Paris? or Venice?

[GreatGazoo]

My last trip to Europe was Florence and Rome and they were both great. Both of them completely lived up to the hype. I went in March so neither was crowded. In Florence I stayed here (for $39/night -- the price hasn't changed):

http://www.hotelbavariafirenze.it/

"shared bath" means the toilet is in another room but there is a sink and a shower in your room. Florence was empty. Rome was busier and much warmer, like California. Palm trees and all.

So as March rolls around again, I am looking to travel to some place on my bucket list and both Paris and Venice are topping the list. I have no experience at all with France. Some have told me to just skip Paris and go to the South. Venice holds more ancient appeal for me but I am worried that I won't get the most out of a trip to Venice without more time to prep (research).

I love food (who doesn't?), am an adventurous eater. My Italian is better than my French but neither is conversational beyond where is the bathroom and "can I get more wine please." I lived in NYC for 20 years so I don't scare easily and love meeting people. I ride subways when I travel, go to the outskirts, get outside the tourist areas. Go to Flea markets (Porta Portese), use the laundromat, eat where ever it is crowded with locals and seek out any multi-stall markets like Marche Jean Talon in Montreal.

Any experience with either Venice or Paris? Any dirt cheap but clean hotels that are in the "when in Rome" spirit of the above?

[panader0]

1. Never been to Venice

and it's been 50+ years since I was in Paris as a kid. But if I had to chose, I would take Paris. Venice is sinking and moldy, at least in my mind.

[Avalux]

2. I recommend Paris.

Especially if you've never been to France; much different than Italy and well worth it. Plan on spending a few days at the Louvre if that's your thing.

[RebelOne]

31. I also recommend Paris.

A trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower should be on your go-to list of sites to see in Paris.

And don't worry about a language barrier. I didn't speak French when I was there. But when the shop keepers see your credit cards or American dollars, their English is flawless.

[hifiguy]

32. I agree.

Never been to Venice, but I adored Paris when I was there.

[TeeYiYi]

3. I would go to France...

...since you went to Italy last year. Paris doesn't disappoint.

I haven't been to Venice but I think it might get boring if you're planning to be there for more than a couple of days.

TYY

[GreatGazoo]

11. I went 5 years ago -- the airfare was $300 RT

so it was very affordable (this was right after the financial crash and it was the last days of Continental Airlines). Airfare is more like $1000 right now to either city.

[OldEurope]

4. I visited Venice once.

We were there in April, when Carnevale was over and Easter Hype had not started yet.
It was fantastic, because we were nearly the only tourists. Weather was sunny so we could sit outside, hotel was cheap, museums were empty. We found astonishing places and restaurants and it was one of our most wonderful holidays ever.

I've been in Paris several times, but always in summer when tout Paris in on holiday - and everyone you meet is a tourist or a waiter who is grumpy that they can't have holidays.

So for March, I'd recommend Venice.

[GreatGazoo]

12. Thanks. I travel in March frequently

since it is the intersection of cheap airfare and passable weather, and I'm a farmer (with a day job) these days so summer is out.

I have missed a couple chances to tag along or stay with a friend in Paris (one was working in opera there for 6 months). I may wait for another opportunity like that on Paris but I'm not getting any younger...

[elleng]

5. Have been to both,

Paris several times. Really depends on what you'd like to do and for how long. Paris has lots of everything, including good metro rail system, lots more of everything in Paris, but Venice is great, especially if you like fish/seafood.

Watch for weather in Venice, due to flooding.

Here's a thread, in Travel forum, about Venice area: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1216609

You may want to post your question in Travel.

Have FUN!

[CurtEastPoint]

6. Provence is beautiful, warm, friendly, yummy

[GreatGazoo]

13. would Provence be better in Spring or in Fall?

what airport would I fly into for Provence?

