We have about 30 days to tour the best of Europe and Rick's suggested Best 22 days Europe looks pretty good. Just wander if there are more details (like what time of train and what type of bus etc) about the itinerary? For example how to get from Amsterdam to Bacharach?
Also what type of Rail ticket should we purchase (we are two travelers together)?
If we want to add Brussels/Bruges for a total of about 30 days trip, can someone please suggest a good itinerary?
Thanks!
If this is your 1st trip to Europe the train is probably your best bet, and would be the best way to get from Amsterdam to Bacharach.
You will have to choose between buying point to point tickets or a rail pass. If you decide on a definate itinerary and don't care too much about flexibility you can purchase point to point tickets in advance.
You could easily add Brugge either between Amsterdam and Bacharach or after Paris.
Rick's brilliant itineraries are based on his tours. However, it is hard to move as fast as he does on your own. Recall that one advantage of a tour is that it frees you from many decisions and burdens, such as arranging loding and transportation, that all take up time.
We followed one of his France itineraries for a few days, at about 3/4 his speed, and were exhausted.
So my advice is not to add anything to that itinerary but to spend the time better enjoying the feast before you. If are were determined to add Bruges anyway, I'd suggest putting it before Amsterdam.
Adam, thanks for the reminder. I am glad that we knew this before hand. I would still love to see if there are any more details about the suggested itinerary so we know where we should allow more time.
I'm guessing this is your 1st trip to Europe based on your questions, esp. about how to get from A to B. My advice is the 1st time out let someone else handle the details (or go with someone experienced in doing this) and learn how things work; transport,hotels, dining, etc. Then you'll be prepared for travel on your own.
And if you like Ricks 22 day tour route then why not take his tour? I've been on it and have also travelled independently, and I think that it takes about 50% more time to do on your own what the tour does. That's if you know what you're doing. So even though the tour seems costly, if you think of it as what you'd do on 30 days it becomes much more reasonable.
It sounds like what you're asking for is what AAA gives in its trip-kits, almost a turn-by-turn set of instructions. You won't find those. And as novice travellers you might find it frustrating trying to match the speed of an itinerary that even experienced travellers would find it a challenge to do.
Just because we really prefer to be independent, we will not want to be in any form of tours. However great advice and we sure will allow more time to follow the itinerary. We have 30 days for the 22 schedule so hopefully we can manage it.
I understand why people prefer traveling alone. If you want to stay an extra day somewhere or decide it isn't all it was supposed to be, you can change plans. Its easier to go to small places as a pair than as a party of 24. More likely to meet locals. And so on.
To pull it off, my advice is to put in as much work as you can upfront. And with a 22-day tour like rick does you're biting off a lot because it means trying to master 10 different areas instead of say 4-5 days in 3 places. You can do it, although I have to admit I'd blanch at the task. With the pair of you, maybe divide up the cities. For example, you take 5 and your companion the other 5. Start with lodging and get that firmed up. Next is transport. Figure out, in detail, how to get from the lodging in A to the lodging in B. "Take the train" doesn't cut it. You need to know how to reach the station, what time the train leaves, cost, etc. Then figure out what sites you want to see, when they're open, where they are, etc.
This all depends, of course, on how you want to spend your time. You CAN do a lot of it on the fly, and some people don't like too much advance planning. I've travelled w/o reservations and its not hard, but sometimes you spend a few hours finding a place to stay. You can go down to the train station the day before you leave and get tix. Its just that all this takes time, and especially with the whirlwind pace of Ricks Best 22 days you'll be doing this a lot!
And even if you arrange as much as you can in advance, its still hard to match the efficiency of a tour. You eat breakfast and pack your bags, come down and the bus is waiting. Off you go, instead of having to get to a train station (30 min probably) and arriving early so you don't miss the train. On arrival the bus drops you at the hotel and the clerk hands you the room key. On your own you have to find the hotel, and check in. The guide leads you right to the museums and exhibits; I doubt most people can do as well their 1st time in Paris, Rome, Amsterdam.
(last part!) A bunch of little efficiencies add up. Tours have done it a bunch of times and know how much time to schedule each place. Show up at the Louvre and your guide is waiting, you go in the group tour entrance. On your own you're walking book in hand trying to find the place and the secret entrance downstairs to avoid the crowd. Then you're on your own to try to figure out the best way to spend your time in something that you could easily wander in for days. For meals in many cities the guide has offered you a limited menu, but phoned it in from the bus so when you go to dinner they're bringing it out.
The point is that its a tradeoff of autonomy vs efficiency. Rick says he aims to deliver dollar-for-dollar the same experiences you'd get on your own. His per-day costs are higher, but I really think he delivers on that promise. So give yourself more time if you're trying to match his itinerary, and I'm glad to see you're planning on doing.
Thanks so much for all the advice. The take away is to allow extra time and have a few plans to allow delay. It's inevitable things will come up here and there especially in a foreign land.
I will do some more research and post my detail schedules here for people to review.
