My boyfriend and I are planning a trip, in the next couple of weeks, from Paris to Rome. We will fly into Paris and 11 days later, fly out of Rome. With only 11 days and a desire to spend at least two nights in Paris and two nights in Rome, that leaves us with 6 days or so traveling our way to Rome and touring in between. We thought of Paris to Avignon, then to Nice, and from there into Italy. I'd like to see Porto Fino and the Tuscany region again before ending up in Rome but we are open to other suggestions and I need to finalize this ASAP. Any suggestions on route, destinations, or travel type?

Any suggestions on route, destinations, or travel type?>

I'd cut off Avignon and Nice - places that for one day is touching the tip of the iceberg and lots of extra travel time over a direct Paris to Italy rail or air route.

Paris to Venice - overnight train www.thello.com - Venice would be at the heart of my list if never been to Italy before - bring all food and drink aboard and have a great time - save on the cost of a hotel or even daytime travel time over flying.

Venice to Florence - do a day trip to Siena or other iconic tuscan hill town but again you have little time all over to do more

Or go via Switzerland from Paris and stay in say the Interlaken area for 2-3 days - the essence of the Swiss Alps - glacier-girdled peaks with a myriad of toylike trains and aerial gondolas going off in all directions - easy hikes, etc:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...w=1745&bih=868

Interlaken is about 5 hours by train from Paris and 5-6 hours by train from Venice or Florence.

I'd take a few daze in Switzerland as totally awesome.

For lots of train info on these areas and European trains in general check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com

Interlaken to Venice or Florence by train.

Have you been to Paris or Rome before? For a first trip, two nights in each is very very short (especially considering jet lag), but it sounds like it might not be your first trip.

Four nights in Paris, 3 nights in stop #2 [with a flight, long travel day], and 4 in Rome [about half a day travel]. Venice is 3:45 from Rome and Florence 1.5.

I'd suggest that with your limited time, you confine yourselves to Paris and Rome with a day trip or two for each. Even if you spent your whole trip in one of these cities you wouldn't run out of things to see and do.

OK - we are missing several key pieces of info:

Have you been to Paris and Rome before? If not you are giving them very short shrift - and I would do just those 2 cities (since I suspect you actually have only 9.5 days on the ground -but you didn;t give us exact dates).

If you have seen a lot of both already and want to visit a place in between - we really don;t know your interests (city, countryside, natural beauty, hiking/biking, shopping, fine dining, history, castles/palaces, ballooning, sky diving, archery, clog dancing?????). Without that how do we know what to reco

Well, it all seems really impromptu and that's fine, but what do you want to see? You are planning a really short trip and won't be able to see much of anything, and you haven't said what interests you, so who knows?

ssbuaair - whatcha think?

I went to Portofino once and thought it neat but in no way on an 11-day trip with never having seen Venice, Florence or Rome would I take a whole day out just to include it. Plus it was one of the biggest tourist mobs scenes I have ever seen - avoid weekends in May though and it should be somewhat calm I would think - I was there in October thought and it was still very very mobbed. May have been a weekend.

My boyfriend lived in Florence for a year and traveled around Europe but didn't spend much time in Paris. I have been to Paris and Rome, one time each, and was able to see most of the major tourist attractions. I'd like to see some other places in between since those are our arrival and departure cities.