France and Italy: Best 2 to 3 week itinerary for first-time visitors
France and Italy make for a perfect first visit to Europe, but there are so many potential places to visit that planning well is extremely important. Of the two, Italy is a bit more straightforward because it has a “Big 3” of tourist cities consisting of Rome, Florence, and Venice. France, on the other hand, has Paris, but beyond the capital it can be hard to know where you should go.
These two countries contain several of what I consider to be the best cities in Europe to visit for anyone, so it’s just a matter of narrowing down where to go and how much time to spend in each place. In the article below you’ll see the best option to string together a tour of these countries in two or three weeks. There will be options and decisions you’ll have to make based on your own tastes, but no matter how you do it this should be an unforgettable trip.
This article was most recently updated in August, 2022.
How many cities to visit?
This is perhaps the most challenging question when planning an itinerary. Newer travelers always assume that more is better and overly-seasoned travelers always preach that virtually any city anywhere deserves at least a week. As with most things, the best answer probably lies somewhere in between. If you only have two weeks per year it would take a lifetime of trips to explore even half of Europe at the slow pace, so it makes sense for newer travelers to move at a good clip.
There are many reasons why fast travel might be your best option, but only up to a point. With only a few exceptions, 3 nights per city is a good minimum even for those wishing to see as much as possible, or 2 nights in the smaller cities.
If you are going to France and Italy for sure then start with Paris and Rome as the foundation and add cities in between to the degree you’ll have time. France is a deceptively large country so travel will eat up some time unless you are flying or taking the bullet trains.
>>>Going just to Italy?: Here are the best first-time Italy itineraries for 3 days to two weeks
Flying in and out
Unless you are starting from elsewhere in Europe, you’ll want to carefully choose which airport to fly into. It used to be that Paris was one of the cheapest, and it’s still competitive, but it doesn’t rank high on the list of European cities that are cheapest to fly into.
Two one-way tickets is ideal
It used to be that round-trip tickets were always much cheaper than two one-way tickets, but often that is no longer true. Sometimes the one-way flights are exactly half the round-trip fare, sometimes a bit more than half, and other times they are double. It’s hard to predict so it’s worth comparing them yourself.
The first thing to try is this:
- (your city) to Paris one-way
- Rome to (your city) one-way
Compare that to this:
- (your city) to Paris round-trip
- (your city) to Rome round-trip
If the two one-way flights are within US$150 or so of either round-trip, then they are your best option. If the round-trips are much cheaper then your best option is to buy one of those as well as a one-way flight between the cities (for around US$100) for just before you fly home. It would cost more on the train and also take 14 hours, so flying that last part is the way to go unless you are planning on using the last leg of a Eurail Pass on an overnight run.
Getting around once in Europe
Flying around in France and Italy doesn’t make much sense. The flights on low-cost carriers can certainly be cheap, but most major cities are only 2 to 5 hours apart by train, so riding the rails is faster, more pleasant, and far more scenic.
Even on trains, you still have three main options:
- Buying a France-Italy regional Eurail Pass
- Buying individual train tickets in advance
- Buying individual train tickets one at a time when you get there
If you are under 26 you can qualify for the 2nd Class Eurail Pass, which will be ideal for many people. If you are over 25 you have to buy a 1st Class Eurail Pass, and those are probably only best for those with a bit more money to spend.
Best cities in France and Italy for first-time visitors
Paris (minimum 3 nights but even that is rushing it)
Obviously you’ll want to visit Paris, and it makes sense to either start or end your whole journey here. If it’s your first stop you should add at least one extra day to help deal with jet lag, but you should plan on staying as long as possible because the French capital is one of the world’s great (and most beautiful) cities by any definition.
It’s true that you can’t just all of France by just visiting Paris on your first trip, but it’s still not a bad idea because this city is the center of almost everything and even the areas surrounding it are filled with great sights, amazing histories, and plenty of things to do. It’s almost impossible to get a bad meal in the city and most of the food is reasonably priced considering the quality. Be prepared for a small hotel room, even if you pay a lot, so it’s more about paying for the location rather than for a luxurious and large place to sleep.
The sights in Paris are almost all worthwhile, but don’t think you have to spend an entire day in the Louvre in order to enjoy it. In fact, I highly recommend taking the 3-hour double-decker sightseeing tour (run by several companies) on your first day in order to see at least the exteriors of all of the famous landmarks. If you want to go inside at least a few of the big attractions you might consider getting a Paris Pass, which also covers the bus tour and a cruise on the Seine.
Spend at least three nights in Paris itself and if you have extra days you might do a day trip (tour buses are a great choice) of the nearby Loire Valley. It’s filled with famous castles and palaces where the rich used to live outside of the city, and many are available for tours.
