Sarge56

Wow,
You're spending a little over 1 1/2 fragmented days in Paris (with some jet lag), 1 1/2 days in Venice (have any idea how long it takes to get from the airport?), 1 1/2+ days in Florence, and 1 1/2+ days in Rome (again, it takes a lot of time to get to/from airports).

Much of your time will be spent in lines - St Marks, St Peters, Vatican museum, etc. If you don't plan correctly & reserve, you'll spend a lot of time in lines at the Uffizi & Acadamia, and I don't know how you could possibly fit in either the Louvre or Orsay into your plans in Paris. Remember, lots of sites & stores close for lunch, and many things close 1 day a week. Many shops are closed on Sundays.

Your itinerary resembles my first trip to Europe 30 years ago. My mother & sister bailed out half way through the trip. My wife & I remember & enjoyed very little of it. In fact, on our next trip we returned to many of the same places so that we could enjoy them this time. On our first trip, I hated Paris - it came at the end of the trip & we were both exhausted (I was 30 at the time).

Like Namaka mentioned, sounds like you have not done this trip yet, and it may be your first excursion to Europe. You may feel completly different about the pace after the trip. If you're going in summer & it's hot, you'll get worn down quite a bit (I do). I'de be interested to hear if you though only 1 1/2 days in Paris & Rome was worth all the travel time to/from.

Stu Dudley

Hey katie4,

Ok, I agree with certain things that other posters have mentioned, such as Paris deserves slightly more time...you will never be bored there trust me.

However, I think that you have to make the decision for yourself what you are comfortable with and go with it. Everyone likes travelling differently, and I think that if you are looking forward to a very busy 2 weeks then go for it. If you want to go a little slower, then cut it back a bit. with 13 days I would do Paris 5 days, then fly to Rome for 3 days, then train to Florence for 3 days and then fly back to Paris and finish up there. That way you have 6 full days in Paris and get a taste of Italy without having to move about more than a few times.

Trust your instinct and use the info on this board to guide you where you want to go. Just because other travellers suggest one way of doing something, doesn't mean you HAVE to do it that way.

Enjoy yourself!! Make sure to post a trip report!!

Layla %%-

sorry, I forgot to add something....Yes all the above cities will be hot and crowded, but they will still be lovely and enjoyable...France and Italy are amazing 365 days a year.

Layla %%-

Katie4 - I agree with Layla when she says that everyone travels differently.

Stu thinks Sarge56's plan is crazy, but I've done similar trips and enjoyed them immensely. My sister and I were in Venice, Florence and Rome in May and the only disappointment we had was not being able to get into the Uffizi (book early!). Everywhere else had minimal lines & hassle. Also, we cut down on our travel time by taking sleeper cars on trains and flying.

If you want a lot of down time - lots of reading in cafes and seeing every museum, you should probably limit yourself to France. But if you are up for a whirlwind adventure - a taste of everything - you should go for it.

If you do decide on a whirlwind trip, though, follow Sarge56's advice and make planning a full-time job - it will save you loads of time & problems. Buy the best walking shoes, check the forums for advice on your destinations, check hotels on Tripadvisor & book ahead via email (you want email confirmations).

And have a great time whatever trip you decide to take!

Stu, true that we have not done the travel yet. But I am a seasoned pro at traveling, even if it's mostly been in the US.

We have done our homework and have spent over 3 months planning for a mid-to-late October trip. We have tickets and reservations already for most everything we want to see. And our hotel in Florence is taking care of our reservations for Uffizi and the Accademia (and our hotel is just a block from the Accademia). In Rome, guided tour for Colliseum, confirmed Scavi tour and Papal audience tickets. I can understand not doing a "whirlwind" if you've not planned it. But I think we'll be fine and have a great trip. :) That's how I'm "seeing" it and I doubt anything could disappoint me while there. My daughter and I are already of the mindset, "How bad can it be? We're in..Paris!...Venice!!!...Rome!!!" :) :) :) Of course, I will share my trip report after we're home.

Paula