Advice on our NEW Itinerary for France/Italy
Feb 5th, 2012, 06:18 AM
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Advice on our NEW Itinerary for France/Italy
Hello all!
I am back to ask advice from all you expert travelers who have already been so helpful. We have picked areas we would like to visit for a trip that has to be the end of July and early August due to schedules. We would love some help with deciding how many days should be spent in each area. This is going to be our BIG trip before children so it consists of sightseeing and relaxation. This will be a two week trip plus 2 days for traveling.
We will start by:
Flying to Paris from Newark NJ ( We can do this using points from Continental & nonstop)
We will end by:
Flying from Milan to Newark NJ ( Again we can use points & nonstop )
We will be visiting:
Paris
Train to French Riviera and stay in St Tropez
Portofino (have always wanted to stay there even if its just for a night or 2)
Venice
Lake Como
Will have to spend a night in Milan before our trip back to NJ
How many days should we try to spend in each? I know 2 weeks for all these places may not seem like a lot, but we won't be traveling for awhile to Europe and this is really something we want to do. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!!
I am back to ask advice from all you expert travelers who have already been so helpful. We have picked areas we would like to visit for a trip that has to be the end of July and early August due to schedules. We would love some help with deciding how many days should be spent in each area. This is going to be our BIG trip before children so it consists of sightseeing and relaxation. This will be a two week trip plus 2 days for traveling.
We will start by:
Flying to Paris from Newark NJ ( We can do this using points from Continental & nonstop)
We will end by:
Flying from Milan to Newark NJ ( Again we can use points & nonstop )
We will be visiting:
Paris
Train to French Riviera and stay in St Tropez
Portofino (have always wanted to stay there even if its just for a night or 2)
Venice
Lake Como
Will have to spend a night in Milan before our trip back to NJ
How many days should we try to spend in each? I know 2 weeks for all these places may not seem like a lot, but we won't be traveling for awhile to Europe and this is really something we want to do. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!!
Feb 5th, 2012, 06:33 AM
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Nice trip---I am envious.
I understand the romantic appeal, but I would not stay in either St. Tropez nor Portofino. The former is hard to access and the latter is best seen by staying at Santa Margherita, only 3 miles away. I would do this--asssuming 14 nites in Europe:
Paris---4
Cote d' Azur--3
Liguiran coast--2
Venice---3 [ long trip by rails]
Lago Como---2
Last nite near MXP
Hmmm! Not enough time---I would drop something.
I understand the romantic appeal, but I would not stay in either St. Tropez nor Portofino. The former is hard to access and the latter is best seen by staying at Santa Margherita, only 3 miles away. I would do this--asssuming 14 nites in Europe:
Paris---4
Cote d' Azur--3
Liguiran coast--2
Venice---3 [ long trip by rails]
Lago Como---2
Last nite near MXP
Hmmm! Not enough time---I would drop something.
Feb 5th, 2012, 07:41 AM
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Jerseygirl,
This will be a very nice trip. Nice combo of cities and relaxing destinations (the way I like to do my own trips)!
However, two of your choices are a little time consuming to get to - Portofino and St. Tropez, ESPECIALLY in the summer months. I stayed in SML and loved it, as Bob suggested. Portofino itself is TINY and personally I wouldn't want to go there in the summer. Even in May by 11am it was very, very busy. We were there by 9:30 am and had a little time to stroll before the cruise day trippers arrives en mass.
We stayed in Cannes (did NOT love it) and did a day trip to St. Tropez. I liked St. Tropez, but our trip was in mid-Oct and even then the drive took a long time from Cannes. I understand the traffic to get onto the peninsula in the summer is a nightmare. Even by train, it's a long trip.
Personally, I would choose one or the other and add time to your other destinations. I think you will enjoy your time much more this way.
Buon viaggio!
This will be a very nice trip. Nice combo of cities and relaxing destinations (the way I like to do my own trips)!
