France and Italy, two of Europe’s most populated countries, have everything to offer. They both vie for the title of best food, best art, best churches, best villages and so on. Truly, both have much more than a 14-day trip can offer, but not everybody has unlimited time. Here are the highlights.
Intro
My France and Italy itinerary is, by necessity, an overview of the two countries. It is also an overview of Europe. There will, of course, be compromises. If I suggest Art in Italy and Wine in France, it isn’t because one is better than the other, but rather because I want to blend the old and new, the solemn history and the vibrant modernity, and it isn’t easy to do so in 14 days. I hope that when you return from your vacation, you are already planning to go back, for example, to taste the wines you didn’t taste, to truly compare the two countries.
Travel Style
Given the distances involved, it would be inefficient to travel by car. Rail travel in Europe is easy and generally quicker, especially when we are not going too far off the beaten track. Also, it isn’t really possible to rent a car in one country and return it in another in Europe.
14-Day France and Italy itinerary
A combination of must-sees, with a little bit of lesser-known places thrown in. I have tried to make the itinerary include as much as possible while keeping the wasted travel time to a minimum.
Arrival in Paris
Most transatlantic flights arrive early in the morning into Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport. The airport is about an hour out of the city. If you are coming from a European city, or transferring through a different major airport, you will probably arrive in the early afternoon. In both cases, just checking into your lodging (if possible) or at least leaving your luggage there is a good idea. Head out and start exploring. Exploring Paris on foot is great. Small cafes abound, boutiques are everywhere, and hidden gems are around every corner.
Take the afternoon to get used to the street scene and get a feel for the city. A glass of wine in a café along the Seine River is a relaxing way to spend the early evening if you are tired from the flight. Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter or somewhere similar. Staying up and getting to bed early is a good way to get in sync with the local time zone (though maybe the wine isn’t such a good idea for combatting jetlag).
Paris’ great landmarks
There is a lot to see in Paris. Don’t try to over do it. Pick and choose what you want to see and enjoy them. It is tempting to try to see everything when you feel you won’t be back. However, discovering what you want to see more of really helps motivate a return trip.
If you are visiting busy, popular places, then booking in advance is necessary. Make sure you do one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Rushing between places just causes stress.
Start with the Ile de la Cité and Notre Dame. The classic gothic cathedral is starting to look good from the outside again and should reopen on the 8th of December, 2024. The stained glass of the Sainte Chapelle just around the corner might be less well-known than Notre Dame but is actually even more amazing.
If you like catacombs, then Paris and Rome are the cities for them. However, they are two different places. Those of Rome are of more historic significance, those of Paris have the bones. The bones were moved here for health reasons from the overflowing cemeteries during the 18th Century. I recommend waiting until Rome. The Musée d’Orsay is one of the best art museums in the world. Housed in an old railway station, built when France’s engineering was the envy of the world, the building itself is worth the entry fee. Degas, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cézanne…… the list goes on. While Florence has Renaissance painters, Paris is home to the more modern era of canvas creativity. Most of the impressionists and the artists they influenced are represented here.
Downstream is the Eiffel Tower. Depending on your point of view, it is worth a trip to the viewing platforms, or the Montparnasse Tower allows a better view of the city, which includes the Eiffel Tower itself. Not too far away are the Champs Elysées and the Arc du Triomphe. The Champs Elysées is of course, the ‘main drag’ of Paris, lined with high-end boutiques filled with the haute couture that Paris is famous for. When you see the prices, you will understand why not everybody in Paris wears Chanel, but during your wanderings, you will probably have noticed numerous smaller and equally stylish boutiques. You can still dress stylishly without paying Champs Elysées prices.
Ask your hotel for a small local restaurant nearby that they recommend. Where ever you are staying, there should be something good in the neighborhood. Make sure that they know you aren’t afraid if there is no English menu (even if it terrifies you). Tourist complaints about food are ignored, local complaints are taken seriously, or the restaurant goes out of business. Reputation is still an important part of French restaurant culture. This is what makes getting local and up-to-date recommendations necessary.
The Louvre and onwards to Dijon
The Louvre is the best museum in the World. You’ll need to book a ticket for a specific time. The Louvre is the most visited museum in Europe and doesn’t have room to expand. The Palace of the Louvre was originally built as a palace for Kings. Among others, Louis the 14th of Versailles fame lived here. The Napoleon III apartments are pretty amazing on their own, but the museum is famous for its art collection.
The Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and numerous stolen artifacts from Egypt and other ancient empires are among the masterpieces on display.
In the afternoon, head to the Gare de Lyon for trains heading towards Lyon. The TGV high-speed line will take you to Dijon in just a couple of hours. Dijon is, of course, the capital of Burgundy and Burgundy is known for its wine. Burgundy was once the largest empire in Europe in the 1400s. The capital of the Dukes of Burgundy is in itself a great city. However, my suggestion is to head out into the surrounding countryside for a more authentic visit to the region. It is, after all, one of the best wine regions in the world.
Dijon is still worth a look. Spend the evening exploring the old town. The small courtyards of the Renaissance townhouses are fascinating, as is the old Palace of the Dukes. Today, this palace is an art museum and the regional government offices. The Church of Notre Dame is also worth a quick look at for its architecture. Dijon is not just famous for its wine. The city is the home to Dijon Mustard as well.
You will have no difficulty finding local specialties for Dinner. Try some of the escargot (snails). They mostly just taste of garlic and parsley, common ingredients in the local food.
Burgundy – The Wine Route
You can’t pass through Burgundy without seeing the vineyards. Wine is what makes the region tick. The area south of Dijon towards Beaune is called the Cote d’Or. Similar to the Cote d’Or in Africa, where the gold came from, these hillsides are covered in golden grapes. Or maybe they are referring to the money that comes from the wine, as there are plenty of red varietals as well.
Beaune, known as the capital of wine in popular French culture, is a small town about 40 minutes south of Dijon by local train. You can do a day trip easily with a driver and guide, with a group, on a bike, or do it yourself by train.
A visit to Beaune and the Hotel Dieu should be included. You don’t want to have too much wine.
The medieval town of Beaune was home to a famous hospice, One of the first significant hospitals in the world. The unique tiled roof makes it well-known worldwide, but the story of Nicolas Rolin and his wife adds another dimension to the visit. Nicolas was once the chancellor to one of the Dukes of Burgundy, Phillip the Good, who expanded the empire to its greatest extent all the way north to the Belgian coast in the mid-15th Century.
One tip is to leave the wine tasting for the afternoon. That way, you don’t get as tired from it. There are many wineries in Beaune, mostly the warehouses and distribution centers of the larger regional producers. The smaller, more personal places are generally still on the land where the wine is grown. Often, large production is synonymous with bland, but in Burgundian wines this is not the case. Wine production is carefully monitored, and usually, the larger wineries have vines growing in multiple different ‘appellations’. These distinct areas are not allowed to be blended as this would diminish the uniqueness of these very small vine areas.
In the 40 minutes between Dijon and Beaune, there are multiple different appellations, including Nuits St. Georges, Mersault, Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin. These are among the most famous names of wine, never mind just Burgundy.
The Clos Vugeot along the wine route (well signposted if you want to drive or cycle yourself) has a great old oak wine press. It’s definitely worth the detour.
Return to Dijon for the evening and use your newfound knowledge about wine to enhance your dinner.
Travel to Nice
Unfortunately, the quickest way to go south is to go back north. The rail lines in France are extensive, but most are local trains that take a long time. Taking a TGV back to Paris and then on the Nice is the quickest option. I hesitated about including Burgundy in the itinerary instead of somewhere else, but there isn’t anywhere that I thought was a suitable replacement.
The other option is to visit Tuscany for wine while in Florence, but then one could also skip half of France. Most people would prefer to be able to have two trips to cover both countries adequately, but I have written this itinerary because there are a lot of people who do want to combine the two countries.
This can be a long day. Just make sure you have some reading material, a movie or a few episodes of your favorite show handy to pass the time.
Take an early train to Paris, it is only an hour and a half away. Fortunately, you don’t have to change stations in Paris as the trains to Dijon and Nice leave from the Gare de Lyon. Paris has numerous large train stations, depending on the direction in which you wish to travel, but in this case it is the same station for both destinations.
If you leave early enough in the morning, you can be in Nice in the late afternoon. Enjoy the final part of the trip along the coast from Marseille to Nice. The scenery as you pass through Cannes and Antibes is worth looking up from your book or Kindle for.
