HoneyMoon in Europe Advice

Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honey moon in Europe.
I need advice on an itinerary. Thanks in advance. This is my fiancé
first trip to Europe my second. My first trip I did spend some time in
Paris and Amsterdam and I really liked both. We are open to exploring
out lying regions around the cities. We are planning on using public
transportation while in Europe. We are considering one of these two
itineraries.
Paris
Brussels
Amsterdam
or
Rome,
Sienna/Florence
Venice (fly out with a mandatory stop in Brussels required with
American Airlines since I am using frequent flyer miles.)

We would arrive April 25 AM and stay 2 full weeks. Approximate budget
excluding airfare would be $3000 - $4000 USD.

We love food wine an occasional beer, flowers, gardens, Art, Culture,
Architecture, nice people, romance, and we would like to learn about a
new place together. I think we would like to come away from the trip
with a piece of the local way of life remaining with us.

Any advice is appreciated?

"We love food wine an occasional beer, flowers, gardens, Art, Culture,
Architecture, nice people, romance, and we would like to learn about a
new place together. I think we would like to come away from the trip
with a piece of the local way of life remaining with us."

Either of those itineraries would be a great trip and good choice for a
honeymoon.

You might consider spending the whole two weeks in France rather than
spending time in Belgium and Holland. Given your interests, you might
spend 5-7 days in Paris and then visit places in the French
countryside, such as the Loire Valley and its chateaux, Provence and
its beautiful small towns and great food, or Burgundy and its
vineyards. Belgium and Holland are great places, but IMO the French
countryside is better suited for a honeymoon trip, and you can always
visit Belgium and Holland in the future.

"MR3000" <mrepa1@> wrote:
Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honeymoon in Europe.
I need advice on an itinerary...
Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam
or Rome, Sienna/Florence, Venice.

Here's what we did 2 years ago:
Train from Brussels to Paris (3N), rental car for Loire Valley (2N)
wineries and chateaux, train to Riviera-- Cannes (2N), train to Annecy
(1N) for boat ride on the lake, train to Avignon (1N), return to Brussels
(2N).

Here's what my wife and I are planning for this May:
Rome (2N), train to Florence, rental car for Sienna and Tuscan
hilltowns (2N), Florence (1N), train to Venice (1N), fly back to Rome.

=R=
I'm Europe, Baby. I sent you Dutch Elm Disease, German Measles,
and Russian Roulette. You sent me World Wind Vacation Tour #225.
Now we're even. -- from "If Its Tuesday, This Must be Belgium"

On 8 Mar 2005 15:32:37 -0800, "MR3000" <mrepa1@> wrote:

>Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honey moon in Europe.
>I need advice on an itinerary. Thanks in advance. This is my fiancé
>first trip to Europe my second. My first trip I did spend some time in
>Paris and Amsterdam and I really liked both. We are open to exploring
>out lying regions around the cities. We are planning on using public
>transportation while in Europe. We are considering one of these two
>itineraries.
>Paris
>Brussels
>Amsterdam
>or
>Rome,
>Sienna/Florence
>Venice (fly out with a mandatory stop in Brussels required with
>American Airlines since I am using frequent flyer miles.)

Since you are going in April, I would prefer the southern itinerary.
Brussels and Amsterdam have a good chance of being cold and wet.
Actually this year even Tunis may be cold and wet.

--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:46:47 -0600, jcoulter
<225stellarDROPTHIS@> wrote:

>"MR3000" <mrepa1@> wrote in news:1110324757.139896.262780
>@z14g2000cwz..com:
>
>> Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honey moon in Europe.
>> I need advice on an itinerary. Thanks in advance. This is my fiancé
>> first trip to Europe my second.
>Public transportation is nice but to see anything in the Siana Florence
>area a car would be very helpful.

My husband and I took a car trip in Tuscany a few years ago. However,
we took public transportation from Montalcino (where we were staying)
to Siena. I realized looking at the bus schedule that it would be
fairly easy to visit Montalcino, Montepulciano, Pienza, and several
other Tuscan hill towns by bus from Siena. Because of scheduling, you
would probably have to stay overnight in at least one, maybe two, of
the towns, but that would be no hardship.

I don't know if you can reach San Gimignano by bus, but if so I would
strongly recommend it. We went there in April, and there were traffic
police turning people away on the road leading into town because there
was no more parking space. Since there was no distant lot with a
shuttle bus, we parked on a country lane (along with scores of other
visitors) and hiked into town. It must be a disaster in summer.


I would drive from Rome to Venice staying
>near Siena and taking a day trip into Florence, but actually I would do
>something similar with Paris and Belgium. See some of the Loire Valley cut
>over to Normandy and then up to Bruges and Ghent finishing in Brussels.
>Amsterdam would be good, but I think maybe one too many cultures nad
>spreading the experience a bit thin.

