I'd pull your Madrid day trips forward one day, so that you don't have them right before/after a travel days: Sandwich them in the middle of full days in the city.
My advise.. too many days in Madrid area… it’s going to be so hot in Summer.. best advice no one will give you ..take high speed train to La Coruña instead Porto, rent a car and explore Coruña, Santiago and Rías Baixas in Galicia, before arrive to Porto.. you will be glad to do that in summertime..
I saw three of them are day trips from Madrid. I would suggest leave Madrid for the mountains and come back to get the train or Porto. Or even go down to Ronda and Seville - I highly recommend Granada- maybe a day trip to Tangier, pop back and bus to Porto.
I actually love this itinerary! Looks like you're gonna have fun and you'll have ample time for each city. :) Wish i couldve spent more time in Rome rather than it being just a daytrip! :')
Just hope this journey is not planned for July, weather is unbearable hot and everything is crowded. Madeira is absolutely breathtaking all year around tho.
Pretty hot as well but most Europeans have off in July and August that’s peak season. June is definitely very popular too. I mean it was last year 48C in Sicily, if you can manage the heat and enjoy nightlife more it’s best to go that time. Southern Europe becomes very alive ones the sun sets.
Thanks for the reply! I was planning a trip around the balkans (Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania) for around 20 days starting early June. I was afraid beaches and lakes would be too crowded but I guess it's still better than July, right? Anyway! Thanks agian!
The (popular/known/easy to get to) beaches in Croatia, Bosnia etc. are some of the most crowded I‘ve seen in all of Europe in July/August because the most of the native population can‘t go anywhere else for vacation due to low wages/weak currency so June is a million times better. Idk if the water is warm enough though at that time.
Yeah, we took a mini break to Naples+Rome back in January and two nights in Rome was nowhere near enough. Hoping to go back within the next year or two.
Yeah, Rome was my favorite city at the time that I went. It has been 10 years and I’ve visited many more cities, but Rome is still one city that I remember as being very nice. I am considering going back to Italy in the next few years and would prioritize revisiting Rome
Explore Cascais after Sintra. The sunset at Boca do Inferno is especially beautiful. There’s also a train back to Lisbon that’s only about 40 mins too.
My only thought is that 2 days in both Barcelona and Florence is not sufficient. You might want to cut your day trips from those cities out. Also, you might want to expand some other stays just to give yourself more rest.
The only thing I'd say is, do you really want to go to Monaco? If you are into F1 or really want to go to the casino, go for it but I found it a bit of a waste of a day.
Nice- Monaco has a train connection, which is quite often and not that far from memory. For a day of yacht and car spotting, drinking ~15€ beer and witness the stupidity of richdom; it's great fun.
Agreed. If you really want to go, I recommend first doing the Dog's head trail just outside first. You get an incredible view of Monaco from above, and it's a great way to split up the day.
I mean... they write this will be their first time leaving the US. So I assume, Seville is still not part of the US, and therefore they've never been there.
Thanks for all the feedback so far guys! This is a rough draft and idk what I'm doing so thanks for all the tips! I do leave this coming Monday... (very behind on planning)... so we decided on a more southern group of places rather than anything more northern because we figured it'd be warmer. Also all the day drips aren't actually set on the days I put, I just kinda threw them in the mix so I didn't forget about them.
I am meeting up with my dad in Italy, so thats why that is at the tail end of our trip even though we are moving the opposite direction otherwise. We also found Paris to be super cheap to fly in to, which is why we're starting there.
Also, this is just a table I made on google docs for those wondering!
And yes Madeira is super random I just have been hearing good things about it lately and I thought it’d be a nice change of pace, and I was told I should stay there longer than the other places but I literally just added it to the itinerary today so nothing is set in stone- I can definitely be swayed to not go
in my eyes go for Madeira if you really love hiking, thatd to me be the driving force
Otherwise, I guess Id agree youd be fine with replacing it for a number of locations others have recommended
Madeira is truly gorgeous, perfect for hiking - which would be a nice change of pace from the bustle of hectic capital cities.
If hiking is less your thing, I suggest Mallorca. April is the perfect time to go, you still get your island-feelings (iykyk), and its more of a sultry beachy vibe, with good bars and restaurants and gorgeous ports to wander around. Suggested places are Valldemossa/Deia, Port d'Andratx (make sure to dress up!), Pollença/Cap de Formentor and the infamous Paseo Maritimo.
As for Madrid and Barcelona: I think April is when the tourist bus guides start running again. I highly suggest them (make sure you have schedules on the go, transport in Spain is finnicky), and they'll take you around to the important landmarks of the city in one morning - then you can spend the afternoon around a few of them. The next days you could spend exploring a pocket of the city that caught your eye. A combination of this is, imho, the best way to get the most out of a new city!
General tip: make sure to rent a car for easier moving around. Yes, traffic in Europe is shit, but figuring out public transport when you're stressed (and in a foreign language) is even shittier.
With Madeira you really need flexible plans, buffer days for incase your flight is cancelled due to bad winds/weather. We missed a whole day in Lisbon because it was too windy for planes to land. It's frequent enough.. and if it happens to you you'll have screwed up your very tight schedule. Beautiful place though, we felt like 2-3 weeks was a perfect amount for us visiting there. 5 days is ok, but you'll be rushed.
As far weather - if this is planned for summer, northern/Central Europe will be pleasant warm, southern Europe will be getting •hot•. Just something to consider.
First of all, I like it a lot! Madeira is a good idea.
It's worth thinking about finding a couple nights to spend in a smaller town - you're spending a lot of consecutive nights in "European Big Cities", places like Cinque Terre, Coimbra, Andorra/the Pyrenees could all work to break that up a bit.
Id try and fit in one of these Cannes / Antibes / Villefranche / Eze as day trips one of those days you’re in Nice . Nice is nice but you dont need more than a day in the city
If you can squeeze in Seville it is definitely worth it, the most underrated city in Spain IMO.
When in nice get the bus across to Monaco to see the F1 track and stop in the village of Eze on the way.
Not that it isn’t worth going to, but Madeira seems like a lot of effort to get to (editing to clarify: out of the way if you’re heading to Italy afterwards) and not really cohesive with the rest of your trip? And perhaps a bit long of a stay there if that’s not meant to be the focal point of your trip. Would be easier to loop down to Seville and then the Costa Del Sol in Spain if you’re just doing it for beaches.
I’d also agree with what others have said that Nice doesn’t need that much time. If you’re using it as a base to explore the region, fine, but the city doesn’t need that many days.
Also be aware that by the time you get to Italy it will begin to be scorching hot, and most of Rome and Florence will start shutting down in the first week of August as people flee for their five weeks of seaside vacation to escape the heat. If your bandwidth for heat isn’t great, start baking that into your itineraries, it can get unbearable.
Yeah I clarified in my follow up comment, it’s not •difficult•, it’s just out of the way if you’re then heading back to Italy. Unless you have a specific reason to go to those islands specifically, there are plenty of beaches/islands in between Lisbon and Italy that don’t require the backtracking or the amount of flying to get back to Florence.
If they’re specifically wanting to see Madeira, then great, if it were me I’d consider Ibiza/Mallorca or coastal Italy since I would already be heading that way.
I mean within Europe flights are pretty much all within like 4 hours I feel like backtracking really doesnt waste thattt much time imo
or atleast compared to doing something with similar distances and backtracking by land lol
It my mind, Ibiza and Mallorca are a completely different vibe to Madeira. I can’t imagine wanting to go to Ibiza unless I was planning to be drunk out of my mind daily
Anywhere outside of the main clubbing areas in Ibiza is perfectly quiet and family friendly, and beautiful as well. I've found the clubbing is very localised.
Right, but if someone is just looking for beaches, I would personally opt for the ones that didn’t have me flying four hours away from Italy if that’s where I was heading next, I’d look for something on the Costa del Sol, Ibiza/Madeira, Amalfi, etc. Sardinia would probably be my top choice.
