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Dala-family travelling to Europe -- need your advice!!

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We will be there for 5 weeks, and we wil most likely be touching these cities for at least a couple days:

- Frankfurt (where we are landing, and renting our vehicle)
- Brussels
- driving through France, via the Channel, to London
- back from London, to Paris
- Paris drive to Barcelona
- after Barca, we were considering staying in Arles, France, but we are not yet sure. If any of y'all have checked it out, pls mention your experiences!!
- Maybe a night or two in Monaco
- We will be stopping in either Genoa, Lucca, Florence, or Siena afterwards. Florence is obviously the common choice, but I've heard great things about the other three places as well.
- Rome
- then ferrying from Bari to Albania, visiting family in Kosovo, then just driving straight back to Germany for our return flight back to Canada.

We won't be spending any considerable time in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Denmark, or Croatia. Maybe another trip.


But yeah. I kinda have a few questions for y'all: Of the cities that I mentioned, is there any "must-sees"? Also, should my family (21, 23, two parents, and a 13 year old) even bother with some of the places that I've mentioned?

Lastly, we have a rental car: so, if there is a nearby location that we simply need to check out, please let me know! For example, my family will be driving up to London, but we have no idea which other places to check out while in England. If that makes sense.


We leave on the 23rd FWIW #lastminuteplanningftw
 
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We will be there for 5 weeks, and we wil most likely be touching these cities for at least a couple days:

- Frankfurt (where we are landing, and renting our vehicle)
- Brussels
- driving through France, via the Channel, to London
- back from London, to Paris
- Paris drive to Barcelona
- after Barca, we were considering staying in Arles, France, but we are not yet sure. If any of y'all have checked it out, pls mention your experiences!!
- Maybe a night or two in Monaco
- We will be stopping in either Genoa, Lucca, Florence, or Siena afterwards. Florence is obviously the common choice, but I've heard great things about the other three places as well.
- Rome
- then ferrying from Bari to Albania, visiting family in Kosovo, then just driving straight back to Germany for our return flight back to Canada.

We won't be spending any considerable time in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Denmark, or Croatia. Maybe another trip.


But yeah. I kinda have a few questions for y'all: Of the cities that I mentioned, is there any "must-sees"? Also, should my family (21, 23, two parents, and a 13 year old) even bother with some of the places that I've mentioned?

Lastly, we have a rental car: so, if there is a nearby location that we simply need to check out, please let me know! For example, my family will be driving up to London, but we have no idea which other places to check out while in England. If that makes sense.


We leave on the 23rd FWIW #lastminuteplanningftw

1. Change planes at SLC International
2. Lose family
3. "miss" the flight
4. One of us pick you up
5. ???????
6. Profit.
 
That is a lot of territory to cover. The answers really depend on what your family wants to see. There is Euro Disneyland and then there is the Louvre...

If you're driving in France, don't miss the castles (chateaux) of Loire Valley. Absolutely stunning.

London has a lot to see, but if you want, you can drive to Stonehenge on the little country roads. Very beautiful and picturesque.

Tuscany is beautiful and if you're driving to Sienna and Florence, spend a day driving to the surrounding country side and see well preserved medieval cities such as San Ghimighiano, Volterra and Montepulciano (among others). Florence is nice, busy, hot and expensive. Sienna is worth visiting, though I wouldn't spend more than a day on it.
 
That is a lot of territory to cover. The answers really depend on what your family wants to see. There is Euro Disneyland and then there is the Louvre…

Hell to the no for Disneyland. My older brother has already moved out, and my younger brother is almost in high school. We won't be going specifically "museum-hunting", just because only me and my older brother would be really into that stuff, but we'll definitely be checking some of the bigger ones out.

If you're driving in France, don't miss the castles (chateaux) of Loire Valley. Absolutely stunning.

Definitely, I've heard this recommendation already. Any particular chateaux that you checked out, and adored?

London has a lot to see, but if you want, you can drive to Stonehenge on the little country roads. Very beautiful and picturesque.

Tuscany is beautiful and if you're driving to Sienna and Florence, spend a day driving to the surrounding country side and see well preserved medieval cities such as San Ghimighiano, Volterra and Montepulciano (among others). Florence is nice, busy, hot and expensive. Sienna is worth visiting, though I wouldn't spend more than a day on it.

Super informative. Thanks a bunch.
 
Similarly, I will be visiting Colorado for 3 days in September and any advice y'all have is much appreciated.

That trip sounds rad Dal!!!
 
