Luvs2travel2

We are going to Europe during the exact same time. We're spending a week in Paris and another week on a wine tour around France. I would love to add more destinations but my husband hates to move around so much. Good luck to you. Sounds like a blast!

janisj

OK - need some clarifications and some minor re-thinking.

D1: What do you mean by the National Museum? If that is the National <u>Gallery</u>, then yes it is right AT Trafalgar Square. Not quite sure what you are expecting of Charing Cross. It is a street.

D2: >><i>Westminster Abbey. Buckingham Palace for the changing of guards, maybe a quick tour. Lunch. A bit of Hyde Park (weather dependent). Royal Albert Hall OR Kensington Palace. Dinner. Big Ben.</i><<

When is your trip? Buckingham Palace is only open until the beginning of October. There is no such thing as a 'quick tour' of the Palace. It is by pre-purchased, timed tickets only and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. many will advise dropping the Changing of the Guard. I probably wouldn't do it myself during such a short visit. It does eat up a LOT of time just standing around. Big Ben is just a walk-by and you can see it on Day 1 walking down from Trafalgar Sq. Royal Albert Hall - Do you mean a tour of the concert Hall? I'd personally consider the V&A over either the RAH or Kensington Palace. But the Palace is also interesting.

D3: >><i>D3 - British Museum. Lunch. St Paul's Cathedral OR Tower of London (leaning towards the latter). Dinner. Tower Bridge.</i><<

If you go to the British Museum you will still be there well in to, and probably past, lunch time. By then the crowds at the Tower will be massive. It would be a better plan to go to the Tower first thing in the morning, have lunch there, then go to either the British Museum or St Paul's mid afternoon. You will see Tower Bridge while you are at the Tower (can't miss it) since they are right next door to each other.

D4: What you'll need to do is take your luggage to Kings Cross/St Pancras and drop your bags at Left Luggage before walking up the street to the Library.

Your plan is definitely doable w/ a bit of tweaking.

maysD

@janisj

Ah yes lack of sleep does that to me. I did mean the National Gallery. My bad. Charing Cross is more of a quick look at the train station. Some photos. Probably 15-20 minutes.

From visitlondon.com Buckingham is open with the Diamond special exhibit until 7 Oct, which I'll make with my plan now. Approx. how long does the changing of guards take (Incl arriving there early to get a good view)? I might do Buckingham Palace in the afternoon if I decide to drop the changing of guards as I hear it'll be less of a crowd?

Thanks for the tip on the British Museum. I had wanted to see the Tower Bridge for the night view, but I guess that isn't too much of a compromise.

Thanks a load for the suggestions!

janisj

You can always see the bridge (and lots of other buildings) at night too. All of the other places you mention are daytime sites so in the evening you can go anywhere you want to see the lights/take night photos. When I'm in London I seldom return to the hotel til well after dark.

"<i>From visitlondon.com Buckingham is open with the Diamond special exhibit until 7 Oct, which I'll make with my plan now. Approx. how long does the changing of guards take (Incl arriving there early to get a good view)? </i>"

That's why I asked when in October you are traveling. The Palace tours do end on Oct 7. The Changing of teh Guard usually eats up at least 1.5 hours -- mostly just standing in place waiting.

"<i>I might do Buckingham Palace in the afternoon if I decide to drop the changing of guards as I hear it'll be less of a crowd?</i>"

Not quite sure what you mean by that. The crowds hanging around for the Changing in the Guard have nothing to do with the tours of the inside of the Palace. There is no more or less crowded time inside the Palace -- since everyone is on timed tickets and enter in the same sized groups. If anything - the first tours in the morning will be a little less crowded since no one entered before them.

But just to clarify - the Changing of the Guard and touring the Palace are entirely different things.

LeslieC

Victoria & Albert is a great museum. With the short amount of time you have in London, I'd see the V & A rather than the British Library. Consider doing the London Eye, afternoon tea (perhaps at Fortnum & Mason - St. James' Restaurant), a guided group "pub walk" one evening, and theatre tickets one evening. I was in Kensington Palace in April and was quite disappointed. It has a very strange exhibit which gives no feel for life in the Palace. If you can tour Buckingham, that would be fab. I did that decade ago (plus the Royal Mews) and loved. I also don't see the attraction of Charing Cross Rail station.

Note: looks like you have 3 days in Rome, not 1.5.

rosetravels

If this was my trip, I'd definitely skip Versailles and I'd skip Florence. If you skipped Florence you could add a day to Paris (PLUS the day you'd add by not going to Versailles) and a day to Rome.

