julie_Colorado

I love London.. but not when I want great food and wine and cheap prices.

For those (OK, maybe not cheap prices), it's got to be Italy or France. To save money, if you spend a week in one place - you can get good deals on apartments. One week in an apartment in Paris with 2 days in London going there or back is my idea of what heaven looks like.

Apres_Londee

Everyone has given wonderful suggestions. I agree that London and Paris would be a nice split, or Venice, Florence, and Rome.

Depending on your tastes, you might also want to consider emersing yourself in just one city for the entire 10 days- rent an apartment, take a couple of daytrips, learn a bit of the language. That way you'll have time to spend hours and hours in all sorts of galleries and museums, and go food shopping to make yourself wonderful dinners, and save money all at the same time.

bachslunch

I have to disagree with catherinehaas about London not having much in the way of art galleries. With places like the National Gallery, Tate Gallery, Tate Modern, Cortauld Gallery, and Queen's Gallery (not to mention the ceiling of Banqueting House, some rooms in the Wallace Collection, and if one stretches it to works of art that aren't oil-on-canvas, the Victoria and Albert Museum), London ranks among the best cities in the world for visual art lovers.

I also found the observation that there were "not many English in London" to be, well, curious, but that's another story.

But I will applaud the OP on getting out to travel overseas for the first time. Definitely go -- you won't regret it.

dmlove

I think catherinehaas said there weren't many art galleries in the countryside -- she wasn't referring to London proper.

suze

I (unfortunately) only speak English. I have never had any problems traveling in any major European city because of the language. IMO it would be a shame to limit yourself to English speaking countries for a first trip to Europe. Particularly with the expressed interest of art, food, and history.

mvor

My initial response like others was to say Italy (art-check, food-check, wine-check) but if you tell us the name of your favourite artist or genre I'll happily reassess my response.

Also, do you have a family connection to a particular country? That could be a way to narrow done the field too.

nytraveler

For art andwineI would do France and Italy - but with such a short time you shuold realy liit yoursef to 2 places.

PAris and Rome if you like big cities - and you can do a day trip into winecountry from one or the other. Or do all the days inone country - with 4/5 days inthe city and few days in the countryside to get more wine exposure (but the latr will be esier by car).

If you tell us what type of art - and wine - you like tht may help you choose.

And do start saving - since US "standard hotels" are not cheap in europe. (Typically they're about a star less then we are.)

RONREYN2008

Get Rick Steves Europe 101- Histoy and Art for the Traveler. It is a great book to help you in guiding you in your Arts & Culture trip to Europe as well as his original Europe Through the Back Door, a good book in helping you in going to Europe for the 1st time. I used those as well as Fodors Books & others to do our 1st couple trips. To me, Paris & Florence are my two favorite cities for top Museums for the Art lover. All the other posters ideas were all right on but we all have our own favorites.Good travels.

afterall

You're 26? That was when I took my first solo trip. And it was to the Greek Islands. But I had left my country of birth many times before either with parents or with friends.

So I must try and think myself into your situation and not get carried away by what I know now, many years down the line, is easy, but for you might be daunting.

Given your list of exclusions we are talking Europe, Central America or .. well, there's Australia and New Zealand too!!

The big problem is those 9-11 days. Can't you get longer? My big motto is stay cheaper, and stay longer, because it costs you so much to get there is the first place.

If it's nine days stick to one country and make it the UK with maybe a side trip to Paris.

It it's eleven then the picture changes. Italy has been much mentioned, and Venice is (and I've been around) one of the places you really must see before you die. And you could combine it with Florence.

But why not Spain? Spend four days in London; and five in Madrid/Andalucia.

Bottom line - find more time for your trip, and get out there and read, research.

I'll post this anyway, but the more I think about it, the more I realise that I can't get my head around an overseas trip of 9 days.

julie_Colorado

You have a good bit of time.. if you pick a place now.. you could take a foreign language class at a local university. I'm taking conversational French at the University of Colorado. I love it. My daughter and I are going to Paris in March. I took French in highschool many years ago - and it actually does come back (very slowly!).

anna5545

Hey! I am very impressed with the quality and quantity of the responses I have received. Thanks for the book suggestions, I am a big reader!

mvor: As far as artists and periods I really enjoy sculpture (marble, bronze, etc)and architecture classical, Impressionism and Art Nouveau. Anything by Monet, Mucha, & Michelangelo. I particularly enjoy anything that has a good story behind it.

My last name is Morgan so my family history is rooted in English and Welsh linneage on my father's side and French on my mothers side (Chalfont). However, I am more interested in History on a broader sense rather than my own family history, maybe that comes with age? .

afterall: Since I am planning so far in advance, I don't see any major issues with getting more time off, however I am pretty sure that I only get 10 days paid vacation a year, so that is where I get the 9-11 day estimate. Just depends on how much I have managed to save as to whether I can afford to take additional days w/o pay.

Thanks again everyone! So far I am leaning towards London, France and Italy!

