Would love some help planning how to best enjoy a trip that will begin 10-21-2012 in Barcelona and end 11-2-2012 in Paris. Any help out there?

Suggestions depend on your mode of travel. But I would not even consider Monaco and Italy with that limited time. Have you looked at some guidebooks such as Fodor's?

We did a trip like this a few years ago - traveled by train - Barcelona to Arles and ending in Paris. I would stay at least 3 nights each place.

Hi B,

4 days in BCN. Hop plane to Paris.

Enjoy your visit.

Completely open to the best way to enjoy this area, Michael. Not opposed to driving if it is scenic as it looks like it might be. However have done limited driving ourselves in Europe. Enjoyed the train from Paris to Rome several years ago so also open to that option. I always enjoy Fodor's guidebooks but am just beginning to figure out what to take in. Your thoughts would be helpful.

suec1,
3 days in Barcelona; 3 days in Arles; and 3 days in Paris? What were the highlights of your trip? Thanks so much.

We probably did 4/3/4 as there is so much to do in Barcelona and Paris. Barcelona's best sights are probably the Gaudi venues - Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, the modernista houses, etc. We also did a Fat Tire bike tour, spent some time in the old city and El Born area, Boqueria market, plus meandered a bit at the port. Arles takes about a day to explore, then we went to Avingnon. Paris, not sure what all we did - we had been there on other trips but the museums, churches, Paris Walks......take your choice. And we always try to have plenty of time for cafe sitting and people watching!

With 10 days you could just split the time between the two cities as one poster said - there is certainly enough to do in each of them to fill up 5 days.

Such helpful information. I'm hearing one suggestion to fly from Barcelona to Paris and one to take the train, yes? Does that mean that driving is just a bad idea?

It's a long trip and you'll pay a lot in drop off charges if you pickup in Spain and drop the car in France.

In 10 days you only have time to see Barcelona and Paris. I would have planned for only one of those areas.