Can you help me plan a trip to Europe?

Should I plan an itinerary for next summers trip to Europe? How did you plan your international trip? HELP PLZ

• I'm thinking of taking me family to Europe next summer, but I have NO IDEA where we should go! I know we want to see the Vatican The eiffel tower shop! And more, how ...show more

• Answer:

  For a guidebook, get either Lonely Planet's "Europe on a Shoestring" or Rough Guides "Europe". Either one will have loads of information about potential destinations, budgeting, transportation, etc. You first need to figure out (1) your budget, and (2) how much time you will have to travel. Then see about how much you will have to spend per day, and if that's realistic. Once you've done that, read through the guidebook, and make a list of the destinations that interest you the most and about how much time you want in each one. Then design an approximate itinerary (e.g. London - 4 days, Paris - 4 days, Amsterdam - 3 days, Berlin - 3 days...). Then figure out which places (1) are too far from the other places you are visiting that maybe you might want to cut out (e.g. if you are planning to spend most of your time in Eastern Europe it might not make sense to include Spain), and (2) are potentially interesting places you haven't thought of that are convenient to other places that are on your list (e.g. visiting Belgium on your way from Paris to Amsterdam). When you have the itinerary basically in shape, you need to decide how to get around. Taking trains is usually the best option. This doesn't necessarily mean getting a railpass, but the railpass does sometimes save money. If you are only visiting a few major cities you might just want to fly between them - look at airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet, or Air Berlin. Renting a car is very expensive, both for car hire and gas, and parking and traffic are a nightmare in most major cities. Meanwhile most large cities in Europe have excellent mass transit systems so you really don't need a car. So basically, renting a car in Europe is rarely a good option unless you are going to a rural area with limited public transport.