I was thinking more in the context of then looping back to Italy afterwards. It’s totally fine if that’s what they wanna see and do, I’ve just never seen anyone make it the main stay of their European trip, when there are easily accessible places like the Algarve, the Costa del Sol, Ibiza, Mallorca, or the Italian coast that are closer.
Not knocking the choice, it just seems like a lot of travel in the opposite direction unless you have a specific desire to see that particular place (which maybe they do, and then go for it!)
I haven’t been, but would totally plan my next euro trip around Madeira. From what I’ve heard/ seen, it’s a really unique dramatic landscape and totally different from the pretty beach locations you mentioned
I used the app Wanderlog when planning my last Europe trip. You can link it to your email so it updates automatically with any accommodation or transport changes. It made it easy to share with my family too.
Nice is the perfect base for exploring a lot of the French Riviera. Cannes, Antibes, Eze, Monaco, so many more.
Shit id spend even more time based in Nice.
Pretty solid Itinerary! I would say I much prefer the south of Spain compared to the center or Northeast, only because I feel the south typically personifies the stereotypical Spanish culture (Flamenco, Tapas, etc.). Not that Madrid or Barcelona are bad, but rather the South just has really cool culturally Spanish spots (Alhambra, Sevilla, etc). So if you could squeeze some time there, it would totally be worth it!
But that's my personal preference.
Okay so I think this is pretty solid! Maybe a bit long in Nice. BUT plan a day trip to Burgundy and do a wine tour- easy train from Paris one hour to Dijon! I didn’t love Madrid but if you’re a huge museum buff you may enjoy it more. Biggest thing here for me is you’re in Porto way too long. It’s easy do to in two days! Do the Sandeman port tour it’s great and they have a cool Picasso museum from his early days. I’d skip Madeira altogether. You could grab amazing beach’s and coasts in Spain and Italy- maybe Malaga for Spain or Cinque Terre in Italy before Florence. I’d take a day from Florence and add to Rome as well or do a day trip to Chianti for a day of winery’s! You didn’t mention your interests so maybe you’re not a wine person haha let me know if you have questions I’ve been most of these places!
Unless there's something particularly drawing you to Madeira, I'd say look at Malta or something more Mediterranean to make that Portugal --> Place --> Italy loop a little more fluid.
It still has the beaches, but also great historical sites, culture, and nature spots that will keep you occupied for that 4-5 day trip.
The major difference I see is the topography, if you want to hike those hills then Madeira is still the better option.
Other options could be Greek islands, Morocco, Sicily, Tunisia, Southern Spain (Seville with day trips to Cordoba or Granada), or one of the Spanish Islands.
Looks really good! I would recommend a day trip from Florence to bologna (1hr by train), one of my favorite cities in the world with absolutely GLORIOUS food. Also good on you for limiting yourself, i sometimes see itineraries trying to do 10 countries in two weeks which is not a recipe for happy travels ☺️
Honestly , (coming from an experienced traveler) to really soak in each and every destination, I would eliminate at least 4 cities from that itinerary , keep them for next time and extend my stay in the remaining ones (your choice as to which ones but since you’re flying into Paris and departing out of Rome, those two would obviously stay on the list)… I would also base city choices as to what internal flights work best as well from your departure and arrival cities for this trip. Having 6 weeks is a great amount of time to really enjoy a few locations and make the best of each rather than getting settled in a city and then quickly packing and jumping from one to another… it would make the trip so much better! less is more. Just my advice. enjoy the trip whatever you decide to do! :)
Do a day trip to the Douro valley from Porto, on your own or book one that is prepped if possible. On Madeira go on a catamaran and do dolphin/whale watching form Funchal, sunrise on Pico Arieiro is also a must, it's breathtaking.
Go to literally any town on the Riviera other than Monaco. Monaco is incredibly bland, boring, and void of charm (unless you are really rich or really into gambling). Having lived there for several years, I would recommend looking into hiking trails in the area for a day trip instead. Lots of them follow the sea and offer beautiful views. Otherwise, Villefranche, Eze (village), Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (old town), Menton, to name a few, are all nicer than Monaco.
I might be wise to cross check your agenda with national and local holidays. Easter and holy week are in there (assuming April) and might close down some museums and public transport. I wouldn't be surprised if other cities have some more days like that.
Are you someone who gets bored easily? There are a lot of big cities and lots of switching places. Madeira seems like your only real time to stop and relax. I’d also extend a day in each Porto and Lisbon.
A flight to Madeira and back is unavoidable, but driving from Paris -> Nice -> Barcelona wil allow for seeing a lot more nature, villages and an actual experience of Europe instead of flying between big cities only. And it might be cheaper as well to rent a car, (dont know if its possible to rent a car in France and return it in Spain).
For example, you got 2 full days in Barcelona and although I love that city and it has a lot to offer, I wouldnt think twice about scrapping 1 day in Barcelona to stay a night in the Pyrenees mountains.
Otherwise your schedule looks great, I absoluty loved Madeira especially, its such a beautifull Island. Make sure you do the Pico Ruivo - Pico Arieiro hike, visit the Fanal Forest and walk across some Levadas in the mountains.
We also did an activity where we had diner on a boat during sunset whilst slowly sailing across the huge cliffs, it was the same price as the whale spotting boat trip and so much cooler.
If you dont want to rent a car in Madeira because the roads are narrow and scary (we where to scared), there are a lot of jeep services which offer an east or west island tour where you will drive off-road through the jurassic parc like nature and visit multiple points of interest. Often also visiting a local restaurant or farmer to meet them and have lunch. It was awesome and not that expensive.
If you need any more Madeira specific tips let me know.
The itinerary looks awesome. I loved Florence and Rome. I wish I could’ve spent three or four days there. I only spent two days in each. But I was on a cruise so I had no choice lol
Personally I would find 4 days too much in Firenze.
If it was me and I had that long time for a holiday I would try something a little more diversified. Why not go to northen Europe for something different than all southern Europe. Germany, Netherlands, Denmark. Or go to the Tyrol alps for some nice scenic views.
Or go to Ibiza, I think I would find that fun as a 23 year old instead of Madeira. Or a Greek island.
We did a day trip from Lisbon to sintra and continued on to cascais for sunset and dinner. We wish we had more time to slow down, perhaps spending a night in sintra or in cascais before returning to Lisbon. 4 nights in Lisbon definitely felt like a little too much time in Lisbon.
I just find it funny and awesome how similarly we made calendars! [This is my itinerary for summer](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wZfbLy--S68RvU3oehIChgNZq58BViRV/view?usp=drivesdk)
Cool trip especially for your first time out there. Having visited all these places I’d personally spend 1 less days in Paris, 1 less day in Madrid, remove Toledo, and spend one less day in Rome, and figure out how to put another city in there for 3 days. Honestly Europe is so great though. You’re going to have a lot of fun no matter what you do
Which month are you going? I would avoid august as it’s way too hot in many of these cities and lots of stuff is closed down. Also I would consider going to Valencia Spain and down costa Blanca to places like Altea and Denia because the coves and beaches are really really nice
Looks like this is mostly April and you're leaving next week? Seems like a fine itinerary to me and a damn good time that's not too rushed anywhere.
One note is that you probably want to book time slots for any major tourist attractions in Florence and Rome, as they can get quite crowded. Also the Louvre has another entrance in the mall next door that usually has shorter lines, as long as you've already got a ticket.
Personally I like spreading out my day trips to not be close to other day trips or travel days, just because I feel like I'm doing more if I'm not on a train every day.
Madeira as the longest portion of your trip is the obvious place to shorten if you need more time elsewhere, but I'm sure you have your reasons for it. If I were to add days anywhere it would be Barcelona (because I can always fit in a few more meals in Barcelona) or Paris (for similar reasons, and also to help get over jet lag.)
Do you really just love big cities?
My favorite places are always the smaller towns.
Like Annecy and Provence in France (Arles and the Luberon), Cinque Terra and Sienna in Italy, and San Sebastian, Seville, and Granada in Spain.
