Attn: People that have been to Europe/European People:

[A.M. Thomas]

I'm going in August.  Please provide me with any advice you can.  Where should I go?  What should I do?  What should I see? etc.  I'm getting a Eurorail pass, so I'm pretty much set on transportation.  My destination list looks something like this:

I'm going to London first because I have family there, then;
Brussels;
Amsterdam;
Berlin;
Prague;
Vienna;
Milan;
Florence;
and back to London.

I only have 21 days.  Are nine cities too much for twenty-one days?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
N.U.

[yesno]

Are nine cities too much for twenty-one days?

Yep.  I think you'd be better off spending at least 3 or 4 days in any one of those cities.  Or doing a day or two in the city, and then branching off into nearby places.

Milan is very cool, but very like New York.  I'd consider going to Venice instead, or spending more time in Florence.

[Martin]

Skip Brussels unless you're a fan of government buildings and EU bureaucracy - it's quite a weird, ugly city.

Prague will be desperately hot in August (July would've been even worse), and there's little escaping the heat in that city. I adore it though, just wouldn't visit in the summer.

yesno is right by the way - way too many destinations for such a short time. I would skip half of them. Also, consider the time it takes going from one place to the next - Europe is pretty small but if you're stuck on slow-moving central European trains it can take forever, especially when you're down in Prague or in Italy.

[Beth]

Milan is very cool, but very like New York.  I'd consider going to Venice instead, or spending more time in Florence.

I would second that. Venice is amazing, and it's worth spending at least 2 or 3 days there.

[bobby.]

whoo europe!

[Jason]

Don't mention the war.

[Man Machine]

Berlin, especially what was formerly East Berlin, is fantastic. There's a lot to do and see around the Alexanderplatz area. It's a very vibrant city.

[Sarah]

I lived in Milan for six months almost twenty-five years ago.  I suspect it has changed a bit since then, and when I was there all I did was work, so I don't have much in the way of sightseeing suggestions to offer.  However, if you want to see where I worked, go to via Cino del Duca.  The offices of FMR might still be there.  There's also a bookshop/gallery, which could actually be a hoot to visit.  I think it's on the via Durini.

Helpful, eh?

[Fido]

I probably visited when you were living there, Sarah.  It would have been a real pleasure to meet you and visit you then.  (For that matter, I think it would also be a pleasure to meet you now.)

I have vivid memories of my visit to Milan, which was really the first Italian city I ever visited (I had previously made a foray into the Italian Alps).  I was advised that it's not the most historically signficant or picturesque city in Italy, and some would probably say it's the least.  But it stole my heart.  *cough, cough*  Seriously though, that visit was unforgettably exciting, in much the same way that my first visit to New York on my own was unforgettable. 

Back to the topic, and sorry for the digression:  my suggestion is that it's not crazy to plan an aggressive itinerary if you build in flexibility, such as the ability to make cancellations and have the information at hand to make different reservations or plans as you travel.  That's a huge advantage to having the Eurail pass, after all, right?  That's always how I travel, and it allows me the flexibility to make it into a fever-pitched trip in which I can see as much as possible in the allotted time, or to slow down and savor, and enjoy the experience of the places I am in during the course of the trip. 

Have you been to Rome and Paris before?  If not, I think those are two places you gotta go sometime, but it doesn't have to be this time.  Just my humble two cents.

[Dorvid Barnas]

You people all "have what I like to call...  Rich People's Problems.
Who cares?  GET OFF MY PHONE!"

[Turf Out]

You people all "have what I like to call...  Rich People's Problems.
Who cares?  GET OFF MY PHONE!"

HA! you beat me to that one!

[A.M. Thomas]

Thanks for the advice everyone.  I'm going to take out Brussels.  I'll probably also replace Venice with Milan.  I'm not sure how I'll treat any anti-Americanism I encounter.  I think it's pretty easy (and pathetic) to be the apologetic American tourist.  Perhaps I'll just say I'm Canadian?

I've been saving up for this for a well while.  I'm far from a rich kid.

[folksnake]

Don't mention the war.

Jeez! Which one?

[Sarah]

I probably visited when you were living there, Sarah.  It would have been a real pleasure to meet you and visit you then.  (For that matter, I think it would also be a pleasure to meet you now.)

Aw, Fido.  To quote the master, you're sweet.  Who knows?  Maybe we crossed paths.  If you were ever in the Rivoli coffee bar, I was the one downing double espressos, chain-smoking, and ranting about my horrible job.

[Martin]

Don't mention the war.

Jeez! Which one?

Duh, The Thirty Years' War. Obviously.