--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 15:16:28 +0100, B Vaughan wrote:

> On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:46:47 -0600, jcoulter
> <225stellarDROPTHIS@> wrote:
>
>>"MR3000" <mrepa1@> wrote in news:1110324757.139896.262780
>>@z14g2000cwz..com:
>>
>>> Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honey moon in Europe.
>>> I need advice on an itinerary. Thanks in advance. This is my fiancé
>>> first trip to Europe my second.
>>Public transportation is nice but to see anything in the Siana Florence
>>area a car would be very helpful.
>
> My husband and I took a car trip in Tuscany a few years ago. However,
> we took public transportation from Montalcino (where we were staying)
> to Siena. I realized looking at the bus schedule that it would be
> fairly easy to visit Montalcino, Montepulciano, Pienza, and several
> other Tuscan hill towns by bus from Siena. Because of scheduling, you
> would probably have to stay overnight in at least one, maybe two, of
> the towns, but that would be no hardship.

I think that might even add to the romance of the trip as well. Overnight
in an unknown rustic hill town, eating something simple at the only bar,
soaking up the local atmosphere ...

--
Tim C.

MR3000 wrote:
> Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honey moon in Europe.
> I need advice on an itinerary. Thanks in advance. This is my fiancé
> first trip to Europe my second. My first trip I did spend some time in
> Paris and Amsterdam and I really liked both. We are open to exploring
> out lying regions around the cities. We are planning on using public
> transportation while in Europe. We are considering one of these two
> itineraries.

Both are admirable itineraries, but I agree with Barbara Vaughn that you are
likely to have pleasanter weather in the south, if that is a consideration.

> Paris
> Brussels
> Amsterdam

I'd suggest a little time in pretty, romantic Bruges. Belgium great beer,
food, and chocolate, of course; best food Dutch arguably Indonesian.

> or
> Rome,
> Sienna/Florence
> Venice (fly out with a mandatory stop in Brussels required with
> American Airlines since I am using frequent flyer miles.)

This is trivial, but I'd rather start in Venice (quiet, romantic, great
place to walk off jetlag) and go south.

Siena is lovely, though there is more to see in Florence.

San Gimegnano is one Tuscan hill town that is served by motor coach (from
the rail station at Poggibonsi)--I'd recommend staying the night. If rooms
are too dear or to scarce try the monastary. Otherwise renting a car is
probably the only good way (and better than a bus ride to S. Gimegnano) to
see the countryside.

If you rent I'd suggest picking up a car for a few days between cities, e.g.
if you are staying in Florence for 3 days and Sienna for 2, pick up your car
the day you leave Florence and return it when you arrive in Sienna. Don't
keep it while you are staying put in a city, in other words.

Have a wonderful time!

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 16:11:36 +0100, nitram wrote:

> On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 16:04:30 +0100, Tim Challenger
> <tim.challenger@aon.at> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 15:16:28 +0100, B Vaughan wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:46:47 -0600, jcoulter
>>> <225stellarDROPTHIS@> wrote:
>>>
>>>>"MR3000" <mrepa1@> wrote in news:1110324757.139896.262780
>>>>@z14g2000cwz..com:
>>>>
>>>>> Hello, My fiancé and I would like to spend our honey moon in Europe.
>>>>> I need advice on an itinerary. Thanks in advance. This is my fiancé
>>>>> first trip to Europe my second.
>
> <snip>
>
>>I think that might even add to the romance of the trip as well. Overnight
>>in an unknown rustic hill town, eating something simple at the only bar,
>>soaking up the local atmosphere ...
>
> ... at it like rabbits on a creaking 100 year old bed...

There is that to consider. :-) Very romantic.

--
Tim C.

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 15:45:30 +0000, The Reids
<dontuse@fell-walker.co.uk> wrote:

>Following up to B Vaughan
>
>>I don't know if you can reach San Gimignano by bus, but if so I would
>>strongly recommend it. We went there in April,
>
>It was quiet in November, I couldn't see why people go there,
>just a load of factory chimneys.

There were several churches with very nice frescoes, and some other
very fine art work.

--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 16:04:30 +0100, Tim Challenger
<tim.challenger@aon.at> wrote:

>On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 15:16:28 +0100, B Vaughan wrote:

>> My husband and I took a car trip in Tuscany a few years ago. However,
>> we took public transportation from Montalcino (where we were staying)
>> to Siena. I realized looking at the bus schedule that it would be
>> fairly easy to visit Montalcino, Montepulciano, Pienza, and several
>> other Tuscan hill towns by bus from Siena. Because of scheduling, you
>> would probably have to stay overnight in at least one, maybe two, of
>> the towns, but that would be no hardship.
>
>I think that might even add to the romance of the trip as well. Overnight
>in an unknown rustic hill town, eating something simple at the only bar,
>soaking up the local atmosphere ...

None of those towns are very unknown. In Montalcino every second
building is an enoteca. Even the barber cuts hair and offers wine
tastings. In Montepulciano the tour groups depart at 15 second
intervals. Pienza is the least frequented of the three. However, all
three towns more or less return to normal at night, that's a plus.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup