Thoughts on itinerary.......Only trip to Europe
Feb 28th, 2012, 05:21 AM
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Thoughts on itinerary.......Only trip to Europe
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Paris 8 am Car to Normandy
Day 2 Normandy (DDay tour w guide)
Day 3 Normandy (Mont st Michel)
Day 4 Train back to Paris (return car at train station) see Eiffel tower at night
Day 5 Paris (Army Museum, Napoleons Tomb, Arc de Triumph)
Day 6 Paris (Notre Dame and Tower (climb early), Louvre, Trocadero)
Day 7 Train Paris to London
Day 8 London (Buckingham Palace, Churchill War Rooms, West. Abby, Big Ben)
Day 9 London (London Eye, Tower of London, St Pauls Cathedral)
Day 10 Easy Jet London to Rome
Day 11 Rome (Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Basilica)
Day 12 (Colosseum, Capitol Hill, Pantheon, Catacombs)
Day 13 Rome Borghese Gallery, Spanish Steps, Capp. Crypt, Cat. of Priscilla, Trevi Fount.
Day 14 Travel Home
Day 1 Arrive Paris 8 am Car to Normandy
Day 2 Normandy (DDay tour w guide)
Day 3 Normandy (Mont st Michel)
Day 4 Train back to Paris (return car at train station) see Eiffel tower at night
Day 5 Paris (Army Museum, Napoleons Tomb, Arc de Triumph)
Day 6 Paris (Notre Dame and Tower (climb early), Louvre, Trocadero)
Day 7 Train Paris to London
Day 8 London (Buckingham Palace, Churchill War Rooms, West. Abby, Big Ben)
Day 9 London (London Eye, Tower of London, St Pauls Cathedral)
Day 10 Easy Jet London to Rome
Day 11 Rome (Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Basilica)
Day 12 (Colosseum, Capitol Hill, Pantheon, Catacombs)
Day 13 Rome Borghese Gallery, Spanish Steps, Capp. Crypt, Cat. of Priscilla, Trevi Fount.
Day 14 Travel Home
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:01 AM
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Welcome and great to see a another convert.
I'll give a first pass...
First day, you will be jet-lagged. Driving directly to Normandy will be a test of strength. Options...plan for stop, or take train from Paris to ?? (Caen?)
Good amount of time for Normandy. Are you staying on the Mont?
Approach Eiffel via Trocadero (I see you have it later). At some point, build in a Seine Cruise, at night
Day5/6, since Louvre is near Arc, re-group. With two days...how about day 1: Military, Nap, then go to Place des Vosges and wander Marais. Day 2, Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Ile St louis, lunch. Then go to Louvre, Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, look up Camps, Arc....
London: I would do in this order: Covent Garden, Trafalgar, walk down to Westminster, Horses Guard, War Rooms, Westminster Parliament...back up and then head up Mall, St James park, St James palace, Buck.
Day 9 , do Tower first, before crowds.
I'll give a first pass...
First day, you will be jet-lagged. Driving directly to Normandy will be a test of strength. Options...plan for stop, or take train from Paris to ?? (Caen?)
Good amount of time for Normandy. Are you staying on the Mont?
Approach Eiffel via Trocadero (I see you have it later). At some point, build in a Seine Cruise, at night
Day5/6, since Louvre is near Arc, re-group. With two days...how about day 1: Military, Nap, then go to Place des Vosges and wander Marais. Day 2, Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Ile St louis, lunch. Then go to Louvre, Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, look up Camps, Arc....
London: I would do in this order: Covent Garden, Trafalgar, walk down to Westminster, Horses Guard, War Rooms, Westminster Parliament...back up and then head up Mall, St James park, St James palace, Buck.
Day 9 , do Tower first, before crowds.
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:01 AM
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Just wondering why you are starting in paris, back tracking to london and then across france to rome? would it be possible to start in london, train to paris and then either train or fly to rome? you are hitting the high points of each city and while this is do-able, you will be exhausted! there are other spots in paris we found lovely - sacre coeur, memorial deportee (near Notre Dame), Musee Orsay, etc. Be sure to take some time to sit in a cafe and relax, soak in the experience and people watch!
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:11 AM
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I understand that since this is your only trip to Europe you want to pack in as much as possible. I’d change up a few things, though:
1) Day 5 & 6, Paris: you’ve got a lot of Eiffel Tower in this trip; I’d say stick with your evening visit on day 4 and move onto other sights. For example, since you plan to visit the arc de Triumph on day 5, climb that instead—you’re rewarded with great views of Paris and of the Eiffel Tower. Then, with the time you save on day 5 not going all the way back to the ET after Notre Dame, spend more time on the Ile de la Cite and/or Ile St. Louis; grab some ice cream at Berthillon and just stroll around between your Notre Dame and Louvre visits.
2) For Rome, consider doing the Rick Steves ‘Night walk across Rome’ , which strings together the big outdoor sights like the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, etc., so you can free up more time during the day to linger at museums (like the Capitoline, which I assume is what you’re going to see on Capitol Hill).
1) Day 5 & 6, Paris: you’ve got a lot of Eiffel Tower in this trip; I’d say stick with your evening visit on day 4 and move onto other sights. For example, since you plan to visit the arc de Triumph on day 5, climb that instead—you’re rewarded with great views of Paris and of the Eiffel Tower. Then, with the time you save on day 5 not going all the way back to the ET after Notre Dame, spend more time on the Ile de la Cite and/or Ile St. Louis; grab some ice cream at Berthillon and just stroll around between your Notre Dame and Louvre visits.
2) For Rome, consider doing the Rick Steves ‘Night walk across Rome’ , which strings together the big outdoor sights like the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, etc., so you can free up more time during the day to linger at museums (like the Capitoline, which I assume is what you’re going to see on Capitol Hill).