It's not that I don't like Florence (well OK, it's not a favorite) but Venice and Rome are so fun that I'd want more time there.

maysD

V&A seems to be highly recommended! Guess it's going over RAH and Kensington for now. Is it plausible to visit St Paul's on the morning of Day 4? Before returning to the hotel to check out (Assuming a somewhat central location for the hotel). I don't plan to do too much in Paris after I check in on Day 4, so a slightly later train (3-4pm) is no problem.

Regarding Versailles. Yea I'm kind of torn between keeping and cutting it. I guess I'll make a decision when I firm up my Paris leg. But I think for me 3 days in a major city should be just about right to "get a feel of it", so I'll leave Florence in for now.

Keep the advice coming guys. Really helpful.

janisj

"<i>Note: looks like you have 3 days in Rome, not 1.5.</i>"

>>D13 - Train to Rome in the morning
D14-15 - Rome<<

means 1/2 to 3/4 of a day on Oct 13
One full day on Oct 14.
Fly home on Oct 15. Even w/ an afternoon flight there wouldn't be much/any time to do anything.

maysD

Hmm I found that the plane ticket on 17th Oct back to SIN is cheaper than the one for 16th, even with an additional day's hotel factored in (if booking.com is to be trusted!). So I'll probably stay for an additional night, giving me 2 full days in Rome with whatever's left after the train from Florence.

ssander

My opinion in order of preference -- purely subjective:

1. Tower of London
2. Everything else.

To me, this is the can't-miss sight...it opens at 10:00 and you won't be out of there till after 13:00 or 14:00 at best.

Remember to get your 2-for-1 coupons to go with your transport pass (purchased at a train station). See my thread from last year:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...pon-thread.cfm

ADDITIONAL OPINION: While I love the V&A and National Gallery, In each of my four trips to London, I have never failed to go to the British Library. Not because it's "better" than the other two -- they certainly have more to see -- but because there are amazing things there that you just cannot find in American museums.

AND...IMHO...The changing of the guard will take up too much of your precious London time.

SS

Gretchen

I realize it is "your" trip and your travel "style", but when you plan it down to "maybe 15 minutes to see Charing Cross--just to take some pics" it just boggles my mind

HappyTrvlr

Do you want to see King's Cross Station with the Harry Potter cart and scene rather than Charing Cross?

Mimar

Which sights are important to you depends on your interests. The British Library is amazing -- to anybody interested in literature or music. And I could spend days in the British Museum. The V&A is devoted to decorative arts: silver, glass, furniture, etc. I'm less interested in this, more interested in paintings. So we didn't go there until about our fifth visit to London.

Significant omissions: the Churchill War Rooms, the Eye, the Globe Theatre. The War Rooms I found fascinating; it is the underground bunker where Winston Churchill and his staff spent WWII, the real thing just as they left it, history frozen in time. The Eye at dusk or at night will give you a huge view of London.

It might still be warm in Rome when you get there. If you're from Singapore, you're used to wearing jeans in warm weather. However, I'd consider throwing a pair of lighter weight pants, ones easy to wash and dry. You haven't left much time in your schedule to wash clothes -- except at night in your hotel room. And jeans take forever to dry.

janisj

Oh - on your original posts you listed flying out on the 15th - that is where my 1.5 days calculation came in.

But it looks like you meant the 16th and now that has changed to the 17th.

So you now have a bit more time for Rome . . . But IMO you do still need more time in London and Paris.

kybourbon

>>>This trip is my first to Europe,<<<

Figuring out the logistics in each city takes more time than what you think. Finding train/metro stations, hotels, entrance to museums, etc. can be time consuming.

>>>D4 - Check out of hotel. British Library. Lunch. Quick look around King's Cross if there's time. Eurostar from St Pancras.<<<

What plans do you have for your luggage after you check out of your hotel? You can't drag it around sightseeing and if your hotel will store it, then you need to factor in time to go back to your hotel.

>>>>One problem that I'm facing is that Thello doesn't seem to have an English version, which although can be worked around, is a minor annoyance that I'd rather not put up with.<<<

I think you can book on Trenitalia and the ticket is e-mailed (you must register on the web site first). It used to be Trenitalia required tickets purchased on their website to be picked up in Italy, but I believe they allow Thello tickets (not other international tickets) to be e-mailed now. You must use the Italian spellings of cities. Thello departs from Gare de Lyon.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD

Select the Smart Fare in the drop down box if you are booking a 4 or 6 person couchette.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

Before booking on Trenitalia, read this web page about how to register and book.
http://www.roninrome.com/transportat...ebsite-updated