Can anyone help me decide how to best spend 8 days in France and Italy?

Question

I have 8 days to spend in France and/or Italy with my husband in early September. My husband's from the UK and has already spent a lot of time in Paris, so we only want to spend one or two days there. We would also like to spend a few days in the French Riveria region and a few days in (or near) Rome. Does this sound doable? Is there any way I can fit Strasbourg into the mix? I have never been to any of these countries so have no idea how to allocate my time or the best way (price and time) to get from point A to point B. We're not really into the tourist thing for the most part and would like to spend at least part of this time outside of the major tourist centers. Maybe we'd consider staying outside of Rome or Nice. Any suggestions? I could really use help! We just found out that my husband needs to finalize his vacation plans ASAP, so it put us under the gun:) I don't even know the best airport to fly into! Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

I agree with Shoner for most part.  Our tastes may not be exactly the same, but here's what i would do.  Spend 2 days in Paris- see Louvre, Eiffel, Sacre D'cour in Montemarte, and possibly Versailles if you have time.  Day 3-Take train to Mt Blanc area and see the great French Alps.  Night train to Rome. Days 4-8--divide between sights in Rome, and/or fantastic art museums in Florence, spend one full day and night in Venice if at all possible (so romantic).  If you want something totally different head south to Naples, then take bus out to the Amalfi coast.  It is amazingly beautiful coastline with quaint, isolated little towns.  Enjoy the view and feel like you are away from the crowds there.  

More than anything, get a guidebook.  I highly recommend Rick Steves travel books.  Safe travels!

Answer 2

I think it's all very doable.  Get yourself a Europass for sure.  I started out in Verona, Italy (that is where Romeo and Juliet takes place).  Then we caught the train to Rome.  We spent four days in Rome and it was wonderful.  There is so much to see there, you won't get bored.  Then we took the train back up the coast from Rome up to Antibes and Nice in the south of France.  However, along the way we passed Florence (where the statue of David is) and Pisa (the leaning tower was visible from our train).  I wished I would have stopped over for a day in this area, as it looked so beautiful and lots to see.  Once we arrived in Antibes (a beautiful coastal town on the Meditterean) we stayed there for three more days...and went back and forth to Nice on the train.  Then we took the ICE train up to Paris and was there for another three days.  I realize this takes you over 8 days - but perhaps you can adjust it accordingly.  All areas were amazing to me.  I was lucky and had spent 3 1/2 weeks in Europe that year backpacking from Amsterdam to Berlin, to Munich, to Rome, back up through France and ended back in Holland.  I have been back two more times...I love Europe!  But France and Italy were some of my favorite times!

Answer 3

i have never been to italy...but paris i absolutly LOVE!! its gorgeous! the subway system in extremely easy to use. i, personally am not a touristy type of gal. once i have seen something in a picture, seeing it up close gives me about the same feeling. basically, the way of life there is the most intresting part. we used the paris for dummies book, and it gave great advice. the flee markets are fun to go to, as well as simply getting lost and trying to find your way back. i really dont know where exactly to go to have a good time, but i know that paris is a gorgeous city and the shops and malls and flee markets are fun to look around at and the people are really nice. good luck and i hope you have a blast!

Answer 4

you could easily go from paris to marseille on the tgv, it only takes 3h1/2. marseille is often overlooked by tourists but it's amazing and you should go up to notre-dame de la garde to check out the fantastic views. hotels are not as overpriced as nice, and there are flights to rome every day from the airport.

strasbourg sounds like too much trouble though, it takes 4 hours from paris on the train. you could always fly but it's about the same with the time it takes to get to/from the airport.

whatever you choose to do i hope you enjoy it, have a great time!

Answer 5

8 days is going to seem like a really short time over there. you could easily spend 8 days in paris alone and still see very little compaired to what is actually there.  i suggest the eiffle tour, sacre coeur, , notre dame, versailles, arc de triomphe!! and possibly a walk down champs elysées. i absolutely LOVED all of these things and there are also lots of neat little churches, stores, restaurents and clubs scattered all over.  do not drive in paris! they have an amasing subway system and if you go to the arc de triomphe, you will see why tou shouldnt drive!  in italy i have only been to rome, venice and florence.  venice was really neat just to walk around and in the main square there is a really nice cathedral worth chacking out if it isnt too busy, if you go to rome i would suggest taking a tour bus.  some of them are really resonably priced and most of them will give you alot of the history and you can get off at each of the stops and walk around for a while.  the colosseum was amasing and so was the vatican.  the treve fountain and spanish steps were also worth checking out and right around the area there were some neat little restaurents and pizzarias.  if you go into italy you have to try the galatta too! florance was also neat but there were not as many things that really stuck out so if you only have 8 days, i personally wouldnt go there but i know people who liked that the best.  these are just some of the things that i remember best but there is soo much stuff to see and do over there that i really dont think you could go wrong  with whatever you decide to do! have a good trip!

Answer 6

Bonjour ! I live between the French Alps and Provence,

I'm a retired  French and English  teacher and have also worked

as a guide/interpreter around Provence and the French Riviera.

Please, feel free to ask  any questions  about the itinerary you wish to take

and I will make my best to answer you with travelling details etc....

A bientôt !