gracegv

Hi,

My husband and I (both in our late 20s) are planning our first trip to Europe in September. I'd love to hear comments and suggestions about our itinerary.

Sept. 10: Arrive at Paris, 3pm. (Staying at Muguet Hotel) Spend the afternoon walking around the city to deal with the jetlagg (maybe do Rick Steve's Historic Walk: (Ile de la Cité, Notre-Dame, Latin Quarter y Sainte-Chapelle). Early dinner.

Sept. 11: Champs-Elysées walk ( Arc de Triomphe to Tuileries Garden), Louvre and Orsay. Take a walk in Rue Cler and buy food for a dinner picnic.

Sept. 12: Versailles. If possible, come back to do a Marais walk. Dinner on Ile St. Louis and late walk by Notre-Dame area.

Sept. 13: Disneyland day trip. (My husband has never been to Disney, and I've dreamed about going on a fun disney day trip with him before we have kids).

Sept. 14: Early walk by Rue Cler, have breakfast there and pick up food for a later lunch picnic. Eiffel tower followed by picnic. Left bank walk, and finish the day (and our days in Paris) with a Seine river cruise and dinner.

Sept. 15-17: Brugges. (Staying at Castle ten Berghe). We will only have one day and a half there, so...walk around the city, rent bikes, drink beer and eat chocolate.

Sept. 17: Train to Geneva, Switzerland. After picking up our Swiss Passes (which we have ordered and need to pick up at the airport) take a train to Montreux. Spend the afternoon there, visit the Chateau de Chillon, stroll around the lake and have a nice dinner.

Sept. 18: Golden Pass Panoramic train ride (with VIP seats) to Interlaken. Have lunch at Interlaken before heading up to Murren (staying at Eiger Guesthouse).

Sept 18-21: Spend our time exploring the Jungfrau area. (Visit to Jungfraujoch, Shlithorn (have breakfast at the Piz Gloria)) and hike around.

Sept. 21: Train to Venice via Milano. (6.5 hours). Arrive at Venice late evening.

Sept. 21-24: Spend our time in Venice, we will only get 2 full days there. Explore the city and finish with a gondola (with serenate) ride on our last night.

Sept. 24th: Head home.
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PLEASE let me know if we are missing something mayor or if there's something we MUST do in any of this places. I would greatly appreciate it!!!

Gretchen

Really honest and truly, you don't have enough time in Paris to go to Disneyland, in my opinion. It is really a small park, from what I've read--maybe even pseudo-Disney. You are already doing another day trip, which with only 4 days in Paris, I always advise NOT doing Versailles either.
Your first evening would be a good time to take the Seine boat ride before dinner. Get a bottle of wine and glasses to take aboard to toast your first view of Paris. Do NOT have dinner ON the cruise. Waste of time and money--and the opportunity for a good Paris meal at a restaurant.

gracegv

Thank you Gretchen for your advice! I will defenitely look into droping either both day trips or at least the Disneyland part.
I thought dinner ON the cruise was the way to go, but from what you tell me I will stick with having it at a restaurant. Any good cruise company suggestions?

gracegv

Do the rest of the days in Paris sound good/make sense?

BarbAnn

Gracegv: I grew up in the shadow of the Matterhorn (near Disneyland in Anaheim). Needless to say I have visited it MANY times. A few years ago we were in Paris with our son. He wanted to go to Disneyland Paris. So we went. All I could think as we walked through it is that Walt must be turning over in his grave. It is not nearly as nice as Disneyland (or as big). Rude employees, many people cutting in front of the lines, dirty (Disneyland is a stickler for everything being clean & tidy). Not worth going. I'd rather visit the original D-land or WDW. JMHO.

