emmaline13

I'm planning a trip to london and paris, I'm not sure when I'll be going, sometime this year. I have 8 days and I was thinking 4 london, 4 paris. Should I just focus on one city or try and do both? I love art and museums....below is what I want to see can anyone help me narrow it down on what I should see? I know I don't have time for it all, any input?

London

British museum
National gallery
National portrait gallery
St. Paul's cathedral
Sr John soanes museum
Wallace collection
Westminster abbey
China town
Borough market
Buckingham palace
Big Ben
Parliament
Courtauld gallery/somerset house
Tate modern
Tower of London
Banqueting house
London eye
Victoria and Albert museum
Temple church
Shakespeare's globe



Paris

Arc de triomphe
Conciergerie
Louvre
Musee marmottan Monet
Musee d'orsay
Musee Rodin
Norte dame
Pere lachaise
Eiffel Tower
Versailles

adrienne

With these sightseeing lists I would limit the trip to 1 city and see everything you want to see rather than just a sample of each city. Moving from one location to another will diminish your trip by about half a day (or perhaps a bit more), limiting you even further.

For Paris, I would add Ste-Chapelle plus a few more museums - Cluny, Orangerie, Jacquemart-Andre, Nissim de Camondo and some other churches - St-Sulpice, St-Germain-des-Pres, St-Eustache to name just a few. You could do some walking tours (usually 2 hours) and a concert

If you give yourself more time in each city you'll remember your trip as something special and not a blur of trying to fit things in.

As I write this I'm watching the last day of the Tour de France and seeing wonderful views of Paris as the riders enter the city!

mamcalice

I agree with Adrienne, with the list of things you would like to see, I would spend my 8 days in one or the other. Looks like you have a fairly exhaustive list for London - perhaps you would like to go there. London is a huge city and seeing everything on your list would take more than 8 days.

I would add a few things to Paris including Ste. Chapelle, a Seine river cruise, the Opera Garnier, Luxembourg Gardens, the Marais etc. And with 4 days, I would save Pere Lachaise and the Conciergerie and perhaps Versailles for another trip.

So...if you decide on 4 days in each, choose 2 or 3 things to see each day, group them geographically and save the rest for another time.

London and Paris are both wonderful - have fun choosing and planning.

nytraveler

If you really want to see all of those places - plus the usual relaxed cafe sitting or pub evenings you should definitely plan on just one place.

You don't say if the 8 days include the day you arrive and the day you depart - meaning you actually have more like 6.5 days. You will have trouble seeing all the sights listed in either city in that time.

(Both are sizable cities - don;t underestimate how long it will take you to get from one place to another - either by foot or tube/metro.)

blakejared

As reiterated by the above, each city can fill a week. Especially if you are interested in museums and art, since some of those museums actually take up most of a day if you're actually interested in them. You've listed a lot of places of interest, so that does mean you hope to see the city in more depth.

I've only visited each city once but I spent about 7 days in each city and that also allowed for 1-2 daytrips to towns close to the city. It also allows you to breathe which will increase enjoyment. Save a visit to the other city for next time!

Michael

If you have never been to either, I would split the time. I prefer Paris to London, others prefer the reverse. Get a taste of both and then decide which one you want to see in greater depth on another trip.

janisj

Do you have 8 days <u>total</u> or 8 days on the ground?

If 8 days total you won't even get to all the sites in ONE of the cities. 8 days nets you 5.5 days free to see/do things. And the first day is often a jet lagged fog.

If you really mean 10 or 11 days total - 7.5 to 8-ish days free) then you can get to more of those sites - but your London list alone is nearly two weeks worth.

So whether it is 8 days or 10-11 days - you want to see so much you really need to pick one. (Your Paris list is more manageable)

denisea

I can see both sides here but London and Paris in one trip is not a bad itinerary. I will admit, that was my first trip to either city ( I had a bit more time, but wasn't a Fodorite then).

I enjoyed the contrast of the two cities and truly enjoyed both. I also realize that no maater what you do, you won't see everything you want to see on the first trip. There is just too much to see and that't OK.

It will depend on the time of year as times of year that are less crwided with tourists will allow you to see more and stand in line less. It also depends on whether seeing the ET or ADT is enough or do you plan to go to the top?

