Fer

My boyfriend and I are going to stay a month in Europe in January/2001. We planned to visit those famous cities (Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Nice and Barcelona) but we also would like to visit other small cities on our way through those countries (Italy, Spain, France). Any suggestion? Thanx!

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Fer, Try to include these--they are on your route and are special. <BR>Siena, Verona, Menton, Avignon <BR> <BR>If you are flying back from Madrid then <BR>try to include Seville as well.

Ross

Hello Fer!!! <BR> <BR>Stop in Montpellier, France in between Nice and Barcelona. WONDERFUL small city!!! <BR> <BR>Have Fun!!! <BR>Ross.

Howard

A couple of places, which I enjoyed, that you can check further on - Aix-en-Provence in Provence, France; and Lucca in Tuscany, Italy. <BR> <BR>Howard

lily

I would like to cast a vote for Chartres, truly one of the most charming and interesting towns I've ever seen in my life. Also, Seville and Granada are not to be missed if you can make it that far south in Spain.

Robert

Sitges !!! On the water about 30 Kilometers south of Barcelona.

Sandi

Fer, <BR> <BR>If you are going to Nice, you might enjoy going to Monaco for an evening. The scenery on the way is worth it alone, but seeing Monte Carlo at night is really a treat. Also near Nice is a village called St. Paul De Vence(sp?). It was described to me as an artist's village, it is on a high hill overlooking some nice scenery. <BR> <BR>If you enjoy cathedrals, you must stop in Reims. It was my favorite cathedral out of many that I got to visit in France this past spring. The Mont St. Michel is very nice, especially at night while watching the sunset behind it. <BR> <BR>These are just a few of my favorites. <BR> <BR>Sandi

julie

Hi - In France, Annecy was wonderful; on a clear, clean lake, a lovely canal running through town with flower baskets hanging over; its near Switzerland, I believe. A definite recommendation. <BR>Also, near Nice I'd recommend Eze, another really neat small town up on a cliff. great hike up from the train station; the old part of the town consists of windy passageways and breathtaking mediterranean views. Also near Nice is Ville Franche which is a nice place to go for dinner, as it is on a small cove/bay and is very scenic. Just lovely!! Hope this helps!! Julie

van

In Italy, Siena, Orvieto, Spoleto, Vernazza.

elvira

Between Barcelona and Nice: <BR>Figueres (fits with a trip to Sitges) <BR>Banyuls-sur-Mer and Collioure <BR>Grimaud and Port Grimaud <BR> <BR>Between Venice and Florence: <BR>Chioggia <BR>the Palladian villas between Stra and Malcontenta <BR> <BR>Near Paris: <BR>Rueil Malmaison <BR>Versailles (the town, not just the chateau) <BR>Chartres (the town, not just the cathedral) <BR> <BR>Further afield from Paris: <BR>Amboise (the town, not just the chateau) <BR>Honfleur <BR>Granville <BR> <BR>

Matthew

Small but beautiful? You've just described Vernazza or any of the 5 villages in Cinque Terre. Dramatic yet serene. Almost no motorised traffic. Not too touristy (yet). A population of only a few hundred. <BR> <BR>The villages cling to the cliffs of the coast line in North Western Itally. <BR> <BR>I've just spent 3 months on a round the world trip. Of all the cities we visited in UK, Europe, Canada and U.S.A, it was Vernazza in Italy that was the hardest for me to leave. <BR> <BR>Other options might be Sienna or Sorrento. If it's peace and quiet your after then the old city of Sienna is mostly closed to regular traffic. Heaps of history there. Sorrento is actually like a suburb of Naples but has a small feel about it. I suppose it's because it is very compact and everything is local. I think it makes a good base for exploration of Pompeii and Naples. <BR> <BR>I've got some good digital photos of these places if you're interested. <BR> <BR>Matthew <BR>

Angela

Fer <BR> <BR>In France the Perigord region of the Dordogne. Don't miss Sarlat le Caneda a wonderfully preserved small city with some buildings almost 1000years old. (very touristy). It has great market selling local specialities, wednesday morning and all day saturday. There are also wonderful places to visit in the surrounding area, ie Beynac, Domme, Les Eyzies as well as many Chateaux. <BR>Angela

Fer

Thanks everybody for all the replies! <BR>Fer

blair

Annecy, France - I lived there for 6 months last year - it's absoluetly beautiful. Mountains, lake, small, canals, swans - it's almost picture-perfect. I was there Jan-June and it snowed nearly everyday until April. It was cold, but it was still so beautiful. <BR>Also, the Cinque Terre in Italy is a MUST. I planned a friend's honeymoone to France and Italy this year and that was their favorite place. <BR>When in Paris, you MUST go to a concert at Sainte-Chapelle inside the gates of the Palais de Justice. In the morning go to its ticket office and buy the best tickets for a concert that night (such as Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, etc). Arrive early (1 hour before conecrt at least) and be prepared for an incredible experience. <BR>Best of luck!

ann

Near Nice, France is the small city of Vence (about 2 miles from St. Paul de Vence). Both are wonderful but St Paul is more touristy. Vence is more real but still an incredible place. It was my favorite spot in France. Aix and Gourds and St. Remy were also great.

richardab

The Alsace region of France is like visiting storybook land. The villages of Riquwihr and Rineauville are both adorable little germanic villages filled with quaint little shops and quiet restaurants. Both villages are located on the Route du Vin just outside Strasbourg. The countryside os filled with green rolling hills and vineyards as far as the eye can see. Food and hotel pricces are reasonable, if not cheap. <BR> <BR>If you have any questions, please drop me an Email! <BR> <BR>Also, if you are going to Rome, which you must, please check out my websight. It not completely finished but the Rome path is ready. <BR> <BR>http://home.earthlink.net/~richardab/ <BR> <BR>Follow the path Enter&gt;Fly&gt;Europe&gt;Rome

Melissa

For the Spanish leg of your trip. I would highly recommend bumping Barcelona for Madrid. Seville is one of the most beautiful small cities not to be missed.

jwagner

I might suggest Toledo, in Spain, as a charming little city. I agree with the above poster who suggest you bump Barcelona for Madrid in order to maximize day trip potential, etc. Barcelona is wonderful, but it's not close to much of anything.

DP

I have only been to Tuscany and South of France so am only in a position to comment on those two. For Tuscany, Siena is a must. It feels like a quaint old college town and the square in the middle of the city is a must. There are also many, many wonderful cities in that area but the special one for me is Assisi in Umbria. No words can describe it but the air is filled with romance and even walking around town is special. In the South of France, St. Paul de Vence is also very nice but too commercial for my liking.

Jill

Fer: <BR> <BR>What a wonderful list you have above...why not take six months? My favorites mirror Julies's and Blair's <BR> <BR>Lake Annecy, France, especially the Pere Bise Hotel right on the Lake, Villfranche sur mer on the cote d'azur <BR>because its portside village is built <BR>right into the mountain side...eat at <BR>La Mere Germaine on the water. Also, <BR>along the French coast, traveling West <BR>from Villefranche, the Esterel area <BR>which is know for its dramatic red rock cliffs and small ports is beautiful... <BR>some of the charming little towns are <BR>Napoule, Theoule, and Agay <BR> <BR>Let us know what your personal favorites are when you return <BR> <BR>Jill