Euro trip in Nov (thanks giving) till Dec end. What would be best way for travel, stay, any other tips?

Question

Thinking to visit Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Swiss, France. Please add any other "Must see" locations. Tips on how to plan, any other info. I am living in CA. Planning to get Schengen visa - info needed on it too. Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

Hamburg Germany is a "must"... beautiful  christmas markets. I will travel there myself this year. It is much fun there.

Art, entertainment, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, sights ... it is all there in the city that never sleeps.

Answer 2

If you are traveling alone and you don't mind being dependent on other persons you could try to find locals that drive between cities in these countries. They will surely give you plenty of advice. check on www.eurostop.be.   7 countries in 2 months is a lot to do, unless if you plan your trip carefully and you stay somewhere on the border so you can visit two or three countries in a week:

Good places in border regions are:

Maastricht for Holland, Germany & Belgium

Strassbourg or Freiburg for France/Germany

Nice for France, Northern Italy and Switzerland

Geneva for Switzerland, Alp Region and Italy

Definitely go to Rome, Barcelona, Paris and if it starts snowing Alpe d'Huez, Chamonix,...

I would suggest to plan 3 weeks in Northern Europe and then travel south to Rome/Napoli hoping that it will be sunny so you can warm up a bit. There is not really a place in Europe that is always sunny in December, not even Sicily, Athens or Cyprus.

Contact any ambassy of the Schengen countries in the US to get info on Schengen visa (France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy).  I'm not sure if you can visit Switzerland with Schengen visa, they will sign the treaty but I'm not sure when it will be in force.