amfr08

Hi everyone! Looking for some advice in planning a 2 week trip in February/March time frame with my husband. We would like to visit Dublin, Edinburgh, London, and Paris. We are in our twenties and just enjoy travel in general, so we are open to new experiences! A few details below.

- Time frame is fixed due to our work schedules.
- We purposefully want to spend a few days here and there to determine where we would like to spend a full 2-3 weeks in the future.
- Initial plans are to fly into Dublin to start our trip and conclude in Paris and fly back to the states from there.
- We realize this will be a busy schedule with lots of travel in between locations. We would prefer travel by train and/or plane.
- Open to AirBnB, Bed & Breakfasts, or hotels, so any suggestions would be more than welcome.
- Info on 'must see/must do' OR 'don't waste your time' would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

janisj

>>- Open to AirBnB, Bed & Breakfasts, or hotels, so any suggestions would be more than welcome.<<

We can't give any sort of recommendations w/o knowing your budget. One note -- you will want a hotel in Paris because the vast majority of short term rentals in the city are illegal.

They are fine n the other 3 cities but you really will only be in each one for 3 or 4 days max. so hotels/B&Bs may be a better idea. There are tons of good B&Bs in Edinburgh, quite a few in Dublin - relatively few in London.

>>- Info on 'must see/must do' OR 'don't waste your time' would be much appreciated.<<

Totally impossible to give you useful lists for four cities -- do you have a guidebook(s). Maybe tell us which sites you are considering and we can help massage your own 'must see's'

Most of the museums in London/Edinburgh/Dublin are free -- not so in Paris.

Cathinjoetown

To maximize your time, you should fly Dublin to Edinburgh, very short flight, then consider the night sleeper train down to London and Eurostar to Paris from London.

Janis is right that it would help to know your interests and budget to help you allocate time and to suggest hotels, b&bs, etc. I love London and Paris so much my advice would be to skip Dublin this trip but in my 20s I might have found Dublin the most fun of all!

janisj

To help you decide if you want to squeeze in all 4 cities or cut one . . . how many day total? Is your trip exactly 2 weeks/14 days? Or ± ?

Let's work w/ 14 days . . . that nets you 11.5 days on the ground after transatlantic flights. Then Day 1 (essentially half a day) will likely be jet lagged so no heavy duty sightseeing. Then you lose fully half a day every time you move from one city to the next (exception being the sleeper train between Edinburgh and London)

So 14 days = 11.5 days minus 1.5 days in transit you are down to 9 full days free to see and do things. That isn't much for 4 major cities -- especially if one is London - the largest city n Western Europe by far.

Now -- and this may be blasphemy -- but you actually <i<could fit in Dublin/Edinburgh/Paris and leave London for another trip. All three cities are much smaller and with more centralized/manageable sites mostly within walking distance of each other.

This is from someone who 1) Edinburgh is my very favorite city in Europe, 2) visits London 2 or 3 times a year and LOVE it, 3) Loves Paris too, 4) Likes but doesn't love Dublin.

marvelousmouse

I have been to London and Paris. I go to Edinburgh this winter.

I'd cut one place. I'd probably cut Dublin because you could do the rest by train. Or alternatively cut Paris and do France another trip. I know you want a taste of everything, but there is so much to see in the other places, and even if there wasn't, there are great day trips as well. If you do all four, never mind day trips, you'll barely find your bearings before having to move on.

fuzzbucket

For Paris, I'd recommend using Google Maps for a view of Paris, then input "hotels" for any arrondissement you choose.
It's the best method I've found.

Make sure to use GoogleStreetView, to make sure you like the hotel and the neighborhood.
Most people opt for the 6th, because that's what they think about when they think about Paris, but the 11th and the 12th are just as good - cheaper and with good transport.

Paris is a walkable city, London is enormous - I'd spend a little more time there.

Vacation apartments in Paris are complicated and will be most certainly illegal by December.
I think you would have some luck on the London forum for lodgings.

I would cut either Dublin or Edinburgh, if you can, because it will be difficult getting there by train or ferry. The train from Dublin to Edinburgh takes about 9 hours, so I don't think it's worth it. Or you could probably get a low-cost flight.

In February or March, the days will be short, grey, rainy and windy. Dress warm and don't expect too much.

Paris and London, maybe Edinburgh will be OK, but you will probably have to restrict yourselves to indoor activities.

