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Spain or Italy?

We're trying to figure out a trip next spring and are torn between returning to Italy and especially Rome which I loved, or going to Seville Spain. I was so sad to leave Italy in 2017 - SOOOO sad! - and vowed to return but am asking myself if it's better to see something new. My problem is I think Italy has EVERYTHING - more than any other place I've ever visited. I worry that it sets too high a bar and Spain will disappoint. I love architecture, history, narrow winding streets, piazzas, flowers, good street food, gelato, etc. etc. Thoughts?

Posted by
7049 posts

It sounds like you're a bit obsessed (not in an entirely bad way, but just too emotionally invested) and can't think straight...no place is perfect or has everything, that's why it's great to spread your wings and see different places to enjoy both similarities and differences in culture and history. Each country has so much to offer, there's no need to worry about anything. I doubt you'll be disappointed in Spain, give it a shot.

Posted by
1936 posts

It's always good to see more of the world-even if it won't be your favorite. I really enjoyed Spain and it has a lot of similarities to Spain, great cafe con leche, tapas and the gelato is as good as Italy-yes I said it.:) Jump out of your comfort zone.

I was the same way about the UK, for 7 years I kept visiting the UK and England because I loved it. Then I branched out in Spain, Turkey and France and found I liked them all as well.

Posted by
336 posts

As mentionned, all places gives us different experiences. After 14-15 trips in Europe, yes I can rank my tops but I loved them all and tryed not to compared. If I'm in Spain I embrasse this culture, try to learn about it and understand it and I don't compare to Italy.
Funny you talk about Rome and Sevilla, those are probably my 2 top prefered cities so far.
I LOVE Italy. been there 5 times so far, went 2 times to Rome.
But I LOVE Andalucia as well. During our trip to Northern Spain this summer, we made sure to go back days to Sevilla.(yes, in the souther part. :-) )
You will enjoy Seville for different reasons than Rome. Yes there's a lot of history but it's not the same. But there's an unexplanable vibe about it. People live, enjoy life, are all so nice. Architecture is unique.
Go and spend 3-4 days in Sevilla without comparing to Rome. Just go appreciate this city for it's own reasons. If you have more than 3-4 days, make sure to see Cordoba and it's mezquita, Granada and the Alhambra, the white villages between Arcos and Ronda, go and see the horses in Jerez de la frontera for another unique experience. Go and walk the Caminito Del rey. go on top of the castle of Segura de la Sierra in the northern part of andalucia. So much to do. Sceneries are wonderful.
You'll have time to go back to Rome.
We always go back to Rome. :-)
Claude

Posted by
1286 posts

Surely an impossible question, you could toss a coin, but:-

Unless your visit to Italy was unusually long, I can't imagine you saw all her major highlights in one visit, let alone some of the wonderful "second tier" cities. Thus, you could easily go back and combine new places with a return to Rome. For instance, if last time you did Rome and points north, this time you could do Rome and head south.

In my opinion, there is nowhere in Spain that is an equivalent of Rome and you shouldn't anticipate finding one. Seville is beautiful (at least the tourist part is), but it's not Rome Mark II.

On the other hand, I think there is nowhere in provincial Italy that matches, far less surpasses, Andalusia. And overall Spain has just as varied and superb sights as Italy, even if they are different of course. For example, whilst there is no sublime Venice here, instead Spain has the stunning Moorish palaces.

What, however, you might find is that Spain - as much as Italy - has many towns with "architecture, history, narrow winding streets, piazzas, flowers, good street food, gelato". To that extent, at least, Spain and Italy are somewhat similar (though piazzas and gelato are called something different here).

I don't think you'd be disappointed by Spain, but if your heart sings for Italy again, why not?

"No hay ningun viaje malo, excepto el que conduce a la horca", as someone famous nearly said.

Posted by
11052 posts

We are huge fans of Italy, always on our minds when planning travel. But, Spain will NOT disappoint! We love returning to Spain too and have visited almost the whole country. Give it a chance!

