It's tough not going back to Italy!

Lulu, I don't. I spend most of my travel time in Italy. I have carved out ten days next summer to travel to Greece with two friends, and I am very conflicted. I have been to other countries, and loved them. But nothing draws me back like Italy does.

What do your boys want to see?

Ditto--I don't! Every region of Italy is so varied, it is like going to different countries each time really. You need not go to the same places you visited before with your sons.

I could write the very same thing about Hungary--I've visited Budapest 3 times in as many years and now it's impossible for me to go to Europe without stopping there as I now have several favorite things to do when I visit. The solution after the first trip was to combine it with somewhere new--can you figure out an itinerary that allows, say, 4 days in Italy and then on to Barcelona and Seville?

We can't help ourselves, sometimes a place calls to us and resistance is futile.

A nice dilemma to have! What's a bigger priority - sharing what you know will be a great experience with your sons in Italy, or allowing all of you to (very likely) experience a great time in Spain? . . . and perhaps not kind-of duplicating what you and DH already did 2 years ago?

Have a great time, either way!

Have you been to any other country in Europe other than Italy? I'm (fairly) sure that you could fall in love all over again in a new place. They all feel different and offer something unique...but you won't know until you try - you may be very surprised. I'm definitely in favor of expanding one's horizons and comfort zone. If you do go to Italy again, then take a chance at seeing new cities you haven't seen yet (don't retrace your prior itinerary exactly).

Lulu, I absolutely love Italy and have been there during 4 trips. But, we're currently in Sevilla and having a wonderful time. We did a 3-hour bike tour this morning with SeeByBike - a perfect location to see by bike!

If you go to Spain commit fully to it, no regretting choosing it once the decision is made, or bemoaning that something in Spain isn't like Italy. Different countries, different cultures.

You are taking two other adults with you - have you consulted with them as to what they might like to do or where they might like to go? Even if parents are paying I definitely think they should have some input. Nothing worse than traveling with a couple of people who might want to be somewhere else. What about your husband, has he given you his thoughts? Make sure everyone is happy with the choice and don't look back!

For me, if I really loved a place, I'd want to share it with my daughter and visit it again myself. Maybe go to just your favorite places and add one or two new ones-ask the boys which of your Italy experiences interest them. We just went to Spain, including Sevilla, this summer and while I enjoyed it, I have no plans to ever return. We've been to Italy 3 times and I'm thinking it's time to go again sometime in the next 5 years. There's just no place we've been that speaks to my soul like Florence.

You guys aren't making this easy for me....haha!! Both boys really wouldn't care where we went, they just really want to go to Europe. Oldest mentioned at one point he wants to go to Spain, the other just mentioned this weekend he wants to go to Italy. Not sure where that came from, he said Paris 2 years ago.

DH won't want to country hop, doesn't want to get on a plane during vacation, I get that. However, it's less than 2 hours by plane! I don't think it would be a big deal to do 5 nights Barcelona and 5 nights Rome, with day trips thrown in. But it has to be a joint decision.

I also had thought if we did Italy, we could mix it up a bit. But we do enjoy experiencing new places, and air will be less going to Spain. Oh my, I have some serious thinking to do. But I promise, to the one poster, once we make our decision, we won't go back!

Thank you all for your perspectives and thoughts. I plan on reading them several times! I'll probably have more questions.

The more we travel, it seems we always have a decision to make whether to go back somewhere we really loved or to continue to experience new adventures.....how lucky are all of us who travel to have that for a problem!!!!

Lulu,

Which parts of Italy did you visit on your last trip? Italy is a big country and there's lots to see, so as it "grabbed" you it would be a shame not to see more of the country and allow your boys to experience it.

Since it will have been three years since you were last in Italy, you might consider re-visiting some of your favourite spots from the last visit, as well as add a few places you haven't seen. Use open jaw flights for best efficiency.

My perspective--we did not travel abroad until seven years ago when I was 53. Now we've done a total of three trips--twice exclusively to Italy, and one--also very enjoyable--starting in Paris, then taking the train through Switzerland--stopping in Lucerne for a couple days, then over the Alps and down into Italy for the last 10 days of the trip.

I am with the majority here in that I believe I will always involve my ancestral homeland in my trips. Still have to explore the north--Venice, Lake Garda & the Dolomites--and then also we've had friends (and folks on this forum) say that the east coast, especially around Bari & Polignano a Mare, are spectacular. I am sure a return trip to Sicily and maybe Malta are on the horizon, and truth be told the week we apartmented in Rome this last March could easily be extended to a much longer stint if it could be managed affordably.

The wife wants to see Amsterdam, and I want to see Vienna & Salzburg. So we may do a little jetting on our next sojourn, prob spring '19.

We went to Venice, Rome, Positano and Naples the night before departure. I looked at an open jaw arriving in Barcelona and leaving from Rome. It was too cost prohibitive, 50% more than just Spain alone.

A thought...plane between Barcelona and Rome pretty inexpensive, short time and several every day...let your grown boys take a side trip for a couple of days. Fly in, quick cheap train from airport to Termini. Lots of quick inexpensive hotels at booking .com everyday. Stay close to Piazza Navona and they can walk to all desirable sights in less than 30 mins. 2 days 1 overnight and take late flight back to Barcelona...You get a couple of days to do things boys might not be interested in...we love both Rome and Barcelona....in Rome look up Condotti Inn, great staff and fantastic location to be close to everything

The flights aren't bad...$100 to $136 per person round trip. I would do it, DH would have to be convinced. Traveling on airplanes during a vacation seems like a disruption of his vacation, to him. Being on a train is part of the experience. But I'll bring up that option.

If Italy calls, go! One thing we have learned is that revisiting a place you have been allows you to be more relaxed and facilitates deeper exploration. You do not have to revisit the same sites (or sights) but can branch out. You do not have to follow the same itinerary as your sons. They could go to the Colosseo alone, for example, while you go somewhere you have not been. Meet for a meal and compare notes.