[CurtEastPoint]

14. I went in late August, early Sept and it was still quite warm. I flew into

Marseille, about a 40 minute drive from Avignon, is the biggest airport down there. You can fly to Paris and take the TGV down to Avignon in about 3 hours, I think.

There are numerous towns where you can stay if you intend to drive around. I stayed in Avignon and made trips to nearby towns.

If you go in spring I think it will be even more lovely w/flowers blooming. I was at the tail end, after the lavender harvest!

Sending you PM w/link to my pix.

[mainer]

7. I'd choose Venice.

I lived for 2 months in Paris, and it was wonderful but can be overwhelming to a first-timer. I've been to Venice three times and keep returning.

Venice somehow seems more accessible to a tourist, more intimate, as long as you aren't there at the height of summer when it's overrun with tourists. There are no cars, no traffic (except on the canals) and you can walk everywhere. Or catch the water bus.

The downside: Venice can be expensive and the food is so-so. Book a hotel that's not in pricey San Marco and choose a quieter neighborhood like Dorsoduro. No matter which neighborhood you stay in, you'll have a wonderful time.

[IrishEyes]

8. I've been to Paris twice.

It is great but I would vote for Venice. I had more fun adventures in Venice than Paris.

[jakeXT]

9. Visit Paris And Venice In The Same Afternoon (In China)

Want to visit Paris and Venice in the same afternoon?

You can, if you're in China.

Chinese developers have for years built residential communities that mimic famous European cities and towns. They are the subject of a new book, Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China.

One of the most striking examples is Sky City in coastal Zhejiang province. It looks just like Paris, down to the Mansard roofs, the narrow chimneys (they're fake) and balconies. Sculpted horses leap from a replica of the Fountain of Apollo, which is actually in Versailles. Anchoring this faux City of Lights is an Eiffel Tower that rises more than 300 feet out of a field of tall grass and marsh.



http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/09/20/223040143/visit-paris-and-venice-in-the-same-afternoon-in-china

[hifiguy]

33. Or you could go to Vegas and see

the Paris hotel or the Venetian and Rome at Caesar's Palace in the bargain.

[shopgirl]

34. Too funny

I remember showing my dad my pictures from Venice. His comment was, "Wow, it looks just like the Venetian Hotel." He loved Vegas. Me, not so much.

[Moondog]

10. Venice.

[bif]

15. Venice, hands down.

The most magical city on earth. My wife and love it so much, our daughter's middle name is Venice.

[Laffy Kat]

16. Paris in a heartbeat.

Been to both. Venice way over-rated. You can't go wrong in Par-ee.

[riderinthestorm]

17. Paris

But I've never been to Venice.



Sounds like you have the funds for both eventually so why the delimma?

[tavernier]

18. Paris.

Go in late March if you can. You will either see signs of spring, or a full burst. Lovely beyond words. The summer tourists haven't arrived in droves yet, and the prices are more reasonable as well.

An evening boat ride on the Seine is an absolute must do (dozens available; reasonable); Opera Garnier; lunch or wine at a bistro at every opportunity; top of the Eiffel, top of the Arch, top of the Lafayette, grand views all; Montmartre, both day and night... on and on and on.

Paris. Definitely.

[Major Nikon]

19. I've stayed in several hotels with the bathroom is down the hall

They are still fairly common in Europe. It's no big deal. There's still a few of these in the US as well, but we think of them more as flop houses, while in Europe they are just normal hotel rooms and much better maintained. Often these types of rooms are very small and sleep two at the most.

[Sancho]

20. We stayed several places in Italy using airbnb - no problems.

It's worth a try. Saved money, met great folks who gave us local information, and felt at home.

Besides multiple trips in the US, we've used airbnb in Europe and the Bahamas. I think it's a great way to go for our style of travel.

[olddots]

21. South of France then back to Florence

[mnhtnbb]

22. We've been to both--more than once--over the years.

We spent a month in France on our honeymoon in 1985 and have been back to France several
times since then.

