2012 Europe Spring
Detailed Schedule
March
29 (W) SLC to JFK - red eye arrive at 6 am Day in NY
1(TH) JFK to Rome - red eye
2 (F) JFK to Rome - arrive at 2:10 pm, pick up car and drive down to Sorrento (3:22)
3 (S) Sorrento recover, explore Sorrento, (drive to Praiano to hike Path of Gods trail -maybe) drive to Positano (:24) to
Ravello (:32) Ravello to Atrani Walk (5k), Villa Cimbrone (hotel?) gardens (6 euro) to Sorrento (:54)
4 (S) Sorrento to church at 10:50 (:33) back to Sorrento and ferry to Capri (Bring picnic lunch for hike?)
1:00 ferry to Capri (buy island map at tourist office 1 euro) take funicular to top (2.80 euro RT) Wander around piazzas, churches, take chair lift to top of island and hike to Anacapri (6-8 euro). Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto) take bus from Anacapri and row boat into grotto (10.50 euro) Walk out to Villa Jovis (Tiberiius's grandest Villa: 45 minute walk from Capri Town) Take ferry back to Sorrento for dinner.
5 (M) Sorrento to Pompeii (:40) to Vesuvius (:15) to Herculaneum (:20) to Naples (:20) to Rome (2:19)
8:30 - 11:30 arrive at Pompeii. Use red book at admission or hire tour guide. Bring lunch for picnic and water. (11 euro or buy double ticket for 20 euro for herculaneum also)
12:00 - 2:30 Mt. Vesuvius hike (16.50 euro if on mini bus, 6.50 if by car?)
3:00 - 4:30 (ticket office closes at 3:30) arrive at Herculaneum
5:00 - 6:30 (optional) Museo Archeologico Nazionale (National Museum of Archaeology with highly recommended Pompeii exhibits)
Pizza dinner
10:30 arrive in Rome
6 (T) Rome (Buy a Roma pass for 35 euro -- unlimited public transportation + entrance to 2 sites)
9:00 Hop on Hop off bus
11:00 pick up lunch at Trionfale market (5 min north of Vatacan entrance)
1:00 - 1:45 ish arrive at Vatican (empties out at lunch) St. Peter's Basilica(underground to see popes graves), Vatican Museums, Castel Sant'Angelo, Giancolo(Janiculum Hill park) (take back exit out of Sistine chapel to St. Peters)
5:00 Italian dinner ( maybe Da Baffetto near Piazza Navona)
7:00 Spanish Steps (walk up to Palazzetto at top -- monster house) walk from Piazza del Popolo to Spanish Steps
8:00 Trevi Fountain
7 (W) Rome
9:00 Forum (pick up tickets to colosseum here also)
10:00 Colle Palatino
12:00 lunch
1:00 Gladiator Lessons
3:00 Colosseum
4:00 Borghese Gardens/dinner
6:30 Piazza del Campidoglio (Piazza at top of hill looking over ancient Rome-- beautiful in evening) Capitoline Museum
(open 'til 8) - Palazzo Nuovo (busts of famous ancient Romans)
8 (TH) Rome
9:00 Rome 101 tour (page 46 of Fodor's) Begin at Vecchia Roma neighborhood to Sant'Ignazio and Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj(master paintings)
10:30 pantheon and San Luigi dei Francesi (Caravaggio paintings)
11:30 Piazza Navona (Bernini fountains) eat chocolate tartufo icecream
12:30 Eat lunch at Campo de'Fiori's market
1:30 Via Appia Antica (Roman Road Appia Way)
2:30 Catacombes (Catacombe di San Sebastiano and Catacombe di San Callisto)
4:30 - Trastevere ( Santa Maria Church, courtyard of Santa Cecilia church for a break, dinner at Da Agusto)
9 (F) Rome toTivoli (:40) to Civita (1:40) to Orvieto (:30) to Castellina in Chinanti/Lilliana (1:47) to Greve (:36)
10:00 - 11:00 Tivoli's Villa d'Este (6.50 euro)
1:00 - 2:00 Civita (Hilltop etruscan town. park and walk across a suspension bridge to get there.) wander around
2:30 - 5:30 Orvieto Underground cave tour (1 hour, 5.50 euro), Pozzo di San Patrizio (St Patrick's well) climb down to well and up (3 euro), Duomo (2:30 - 6:15, 5 euro)
7:15 Liliana (Olive Garden restaurant)
9:00 arrive in Greve (stay at Antico pastificio Ulisse Mariotti)
10 (S) Greve to Siena (:57) to San Gimignano (:55) (Campo, museum with Duccio paintings, church, ice cream
10:00 Siena Duomo and Cripta under Duomo (combine ticket: 10 euro)
11:30 -2:30 Campo (city square) and wander around/lunch
3:30 San Gimignano Palazzo Comunale (climb tallest bell tower -- afraid of heights, don't go 4/5 euro)
4:30 Piazza della Cisterna (Town square) and dinner
6:00-10:00 San Gimignano 1300 Treasure Hunt and museum (museum: 32 euro for all)
11 (S) Greve to Florence (:45)/Steve flies home
9:00 - 10:00 Mass at Duomo
10:00 - 12:00 Florence Children's museum
12:00 - 1:00 lunch from mercato centrale (market) and eat in Piazza della Signoria
1:30 - 4:00 Uffizi and Accademia
4:15-6:00 climb the Piazzale Michangelo, wander streets of the Oltrarno/dinner (sunset?)
6:15 - 8:00 Boboli Gardens
9:00 Greve
12 (M) Greve to Florence
10:00-12:00 Duomo and Baptistry/Climb Duomo
12:15-1:15 museo di San Marco
1:30-3:00 lunch and wander Piazza Repubblica
3:15 visit Santa Croce Church (tombs of michaelangelo, Galeleo, etc.)
4:00 cross Ponte Vecchio bridge
4:30 ????
13 (T) Greve to Bologna (1:45) to Maranello (:55) to greve (2:08)
9:30-10:00 Piazza Galvani (Oldest University in World)
10:15-11:15 Santo Stefano Bologna (Church with Nativity, closes between 12:00 and 3:30)
11:30-1:30 food market (near Palazzo Communale/off piazza Maggiore)
1:30-4:00 Ferrari Museum
4:30-food experience? Eat Tortellini for dinner?
14 (W) Greve to Lucca (1:23) to Pisa (:35)
10:00-10:45 Lucca Duomo (2 euro)
11:00-12:00 climb up Torre Guinigi (3.50 euro)
12:00-2:00 lunch and wander streets
2:00-3:30 bike ride
4:15 Pisa climb tower, maybe (15 euro)
15 (TH) Tuscany Hill towns
16 (F) Greve to Cinque Terre (2:30) (Check weather) (Maybe add Tuscany day here for val d'orcia and Pienza Italy)
12:00 begin hike in Riomaggiore/lunch (:30 hiking)
1:30 Manarola/wander (1:00)
3:30 Corniglia/wander (1:30)
5:00 Vernazza (train possibly to last city or back to Riomaggiore)
6:00 Monterosso al Mare/dinner
17 (S) Riomaggiore to Eze (3:24) to Villefranche-sur-mer (:15) to Nice (:15) to Monaco (:25) to Antibes (:47)
11:30 Eze wander around and see views over Riviera
12:30 Villefranche-sur-mer wander around harbor
1:30 Nice: lunch at Confiserie Florian du Viex Nice (Market p 673 look at Matisse's yellow house at endof square)
2:30 Musee Matisse (p669 10-6 4 euro)
4:00 Jardin Exotique de Monaco gardens (p685 10-6 6.90 euro)
5:00 Collection des Voitures Anciennes (2-6, 6 euro)
6:30 drive through/walk around town/casino
9:00 arrive in Antibes
18 (S) Antibes to Le Cannet (:20) to St-Paul-de-vence (:28) to Haut-de-cagnes (:10) to Antibes
9:00 Wander around Antibes including Commune Libre du Safranier (p647, picturesque neighborhood)
Eglise de I'Immaculee-Conception (p647) ?
Musee Picasso (p647 10-12:00, 2-6 6 euro)?