Gretchen

The "cruise" is not really a "cruise". It is an hour boat trip up and down the Seine, and we prefer the one leaving from the Pont Neuf. It costs 15E or such and you can get a discount coupon online.We like to do it late day/early evening so you leave in dusk and the lights of the city are coming up as you go along, usually reaching the Eiffel tower as it has started its twinkling.
I think your ideas are fine. They aren't very "expansive". The Rodin and the Cluny museums are so good. And our real favorite is the Carnavalet. It is the history of Paris IN art of the time. VERY revealing and interesting. It doesn't take a long time.
You are also I think spending a lot of time in Switzerland--I can get caught up on mountain scenery pretty quickly.BUT it is gorgeous, and it depends on what you want to do.
We have stayed at the Muguet and loved doing it. You can breakfast at the Cafe Marche (don't eat another meal there!!) or you can stand at a cafe. Or you can eat at the Muguet.
I think you haven't really looked hard at what is possible in Paris, since you chose to leave it for 2 of your 4 days. I am not a huge fan of Montmartre, but it is certainly a possibility. You talk a lot about walking around, etc. You are eating a lot of picnics. Do you want any even half way good Parisian meals. They don't have to break the bank.

BarbAnn

I also wanted to add that I have visited all the places you are visiting. On our last trip to Venice, we took the Doge's Palace Secret Itinerary Tour. It was fabulous.
http://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en...erari-segreti/

Also, Switzerland is extremely expensive. You can purchase food (cheese, yogurt, bread, fruit etc.) at the Coop markets and take it on the trains with you. Personally, I would not stop in Interlaken for lunch. Continue on to Murren. I love, love, love the B.O. So will you. Have fun.

nytraveler

This is not a cruise - it's a float down a quite narrow river to see buildings along the banks. Definitely do NOT eat on the boat - I would have an early dinner (you can probably find a place open at 7:30) and THEN take the boat ride after dark. Agree to bag Disney (any Disney, any time) and consider if you really want to do Versailles. There is so much in Paris to see/do that you don;t have listed (and packing the d'Orsay and the Louvre into one day is really heavy).

keedm002

Hi Grace,

My fiancee and I are similar age, and visited Paris in February this year.

Firstly - you are so close to the Eiffel Tower, you could visit on your first afternoon? We watched the sun set from it and it was stunning. Plus, it is a very awing experience when you first arrive in Paris.

Another suggestion is to visit the Louvre at night, on Wednesday's it is open until 9:45pm. We did this and thought it was stunning at night, it is actually where my fiancee proposed!

Also, contrary to what everyone has said - I too had never been to Disneyland (my fiancee has) and we had a great time. It was a lot of fun and broke up all the history and architecture of Paris.

For restaurant deals and to book restaurants without having to worry about being lost in translation, book online at http://www.thefork.com/ We used this website a lot and it was very handy.

We spent a night in Versaille and enjoyed that, I am not sure if I would recommend it without staying overnight (our main attraction was the beautiful hotel we stayed in and its proximity to the Chateau). I guess it depends on how interested you are in it, it is an incredible building although you are limited as to where you can go in it (lots of roped off areas).

We also stayed in Le Marais district and I don't think there was much to see in it - but again, up to your personal interests.

Also we really enjoyed walking to Place Vendome/Opera Garnier/Blv Haussman and also walking to the Sacre Coure. We got a bit lost walking there (kind of missed it and went the back way) but had an unreal petit dejeuner (hot choc, croissant and fresh oj) at a local cafe which turned out to be our best breakfast!

amamax2

Like BarbAnn, I too have been to all these places.

Your trip looks fine to me, except, as others have said, the Paris part. I just came back from my 4th trip to Paris and only this time did I make it to Versaille. I will admit to going to Disneyland on another of our trips (we are Disney fanatics! Loved it there but would not spend the time doing it on a first, short trip.)

Since this was our 4th trip, we did two day trips out of our four days in Paris, and it was waaaaaay too much! We felt like we didn't get to enjoy Paris at all. Like others, I would encourage you to stay in Paris this time (you will be back, trust me.)

Again, like BarbAnn, when we went to Venice, we did the Secret Itinerary Tour. This was my on DS's birthday request. It was great!

