Should I visit somewhere else in Europe first before visiting Paris a second time?

Augustina , I’ve been to Paris many many times ( I don’t even know , first time was 1972 !! ) and I still go back , even this June - we are doing Prague and Greece primarily , but I added 4 days in Paris , because the idea of being that close and not visiting it makes me feel sad lol .

I also think you are wise to allow 2 weeks for Rome , and a slight delay till sept 2020 instead of spring 2020 would be worth it to have a week in Paris this fall .

I'd do the Thanksgiving trip to Paris and then Rome Fall 2020.
I have been to Paris 9 times over 17 years and Rome 3 times. I earned a Bachelor Arts degree in French literature in 2010 just because I love France and Paris so much.

Like others have said , Paris is a place to visit multiple times. The sights are so vast and interesting that
A lot can be new but will have an easier. Time with hotels , metro etc.
Paris is calling u, enjoy your next stay.
I have visited at least 6 X.

Since you are a neophyte European traveler, you should possibly spend less time and see more cities. There are so many "must sees" out there. I've been traveling there since 1970, and my list of "never seen" is getting very short.
On my 2 week trips, I try to take in 2-3 major new cities and one old, familiar city. It is easier if you travel to cities that compliment each other--in a somewhat straight line. Like Budapest, Vienna and Prague. Or, London-Paris-Barcelona. Or, Rome, Florence, Venice.
There's plenty of time to get infatuated with a city--after you've seen many more countries.

I’m returning to Paris in May — my 20th visit!
Like another poster said, if I go to Europe and don’t spend at least a few days in Paris, my heart aches.
After all this time, I still have new things to discover every trip, and old favorites I never tire of.
Go to Paris in November and Rome in fall 2020.

What a lovely dilemma! I applaud you for spending a large chunk of time and getting to know a city. Once you “know” a place on a certain level, each visit becomes a richer experience. We go back to several places in Europe over and over because we love the, and enjoy the familiarity along with exploring them in depth. Hence our 5th visit to Paris is coming up. You may, however, feel the same about Rome once you go there, as well.

Follow your heart.

We tend to try "new horizons." I like David's idea. This year it's Budapest, Vienna, Prague ending in Amsterdam. I am currently reading historical novels about each area. We plan day trips along the way. That said, do whatever makes you feel comfortable. There is no "wrong way" to travel.

Here is another thought ...

Spend a week in Paris and a week somewhere else (e.g., London or Rome or another part of France) in the Spring. I really enjoy mixing new places with old favorites. You get the comfort and joy of returning to somewhere you loved combined with the adventure of trying something new.

I too love Paris and have visited six times. I love London so much that I generally start or end all my European trips there. The ”problem” with travel is you keep discovering new places that you want to return to.

Thank you all for your replies- I really loved reading them!! I feel inspired and encouraged-this forum is so helpful.

WE have spent anywhere from two weeks to two months in Paris many times. But before that we had also spent a lot of time in Italy and Spain and I have traveled to the Middle East and China and Singapore and Mexico on business. And in our early trips to France we also spent time in Provence, the Riviera, Dordogne, Burgundy, the Loire, Alsace, Normandy and Brittany. We love Paris and always come back but I would also branch out a little. We spent a lot of time in Florence -- we don't much like Rome, but it is interesting. Think about what other place is a dream of yours and do that before repeating.

Also when you are young and energetic is the time to do things you might not be able to manage as well later. We did a lot fo road tripping and visiting wonderful rural and village areas in our travels. Now my husband can't see well enough to drive and I don't want to and he doesn't really enjoy sight seeing since he has limited sight -- so we got to Paris where we are interested in 'being, not seeing.' Do the adventurous when you can.

Augustina, every time I return from a trip to Europe I’m so ready to immediately plan my next trip to go back, Paris included! I would wait 2-3 months before making a decision either way.

Logically, you would be paying much more per day if you are just staying one week because your plane ticket is the same whether you’re going for a week or two weeks. And think about the weather, temperature and number of hours of sunlight per day in November. I’m NOT trying to talk you out of it - just think through whether this time & this month is the best choice for you.

I have several favorite cities, and usually add a couple more with each new trip! ; )

I have been to Paris many times, and am going again in October. I have also been to many other cities in Europe, but I love the fact that I now am very familiar with Paris. Like you, I love doing and seeing things more than once--museums, cafes, parks, stores, etc., and there are still many new things there for me to discover.
Familiarity and knowing how to get around the city makes it more wonderful.

If you feel an ache in your heart when you think about Paris, then you know the answer to your question. That November week will help soothe the ache and also give you a Paris experience in a different season -- shorter days, less foliage, probably colder, but still a fine time to go. But maybe you should decide, after that, to definitely try a new place next, like Rome, either by itself or in combination with a third trip to Paris if the ache is still there.

The fact that you spent two weeks and still want more, including some major sights you haven't seen yet, means you've got the travel bug, and in its best go-slow-and-smell-the-roses variety. I hope you're young enough to fulfill your travel desires in the years to come. I agree with others that a good trip strategy is to return to a place you love and visit a new place or two, in any sequence. That's what we tend to do when we can.

Consider Paris for a few days then out to another part of France such as the chateau area of the Loire or Normandy

I think it's entirely up to you! I certainly can relate with what you're thinking - my last 3 trips to Europe have each involved time spent in Hungary, as I simply can't get enough of it! Each new trip tends to add more to the list of things I want to do and places I want to see there than it does check off.