10:50 Church Cannes Ward (80 Boulevard du Perier, Le Cannet France)
1:00 St Paul -de-vence wander/lunch (p660)
2:00 Fondation Maeght (modern art museum Roz recommended p660 10-6 11 euro)
4:00 Haut-de-cagnes Musee Renoir and Chateau Grimaldi (p663, 2-5 4.50 euro)
5:30 Cap D' Antibes Sentier Tirepoil cliff side walk (p643)
8:00 arrive in Avignon
19 (M) Antibes to Aix-en-Provence (1:44) to Arles (:54) to Camargue National Park (:40) to Avignon (1:24)
9:30 Aix-en-Provence market/brunch
12:00 Arles Walking tour of Van Gogh (check in at tourist info for brochure) Eglise St-Trophime (p551 free if time)
2:30 Camargue National park: walk, horse back riding?, picnic dinner (p 559 closes at dusk, 7 euro)
8:30 arrive in Avignon
20 (T) Avignon (2:38) to Pont du Gard (:33)
9:30 Palais des Papes (Popes palace p576 9:30-5:45 10.50 euro)
11:30 Rocher des Doms/lunch (gardens over looking city)
12:30 Pont St-Benezet (bridge p578 9-5:45 buy joint ticket w/ Palais des Papes)
1:30 pont du gard (p582 10-6 12 euro)
4:30 Orange: Roman Theater (open until 5:30, 7 euro)
7:00 dinner in Avignon
21 (W) Avignon to Abbey (:54) to Gordes (:10) to Bories (:7) to Roussillon (:20) to Fort de Buoux (:30) to Lacoste (:30) Carcassone
Oppede le Vieux(:20) to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (:20) to Carcassonne (2:55) (May have to limit)
9:00 Senanque Abbey
10:30 Gordes
11:00 Village des Bories France
1:00 Le Fort de Buoux (picnic/climb on structures/hidden staircase)
3:00 Lacoste wander/drive through
3:45 Oppede le Vieux (castle in ruins to climb on)
5:00 quick dinner dinner in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
8:30 arrive in Carcassonne ?
22 (TH) Carcassonne to Barcelona (2:53)
9:30 Tour Carcassonne
12:30 eat lunch at the lower city
5:00 arrive in Barcelona
5:30 Ramblas/dinner (Rick Steve's walking tour p56)
8:30 hotel
23 (F) Barcelona (hilltop monastery), Picasso museum , old city, Gaudi church,*maritime museum, ramblas
9:00 Old City/ La Boqueria market for breakfast
10:30 Picasso Museum (10-8 9.50 euro)
12:00 Maritime Museum (10-7 6.50 euro)
2:00 Walk along sea/ Columbus monument/ lunch
3:30 La Sagrada Familia (9-6 11 euro)
5:00 walking tour through Barcelona to see architecture?, Parc Guell, other Gaudi sites
7:30 dinner
24 (S) Barcelona to Alicante (5:03 min)
8:00 Montserrat Monastery (p518 Fodor's 6-10:30, 12:00 to 6:30)
12:00 depart for Alicante
5:00 dinner/hotel
25 (S) Alicante to Granada (3:47) to Malaga (1:40) online Alhambra tickets?
9:00 depart Alicante
2:00 arrive at Alhambra
5:00 dinner
6:30 depart Granada
8:30 arrive Malaga
26 (M) Malaga check on flamenco performance, beach or swimming pool
27 (T) Malaga to to Rock of Gibralter (1:47) to Cadiz (1:48)
7:00 depart for Gibralter
9:00 Gibralter
Cable car to caves
Apes Den
12:00 depart for Cadiz
2:00 Cadiz (Torre Tavira (10-6 4 euro) show about Cadiz? and high point in town, old city, Columbus monument Tapas for dinner)
6:00 depart
9:00 arrive in Malaga
28 (W) Malaga to White Cities and Ronda (1:36 travel through Marabella to Ronda from the South for great views) to Cueva de la Pileta (:30) to Grazalema (:44) to Zahara (:17) to Setenil de Bodegas (:34) to Malaga (1:34)
9:30 Ronda El Tajo, wander La Ciudad, Casa del Ray Moro Gardens
(Maybe visit Pileta Caves (10-1, 4-6 8 euro)
1:00 Grazalema
3:00 Zahara (Watch tower, Torre del Homenaje, Church of Santa Maria de la Meza and Arch of the Town)
5:00 Setenil de Bodegas (Moorish castle, climb to vestigial tower, Church of the Encarnacion, steep narrow streets to explore -- cliff enclosed town)
29 (TH) Malaga day trip to Morocco (1:48)
30 (F) Malaga to Mijas (:30)
10:00 Mijas donkey rides, explore
1:00 swim, rest, etc.