Maud_Martin

Hello !

If you have a little time in Paris, I advice you to go to Montparnasse Tower. It is the most beautiful view of Paris and you can even see the Eiffel Tower from there ! Moreover, it is located in a great area of Paris where you can eat delicious "crêpes bretonnes"

This is the facebook page of the tower ; you should take a look ! http://www.facebook.com/MontparnasseTower.Top.of.Paris

Have a nice trip, I hope you will enjoy your stay !

Pepper_von_snoot

Be very careful of having breakfast up at Piz Gloria.

Lots of people suffwe altitude sickness because the gondola from Murren goes up to the Schilthorn rather quickly.

Add to that a revolving restaurant and you can have trouble.

I would take a Bonine tablet before going up.

One of the nicest views in the BO is from the Panoramaweg at Schynige Platte. You can look down over Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

Thin

gracegv

BarbAnn: We absolutely love the mountains, hiking a bit, and nature overall, so we are very excited about our time in Switzerland. We got a half board at the hotel, so breakfast and dinner are already paid for. I do think we should get some food to go on picnics though, since we plan to hike around a bit and would love to stop and have lunch whenever we find a spot we love. As for Venice, I will for sure look into the tour you mentioned, thank you

Gretchen: We are not TOO into museums, which is why we only plan on paying a visit to Louvre and Orsay. Other than that, what we are interested in is more on the side of walking the Rue Cler and buying groceries for a picnic, etc. The boat you suggested (and time to take it) sounds amazing, we are defenitely doing that, either on our first or last night

keedm002: I like your idea of starting the trip with a visit to the Eiffel tower! Sounds like you and your fiancee (congrats!) had a similar trip in mind than the one we are hoping to do. I'd love to hear more about restaurants you liked and stuff not to be missed from you

MaudMartin: I absolutely loved the view you showed me. We are going there for sure!

amamax2: I am defenitely thinking about Versailles and Disney, since most people seem to think I must drop them (at least one of them). We dont live in the US, and my husband has never been to Disney (I, too, am a disney fan). I thought it would be a nice thing to take him there and experience it as a couple (even if it isnt as nice as the US parks) before we have kids. With that being said, would you still advice me to drop it this time? I think it's different going as a couple with no kids than later on in life with kids. This is a surprise trip for my husband, so he has no idea where we are going, and once there will have no idea what we are doing, which is why I am trying to make it as special as possible

Pepper_von_snoot: That is some really good advice on the Piz Gloria, we will take some meds before for sure! THANK you!!

keedm002

Hi Grace,

Well the standout meal we had was at L'Astrance, which is a 3 star Michelin restaurant - said by some to be one of the best in the world. If you are after a very special meal I highly recommend it, especially at lunch, where it is a fraction of the price of dinner (but still expensive)at 70 euro each or 110 with wine pairing. You get around 7 or 8 courses and we didn't have any breakfast or dinner. It is located near the Trocadero Gardens, in a side street off New York Avenue.


For picnic food, you could try Marché Richard Lenoir, open on Thursday's and Sunday's. We went here and the fresh, handmade churros were one of the culinary highlights of our trip!! However, I am sure others can recommend a market closer to you.

If you walk down Champs Elysee, make sure you visit the Abercrombie and Fitch store - in a palace or similar with huge gates. It is a very unexpected store but I don't want to give it away!

Strawberry_fields

I have to agree with most of the feedback you got. I would also stay in Paris these 4 days, you'll have plenty of things to do and enjoy there and it's too short a visit to go on day trips. Disneyland Paris would be last on my list as well. Nothing to do with the original park really. Versailles is gorgeous, but you should leave it for the next time you come and really make the most of it.