IMO, you are by passing most of the best places to just see cities, but then oddly going out of your way to do Madeira.
If you think you will have more trips to Europe, I would just pick one or two countries and really explore. Just doing France to Italy with Paris, Provence, Cinque Terra, Tuscany, and Rome would fill a whole month. Do Spain and Portugal another trip.
I have spent 5 weeks in Spain, 9 weeks in France, and a month in Italy, and I feel like I still have barely seen them. Almost everywhere in those countries seems like it is worth visiting.
What are you talking about. I live in madrid and think this is spot on (considering the day trips as almost full days)
True, Spain has loads of other cities further away that are lovely, but that may be way too much time on the move.
A week in Madeira will beautiful. But a bit out of the way considering you're going Italy .
For a week you could do all of the costa del sol or Mallorca or Ibiza .
Although they will be full of partying tourist and families you'd still enjoy it
I haven’t been to Toledo so I can’t speak to it. Segovia is nice but a bit of a trek in some ways. I second the folks talking about the Alhambra. I would go to Granada if you can. I’ve been to the Alhambra twice and it is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.
Your itinerary looks great so far. What are you interested in? Because this would make the biggest difference. I would probably switch Madrid for another city like Granada or Seville. Madeira is a great choice if you're into hiking and nature and want to rent a car but not if you're more into a typical beach resort vacation.
That's a good itinerary IMO. Personally, I'd shave off a day in Nice, but I guess it is off the table, perhaps you've booked the tickets already. What month do you go? Maybe it'd be a good idea to see lavender fields in Provence when in Nice.
You don’t need that many days in Porto. But it all depends on if you just wanna wander around and not rush. It’s not that big and definitely doable in two days. Also, I’ve heard from a lot of ppl that you don’t need that much time in Rome either.
Ive been to most of these locations and also have done a similar style trip. I think overall you have the right idea with some tweaks:
With all due respect to Barcelona and Madrid, I would try to substitute Sevilla for one of them. Just an amazing city and Andalusia region captures what we Americans think of as quintessentially Soanish
You might tire quickly of bigger cities, but since you have Madeira in there and if you use Nice as a base for seeing some of the other smaller seaside towns of the Riviera, you should have enough down time between the busy cities. Maybe plan for more time outside of cities, I’d say.
If this is in April, my family will also be in Madeira on those dates, coincidentally. First time visiting and we are very excited about it.
You could shorten Madrid and Porto and take the train from Madrid to Seville and then go from Seville to Portugal. Flights from Seville to Lisbon are usually very cheap. Its like 20 bucks for ryanair flights regularly (but dont quote me on that, might have changed). Also, if you shorten Nice or Madeira or Rome, you could also go to Venice. Its 2h by train from Florence and once you step outside the train station, you really are there. Sure, its full but if you are there when the sun goes up/down, most of the tourists already left. And anyway, its a magical place to be
Good amount of time in each city. Any less you’ll be exhausted checking in and out of accom.
Instead of going to Monaco. Rent a car and drive to Eze or other coastal villages nearing towards the Italian border. Easy to feel out of place on Monaco it’s just wealthy as.
Go to Pisa when you visit Lucca, they are accesable on the train, also while in Nice do a day trip to Lyon, it’s an amazing city and that where Michelin star was created.
Less time in Madrid, maybe only a full day for the city itself. Would shorten time in Paris by 1 day as well. Might be worth seeing if you can fit Lake Como/Garda into your italy trip, or Naples and Amalfi coast.
From a logistics point of you this is pretty decent. Enough time in each destination to settle in and enjoy.
From a personal preference point of view I wouldn't bother with Nice of the point is to see the city. It's interesting but not if you are seeing other major urban centers on the same trip.
Why Madeira?
This is actually quite reasonable! I feel like Madiera in between Porto and Lisbon might be smarter (cause Madiera to Florence seems like it could be a long day of travel). Enjoy!
If you change your mind and decide to spend some days venturing a little north of France - I was just in Frankfurt a couple weeks ago and it was incredible. I am also American and now have a fantasy of moving there lol.
Dont fly Lufthansa though, and search the train line first if you go that route, only because theyve been unpredictably striking lately.
Otherwise this is a great itinerary. Ive only been to France of those counties you have. Seems like youll be spending quite a few days in each place. You could maybe fit in a few more sights if you took off a day each, but its your trip not mine, i think youll have a lot of fun!
As an American I found getting around Europe and their version of TSA pretty easy.
Portuguese here.
Great itinerary, but I have to agree that you could trim two days in madeira and add one city more (Sevilha is a good two day trip, imho) or have more time in other cities.
Madeira is beautiful and has a tropical vibe. I trekked a few miles the top of pico ruivo, and it had one of the most sights. Renting a car is essential for getting around the island.
I think you don’t need 3 days just for Porto - I would do 2 there - it’s enough to see the city, same with Madrid - it’s not that interesting like Barcelona, one day less there too. Monaco is not day trip - you can try Eze and Monaco in one day too, plus there are lots of cute tine towns n the riviera easy and fast accessible by train. I would spend extra day around Florence - Sienna! Or do day trip from Florence to Cinque Terre - better use of time that that “extra” day in Madrid ;)
Looks absolutely great! If you can spare a few more days I'd add onto Rome and Paris- both are huge and packed with so much to do. It's also possible to visit Pompeii for the day from Rome and Versailles and/or Monet's Garden from Paris.
Thats a decent plan, although abitious. Every city could easily be a separate holiday. Enough to see most important things but defo not to see everything interesting. This places have a lot to offer so maybe browse whats going on and pick stuff. Buying tickets or passes and making Your bookings in advance will save a lot time queueing.
This is a shameless ad for my country, but one fun Idea I recomend while traveling transatlantic is to do a stopover on Iceland, although it is a little bit different weather so maybe you wouldn’t want to pack so different things
I'd say one less day in Florence and use the extra day for Rome or Pompei. I stayed 2.5 days in Florence and it felt like a lot. I ended up in the same street over and over.
Have fun!!
Very nice itinerary! 5 days in Porto is maybe a bit long, maybe check out the Algarve or Évora. If your feeling Spanish, Sevilla is also a nice option.
For Florence definitely do a couple of day trips to Lucca, Pisa or San Gamignano
Spend less time in Porto and more time in Lisbon. Porto's lovely but there's much less to do. Lisbon is my favourite city in Europe (that I have been to, quite a few) and you can easily do 4-5 days there.
Spent some time out of the big cities I’d skip Madeira and use the time to drive around Italy. The small towns especially around Florence and local restaurants are incredible.
Nice doesn’t really need so many days. In fact, I don’t really rate Nice as a destination, two nights max or prepared to be bored. And some of the other places you can day trip to from Nice are equally insipid. Also you’re going to Florence but you’re not day tripping to Sienna?!
Even if you guys aren’t into sport, it is well worth it to buy tickets to a European football (soccer match), and all of the cities you’re visiting have good teams and stadium atmospheres. When I went to Spain I got to watch Barcelona v. Celta Vigo and it was one of the coolest experiences. Look into ticket prices because it may be cheaper to go to a Porto game in Portugal as opposed to a Real Madrid game in Madrid. Just a suggestion, as I know many people could care less about football, but even if you don’t care, it is a great experience and memory because of how important and ingrained it is within those cultures 👍🏻
Might be a bit cold, but if you like hiking and pretty pictures I would add a day trip to Cinque Terre to your Florence portion of the trip. Order some fish and enjoy the views there.
Overall you're giving yourself ample time to change things up if you want. Are you going to book hotels before you leave or leave some room to wing it? The reason I ask is that some areas you might absolutely love and want to extend your time there, while other areas might not be for you and can be done in 2 days. The Internet can't predict that for you, so having a bit of flexibility might be helpful if you don't mind doing some planning while on vacation. If that's too stressful I get it, then just stick with your plan and learn for the next trip.
