Hi all, I just stumbled upon this site. You all seem quite helpful and informative, and some of both is what I'm looking for.

Hubby and I will be in Paris on a business trip 10/27 thru 10/31. For the 2 weeks prior to that (10/13-10/27) we'd like to go to Italy or Spain. Having a hard time deciding.

Neither of us have been to Spain but both want to go. I speak Spanish enough to generally communicate in the most basic way. We'd concentrate on Toledo, Seville, Granada, and white towns. Then fly? up to Paris.

Husband's never been to Italy, I had a quickie trip last fall--hit Venice & Lucca area (with day trips to Florence, Volterra). Neither of us speak Italian. Rome interests both of us. If we do Italy, I thought few days Rome, week Tuscany--in a hilltown with places we can walk to eat etc at night--Venice, then night train to Paris.

Both Spain & Italy interest us; not enough time to do both. Here's a couple other wrinkles to consider. Would like to stay at places in historical centers of the large towns but would prefer an apartment-type arrangement (ie 2BRs or 1BR w/sleeper sofa due to hubby's snoring...love him dearly but HATE the snoring--I can't sleep!). Think that might be easier to find in Italy than Spain.

But think Spain might be less expensive than Italy...thus making it more probable that we'll be able to return again to Europe in the near future.

We love wandering around beautiful, historic places; sitting in squares, watching the local life go by; love excellent, independent, knowledgeable, interesting tours of art museums, cathedrals, other museums etc so we know what we're looking at...we both love to learn, enjoy good reasonable local food and nice places to stay (clean, bug free, good location, nice views).

Please help me decide! General country/itinerary insights as well as specific accomodation/tour guide recommendations will be much, much appreciated. I'll post an extensive trip report as a thank-you!

Cindy

Hi love,

Oneadvantage to italy is that you can fly Volare airlines from Venice to Paris. see www.volareweb.com

If you're inclined to split your time, you can also fly just as cheaply Spain to Italy, and then ping-pong to France on volare...

Or if you feel like incorporating Barcelona into your Spain travels, you can fly BCN-PAR (I forget which airport) on easyjet.com

Best wishes,

Rex

Checked out the Volare website you mentioned; flights don't really work out day-wise or time-wise (Italy-Spain) except perhaps Venice to Paris. But I was really looking forward to taking the overnight train Venice to Paris. So let's try again. Because no one really answered my question and I need to start BOOKING!

If you had to decide between Italy (Rome-Tuscany-Venice) OR Spain (Toledo, Seville, Granada, white towns), and you have been to both, which would you choose and why??

His2Love - no advice on either Spain or Italy, but speaking from experience, your husband may have a sleep apneia problem. If so, this is serious, as it reduces oxygen intake and leads to high blood pressure and premature death. The only way to be sure is to spend a night in a sleep clinic. At present the only real cure is a CPAP (a gadget that pumps air into you while you sleep via a face mask, can't remember what it stands for). It's a bugger, admittedly, but better than croaking before your time. I read that German doctors have developed an alternative cure that involves tethering the back of the tongue somehow and will be watching developments.

I've been using a CPAP machine for some years and I can tell your husband that waking up in the morning feeling not shagged out but fresh is worth every penny. I took the plunge when we planned a 7-week trip to the US and realised that separate rooms would cost us $5000 - at maybe $1500 the machine was a much cheaper deal. This may not be your husband's problem, but better to be sure than sorry.

The CPAP concept was developed by an Australian doctor named Sullivan, who formed a company called ResMed, which is now headquartered in California and which I think now leads the US and world markets. Check it out, is my advice (and I don't own shares in ResMed).

Good luck anyway.

Dear His, love the name! Poor you - no-one is giving you what you want! Never been to Spain - hoping to next time. I'd stay in Venice and Florence a minimum of 3 nights each to get a decent look at those places. My in-laws stayed at these places in Italy - cheap, so maybe you can get 2 rooms:
Florence:
Pensione Maria Luisa de? Medici (described as in a mansion dating from 17th century..rooms cater for families and prices include breakfast).
Address Via De Corso 1 (In an area between the Cathedral and the Arno; the area is about a 15-minute walk south from Stazione di Santa Maria Novella in the heart of old Florence)Phone/Fax055 28 00 48..(Contact Evelyn)
Tariff EUR 113.00 cash

In Venice: Casa Alloggi Gerotto & Calderan
Campo San Geremia 283
From the train station turn left into a main street called Lista di Spagna; then go straight until the first square called Campo San Geremia. The pensione is on the left, after the corner, above a bookshop called Demetra. The number outside the door is 283.
Casa Gerotto is main reception
EUR108.00 per night cash only for Triple with private bathroom
Breakfast NOT included. Most rooms have pleasing view over the Square (LPG)
ph 0039 (0) 417155562
Fax 0039 (0) 41715361
Email [email protected] (contact Erika)

In Rome: Casa di Santa Francesca Romana a Ponte Rotto
Address: Palazzo dei Ponziani
Via dei Vascellari, 61
Tariff 1 double room EUR 93.00 1 single room EUR 65.00
Breakfast and tax included
Phone (39) 06 5882408 (39) 06 5812125

They were travelling with their son, hence the triple or single rooms. They said they were very comfortable, and all double beds are king size!

I've stayed in the Hotel Do Pozzi in Venice - recommend it highly especially it's location. www.hoteldopozzi.com.it I think

No doubt you've tried ear plugs!
Good luck, and Buon Viaggio!

I've been both Italy and Spain and although Italy is a wonderful country i prefer Spain,it has much more diversity than Italy and u cant miss citis as Sevilla,cordoba or Granada.Granada is the most magical city i've been in.In granada there are a lot of beautyful restaurants and squares full of gardens.Its like being in tree diferent countries due to the arabic,Christian and jewish architecture.

Neil, thanks for the apnea info. I'm sure that's his problem (as is his dr.), but up to now he refuses to 'waste a day' (his words) on the apnea test and doesn't want to spend "all the money to fix it" once they find he has it. BUT, I cut & pasted your e-mail and am going to leave it out on the counter for him. Every little bit helps. Thanks again.

Amanda, thank you for all your specific information you sent. I'm going to check everything out. Thank you, thank you.

Rideon, I was thinking, yes italy, and then read your post and those southern cities and the cultural mix and allure is just what's been putting me in the quandary between the two. Rideon, is it difficult to find apartment-type accomodations in Toledo, Seville, Granada, and some of the larger white towns? Please let me know if you have any recommendations along those lines or websites you can point me to.

Thanks to all of you!

For apartment rental in Seville,
www.sevilla5.com . The location of the Arfe apartments is excellent.

For Granada:
www.greatvacationhomes.com/rentals
www.spanishstays.com

Thank you Olga. I'll let you all know the final decision(s) once I finally make it! Thanks again! Cindy

His2Love


www.andalucia.com is a great site.there u can find lots of information about andalucia....destinations,customs,places to stay...

Tough question. After several trips to Italy, we are going to Spain this fall. We have planned trips to Spain before but, somehow couldn't resist going to Italy or France or the UK instead. I just read a post listing 10 reasons to visit Spain and nowhere else and started to get excited about our trip to Spain. If you have been to Italy and if your husband doesn't have a preference, maybe Spain!