31 (S)Malaga to Cordova (1:53) to Consuegra (3:13) to Toledo (1:05) to Madrid (1:00)
10-11 Cordova: Mezquita Mosque (10-6, 8 euro)
2:15-3 Consuegra windmills
4-7 Toledo
4 Sinagoga del Transito (Jewish Synagogue 9:30-7 free on Sat afternoons)
5:00 Casa y Museo de El Greco (House and museum 10-2, 4-9, free Sat.)
6:00 Cathedral
7:00 Plaza de Zocodover - town square, Santo Tome - marzipan store, Calle dell Camercio- ped area/dinner - Emilie's b-day)
9:00 Madrid: puerto Del Sol (night walking area, Spanish hot chocolate and churrio)
April
1(S) Madrid
9:00 Palacio Real (Royal Palace 9-2 8 euro)/Plaza de Priente/Plaza Mayor
12:00 church
1:30 El Prado
3:30 -7 Parque del Buen Retiro (city park, row boats, puppet shows at 6 and 7)
2 (M) Madrid to San Sebastian (4:49)
1:00 walk up Monte Igueldo/picnic
3:00 La Concha Beach and walk to Combs to the Winds Sculpture (Peine de los Vientos)
7:00 Parte Vieja (old quarter)/Tapa bar
3 (T) San Sebastian to Bourdeaux (2:42) to France St. Emilion (:41) to to Monpazier (1:52)
11:00 Bordeaux Musee d'Aquitaine (Bordeaux history, daily life 11-6, free p 779)
12:00 lunch
1:30 St. Emilion wander town
2:30 bike ride through vineyards/train ride (see tourist office p 787)
6:00 stop in Monbazillac for dinner
8:00 arrive in Monpazier
4 (W) Monpazier to Rocamadour (1:30) to La Roque-Gageac (1:05) Beynac et Cazenac (:07) to Sarlat-la-Caneda (:17)
9:00 wander Monpazier/breakfast
12:00 Rocamadour wander/lunch (crepes on Basse Villle Rue Pietonne street)/walk up to Cite Religieuse
3:00 La Roque Gageac wander town/ hike up above
5:00 Beynac et Cazenac visit Gardens at Chateau de Marqueyssac (10-7, 7.20 euro)
7:30 arrive in Sarlat la Caneda wander/dinner
5 (TH) Serlat-la-Caneda to Les Eyzies de tayac (:19) Grotte de Font-de-Gaume (:08) to Lascaux II (:30) to Brantome (1:20) to Tours (3:40)
9:30 Musee National de Prehistoire (9:30-12:30, 2-5:30, 5 euro)
La Madeleine (lost village p 817)
12:00 tour Les Eyzies de Tayac (Grotte de Font-de-Gaume) and Lascaux II
6:00 Brantome dinner/wander view Abbaye Benedictine
10:00 Tours
6 (F) Tours
9:00 Villandry Gardens
11:00 Sache wander through town/lunch?