If you do both, make sure you take the first Eurostar train in the AM to miaximize your time in the second city. As far as what to see, there is no should see. You have a good list of sites...for me the Conciergerie was disappointing. The Tower of London felt more sinister, so it paled in comparison. Your experience might differ.

crazyfamilyof4

as I am travelling can I just say .. you will not regret in any way going to only one of those cities. Personally I would do Paris over London . .but the great thing about London is there is no language barrier ... If you do choose both I would pay to do a taxi tour in London (HOHO takes way too long to see all the sites and a taxi tour costs the same I believe) and I would do a HOHO for Paris. Good luck with your planning!

emmaline13

If I just picked london how much could I fit In without seeing everything and seeing nothing? 2-3 attractions a day? It's 8 days excluding traveling days. I may be heading there mid november, how crowded will it be? I'm mainly interested in art & churches. I hate having a rigid schedule, do this today do this tomorrow etc. just need a general idea of how much I could see.

emmaline13

Since my main interest of this trip is to see beautiful art, which would you pick london or paris? So hard to decide!

janisj

In London count on making two <i>major</i> sites a day w/ often time for one semi-minor site.

You need to factor in travel time - London is huge and while the public transport is terrific/easy - it also takes time.

To give one possible grouping:

arrival day - no major sites - recover from jet lag and maybe a boat trip. walk in the parks etc.

one day: British museum/Sr John soanes museum/Temple church

one day: National gallery/National portrait gallery/Courtauld gallery/somerset house (a pretty 'gallery-heavy day but they are all near each other. Plus Covent Garden.

one day*: Tower of London/Borough market
one day*: St. Paul's cathedral/Tate modern/Shakespeare's globe

* these 5 sites are all convenient to each other but that is too much for one day so they can be divided up any which way.

one day: Banqueting house/Westminster abbey/London eye -- plus Buckingham palace, Big Ben and Parliament which are just 'walk-by's.

one day: Wallace collection/Victoria and Albert museum


China town whenever since I figure you mean for dinner

This is rushed but doable - but missing from your lists are Hampton Court Palace, the British Library, and Tate Britain (plus the Cabinet War Rooms/Churchill museum and Windsor which you probably wouldn't have time for)

janisj

didn't see your last short post - both cities have amazing art. But for sheer number of venues, I'd choose London.

Having said that, I'm returning to Paris for a few days in Oct just for art and a couple of special meals.

denisea

November is a good time since the tourist traffic is lower, hardly any lines at most sites.

janisj

Any time of year there will be lines at the Tower of London and the Louvre . . . but there are easy ways to get around those.

emmaline13

I'm leaning towards london just because there's more i want to see there. There's always another year isn't there? Thanks Janis so much, I'm trying to get the most out of this trip!

crazyfamilyof4

I agree with the above . . 2 sites a day and that is if you are full of energy and don't need down time.

Paris is AMAZING for art and culture etc ...just amazing but there is a lot to do in London.

tricky choice... you won't be disappointed either way ...perhaps do both as a taste teaser and just pick a couple of must sees . .. that way you won't be upset about missing out ...either way after 8 days in either city you would wish you had even more time.

I keep saying tgo my friends how long does it take to be in one of the places I have been to and feel like Idon't need to return . . I have been to Tuscany 4 times now for a total of around a month over the last 10years and I feel happy and that I have seen what I have wanted to see . . .Paris I am yet to feel that way and the same is said for London.

emmaline13

How does this look? doable? what to add? what's too much/discard?

one day/arrive-hyde park & london eye

one day/british museum

one day/ National gallery/National portrait gallery/Courtauld gallery/somerset house plus covent garden

one day/Wallace collection/Victoria and Albert museum

one day/travel to paris/eiffel tower

one day/lourve/musee d'orsay

one day/notre dame/conciergerie/saint chapelle

one day/musee marmottan monet

one day/fly home

adrienne

Do you want to visit the Eiffel Tower in the dark or daylight. If daylight then do it first thing in the morning, not on the day you arrive from London.

Louvre and Orsay in the same day is a bit much. I would put the Orsay and Rodin together and then combine the Marmottan and the Louvre (this is based on the size of the museums, one large, one smallish per day).

You can add something else on the Marmottan day as that museum is not large and won't take the entire day. And you'll have time on the Notre Dame day as well; perhaps just wandering around an area such as the Marais or Latin Quarter.

Is Buckingham Palace open in November?

These are suggestions on your updated itinerary. I'm not changing my mind about doing one city.

emmaline13

I guess you guys know and you say one city. That's just hard I guess thanks for all the help!