i willl be traveling next summer with my husband and 2 kids. we cannot decide if we should go to paris or munich after 2 weeks in italy adn austria.

I would choose Paris if I hadn't been before. However, it really depends on your interests and what you want to see.

Get to Paris as soon as you can.

Munich is nice, but really no match for the City of Light. And besides, Munich after Austria would be too much of basically the same thing.

I'll duck off now to avoid soon to come rebuttals.

I vote for Paris-Munich is great, we went their on our honeymoon but if you're going to be in Austria, I'd go for something all together different.

Another vote for Paris. There's more to do and as the others have pointed out, it will be very different from Austria and Italy.

the only negetive about paris is that in the summer it is dreadfully hot and uncomfortable...thats why the parisians leave in droves for the month of august

I have visited both more than twice.
For a first choice, Paris in an air conditioned hotel.
There are some around that are decent enough.
The air conditioning is necessary for comfort and a good visit for 2 reasons:
1. Paris with all those buildings is hot and humid, more so on the heat index scale than the temperature taken at some ideal location will indicate.
2. With air conditioning, you can keep the windows closed and the noise out.

People get all caught up in left rank or right bank; this arrondissement or that one; this hotel or that one.

My advice is to pick one that has air conditioning and is located close to a Metro station and/or a couple of bus lines.

I would not stay in Arr 20 or way out in the far reaches of 15, but if you are close to a Metro station, you can get to any major location fairly quickly.

And 13 has only a few hotels.

Most people like #5, 6, and 7.
I stay about 200 yards from Boulevard Montparnasse in the 14th near two Metro lines. The hotel is air conditioned and pleasant.

You may have trouble finding a quad room however.

Hi ahb,

How long will you be staying? A week or more - Paris.

Less than that, add the extra time to Italy.

It might help if you told us your itinerary.

Break up trip differently. If you have 2 weeks for Italy & Austria, & have another week for Paris or Munich, you could do 5 nights Italy, 3 Austria (Vienna?), 4 Munich and 5 Paris.

ooo, I LIKE Quiktrip's itinerary!! But if you can't change the plans, then I vote for Paris over Munich, and would follow everyone else's advice here. Paris really offers so much more than Munich...and don't get me wrong, I like Munich, but ALWAYS make it a point to stop in Paris.

Each city is an easy overnight train from each other, why not do both?
They both have their charms.
Coming up from Italy hit Munich and environs for a day or two. Book a sleeper on the night train to Paris. Buy a picnic at the station and a couple bottles of good Bavarian beer and board the train.
Wake up in Paris.

Wow - I can't believe that in the Germany forum that most everyone would vote for Paris over Munich. Given the choice there is no way I would choose Paris and my children would much prefer the area in and around Munich - especially Ludwig's castles and the alpine region to the southwest. Paris in the summer with children? No thanks...

For Bavariaben~ This post isn't only in the German forum, I'm reading it in general "Europe"!

I say Paris, but then I've been there & loved it so much and never to Munich, so take my vote with a grain of salt!

I think alot depends on the age, gender and preferences of your kids! My boys (10&8)hated Paris, but loved Munich and Bavaria, whereas the girls (12&6) loved Paris and could have cared less about Bavaria.

Depends on your interests. Paris seems to be one of those "love it or hate it" places. Personally, I dislike Paris, but I was compelled to go there on my first trip to Europe. I'm glad I did, but I have no desire to ever go back.

Munich on the other hand, remains interesting to me after many visits and I'd choose it over Paris any day. But I wouldn't know that unless I'd been to Paris right?

Having being to both I would definetly choose Paris over Munich. I don't know the details of your itinerary but if possible I would stop at Chamonix-Mount Blanc on my way up to Paris and take the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi peak. It's a thrilling ride with awsome views which you will never forget.

That's a no-brainer:
Definitely Munich. Why would you want to stay in a city - or in a country for that matter - which lets their old people die in 100 degree appartments while vacationing on the Mediterranean coast?

Oh gosh, Roterbaron, no political comments.

I vote for Paris, just heed advice and reserve a hotel with a/c.

rotorbaron, the logic of your assertion is poor and sets you up for an easy comeback about Germany. But that would be equally wrong.

To Degas:

The logic of my assertion is poor? How so? Someone else claims it is political. If that is so, then the logic of Americans' refusal to drink French wines since the refusal of France to join them in Iraq must also be poor. I think it is right on the money!