Hello,

Me and my wife are planning our first tour to Europe and we are intend to visit Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Nice Zurich, Venice and Roam. Our trip will be of 14 days.
I need your assistance to plan most cost effective and entertaining tour.
1. Firstly I will appreciate if someone can tell me cheapest way to stay in above mentioned location maybe some bed and breakfast deals or any thing else which should be secure.
2. I have inquired about Europe rail pass to travel mentioned locations but it is costing me almost US$1100 for both of us, I will appreciate if any of you can give some advice for cheap travelling mode.
3. Please advice if any of the above mentioned locations has security issues, I hared some rumours about Amsterdam.

Thanks & Regards,

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Thanks and regards,

Khurram Khan

Hi,

Forget about the security-rumours. All those citty's are relatively safe. If you take the normal precousions (don't wave your money around) notting (bad) will happen.

You didn't say, but I guess your not traveling with your own transport? In this case you could get a "cross-europe" ticket. I don't know the cost, but I'll inform about it and post it later if you are intrested.

14 day's is not a lot to see all those citty's. You would be chasing your shadow all the time. If I were you, I would take more time, or skip a few citty's.

The most interesting for you (just guessing) are Rome (you need 3 day's here), Venice (1 or 2 day's), Paris (3 day's) and maybe Amsterdam (1 or 2 day's).
You can get to all of them by train.

Bed and breakfast is not cheap. If you want budet, go camping. Campgrounds are widely available and have good facility's (toilets, hot showers etc...).
All those citty's (exept Venice) have good and cheap public transport.
In Venice you walk... or go by "water-bus".

I am absolutely sure you will like it.

Maybe you also want to visit the country-side for a day.. or ly on the beach?

Maarten

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- www.maartensworld.tmfweb.nl -

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maartensworld.com
beyond-anywhere.com

Hi,

Thanks for your reply,

I will appriciate if you can give me some details about "camping and Campgrounds" how to do, what I need for that where its avaliable and cost involve or maybe its info website. I am also intrested to know more about "cross-europe"

__________________
Thanks and regards,

Khurram Khan

Hi,

The "cross-europe" ticket is called: Inter-rail. It's an international train-service in europe.

Check out www.interrailer.com
There you will find price's, how to et it, where to get it, tip's and trick's

You'll also find info about camping etc...

have fun

Maarten

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- www.maartensworld.tmfweb.nl -

__________________
maartensworld.com
beyond-anywhere.com

Khurramkhan:

I pretty much agree with what Maarten said in his reply to your initial post.

- 14 days is far too short a time period to attempt to visit all the cities you mention. You will be worn out, fatigued from all the travel and hotel-changing, and won't have sufficient time to really have a close look at either the cities you mention, or the culture of the countries they are located in. My suggestion is that you allow 4 days of time for each city/country that you visit, not counting your arrival and departure day. In your case, that's 12 days, which means you can pick any 3 cities in any 3 different countries, or perhaps 4 cities if they are in 3 countries.

- You will have no security worries of any kind whatsoever in any of the cities that you mention. Compared to Karachi, they are all as safe as mother's milk. I have spent a lot of time in all the cities you mention (especially Zurich, I work there) and know them well. The only places you could possibly get into trouble would be in the "red light" districts of Amsterdam or Paris, but only late at night and if you are alone and look vulnerable. Because you mention you are traveling with your wife, it sounds very unlikely that you will ever visit those areas.

- Any form of hotel, pension or bed and breakfast that is licenced to do business in any of the cities you mention will be totally secure, so far as your valuables go and have no risk of theft or personal attack. Normal common sense applies, if you have a Rolex, don't leave it on the bathroom counter then go out sightseeing for the day.

- You also have the possibility of staying at youth hostels. In Europe, they are not limited to youth alone, families often use them. They are quite inexpensive. Visit the Hostelling International website for more information.

- Of the cities you mention, Zurich is by far the most expensive. If you are on a tight budget, skip Switzerland. Venice is also more expensive than the others.