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,

This is purely personal choice. All of the above are good choices. We all have different opinions. One poster sees Florence and Venice as cliches--Venice is my favorite place! I didn't love Paris--but it may have been the weather when I visited and is framed by my experience there. Also, I tend to love landscape and views more than cities. That is my preference--it may not be yours. I visited places in France that I much preferred over Paris.

Another poster goes for Naples, Sorrento, and Capri (places I, too, have visited). They are lovely--but I prefer the northern part of Italy.

That said, if you are looking for good food: Italy --hands down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy hands down.

London is incredible but overpriced.

Paris is overrated, and the food isn't that great.

NP here. This is the second time someone on this thread has said that the food in Paris isn't that great. Is it really underwhelming? I'm surprised, as I always thought Paris was all about amazing food.

I think if you go high end, the food could be really good. You can also find good bakeries, cheese, wine, and maybe salads..

The normal French lunch or dinner fare in Paris though is underwhelming. I love food myself and love organ meats and other rich hearty food but the Parisian stuff is one note. It's the same flavor over and over again - mostly umami. Think duck confit, pork blood, steak and frites, steak tartare, etc.

If you want good food - you need to go to Italy, and I think the southern Italian food is better. Also Spain.

I'm the other PP who said the food in Paris wasn't that great. I thought the quality of ingredients (fresh produce etc) was not as good as I get in this country. Also, all of the cafes have the exact same menu, and nothing is as good as you'd expect!

I'm the Londoner PP, I've been to Paris (and elsewhere in France a lot). I agree with the above, generally. There are great bakeries, cheese, etc. And there are fantastic restaurants, but you have to know where they are. It's really easy to eat in an endless succession of not great bistros in Paris, with the same menu of steak frites, moules mariniere etc, every day. Perhaps because I know it better, but the food in London really is incredible and much more diversity of cuisine and price range. Elsewhere in France (I most frequently go to the south) the food is fantastic. But Paris.. yeah, not so much. When we are there (with kids) the focus is all on the bakery items, crepes, etc.

9 days during May. I would suggest doing the south of France and the north of Italy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy hands down.

London is incredible but overpriced.

Paris is overrated, and the food isn't that great.

NP here. This is the second time someone on this thread has said that the food in Paris isn't that great. Is it really underwhelming? I'm surprised, as I always thought Paris was all about amazing food.

I think if you go high end, the food could be really good. You can also find good bakeries, cheese, wine, and maybe salads..

The normal French lunch or dinner fare in Paris though is underwhelming. I love food myself and love organ meats and other rich hearty food but the Parisian stuff is one note. It's the same flavor over and over again - mostly umami. Think duck confit, pork blood, steak and frites, steak tartare, etc.

If you want good food - you need to go to Italy, and I think the southern Italian food is better. Also Spain.

I'm the other PP who said the food in Paris wasn't that great. I thought the quality of ingredients (fresh produce etc) was not as good as I get in this country. Also, all of the cafes have the exact same menu, and nothing is as good as you'd expect!

Anonymous wrote:Italy

+1! by train! Go and see as many coastal cities as possible, but definitely don't miss Capri, Naples or Sorrento!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Italy hands down.

London is incredible but overpriced.

Paris is overrated, and the food isn't that great.

NP here. This is the second time someone on this thread has said that the food in Paris isn't that great. Is it really underwhelming? I'm surprised, as I always thought Paris was all about amazing food.

I think if you go high end, the food could be really good. You can also find good bakeries, cheese, wine, and maybe salads..

The normal French lunch or dinner fare in Paris though is underwhelming. I love food myself and love organ meats and other rich hearty food but the Parisian stuff is one note. It's the same flavor over and over again - mostly umami. Think duck confit, pork blood, steak and frites, steak tartare, etc.

If you want good food - you need to go to Italy, and I think the southern Italian food is better. Also Spain.

Anonymous wrote:Italy hands down.

London is incredible but overpriced.

Paris is overrated, and the food isn't that great.

NP here. This is the second time someone on this thread has said that the food in Paris isn't that great. Is it really underwhelming? I'm surprised, as I always thought Paris was all about amazing food.

Italy.

OP here- Thanks a lot guys I am completely torn again!!!

Italy hands down.

London is incredible but overpriced.

Paris is overrated, and the food isn't that great.

Anonymous wrote:I'm from London, and love it, but if I were you I'd go for Italy. It will be more romantic and if you would come back to Europe with your kids London and Paris would be great with them, whereas driving round Italy and spending hours in galleries/museums etc is probably best done as a couple.

+1. I'd go for the tour of Italy. You can bring your kids back to Europe in a few years and London and Paris are great cities to visit for their first time abroad.

I'm from London, and love it, but if I were you I'd go for Italy. It will be more romantic and if you would come back to Europe with your kids London and Paris would be great with them, whereas driving round Italy and spending hours in galleries/museums etc is probably best done as a couple.

I think London and Paris is a good choice. The things you will enjoy most in those places are going to be different than the things you would do with your kids. Mine have loved traveling in Italy so you will all enjoy a trip there together.

Venice, Rome and Florence are cliches.

Don't sleep on the smaller less touristy Italian cities, places where you'll see real Italians and avoid long tourist lines.