Spain/Italy help??

Hi Scott,

I can't help with Spain other than to say with only 2 weeks, don't try to do too much. Changing countries is likely going to eat up most or all of a day of vacation.

For Florence area, I have two suggestions, depending on your preferences. First is to rent a car and stay outside of the cities. Use the train to visit Florence or you run a very serious risk of getting some nasty fines by driving into the ZTL (off-limits zone), but you can drive to most of the other towns in Tuscany, park outside the city, and walk in.

If, like me, you don't have any interest in driving in Italy, then stay in a city that has good transportation connections--like Florence, and take the train/bus to other cities like Siena and Lucca.

Hey Scott - Well, I have to say I couldn't agree less with what Liz says. Driving in Italy is so wonderful - around every corner something great comes into view. Staying in one city is about as boring and sacireligous as it gets. EXPLORE AND HAVE SOME FUN - See Tuscany , Cinque Terre and don't be afraid!! The roads are generally better than over here and you'll be very glad that you did it. Do get an IDP certificate to go along with your drivers license.

Have a Great Trip, Greg

First southern Spain and Florence are not compatible for a two week trip -- too far apart. Southern Spain can easily fill two weeks. While Florence, itself, is only good for a couple days, the area around Florence including Rome can easily full your two weeks. Pick one or the other and save the un-picked for the next trip.

Greg has his opinion about driving but I am more in Liz's camp. If you want to see primarily small town and the country side, then a car has the advantage. Although most small towns are easily reach by public transportation. And driving, especially in Italy, can present some special challenges. The limited driving zones in Italy, especially Florence, are notorious for clipping tourists hundreds of Euros a year later.

Let's see,

Chicago to Seville arrives early afternoon, that day's pretty well shot (maybe two days, depending on how you count)

Seville to Florence is an all-day affair, that's another day shot

Florence to Chicago is definitely another day shot

At worst case, that's four gone out of fourteen, giving ten days to be a tourist.

Give six days (nights) (not counting arrival night) to southern Spain (Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Cadiz -- although Cordoba and Cadiz might not be really good stops the first time out). Two (incl arrival) nights Seville; drive a couple hours and spend the rest of the day and one night in Cordoba; drive a couple hours and spend the rest of the day and two nights in Granada; drive a half day and spend one night in Cadiz; drive a couple hours back to Seville, look around some more and spend the night. Not ideal, but it gets it done. Leave off Cadiz (longest drive and really not too much to see there anyway) and it really becomes doable. Maybe toss in Malaga for something different instead. The Spain portion would work.

That leaves four nights for Italy (arrival night is a freebie tossed away earlier)

Spend one more night in Florence since you'll be coming back in a couple of days and you can easily hit the highlights in a single day. Spend two nights in the hill towns. Come back to Florence, good around, spend the night, and leave the next day.
Italy portion would work.

You asked for itinerary suggestions, not how somebody else would spend a couple of weeks of vacation. I'd probably side with the others and go at it easier, but it's your trip and this gets it done.

Scott: Go for it! You only live once...I'm a blitz traveler, too (on my first trip to Europe, 18 days, we did quick trips to Paris, London, Copenhagen, Aero Island, Oslo/Bergen, and Krakow). We loved it! On our second trip (17 days) we went to Paris, Milan, Pauda, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Assisi, and Rome. Our next trip in April (18 days) will include Paris, Lisbon, Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, Granada, and Barcelona (we are "slowing down" on this trip as we are bringing my 76 year old mother in law for her dream trip of a lifetime). On a quick trip you need to decide what your priorities are. I can sleep in and lounge at home. My vacation is a time of wonderous sites, new foods, learning a few words in each language, and "going local" by way of using the trains, buses, and metros that the locals use. You have two schools of thought: truly enjoy where you are and what you are doing, or be unhappy because you didn't "see it all" by staying in one place for a week. So...Florence---beautiful city!!! Skip the car (do you want to talk only to your travel companions??). We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Florence (we booked it on hotwire, super price, a bit dated, but clean and not dumpy)--a 20 min bus ride from downtown. The bus stops directly in front of the hotel, taking you directly downtown. Go to the Accademia (make a reservation, unless you love a 2+ hour line), see David and leave (unless you are a big art fan). The Science museum is awesome, linger. Loved the Duomo--get in line with everyone else and climb the dome! The Uffizi is full of lovely art (but we were a bit art-weary at the end--again if you are going here, make a reservation). Give yourself time to wander the lanes, eat the gellato and have lunch with the locals in any interesting-looking hole in the wall. My #1 suggestion---go to Pisa via train for a day trip. You will NOT regret it! 4 full days in Florence will cover the highlights, including a day trip to Pisa. Have a blast!

Southern Spain: Sevilla, Granada, Ronda, Cordoba. Add in Gibraltar if you like, just because it's one of those 'world outposts'.
Florence: the city itself & museums, Lucca (walled city), climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
2 weeks is plenty of time.

I tend to agree with the "keep it simple" crowd. I'd just concentrate on either Spain or Italy.

For Italy, fly into Milan visit Verona, Bologna, Florence, Orvieto, and Rome. Fly home from Rome.