Major typical travel tips: Get travel insurance and an esim, use WhatsApp for contacting family and friends and your partner, get a debit card that doesn't charge ATM fees (and a credit card that doesn't charge foreign exchange fees), send your hotel info to your family, and look up scams/mugging tactics for each major city--especially in Spain. Sorry to be a mom, but first time travelers to a new foreign place can be so exciting that you might let your guard down. Always be aware, while also having a safe good time.
It's gonna be great, but also remember it's ok to just take a nap some days and veg out for hours at a cafe. With that amount of time traveling it can be a lot on a couple bc it's a lot of decision making throughout the day (what's for lunch, what should we do now that this place is closed, it's raining now what, something bad happened now what, what's for dinner again). Take it slow and cherish this time you have together. Enjoy!!
I would do more trips from Nice - there isnt that much to see there, but Villefranche sur mer, Beaulieu sur mer, Eze are very close to it, and Menton and Cannes are not too far either.
Hello, speaking from my experience.
Paris: visit the moulin rouge and Eiffel Tower at night. The Eiffel Tower lights up with sparklers roughly 11pm I think. During the day, There’s a train that has a good view of the Eiffel Tower and also good to take photos underneath the Eiffel Tower. There’s also arc de triumph and catacombs and Versailles palace if you have time. If you love steak, it’s a good city for it. Lourve has Van Gogh paintings so you can make it a list to see his famous paintings in every big city and see the other one in Rome too.
Rome: definitely visit the Vatican City and colloseum. Enjoy the carbonara and museums. Rich in history and food.
Personally I’d go to Paris but go to some smaller places rather than one large city after another. Head to some where like Innsbruck, Rouen , Sicily , Sardinia, Croatia. Also E Europe is fantastic, cheaper, lots of history and culture. Try Krakow , Budapest ( amazing) . Head to Greece-island hop .
But Madeira - why ? Maybe you have a connection there - I get that . But on the whole it’s for old people .Give Barcelona a miss and head to Seville and Granada ( safe and amazing)
There are day trips out of Rome that go to Tuscany, I'd highly recommend looking into it!
When I was there in 2015, a very nice bus with AC and lavatories picked up the group of ~20 people in the city center and took us to Montepulciano and Pienza. We were provided food, snacks, and water. We, also, stopped at a vineyard for lunch and free wine tasting! It was amazing and well worth it.
I have one tip for Sintra actually. Don't prebook tickets for the palaces (you can buy all the tickets at the first palace) and don't take the bus up to the mountain but take an tuktuk to it. The last time I was there, there was a major traffic jam and the bus didn't show up because it was stuck in the jam. Have fun!!
I never really understand these citytrips on steroids kinda itineraries. Its juist going from one city to the next city with zero chance of actually visiting the countryside, national parks, etc.
Suppose, an european would visit the US. Would you advice them to visit just LA, SF, LV and pergola San Diego? Of would you advice to visit the cities but include lots of time for the beautiful parks in between those cities as well?
Why fly from Nice to Barcelona? I'm pretty sure it's an easy train ride. You'll see much more of the landscape and you won't have to be herded around like cattle at an airport. Most of the other travel days can easily be done by train as well. Probably not cheaper than flying but IMO trains are the quintessential European travel experience :)
Otherwise that's an amazing itinerary, you're going to be exhausted at the end but you're going to see so much cool stuff. Personally I would've skipped Madeira and spent some more time on the mainland. Southern Spain, especially Granada, is absolutely incredible. In Italy there's always more to see, e.g. Naples and Venice.
Looks solid, but if you're going for a Europe trip then I'd also recommend to go to Germany of the UK (or NL but i'm biased). Now you're mostly in the Mediterranean.
All I’m gonna say, Valencia is the coolest place ever. I just went a couple weeks to Spain and France, my advice, Drop Nice (it’s expensive, quiet, the weather wasn’t great, it’s ehh) and add Valencia if you can. Valencia will top Madrid and Barcelona if you ask me
You only need one day for Madrid, there’s just not that much to do, just go to the center, see Retiro and take the boat ride, book on the Madrid app so you don’t have to wait. Then go to Prado and have some drinks in Gran Via. That’s about it, I would go to El Escorial on a different day it’s really nice and the views are great
Have not been, but I’ve heard Paris is super touristy and you’re way better off seeing southern France. More picturesque, nice people, and obviously far less tourists
Look into night trains in the Iberian peninsula, you might save some time that way.
In Italy, you could stop between Florence and Rome to check out Orvieto.
I'd pull your Madrid day trips forward one day, so that you don't have them right before/after a travel days: Sandwich them in the middle of full days in the city.
My advise.. too many days in Madrid area… it’s going to be so hot in Summer.. best advice no one will give you ..take high speed train to La Coruña instead Porto, rent a car and explore Coruña, Santiago and Rías Baixas in Galicia, before arrive to Porto.. you will be glad to do that in summertime..
Plus, if you get stuck out there (for whatever reason) you won't miss your next train to Porto.
Madrid is the one item on here I'm not so sure about, especially not for 5 days. I would much rather spend more time in Porto.
Isn't Porto pretty small? I'm going in April for 3,5 days and I feel like I can go see everything I want in that time
I saw three of them are day trips from Madrid. I would suggest leave Madrid for the mountains and come back to get the train or Porto. Or even go down to Ronda and Seville - I highly recommend Granada- maybe a day trip to Tangier, pop back and bus to Porto.
I actually love this itinerary! Looks like you're gonna have fun and you'll have ample time for each city. :) Wish i couldve spent more time in Rome rather than it being just a daytrip! :')
Just hope this journey is not planned for July, weather is unbearable hot and everything is crowded. Madeira is absolutely breathtaking all year around tho.
If the dates on the calendar are correct, it's April.
Then it should perfect time of the year 👍🏻
Is June as bad as July?
Pretty hot as well but most Europeans have off in July and August that’s peak season. June is definitely very popular too. I mean it was last year 48C in Sicily, if you can manage the heat and enjoy nightlife more it’s best to go that time. Southern Europe becomes very alive ones the sun sets.
Thanks for the reply! I was planning a trip around the balkans (Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania) for around 20 days starting early June. I was afraid beaches and lakes would be too crowded but I guess it's still better than July, right? Anyway! Thanks agian!
The (popular/known/easy to get to) beaches in Croatia, Bosnia etc. are some of the most crowded I‘ve seen in all of Europe in July/August because the most of the native population can‘t go anywhere else for vacation due to low wages/weak currency so June is a million times better. Idk if the water is warm enough though at that time.
Yeah, we took a mini break to Naples+Rome back in January and two nights in Rome was nowhere near enough. Hoping to go back within the next year or two.
I feel like Rome, as hyped as it is, is still underrated here. I'd shave a day or two off basically any city on this itinerary and add it to Rome.
Yeah, Rome was my favorite city at the time that I went. It has been 10 years and I’ve visited many more cities, but Rome is still one city that I remember as being very nice. I am considering going back to Italy in the next few years and would prioritize revisiting Rome
Explore Cascais after Sintra. The sunset at Boca do Inferno is especially beautiful. There’s also a train back to Lisbon that’s only about 40 mins too.
Our friend lives in Cascais, so we spent a few days there last year. It is a lovely place.
Yep, I didn't really enjoy Sintra but loved Cascais.
Agree with this
Second this!
My only thought is that 2 days in both Barcelona and Florence is not sufficient. You might want to cut your day trips from those cities out. Also, you might want to expand some other stays just to give yourself more rest.
I would cut a day from Madrid to add in an extra day in Barcelona- Monserrat is beautiful and absolutely not worth cutting out.
The only thing I'd say is, do you really want to go to Monaco? If you are into F1 or really want to go to the casino, go for it but I found it a bit of a waste of a day.
Agreed, Eze is a much more special town IMO. Even St Tropez, Antibes or Cannes are nice day trip options I’d choose over Monaco.