Paris to Nice by train: About 6 hours
Provence region (optional 2 or 3 nights)
Probably the most efficient first trip to France along with Italy is to spend a few days in Paris and then head to Nice (see below) to explore the French Riviera, but if the beach scene doesn’t interest you, or if you are coming in the cool months (the beach areas are pretty dead from November through March) you might instead stop in the Provence region. This area is famously where Van Gogh was based and got his inspiration, and also home to a Papal Palace where 7 popes lived during the 1300s.
The main city is Arles and that is probably the best base, although Avignon (where the Popes lived) is also very tourist friendly and could be a good choice. In fact, Avignon is the beginning of the famous Côtes du Rhone wine road, which connects a series of hill towns with amazing scenery and of course wine tasting. Something like this might be better for a second or third trip to France unless you’ve got weeks to spend here. Provence is also known for its cuisine, as it stands out even within a country where the food is amazing virtually everywhere you go.
Paris to Avignon by train: About 3.5 hours
Avignon to Nice by train: About 3 hours
Nice, France (minimum 2 nights)
Nice is the largest (and cheapest) city on the Côte d’Azur (AKA French Riviera) so it’s the perfect base to explore this stunning part of the world for a few days. It can still be quite expensive during July and August, when most French are filling their own beaches, but in other months it’s not too bad.
Nice has a famous beach (made of pebbles rather than sand), but it’s also an important cultural capital with great museums and a thriving food scene. You could easily spend 2 or 3 quick days in Nice alone, but you might also consider spending a few hours in Cannes and/or Monaco, which are both only about 30 minutes away by train in either direction. The cheaper hotels in Nice are near the train station anyway, so that’s something to consider if you want to visit all 3 places in one short trip.
Nice to Milan by train: About 5 hours
Nice to Venice by train: About 7.5 hours
Milan (1 night or just skip it)
Milan is famous, though that alone is not enough of a reason to stop there. If you skip it you won’t be missing much, or you might stop for one night just to break up the journey a bit. On the plus side, Milan has one of Europe’s most photogenic gothic domes at its heart, and it’s the home to Da Vinci’s Last Supper (if you make reservations well in advance).
The down side, however, is that Milan is mostly a business/financial city that isn’t as charming as the rest on this list. It’s one of Europe’s fashion capitals as well, but the casual visitor wouldn’t notice. Worst of all, accommodation in Milan can be insanely expensive if there is a trade fair or event in town. If you are coming through in between fairs and events, hotels can actually be unusually cheap, so it’s worth checking rates if you are considering stopping. Generally speaking, I recommend skipping Milan at least on your first trip.
Milan to Venice by train: About 2.5 hours
Venice (1 night minimum, 2 nights maximum)
Certainly one of the most beautiful and unusual cities on the planet, Venice is something that everyone should see, though it can be a bit tricky. The thing is, between about 10am and 5pm every day of the year, the main walkways in Venice are a slow-moving parade of more tourists than seem possible or even safe. Many of them stay in hotels nearby on the mainland, while many others just come in for the day on part of a bus tour. The point is, Venice is very frustrating during those hours, so to appreciate the city it’s important to work around them at least a bit.
The trick is to stay at least one night, if not two, on the main island itself. Perhaps surprisingly, Venice shuts down early, with most restaurants and bars closed by around 10pm. But in those evening hours as well as the morning hours on the following day, the place can feel magical and like a fairy tale destination. Venice is also quite compact so seeing the main highlights in 24 hours isn’t difficult. Depending on your budget, spend one or two nights on the main island and you’ll be quite satisfied by the time you leave. You’ll be sick of the crowds by then anyway.
Venice to Florence by train: About 2 hours
Florence (2 nights minimum, plus side trips)
With fewer than 400,000 residents, Florence feels more like a small town than the others, even though it’s much larger than Venice. As the largest and most central city in Tuscany, Florence is a cultural capital filled with famous museums, cathedrals, and other sights, but it’s also the ideal jumping off point for day or overnight trips into some of the nearby hill towns.
Whether you are coming from Venice or from Rome, this is the point on your trip that you’ll be able to catch your breath a bit. It’s also the cheapest city on this list so lingering here will be more affordable in addition to relaxing. The cuisine here is, of course, world famous, and it can get even better and cheaper if you spend a day or two in one of the many scenic villages in this part of Italy.
From Florence to Rome it’s only around 90 minutes by train, so another easy and pleasant travel day.
Pisa (a few hours on a day trip at most)
If you are spending several weeks exploring Italy then perhaps you’d want to spend a night or even two in Pisa. But for a quick trip where you are trying to include as much as possible, Pisa is best for a day trip. It’s about an hour by train or bus from Florence, so you can literally do it in half a day there and back. And being honest, the Field of Miracles (which includes the Leaning Tower) is definitely worth a look, but the rest of Pisa doesn’t really stand out.
