Dog_Mother

My husband and I have been to Italy for the past three years. We have never been anywhere else outside the US (except Canadian Rockies, Toronto).

We have fallen head over heels in love with Italy, and frankly, we are afraid to go anywhere else--afraid we'll be sorry we didn't go to Italy again.

Those of you who can identify with this "problem", and have suggestions for other places you think we should try, please tell me!

HowardR

Words from a fellow Italy traveler: We have been to Italy 3 times in the past 4 years. Inbetween, we decided to go to Paris for 2 weeks. Did we have a good time in Paris? Yes. Was Italy better? Yes. Are we still happy we went to Paris? An emphatic yes.
The fact that Italy is still our favorite didn't detract from our enjoyment of Paris.
Go ahead, pick another destination. Italy will still be there next year!

cmt

Greece, France, Spain (Andalucia region). I love Italy, but I have been wanting to go to Greece again. For various reasons I haven't gone. When I want to go to Greece AND want to go to Italy, I go to Sicily, so I can have both.

Jocelyn_P

Why not ease into it? Start a trip in Northern Italy, and migrate north to Austria/Switzerland (or west to France)? Along the way you'll see the transition in culture, food, and language.

Eloise

Spain has almost -- but not quite -- as much to offer as Italy. Madrid is a vibrant city full of culture, just as Rome is. Andalucia -- Seville, Granada, Cordoba and perhaps Ronda -- is quite as fascinating in its way as some Italian regions. In Andalucia, the influence of early Arab culture -- in the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Alhambra in Granada and at a wonderful restaurant in Cordoba called El Caballo Rojo -- is quite unique and wonderful. As someone who has gone to Italy almost every year since 1975, I was glad that I went to Spain in 1990. I returned there in 2000, when Jubilee Year threatened to -- but did not actually -- render travel in Italy almost impossible. In 2000, I went to the northern part of Spain, but found that Andalucia had interested me far more. You might want to look into it, and if you decide on Spain, do include time in Madrid, preferably in a hotel in the old part of the city, such as the Reina Victoria.

SalB

I'm your reverse. I love France and don't want to visit Italy. My husband finally got me to go to Italy by giving me a week in Provence at the end of our Italy adventure. We're not going until Fall so I can't tell you how it all comes out. I think France will still be my favorite but who knows?!

I do highly recommend France for a second country. Paris is lovely, but the rest of France is what enchants me. If I had to choose a favorite part of France, I couldn't do it. I love each section differently.

If you enjoy cities, do go to Paris. It is absolutely delightful. If you like touring the countryside, unless you have an enormous amount of time, you'll need to decide what part of France you want to visit. I'm sure you'll get some excellent ideas on this forum. There are very experienced travelers here.

Good luck and wherever you go, enjoy!

Grinisa

On average, I've been to Italy once or twice a year every year since 1969, so I understand where you are coming from. But as much as I love Italy, there are other places I wanted to visit (and still do). When I don't go to Italy, I go to somewhere that offers a very different travel experience like Peru, Bali, Bora Bora, Singapore and Hong Kong. Sure, they aren't Italy, but the culture and landscapes are so removed from what Italy has to offer I'm glad that I had the opportunity to go there and don't regret not going to Italy.

Grasshopper

How about the Italian region of Switzerland? I call it Italy lite - all of the things you love about Italy; language, food, wine, enthusiastic and warm people, and none of the inconveniences; train strikes, laundry hanging out of windows....

Locarno is a wonderful place to start. You can take the boat to Stressa for a dose of Italy proper. Take the train to Bellinzona and tour the three ancient Roman castles. Be sure to take the Centovalli train (100 Valleys), a remarkable effort built and run by both the Italians and the Swiss.

Another option is Croatia. Start in Trieste for a dose of Italy then head to the Istrian peninsula. Rovinj is almost Italian with Italian spoken (Croatian is the official language) and lots of Italian food. There are Roman ruins in the town of Pula, with a spectacular Roman Amphitheater and some beautiful treasures in the small museum. If you miss Italy too much, hop on the hydrofoil or ferry back to Italia!