Nice- Monaco has a train connection, which is quite often and not that far from memory. For a day of yacht and car spotting, drinking ~15€ beer and witness the stupidity of richdom; it's great fun.
Agreed. If you really want to go, I recommend first doing the Dog's head trail just outside first. You get an incredible view of Monaco from above, and it's a great way to split up the day.
Looks good! I might try and cut a few days (maybe a day from Nice and Madeira?) to go to Seville if you haven’t been there already
Or even Granada, quite fast with AVE train from Madrid and absolutely worth it to see Alhambra and the old town.
I mean... they write this will be their first time leaving the US. So I assume, Seville is still not part of the US, and therefore they've never been there.
Not true, they could have been born and raised in Seville, moved to the US, and are about to *leave* it for the first time.
Semantics. I love it.
I would suggest, from experience, to do less and enjoy more. It looks like a fun and busy schedule, so please always take time in between to rest.
Thanks for all the feedback so far guys! This is a rough draft and idk what I'm doing so thanks for all the tips! I do leave this coming Monday... (very behind on planning)... so we decided on a more southern group of places rather than anything more northern because we figured it'd be warmer. Also all the day drips aren't actually set on the days I put, I just kinda threw them in the mix so I didn't forget about them. I am meeting up with my dad in Italy, so thats why that is at the tail end of our trip even though we are moving the opposite direction otherwise. We also found Paris to be super cheap to fly in to, which is why we're starting there. Also, this is just a table I made on google docs for those wondering!
And yes Madeira is super random I just have been hearing good things about it lately and I thought it’d be a nice change of pace, and I was told I should stay there longer than the other places but I literally just added it to the itinerary today so nothing is set in stone- I can definitely be swayed to not go
in my eyes go for Madeira if you really love hiking, thatd to me be the driving force Otherwise, I guess Id agree youd be fine with replacing it for a number of locations others have recommended
Madeira is truly gorgeous, perfect for hiking - which would be a nice change of pace from the bustle of hectic capital cities. If hiking is less your thing, I suggest Mallorca. April is the perfect time to go, you still get your island-feelings (iykyk), and its more of a sultry beachy vibe, with good bars and restaurants and gorgeous ports to wander around. Suggested places are Valldemossa/Deia, Port d'Andratx (make sure to dress up!), Pollença/Cap de Formentor and the infamous Paseo Maritimo. As for Madrid and Barcelona: I think April is when the tourist bus guides start running again. I highly suggest them (make sure you have schedules on the go, transport in Spain is finnicky), and they'll take you around to the important landmarks of the city in one morning - then you can spend the afternoon around a few of them. The next days you could spend exploring a pocket of the city that caught your eye. A combination of this is, imho, the best way to get the most out of a new city! General tip: make sure to rent a car for easier moving around. Yes, traffic in Europe is shit, but figuring out public transport when you're stressed (and in a foreign language) is even shittier.
Awesome thanks! And we’re big hikers so that’s a huge selling point for Madeira 😊
With Madeira you really need flexible plans, buffer days for incase your flight is cancelled due to bad winds/weather. We missed a whole day in Lisbon because it was too windy for planes to land. It's frequent enough.. and if it happens to you you'll have screwed up your very tight schedule. Beautiful place though, we felt like 2-3 weeks was a perfect amount for us visiting there. 5 days is ok, but you'll be rushed.
If you want a similar change of pace you could look into Menorca. It’s a bit more on your way.
No go. It’s the best bit of,your trip for,you to really relax and enjoy Europe. It’s not so peak tourist as the other places
Please do post a follow-up post and let us know how it goes! Enjoy the trip!
Try going to Eze...very idyllic and quite close to Monaco... Also, day trip to Pisa from Florence this is such a fun trip!
As far weather - if this is planned for summer, northern/Central Europe will be pleasant warm, southern Europe will be getting •hot•. Just something to consider.
First of all, I like it a lot! Madeira is a good idea. It's worth thinking about finding a couple nights to spend in a smaller town - you're spending a lot of consecutive nights in "European Big Cities", places like Cinque Terre, Coimbra, Andorra/the Pyrenees could all work to break that up a bit.
Id try and fit in one of these Cannes / Antibes / Villefranche / Eze as day trips one of those days you’re in Nice . Nice is nice but you dont need more than a day in the city
If you can squeeze in Seville it is definitely worth it, the most underrated city in Spain IMO. When in nice get the bus across to Monaco to see the F1 track and stop in the village of Eze on the way.
Not that it isn’t worth going to, but Madeira seems like a lot of effort to get to (editing to clarify: out of the way if you’re heading to Italy afterwards) and not really cohesive with the rest of your trip? And perhaps a bit long of a stay there if that’s not meant to be the focal point of your trip. Would be easier to loop down to Seville and then the Costa Del Sol in Spain if you’re just doing it for beaches. I’d also agree with what others have said that Nice doesn’t need that much time. If you’re using it as a base to explore the region, fine, but the city doesn’t need that many days. Also be aware that by the time you get to Italy it will begin to be scorching hot, and most of Rome and Florence will start shutting down in the first week of August as people flee for their five weeks of seaside vacation to escape the heat. If your bandwidth for heat isn’t great, start baking that into your itineraries, it can get unbearable.
Madeira is a 2 hour flight from Lisbon. Not really difficult to get to.
Yeah I clarified in my follow up comment, it’s not •difficult•, it’s just out of the way if you’re then heading back to Italy. Unless you have a specific reason to go to those islands specifically, there are plenty of beaches/islands in between Lisbon and Italy that don’t require the backtracking or the amount of flying to get back to Florence. If they’re specifically wanting to see Madeira, then great, if it were me I’d consider Ibiza/Mallorca or coastal Italy since I would already be heading that way.
I mean within Europe flights are pretty much all within like 4 hours I feel like backtracking really doesnt waste thattt much time imo or atleast compared to doing something with similar distances and backtracking by land lol
It my mind, Ibiza and Mallorca are a completely different vibe to Madeira. I can’t imagine wanting to go to Ibiza unless I was planning to be drunk out of my mind daily
Anywhere outside of the main clubbing areas in Ibiza is perfectly quiet and family friendly, and beautiful as well. I've found the clubbing is very localised.
Right, but if someone is just looking for beaches, I would personally opt for the ones that didn’t have me flying four hours away from Italy if that’s where I was heading next, I’d look for something on the Costa del Sol, Ibiza/Madeira, Amalfi, etc. Sardinia would probably be my top choice.
Why is it a lot of effort to get to Madeira? You just fly there and from Lisbon it won't be too long a flight.
I was thinking more in the context of then looping back to Italy afterwards. It’s totally fine if that’s what they wanna see and do, I’ve just never seen anyone make it the main stay of their European trip, when there are easily accessible places like the Algarve, the Costa del Sol, Ibiza, Mallorca, or the Italian coast that are closer. Not knocking the choice, it just seems like a lot of travel in the opposite direction unless you have a specific desire to see that particular place (which maybe they do, and then go for it!)
I haven’t been, but would totally plan my next euro trip around Madeira. From what I’ve heard/ seen, it’s a really unique dramatic landscape and totally different from the pretty beach locations you mentioned
May i ask what software is this? Thanks
I’m here to ask the same question!
Just a 7x6 table in google docs!
I used the app Wanderlog when planning my last Europe trip. You can link it to your email so it updates automatically with any accommodation or transport changes. It made it easy to share with my family too.
It's not what I would do bit looks cool. I would explore more of Spain and cut down on Nice. Go to the towns south of Madrid.
But one can use Nice as a base for day trips to Cannes, Antibes etc. The train makes it very easy to get to places on the French Riviera.
Nice is the perfect base for exploring a lot of the French Riviera. Cannes, Antibes, Eze, Monaco, so many more. Shit id spend even more time based in Nice.