Regardless of your starting point, you can go to the Pisa Centrale train station and walk about 25 minutes to the Leaning Tower area, or take a train to the Pisa San Rossore train station and 7 minutes to the Field of Miracles. There are also bus tours from Florence that take you all the way there, but those come with the slowness of large-group travel.
Cinque Terre (1 night, optional)
If you were to be spending all 2 or 3 weeks in Italy and saving France for another trip, then you’d want to considering spending at least a day and perhaps a night in this stunning little group of 5 towns perched on rocky cliffs overlooking the sea. They are on the west coast a bit north of Florence, so they are a bit out of the way if you are headed to Rome. Of the 5 towns, Vernazza is probably best for a short visit and it’s definitely the most scenic.
When you see a photo of these villages it’s hard not to be drawn in so if you are in that group you could add a day or two in this area either before or after Florence. Note that the scenic footpaths connecting the towns are partly closed down at times due to instability, so a quick tour by train or even by boat might be a better option.
Florence to Rome by train: About 90 minutes
Rome (minimum 3 nights)
Again, it makes the most sense to start and end your visit in Paris and Rome, and if you are starting in Rome you should add an extra day just to get your footing. Similar to Paris, Rome is crammed with amazing sights too numerous to mention, but unlike Paris, Rome can be a frustrating place to visit. No one regrets their first visit to Rome, but many swear that it’ll also be their last. It’s the traffic and general sense of chaos (multiplied by the summer heat) that wear on visitors.
All of that said, Rome is absolutely a must-visit, although you won’t be blamed for hustling through the city quickly and efficiently so you can spend more time in the relative serenity of anywhere else. The Eternal City is also quite expensive, especially by Italian standards, which is another reason to save only a few days there rather than a full week.
Naples/Pompeii/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast (optional up to 4 nights)
The “big 3” in Italy are Rome, Florence, and Venice, and if you have time for only 3 cities those are the obvious ones to choose. But if you want to dig deeper into Italy and you have enough time, your next best choice will be to base yourself in Sorrento and use it to explore Naples, the ruins of Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and the island of Capri.
Naples is a large and gritty city that has an unfortunate reputation for pickpockets and other street crime. In reality, any daytime visitor who uses the typical precautions will be fine. Naples is also famously the birthplace of pizza and home to one of the world’s best archaeology museums so it’s worth a day trip for sure. The great news is that Naples is very easy to visit from nearby Sorrento, which is a lovely and friendly place where most people know English.
Stay in Sorrento
To reach Sorrento you’ll take a train to Naples and then change for a one-hour local train (known as the Circumvesuviana) to its final stop. Once you are checked into a hotel there, you can take the same train back to Naples, or an even faster boat. Halfway back on the Circumvesuviana you can jump off in front of the stunning Pompeii Ruins. Those in a hurry can spend half a day in Naples and a couple hours seeing Pompeii and be safely back in Sorrento for an unforgettable dinner.
Amalfi Coast and the Island of Capri
Not only is Sorrento the perfect base for a visit to Naples and Pompeii, but it’s also the gateway to the Amalfi Coast and a short ferry ride from the touristy island of Capri. On a quick visit you can hop on the local bus in Sorrento that takes you through Positano and Amalfi to Salerno. You’ll see all the famous and amazing Amalfi Coast views, and you can return either by bus or boat for an ideal day out.
The other main nearby attraction is the famous tourist island of Capri, which is best known for its Blue Grotto attraction. The ferry from Sorrento only takes 20 minutes each way and leaves hourly most of the day. This is another easy and ideal day trip where you can have breakfast and dinner in Sorrento and a wonderful time in Capri in between.
Filling in the rest of your itinerary
If you have only two weeks total then the above minimums will also pretty much be your maximums, give or take a day. But if you have three weeks you will be adding days to these cities or adding new cities altogether. Honestly, if this is your first trip to these countries, you’ll really get the most bang for your buck by adding extra days in Paris or Florence or both.
Rushing around for two weeks can be exhilarating, but rushing around for three weeks can really start to get exhausting. It’s better to plan to go slower and if you are getting bored you can do a day or overnight trip to something nearby. But you won’t get bored, and if you do you are probably doing it wrong.
Cinque Terre photo by World Walk About on Flickr
Hi Roger!
Thank you so much for your detailed guide, this is by far the most helpful site we’ve come across as we plan our elopement and honeymoon in Europe this spring (Apr 23 – May 10). We will be traveling from the US to Italy for 12 nights – getting married in Ravello – and then ending our trip in Paris for 4 nights. We are thinking about bringing our dog with us as we very much want him to be a part of our wedding. He is a well-trained 2 y/o 18lb, westie.