Posted by
2699 posts

Each time I visit a new country I vow to return and see more. I have to constantly prod myself to get out of a potential rut and see more. Each time I do, I get e new favorite or close to it. Italy has a lot, that is certain. A friend who traveled extensively once said “if you can’t find something to like in Italy, you can’t find something to like.” I think that is true. We enjoyed Spain, but it is different than Italy. As RS says in his book “Spain is in Europe but not of Europe”. It’s history and geography set it apart. For example you’ll find much less English spoken, even among the young. If you have time, go, but see more than Sevilla. Barcelona has much to offer in architecture and food. Madrid is home to great art and an easy commute to Toledo, one of our favorite stops. In Andalusia you must visit Grenada and see the Alhambra. Get Rick’s Spain book and read it over, it might help you decide. Have you considered the RS tour of Spain?

Posted by
90 posts

I went to Italy in 2016 and Spain in 2017. I had been to Italy once before for a long-ish trip 2006/7. Last year was my first trip to Spain.

Spain is wonderful, and I did find many, many similarities but also some marked differences. I find Italy to be a little zany - which I love (I'm from the NYC area). There are always so many people and so many things to see. It's truly the chocolate box of Europe, full of so many delicacies. The Spanish are a little more relaxed and it allowed me to slow down. I have a set of great-grandparents who are from Spain (via Puerto Rico) and I really did find a personal connection with the cuisine and culture.

Try to appreciate Spain for its own history and culture. On my first trip to Italy I found myself comparing it to France, a country I have spent a lot of time, almost obsessively. It almost ruined the trip for me. Spain is a very special place, and I absolutely loved the confluence of the culture and religions. Seville was my favorite city of the six we visited. I could live there I loved it so much. Relax and you will have a great time.

Posted by
7126 posts

We had Spain on our list for several years but always ended up with an itinerary that we put ahead of Spain - usually a combo of returning to Italy and an adjacent country. But, last year we went to Spain for the first time, and we really enjoyed the entire trip.

Here’s my trip report from last year: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/1st-time-to-spain-trip-report

My recommendation is to put together a rough itinerary for Spain and one for Italy. See which one over a time period excites you the most and go for it. It took me a couple of fantastic trips returning to new parts of Italy before I was ready to give Spain the excitement it deserved.

Posted by
940 posts

This past year after not taking a vacation for several years, my husband and I visited Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Granada, and Sevilla) in October and then in June went with two friends and our college-aged girls to Italy (Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena, and Rome). I enjoyed both trips for different reasons and I agree that Rome is amazing, it is one of the cities in Europe that I could easily live in (Berlin and Paris are the others).

I plan in the future to go back to both countries as they offer completely different experiences. Both Spain and Italy offer distinct architecture and history. You will find winding streets, piazzas, and amazing street food (even in Madrid which is embracing the street food culture). I would spend some time looking at the RS videos of Spain. If you go to Sevilla, you should make sure you go to Granada and the Alhambra and take time to explore the rest of Andalucía.

Sandy

Posted by
1090 posts

We go to Europe every year and we always find a way to spend some or all of our time in Italy. We loved Spain too, but there really is nowhere like Italy.....

Posted by
15041 posts

It’s a decision that only you can make. Italy is probably the country that has the most to offer overall, but Spain will not disappoint you, especially Andalusia and Seville (in my opinion Spain’s most beautiful city).

Posted by
3217 posts

I put off going to Spain until we had been to "everywhere else" in Europe at least once. So last October, I was not expecting to love Spain as much as I did. Spain has everything you mention in your last sentence, with the additional layer of the Moorish influence.

Try it - you'll like it!

Posted by
181 posts

Spain was so much better than I expected. Seville is a fabulous. You will not be disappointed. Madrid is worth several days with outstanding art museums. There are some of the best Roman artifacts is Spain and if you enjoy that you must go to archeological museum in Seville. some outstanding roman history and artifacts also Italica has wonderful roman ruins and to see near Seville.

