STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Irene · Dooney & Bourke

Help me decide...

Karina · Chanel

I would do the Mediterrean (sp) cruise

cc · Marc Jacobs

Well if you want to do Rome, Paris and London a cruise probaby won't work, but I did recently see an article on Frommers about how European cruises are a really good deal right now since most of your trip is paid for in US$ so you don't get screwed by the terrible exchange rate. I know there are cruises that stop in Paris and Rome but since neither city is not right on the coast, you probably won't really get much sightseeing time unless you are docked for more than one night or stay in the city overnight.

If you want to do all 3 cities in a short amount of time a guided tour would probably be best since you won't have to worry about getting from place to place plus a lot of the sites will be really crowded and the tour guide will probably take care of getting tickets and groups usually don't have to wait on the super-long lines.

Are you really just going for a week though or do you have more time? If you just have a week I would recommend cutting the trip down to two cities because you're going to spend a lot of time travelling once you factor in the time spent getting to and from airports, etc.

-- Edited by cc at 13:55, 2005-03-14

sfcaligirl · Dooney & Bourke

i would NOT recommend a cruise (but then again, i'm biased because i really hate cruises). i don't think you'd really experience europe that way. also, given the places you mentioned, it geographically doesn't make sense to do a cruise.

i traveled around europe for 3.5 weeks for $1000. (however, this was when i studied abroad and i was backpacking/staying in hostels/taking trains.) it IS possible to travel europe without spending a fortune. it would be very cheap/quick to get from london to paris via the chunnel. paris to rome would be an overnight train ride or a quick flight. i know that you can get some great deals online for travel between european cities (like less than $100). the lonely planet guide books are a great resource.

my sister and grandmother traveled around italy last summer for a week with a tour group (it was her high school graduation present). they said it was great because everything was taken care of for them, but they also split from the group a lot. keep in mind that a lot of older, retired people favor the tour group thing.

also, i'm not sure how committed you are to traveling in august, but i feel i should warn you that EVERYONE and their brother travels europe during the summer months, including europeans. fares may be higher, hotel reservations will be hard to come by, and tourist sites will be extremely crowded. i would highly recommend going in late september-early october when the weather will still be nice, but the crowds will have subsided.

HAVE FUN!!

-- Edited by sfcaligirl at 14:11, 2005-03-14

Karina · Chanel

http://www.cruisecompete.com/ships/msc_lirica_cruises.html

Irene · Dooney & Bourke

Thanks! I have decided that we will do only London and Paris. In the future we will designate a trip for Italy only, because there are 4 cities I want to visit while I am there.

bumblebee · Dooney & Bourke

i didn't read all of the other posts, so someone may have mentioned this already, but august is really not a good time to visit paris--you won't get the full experience because most parisians vacation away from the city for the month and lots of restaurants, shops, etc. will be closed. i don't want you to miss out!

Irene · Dooney & Bourke

I found the perfect Italy tour:

11 days incl. air, or 10 days Rome to Milan

From the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, via Tuscany and the Chianti Hills, Venice's Murano and Burano Islands to Verona and Milan's Cathedral

Day 1 Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2 Arrival in Rome, Italy. Time to rest or start exploring the Eternal City. At 6 p.m. meet your tour director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine in one of Rome’s fine restaurants. (D)

Day 3 Rome. Sightseeing with your local guide starts with a visit to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgement. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Proceed across the Tiber for a stroll along the Via Sacra in the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph, and finally visit the COLOSSEUM and hear about gladiatorial combats. This afternoon time to explore the city on your own, relax, or join your local guide for an optional walk that takes you to the magnificent marbled Trevi Fountain, Navona Square, the well preserved Roman Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, and finishes with a lively Roman dinner party. (BB)

Day 4 At Leisure in Rome. Full day to savor la dolce vita and enjoy independent activities. Take a stroll along beautiful Via Condotti, discover Rome’s hidden treasures at your own pace, or if you feel like traveling, join an optional excursion to Pompeii, the Roman city both destroyed and preserved by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. Tonight your tour director will suggest an optional dinner with local specialties at one of Rome’s famous restaurants. (BB)

Day 5 Rome-Florence. Follow the Aurelian Way along the Tyrrhenian coast to Pisa. Here take your pictures of the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and no less than 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Then on to Florence, the splendid capital of Tuscany. Arrive in time for a first glimpse of its Renaissance treasures. (BB)

