<p>We are going to visit niece studying in Paris for Christmas. Husband and I would then like a week on our own somewhere else. Are there any parts of Italy that may be pleasant? Spain? Any ideas?</p>
<p>You could take the overnight train to Rome, stay in Rome and even have a couple of days to do little side trips (Pompei, Asissi) also by train. That’s what we did - loved it. And train travel is so much fun.</p>
<p>I second the idea of a train to Italy. The trains are delightful, and the weather should be moderate in most of the country. My whole family spent a week in Rome at Christmas one year, and everyone loved it there. </p>
<p>If you prefer Spain, Barcelona, as opposed to Madrid, is the place to go.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. Any other suggestions in Italy? Maybe further south for weather? Capri in the winter? We have about ten days and can go to a few places.</p>
<p>Open to any country and any ideas!</p>
<p>Why not take the TGV (rapid train) to south of France - Nice, Marseilles…You can also visit Monaco and Canne. You can rent a car in Nice and you can even fly back home via Nice if you don’t want to have to go all the way back to Paris. The Mediterannean is beautiful!</p>
<p>I spent New Year’s Eve in Rome as 1989 turned into 1990. It was not warm, a coat required, but it was absolutely lovely and SO festive and not terribly cold either. Very few tourists. Full of Italian families visiting and people laughing in the streets. I would recommend New Year’s Eve there, or in Paris. Paris is even colder than Rome in January of course. I spent New Year’s Eve in Paris as 1978 turned into 1979. The whole city froze - what they called verglas. It was an ice storm. All roads were closed to traffic. All tree were encased in shiny clear ice. All Metro trains were full of people dressed in furs and jewels, laughing, kissing as midnight fell. Hmm. I need to get cracking for 2008-2010, don’t I…</p>
<p>If you really want warm weather, I think it’s the coast of Spain or Morocco, really. Maybe Sicily gets warm enough but I am not sure. You can go hang with the moneyed set on Ibiza - should be good people watching.</p>
<p>Boy I used to have a fun life:).</p>
<p>Really warm, Aswan, Egypt…the Nile Cataract Hotel.</p>
<p>Rather than a train to Rome (especialy if you’re on a tight schedule - which I consider 2 weeks to be) check out fares on Ryan Air. It is a nice short flight to Rome, and usually the fares are dirt cheap. (We paid 28€ plus a rather hefty tax.) </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/[/url]”>http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/</a></p>
<p>The only slight drawback is that the airport they use in Paris is farther out than CDG. The good news is that they are the only airline at that airport and you are out of there in a flash! It’s simple to hire a car service or shuttle. There is info on how to get to the ariport here:
<a href=“http://beauvais.airport-paris.com/bus-transfer.htm[/url]”>http://beauvais.airport-paris.com/bus-transfer.htm</a></p>
<p>Ryan Air is a no-frills, just-get-you-there-with-a-minimum-of-fuss kind of an airlines. I loved it. (I like quick.) They do have baggage restrictions some people have an issue with. But I found them plenty generous - if you can’t bring your luggage on there, you won’t be happy with being overpacked anyway.</p>
<p>OMG I adore Rome. It’s the BEST. Christmas there would be divine.</p>
<p>So many fabulous choices! Any great Rome hotel ideas other than the Hassler which Tom Cruise has ruined for me!</p>
<p>Overseas, are there safety issues for Americans in Egypt? Is the hotel luxury? This is a second honeymoon, the first was last summer!</p>
<p>If you go to Italy take a couple of days to see Venice. I was there this summer with a group of Girl Scouts girls and Moms as part of a 4 week Europe trip - it was the place we wished we had more time in. I want to go back. There is an overnight train between Paris and Venice. If you are wanting to see a few places consider getting a train pass (unless you are driving).</p>
<p>kirmum, europeans go en masse to egypt all the time. Don’t dress like an american, keep a low profile, and you should be fine.</p>
<p>Rome hotels:</p>
<p>Ponte Sisto (my FAVORITE) <a href=“http://www.hotelpontesisto.it/web/[/url]”>http://www.hotelpontesisto.it/web/</a>
Albergo Del Senato (everybody else’s favorite) <a href=“http://www.albergodelsenato.it/[/url]”>http://www.albergodelsenato.it/</a>
Hotel Teatro di Pompeo <a href=“http://www.hotelpontesisto.it/web/[/url]”>http://www.hotelpontesisto.it/web/</a></p>
<p>We have also rented an apartment:
<a href=“http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/review.asp?n=1530[/url]”>http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/review.asp?n=1530</a></p>
<p>Lots of others - check tripadvisor.com.</p>
<p>Still the best European travel advice on slowtrav.com.