1:30 Usse-rigney Chateau d'Usse (Sleeping Beauty castle 10-6 13 euro)
4:00 Fontevraud l' Abbaye (tomb of Richard the lion hearted (9:30-6:30, 8.40 euro), wander street of Allee Sainte-Catherine
6:00 Chinon wander/ explore fortresse de Chinon (9-7, 7 euro)
8:00 return to Tours
7 (S) Tours to Ambroise to Chenonceaux to Chambord to Tours
9:00 Clos Luce (da Vinci's home 9-7, 12.50 euro)
11:30 Chenonceaux town for lunch and wandering
2:00 visit Chateau/boat ride? (9-7, 10.50 euro)
8 (S) Tours to Chartres, Versailles
9:00 bike ride
11:20 church
1:00 Chambord (9-6:15, 9.50 euro)
8:00 Chartres
9 (M) Chartres to Versailles
9:00 Chartres
12:00 Vaux-le-Vicomte (Chateau that Versailles was copied from 10-6, 16 euro)
drive to Versailles
10 (T) Versailles to Paris Marriott (:53)
9:00 Versailles (tour, golf carts in gardens row boat)
11 (W) Bailly Romainvillers (Paris Marriott)
9:00 Arc de Triomphe, walk by way of Avenue Montana to Eiffle tower
11:00 Eiffle tower bike tour
3:00 Invalides Museum and Napoleans tomb
5:00 Madeleine Church/square/dinner
6:30 Place de la Concorde (square of revolution guillotine)
7:30 Eiffle tower
9:00 return to hotel
12 (TH) Bailly Romainvillers
9:00 Orangerie museum
10:30 hot chocolate at Angelina near Rue de Rivoli
11:30Musee d'Orsay
1:00 luxembourge gardens/lunch/float boats
4:00 Louvre (9-6)
6:30 Bateaux Mouches (boat on Seine at Place de l'Alma)
9:00 return to hotel
13 (F) Bailly Romainvilers9:00 Notre Dame, climb towers, monument of deportation, maybe crypt
11:30 Conciergerie (prison for Marie Antoinette 9:30 - 6, 11 euro w/ Saint Chapelle)
12:30 Sainte Chapelle (Story book chapel)
2:00 Ile de la Cite wander/Ancien Cloitre Quartier (middle ages quarter)/lunch
4:00 Musee national du moyen age (middle ages museum 9:15 - 5:45, 8.50 euro)
6:00 Isle st Louis dinner/ wander/ ice cream at Bertillon
evening: Wander Place des Vosges if time permits
14 (S) Paris France Bailly Romainvillers
Rest at hotel/swim/ finish anything in Paris
15 (S) Bailly Romainvillers to Chantilly(1:03) to Auvers sur oise (:36) to Giverny (1:00)
9:30 Auvers sur oise Walk/hike to Van Gogh and Cezanne sites (see tourist office)
11:30 Van Gogh house (10-6, 6 euro)
1:00 Voyage au Temps des Impressionnistes (life during the impressionist era, very hands on 10-6 12 euro)
3:00 Chantilly Grand Stables (1-5) horseback ride into forest, maybe
16 (M) Extra day in Paris?
17 (T) Givenery (1:24) to Mont Saint Michael (3:11)
9:30 Givenery Monets house and garden
11:30 lunch at Hotel Baudy
4:00 arrive at Mont Saint Michel, tour walk around, etc.
18 (W) Mont-Saint-Michel to Caen (1:24)
9:30 Caen Memorial Museum
12:00-5:00 D-day beaches/lunch picnic
5:00 Bayeux tapestry
19 (TH) Caen to Honfleur (:53) to Rouen (1:07) to Etretat (1:43) to Calais (:46)
9:30 tour of Abbaye aux Hommes
11:30 Honfleur wander, ste-Catherine church, lunch
2:30 Rouen Eglise Jeanne d'Arc, maybe Tour Jeanne ' Arc
5:30 Etretat; See tall rocks, Hike up to Falaise d'Aval, dinner
8:30 arrive in Calais
20 (F) Calais to Windsor Castle (2:53) to Bath (1:42)
7:00 Chunnel to England
10:00 Windsor Castle
3:00 Bath Roman and medieval baths (9-6, 12.50 pounds)
8:00 Bizarre bath Street Theater Walk
21 (S) Bath to Stonehenge (:53) to Lacock Abbey (:50)
8:00 open access tickets to Stonehenge
10:00 New Forest hike/bike ride/horseback ride through villages and forest and see wild ponies
4:00 Lacock Abbey (Harry Potter Abbey)
7:00 London
21 (S) London (hop on hop off (double decker bus) science museum, natural history museum, victoria and albert museum, harrods, hyde park, buckingham palace, kennsington park) (st james park, westminster abbey, war rooms, london eye, trafalgar square, national gallery, fortham and mason, hamley toy store, covent gardens), (tate modern museum, globe theatre, st pauls cathedral, tower of london, thames river boat, london bridge) british museum ?