We did a March trip to Venice and Florence several years ago and had marvelous weather.

The first time we were in Venice--in 2004-- I had flown to Milan from Denver to meet my husband
and we took the train to Venice. I was so jet lagged it took me all afternoon and first
night to recover, so we ended up not having enough time in Venice. So, we went back in
2010 and gave ourselves 3 full days in Venice and 6 in Florence. Personally, I think you can do a pretty good visit to
Venice in 4 full days.

You could consider doing both places--depending upon how long you have. You can take
the night train from Venice to Paris (my son and his partner did it last May) and save yourself
one night hotel.

I will tell you that you won't need your Italian in Venice: everyone speaks English. In Paris,
you'll find getting along without being able to speak French will be more difficult. There is much
less English spoken and less willingness to help a non-French speaking person out. My French is still
passable, so when we were there last May I did ok, but I really noticed the difference in 'friendliness'
compared to Italy (outside of Rome, because I thought the Romans were a lot like Parisians and my Italian is
much worse than my French).

We have friends in Aix en Provence in the south of France and if you are going in spring it will be beautiful.
If you decide to just travel south in France, take the fast train (TGV) from Paris and you can fly home from Marseille.
Lyon is also a very nice place.

I can't help with recs on dirt cheap hotels--good luck! But I have used the booking.com website to find/book
hotels on our last two trips to Europe, and I can also recommend https://www.waytostay.com/ if you decide to look
for a small studio apartment. It's a great way to do a city if you're going to be there for more than a few days
because you can shop/cook some of your own meals. Flipkey is also a good site for apartments, which is run by TripAdvisor.

[NewJeffCT]

24. Interesting

I've been to France twice (Paris only once, though) and Italy twice, and I've found that French were much more helpful & accommodating than Italians. And, I had gone in expecting the opposite. My French & Italian is mostly limited to Hello & Thank You as well.

I've been as far as China and it seems like every where I went, if I was taking a picture, people would make an effort to go around me - except in Italy. People just walk right in front of you like you're not even there. Heck, I went over the border into Monaco/Monte Carlo and was taking a picture of the famous hotel/casino there and some guy stopped his Ferrari so I could take my picture.

[mnhtnbb]

25. I was in Monaco/Monte Carlo on my very first European trip in 1983.

I spoke French almost all the time on that trip(I studied it in school and even started
it in 3rd grade) and only once did I have a French woman pretend to not
understand my request--made in French. The man standing next to me
stood up for me by telling the bar car attendant on the train that she
knew what I meant, give it to me! He was very nice. On the other hand,
this last trip last May we arrived in Paris from Aix on the TGV and were taking the metro
to our hotel. My suitcase got stuck in the barrier entrance between
where you buy your ticket and go to the platforms. My husband was trying
to push it through, I was trying to pull it through and the French attendant
standing nearby was just watching. I finally spoke to him, in French, gave
him some shit for not helping me, and he came over and released the suitcase.

I encountered that same attitude in Rome--with a girlfriend--several years ago.
But my husband and I have made several trips to Italy--Siena, Florence, Milan,
Venice, Bellagio (on Lake Como)--and never run in to anything but helpful people
when neither one of us 'speaks' Italian, although I can kind of get by because of
its similarity to French/Spanish.

People do have different experiences, which is a lot of the fun of traveling. And how much
English is spoken anywhere has changed over the years. That first trip I made to France
in 1983 I was also in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and England. We were in Austria
and Germany again in 2013 and I was amazed at how much more English I encountered:
everyone spoke it! But we were also in major cities: Vienna and Berlin. It might be different
out in the country.

[NewJeffCT]

26. I was surprised

at how easy it was to get around in Paris and the major cities of Italy. The signs for the train/subway were so easy to understand that we never really got lost. Just that you can sometimes be packed in like sardines and you need to watch your valuables (I stepped onto the subway in Italy and I felt somebody's hand slide into my back pocket - somehow, I doubt they were copping a feel.)

