3 Day Trip in November - Where?

I too support Paris,, and I have flown Vueling( Paris - Rome) and thought it was fine.
In three days you could see quite a bit, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, the wonderful museums the Louvre and/or the Orsay and/or Orangerie,, and you could also eat the best food in Europe.. ( ok,, just my opinion! LOL)

My second vote goes to Rome, the Coliseum, the Forums, and the Vatican and St Peters are amazing ..

As for "the real Europe" you will already be experiencing that by visiting friends and staying in a private home. Consider yourself lucky as most tourists never get those opportunities,, enjoy that.. and don't worry too much about what is "real"... its ALL real,, and tourist sites are busy because they ARE worth seeing,, and thousands agree on that.. don't spend too much time trying to avoid being a tourist( call yourself a traveller if that makes you feel better, LOL ) but just relax in a cafe somewhere and enjoy the trip.

I would either pick Paris or Rome.

Paris is a city for romantics, so it would nice to stroll the city together. You'll get to see the eiffel tower - which is a magnificent view! I hadn't realize that the eiffel tower actually sparkles at night time. The view up there is breathtaking. There are definitely beautiful opportunities there.

However, I feel that you'll be more immersed in the European culture when going to Rome. Paris almost seems like NY city with just a different language. Rome has so many monuments that will give you great photo ops. There is so much culture there you can absorb and so much to see. You can see most of, or if not all of what you want to see in Rome within the 3 days. Paris deserves more than the 3 days.

Well, Derek, will you be very disappointed if your photo ops get washed out because it's foggy or rainy? Could happen, so be prepared....I'm with the Madrid, Paris or Rome proponents - you don't want to lose too much time traveling. There's also the island of Mallorca, easily reached from Barcelona. Seville and Lisbon come to mind but my first choice would be Madrid. Have fun!

You couldn`t do better than go to Edinburgh. No language problem. Direct flights from Barcelona (well - Girona with Ryanair). But I might be prejudiced. Second choice would be Munich.

Every place mentioned is great. But since you are in Barcelona, I'd hope the AVE train and in 3 hours you're in Madrid. Great culture. Great Food (and inexpensive), lots to see.

I'd save Rome for a return trip to Europe when you have time to see more of Italy. The same goes for Paris or anywhere else you need to fly to.

If not Madrid, Seville and southern Spain would be my second choice.

Thank you for all of your replies! They've all been excellent.

We've decided to stay in Spain and basically "road trip" for a few days with my friends' car while they're working. I'm so excited!

NEW QUESTION - should I get an Int'l Driving Permit?

Just a clarification on Michael's post....you are not allowed to drive on your American driver's license alone. An international drivers' permit (required in Spain) is simply a translation of your license's particulars. The IDP must be accompanied by your regular license.

Yes. From State Dept Consular Information Sheet for Spain: U.S. citizens must obtain International Driving Permits prior to their arrival if they plan to drive in Spain as you are not allowed to drive on your American license.

Also, I would advise you to study up on all of the traffic laws, rules, regulations, and safety concerns before you drive in Spain, and ensure you have proper insurance coverage when using your friend’s auto.

Thanks! Great info!

Thanks for covering my back on that one, Norm. I should also mention that you’ll need to make sure you have the registration and insurance documents in the car. I believe you may also need (or perhaps might want to have just for good measure) a letter from the owner, giving you permission to drive the car. Check the rules on that one.