Hi,
I'm a 22-year-old female interested in the arts, culture, and nature. I'll be travelling to Paris in late May, and then Rome about a week later. I'll have a eurail pass and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any places i shouldn't miss that are (relatively) on the way from Paris to Rome. I've never been to France and I'm open to suggestions. I looked on the map and saw that Nice and Monaco are sort of in between - are they worth the trip? I'll probably only have 2-3 days to spare. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
artsygirl
1
ben
You like arts and culture and want to stop somewhere beween Paris and Rome? Firenze is your place and it is certainly worth the trip.
2
billr
I second Florence if you are into arts and culture, there is many places, what about Cinque Terre if you are into beautiful walks or anywhere in beautiful Switzerland, get a guide book from your library. Personaly I did not like Nice but I missed out doing trips up to the hill villages above, so now I have to go back again. 2 to 3 days in Cinque Terre would be just about right with a day train trip to Portofino.
3
kerouac2
Definitely visit Avignon (2h40 by TGV) and give Marseille a chance -- you'll love it or hate it very quickly. Some people call it the northernmost city of Africa, which can be considered either praise or insult. Once you move on to Nice, the regional line is full of gems all the way to the Italian border. Even Monaco is worth half a day of your time.
4
badger1492
How many lifetimes do you have? OK. Those not already mentioned: Beaune (for wine, not art), Aix-en-Provence, Santa Margherita (It), Venice, Ravenna (for the mozaics and Byzantine churches; worth the detour).
You can skip: Marseille and Genova.
Have fun
5
lagatta
Venice is WAY out of the way between Paris and Rome. With a train pass, I'd make that a separate trip, with Ravenna.
Funny, I really like Marseille and Genova. Nostalgie de la boue? I am used to tough working-class places, and none had the cultural "atouts" of those places. And Turin. A much lovelier city (with passages, covered walkways) than many suspect, and not just an industrial place.
Other than the art, I'm honestly not very fond of Florence. Much prefer Perugia.
Yes, the light on all the places along the Riviera is absolutely extraordinary... also past the Italian border. San Remo with its kitchy song contest sounds like a place to avoid as well, but once again, the beautiful light by the sea.
6
badger1492
Yes, Venice and Ravenna are "out of the way" but worth the detour. Venice is over-populated with tourists, it's true, but it is so unique that its worth the visit. Ravenna is less heavily traveled and worth a few days' visit; you can make a day trip to Rimini from there if the weather is good.
Marseille and Genova? To each his own.
Pro tip
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