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:11 AM
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I understand your wanting to pack in as much as you possibly can, since it's your only trip, but some days do look exhausting - I personally can't imagine getting through Day 8 in a cheerful condition, for example (will you have time to move something to Day 7, perhaps?), and I wouldn't personally do Notre Dame and the Louvre in one day (Trocadero is just going there and looking at the Eiffel Tower, or ??). Of course, you may not want to spend as much time in each museum/church etc. as I might. You can also save some time buying tickets in advance to jump the lines.
Over the years, I've tried to work more on giving myself "permission" to do less while travelling, to take breaks and just sit in a park or a café and watch the world go by, to go back to the hotel early if I feel like it, etc. and I think it makes for a more pleasurable experience overall.
However, having said that, your itinerary doesn't look crazy or poorly-thought-out to me (I've been to all of these places except Normandy and most of the sights mentioned, although not altogether in one short trip like this). Maybe prioritise your must-sees for the morning of each day and be ready to skip a couple of sights if on the day you don't really feel like dragging yourself all over the city.
Over the years, I've tried to work more on giving myself "permission" to do less while travelling, to take breaks and just sit in a park or a café and watch the world go by, to go back to the hotel early if I feel like it, etc. and I think it makes for a more pleasurable experience overall.
However, having said that, your itinerary doesn't look crazy or poorly-thought-out to me (I've been to all of these places except Normandy and most of the sights mentioned, although not altogether in one short trip like this). Maybe prioritise your must-sees for the morning of each day and be ready to skip a couple of sights if on the day you don't really feel like dragging yourself all over the city.
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:12 AM
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Thanks Michel, we are staying on the Mont, which is why we opted for a car. The changes you suggest sound like a much smoother flow, as I am looking at maps. Thanks!
Cmeyer we are starting from Paris as we booked award tickets 6 miths ago when initially starting to plan, and it was hard to get 4 seats on one flight, so we took what we could get. We will definatly try to take the time to enjoy as you suggest. Perhaps we can do as you suggest while eating casually during our trip in different areas.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I may have wnother question or two as I look more closely at your lovely suggestions!
Cmeyer we are starting from Paris as we booked award tickets 6 miths ago when initially starting to plan, and it was hard to get 4 seats on one flight, so we took what we could get. We will definatly try to take the time to enjoy as you suggest. Perhaps we can do as you suggest while eating casually during our trip in different areas.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I may have wnother question or two as I look more closely at your lovely suggestions!
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:21 AM
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Oops, a mistake on the Trocadero, it should heave moved with the Eiffel Tower when i changed something.
gwan I like your idea of prioritzing aights and giving ourselves "permission" to miss something if we are feeling like it.
Michel it is booked and would cost to shift things at this point. Do you think it is necessary, or doable?
gwan I like your idea of prioritzing aights and giving ourselves "permission" to miss something if we are feeling like it.
Michel it is booked and would cost to shift things at this point. Do you think it is necessary, or doable?
Feb 28th, 2012, 06:46 AM
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Flights and hotels are booked?
If yes, then what I'd do is make sure to simplify the daily agenda. You may start the trip (after jet-lag) with lots of energy and great intentions to see everything 'in the plan', but tail off and be exhausted by the end.
Sadly, it may mean not seeing everything.
So, Day 4..what time to you get back?
Do you want to go up the Eiffel, or just see it at night? If just see, could do via Seine Cruise from either Place d'Alma, or west tip of Ile de la Cite (Vedettes du Pont Neuf).
The Arc is nice, Champs Elysee to get there is just OK. Could stand at end of CE and take pics (from Place de la Concorde)
Louvre...visit or see? It is huge, so if visit, plan well. Consider a tour.
Notre Dame area could fill 9am till...lunch time. Ile st Louis is good place for that, just behind cathedral. Also not bad place to browse some shops, have a Berthillon ice cream. So mid-afternoon be done here. Maybe you go from here to Marais/place des Vosges.
Other day...Louvre first thing, Tuileries, Champs/Arc...head over to Military and finish with Nap.
If yes, then what I'd do is make sure to simplify the daily agenda. You may start the trip (after jet-lag) with lots of energy and great intentions to see everything 'in the plan', but tail off and be exhausted by the end.
Sadly, it may mean not seeing everything.
So, Day 4..what time to you get back?
Do you want to go up the Eiffel, or just see it at night? If just see, could do via Seine Cruise from either Place d'Alma, or west tip of Ile de la Cite (Vedettes du Pont Neuf).
The Arc is nice, Champs Elysee to get there is just OK. Could stand at end of CE and take pics (from Place de la Concorde)
Louvre...visit or see? It is huge, so if visit, plan well. Consider a tour.
Notre Dame area could fill 9am till...lunch time. Ile st Louis is good place for that, just behind cathedral. Also not bad place to browse some shops, have a Berthillon ice cream. So mid-afternoon be done here. Maybe you go from here to Marais/place des Vosges.
Other day...Louvre first thing, Tuileries, Champs/Arc...head over to Military and finish with Nap.
Feb 28th, 2012, 07:20 AM
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As the others have said, you've grouped things pretty well (and have gotten good tweaks on this thread), but you'll be quite busy. You sound like you're okay with that - just be prepared!
As an FYI: You have to go through the Vatican Museums to get to the Sistine Chapel. It's essentially one long line through the most popular rooms, with the Sistine Chapel at the end. The Museums are certainly worth a visit themselves - just wanted you to be aware that you can't just pop in and see the chapel.
As an FYI: You have to go through the Vatican Museums to get to the Sistine Chapel. It's essentially one long line through the most popular rooms, with the Sistine Chapel at the end. The Museums are certainly worth a visit themselves - just wanted you to be aware that you can't just pop in and see the chapel.