By the way I remember someone wondering the types of wines that I enjoy. Primarily reds from California (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Australia (Shiraz), Primitivos from Italy, South American Malbecs and pretty much anything that is really expensive . I haven't really found many French wines that I enjoy, however I have not had the opportunity to pair them with decent food (just tasted them at work) so I would be open to the idea of doing a food and wine pairing!

Thanks again! And keep the suggestions and tips coming!

travelgourmet

I would say Italy or France. London and Paris would be a nice options, as well. Or perhaps Barcelona and Madrid.

I wouldn't worry too much about the language barrier. I only speak English (and some Spanglish) and get by just fine.

RONREYN2008

Anna,

We live in Wine country of Sonoma County of Calif. & we share your love of good wine. Even if it comes from Napa County(joke). It all depends on where you get it from in France & what it is. WE like the Alsace wine area of eastern France for it's Pinot Noir's. The Reds of Bordeaux area can go from just Ok to great. Around Florence in some of the hill towns you can find some of the best reds you will ever find.Remember it's an adventure.

Guenmai

I'm REALLY curious why you're NOT open to Asia. I'm a regular on the Asia forum and have been traveling around the world alone and almost annually since I was 17. And I'm female.
I'm early 50s now and have been on every continent except Antartica and I'll tell you that many areas in S.E. Asia, where I spend twice a year, are a lot more interesting than many parts of Europe that I've been to and I've been all over Europe 1-2 times a year since the early 70s.

If you'd reconsider Asia, contact us over on the Asia forum and we could whip you up an incredible trip that would knock your socks up....private driver, private guides, five-star hotels for what a 2-3-star would cost in Europe.

If I were you, I'd head straight to Thailand. I've been spending 1-2 times a year in Bangkok for a decade now and many of the other regulars over there have been going to Thailand and other parts of S.E. Asia for over 20 years. We even meet each other there and hang out together. They are also well experienced travelers and are hooked...year after year...It used to be a best kept secret, but folks have caught on. Happy Travels!

travlsolo2

Anna --
I would second the suggestion that you read and research a lot, here on Fodors and elsewhere. I would definitely recommmend that you read Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door and his museum book that used to be called "Mona Winks". The books are terrific for giving people the confidence to travel independently.

RONREYN2008

Thanks travlsolo2 for helping this brain dead person remember the name of the other Rick Steves book he could not think of, "Mona Winks"; we gave that one to our Daughter when we left Europe on one of our trips to see her, she lives in Germany. It is a great guide for Museums through out Europe and the other two I mentioned are good for the other reasons I also brought up. Anna, if you use any or all the material at your disposal to reserch your trip & remember don't try to do too much,it will only make you get too tired & then get upset. Take it nice & slow & be a traveler not a tourist.Have a good time.Good Travels.

afterall

Anna - I am lucky I get 20 days paid holiday a year. But most years I take another week unpaid. Because, because .. wherever I go I want a proper amount of time to enjoy it, and discover, and not just rush around.

As a first time traveller the first thing you must decide is at which level you want to travel. At its most basic this equates to Business Class or Economy Class on the plane. Carry that through to accommodation - what would you be comfortable with? Must it be high end? A lot of people your age would stay in hostels (shared rooms, shared bathrooms). Thousands of people from all over the world do this (I have). You meet people that way and if you are on your own that can be a good thing. Or there is the space in between - small hotels/pensions.

When you say you are saving - how much do you think you need to have for somewhere to sleep each night?

Mimar

Lots of advice here. Given your interests, I second (or third?) the recommendation of Italy. And learning a little bit of Italian will enhance your trip.

Regarding hotels, in Europe they have real single rooms at a cost saving over doubles. But European hotel rooms are smaller than those in the US. If you don't need a lot of personal space, look at this option.

afterall

Mimar,

What does it matter what the size of the room is? It's just somewhere to sleep. As long as it is not seriously seedy, and it's in a good location and has a window (or for Americans a/c) - then who cares how small it is?

The OP is on her first trip. She has a choice - travel cheap or travel expensive. All I was trying to say is does she realise she has a choice, seeing as most posts here are from people who thing $250 a night is a good deal.

Guenmai

We need more info on the original poster. Who knows what are standards are in accommodations? As one who's been traveling, almost annually since I was 17, and I'm early 50s now. I never stayed in a youth hostel. I'm not a youth hostel type of traveler.

I did however stay in student hotels back in the 70s and 80s which were a step up, in expense, from a youth hostel. But, I had a private room and was able to get some sleep.

I also stayed in a LOT of 0-star to 2-star hotels for the first two-plus decades of travel.

I can't imagine at 26, possibly ending up in a youth hostel, of course depending on the hostel, with a lot of teenagers. Now, I know that all hotels are not alike, but my northern European friends did the youth hostel thing mostly from their teen years to early 20s. Then, when they got older, they started staying in inexpensive hotels to have more privacy. Happy Travels!