I think it really does come down to how you prefer to travel, and the experience you're after. Paris is a big, beautiful, dynamic, fascinating city and there's absolutely nothing wrong with committing yourself to seeing more of it. Having said that, I suspect you might find yourself visiting Rome (or any host of other grand European cities) and coming back thinking the same about them - "Darn... I really want to go back and see more!".

So, sure, doing Paris again can mean missing out on other places. But there's nothing really wrong with that if it simply means you're doing Paris more thoroughly - you're winning either way.

It it might at all help, there's something to be said for a whirlwind tour, so long as it's part of a plan to go back. Which is to say, hit up a few places and see which of them strikes your fancy most, then delve in to that one more deeply next time. Some years back I visited Prague for the first time and was smitten - I returned to Prague twice the following year. Wondering the same as you, I worried I was missing out on other places by spending so much time in Prague. My next time there, I made it a point to fly in to Vienna, rent a car to drive to Prague, then continue on around Bratislava and Budapest and other surrounding areas. I still got my Prague fix, but I forced myself to see Prague in a way that included several other places. The end result? I fell in love with Budapest and can't stop going back! :D

Imagine Paris wasn't the first European city you visited. Instead, it was Barcelona or Florence or Stockholm. Your Parisian feelings could have been "Barcelonian" , instead. Somebody loves Oslo the way You love Paris, somebody loves Lisbon. You picked Paris and Paris worked its magic on you. I get it. I love it too, and I'll be there in October - but, I gotta tell you, Paris isn't on my top ten list. Of course, it would be #1 if it was all I had seen.

How about Berlin?

I'll be back in Paris by June for the n-th time, likewise in June back to Berlin too, unthinkable to be back in Europe, ie here on the continent and not return to Paris and/or Berlin, even by night-day train combination it is easily doable.

"Paris was my first trip to Europe." Berlin was in that sense my first trip to Europe, Paris was my second trip two years later in 1973.

I love Paris and have been there three times, one time for 9 days. I really think you should explore other cities before returning to Paris. Venice is an amazing city, but two weeks would be too long. I strongly flying into Venice and spending 4 days, then head to Florence for 4 days, followed by Rome for 6 days. Assuming your flying will take up most of your first day in Venice and your last day in Rome, I think this will allocate your time the best. One of the best things about exploring new towns and cities is that it will open your eyes to history that you might not have been aware of. When a news story comes on the television about Venice, Florence, or Rome, you will be more interested in what is happening there because you have been there. The more you experience seeing other sites in Europe, the more you will learn and experience other cultures. You will return to Paris, but first experience some other cities. You may like them as much as Paris, but if you don’t go, you will never know.

We tend to go to new places. That being said, this year will be the second time we visit Berlin, which is combined with visit to other places in Germany for Christmas markets.
If it were me, I would probably combine the second Paris visit with other destinations nearby that are also in my bucket list.
I also love Paris and plan to come back in the future.
But everyone is different. Considering you can still go to Rome in the fall 2020, delaying a few months is not a big deal.

We've been to Paris about 6 times for a total of 22 days. Every time we leave, we say, "why did we waste our time in Paris when we could have gone to Prague?" Or Vienna or Rome or London or Budapest or Barcelona or the EU countryside. Don't go back until you have well sampled the really good places to see in EU & can make a reasoned judgement about a return to one of the most boring cities in the world.

Yes, the food is good but that is not because it is Paris. The food is good because Paris is in France and all the food is good in France (and usually a lot cheaper than in Paris).

I'd rather return to Pecs than to Paris.

My first trip to Paris was in 1995, I think, when I was able to stay for 2 weeks in the spare bedroom of friends who were there for a year's sabbatical. I've been back about 10 times since for as short as a few days to as long as 2 1/2 weeks. Sometimes I am there as the only destination, other times it is the "chaser" for other locations. I will be returning in October for a month.
For some of us Paris is incomparable!
If you haven't already, check out on Facebook or youtube "A French Frye in Paris." Corey Frye is a professional tour guide who also does free broadcast video tours of various neighborhoods/aspects of Paris. He has collected around his work a kind and supportive community of Paris lovers. (We call ourselves Frites and we all understand that ache in your heart...)

I have a similar predicament this year, though not with Paris, whether to try somehere new or go back to an old favourite. At my age and with the money available, I'm more inclned to tthe latter.

Augustina, I feel/felt about Amsterdam the way you do about Paris and spent anywhere from 10 days to six weeks at a time during 2015, 2016, and 2017. It's a good transfer point for ventures further east so chances are I might spend a night or two there again but I'm putting other destinations on my plate. There's just so much more I want to experience. I visited Paris for the second time in 2017 and would enjoy more of it, but once again, there are other places I would like to explore. But this is me, not you. You have to visit and see what YOU want to see. Just do it and enjoy yourself. I don't regret for one minute any of the time we spent in Amsterdam!

You should go exactly where you want, especially if your heart is aching for it. I am that way with Budapest--heading there for the 5th time in as many years in a couple of weeks. I just challenge myself to include new places along with time in Budapest. I have made only 9 trips to Europe but aside from my returns to Budapest have also made 3 visits to Vienna and 2 to London--so, I go where I am called to go. There's no right or wrong about it :)

Paris is in my heart too (sigh) and I try to add it to any trip I take. A friend of mine used to go to Paris on any vacation she took, made friends there, and finally figured out a way to live there. She got a small apartment in Montmartre, brought her cat along, and works remotely. The red tape wasn't easy but it's inspiring.

I've also enjoyed Chartres, Giverny, Reims, Mont St. Michel, the Dordogne, and Reims. Maybe I love France so much because I get to practice my French and try to improve it.

But I agree you should also branch out to other European cities (coming back to Paris, of course). Just read all you can and see which one(s) call to you....