jsgrif

My wife and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary and are planning on going to France and Italy in September 2015. We've been to both countries and have seen the major cities but want to go back to Paris. Besides that, we want to spend more time perhaps on the riviera and smaller, quainter towns.

We're open to travel by plane, train, or automobile and we're not expecting to stay in 5 star hotels. Thoughts are landing in Paris and out of Rome.

Any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks in advance!

bobthenavigator

So, how much time will you have?
I hope at least 3 weeks to see much of Italy.

bvlenci

Perhaps you meant that you wanted to visit the riviera of France and the adjacent riviera of Italy. That wouldn't require three weeks.

If that's not what you meant, please tell us if you have an idea of which part of Italy you'd like to visit.

sandralist

If you don't want to see the Italian riviera, but are content with the French Riviera, then my suggestion would be fly into Paris, followed by taking a train down to the French Riviera, then a flight to Rome -- but pick up a car at Rome airport and drive to the rural area of your choice to visit smaller towns of history in Italy.

Otherwise, if you do want to see some of the Italian Riviera as well, then perhaps a reasonable plan would be flying into Paris, followed by a train to the French Riviera, but picking up a car after that and heading down the coast. Cheapest way to pick up a car is to take a train into Italy and rent it in an Italian town just over the border, so you can drop it off in Rome. If you want to see smaller towns of interest in Italy between the French border and Rome, you need to be prepared to "road trip", and how much time you are spending in France + how much is left over from Italy will dictate the pace of your trip, how many towns you can see and how much time you have for Rome if you want to spend any time revisiting it (doesn't sound like you do).

jsgrif

Thanks all!

We will have about 2 weeks (unfortunately) and that is why we're ok not sightseeing Rome as we already have. We're all for a road trip assuming driving in along the riviera wouldn't be too much to handle? Maybe the train is the way to go? We would like to spend 2 full days in Paris, then head down to Nice area.

I like the idea of taking the train into Italy and then renting a car and traveling down the Riviera. What small towns would you recommend as a "must" for us?? Bare in mind we are looking for quiet and romantic.

Thanks!!