This is our preliminary itinerary:
Fly into Naples…
Sorrento – 1 night
Ravello/day trips to Positano, Amalfi Coast – 5 nights
Rome – 3 nights
Florence/day trip to Siena – 3 nights
Paris – 4 nights
What do you think of this itinerary for our first trip to Europe? What are your thoughts on traveling with our dog? Is it quite easy to travel with a dog via train/plane in Europe? He travels with us from NY to LA domestically all the time. Are restaurants and public tourist spots pet-friendly?
Any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated! We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thanks very much!
Janet+Gary
Janet & Gary,
I’m very happy to hear that this information has been useful. I think your itinerary looks very good, and starting in Sorrento will make your first day somewhat stress-free because so many people speak English there. I wouldn’t recommend spending so much time on the Amalfi Coast to a normal visitor, but if that’s where the wedding house and main group will be then I’m sure it will be a wonderful 5 days.
Three nights in Rome is ideal because it’s long enough to see the main things and short enough that you won’t get too frustrated by then. Three nights in Florence is also ideal, especially with a day trip. The city of Siena is much nicer and more interesting than Pisa (the other easy day trip from Florence), but the Leaning Tower is still the more spectacular sight. Speaking of Pisa, you may want to fly from Florence to Paris because the train trip is quite long and fairly expensive. The airport in Pisa has the lowest fares in that area. And of course 4 nights in Paris is perfect for a first visit, and amazing for a honeymoon couple.
It’s hard for me to comment on the dog situation because I’ve never traveled with one myself. If I were you I’d google things like ‘traveling with dogs in Europe’ or Italy, and see what people are saying. My guess is that you should be fine, although you might have to choose hotels and some restaurants carefully because I don’t think they all allow them. In general I’ve noticed that Europe is quite pet friendly, but you don’t see too many dogs on the streets of the larger cities. For example, when I visit small towns I sometimes see that half of the people in the pub have their dog at their feet, but I don’t see many dogs in bars or restaurants in big cities. I’m sure there are pet owning travelers who have written extensively about this. Best of luck with all of it, and congrats in advance. -Roger
Hi Roger, what a wealth of information you are! Planning a trip from Barcelona to french riviera (Nice etc) along to Genoa and down to Amalfi Coast (Sorrento as you recommend as our base). We would like to do this trip in around 2 to 3 weeks but not sure the best way to do it. Would a cruise be any good along here? Or do you think eurorail or hiring a car. Want to stop at Nice, Monte Carlo, Genoa, La Spezia and down to Amalfi Coast. We are hoping do go around June/July 2016. Regards, Jennifer
Jennifer,
I’m always happy to hear that this information helps. A cruise through this area would certainly be nice, but if the region really interests you then I’d do it by land for sure. As you probably know, a cruise only allows you about 8 to 10 hours in each stop, which is about enough time for a quick tour and lunch at a restaurant large enough to handle groups. In other words, it’s far better than NOT visiting, but not a good substitute for a land visit.
As for trains versus a rental car, the trains will provide a much better experience and will probably be cheaper unless you are going with 4 or 5 people. Even then, driving from city to city in Europe is stressful and challenging. Parking is expensive and difficult, so most drivers end up staying in hotels with parking lots at the edges of cities.
If you take trains you go from city center to city center and there is virtually no stress. The train stations are mostly near the main city squares, so you’ll have a great choice of hotels within a reasonable walk of all the train stations. It’s really a wonderful feeling to walk off a train and then 10 minutes later be checked into a room at a nice hotel in the center of town, ready for sightseeing.
Fortunately, the train fares in Italy are quite cheap, and even cheaper if you buy online in advance from the official site. The fares in Spain and France are a bit more expensive, although still pretty cheap if you buy at least a couple weeks in advance. I hope this helps, and feel free to ask more questions if you have them. -Roger
Hi Roger,
All the information on this site is amazing, thank you!!! My husband and I are planning our first trip to Europe in May/June 16.
We are planning on visiting Germany, Italy and France.
We are trying to plan a trip that is not too rushed and we would like to try and limit the travelling time between each city (if that makes sense).
We have 3 to 4 weeks to play with so we are thinking:
Berlin 3 nights
Munich 4 nights (inc Rothenburg ob der Tauber/Roma tic Rd & visiting Neuschwanstein in Fussen)
Paris 4 nights
Nice 3 nights (inc 1 day to Monaco & Cannes)
Milan 1 night
Verona 1 night
Venice 3 nights (inc 1 day to visit Murano-Burano)
Florence 4 nights (inc 1 day trip to Pisa & Tuscany Countryside/Chanti)
Rome 4 nights
Do you think the amount of evenings in each city is enough?