Nice and the Cote d’Azur
The best place to start in Nice is on the Promenade des Anglais. This sea front street is lined with buildings from the end of the 19th Century, palaces of the Art Nouveau style. It was around this time that the Cote d’Azur became famous as a destination for holidaymakers, most of whom were quite wealthy.
From here, wander towards the Cours Saleya, the open-air market (lively every day in the morning), and onwards into the old town. The narrow streets are a mix of local cafes and tourist shops and will lead you up to the Chateau with spectacular views overlooking the bay.
For lunch, head back down to the Market or towards the port, which has recently undergone a facelift and has many interesting restaurants.
In the afternoon get a train to Monaco, about 30 minutes away. Similar to the story of Nice, the Monte Carlo Casino was set up in the late 1800s to serve the wealthy tourists flocking to the coast. While in those days it was the rich and famous, today it is the rich. You are unlikely to see famous people outside of the Monaco Grand Prix in late May. Unless you are a Formula 1 racing fan, I recommend staying away at this time. The principality has a population of 35,000, but there are about 100,000 visitors on each day of the race. It gets ridiculously crowded.
For the rest of the year, though, it is a nice spot to enjoy the high life. The Prince’s Palace on the hilltop is worth a look, as are the Casino and Opera, for their architecture. If you want to enter the famous Casino, there is a dress code. Take a drink or have dinner down in the port before heading back to Nice.
Travel to Cinque Terre
Unfortunately, the long-distance trains between France and Italy have been discontinued. That means you need to take a local train to the border town of Ventimiglia and change. From here, you can get an Intercity to Genoa and then change again for the villages of Cinque Terre.
The route along the coast is beautiful. The many tunnels and bridges must have been an engineering nightmare for the first builders of the rail line.
There are multiple train stations in Genoa (Genova in Italian). Make sure you know which you need to transfer in. Genova Piazza Principe is one of the two main stations and is probably the best place to change. It is right near the port. Genova Brignole is the other main station.
It takes about 2 hours from Ventimiglia (3.5 hours) from Nice to get to Genoa, so I recommend stopping here for a bit longer and getting lunch. Around the station, there are many simple but good options for lunch.
Depending on the train you take after lunch (local, local express or intercity), it is about an hour and 15 minutes to Cinque Terre. Of course, it also depends on which village you want to visit and where you plan to stay.
The Cinque Terre are five villages next to the Cinque Terre National Park. The famous villages are nestled between the Mediterranean and the hills behind. The five villages are all unique in character, and each one is worth a visit.
- Monterosso al Mare – A great old town and some beaches.
- Vernazza – Small port and village around it with a Castle overlooking everything
- Corniglia – The hilltop village known for its wines
- Manarola – Small harbor and good hiking
- Riomaggiore – Has the feel of a regular working village
Monterosso and Vernazza have the most hotels or guesthouses. I recommend staying in Monterosso and exploring the others from there.
Cinque terre
One of the best ways to get around between the villages is on foot, but you need to be fit. Hiking up and down all these hills takes work. There is less than 10 miles as the crow flies between Monterosso and Riomagiore at the two ends, but the path isn’t straight.
More realistically, taking the local train between the villages is easier. There is a local tourist pass – the Cinque Terre Card, which covers both the hiking paths (they need maintenance, and the fees are for this) and trains. The card is good value. It is best to use this to head through the villages and then return by boat so that you see everything from a different point of view. Remember, in the days before trains, boating was the more efficient way of transporting goods between the villages.
You don’t have to visit all 5. Maybe explore Monterosso on arrival and enjoy dinner on the waterfront. On your whole day here, you can head to Vernazza, enjoy the morning and hike to Corniglia for lunch. It takes about 1 hour 30 to hike between the two. While there, get a wine tasting as well.
Heading down to the train, you can continue onto Manarola, Riomaggiore, or both before taking the boat back to Monterosso.
Cinque Terre to Florence via Pisa
Take the Intercity train to Pisa from Monterossa and change there an hour later for Florence. There is no point stopping here without taking a bit of a detour to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Fortunately, this is quite easy. Pisa Centrale Trains Station has a luggage deposit where you can leave your bags while you explore the city.
The station isn’t exactly next to the Leaning Tower. It is about a 30-minute walk away. I would suggest walking there, seeing the famous tower and cathedral and getting a bus back. If you want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa, then booking it in advance is recommended. In total, plan about a 4-hour break between your trains.