You won't be sorry.

cmt

DogMother, what part(s) of Italy do you like best? That can tell a lot about what you might like.

chardonnay

I have an idea, why not tag another country onto a trip to Italy? This is what I do, I spend a week or so in another country and then get back to Italy for the rest of the time. I have been to alot of countries in Europe and Asia, but nowdays I feel like something is missing if I don't get to Italy twice a year.

I don't know what it is about Italy, but once you fall in love with it, it calls you back like the famous Sirens calling the ancient mariners off the coast of Southern Italy.

Dog_Mother

This is almost as good as a group therapy session!!! ;-)

We have only gone as far south as Sorrento/Capri--and that was on a tour the first time we went. The second two trips were on our own. We have spent lots of time in Florence, Siena, Castellina in Chianti, Assisi, Venice, a little in Rome (probably a total of 5 nights), and Verona. Day trips have been taken (on our own with a car) to Orvieto, Montalcino, Spello, San Gimignano, Contona, and Volterra

Dog_Mother

This is almost as good as a group therapy session!!! ;-)

We have only gone as far south as Sorrento/Capri--and that was on a tour the first time we went. The second two trips were on our own. We have spent lots of time in Florence, Siena, Castellina in Chianti, Assisi, Venice, a little in Rome (probably a total of 5 nights), and Verona. Day trips have been taken (on our own with a car) to Orvieto, Montalcino, Spello, Montereggioni, Padua, San Gimignano, Contona, and Volterra (not in that order...hee hee).

So, you can see that we love Northern Italy.

Please keep your advice coming. I need it and appreciate it.

DM

kismetchimera

Dog Mother, Congratulation ..You have good taste...Italy is a Beautiful Country..

Considering that you have alredy seen so much of the country, why dont you go to Sicily? There are so much to see there,old remains of Greeks temples for examples and it is such a beautiful island..

dan_woodlief

Depending on the time of year, I am inclined to agree with the person who said combine Italy with another country. How about southern France or Switzerland, depending on the time of year? That gives you an opportunity to experience more Italy and branch out as well. If you want somewhere new entirely, Paris is a great option.

mr_go

Two words: Bernese Oberland.

If you go to Spain, Portugal, Croatia, or Greece, you will just end up comparing the experience to Italy...and not necessarily favorably. So go someplace very different than (but not too far from) Italy: the splendid Swiss mountains. You'll be glad you did!

Dog_Mother

I should have mentioned....we have always gone right after college commencement is over (I work at a college)....so this means the last 2 weeks in May and first week in June.

DM

ira

Hi DM,

If you have not yet been to Paris, you should go now.

Think how disappointed you'ld be if something terrible happened and you died without seeing Paris.

You can then fly www.volareweb.com to Italy for your second week.

Have you been to Trieste? Dubrovnik? Bari? Puglia? Sicily?

Dog_Mother

We have not been to any of the places you mention.

I really can't tell you why this is true, but I have a visceral aversion to France....some of it stems from utter frustration with the language (I can't pronounce the words, understand them, etc.), some of it from my perception that they do not like Americans, and who knows what else.

But I believe with careful counseling (cultural and travel) from understanding Fodorites, I might be persuaded to cross the border and experience places that would be manipulatively therapeutic.

So, let's say we spent one week in France, then "recovered" a second week in Italy----where would you recommend we spend 7 days in France? We enjoy history, art, people-watching, city centers, and countrysides (wineries, villas, small villages), wine and good simple food.

DM

mamc

Paris, always Paris. Ira is right! You can always take day trips to Chartres, Giverney, Versailles. But much as I adore Italy, I always want to return to Paris.

Jun04ItalyHoneymoon

Maybe you should consider going somewhere completely *unlike* Italy. At least then, you aren't going to be expecting it to be similar and comparing it. For example, you could do a trip to Ireland. There is nothing about the scenery that is similar, the art and architecture, even the shopping are totally different.