However, two of your choices are a little time consuming to get to - Portofino and St. Tropez, ESPECIALLY in the summer months. I stayed in SML and loved it, as Bob suggested. Portofino itself is TINY and personally I wouldn't want to go there in the summer. Even in May by 11am it was very, very busy. We were there by 9:30 am and had a little time to stroll before the cruise day trippers arrives en mass.
We stayed in Cannes (did NOT love it) and did a day trip to St. Tropez. I liked St. Tropez, but our trip was in mid-Oct and even then the drive took a long time from Cannes. I understand the traffic to get onto the peninsula in the summer is a nightmare. Even by train, it's a long trip.
Personally, I would choose one or the other and add time to your other destinations. I think you will enjoy your time much more this way.
Buon viaggio!
Feb 5th, 2012, 08:18 AM
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I love Cap Ferrat and Santa Margherita. Both locations are easy to get in and out of.
Portofino is beautiful to visit and I love walking there from SML but I do find it a little limiting.
Have a great time where ever you go.
Portofino is beautiful to visit and I love walking there from SML but I do find it a little limiting.
Have a great time where ever you go.
Feb 5th, 2012, 08:50 AM
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I like your trip but it's a lot of moving around. You could fly to Venice from Nice (Easyjet) or Marseilles (Air France). Then work your way back to Milan. (God forbid you'd skip Venice, which is the outlier on this trip. I love Venice.)
I can tell each destination was lovingly chosen, so hate to see you miss anything. The contortions we put on our trips to use FF miles! Otherwise Venice is the logical place to leave from.
I can tell each destination was lovingly chosen, so hate to see you miss anything. The contortions we put on our trips to use FF miles! Otherwise Venice is the logical place to leave from.
Feb 5th, 2012, 09:39 AM
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Hi All! Thanks for all your responses and positive feedback! I guess we didn't make too much of a mess with our itinerary so thats good to hear!
BOB- Where would you suggest to stay in the French Riviera area? And what hotel in Santa Margherita?
DAYLE-Where did you stay in SML? If we do end up choosing not to stay in either the french or italian riviera, which one would u drop and be ok with dropping? We tend to love a mix of city and small and quaint areas.
MIMAR-Originally when we first started putting together an itinerary we were planning on leaving from Venice, however using our miles we will save so much money. We said we would rather put our money towards hotels, sightseeing, dinners....etc rather than making it a little easier to fly in and out. We are ok with traveling a little more complicated in order to see what we really would love to see. This trip really is our "before babies" trip. We were recently married in October and said we would plan one big european trip within the year before our lives were put on hold for awhile. You are right....we have chosen our itinerary thinking of relaxation, romance, sightseeing, enjoyment...etc and it would be hard to miss something so we shall see.
BOB- Where would you suggest to stay in the French Riviera area? And what hotel in Santa Margherita?
DAYLE-Where did you stay in SML? If we do end up choosing not to stay in either the french or italian riviera, which one would u drop and be ok with dropping? We tend to love a mix of city and small and quaint areas.
MIMAR-Originally when we first started putting together an itinerary we were planning on leaving from Venice, however using our miles we will save so much money. We said we would rather put our money towards hotels, sightseeing, dinners....etc rather than making it a little easier to fly in and out. We are ok with traveling a little more complicated in order to see what we really would love to see. This trip really is our "before babies" trip. We were recently married in October and said we would plan one big european trip within the year before our lives were put on hold for awhile. You are right....we have chosen our itinerary thinking of relaxation, romance, sightseeing, enjoyment...etc and it would be hard to miss something so we shall see.
Feb 5th, 2012, 01:10 PM
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I would stay at Villefranche sur Mar or Menton. St.Tropez is a long way from Nice and not on a train line.
In SML, it depends on budget. I would consider Locanda di Colombo for good value. Good luck !
In SML, it depends on budget. I would consider Locanda di Colombo for good value. Good luck !
Feb 5th, 2012, 03:56 PM
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We stayed at Hotel Lauren*** which is right on the marina. Its a best western property but not much like a best western in the us. We had a room wuth a very nice private terrace where we enjoyed a couple of picnic meals. We really lovedSML itself. Lovely town, some good restaurants too
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