<a href=“http://slowtalk.com/eve/ubb.x[/url]”>http://slowtalk.com/eve/ubb.x</a></p>
<p>I want to revive this. We have decided on a week in Egypt and one in Rome. All recommendations will be very much appreciated. Especially restaurants.</p>
<p>Also looks like I’m going to spend a few days first in Dubrovnik on business. Who has been and what can you tell me?</p>
<p>Idid this trip in 1984–10 days in Rome and 10 in egypt. </p>
<p>In Rome, I like to stay in apartments in or around the Piazza Popolo or Navonna (very festive before Christmas) or Pantheon because the shopping for fresh food is soooo wonderful. <a href=“http://italyperfect.com%5B/url%5D”>http://italyperfect.com</a> . The Vatican is virutally empty in December. Go first thing and motor like marmots to the Sistine Chapel where you can spend an hour or so alone with those paintings. Wowza.</p>
<p>If you are not familiar with the city layout, invest in a Streetwise Rome map. Out of the way tours might inlcude Villa D’este–but make sure it’s open. It often closes for unheard of holidays. If you love heights–try climbing to the top of the dome of St Peter’s. That’s a family favorite in our house.</p>
<p>Buy the Blue Book guide for Egypt–and Rome–it has wonderful art and architecture excerpts. <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Guide-Rome-Ninth/dp/0393328872[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Guide-Rome-Ninth/dp/0393328872</a></p>
<p>It’s difficult to eat a poor meal in Rome but here is a good list of 10 restaurants including the one that Tom Cruise recently visited–which I happen to love too (Nino’s) <a href=“http://www.10best.com/Rome,Italy/Restaurants/Regional/index.html[/url]”>http://www.10best.com/Rome,Italy/Restaurants/Regional/index.html</a></p>
<p>In Egypt–leave at least a full day or two half days for the Egyptian Museum. Be prepared for surreal heat and dust. Visit as many bazaars and markets as you can. Visit the Hatshepshut temple. If you know anyone in Cairo or youknow anyone who knows anyone in Cairo–see if you can wrangle a home visit. The Egyptians are full of warm hospitality–it is at the core of their culture. If you don’t get to know a local you might miss that…</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>Note that the Vatican Museum has new winter hours - and they are not very good:</p>
<p><a href=“■■■■■■■■■■■■■: Build a Site, Sell Your Stuff, Start a Blog & More”>■■■■■■■■■■■■■: Build a Site, Sell Your Stuff, Start a Blog & More;
<p>(By the way, if you are inclined to do any really high quality walking tours in Rome that web site is the way to go. Expensive though.)</p>
<p>Are you going to the Red Sea or staying on the Nile? If hanging around Cairo & environs, take the cruise from Luxor to Aswan. Train goes from Cairo to Luxor and then boat from Luxor to Aswan and fly back. Or vice versa.</p>
<p>I have been twice and there is nothing in the world like this trip.</p>
<p>In Cairo, the Naguib Mahfouz Coffee Shop if you go to the Khan El Khalili to shop. I just stayed at the Semiramis Intercontinental hotel for a school conference in early November and the restaurants were great. Remember eat only fully cooked meals, no salads etc. I have eaten at sawdust-covered floor cafes, but fully cooked only!</p>
<p>By the way, great wifi access and it’s free at Cairo International Airport for you traveling computer folks.</p>
<p>Weather should be perfect this winter!</p>
<p>It can certainly be chilly in Rome in winter, but you’ll have a great time. It’s been too long for me to recommend anything. Is the gelato place near the Pantheon still around?</p>
<p>Dubrovnik - my parents are big fans and went there several times the the 1980s. Since my sister and I have left home, they have gone wild and seem to be on holiday most of the time, including returning to Dubrovnik several times (I see these threads on CC about “empty nesters” and think my parents are sooooo happy we’ve left and they can get on with their lives). I have been there myself but I was too young to remember. However, I do have a Moscow 1980 Olympic bear wearing a Yugoslavia uniform which I was given on that holiday when I was 2 
. Beautiful beaches and everyone goes sailing there.</p>