16 days in France & Sardinia Itinerary

France has been the world's most popular tourist destination for decades, and geographically, it is one of the most diverse countries in Europe. Its cities are holiday hot spots and contain some of the greatest treasures in Europe, its countryside is prosperous and well tended, and it boasts dozens of major tourist attractions, like Paris, the French Riviera, the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport resorts of the French Alps, as well as the castles of the Loire Valley, Brittany, and Normandy. The country is renowned for its gastronomy, particularly wines and cheeses, as well as its history, culture, and fashion industry.

You'll find that the French people are very polite and may react coldly to you if you forget this. You might be surprised as you're greeted by other customers and the proprieter when you walk into a restaurant or a shop. Be sure to take your sightseeing off the beaten path in France. Besides the famous Eiffel Tower and the chic resorts of the Côte d'Azur (French Riviera) you'll find many places to visit in the form of museums filled with fine art, crafts, and archaeological relics, wonderful medieval villages and castles, diverse national parks, and local shopping direct from artisans themselves.

Whether you're touring the Christmas Markets or going skiing during winter, viewing the springtime influx of color in Provence, sunbathing on the Mediterranean coast in the summer, or watching the fall foliage against the backdrop of the châteaux in the Loire Valley, you're sure to find just the right place to be. Spring is a time when the tourist attractions are just starting to expand their hours, but it may still be cold in the mountainous regions and the north. Summer is the busiest time in France with the longest hours for many museums and attractions, but it's often when you will experience the most crowds. Winter in France is filled with winter carnivals, Christmas Markets, and of course, skiing. Fall is a time to celebrate the release of Beaujolais nouveau wine in November, as well as experience Nuit Blanche, a day in October when major attractions, museums, galleries, parks, and swimming pools remain open all night.

Sardinia, with its Mediterranean atmosphere and charm, is loved by visitors looking for things to do outdoors on their holiday, like swimming, boating, windsurfing, hiking, climbing, and camping. Taking advantage of the island's near-perfect summer weather, visitors tend to overcrowd Sardinia's coastal areas. The inner life of the island, away from the most popular vacation spots, remains largely unblemished by mass tourism and commercialization. Sardinia is steeped in history and has a colorful character quite different from the rest of Italy. This is where the ancient Nuragic society, whose stone monuments still litter the land, flourished more than three millennia ago--predating the Etruscan civilization in mainland Italy by several hundred years. Sardinia's seaside resorts may be among the best in the world, but its quieter and more interesting countryside offers a greater array of attractions, including a patchwork of forests, citrus groves, and medieval villages.