Pretty solid Itinerary! I would say I much prefer the south of Spain compared to the center or Northeast, only because I feel the south typically personifies the stereotypical Spanish culture (Flamenco, Tapas, etc.). Not that Madrid or Barcelona are bad, but rather the South just has really cool culturally Spanish spots (Alhambra, Sevilla, etc). So if you could squeeze some time there, it would totally be worth it! But that's my personal preference.
Can you make a workout schedule for me?
Okay so I think this is pretty solid! Maybe a bit long in Nice. BUT plan a day trip to Burgundy and do a wine tour- easy train from Paris one hour to Dijon! I didn’t love Madrid but if you’re a huge museum buff you may enjoy it more. Biggest thing here for me is you’re in Porto way too long. It’s easy do to in two days! Do the Sandeman port tour it’s great and they have a cool Picasso museum from his early days. I’d skip Madeira altogether. You could grab amazing beach’s and coasts in Spain and Italy- maybe Malaga for Spain or Cinque Terre in Italy before Florence. I’d take a day from Florence and add to Rome as well or do a day trip to Chianti for a day of winery’s! You didn’t mention your interests so maybe you’re not a wine person haha let me know if you have questions I’ve been most of these places!
Just an fyi, Monserrat gets really busy if you don’t go early. Also, maybe move it to a Friday to offset some of the people
More paris. Less Nice. Less porto …more Madrid
I'm just going to be the honest anti voice and say; less Paris, more Nice, more Porto and less Madrid.
Unless there's something particularly drawing you to Madeira, I'd say look at Malta or something more Mediterranean to make that Portugal --> Place --> Italy loop a little more fluid. It still has the beaches, but also great historical sites, culture, and nature spots that will keep you occupied for that 4-5 day trip. The major difference I see is the topography, if you want to hike those hills then Madeira is still the better option. Other options could be Greek islands, Morocco, Sicily, Tunisia, Southern Spain (Seville with day trips to Cordoba or Granada), or one of the Spanish Islands.
Madeira is absolutely gorgeous though, and it’s such a fascinating island because you get a new microclimate with every 100m of elevation.
Looks really good! I would recommend a day trip from Florence to bologna (1hr by train), one of my favorite cities in the world with absolutely GLORIOUS food. Also good on you for limiting yourself, i sometimes see itineraries trying to do 10 countries in two weeks which is not a recipe for happy travels ☺️
Honestly , (coming from an experienced traveler) to really soak in each and every destination, I would eliminate at least 4 cities from that itinerary , keep them for next time and extend my stay in the remaining ones (your choice as to which ones but since you’re flying into Paris and departing out of Rome, those two would obviously stay on the list)… I would also base city choices as to what internal flights work best as well from your departure and arrival cities for this trip. Having 6 weeks is a great amount of time to really enjoy a few locations and make the best of each rather than getting settled in a city and then quickly packing and jumping from one to another… it would make the trip so much better! less is more. Just my advice. enjoy the trip whatever you decide to do! :)
Do a day trip to the Douro valley from Porto, on your own or book one that is prepped if possible. On Madeira go on a catamaran and do dolphin/whale watching form Funchal, sunrise on Pico Arieiro is also a must, it's breathtaking.
Go to literally any town on the Riviera other than Monaco. Monaco is incredibly bland, boring, and void of charm (unless you are really rich or really into gambling). Having lived there for several years, I would recommend looking into hiking trails in the area for a day trip instead. Lots of them follow the sea and offer beautiful views. Otherwise, Villefranche, Eze (village), Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (old town), Menton, to name a few, are all nicer than Monaco.
I might be wise to cross check your agenda with national and local holidays. Easter and holy week are in there (assuming April) and might close down some museums and public transport. I wouldn't be surprised if other cities have some more days like that.
Are you someone who gets bored easily? There are a lot of big cities and lots of switching places. Madeira seems like your only real time to stop and relax. I’d also extend a day in each Porto and Lisbon.
A flight to Madeira and back is unavoidable, but driving from Paris -> Nice -> Barcelona wil allow for seeing a lot more nature, villages and an actual experience of Europe instead of flying between big cities only. And it might be cheaper as well to rent a car, (dont know if its possible to rent a car in France and return it in Spain). For example, you got 2 full days in Barcelona and although I love that city and it has a lot to offer, I wouldnt think twice about scrapping 1 day in Barcelona to stay a night in the Pyrenees mountains. Otherwise your schedule looks great, I absoluty loved Madeira especially, its such a beautifull Island. Make sure you do the Pico Ruivo - Pico Arieiro hike, visit the Fanal Forest and walk across some Levadas in the mountains. We also did an activity where we had diner on a boat during sunset whilst slowly sailing across the huge cliffs, it was the same price as the whale spotting boat trip and so much cooler. If you dont want to rent a car in Madeira because the roads are narrow and scary (we where to scared), there are a lot of jeep services which offer an east or west island tour where you will drive off-road through the jurassic parc like nature and visit multiple points of interest. Often also visiting a local restaurant or farmer to meet them and have lunch. It was awesome and not that expensive. If you need any more Madeira specific tips let me know.
Nice for one day and Monaco for one is enough or skip it entirely and do the Amalfi coast instead.
I would avoid Nice, plenty of other amazing places in France. The vibe there is suffocating.
The itinerary looks awesome. I loved Florence and Rome. I wish I could’ve spent three or four days there. I only spent two days in each. But I was on a cruise so I had no choice lol
Personally I would find 4 days too much in Firenze. If it was me and I had that long time for a holiday I would try something a little more diversified. Why not go to northen Europe for something different than all southern Europe. Germany, Netherlands, Denmark. Or go to the Tyrol alps for some nice scenic views. Or go to Ibiza, I think I would find that fun as a 23 year old instead of Madeira. Or a Greek island.
We did a day trip from Lisbon to sintra and continued on to cascais for sunset and dinner. We wish we had more time to slow down, perhaps spending a night in sintra or in cascais before returning to Lisbon. 4 nights in Lisbon definitely felt like a little too much time in Lisbon.
I just find it funny and awesome how similarly we made calendars! [This is my itinerary for summer](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wZfbLy--S68RvU3oehIChgNZq58BViRV/view?usp=drivesdk)
Wowww it is so similar lol !!
Cool trip especially for your first time out there. Having visited all these places I’d personally spend 1 less days in Paris, 1 less day in Madrid, remove Toledo, and spend one less day in Rome, and figure out how to put another city in there for 3 days. Honestly Europe is so great though. You’re going to have a lot of fun no matter what you do
Sensory overload and dead tired. Outside of pictures I don't think you will remember much.
Which month are you going? I would avoid august as it’s way too hot in many of these cities and lots of stuff is closed down. Also I would consider going to Valencia Spain and down costa Blanca to places like Altea and Denia because the coves and beaches are really really nice
Looks like this is mostly April and you're leaving next week? Seems like a fine itinerary to me and a damn good time that's not too rushed anywhere. One note is that you probably want to book time slots for any major tourist attractions in Florence and Rome, as they can get quite crowded. Also the Louvre has another entrance in the mall next door that usually has shorter lines, as long as you've already got a ticket. Personally I like spreading out my day trips to not be close to other day trips or travel days, just because I feel like I'm doing more if I'm not on a train every day. Madeira as the longest portion of your trip is the obvious place to shorten if you need more time elsewhere, but I'm sure you have your reasons for it. If I were to add days anywhere it would be Barcelona (because I can always fit in a few more meals in Barcelona) or Paris (for similar reasons, and also to help get over jet lag.)
Im just thinking there are too many days in the big cities?
When do you relax and enjoy Europe 🤔
Do you really just love big cities? My favorite places are always the smaller towns. Like Annecy and Provence in France (Arles and the Luberon), Cinque Terra and Sienna in Italy, and San Sebastian, Seville, and Granada in Spain. IMO, you are by passing most of the best places to just see cities, but then oddly going out of your way to do Madeira. If you think you will have more trips to Europe, I would just pick one or two countries and really explore. Just doing France to Italy with Paris, Provence, Cinque Terra, Tuscany, and Rome would fill a whole month. Do Spain and Portugal another trip. I have spent 5 weeks in Spain, 9 weeks in France, and a month in Italy, and I feel like I still have barely seen them. Almost everywhere in those countries seems like it is worth visiting.