Also we are not sure where we should go first and what would be the best way to travel between these cities?
Should we change anything?
We we also thinking of stopping off in Prague and Innsbruck to begin with but we are not sure if this would work?
Would love to hear your thoughts!!
Thanking you in advance! 🙂
Kind Regards,
Miri
Miri,
I’m always glad to hear that this stuff helps. I think your itinerary looks nearly perfect. Three nights in Venice is a pretty long stay for such a small and crowded place, but it’s a magical city, especially in the early mornings and evenings, so you won’t get bored.
I think the number of nights you have allocated is ideal all the way through. You could enjoy Florence and/or Rome in 3 nights, so giving them each 4 nights will allow you to do side trips and go at a leisurely pace. Consider a side trip from Rome to Naples and Pompeii if those interest you.
You are definitely want to do all of these journeys by train. There are no Eurail Passes that would be good value for you on this trip, so you are going to want to buy the tickets online as far in advance (up to 3 months) as you can for the best fares. If you book that early you’ll be surprised at how cheap those tickets will be, but if you were to buy the tickets as you went you’d be shocked at how expensive they are. Once you get to Italy the fares are cheaper and buying way in advance isn’t as critical. Tickets for day trips to Pisa and such will also be cheap, even if you buy them on travel day.
If you have time to wedge Prague in between Berlin and Munich, I’d do it. Prague is a gorgeous and interesting city that is very different from all the others on your list.
Innsbruck is mainly a skiing and snowboarding town and there isn’t much to see for a summer tourist. However, Salzburg is wonderful and highly recommended if you can squeeze two nights in there.
I’m sure this is going to be a great trip and I can see that you’ve planned well. Let me know if you have any other questions as your trip approaches. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my queries and for your suggestions, really appreciate it! 🙂
Thanks again!!
Kind Regards,
Miri 🙂
Hi Roger,
I love your article! I am planning my honeymoon with my fiancé and we based our itinerary on your suggestions. I love Paris, so I booked a couple of extra days there. My fiancé has never been there and I want to show him all of my favourite places.
I think I am getting to the end of ironing out the schedule so that we can start booking some hotels, but I am stuck with one little quandary. Let me start by laying out what I’ve got:
Paris (5 nights) – must get in all the sights and spend one full day at Versailles. The first day will be a half day only due to travel.
Venice (2 nights) – going to take a plane in from Paris to save some time, as you mentioned, you can see everything in 24 hours.
Florence (4 nights) – train from Venice. I heard we’ll want to do a couple day trips to some hill towns? Any suggestions here? How should we fill our days?
Sorrento (3 nights) – We want to go to Pompeii, spend a little time in Naples, head to the Amalfi coast. But we know we could also trek to Mount Vesuvius and go to Capri if we have more time. Where should we prioritize?
Rome (4 nights, and one morning before leaving) – I know this city will keep us busy.
So my question is about Florence, Sorrento and Rome. I think Rome deserves 4 days, the first will be taken up by travelling in from Sorrento, and the last (5th) day will be taken in part with leaving for back home.
Between Florence and Sorrento, we are splitting 7 days. Which deserves a bit more time? It seems that Sorrento has more to offer in its immediate surrounding, but I may be ignorant as to what Florence has to offer. Which should get 4 days versus 3? Florence, or Sorrento? Do you have some suggestions for activities in Florence and surrounding area?
I am excited to hear your advice!
Cheers,
Katherine
Katherine,
Thank you. I’ll try to answer your questions in the order they came up.
Florence itself is loaded with interesting sights and museums, so 3 days there will be easy to fill with just the stuff you want to see. Beyond that you can take half a day for a trip to Pisa and back. It’s about an hour away by bus or train, and really only the Field of Miracles (where the Leaning Tower is) is worth focusing on. You could go see it yourself or book a bus tour from Florence. And you could even spend a day going to the Cinque Terre if you liked, and still easily be back in Florence for dinner. The city of Siena is also only about an hour away. It’s a really interesting place, but it’s a long walk from the train station to the center of town, so it’s hard to see in a hurry.
I’ve not visited any of those Tuscan hill towns myself, but I’ve seen them on travel shows and read about many of them. For something like this I really trust Rick Steves’ advice. Google his name and ‘Tuscany hill towns’ and you’ll find a really good article telling you about the best options.
It’s tough to prioritize in Sorrento because there are 4 solid days worth of nearby day trips (including the ones you mentioned) and the town of Sorrento itself is really pleasant, not to mention very visitor friendly. For sure see Pompeii and spend half a day in Naples. You can take the public bus (leaves in front of the train station) to Positano in a bit over an hour, and walking around there for a couple hours will give you a good look at the Amalfi Coast, so that can also be half a day. You’ll just have to choose the things that sound most interesting to you.