You should have plenty of time to see some of Modern Pisa, check out the famous architecture and get lunch in four hours. Take a local bus or taxi back to the central station if you feel there is too much walking.
Continuing onwards by train, you will reach Florence in another hour. This is primarily a local route, so it isn’t an express train. You will have a choice of stations in Florence, but Santa Maria Novella is the central station.
It is tough to recommend where to stay in Florence. As this itinerary is planned to see as much as possible, staying centrally near the station or the Cathedral is best. These areas can be a bit pricy, though. Staying in an area like Oltrarno on the other side of the river is often better value. There are as many options for accommodation as there are artworks in the museums. Figure out what you want to concentrate on and find a hotel in this part of the city. This means you can walk everywhere, and walking in Florence is what allows you to get to know the city.
Florence
Florence is a very walkable city. Even if you aren’t staying near the major sights, don’t be afraid to walk to them from further distances than you are used to.
The most significant places in Florence are the Duomo (Catedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) and its Baptistry, the Academia, the Piazza de la Signoria and its Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, the Ponte Vecchio and the Boboli gardens.
One cannot see all of these in one day, but they are all unique. The Duomo with its dome is impressive. The Cathedral is one of the most recognizable of all Renaissance buildings, with what was the largest dome built since the Romans at the time. Built by Brunelleschi, it is a piece of architecture without rival. Depending on what you prefer, you can book a tour or climb Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) for an alternative perspective.
The doors of the baptistry around the Corner by Andrea Pisano is another example of spectacular Renaissance artwork. Just North of the Cathedral is the Accademia Gallery. Fans of Michaelangelo should head here. It houses the most extensive collection of his sculptures, including the world-famous David. There are also works by Botticelli and many others of the heyday of Florentine art.
Back towards the river in the center of town is the Palazzo Vecchio and, just beyond that, the renowned Uffizi Gallery. This gallery houses the art collection of the Medici family. The Medicis effectively created the Renaissance with their patronage. Name an artist from the period, and they have an artwork here. Giotto, Titan, Raphael, Leonardo, Carravagio and Michaelangelo too, if you haven’t already seen enough of his work.
For those of you who are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, you might have noticed that Donatello hasn’t yet been mentioned. You will have already seen some of his sculptures on the bell tower and in the Cathedral. Head to the Museo del Bargello to see his works, including the Bronze David, the inspiration for Michaelangelo’s marble version.
If you aren’t tired after all of this, cross the river along the famous Ponte Vecchio, the old bridge over the river Arno with artisans’s shops lining the bridge, and stroll through the beautiful Boboli Gardens. It is a bit of a hike up to the Piazzale Michaelangelo, but the views over the city are worth it, especially seeing the monuments of the city above the skyline towards sunset.
I recommend picking two of the Uffizi, Accademia and Duomo, with prebooked tickets and a reservation time so as not to rush too much. It can feel wrong to miss out on some classic items while in Florence, but it is better to relax and enjoy the parts that are most important to you.
Travel to Rome
Rome is an hour and 30 minutes away by high-speed train. If you haven’t had enough of Florence leave one of the bigger museums for this morning and use a prebooked ticket to see the Uffizi or Academia in a relaxing manner. If you visited as many museums as possible yesterday, it is a good idea to just stroll and see the real Florence as well.
After lunch take a train to Rome. Arriving in Rome in mid afternoon you will have time to stoll and explore. Again reccomendations for areas to stay in are very budget dependent but there are tons of options. There are three main areas Around the Roma Termini train station, which is rather charmless and full of tourist trap restaurants but the prices are good. The Colloseum area, which is good but can get expensive. The Campo de’ Fiori is another interesting neighborhood in quite a central area for tourists.
Head out and explore Rome for the evening. The city is quite lively after buisness hours. Places like the Spanish Steps or the Trevi Fountain are always busy in the evening. Piazza Navona is another good spot for early evening people watching or a quiet glass of wine before dinner.
Rome – The Romans
Rome is a huge city with an equally huge History. It is not called the Eternal City for nothing. I find the best way to explore it is to split the city in to two parts : The Roman City and the Religious City.