I went to Florence and Rome. Great cities both of'em. Take your time in Rome. And don't forget to say high to Whiskey Priest.
 
Pictures of your homeland reunion will be much appreciated.

Yes!!! I was actually thinking about this yesterday. I wanna check out some of the really archaic UNESCO heritage sites of Kosovo, and put my camera to good use.



We really wanted to check out Izmir and Istanbul, but alas they were too far away, and we simply don't have the time.


Hopefully sometime in the near future :)
 
Similarly, I will be visiting Colorado for 3 days in September and any advice y'all have is much appreciated.

That trip sounds rad Dal!!!

Dat legalization doe
 
Definitely, I've heard this recommendation already. Any particular chateaux that you checked out, and adored?

Château Chenonceau
Château d'Ussé
Château de Chambord
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
Château De Villandry

d'Usse is the one that is said to have inspired Charles Perrault to write Sleeping Beauty. The owners have staged the upper floors and the turrets with sets from the fairy tale plus life-size people. Its pretty interesting. Villandry has spectacular gardens. Chambord was build by a king and it is grand. We spent 3 full days there and still missed some key ones, there are close to 50 castles there.
 
Similarly, I will be visiting Colorado for 3 days in September and any advice y'all have is much appreciated.

That trip sounds rad Dal!!!

I'd gladly give you advice, but I don't remember. All I remember is having the munchies. Peace!
 
We will be there for 5 weeks, and we wil most likely be touching these cities for at least a couple days:

- Frankfurt (where we are landing, and renting our vehicle)
- Brussels
- driving through France, via the Channel, to London
- back from London, to Paris
- Paris drive to Barcelona
- after Barca, we were considering staying in Arles, France, but we are not yet sure. If any of y'all have checked it out, pls mention your experiences!!
- Maybe a night or two in Monaco
- We will be stopping in either Genoa, Lucca, Florence, or Siena afterwards. Florence is obviously the common choice, but I've heard great things about the other three places as well.
- Rome
- then ferrying from Bari to Albania, visiting family in Kosovo, then just driving straight back to Germany for our return flight back to Canada.

We won't be spending any considerable time in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Denmark, or Croatia. Maybe another trip.


But yeah. I kinda have a few questions for y'all: Of the cities that I mentioned, is there any "must-sees"? Also, should my family (21, 23, two parents, and a 13 year old) even bother with some of the places that I've mentioned?

Lastly, we have a rental car: so, if there is a nearby location that we simply need to check out, please let me know! For example, my family will be driving up to London, but we have no idea which other places to check out while in England. If that makes sense.


We leave on the 23rd FWIW #lastminuteplanningftw

Friggin trust fund babies.
 
Friggin trust fund babies.

I wish. My family came to Canada with $50 in their pocket in 1995, and we're setting back mortgage payments to go on this massive trip-- my brother starts his full-time work as an investment banker this September, meaning it'll only be two-week vacations for the next several years for him. It's our last opportunity to go on a big family trip for a long time.
 
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I wish. My family came to Canada with $50 in their pocket in 1995, and we're setting back mortgage payments to go on this massive trip-- my brother starts his full-time work as an investment banker this September, meaning it'll only be two-week vacations for the next several years for him. It's our last opportunity to go on a big family trip for a long time.

Y'all have your priorities straight. Nothing better than enjoying time with the family.
 
Also, should my family (21, 23, two parents, and a 13 year old) even bother with some of the places that I've mentioned?

Who's sitting in the trunk? We all know they don't make 5 seaters in Europe. Are you guys just totally free wheeling your vacation? I like it, but seems like it could a pain as far hotels and everything go.

I don't have much to add as I don't know Europe all that well, but I do know England. If you go to Stonhenge, just pretend you were aiming for Bath/Bristol. Bath's cooler than the other side of Jane Austen's pillow. That's the general direction you want to head though out of London unless you want to drive to Scotland. Industrial/Northern England.....is pretty grim. It would be like going to America and choosing to spend your time in Detroit.
 
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Who's sitting in the trunk? We all know they don't make 5 seaters in Europe. Are you guys just totally free wheeling your vacation? I like it, but seems like it could a pain as far hotels and everything go.

I don't have much to add as I don't know Europe all that well, but I do know England. If you go to Stonhenge, just pretend you were aiming for Bath/Bristol. Bath's cool. That's the general direction you want to head though out of London unless you want to drive to Scotland. Industrial/Northern England.....is pretty grim. It would be like going to America and choosing to spend your time in Detroit.

I have beem to detroit.... i saw rats before even leaving the airport.

Avoid detroit-like places
 
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