I think if you did 3 nights in Florence you’d be able to see the main sights and also do a quick trip to Pisa if you wanted. And if that would give you 4 nights in Sorrento, you’d still have to rush around a bit to see the things on your list in that area. So I vote for the extra day in Sorrento, especially if you want to do Vesuvius.
It looks like you’ve done a lot of research and I think your itinerary looks well balanced and not rushed. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Thanks so much Roger! I found an awesome place in Sorrento on airbnb that is right by the water, only a couple steps from the ferry. I am definitely going to follow your advice and do the fourth day in Sorrento. It sounds like it might be a bit like a relaxing tropical vacation in the middle of an otherwise “city-centric” holiday.
I read from one vacationer review that she got off the train in Naples form her previous destination, and instead of taking the train to Sorrento, she took a quick cab to the ferry in Naples to Sorrento. Apparently it was more relaxing than the train ride. Which method would you suggest a first time visitor to do? I heard the train wasn’t the safest, considering pickpockets.
I definitely have been researching a lot, and we’re only a couple weeks into the planning. It’s a blast! I really appreciate your input and advise.
Thank you again!
Cheers,
Katherine
Katherine,
Yes, you’ll find Sorrento to be wonderfully low key compared to all of your other stops, and it’s also a bit easier because most people you’ll meet speak some English.
When I was in Sorrento I took the Circumvesuvia train back and forth over and over and it looked generally safe to me, but I had also heard about possible pickpockets so I was always on guard, which can be a bit exhausting. And when I was there the ferries were on the off-season schedule so the train was much faster for me. Also, the ferry port in Naples isn’t all that close to the train station, so it isn’t a super cheap taxi ride. All of that said, at least the first time you get there with all of your luggage and such, I think the ferry is a wise idea and it should be very scenic.
When you go to Pompeii and Vesuvius you’ll be taking that Circumvesuvia train, and you’ll obviously leave most of your stuff in your room so it will be easier to keep safe. In general I think the warnings about Naples are a bit overstated and you really won’t feel unsafe while you are there. Still, I only spent time in Naples during the day, so maybe it’s a bit more frightening at night. Have a great trip and let me know if you have other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for all your suggestions. We cannot adjust our holiday leave that’s why we are on a tight schedule. Just wondering, if you are on a 9 days holiday, starting point in Paris – what would be the other placed that you will visit on a tight budget.
Many Thanks.
Gina
Hi Roger,
Glad that my husband found this site of yours which is very helpful for us first timers to travel in Europe.
My husband and I will be travelling to Paris on the 14th Sept from Doha. Will arrive in Paris on the 15th. Return flight on the 24th. 9 days to be exact. We wanted to stay in Paris for 4 days then to Interlaken, Venice and Rome. Could you please give us a good itinerary for our trip. Your uggestions is pretty needed for this trip. Many Thanks in advance for your help.
Gina G,
Nine days is pretty tight for what you have in mind, especially if you are only allowing 5 days for Interlaken, Venice, and Rome. I generally recommend a minimum stay of 3 nights in Rome because it’s a huge city that is packed with worthwhile sights (much like Paris). That said, you could pull it off if you don’t mind moving quickly for most of your trip. Here’s how you’d do it:
Arrive in Paris on 14 September for 4 nights
Depart Paris in the morning of 18 September for the 5-hour train ride to Interlaken.
Spend 2 nights in Interlaken. I highly recommend staying in Gimmelwald, which is explained with your other choices in this article about where to go in Switzerland.
Depart Interlaken early in the morning of 20 September for the 6.5-hour train ride to Venice. This is one of the most beautiful train rides in Europe, by the way.
Spend about 22 hours in Venice, departing midday on 21 September. Venice is compact enough that you can see most of it in one day, and as I explain in the article above, the best times to explore are the evenings and early mornings before it gets really crowded again.
Take a train on 21 September from Venice to Rome (3 hours 23 minutes) and stay there until 24 September. That will be long enough for you to see the main sights, but you’ll have to fly back to Paris for your flight back to Doha, unless you can book a flight from Rome directly to Doha instead.
Buy all of your train tickets as soon as possible for the best fares. For Interlaken you’ll want to go into the Interlaken Ost train station, unless you are content to just stay in Interlaken itself.
This should help you get things figured out. Let me know if you have any questions. -Roger
Many Thanks Roger for your prompt reply. It was very helpful and informative. Would be grateful if you can recommend any site where we can buy cheapest rail ticket in advance.
Thanks again.
Gina G,
Here’s an article that includes an explanation for how to buy train tickets in advance for the lowest prices on the official websites of each country. Have a great trip. -Roger
Thank you for the very informational article. My husband and I are going to travel around France and Italy. We are deciding between the spring and fall. We don’t want it to be too cold or rainy but also not too hot. I would like to be able to avoid the crowded months as much as possible too. What would you suggestion be for the best month to visit?