For more than a thousand years Rome was the centre of the world, or at least the center of the Meditteranian world. Start of your in depth exploration of Rome with a trip to the ruins of this old empire. The Foro Romano, the old Forum is a well preserved collection of ruins of the ancient city. Going with a guide will add so much to your understanding when you see the ruined arches, old pillars and sculptures of the old gods. Stroll up to the Palantine Hill as well to spot the view from the centermost of the 7 hills of Rome.
Next stop is of course the collosseum. We all know the Collosseum. While it is not the best preserved of the Roman amphiteatres it is the biggest and the best known. A tour again is a great help in getting the most out of the venue. Hearing the stories of the slaves and gladiators who played, worked and died there helps so much with your understanding of its uniqueness. A bit of help learning about the engineering is also useful. Our normal experience can’t cope with buildings that are still standing 2000 years later.
There are many more roman sites dotted about the city. The Pantheon, Domus Aurea and the Circus Maximus are among the better known.
Exploring most of these can take all day.
More Rome – The Vatican
The second part of Rome is the christian side. There is a reason why the main sect of christianity is called Roman catholic. The Vatican lies within Rome and has had a massive influence over the city for the last 1500 years or so since the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
The Vatican is of course its own country. It is a tiny city state and the smallest country in the world. That doesn’t stop it housing some of humanity’s greatest artworks and architecture.
Despite being a city only half a mile by half a mile in size it can take a full day to see all that it has to offer. Make sure you get skip the line tickets as otherwise the day will be spent in lines.
The central plaza in the Vatican city is where you normally arrive. It is St. Peter’s Square and behind it the very impressive St. Peter’s Basilica. This is the center of christendom and where the pope gives his important speaches. The beautiful square was designed by the architect Bernini in the 1600s and can host up to 300,000 faithful to listen to the pope at times like his Easter address.
Most of the artwork is however within the halls of the papal residences. The Basilica itself is worth a visit. You can also visit the dome. But the crowning glory of the Vatican is the Sistine Chapel. Remember all the sculptures by Michaelangelo in Florence, well here he put his hand to painting and was in charge of the brilliant frescos on the cieling of the Sistine Chapel. Visits to the museums and chapel should be booked in advance and if you want an official guided tour then they should be booked well in advance. Using third party companies like getyourguide.com are not a bad idea if you want an explanation of what you are viewing.
Once you have had enough of the Vatican head back to Rome. There is plenty more religion to experience. The many churches of Rome house equally impressive artworks and their architecture is a sight to behold as well. Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Maria del Popolo and Santa Maria Victoria are just three. They aren’t all dedicated to the virgin Mary. There is also the Basilica of St John Lateran. Or the Basillica San Clemente.
There is more to Rome than just tourism, religion and ancient empire. However it isn’t clearly obvious to those who visit the main sights. For dinner this evening head to the area of Trastevere on the Vatican side of the River Tiber. This small district is home to plenty of small family run restaurants and plenty of modern Romans. It isn’t exactly unknown to tourists but the neighborhood is much more reflective of real Rome to some of the areas near the famous monuments.
Departure for Home
Of course I have planned this as a fourteen day itinerary from flight to flight. This works for most people as they get two weeks holidays. You can easily spend an extra day in any of the above areas, Paris, Rome and Florence always have new things to show visitors who spend a week there every year.
More time in Florence would allow time to see some more of the Tuscan hill towns like San Gimignano or visit some of the local wineries. Also an extra day or two on the Côte d’Azur would allow you to see the hinterland.
Conclusion
If you have a few extra days available then there are some options an extension. More time in Florence would allow time to see some more of the Tuscan hill towns like San Gimignano or visit some of the local wineries. Also, an extra day or two on the Côte d’Azur would allow you to see the hinterland. Heading down to Naples and the Amalfi coast after Rome is great if you have three more days.
Having seen the highlights of France and Italy, you are probably yearning for more. Both countries offer so much more than this short 14-day itinerary can give. There are many more wine regions, many more classic churches, many more museums with renowned artworks, and also many more simple towns with a character that just makes you feel at home.
If you think you would prefer to concentrate on one of the two countries I have a 10 day France Itinerary and a similar introductory Italy Itinerary. They are, like this itinerary, a starting point. If you want to extend the trip a bit check out some itinerary ideas for the South of France.
You probably have an idea of what you like from Europe after a trip like this. Do you want to see more? Start planning today, and check out some of the more off-the-beaten-path destinations.
