What other city??

[bs1313]

So far my trip consists of London, Paris, Rome. I really want to add another city between paris and rome. So I have been toying with the idea of either Madrid (a little out of the way) or Venice. But to me it just seems like there isn't a lot to do in venice. I mean I haven't been there but just based on my research, but then again I feel like its one of those places where you just HAVE to go. Or is there another city idea that might be intriguing This is my current itinerary...

Leave Richmond July 8th

Arrive London July 9th
London July 10th
London July 11th
London July 12th
London July 13th

London-Paris July 14th
Paris July 15th
Paris July 16th
Paris July 17th
Paris July 18th
Paris July 19th

Paris to City July 20th
City July 21st
City July 22nd
City July 23rd
City July 24th

City to Rome July 25th
Rome July 26th
Rome July 27th
Rome July 28th
Rome July 29th
Rome July 30th
Rome July 31st

Home August 1st

Lemme know what you all think! Thanks. Bret.

[francefiend]

I'm going to suggest (SURPRISE!) southern France. Le Sud is ideally located between Paris and the Italian border. And it's easy to go to, thanks to its two major airports and several TGV stations. It offers bullfighting arenas, castles, palaces, landscapes, rivers, canyons, museums, night clubs, beaches, cathedrals, beautiful weather...and French people! To continue to Rome, fly out of Marseille (MRS) or Nice (NCE), whichever one is closest to you.

I suggest the Triple A Plan:
1. Aix-en-Provence - Student town with nearby mountain. Elegant architecture, excellent crepes, friendly people. Home of painter Paul Cezanne.
2. Avignon - Guilty of luring the papacy away from Rome with its pure beauty. Palais des Papes = bigger than you could ever imagine. Don't pay the entrance fee for the Pont d'Avignon. See it for free from the bridge a few steps down the river.
3. Arles - Doubles as inspiration for Van Gogh and home to one of two still-standing Roman arenas in France (the other is in Nimes).

You can space them out according to your interests.

I swear I don't receive payoffs for this

[herrbert]

Hi Brett,

Suprisingly I would not recommend to go to Madrid, unless you can stand heat very well. Temperatures in July and August are pretty high, in fact so high that the people who can afford it, leave the city, and spend time with family near the coast. But do try to visit Madrid, another time, in April-May or June. (May is prefect). And then also take time for daytrips to Toledo and Segovia.

If you want to visit Spain, then I would rather choose for Barcelona. It can still be hot there, but the sea is near, so it will be a lot cooler, compared to Madrid. (clickair should have good prices for the needed flights)

As you can leave Paris, and get to Rome very easy on a plane. There are numerous options. I kind a like Francefiend suggestions, but I would stay to the coastal area myself. In a way that it will get you outside of big cities for a while.

Personally I think I would opt for a flight to Pisa airport, and try to spend a few days in Cinque Terre, or if you prefer to stick to the cities, a couple of days in Florence.

[bs1313]

This past summer I was in Madrid for 5 weeks and I didn't really think it was that bad. I live in Virginia so I am used to hummidity, so atleast there it was dry...I was considering Venice, but I dont know how much there is to see there, maybe venice for 3 days and then Florence or Pisa for 3 days and then off to rome for 4 or 5 days. This is such a hard decision, I just want to see so much. I dont know!!!

[herrbert]

Last summer wasn't the hottest in Madrid, so you might have been lucky. If you can stand the heat, then you can go to Madrid, and visit Toledo and Segovia, if you want. If you take a plane, it is not that far out of the way. (by train, it takes ages)

As you need travel time on the 20th and the 25th, you can have 4 whole days, somewhere else. If you shorten the stay in Rome a little bit, then maybe Venice for 2 days, and Florence for 3 days.

(Pisa is in my view overrated, and maybe nice to visit, while passing, but I wouldn't make too much of an effort to go there)

[bs1313]

I like that idea, 2 days in venice and 3 days in Florence. Based on my research there isn't a ton to do in Venice. So it can be a quick little stop over. Plus it won't cost that much more. AND the train ride from Venice - Florence and Florence - Rome won't be that bad, it shouldnt take but a couple of hours.

[bs1313]

I also found out that you can take a day trip to Pisa from Florence, so that is also an option.

[herrbert]

bs1313 said:

I also found out that you can take a day trip to Pisa from Florence, so that is also an option.

I think that Pisa, is more a half a daytrip. There is not so much to see there.

Another option, that some people here like is Siena. (can't vow for it myself.)