Once we decided to bite the financial bullet and take a jaunt across the Atlantic to the Old Continent, we discarded any notions of luxury and comfort so we could afford to see as much as we could cram into three weeks. From the outset we decided to visit seven cities in four countries: Rome, Florence and Venice in Italy; Madrid and Barcelona in Spain; Paris, France, London and Oxford in England … And since both of us are in our late 40’s, and our kids 14 and 17, it was also one heck of a Euro-family-fitness challenge Amazing Race style.