Barcelona

1/19/08

We are leaving for Europe on March 23, 2008.  Here is our general itinerary so far:

Arrive Madrid 8:00 a.m. March 24, Madrid March 25 & 26.

March 27, train (4 hours) to Barcelona to meet Mike and Lois

Barcelona March 28 & 29

March 30 Board Norwegian Jade for 12-day cruise, leaving at 7 p.m. (19:00)

March 31 at sea

April 1 Rome 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Private tour w/ Rome Cabs

April 2 Naples 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Private tour w/ Drive Amalfi Tours

April 3 at sea

April 4 Venice 10 a.m. overnight

April 5 Venice, leave 2 p.m.

April 6 Dubrovnik 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

April 7 at sea

April 8 Athens 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.  (Arrange tour?)

April 9 Izmir 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Need to arrange tour)

April 10 Istanbul, arrive 12:30 overnight

April 11 Istanbul, debark 12:30

                  4:05 p.m. fly Malev Airlines to Budapest, arrive 5:00 p.m.

                   Apartment, Friendly Rentals

April 12 Budapest (8-hour driving tour)

April 13 Budapest

April 14 Budapest

April 15 Train to Munich, 8 hours

                  King Hotel

April 16 Munich

April 17 Munich

April 18 pick up rental car, drive to Rothenburg ob der Tauber

April 19 Rothenburg ob der Tauber

April 20 open

April 21 to Frankfurt by evening

April 22 fly home, leave 9:45 a.m.

I am spending an obscene amount of time online researching places, tours, things to do and see.  Not trying to overplan, but I have arranged for a hotel in Madrid, apartment in Barcelona, tours in Rome and Naples, flight from Istanbul to Budapest, apartment in Budapest, hotel in Munich, rental car in Munich. 

I may cancel the hotel and rental car in Munich, and figure we'll wing it once we get to Budapest.  It's helpful to me, though, to have a destination and somewhat of a timetable....I'd rather take the time now to do some planning and researching, so that we make the most of our time there.

m