Posted by
20 posts

Thanks so much for the advice! We’ve decided to go to Seville. Any suggestions for best area of the city to stay in that isn’t too touristy? Want to find a charming but quiet area that gives a sense of how local people live. Thanks!

Posted by
336 posts

Most of Sevilla's things to see and do are pretty much all in or close to that neighborhood: Santa Cruz. I really think you want to stay there. It feels locals with tourists in it, especially in the back alleys.
We booked in appartment there and loved it. My friend went a bit after us and got an hotel, Alfonso X I believe, and loved it as well.
Major things to do there:
-The Cathedral, 3rd biggest in the world. Amazing place.
-The Alcazar is spectacular. Book a few days in advance to avoid waiting lines
-See a Flamenco show. We saw 2 in our 2 trips, we loved Casa de la Memoria. Small and authentic Flamenco. Also good to reserve a day or 2 in advance
-Plaza de Toros. You won't feel at home which is great. We decided to just take the guided tour with museum. My friend actually went to a bullfight. They loved the atmosphere.
-Plaza de Espagna
-Maria Luisa park just in front.
-Eat tapas, drink sangria or Vermouth. :-)
-Just walk the small streets of Santa Cruz, it's gorgeous
-Metropol Parasol for some modern funny and different architecture.
-5-10 minutes from there, a very nice museum: The fine arts museum. Peacefull, not crowded
-Casa de Pilatos, some great Mudejar architecture

These are the major sites, but I'm sure other people will have other plans for you.
Try to adjust to their time. Start tapas after 7:30-8pm. A real dinner starts at 10+. There's so many people outside late at night enjoying life, the vibe is magical.
-If you want to do an easy day trip by train, go to Cordoba. 45 minutes and you are there. The Mezquita is fantastic, the jwish neiborhood as well
I hope you'll be able to do a full trip to Andalucia and enjoy some of the other sites mentionned previously.

Posted by
2699 posts

We too stayed in Barrio Santa Cruz at a beautiful hotel, Amadeus. But we had our best meal of the trip here http://www.espacioeslava.com/en/restaurante/bar-de-tapas. We really liked the neighborhood (San Lorenzo) and they do have apartments. If we return we would consider staying there, but it is a distance from the main historical sites.

Posted by
9 posts

Triana,is a beautiful and authentic neighborhood of Sevilla.its something similar to Trastevere in Rome.the history of this place is the desplacement of the lower habitants of the center of Sevilla to behinds the murs and tras the Guadalquivir river..just imagine before the year 1492 .the banks of the Guadalquivir river ,from the city of Córdoba to the city of Sevilla were full of houses and residences cultivated with all kind of trees,olives,and they collected all kind of fruits,veggies aromatic species.some writers descibe this places as an authentic paradise.if the region of Andalucia is not Rome one thing is for sure,the civilization of Europe began and enter from the region of Andalucia.

Posted by
181 posts

We stayed in barrio Santa Cruz neighborhood. Chose a AirBnb at address Calle Consuelo 6. Highly recommend this apartment unit of three units and great landlady. Easy access to everything you’ll love to do and see. Seville is a sophisticated city with very wonderful culture. The Spanish people are very courteous and friendly. I never ever thought of going to Spain until my wife suggested too. I started to research and finally visiting. I left with an wonderful impression and desire to return. I am sure You will be impressed. Make reservations in advance for the alkazar and flamenco shows..

Posted by
6384 posts

The way you think about Italy is the same as I think about Spain. Fell in love with it in the late 70s and go back every few years; each time to a different area.

Posted by
15560 posts

The Amadeus is a great hotel, very comfy and excellent location. There's much more to Andalucia than just Sevilla. How many nights do you have? What are your tentative dates? Easter is April 21 and Holy Week is THE big festival in Andalucia, most especially in Sevilla and Malaga, but there are special activities in every town. Two weeks later Sevilla has its other huge festival and there are others throughout the region in May. March is also is great time to be there.