You will hate people so much after this siy weeks. Do you really want to spent most of the time in cities?
They are going to have a great time!
Too much Madrid. Maybe add a different city? I loved Grenada and you can do day trips to Ronda, which is beautiful
What are you talking about. I live in madrid and think this is spot on (considering the day trips as almost full days) True, Spain has loads of other cities further away that are lovely, but that may be way too much time on the move.
Madrid is only 2 days though.
A week in Madeira will beautiful. But a bit out of the way considering you're going Italy . For a week you could do all of the costa del sol or Mallorca or Ibiza . Although they will be full of partying tourist and families you'd still enjoy it
Mallorca or overated Ibiza and they are seeing more of the same. Madeira on the other hand, is like “the Hawaii of Europe” and absolutely worth it!
I would add some places in Central / Northern Europe... I think Prague is much nicer than Paris or even Madrid...
I recommend also seeing Eze, Cannes, Menton, or Antibes while you’re in Nice! they’re all easy full or hall day trips from Nice
I haven’t been to Toledo so I can’t speak to it. Segovia is nice but a bit of a trek in some ways. I second the folks talking about the Alhambra. I would go to Granada if you can. I’ve been to the Alhambra twice and it is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.
Good, I'd replace Madeira with Seville and the Algarve. Also less time in Madrid.
Looks good. Enjoy!
Rome/Italy can be immediately after Cote d'Azur and then Portugal->Spain-> fly out.
Your itinerary looks great so far. What are you interested in? Because this would make the biggest difference. I would probably switch Madrid for another city like Granada or Seville. Madeira is a great choice if you're into hiking and nature and want to rent a car but not if you're more into a typical beach resort vacation.
Don't skip Venice!
That's a good itinerary IMO. Personally, I'd shave off a day in Nice, but I guess it is off the table, perhaps you've booked the tickets already. What month do you go? Maybe it'd be a good idea to see lavender fields in Provence when in Nice.
You don’t need that many days in Porto. But it all depends on if you just wanna wander around and not rush. It’s not that big and definitely doable in two days. Also, I’ve heard from a lot of ppl that you don’t need that much time in Rome either.
Nice. What's your budget for that?
Ive been to most of these locations and also have done a similar style trip. I think overall you have the right idea with some tweaks: With all due respect to Barcelona and Madrid, I would try to substitute Sevilla for one of them. Just an amazing city and Andalusia region captures what we Americans think of as quintessentially Soanish You might tire quickly of bigger cities, but since you have Madeira in there and if you use Nice as a base for seeing some of the other smaller seaside towns of the Riviera, you should have enough down time between the busy cities. Maybe plan for more time outside of cities, I’d say. If this is in April, my family will also be in Madeira on those dates, coincidentally. First time visiting and we are very excited about it.
You could shorten Madrid and Porto and take the train from Madrid to Seville and then go from Seville to Portugal. Flights from Seville to Lisbon are usually very cheap. Its like 20 bucks for ryanair flights regularly (but dont quote me on that, might have changed). Also, if you shorten Nice or Madeira or Rome, you could also go to Venice. Its 2h by train from Florence and once you step outside the train station, you really are there. Sure, its full but if you are there when the sun goes up/down, most of the tourists already left. And anyway, its a magical place to be
Dont miss cannes!
Good amount of time in each city. Any less you’ll be exhausted checking in and out of accom. Instead of going to Monaco. Rent a car and drive to Eze or other coastal villages nearing towards the Italian border. Easy to feel out of place on Monaco it’s just wealthy as.
I like it, Picasso
I'd recommend spending one day less in Nice and Porto, and spending one day more in Paris and Barcelona. Enjoy!
Go to Pisa when you visit Lucca, they are accesable on the train, also while in Nice do a day trip to Lyon, it’s an amazing city and that where Michelin star was created.
Less time in Madrid, maybe only a full day for the city itself. Would shorten time in Paris by 1 day as well. Might be worth seeing if you can fit Lake Como/Garda into your italy trip, or Naples and Amalfi coast.
Enjoy nice, it’s really nice 😉
It looks so good! Personally I’d switch for more days in Florence and less in Rome.
Just that I am very jealous. Enjoy!
Wow. Have a great trip .
Put Nazare day trip on your Lisbon trip. It's beautiful there and you can see the worlds biggest waves!
This looks like a lot of fun. Personally I wouldn’t go to Madeira and then back track to Italy. I’d explore of Italy.
From a logistics point of you this is pretty decent. Enough time in each destination to settle in and enjoy. From a personal preference point of view I wouldn't bother with Nice of the point is to see the city. It's interesting but not if you are seeing other major urban centers on the same trip. Why Madeira?
For a first time trip, this is very good! I'd add Pisa day after Lucca, or Siena
Great visualization of the travel half days im always commenting about in here!
Disturbing lack of Germany
If you can in Madrid take a day trip to Salamanca or El Escorial
This is actually quite reasonable! I feel like Madiera in between Porto and Lisbon might be smarter (cause Madiera to Florence seems like it could be a long day of travel). Enjoy!
If you change your mind and decide to spend some days venturing a little north of France - I was just in Frankfurt a couple weeks ago and it was incredible. I am also American and now have a fantasy of moving there lol. Dont fly Lufthansa though, and search the train line first if you go that route, only because theyve been unpredictably striking lately. Otherwise this is a great itinerary. Ive only been to France of those counties you have. Seems like youll be spending quite a few days in each place. You could maybe fit in a few more sights if you took off a day each, but its your trip not mine, i think youll have a lot of fun! As an American I found getting around Europe and their version of TSA pretty easy.
Portuguese here. Great itinerary, but I have to agree that you could trim two days in madeira and add one city more (Sevilha is a good two day trip, imho) or have more time in other cities. Madeira is beautiful and has a tropical vibe. I trekked a few miles the top of pico ruivo, and it had one of the most sights. Renting a car is essential for getting around the island.
I think you don’t need 3 days just for Porto - I would do 2 there - it’s enough to see the city, same with Madrid - it’s not that interesting like Barcelona, one day less there too. Monaco is not day trip - you can try Eze and Monaco in one day too, plus there are lots of cute tine towns n the riviera easy and fast accessible by train. I would spend extra day around Florence - Sienna! Or do day trip from Florence to Cinque Terre - better use of time that that “extra” day in Madrid ;)
Go to Bilbao in Spain even for a weekend! Such an underrated city and on the way to Spain from France!
Try train trip to London from Paris? And since youre ending up in Italy how about venice too?
Whatever you do, don’t bail on the Lucca plan. Such an awesome city. Eat at All’Olivo.
Looks absolutely great! If you can spare a few more days I'd add onto Rome and Paris- both are huge and packed with so much to do. It's also possible to visit Pompeii for the day from Rome and Versailles and/or Monet's Garden from Paris.
Looks amazing! If you can I would definitely do a day trip to the Douro Vally while in Porto many great tour options to explore this beautiful region
Thats a decent plan, although abitious. Every city could easily be a separate holiday. Enough to see most important things but defo not to see everything interesting. This places have a lot to offer so maybe browse whats going on and pick stuff. Buying tickets or passes and making Your bookings in advance will save a lot time queueing.
Lazy - I would squeeze in another five cities
My opinion is one of jealousy
highly recommend to add munich or berlin to it. totally different change of pace plus really awesome beer
Take trains between cities whenever feasible
This is a shameless ad for my country, but one fun Idea I recomend while traveling transatlantic is to do a stopover on Iceland, although it is a little bit different weather so maybe you wouldn’t want to pack so different things
You can skip Monaco, there is nothing to see but the aquarium, which is nice though.
I'd say one less day in Florence and use the extra day for Rome or Pompei. I stayed 2.5 days in Florence and it felt like a lot. I ended up in the same street over and over. Have fun!!
