Paris vs. Italy
 

I'm turning 40 this summer and my husband and I want to go to Europe at the end of July. It would be my first time there. I can't decide between a week in Paris or 8/9 days in Italy (Rome/Florence/Venice) - what do you recommend and do you suggest taking an Escorted tour if we chose Italy?

Both are wonderful -- you can't go wrong with either choice.

When my daughter can't decide between two choices, I put something to represent them in my hands behind my back and mix them up. She then chooses one hand. If she is happy with her choice, she knows she made the right decision. If she feels regret, then she knows to go for the other option. Just a thought...

Also, how about choosing one for your 40th and the other option for another milestone (perhaps one of your husband's major birthdays.) It is always fun to have something else to look forward to!

Paris and Italy are my two favorite destinations. You can't go wrong no matter which you pick but I guess I would suggest Paris. If you have only 8 or 9 days, a trip to Rome, Florence and Venice would be rushed. Paris would be great in that amount of time and would allow for a couple of day trips. Save Italy for when you can devote a bit more time.
If you choose Italy, Venice, Florence and Rome are easily done on an independent basis. However, if you feel more comfortable you could find an arrangement that books your airfare and hotels and leaves the rest to you.

Hi 2,

I always recommend Paris for first timers.

Compromise, do 8/9 days in Paris with daytrips to any 2 of: Chartres, Versailles, Giverny, Malmaison, Dijon and Beaune, Troyes.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

Just goes to show what a varied group we are. I think you'll get a hundred different answers, everyone has their own preference.

I personally wasn't in love with Paris. It was fine, and I'm glad I went but I prefer Italy. But I do agree that if you are only going to go for a week it may be your best choice because Rome/Florence/Venice would take more than 8 days (especially considering you would have to pack, move, travel to each different destination).

My husband and I did a whirlwind trip of Europe in 2003, going from London to Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome, Athens and Istanbul in 23 days.

When we go back for 10 days, we're picking up a couple of days in London before going back to Paris for a week.

After seeing a lot -- we decided that Paris deserved a whole week, and we underestimated how much we'd like London, so we threw in a couple of days there too.

Go to Paris. Save Italy for later, or go to Paris for a week, take the night train and spend a couple of days in Venice before flying home just to give yourself a flavor.

I don't need an escorted tour anywhere I can think of that I want to go -- Europe is very easy to get around in.

Good luck,

Jules

For a week I would do Paris only - with one or maye two day trips. For 8/9 days I would probably still stick with Paris - and add 3 days in the Loire.

If you want to do Italy 8/9 days is really not enought to do all 3 cities - I would do Rome and Venice. To do Florence instead of Venice would beg you to do the Tuscany countryside too - and then the 8/9 days would not be enough.

Either way - for what you want to do an escorted tour would be unnecessarily restrictive and probably more expensive without providing any value.

As everyone has mentioned, either would be fabulous. However, Rome can be very overwhelming to a first time visitor to Europe - English is not that common, and the city has a frantic pace. For that reason, Paris might be a better choice.

I would pick either Paris OR Venice for a week. Actually I'd recommend taking the 9 days total you mention, since you basically lose much of the arrival and departure day with airport logistics (so 9 days gets you 1 full week).

For a first time trip it is easier to plan a single city and it will be every bit as enjoyable and exciting for you. It is less intimidating or overwhelming IMO and you don't have to deal with logistics of changing cities twice.

You can easily plan a single city trip yourself. I don't care for the idea of an escorted tour personally, so this would be my plan, were I in your shoes.

BTW happy birthday!

First of all, congratulations on reaching the big 4-0. Not nearly as bad as you thought it would be, is it?

Secondly, as others have said, both are great trips. But in late July, I'd go Paris. But you'd better start booking something soon.

Zootsi -

I hate to disagree - but I have been to Rome 7 times and have found that English is very widely spoken. In fact, I have never been anywhere that at least one person did not speak english. (Caveat: I'm not talking about the local dry cleaners or hardware store - but any of the places tourists would frequent.)

Nor is Rome any more challenging that any other major city. Yes - it is busy - but that is the nature of any major city.

So, I think I'm going for the Paris idea - I am not too crazy about the escorted tour idea for Italy, too restrictive and pricey. Do you have suggestions on where to stay in Paris?

Whatever you choose, I wish you the best. But I found your question to be a bit strange -- that is, trying to choose between a great city and an entire country. Obviously you clarified it in your text, but you were still trying to stuff 3 Italian cities into a comparison with one French city.

I would think you might want to consider an "either-or" for Paris versus Rome, or versus Florence and Venice combined. If that were my choice, and if it were not July, I'd choose the two Italian cities every time. Why? More diversity, just as much art, and in many ways more overall appeal. But that's only my opinion, having been to all those places several times.

But for July, I go along with the Paris recommendation. If it isn't one of those scorchers like they had recently, you will probably be a bit more comfortable than in the Italian cities. Good luck.

Italy.

I know there are hundreds if not thousands of hotels in Paris, but we enjoyed Dacia Luxembourg, a 3-star near the Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter right on St Mich Blvd. We had a pretty double room that faced the street. Prices 120-150 euro.
www.dacia-paris-hotel

Zootsi: RE: "Rome can be very overwhelming to a first time visitor to Europe - English is not that common, and the city has a frantic pace. For that reason, Paris might be a better choice."

My experience is precisely the contrary. Paris exhausts me -- and this is a city I have visited with great pleasure -- perhaps 15 times.

Rome, this past March, struck me as the most livable city I have found in years.

It is much smaller than Paris, more imtimate, more restful. I made pact with myself to stay away from the via Nazionale and all that business district. We wandered endlessly and happily in the Forum, the centro storico, Trastevere, along the lungotevere, in the Pincio, etc. In fact we walked so much I lost weight, despite mammoth dinners in trattorie facing dimly lighted, cobblestoned squares. etc etc.

August is the only month I can face Paris with complete equanimity -- it is so much quieter then that it sometimes feels like a village.

Otherwise, the torrent of life is a bit much....Both are wonderful destinations, however.

It doesn't matter where you go as much as what are you going to wear, sweetie. Will it be Balenciaga or LL Bean?

Hi 2,

We always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. About 124E dbl w/bkfst

Hotel Bonaparte
Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67

For more info, enter "Hotel Bonaparte" in the "search this forum" box.
Photos are at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-l95uyr

((I))