Thank you
Barbara,
For the France and Italy part of Europe, my favorite months to visit are May, June, September, and October. Before May it can be chilly, although mid April is usually okay. July and August are the hottest months and the most crowded by far in the beach areas, not to mention the most expensive months to visit. But starting again in September it cools off and the crowds thin out quickly. I even spent much of last November in Italy and it was still warm enough with only a few days of rain. Have a great trip. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks so much for all the information posted on you website!
I’m hoping you can help me plan a very last minute trip to France and Italy. We’ll be arriving and departing from Paris. Total trip length is 14 nights and we’ll be travelling in August. It’s our first time in France but we’ve previously travelled to Italy, seeing Rome and Florence. We’d like to explore Paris for at least a few nights but would also like to
travel south to Nice and explore nearby St. Tropez, Cannes, Antibes and Monaco. We’d
like to somehow incorporate some parts in Italy, but would like to minimize the travel time and make it worthwhile and not too expensive given we only have a couple of weeks. Can we include Venice into the itinerary without having to spend too much time on the train? We’ve considered Milan but as you’ve said on your website, it’s not much of a tourist spot. We’ve also considered Genoa but I doubt we’ll find somewhere nice to stay at this time of year. Should we limit to France and make it a sightseeing vacation but also somewhat relaxing? Or should we somehow incorporate Venice, and would it be worth it? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Sarah
Sarah,
I’m sure your trip will be great, but some of is going to be challenging during the month of August. The thing is, half the people in France have all of August off work, and huge numbers of them try to spend most of the month on a beach. It’s like going to Hawaii or the Caribbean over Christmas week. Every hotel will be full and room rates are close to double what they are in May or September.
So if I were you I’d check hotel prices and availability in the places you might be going to. It might be just fine and obviously it’s the best weather of the year in that area, but you might also discover that mediocre hotels are charging more than you think is worth it, so perhaps there are other places to consider.
Again, it’s mostly the beach towns that attract the local holiday crowd, so most of your non-beach sightseeing should be just fine. And both France and Italy are packed with non-beach destinations that are excellent, so you might want to mix more of those in.
For the French Riviera you’ll almost certainly want to just base yourself in Nice, which has by far the best tourist infrastructure in that area. It has hundreds of hotels in all price levels, including some good value places near the train station. From the Nice station it’s about 22 minutes to Cannes, 12 minutes to Antibes, and 20 minutes the other direction to Monaco. St. Tropez is maybe an hour away, and aside from the famous name I don’t know if it’s worth a visit. You’ll get an excellent look at the posh French resort life in those other closer towns.
Everyone loves Venice and you will too when you make it there. From Nice it takes about 7.5 hours to Venice by train, the first 5 hours of that is getting to Milan for a train change. Needless to say, it’s up to you whether that much time on the train is worth it. Venice is always crowded and in August it can be ridiculous. I don’t think Genoa would be a great choice that time of year. I’ve only passed through it and parts of it are a bit rough. I’ve heard that it can be interesting, although I’d say there are probably 10 to 15 places in Italy that are higher on that list.
So you’ll obviously want to spend time in Paris, I’d recommend 4 nights if you can spare them. And a few days in Nice will also be wonderful, even if it’s more crowded and expensive than other times of the year. Aside from those you might concentrate more on non-beach France. I haven’t explored enough of it since a childhood visit to confidently give advice, but I do know that France is packed with excellent vacation options including wine country to historic towns like Avignon to Mont Saint-Michel and much more. If you visited some of the wine regions and smaller towns you might be better off renting a car for that part of your trip (although not for Paris or Nice).
Hopefully this is helpful. I’ve been all over Europe yet my experience within France has been a bit limited so it’s on my list for next year. Until then, you’ll be able to find better information at Rick Steves site or wikitravel or elsewhere. Best of luck and bon voyage. -Roger
Hay Roger,
I’m planning two week in Italy and the information you have shared has really helped and set me on the right corse. My question is will visiting Italy the first two weeks of November be a not so good experience? I have read mixed reviews about the cold weather and the rain. What’s your suggestions? Thanks
Mark,
Always happy to hear that this information is helpful. As for November in Italy, I actually spent most of last November touring around the country and the weather was very pleasant. Actually, I spent two days in Lake Como and it rained for about one and a half of those days, but I think I only had one or two rainy days in the following 3 weeks. So even though November is one of the rainier months in Italy, it’s still fairly dry by most standards.
