charms81

I need some advice from the experts here based on their past experiences.

I'm planning a trip to Paris/ Switzerland for summer 2013 with my wife. As of now I've planned the outbound journey and need advice for 'fun factor' of my plans and whether it is doable or overwhelming.

Just for sake of it, lets assume there is no restriction of award availability or ability to book a J fare in cash. I'll be traveling in J all the way.

The trip I've come up with:

Outbound:
ATL-IAD-CDG -> IAD to CDG in A380 just for sake of flying A380 even though I like the noisier DL 764 flat bed over super-quiet angled A380 J.

Paris-Strasbourg-Basel-Interlaken-Lucerne-Zurich via trains (each leg being ~ 3 hours in train) with couple days in each place.

Either take train back from Zurich to Paris via Basel or fly on LCC.

On my return - I've three options:
1. Fly back from Paris to ATL on DL/ AF direct flight 763 or 772 (AF)
2. Do a 24 hour stopover in Amsterdam on way back to ATL on DL 763
3. Do a 24 hour stopover in London on way back to ATL on DL 764

Can you please suggest if it is a good plan, or what should I cut/ add and which return should I chose?

This would be a 2.5-3 week trip.

mtkeller

If doing the 764 from LHR, be sure to fly into LON on your award ticket and stay for under 24 hours. Otherwise, you'll be liable for UK APD to the tune of £130 per passenger.

You also seem to be ignoring your stopover/open jaw possibilities. No need to take the train from ZRH to PAR or buy an LCC ticket, you can include that segment. Better yet, why not fly ZRH-AMS and then take as long as you want (not just 24 hours) in AMS and return from there? Your ticket would be ATL-IAD-CDG//ZRH-AMS(stop)-ATL, which is a stopover plus open jaw, so totally legal.

MSPeconomist

Basel and Zurich are nice cities, but I wouldn't consider them especially romantic. Six places in 16-20 days is a lot, even worse with the proposed twenty-four hour stopovers.

Is your wife as enamored of the A380 as you? Perhaps she'd prefer nonstop ATL-CDG.

How about a stop (by train) in the champagne area of France, in Reims or Epernay? Or there are lots of great (train) destinations in other directions from Paris.

There's nothing at all romantic about a LCC.

nytraveller53

In terms of your return choices, I would vote for choice 3...London, even for 24 hours, is a nice experience...you could do afternoon tea, London Eye, etc. etc. If you need hotel info, PM me, I was just there last summer on vacation.

CarmenOM

I would recommend AMS over LHR for the 24-hour stopover. It's a faster airport to get through customs and immigration, a shorter train ride into the city, and IMO a more manageable city to explore with limited time.

For the rest of the itinerary, I agree with those who have suggested longer stops in fewer places. Especially Paris.

charms81

Great advice so far!

Yeah if I do LON, I'll be flying in at 10:30 AM and leaving on DL39 next day 8:30 AM - So I get a night in London as well as a full day to catch the city. And we can also skip some of night's sleep In London to go see night life/ clubbing because we can sleep all the way back on plane.

Open jaw/ stopover sounds great, but is it advisable to add another country as a trip rather than just stopping over casually? I'm thinking I already need to skip some cities.

Wife is indifferent about the A380 (she has not flown it before) - So I can do a direct flight since I've no issues with DL A332/3. I like A380 to get on, but getting off is a pain because of J on upper deck and deplaning/ immigration/ customs is super slow with so many people.

A trip to Champagne belt sounds good and I can also drive down there exploring on our own. Going on the other side of Paris is not much interest to me since Switzerland is integral part of our plans. So going right is our plan.

Thanks for a London 1 day stopover confirmation. I'll keep it in mind and PM you for your stay suggestion.

----

So if you were planning a trip like this - Including visit to Switzerland, what would be your hypothetical plan?

MSPeconomist

I totally agree. Also, the canals of Amsterdam say romance to me. London not so much.

CarmenOM

Definitely!

usavvy2

Took the train through Switzerland (Cosmos' Scenic Switzerland by Train) a couple of years back so, as far as romantic, I'd add in the following stops to your itinerary if you can fit them in:

Zermatt (take the Gornergrat train up to the top for a fantastic view of the Matterhorn) and then, from there, take a spectacular ride on Bernina Express train to Tirano, Italy. (If I had to, I would replace Interlaken and even Lucerne to see these 2 places I mentioned if you're interested in romantic stops!)

Have fun!

pbarnette

I'd skip Zurich and Basel. Dull and boring. If you need to see your private banker about something, then ask them to meet you at the airport. There is little other reason to bother with those cities - even Geneva is better than Zurich. The reason to go to Switzerland is the nature and quaint Swiss towns. Skip Basel and Zurich and add the time to Interlaken and Lucerne. Visit some smaller towns and go hiking. Bring lots of money - Switzerland is very expensive.

I wouldn't spend time in Strasbourg, either, adding it back to Paris and maybe take a side trip to Champagne.

If you can squeeze an extra day in London, I'd do it. My favorite city in Europe. Maybe not romantic per se, but if you want to eat, drink, and be merry... If you are short on cash, then fret about the APD, but I think it is a small price to pay for a stay in London. Besides, London is cheaper on the ground than either Paris or Switzerland, so you will make some of that up.

usavvy2

+1

mbwmbw

Can I join?

charms81

Hmm... so many +1's on Amsterdam - so AMS it is then . London I've been a few times and I was including it mainly for my wife so she doesn't miss out. But we can anyways go back to London quick and easy when I plan a visit to Scotland, Ireland.

Zermatt is definitely on my consideration list now that you reminded me... I've seen everyone rave about it (for Christmas time), but it should be fun in other times too.

Tirano looks beautiful in google images but isn't it too much out of the way for my current plan?

+1 on hiking - I would definitely do that on the Alps in Lucerne or Interlaken, may be on Mt Titlis!

Zurich was in my list just because I was thinking of flying back so needed a major airport for better choices. If it is all by train, ZRH is out. Basel was in just to break a journey from Paris to Lucerne and also check out something new. Strasbourg was considered because of couple of friends visited it and liked it (again during Christmas time).

Side trip to Champagne from Pais is definitely a strong consideration for me.

Paris I'm giving at least 5 days - 2.5 days initially and 3 days on return.

Not much short on cash (alright I'm planning to spend about $10-12K excluding airfare), but most of the expenses I have thought are on the high end boutique hotels and some shopping.

You know what - I seriously prefer to have a friend couple on a long trip since you've a choice of romance when needed and a good company for other stuff! Wifey prefers to be alone, so be it this time .

charms81

So based on everyone's suggestions - how about this trip:

ATL-Paris : 2 nights 3 days in Paris
Paris-Geneva :1-2 Nights in Geneva
Geneva to Zermatt :2-3 nights in Zermatt
Zermatt to Interlaken/ Lucerne :3-4 nights in Interlaken/ Lucerne
Interlaken/ Lucernce to Paris : 2-3 nights in Paris
-A day or two trip to Champagne from Paris -
Return Paris-24 hour in AMS-ATL

Still looks a little tight. Paris Geneva is a long journey - I prefer max 3-4 hour legs ideally.

Cattle Airlines

I found some little towns in Liechtenstein fun.

Zurich can be a bit boring. I once didn't want to walk 3 blocks so I drove the car to the hotel. However, there were too many one way streets and I had no map. I ended up driving for half and hour and finally found a parking space.....3 blocks away from the hotel! ....and walked!

I missed the big cathedral in Strasbourg. Instead, I gate crashed a school tour group and sat in on their lecture in the Council of Europe. Very unusual experience. However, for most people, skip that.