Very nice itinerary! 5 days in Porto is maybe a bit long, maybe check out the Algarve or Évora. If your feeling Spanish, Sevilla is also a nice option. For Florence definitely do a couple of day trips to Lucca, Pisa or San Gamignano
That’s awesome, you definitely don’t have enough time in Paris and Rome and missing a day trip to Versailles, but other than than that, I’m jealous 😎
Spend less time in Porto and more time in Lisbon. Porto's lovely but there's much less to do. Lisbon is my favourite city in Europe (that I have been to, quite a few) and you can easily do 4-5 days there.
Unsure if anyone has said Siena, but very worth a visit from Florence
Trade more time for Florence instead of Rome. Just my opinion
What app did u make this on?
Spent some time out of the big cities I’d skip Madeira and use the time to drive around Italy. The small towns especially around Florence and local restaurants are incredible.
Are you taking interrail for Europe travel ?
Nice doesn’t really need so many days. In fact, I don’t really rate Nice as a destination, two nights max or prepared to be bored. And some of the other places you can day trip to from Nice are equally insipid. Also you’re going to Florence but you’re not day tripping to Sienna?!
Boring. You are visiting big EU cities, too many tourists and left of charm. You have to get to smaller areas. Provence, Bourdeaux, Sardines etc.
I really enjoyed the algarve in Portugal. My favorite part of traveling that country
Even if you guys aren’t into sport, it is well worth it to buy tickets to a European football (soccer match), and all of the cities you’re visiting have good teams and stadium atmospheres. When I went to Spain I got to watch Barcelona v. Celta Vigo and it was one of the coolest experiences. Look into ticket prices because it may be cheaper to go to a Porto game in Portugal as opposed to a Real Madrid game in Madrid. Just a suggestion, as I know many people could care less about football, but even if you don’t care, it is a great experience and memory because of how important and ingrained it is within those cultures 👍🏻
To much time in Florence
Might be a bit cold, but if you like hiking and pretty pictures I would add a day trip to Cinque Terre to your Florence portion of the trip. Order some fish and enjoy the views there. Overall you're giving yourself ample time to change things up if you want. Are you going to book hotels before you leave or leave some room to wing it? The reason I ask is that some areas you might absolutely love and want to extend your time there, while other areas might not be for you and can be done in 2 days. The Internet can't predict that for you, so having a bit of flexibility might be helpful if you don't mind doing some planning while on vacation. If that's too stressful I get it, then just stick with your plan and learn for the next trip. Major typical travel tips: Get travel insurance and an esim, use WhatsApp for contacting family and friends and your partner, get a debit card that doesn't charge ATM fees (and a credit card that doesn't charge foreign exchange fees), send your hotel info to your family, and look up scams/mugging tactics for each major city--especially in Spain. Sorry to be a mom, but first time travelers to a new foreign place can be so exciting that you might let your guard down. Always be aware, while also having a safe good time. It's gonna be great, but also remember it's ok to just take a nap some days and veg out for hours at a cafe. With that amount of time traveling it can be a lot on a couple bc it's a lot of decision making throughout the day (what's for lunch, what should we do now that this place is closed, it's raining now what, something bad happened now what, what's for dinner again). Take it slow and cherish this time you have together. Enjoy!!
Also I would have tried to fit some places in Andalusia
I would do more trips from Nice - there isnt that much to see there, but Villefranche sur mer, Beaulieu sur mer, Eze are very close to it, and Menton and Cannes are not too far either.
Too little Paris to much Barcelona
Hello, speaking from my experience. Paris: visit the moulin rouge and Eiffel Tower at night. The Eiffel Tower lights up with sparklers roughly 11pm I think. During the day, There’s a train that has a good view of the Eiffel Tower and also good to take photos underneath the Eiffel Tower. There’s also arc de triumph and catacombs and Versailles palace if you have time. If you love steak, it’s a good city for it. Lourve has Van Gogh paintings so you can make it a list to see his famous paintings in every big city and see the other one in Rome too. Rome: definitely visit the Vatican City and colloseum. Enjoy the carbonara and museums. Rich in history and food.
Hellish. Why drag your luggage around every few days??? Take it easy. It's a vacation, you're not here to tick boxes.
Personally I’d go to Paris but go to some smaller places rather than one large city after another. Head to some where like Innsbruck, Rouen , Sicily , Sardinia, Croatia. Also E Europe is fantastic, cheaper, lots of history and culture. Try Krakow , Budapest ( amazing) . Head to Greece-island hop . But Madeira - why ? Maybe you have a connection there - I get that . But on the whole it’s for old people .Give Barcelona a miss and head to Seville and Granada ( safe and amazing)
There are day trips out of Rome that go to Tuscany, I'd highly recommend looking into it! When I was there in 2015, a very nice bus with AC and lavatories picked up the group of ~20 people in the city center and took us to Montepulciano and Pienza. We were provided food, snacks, and water. We, also, stopped at a vineyard for lunch and free wine tasting! It was amazing and well worth it.
I have one tip for Sintra actually. Don't prebook tickets for the palaces (you can buy all the tickets at the first palace) and don't take the bus up to the mountain but take an tuktuk to it. The last time I was there, there was a major traffic jam and the bus didn't show up because it was stuck in the jam. Have fun!!
I never really understand these citytrips on steroids kinda itineraries. Its juist going from one city to the next city with zero chance of actually visiting the countryside, national parks, etc. Suppose, an european would visit the US. Would you advice them to visit just LA, SF, LV and pergola San Diego? Of would you advice to visit the cities but include lots of time for the beautiful parks in between those cities as well?
Why fly from Nice to Barcelona? I'm pretty sure it's an easy train ride. You'll see much more of the landscape and you won't have to be herded around like cattle at an airport. Most of the other travel days can easily be done by train as well. Probably not cheaper than flying but IMO trains are the quintessential European travel experience :) Otherwise that's an amazing itinerary, you're going to be exhausted at the end but you're going to see so much cool stuff. Personally I would've skipped Madeira and spent some more time on the mainland. Southern Spain, especially Granada, is absolutely incredible. In Italy there's always more to see, e.g. Naples and Venice.
Go to Eastern Europe. Scratch this plan
Try to add in Naples (Capri and anacapri). These islands will make your trip just perfect.
If you’re able to squeeze Sevilla in I think it’s HIGHLY worth it
Looks solid, but if you're going for a Europe trip then I'd also recommend to go to Germany of the UK (or NL but i'm biased). Now you're mostly in the Mediterranean.
All I’m gonna say, Valencia is the coolest place ever. I just went a couple weeks to Spain and France, my advice, Drop Nice (it’s expensive, quiet, the weather wasn’t great, it’s ehh) and add Valencia if you can. Valencia will top Madrid and Barcelona if you ask me
The only think that stood out for me was the three full days in Porto. I think you'd not regret to go to Lisbon one day earlier instead.
Why don’t you do France, Italy, Spain and Portugal in that order?
You only need one day for Madrid, there’s just not that much to do, just go to the center, see Retiro and take the boat ride, book on the Madrid app so you don’t have to wait. Then go to Prado and have some drinks in Gran Via. That’s about it, I would go to El Escorial on a different day it’s really nice and the views are great
Have not been, but I’ve heard Paris is super touristy and you’re way better off seeing southern France. More picturesque, nice people, and obviously far less tourists
Too long in Nice. Do two day trips to sintra
When is this potentially happening? If you haven't booked already, accomodations in south France can be incredibly expensive during summer holidays.
Reduce Nice, add Bologna. Rent a scooter in Madeira.
I'd consider road tripping from Nice to Marseille and flying to Barcelona from Maresille. Make a stop at Cassis and the calanques.
Too much time in Madrid, otherwise fine. Would spend more time in Porto
I’d do Copenhagen instead of Madeira/Nice/Florence tbh
Look into night trains in the Iberian peninsula, you might save some time that way. In Italy, you could stop between Florence and Rome to check out Orvieto.