<p>EEH, the monsoons usually arrive in Goa in mid-June...It can pour non-stop for a few days, and then be dry for a week. I hate the rain when the weather is cold, but if it is a warm rain, why then you go out and play in it!!!</p>
<p>I have heard that in the past couple of years India has been promoting itself as a monsoon destination, and drawing quite the crowds from visitors that live in the arid Middle East.</p>
<p>You probably should ask a few questions of the profs. who travel with the students to Goa every June. What have their experiences been in the past monsoons. Is there more disease during the rainy season?</p>
<p>Goa. How many opportunities will you have to visit a place like India with a quasi-safety net/safe haven to retreat to like the university you will be staying at and college resources to help you get started? On the other hand, Florence is VERY touristy and should you decide to visit it at a later time, you will find more resources to construct a trip than you would if you tried for Goa. Also, China and India are fast growers. It might benefit you (depending on your intended field of study/career) to have a firsthand look at where the growth will be in the world in the next few decades. </p>
<p>Now if it were a longer trip like a year, I would suggest Italy because you could Ryanair to different places in Europe on the weekends and experience a whole lot that way. Six weeks, however, wouldn't relaly afford you this opportunity.</p>
<p>Tourists shouldn't visit 'touristy' spots.....gotta love it. By that reasoning, only remote third world spots should be visited. Wouldn't that be a narrow itinerary....</p>
<p>Whether you travel to Goa or Florence, you are a tourist. Both places have hosted toursits of one kind or another for centuries....no biggie.</p>