Leaving in a week for a trip to Berlin, Nice and London. I'm down to brass tacks on ideas for things to do while we are there. Would like to get a sanity check, and ideas for things to fill in the cracks, so to speak.

First time to Berlin and Nice, been to London a few times. We are doing something totally different for us this trip and booking private guides in the two places we've never been. Usually I am the "tour guide" and have to plan how to see and get to everything. I'm a bit tired of having to assume that role, so this should be different!

Any ideas of gems to include in the areas we are visiting appreciated!

Berlin (4 nights) Adina Aparthotel Hackescher Markt.
Day 1:
Flight to Tegel, arrive 3 pm. Eat somewhere cozy, near hotel? Anyone know the area?
Day 2:
Lunch at Dachgarten restaurant at top of Reichstag. Hope it's not raining!
After that possibles: German Historical Museum, Berliner Dom, DDR Museum, or a museum island museum, as we head east back towards hotel.
Day 3:
Have booked a 5 hour tour with a private tour guide and taxi. Should be able to make tracks this day and see the major landmarks. He grew up in East Berlin before the wall came down, so his "take" should be interesting. Seeing a circus/acrobats type show at Chameleon Theatre in den Hackeschen Höfen that night. "Scotch and Soda."
Day 4:
Have a local Mitte food walking tour booked at 2 pm. Leaves in Hackescher Markt, ends up in Prenzlauer Berg. Need ideas on what to do/see before this. Maybe Gemaldegalerie or KadDaWe? Or mooch around the

Nice, France (4 nights) Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée.
Day 5:
EasyJet flight to Nice, arrive at 2 pm. First night, walk around? Dinner? Suggestions welcome.
Day 6:
Walk down promenade, through Old Nice, etc. Maybe Contemporary Art Museum.
Day 7:
Have a full day tour booked with a private guide w car. Going to Villefranche sur Mer, Monaco, Antibes (stop at Picasso museum) and St Paul du Vence for lunch.
Day 8:
Marc Chagall museum, open to ideas for this last day

London (4 nights) Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street
Day 9:
BA flight to London Heathrow. Early dinner at the Ivy.
Day 10:
Thinking of Old Camden Town London Walks in the morning, then their Old City Walk in afternoon if we have the energy. Royal Shakespeare Theatre Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Haymarket tonight.
Day 11:
Courtauld Gallery. Afternoon tea at Portrait Gallery Cafe. Not sure what else to tack on to this day.
Day 12:
Possible Hidden London walk with London Walks. Then maybe Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market, wander the bankside area. Tate Modern if we are up for it. Would like to plan a nice meal for the last night, not sure where. Something London iconic would be nice! Maybe Rules? Or JK Sheekey?
Day 13:
JustAirports to LHR and home!

Depends on how traditional you want, but Rule's has wonderful service and surprisingly good food. J Sheekey is another traditional favorite.

Atelier Joel Robichon is close to your hotel (and next door to tbe Ivy) and REALLY good if you can get in.

Is your tea in tbe cafe or the Portrait Restaurant?

. . . Joël Robuchon . . .

It is in the Portrait Restaurant with the view over Trafalgar square! I like to plan a few places to eat dinner, otherwise we tend to have bad luck in London. Joe Allen looks like it might be fun, with a piano player. Close to the hotel on the last night is a good plan. Joël Robuchon does look fab, but not sure the 145 pound tasting menu is in budget!

Instead of the tasting menu, Look at their pre-theatre menu. MUCH cheaper and an early dinner followed by cocktails/music somewhere else would be a great ending to your trip IMO.

Pre-theatre deal sounds good, I'll look into it! That dining room at Rules looks so inviting though... ; ) Also, if you have any ideas on west end music spots, we're all ears!

I loved wandering around the KaDeWe food floor and had a nice meal there. Huge quite interesting kitchenware department if you are into cooking. Assuming you are coming from the US, why Joe Allen for a restaurant in London? Robuchon restaurant quite good and you can eat at the bar if you cannot get a reservation for the pre-theatre menu. Indian food is excellent in London if you like the cuisine.

'Have a full day tour booked with a private guide w car. Going to Villefranche sur Mer, Monaco, Antibes (stop at Picasso museum) and St Paul du Vence for lunch'.

That's a lot of time on the road. Sure you have time to stop for lunch?

Yep, we'll have time to see the highlights in a full day.

In Nice, there is a Matisse museum that some like, if you like him. It's up on the top of a hill which is nice, and on the way back, I think it goes by the Chagall museum, I think I saw them both the same day. And of course, there is the fine arts museum (Beaux Arts). In the center, the Palais Lascaris is convenient to visit and has an old pharmacy in it as well as a small musical instruments history section.
http://www.nice-tourism.com/en/nice-...is-palace.html

A walk in the park up on top of that big mount next to the port is pleasant. This is the Parc de la Colline du Chateau. There are various paths, great views, of course, from the observation deck.
http://www.nice-tourism.com/en/nice-...stle-park.html

The market at Cours Saleya is fun. http://en.nicetourisme.com/nice/1396...s-cours-saleya
Their flower market is one of the best in France, but there are other things
http://en.nicetourisme.com/markets

NOt to mention churches, I'd check out the cathedral de Ste-Reparte as it's right in Old Nice. Of course the Basilica de Notre Dame is very well-visited.

Thanks Christina. I think we'll see the Matisse and the Chagall museums on the same day. The churches I'll research...

The Matisse and Chagall museums are quite easy to see in one day, the Matisse just being a bit further up the hill. Literally next to the Matisse museum, which initially was just his house and has been expanded, is a large Roman excavation.

We took a bus to the Matisse, walked down to the Chagall museum then grabbed another bus back to the old town. Taxis are always available as well.

http://www.bestofniceblog.com/transp...agall-museums/

The last time there I also rode the fairly new tramline, just to check it out and as we had grandkids in tow, took them on the little open seat tourist street train, it was a lot of fun.