First time travelers to Paris and Rome
 

We will be making our first trip to Europe in late May 2013, with plans to visit Paris and Rome. Any suggestions as to which we should visit first? Is it cheaper to fly into/out of one over the other?

In May I would start in rome, which is further south and warmer and then head to Paris where it may be cooler.

Open jaws flights cost no more that RT to one place or the other - and yuo can easily trvel between them by train or flight.

For other suggestions you really need to giv eus more info:

Who and how many is "we'
How much time will you have
What are your special interests and budget level

Are you flying from Australia?

I agree with nytraveler. Rome first, so Paris will be warmer when you get there. :) Although, I think late May you will have gorgeous weather in both places! :)

I envy you your "firsts". The memories you will create..oh my!

Have fun~
Paula

"We" is my husband and I, and we are looking at about a 14 day trip. We're traveling from the US, and trying to keep the trip to under $10K, including airfare.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!! :)

Agree that you should fly into Rome and out of Paris and fly from Rome to Paris. Since it is your first trip to both cities, you have a week each to appreciate Rome, Paris and nearby places you can go on day trips.

With a week in each city, it is tempting to suggest renting apartments. However, for a first trip, it is always nice to have hotel staff to help you get your bearings.

May is a lovely time for both cities.

If you want to go budget... rent an apartment in each city! You can save on meals by fixing some of your own. And, imho, living like "locals" is so much more memorable than being "a tourist". :) Check out VRBO.com and SleepInItaly.com to start.

good luck~

I agree with renting apts with a week in each place. It's nice to have a kitchen to do a bit of cooking to keep you on budget. You can shop at the local markets.

I would highly recommend Rick Steve's guides for Paris and Rome (in addition to the Eyewitness Guides). They have bare bones basic information for each city and by reading them ahead of time you will feel a lot more at ease arriving in a new city, as you will not have hotel staff to ask questions of.

I also agree with starting in Rome and finishing up in Paris. Rome can warm up pretty quickly. These are two beautiful cities. You will have a wonderful trip.

Thanks everyone!

If you're a tennis fan, you could catch the Italian Open (May 12-19) and French Open (begins May 26).

I disagree w/the apt suggestion.For a first time visit this would be overwhelming!It's difficult enough for a seasoned traveler.
I suggest a good central location for a hotel in each city and then a day of the hop on/off bus tour to get your bearings!

We rented apartments in both Paris and Florence on our first trips to both cities. It was fine.

We were more than a little overwhelmed on our first trip to Europe, and staying in a hotel was reassuring because reception was so helpful with everything: advice on transportation, restaurants, sights, best place to buy tickets, etc. Where you go first might be best decided by where you are starting. We flew from the West Coast and there was no direct flight into Rome, and we didn't like any of the departure times leaving Rome. I do agree that you might like Rome first in relation to weather. It can get hot in Rome, so the earlier the better. May is a great time to travel!

I definitely think a hotel is the way to go for first timers to Europe-even if they are smaller boutique type hotels or B and B's you always have someone to help you with tips;info;calling for reservations,etc.
I am still back at under $10,000 with airfare-are you 5 star hotel people and expensive dinners as I think that that is way too high for a 2 week trip to Paris and Rome.Your airfare for two should be no more than $1500 a piece.
Where are you flying out of the US? It would be better to fly nonstop to Rome from a US city to save time and money and then nonstop back to the US. Give us some more info and we would all love to help!

Hi knjsmom

A few people suggested renting an apartment and this being your first time travelling to these cities, remember to keep your valuables with you but keep a lookout for pickpockets.

I had a very bad experience when i booked a Parisian apartment with a company called Paris Autrement in June 2012. They claim that no one would enter the premises during our stay but someone with a key to our apartment came in and stole money hidden in our luggage. When we tried to seek redress, Laurent the manager expressed doubt that anything of this sort could have happened.

In a nutshell, they just washed their hands off the matter, dismissed the possibility of an inside job and denied having breached their end of the agreement. On retrospect, we should have carried all our valuables out with us and run a smaller risk of getting our pockets picked in the streets of Paris.

Another vote for a hotel, and your budget is quite ample for that time. And even enough for some planned splurges in dining.
I am not the biggest fan of Rome, but I have been several times. I might suggest even a few days in Rome and then up to Florence for a treat. And then on to Paris, maybe even via overnight train. A week in Paris is hardly enough!! (for my priorities!!) Have fun.

Whether apartment or hotel, is a coin flip. For me, if at all possible I'm doing an apartment. I like having room, the cost is usually less and I get great locations. Not sure why a hotel would be less of a hassle, except with an apartment you have to clean it and make your own beds.

I normally use an apartment a block from the Pantheon in Rome. Sleeps 4 and costs under 700 euros for a week. You could put a normal hotel room in a side of the living room.

Paris I have a favorite, not the nicest, located in the 2nd. Love the neighborhood and is really convenient. Cost is $60 per night. 1 block from Rue Montorgueil and all the shops, cafes and people.

for each their own. And yes, you can do very well on a $10,000 budget, we don't spend anywhere near that.

dave

Back to the apartment v. hotel question. We have been to Paris 8 times and Rome 7. We stayed in hotels for our first 3 or 4 trips. It is so helpful to have hotel staff to help out, particularly if you don't speak French or Italian. We have more recently stayed in apartments because we know our way around the cities at this point and don't feel the need for the assistance provided by a concierge.

I suggest hotels in the 6th Arrondisement in Paris and in the Piazza Navona area of Rome. Both are convenient to many of the sights you will want to visit and to public transportation. And both have many small and charming hotels. You can find lots of suggestions on this board.

WOW! So glad I posted asking for advice...its all wonderful and very informative. We are traveling to/from Florida (so we're fairly accustomed to heat and hot weather). In regards to our travel budget, we would like to keep it as inexpensive as possible, but also want to be able to splurge on a few things if we so decide. Our tastes are not extravagant, (we enjoy outdoor activities and camping), but I MUST have a clean and safe hotel...no compromises there.

What does everyone recommend as "must sees" in both locations given our time frame. We are not opposed to visiting other cities either, just don't want to cut our time too short, especially in Paris. Is Normandy worth the extra time in France rather then in Rome?

Thanks, again everyone!!!

Apartments can be clean and safe, too. Plenty of people have had thngs stolen from hotel rooms, (where lots of hotel employees can access your room), so the apartment incident should not be a determining factor. For a week, you don't really have to clean your apartment, and it is nice to be able to wash a few clothes without paying a fortune to a hotel.

You should not the be taking valuables with you on a trip. Forget taking expensive jewelry along, and with the convenience of ATMs now, you do not need to carry so much money that you need to hide some of it away.

A friend had for some expensive jewelry on a trip to England, and carried it in her purse for safekeeping. So her purse was stolen right out from under her nose in a restaurant when a couple started a diversionary fight next to them.