One reason I went last November was that the temperatures are still reasonably warm and there are very few other tourists. So as long as I was willing to buy a cheap umbrella and/or keep an eye on the weather forecast, it was close to perfect. January and February do get quite chilly in Italy so I prefer not to visit places like that in “deep winter.” I hope this helps and have a great trip. -Roger
Hi Roger,
What a great site here. Loved the way you have penned down everything. I would really appreciate if you could help me with my itinerary. In total we have 12 days. We are planning to go to Paris-Nice-Pisa-Florence. Now can you suggest on the following:
1. how many nights should we spend at each place?
2. What day trips to nearby places we can make?
3. Do you suggest adding some more places like venice/marseille etc etc.
4. How best we can make it most economical(any tips)?
Waiting for your response.
Thanks
Hs
Hs,
Thank you for the kind words. I’ll be happy to try to help.
1. In 12 days I’d spend 4 nights in Paris, 3 nights in Nice, 1 night in Venice, and the remaining 4 nights in Florence. Pisa is actually an easy day-trip from Florence and it takes about an hour each way. You can take a bus tour that takes you directly to the Field of Miracles (where the Leaning Tower is located), or you can take a train to the main Pisa train station or even the Pisa S. Rossore train station which is much closer to the Tower. It will be easy to choose and book that once you are in Florence. The rest of Pisa isn’t too interesting or tourist-friendly, so it’s better as a day trip.
2. In Paris there are obviously many good day trips, but the most popular one is to the Versailles Palace, which is about 45 minutes outside of town, and easy to reach by RER commuter train.
The best thing about Nice is that, in addition to being an interesting destination on its own, it’s only about 20 minutes by train from Cannes (to the west) and Monaco (to the east). If you stay near the train station (which is where many budget hotels are located) it will be easy to do both trips, even on the same day if you like. Of the two, Monaco is far more dramatic and interesting, and you can see most of it in only a few hours. Cannes is also nice and quite posh, but there aren’t any checklist sights there so it’s mostly about strolling through an upscale and traditional French beach-resort town.
3. Marseille is a big city without many notable attractions so most visitors skip it. Venice is amazing and absolutely worth a short stay, although it’s a bit out of the way. The train from Nice to Venice takes a bit over 7 hours (including a change of trains in Milan), so you’ll want to get an early start. Venice is also insanely crowded during the middle of the day so the trick is to do most of your sightseeing after about 5pm when the day-trippers get back on their tour buses, and the following morning before the new ones have arrived again. Venice is very quiet at night and in the morning, and it can feel magical. During the day it’s frustrating, so a one-night stop works well as long as you get there by 5pm or so. It’s also small enough that you can see most of it in only a few hours as well.
Other popular day trips from Florence are to Siena, which is about an hour away by train, or to various Tuscan hill towns in the greater Florence area.
By the way, the “Big 3” in Italy are Rome, Venice, and Florence, and Rome is definitely one of the world’s top cities for sightseeing and culture. If you were to add another stop I’d suggest 2 nights in Rome, unless you’ve been there already or plan on seeing it another time.
4. How to travel in Europe on a budget is a huge subject and I’d be happy to help you with any specific parts of it. But my first tip for you is to travel between cities by train, and buy all of your long-distance tickets online as early as possible (3 months if you can) for the lowest fares. That article explains how to do it with links to the official rail websites of each country.
If you have any other questions about any of this, feel free to follow up below. The other big spending categories are obviously hotels, food, and attractions, and advice on those things tends to be personal because we all have different budgets and preferences. Bon voyage. -Roger
Hey Roger,
Thankyou so much for your quick response.
I really liked your suggestions.
Could you please tell me how should we travel from nice to italy. I mean from nice do we first go to florence or venice. We are arriving to and departing from Paris. So it should be Paris-Nice-Venice-Florence-Paris or Paris-Nice-Florence-venice-Paris. Also what is the best and most economical way to travel between Nice and Venice/Florence.
Thanks,
Hs
Hs,
You’ll want to do almost all of your travel by train, except the last bit of getting back to Paris. So take a train from Paris to Nice to Venice to Florence and then fly back from Florence (or nearby Pisa, which usually has lower fares) to Paris. It would take about 10 or 11 hours by train from Florence or Venice to Paris and it would all be backtracking. The train would also almost certainly be more expensive than flying. You could actually go from Nice to Florence and then to Venice before flying back to Paris either from the Venice Airport or nearby Treviso, which usually has lower fares. In either case you’d go from Nice to Milan and then change trains to Florence or Venice, and that whole trip will take a bit over 7 hours whichever way you go. Most of that train ride is pretty scenic as well.
The trains between Venice and Florence take only about 2 hours and are fairly cheap. Again, the sooner you buy the train rides and the flight, the cheaper they will be. Check the info and links in the article I linked to before for details. Let me know if you have more questions and have a great trip. -Roger