London and Paris or tour of Italy?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I think Italy is better on a budget. Rome and Florence are great, but I really loved the small towns, especially around Lake Como.

OP here- you guys are making me crazy! So, I am paying for this trip primarily with credit card/mileage points, which can probably go farther in Italy anyway. So I am conscious of cost but not overly so. I was leaning towards London and Paris at this point because of the weather- my kids are about to start school and it will be much harder to get away and take a trip during the school year (when things are cheaper) while they are in school (we are not taking them on this trip). I hate hate hate going to crowded tourist destinations in the summer. I was thinking the next time we ever travel will be around spring break, at which time the weather in Italy will probably be better than London or Paris, right?

But you guys are making Italy sound irresistible!

Londoner PP here - never ever go to London for the weather! (Or Paris, for that matter!) Go to Italy! All of these places are full of tourists all the time. Italy - weather/levels of tourists depends where you go. Venice can be extremely hot and sticky in the summer (and smelly) but I've been in the summer and it's fine. It is touristy all year round. Same with Florence, Rome, etc. Tuscany (or Chiantishire, as some Brits call it!) is a popular tourist destination too, but it's a big area with lots of small towns - I don't think it will feel heaving with tourists wherever you are.

Agreed, London weather is awful, unless you're the type to love foggy rainy grey days. (I have a friend who does.) Paris is a little better. You didn't mention when you were going, but if you go in the winter, both London and Paris are awful. London weather is only great in the summer, IMO.

OP here- yeah, I explained this really badly. DH and I are making this trip in mid-May. I hate traveling in summer because I hate crowds, heat, and paying higher prices. Our kids are about to start school so we will not be traveling again in May for a long, long time most likely. I figured that going to London/Paris in May is going to be nice. The next time we travel it may be during a colder time of year, like Fall or early Spring, so I figured I could go to Italy then and enjoy ok weather.

I'm a PP who posted before about food not being great in Paris (I had worse meals in London). But you will have a GREAT in both cities. Go, enjoy! Amazing parks for the kids. So much to do and see. Lucky you!!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Who said food in Spain is good? LOL.

Maybe gastro places in basque, but not the country on whole. You can only have the same five meals so many times.

Ignore this ignorant poster.

No need to be rude, b.

I spent two months traveling around Spain for work. Aside from Basque, where is all of this good food in Spain? A few good dishes no doubt, but it's very monotonous. Not really where I'd go for "good food".

Sorry buddy, you have bad luck and/or chose poorly if you could not find good food in Spain but the Basque region. If you are going back anytime soon, I'll give you a few suggestions.

There's good food everywhere, including Madrid and Barcelona. Barcelona has amazing seafood and paella. You can get jamon everywhere and that's delicious. When in Madrid, I stayed at an apartment close to this market, which is a foodie paradise:
http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/en/the-market/

Watch this Anthony Bourdain special:
http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/anthony-bourdain/episodes/spain
"According to Tony, outside of Asia, Spain is the single greatest place for culinary achievement in the world."


I have friends in the restaurant industry, and they're all raving about San Sebastian. I've never been, but my understanding is that it has a lot of avant garde restaurants. So if you're a jaded traveler, you'd probably want to check this place out.

Jamon
Suckling pig
Jamon
Paella
Jamon
Tapas
Jamon

Rinse, repeat.

One of the best meals in my life just outside San Sebastián, but that's Basque, not typical Spain. Anthony is probably referring to Basque. But he's a pig so not sure I'd value his opinion.

Like Mrs. Constanza said, "But Geoooorgie, who's going to eat ALL of this paella?!"

You list tapas like it's one thing, but there are dozens upon dozens of different tapas you can have, ranging from cheese to caviar to seafood to jamon to tostas with sun dried tomatoes and smoked salmon

Things I ate while in Spain:
Jamon jamon jamon
stuffed olives (all sorts, salmon, cheese, fish, or combination thereof)
eggs and tomatoes for breakfast
churros with hot chocolate. yum!!!
paella
grilled sardines
grilled octopus
eggplant
gulas!! (http://catavino.net/gulas-and-txakoli/) yummmy
cuttlefish

[Anonymous]

Ugh, after I had decided now I am torn again. Thanks a lot pps lol! I will have to let DH be the decider here...

[Anonymous]

If you are going in May, go to Italy. Florence is beautiful and I have great memories of renting a scooter and zipping through the country side. The weather with be good. In May you will probably have rain in London and Paris.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are going in May, go to Italy. Florence is beautiful and I have great memories of renting a scooter and zipping through the country side. The weather with be good. In May you will probably have rain in London and Paris.

OP here. When is the weather actually decent in London and Paris?

[Anonymous]

Do Cinque Terre in Italy. And if you want to do a metropolitan city as well, go to Rome,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are going in May, go to Italy. Florence is beautiful and I have great memories of renting a scooter and zipping through the country side. The weather with be good. In May you will probably have rain in London and Paris.

OP here. When is the weather actually decent in London and Paris?

PP here. I take that back. May and June are a great time to visit Paris (not sure about London). It may rain, but there are plenty of museums to explore on rainy days. Generally the rain is on and off (not days on end).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do Cinque Terre in Italy. And if you want to do a metropolitan city as well, go to Rome,

Do Cinque Terre if you want to be amongst swarms of other Americans. Rick Steves has ruined that one.

[Anonymous]

OP, There is no wrong decision here! All options are good. And, you can never do it all. Even if you choose London--there will be things left undone. Same for Italy or Paris. Kind of like a restaurant that has lots of menu items to try.

My suggestion: write down trips you have taken and places you have been that you love. Write down things that you and your husband enjoy doing together. See if there are things that suggest that one of these places might offer more than others. Do you like outside activities or do you prefer museums? Are you history buffs? Shoppers? etc. Do you have any special interests? Is there something you have always wanted to see? Is art important to you? Music? Do you enjoy coffee shops-or would you rather be gardening? You get the idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do Cinque Terre in Italy. And if you want to do a metropolitan city as well, go to Rome,

Do Cinque Terre if you want to be amongst swarms of other Americans. Rick Steves has ruined that one.

That's too bad. I went there 12 years ago and it was magical.
I thought May was slightly ahead of tourist season?