I arrive Friday evening in Rome, have booked 3 nights hotel. I will be traveling with my 20 year old daughter who has been studying abroad in Seville. We are flying back from Paris on 12/21. So, with 4 nights after Rome, considering spending all the time in Paris, but would really like to add a city, but just for a day to day and a half. Any suggestions? I have been to Rome (for 10 weeks, 16 years ago) and I have been to Paris 3 times, so I only need enough time in those cities to cover what my daughter "must see". I think views and food are my priorities, and museums not so much.
Posted by
San Diego
12 posts
Try Bergamo, north of Milan; but make sure you go to intimate Bergamo Alta, the walled medieval city, which I think has the most wonderful square in all of all Italy with it's Venetian fountain and surrounding buildings - I first saw it on a rainy evening 10 years ago, when all the tourists had left. Behind the square is the superbly decorated Renaissance Capella Colleone, the mausoleum of the Bergamo mercenary, Bartholomeo Colleone, in the pay of Venice; this is next door to the Cathedral, a little over the top with Baroque decoration, and containing a monument to Donizetti, another famous son of Bergamo. Make sure you stay in one of the small hotels in the center, and soak up the atmosphere after all the tourists have left for the day!
Posted by
OP
Frisco, Texas, US
254 posts
That sounds like a magical place! I have not booked air or train to Paris yet, it depends on if/where I stop on the way!
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Given your time constraints, this is very tight. Honestly I would probably just go with Rome and Paris, what could be better? But if you are both determined to squeeze in another destination, it should either be (1) in Italy someplace very convenient to an airport with a flight you can afford to Paris, or (2) someplace in France that you can fly to that is on the TGV line. For (2) I think your best bets are Avignon and Lyon. That time of year I would pick Lyon. I have no suggestions for (1).
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Or Dijon for some of the best food in France, or someplace in Provence along the coast for the views.
Posted by
washington
837 posts
Sorry, I do not know how tight the schedule is. No starting date or total number of days. But, time permitting, the place between Rome and Paris which I would choose would be Venice. However, I don't know about the weather there in December. Probably warmer than Rome and Paris.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
Fly to Nice for a day or two, then fly on to Paris.
Posted by
OP
Frisco, Texas, US
254 posts
Thank you all for your thoughts on this. Now I'm thinking of taking an overnight train on 12/17 from Rome to Munich. Spending the day and night in Munich on 12/18. Train to Paris on 12/19, spending 2 nights there until departing for home on 12/21. I love Paris, and as Adam said, what could be better than Paris and Rome?....but flying over the beer gardens of Munich when we could take a train and stop in for a day, that seems too good to pass up!
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8142 posts
Going by train 550 miles to Munich and then taking a train 500 miles over to Paris is just too much. Just take a budget air carrier from Rome to Paris and spend another day there.
Save Munich as a starting point for another trip.
Posted by
OP
Frisco, Texas, US
254 posts
Thank you again for your thoughts on my trip. I have decided (finally) to take Adam's advice (option 1) and leave Rome on a train, travelling (in daylight) to Verona, Italy. We will spend one night there and then fly from the easily accessible airport, on a budget flight, to Paris. We'll still have 3 nights in Paris and 3 nights in Rome, and are adding over 24 hours in Verona.