Just booked tickets to Europe for late this summer. If anybody feels strongly about any hotels/areas/restaurants/sights in Rome or Florence or Barcelona I'd appreciate it. The rest of our time will be spent in southern Spain which I know very well.

Rome especially I want to make sure I get a hotel in the right area.... and would like to spend less than $250/night. We'll only have 3 days in Rome which I hope is enough.

Barcelona I've never been too but figure we'll see the cathedral of the sacred family or whatever that crazy one is called... other than that not sure what to do...

Can't wait...

 

Oh and btw got round trip tickets flying into rome and out of Malaga for $720/person.

Cheap international airfare FTW!!!!

 

In Barcelona, check out Camp Nou. It's awesome.

 

Been to all 3.

Barcelona.

Of course, Sagrada Familia. Very very very very impressive. Even for myself.

Park Guell is pretty nice as well. The other Gaudi house is ok, nothing really wild. They have art exposed inside ... it was modern art when I went ... not my cup of tea to put it mildly.

Do not miss the fountains on whichever avenue comes down from the big palace thing. (I am conscious this doesn't tell much ... lemme google it up). Montjuic Fountains. They stop at 10 or 11pm. We missed them 3 days in a row, a shame.

Palau de la Musica is great as well, although I wish we could've spent more time.

Just dump the car, forget your map and bike around, it really is the best.

There is this cocktail/shooter bar, super famous. Overcrowded. But make sure you get a mojito somewhere. Best I've had. Have a couple. A ride the bike back on the pier.

Crap, I really can't remember any specifics about my stay in Barcelona ... I just know we had a blast.

You're landing in Malaga? If you get the chance to stop in Granada and check the Alhambra ... definitely the highlight of my spanish tour!

Rome ... you won't have enough of 3 days unless you run from attraction to attraction. Pick a couple and try to chill around.

Florence is smaller ... I only remember the big church and the bridge.



Wow ... I wouldn't make a good tourist host. "go see the castle thing and the bridge thing".

 

Hotel Lorenzo Il Magnifico in Florence. The owner took me for a ride in his Ferrari 288 GTO.

 

As for the south of Spain we will take an overnight train from Barcelona to Cordoba, spend a day there (my favorite city), next day we will see the Alahmbra in the morning and head down to the coast late afternoon to check into hotel in Marbella for the remainder of the trip which we plan on being a bit more luxurious than the previous week.... try and catch a bull fight in Ronda, lunch in Mijas, dinners at puerto banus... maybe some golf and definitely some spa action...

 

Oh man... this sounds like a great trip. Have fun bud!

 

3 days in Rome should be enough, we were there for 2 and saw 90% of the main attractions etc - at this time of year alot of it can be seen at night too. Hotel Mediterraneo is a good place to stay (cant remember how expensive but not excessive). Close to main train station in Rome and an easy walk to Via Venetto shopping area, spanish steps and trevi fountain as well as a host of the Piazzas such as Piazza Nuvono that Rome is so famous for. Make sure you take a half day trip to Tivoli (1 hour by bus) and go to Villa d este - just beautiful. The hotel can arrange for you, it is well worth it! Watch out for getting ripped off, we paid 18 euro each for an ice cream cone near Trevi fountain one night!!!!! Florence is great too - if you like walking around you can stroll around all day and see most of it. You are going to love it.....

 

For Florence: Florence Hotels: Hotel Savoy Official Site, Luxury Florence Hotel in Italy, A Rocco Forte Hotel

 

For Rome check out the Boscolo Exedra hotel near Roma Termini. It's a nice place to stay and is central to the main tourist spots.