user_3939

Hi everyone,

I am planning to make a first trip to Europe next spring for two weeks. I cannot decide between these two destinations, which one do you think would be more memorable?

Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice.
Spain: Madrid, Seville, Barcelona

I know that both countries are amazing and that I have to make the decision myself, but I am just curious to read your personal taste and travel experiences.

Here are the main points I'm trying to compare for both trips:

1)- Which itinerary is easiest to do by public transportation

2)- Which country is easiest for someone who doesn't speak Italian and Spanish?

3)- Which country based on these three bases would give the opportunity for the easiest, quickest and best day trips.

4)- Is there a big difference between the expenses like hotels, restaurants, etc. (I read that Italy is more expensive, but is it a considerable difference?). I want to stay near the attractions/center of each city and although eating sometimes in restaurants would be great, I want to also buy a little grocery like fruits or bread and cheese, snacks, sandwishes, etc..

5)- Which of this itinerary has the most wow factor? I love to see history, beautiful scenery, piazzas, beautiful historic small streets full of shops, terraces, parks, churches, etc, In other words, I want to experience Europe and its charms and beauty... Are both equally stunning in your opinion, or are there some listed cities that you felt are kinda "meh it's beautiful but not spectacular"

6)- Which cities would be more walkable? Are there cities in the ones listed where each attraction is far from the other and where you have to take the bus or metro to go from each attraction to another? or are all cities walkable with a somewhat compact "old center" and attractions close to each others...

7)- Which country would have less tourists? Sometimes I read that there are huge lines and huge crowds in certain cities around the attractions, is Italy more crowded or are they both equally very crowded.

Which of these 2 itineraries would you personally recommend when you take into account prices, wow factor, things to do, and being easier by public transportation?

PalenQ

I would sy the Italian troika trumps the Spanish trio in most of your questions but only slightly and this is all kind of subjective.

Transportation wise total time on trains would be about the same in either trio - so not a factor and trains on those mainlines are very very modern and frequent.

Day trips I think the Italy threesome has many more easy day trips than does Barcelona or Seville - Madrid does have several close by ones like fabulous Toledo.

But Florence has the iconic Tuscan hill towns; Venice has day trips to some outer islands and places like Vincenza and Padua - Rome has plces like Orvieto and Ostia Antica - a primo archaeological site that was ancient Rome's port - to me and others as impressive as Pompeii, which is also a possible day trip from Rome though about 2 hours and change each way by train - Rome also has Hadrian's Villa and Tivoli's Villa d'Este's fabulous water gardens.

As for language Italians seem to on the whole speak more English than Spaniards though IMO that is not a factor with either as many in the tourist contact business will speak English so there is no language barrier IMO in either.

Less tourists - well Rome, Florence and Venice always are near the top of the list for most touristed cities but if you go in spring that is not much a factor - except for the week before and after Easter when many Europeans and schools have two weeks holidays the Italian towns can be very crowded.

Seville however has a famous Easter Week processions.

Anyway for rail info I always spotlight these IMO superb sources- www.seat61.com - good info on discounted tickets you can score for either country if you book far in advance to get the limited in number discounted ducats sold on each train and are I believe non-refundble non-changeable but much cheaper than full fare - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Really you can't lose in whatever you chose - Madrid is a city that does not excite everyone but it does have great day trips - along with Toledo - Segovia, Avila, El Escorial and more.

For me Italy would be my choice but again that is for me - I have been to all those cities several times and I just like Italy more though I like Spain too. Italian food is one thing I do prefer over Spanish food - especially pizza and gelato!

Robert2533

For the first time visitor, flip a coin, and save the other for the next trip.

Bedar

For wow and for a first time visit, I recommend Paris. But, between those two, go for Italy. Every place will be crowded. You just have to grin and bear it.

Dukey1

Expenses? Venice easily is the most expensive of ALL the cities you mentioned IMO.

The easiest to do by RAIL would be those in Italy but that may actually be a toss-up now that there is AVE service from Madrid to Barcelona.

Day trips? If you have never been to ANY of these cities? Unless you are going to be there for a LONG time the idea of any daytrip probably wouldn't even come up. HOWEVER, you say nothing of your interests other than the ease of transport, walking, etc. IMO you really should be MOST interested in what's actually IN them. I think you may end up seeing a lot more "recognizable" art works in Italy than you would in Spain (the Prado, Thyssen, etc., being the notable exceptions).

joannyc

As much as I love Spain, for the wow factor, ease of travel between locations, amount of sites to see, and diversity.... I'd pick the Italy agenda.

Rome for the sites, Florence for the art and Venice... Well, just because it is so different than anywhere else and so beautiful with so much to see. From all these locations, day trips by public transport are easy.

If I were a first timer in Spain. I would recommend seeing Madrid and Andalusia for the first trip. Save Barcelona for a separate trip. Big wow factor in Andalusia!

Spain would be cheaper than Italy in any case.