Day 6 Florence. Guided sightseeing includes the magnificent CATHEDRAL, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze "Gate of Paradise," and sculpture-studded Signoria Square. To top it off, admire Michelangelo’s celebrated David in the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. Afternoon for independent sightseeing and browsing through the shops in Piazza Santa Croce. Florentine leather goods and gold jewelry sold by the ounce are attractive buys. This evening you might try the culinary delights of a fine Florentine restaurant. (Wednesday departures will have the programs of days 6 and 7 reversed, since the Academy is closed on Mondays.) (BB)

Day 7 Florence. Tuscan Excursion. Discover Tuscany’s medieval towns and its fascinating countryside, and learn more about the culture and traditions of the locals. Look forward to a journey through unforgettable landscapes of gently rolling, vine-clad hills. Morning visit to hilltop San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy’s perfectly preserved medieval towns. On to Siena for a leisurely lunchtime break. Follow your tour director on a 30-minute walk through ancient, narrow lanes to beautiful Piazza del Campo, site of the biannual Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race. In the afternoon, a particularly scenic ride along the Chianti Road leading from Siena due north to Florence. On the way call at splendid VERRAZZANO CASTLE to hear about the fine art of blending four types of grapes to obtain the famous Chianti Classico. Taste the wine as the local connoisseurs do—accompanied by local specialties. (BB,D)

Day 8 Florence-Venice. An easy morning drive through the wooded Etruscan Apennine Mountains to Venice, a powerful magnet for romantics and art lovers from around the globe. Enter its glittering maze of islands, canals, and bridges in style as you glide by private boat along the Giudecca Canal to meet your resident expert. Highlights of your walking tour are ST. MARK’S SQUARE and the BYZANTINE BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE, and the Bridge of Sighs. Then enjoy Venice at your own pace or join an optional gondola ride. (BB)

Day 9 Venice: Murano and Burano Islands Excursion. Start your day with an unforgettable Venetian lagoon cruise to the islands of Murano and Burano. Glide past the islands of San Giorgio and Santa Elena, and along the banks of the famous Lido. In Murano watch VENETIAN GLASS BLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. Then continue on to the picturesque fishing village of Burano, renowned for its bright pastel-colored houses and for its lace-making. Take pictures of traditional fishing boats, still used by the island inhabitants, and enjoy an included lunch. Return to Venice in the early afternoon with time for independent visits of a museum or exhibition, or take a stroll to soak up the incredible atmosphere of this unique city. (BB,L)

Day 10 Venice-Milan. Via the lush plains of the Po River to Verona, medieval setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. See Juliet’s Balcony and stroll around the lovely market square. Don’t miss the Arena, an incredible well-preserved pink marble Roman amphitheater. Built in the 1st century AD., it is now the magical venue for world-famous opera performances. Then on to the dynamic city of Milan, hub of Italy’s economic miracle. Its famous Scala Opera House, glass-domed GALLERIA, magnificent GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, and imposing Sforzesco Castle are remarkable sights. Later time to catch up on your postcards or shop on Via Montenapoleone and Corso Vittorio Emanuele for some of the world’s greatest designer labels. An optional farewell dinner may be the perfect way to celebrate the success of your Italian vacation. (BB)

Day 11 Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)

Cricket · Gucci

The tour sounds great, Irene, and seeing Italy is the most wonderful experience, but I'd have to recommend taking it another time if August is your only vacation option. I lived there for 3 years and the whole country basically shuts down in August for vacation. It felt like a ghost town for us Americans staying put in August (in our little town anyway. Big cities w/ lots of tourists are extremely crowded, especially Rome and Venice). Plus it's horribly hot w/ very few air conditioned buildings (compared to what we're used to). Cram all the tourists together and it can be miserable. I would definitly recommend London and Paris over Italy if you're going in August. If you can delay your trip a few months, January- March are less expensive and less crowded times to travel Italy. Sooo much easier, IMO. Hope you get to go, though.

Joina · Kenneth Cole

quote:
Originally posted by: Cricket
"The tour sounds great, Irene, and seeing Italy is the most wonderful experience, but I'd have to recommend taking it another time if August is your only vacation option. I lived there for 3 years and the whole country basically shuts down in August for vacation. It felt like a ghost town for us Americans staying put in August (in our little town anyway. Big cities w/ lots of tourists are extremely crowded, especially Rome and Venice). Plus it's horribly hot w/ very few air conditioned buildings (compared to what we're used to). Cram all the tourists together and it can be miserable. I would definitly recommend London and Paris over Italy if you're going in August. If you can delay your trip a few months, January- March are less expensive and less crowded times to travel Italy. Sooo much easier, IMO. Hope you get to go, though."

Yes! I completely agree. I lived in Venice for work for 9 months, and August was the worst time! the city was filled with tourists but no locals left (they had all gone on vacation).