22(S) London
23 (M) London Warwick Castle, Stratford on Avon
24 (T) London
25 (W) London cutswolds (RS 1 day drive p, 337 Hikes) Oxford, Stratford on Avon
26 (TH) London to York (3:45) Viking experience (open 10-5, go at 3:00 to avoid lines) buy a currant tart, vespers (boys choir in afternoon in cathedral) York Minster, Walk Walls
27 (F) York to Northumberland NP (2:06) to Jedbrough (1:10) to Edinbrough (1:03)
Hike Hadrians Wall- Steel Rigg to Sycamore Gap,
Edinburg Castle
Royal mile
28 (S) Edinbrough to Inverness (3:03) Cawdor Castle (closed for season but drive-by?)
Walk down Royal mile for museums (National Museum of Scotland or Children's Museum)
29 (S) Inverness to Isle of Skye/Portree (2:45)
or highlands
30 (M) Portree to Belfast (8:30 including 2:30 hour ferry)
MAY
1 (T)Belfast to Omagh(1:15) to Enniskillen(:40) to westport, clifden, galway, (walk around galway)
2 (W) Galway to Dublin
3 (TH) Dublin book of kells and trinity college, prison,
walk around O'Connell St.,
National Museum
4 (F) Dublin to Liverpool (4:42) to Preston (:50)
Albert Dock
Emigration Museum,
Beatles
5 (S) Preston to Dover (5:03) to Bruges (2:14 + 45 min Chunnel- Travel bag
6 (S) Bruges, Belgium Boat ride, Michelangelo Madonna, Town Square, Fine Arts Museum (John VanIlk), Groeninge
see itinerary 259)
Bike Rental- Koffieboontje (261) Walkington (276)
7 (M) Bruges toBrussels, Vilvoorde (John Tyndale monument and museum), Grand Palace (Manaquin Piss, Gray Museum with 600 outfits, Chocolate museum, Gallery of the Queen, lace shops, Greek Street -eat at Plaka, Rue de Bebouch - fish street), The Grand Sablon (chocolate shops - Piere Marcolonia, Passion, Litany, Neuhaus, The Cathedral, Museum of Fine Arts - Bruguel and Maguite, park in front of Royal Palace, musical instrument museum-restaurant at top has best hot chocolate) Atoniom (Brug Park, Mini Europe), King Leopold Belgium Museum of the Congo
8 (T) Brussels
9 (W) Brussels to Waterloo (:24) to Villers Abbey (:30) to Aachen (1:39) to Dusseldorf (:57)
10 (TH) Dusseldorf to Netherlands (2:18)
11 (F) The Netherlands
12 (S) The Netherlands leave in evening and drive two hours into Germany
13 (S)Amsterdam to Erxleben (4:47) to Whittenburg (1:44) to Berlin (1:26) Martin Luther museum and church
14 (M)Berlin bombed church, Checkpoint Charlie, remnants of the wall, Hitler?
15 (T) Berlin to Stetin Poland (1:42)
16 (W) Berlin to Dresden (3:35) to Seiffen (1:06) to Chemnitz (:55) to Prague (2:25)
17 (TH)Prague
18 (F) Prague to Nuremburg (?) (2:59) to Dachau (1:43) to Munich (:22)
19 (S) Munich
20 (S) Munich to Garmisch (:54) (Disney castle) to Berchestgaden (2:00)
21 (M) Berchestgaden to (Eagles nest, salt mines, Chiemsee) Salzburg (:29)
22 (T) Salzburg
23 (W) Salzburg to Hallstatt (1:13) to Vienna (3:11)
24 (TH) Vienna
25 (F) Vienna
26 (S) Vienna to Wiener Neustadt (:42) to Judenburg (1:28) to Graz (:59) to Klagenfurt (1:27)
27 (S) Klagenfurt to Venice (3:05)
28 (M)Venice Doge's museum, St. Mark's cathedral, take vaporetto around Grand Canal, vaporetto to Murano to look at beads
29 (T) Venice to Verona (1:51)) to Como (2:05) to Lugano (:35) to Lucerne (2:36)
30 (W) Lucerne to Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen/Grindelwald (:58) (Jungfraujoch and/or Hike from Kleine Scheidigg to Mittlenwald to Wengen along the back route, scenic Bavarian chalets, etc. All down hill)
31 (TH) Interlaken to Zermatt (2:32)
1 (F) Zermatt to Chamonix-Mont Blanc (2:19) to Geneva (1:04)
2 (S) Geneva 9:00 pm flight to Zurich
3 (S) Zurich 10:00 am flight home
