot if time feeling chilled by the pool in the warmth, maybe Greece is a better option.

    3) I'd definitely do an open jaw flight so fly into London and out of another city. Far more efficient.

  • GG57 on 01/10/2018 - 09:15

    If it were me, and our kids were 4 and 6yrs old, I would decide which of those four countries is my preference, and then decide on a location within that country. It could be centrally located for day trips, but have something of interest to me without too much travel.
    I would then find an accommodation to be our base for those 2 weeks.
    Immerse myself (and the kids) in that location, perhaps a few day trips to add more interest, have a few lazy days, eat locally, do different things than we do at home, enjoy the different culture.

  • anonymoususer on 01/10/2018 - 11:52

    Thanks guys, may be we will reduce list to …. France + Italy + Greece then.

    France : Paris
    Italy : Rome, Florence/Venice
    Greece : Athens, Santorini/Mykonos

    Thoughts?

    • GG57 on 01/10/2018 - 13:07

      Paris gets my vote.

  • onthehunt on 01/10/2018 - 15:53

    Why don't you go to Nice from Paris and drive to Italy, you will waste less time waiting around at airports and catching transport from airport to hotel.

  • vstratosphere on 01/10/2018 - 19:49

    Did the most of Europe in 21 days, Italy is great, Venice is one of the coolest places I have ever been, Florence was also cool but if you are picking between the two, go to Venice!

    Amsterdam was my favourite but that was as a 20 year old traveling with girlfriend, probably wouldn't be as cool with young kids, if you get what I mean.

    Paris and Rome are must see cities!

    Switzerland was super expensive but it was beautiful but I probably wouldn't go back unless it was to go skiing.

    Austria and Germany are both really cool if you like beer and sausages and the snow in Austria could be cool with kids, we went to innsbruck and they had kids area for snowplay and stuff.

    We flew in and out of London just so we could do a simple loop around Europe.

    • anonymoususer on 01/10/2018 - 22:30

      Thanks a lot for your detailed reply.

      Would you mind sharing some info on rough cost (travel/accommodation/meals/activities etc) for two of you?

      Also, some tips on how to travel (flights/train?) between my locations eg London, France, Italy and Greece? Accommodation tips?

      Any specific must see places from my list of countries?

      • vstratosphere on 02/10/2018 - 11:47
        +1

        We used busabout hop on hop off which is alot of time sitting on busses and looking back trains would of been a better idea but we got a good deal on the busses so it made it worth it. We stayed in hostels and cheap hotels like ibis. All up we spent $4500 per person booking everything in advance and then took $2000 spending money each. $500 of the $4500 was for special dinners, but we used our spending money for lunches and buying anything else. The $4500 was also used to for Eiffel Tower, everything in Rome (ruins/Vatican), Venice canal trip and couple of other trips. We are very cheap normally cheap pizza and pasta in italy and only ate takeaway in Switzerland because it was just too expensive for a real meal.

        All up we spent about $13000 on the trip I believe.

        Busses would suck for kids so for sure use trains or flights, people we met said trains were the way to go though. We used the train to get from London to Paris and it was nice.

        Hostels would be hard with kids, but ibis style budget accommodation would be perfect and some come with breakfast.

        The famous attractions are all must sees, but there is a takeaway pasta shop in venice called Dal Moro's that is the best pasta I have ever had! It's in a dark alley that looks a bit sketchy but the people in there a great and love to know where you came from. Paris is great to walk around from thing to thing but if you have kids a train is probably a good idea, same with Rome.

        I didn't go to Greece so can't help with that sorry!

        Make sure you try all the food because those Europeans know how to cook!

  • TimOfEastBNE on 02/10/2018 - 00:58
    +1

    Just at the end of 18 days covering Switzerland, Italy, France then back to Italy. Fly home in 2 days.

    My opinion is go to fewer places for longer time at each.

    Also, can you offload the children? Seriously. They won't remember anything when under ~10. I took a 12 & 9 yo to UK a few years back and the then 12yo remembers heaps, the then 9yo, very little.

    My recommendation is 4 nights Min, that way you have 3 full days to experience the place. Consider booking an airbnb in one place (like florence) for longer and use it as a base to do a few overnight (take less bags) trips to places like Vienna and Rome.

    July will be the peak summer tourist season. It will be hot. It will be very busy. Very busy.

    For museums and galleries buy tickets online before you arrive.

    Or, book in for a week at a big European holiday park, the kids will love it and you'll enjoy the relaxation.

  • melay0326 on 18/10/2018 - 22:05

    Why dont you skip Greece and replace it with Spain? Don't get me wrong I loved Greece but I don't see any attraction for the kids to do there.

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