Julali

My bf is meeting me in Europe for middle part of his trip. He has Amsterdam before I come and South Asia after I leave. I had suggested Paris-Rome-Venice, but since his whole combined trip in already mult-city, he wanted to stay in one place in Europe with multiple activities of interest. We will be staying for 7-10 days. He does work extremely hard, has stressful jobs and wants to relax on vacation + he's over 50, so I will give in to him. We will be leaving in one month (June) and I would greatly welcome recommendations for a single place in Europe that will keep us occupied. We are open to Africa, Spain, etc. We enjoy walking, sight-seeing, learning new customs; beaches are ok too but I like exotic places. Please help -- trip is right around the corner! Thank you!

mjdh1957

Well, from your first list of wants the obvious one is Rome. A week is a good time to spend there, you will have time to really get a feel for the city.

annhig

ditto - rome for me too.

and if you want to get out of the city, there are loads of day-trips you can do.

danon

I find Rome a bit stressful ( public transit is mostly buses).
Given a choice, I would rather spend time in Paris.
No problem making day trips.
I don't know what would be an exotic location in Europe. Croatia? Russia?
Spain has many lovely cities that can keep you busy ( with beaches) like Barcelona.

mamcalice

When will you be going?

I think, based on the fact that he will be in Amsterdam before you join him, Paris is a good place to meet. There is so much to do in and around Paris taht you could easily keep busy (or relax) for 7-10 days.

Southern Spain would be lovely but if you are going in the summer, it is quite hot.

jamikins

Well living in London I would recommend that! Plethora of things to do, pubs, and lovely countryside for day trips if you wanted.

My next choice would definitely be Paris - my favourite city in the world!

bardo1

Rome and Paris are obvious choices. Find a quiet street/neighborhood in the center (the Fodorites here know where these hidden spots are!) and you can relax, sight-see, or both, easily, for a month or more and certainly for a mere 7-10 days.

Michel_Paris

A London-Paris combo is good, especially with easy transit between the two cities

jelopez33

Julali:
those are my suggestions:
1--Paris.
2--Rome.
3--Mallorca Island,plenty of things to do ,beaches and places to visit.Most beautiful landscapes and caves to know.Enjoy!!!

frogoutofwater

I agree with the recommendation from others for Paris. (We used to live there and it certainly would be easy to spend 7-10 days there. It also is possible to do a few longish day trips - e.g. to Reims (in Champagne) if you want to.

Another great possibility would be Berlin. I only had a couple of nights there but it is an amazing, interesting city and while it is lively, it doesn't feel frantic (like New York, where we live now).

Another great possibility for a 7-10 trip would be Istanbul. I've been there 6 or 7 times and still haven't exhausted its sightseeing options. While the traffic can be a bit overwhelming at times, something about Istanbul's waterfront setting adds a mellow element to the experience, so I think it would be sufficiently restful for your boyfriend. A good friend of mine just did a holiday there and while they stayed in Istanbul for all of it, they switched hotels part-way through, which gave them different experiences in the same city - maybe that would be a possibility for you? They stayed at the two Four Seasons (the one on the Bosphorus and the one in Sultanahmet) - very different experiences. If the Four Seasons doesn't fit your price range, you could still find lovely hotels on the Bosphorus and Sultanahmet to give you the blend of experiences Istanbul offers.

frogoutofwater

Oops, pressed Submit too quickly. The more I think about it, the more I think Istanbul would be the right choice. You want something exotic, and Istanbul certainly offers that with its mix of Asia and Europe. It's an extraordinary cultural experience, it has great food and the people are incredibly hospitable. There is a blend of modern style with history that's very appealing. There's also some good shopping - from the Grand Bazaar to high end shopping malls with trendy fashions you won't find elsewhere.