My wife speaks no French or Italian and just went right up to people and spoke English to them (which is her second language) and usually had little trouble having somebody speak English back to her in return.

[mnhtnbb]

27. I foiled a pick pocket in Paris on that first trip (1983)

in the evening walking on the street. I was splashed with water from the curb (it had rained)
on one side and when I looked over to the other side I saw my wallet going by in the hand of
a man. I grabbed his arm and yelled at him to 'drop it', which he did. Everybody around us stopped
and just looked. I picked it up--gave him some shit--no gendarme around--and checked my purse to make sure
I still had my passport. We all went on our way.

In Berlin, in 2013, we were coming up steps out of the U-bahn and I looked over and saw the man behind my
husband with his hand up under my husband's jacket reaching for his back pocket. My husband always
carries his wallet--when traveling--in his front pocket to thwart pickpockets--but they have gotten really good.
We stopped the guy in Berlin--he was also working with someone else who stopped with him--and gave them some shit.

In Stockholm last May we were waiting for a taxi in the lobby of our hotel and an English tourist was reporting
to the desk clerk having just lost his wallet--in his FRONT pocket--to a pickpocket on a Sunday morning
not far from the hotel in the tourist part of the Old Town.

[shopgirl]

35. They're both great

I've been lucky enough to visit both cities several times. I always say that Paris is my favorite city in the world, closely followed by Venice. Paris is just so incredible. I can't really describe why I love it so much. I just do. Having said that, Venice is the one place that I would say lived up to my expectations. When we got off the train, walked out the door of the station and the Grand Canal was directly in front of us, I had tears in my eyes. It was better than I ever thought it could be.

However, I will say that after a couple of days, Venice seems a little bit "fake." It's almost like it was built for tourists. Of course, I know it wasn't. It is a city of major historical importance. But locals don't really live there anymore and the only real business is tourism.

I also agree that it is quite possible to visit both cities in one trip. We did this the last time we went to Europe. We started in Paris, rented a car and visited the Burgundy region, the French Alps and Lake Garda in Italy on our way to Venice. We did all of this is in a little over a week. The gentleman who rented us the car in Paris was appalled! But we like to travel quickly and we tend to get bored easily.

I hope that whatever city you choose, you love it!

[NewJeffCT]

23. I've been to both

I'd definitely recommend Paris over Venice. Venice, I think, is more suited for a few days' trip as part of an Italian vacation. The city itself is not very big, so you can see most of the sites in 2-3 days. I think we were there for 2 days and I thought we were justa bout out of things to do by the end of the second day.

Paris has a lifetime of places to go & sites to see. I could spend two weeks just going through The Louvre.

[DFW]

28. I'm in Paris once a week, never been to Venice.

You'll never run out of things to do or see in Paris, no idea about Venice. I speak both French and Italian, so the language is no problem for me. I just don't seem to get Italy on the schedule much, since it's not on my work route. I've never even been to Rome, and it's just a two hour flight from me. One of these years--after I'm done with St. Petersburg, Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, NZ's South Island, the Galápagos Islands, Mauritius, etc. etc.........

Hell, I live a 20 minute drive from the Neander Valley (Neandertal in German) and it took me 20 years and the occasion of friends visiting from Russia before I ever got around to visiting the site of the discovery!

Can't help you with places to stay in Paris--I usually just run down there for the day. I can catch the last Thalys home at 5 minutes to 6 in the evening, and be drinking tea in my house by twenty after ten.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

29. Why can't I have my cake and eat it, too?

[cemaphonic]

30. Save Venice for a "northern Italy" trip

Venice has amazing ambience, but once you've spent a couple days visiting the landmarks, and soaking up the general vibe, there's not a whole lot to do. You'll never run out of stuff to do in Paris.

[47of74]

36. Yes I'd recommend that too.