As somebody else suggested, I think you should go on the boat cruise on your first evening , just to get a feel for the city on day one. I would recommend Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf, which offer smaller boats than other companies and so fewer people as well. If you buy your tickets online you'll save 5 euros and only pay 8.

http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.fr/index.htm

Le Marais is a wonderful area to visit, full of wonderful architecture, little museums and gardens, and great shops and cafes. I took a walking tour of the area and really enjoyed it (historical facts + fun stories and a charming guide). It was free/tip-supported so that made it even better!

http://www.discoverwalks.com/paris-w...s-marais-tour/

You will love Venice, and you have chosen wonderful areas around Switzerland as well, so I'm sure you will have a great trip.

viapanam

Bruges is one of my favorite cities, although be prepared for the crowds. In the summer, the number of tourists are overwhelming. I would suggest that you go out early in the morning and late in the evening for strolls - before and after the tour buses arrive. Should you be so inclined, there is a wonderful opera "Die Tote Stadt" that takes place in Bruges. The music is atmospheric and sets the perfect mood for the Venice of the North. Enjoy your trip.

Pepper_von_snoot

--you will love venice--

you will not love the crowds. you will face a 'tsunami' of tourists in certain areas, what i call the 'arc of fire'--the parade of people that runs from santa maria train station, up through the list di spagna to the strada nouva to the rialto bridge and then down the streets to piazza san marco.

try to visit the calm areas of venice--the jewish ghetto, madonna del orto, aresenale, fondamente nouve, via garibaldi and the biennale gardens, campo san giacomo--the most beautiful of all the campos in venice, campo margherita, and the zatere.

the most beautiful and interesting church in venice is the frari.

you must also visit the peggy guggenheim collection if you have the time.

it is too bad that you missed the diana vreeland exhibit at the fortuny museum. it was really fascinating.

have fun.

sorry for my typing but i am posting from my phone.

thin

amamax2

grace,

I am a firm believer that it is your vacation and if there is something you really want to do, you should.

Asking for advice is smart, and will often reveal if plans are too ambitious, not realistic, you've misunderstood something, give you reasons to change your plans or ideas for something "better." But sometimes it comes down to personal taste and interests.

Disneyland Paris is always somewhat controversial, lol. Many people cannot fathom why anyone would want to go to Disneyland when in Paris. But Disney fanatics know. Going there was absolutely one of our favorite things that trip, and our teens begged to return there this past trip. We loved it and did not find it dirty or a disappointment (and we have been annual pass holders to Disneyland - CA for years and have also been to WDW.)

Given what you have said about how much you want to go, I would say go to Disneyland for the day. Just don't go on a Wed, as Paris kids only have a half day of school and it is very crowded!

ssander

One more thing about Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf...

As far as I can tell, it is the ONLY cruise that allows you to buy your ticket online in advance without having to specify a date and time. This is very important, since you'll want the flexibility to do the river cruise when the weather is nice.

And if I only had 4 days in Paris, I'd skip Disneyland and, unless you are really into it, Versailles. Versailles is beautiful, but, even if you arrive when it opens, you likely won't be back in the city till mid-afternoon.

If nothing else, you want to cut down on time used in transport (Versailles ~an hour each way)...since, with only 4 days, every hour counts.

Just MHO.

SS

Bitter

A few comments: Depending on you ability to sleep on planes, you may not cover as much ground as you would like the first day.

Really try to see St. Chappelle, period. And do so during the day, so the sun floods in.

I like the idea of walking in Paris, but you may want to scale back your walks for purposes of time. I don't recall how long of a walk it is from the Arc to the Louvre, but a cab ride might be more bang for the buck/time commitment. Not sure about your other walks.

Frankly, you can get a lot of walking in just by hiking to and through each site/museum.

The Louvre and perhaps other museums have a kind of "must see" guide to help you hit the highlights, if you aren't a big fan and/or just aren't in the mood.

Even if you aren't a huge museum fan, get the museum card. You can spend 5 minutes in a museum, if even to use the bathroom, and not feel like you didn't get your value.

Despite its tourism and cheesiness, we have always enjoyed Sacre Cour and the Place de Tertre. We usually have gone in the evening, when it is filled with life and, well, tackiness.

I, too, would skip Disney and Versaille this trip.