Man_in_seat_61

There are lots of options...

Dublin to Belfast by Enterprise train to see the Titanic Exhibition and do the open top bus ride down the Falls Road and Shankhill Road amongst other things, www.irishrail.ie

Belfast to Edinburgh for just £31 by ferry and train, an experience in its own right with no flights necessary, use www.virgintrains.co.uk and have tickets sent to you for £7.50 (see photos & info at https://www.seat61.com/NorthernIreland.htm )

Edinburgh to London by sleeper www.sleeper.scot or by day train with nice scenery and things to see from the train, www.virgintrainseastcoast.com (see photos at https://www.seat61.com/london-to-edinburgh-by-train.htm )

amfr08

Thank you so much for the feedback so far! Extremely helpful info from each of you.

We are doing exactly 14 days. Seeing lots of you to say skip Dublin, and I have read this on other forums as well. Any particular reason why? Do you just enjoy other locations more? It is underwhelming? One must stop for me was the Trinity Library, but I am questioning this leg of the trip now.

A little more about us to helpfully give some context. We are open to museums but don't want to spend the whole trip in museums. We love coffee shops and breweries. We enjoy great scenery and historical locations in general, which is partly why we want to make this trip. Based on what I have researched about Edinburgh so far, it is a must-do for this trip. Is this more helpful for providing some direction?

Budget for lodging - would like to stay around an avg $150/night - willing to splurge for something extra special, outstanding location, etc. and possibly cut back elsewhere. Excellent info re: lodging situation in Paris, so thank you for that tidbit!!

Cathinjoetown

Absolutely nothing wrong with Dublin, incredible history, lots of nightlife. My suggestion to leave it for another trip was purely time constraints.

Also, the Irish countryside is beautiful so leaving Ireland for a separate trip with time to see the west coast, perhaps the north, makes sense.

janisj

Dublin is fine -- and for a young couple it would great for maybe 3-ish days. The problem as I see it is London. It is enormous, could easily fill your 11-ish free days and you'd still only scratch the surface.

Edinburgh is wonderful -- but small enough to get a good feel in 3 or 4 days.

Paris is wonderful - and walkable enough to get a good feel in say 5 days.

So . . . Dublin/Edinburgh/Paris would eat up your two weeks (remember that is NOT 2 weeks on the ground). 3 Days (4 nts) in Dublin, 3 days (4 nts) in Edinburgh, and 4 days (5 nts) in Paris) = 2 weeks.

If you want to include London you will need to cut one of the other cities entirely and probably cut back a night in the two that remain.

Whichever way you decide will work -- just not all four cities.

PalenQ

2 week trip in February/March time frame with my husband. We would like to visit Dublin, Edinburgh, London, and Paris>

Easily done IMO

Dublin -say 3 nights
Fly to Edinburgh -say 3 nights
day train or night train to London- 4 nights
Eurostar (or 'chunnel') train to Paris in about 3 hours all told - Paris 4 nights.

Book Edinburgh-London day or night train tickets in advance for deep discounts - www.nationalrail.co.uk

and Chunnel train London-Paris at www.eurostar.com -MUCH cheaper than walk-up fares - booking weeks early can save tons as discounted tickets sold in limited tiers of pricing and cheapest ones can go quick.

Great sources of rail info- www.seat61.com -especially on booking discounted train tickets online yourself; general info like 1st v 2nd class and night trains I also like www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Yes you could use more time in every city but IMO - (yes my subjective opinion) three full days is enough in those cities for many (but everyone is different) especially younger folk who tend to pack in a lot each day. If I had to cut one city it would ben Dublin or reduce a day there and in Edinburgh (though there are some easy neat day trips from there).

janisj

PQ: >>Easily done IMO<<

Not easily done since they do NOT have 14 nights. They likely have 12 nights since one is spent transatlantic and the 14th day is travel home. To manage your itinerary they would need 16 days altogether and the OP states they have exactly two weeks.

>>We are doing exactly 14 days.<<

Beating head against wall font off . . . .

PalenQ

Ok did not read 2nd post - I'd cut Dublin not because it ain't neat but something has to be cut and Dublin to Edinburgh flying takes much of a day all in all.

Night train to London is ultimate time-saver from Edinburgh -

12 nights

Edinburgh 4 nights -not just for city but for some excursions such as a day trip excursion to fabled Highlands.
London 4 nights
Paris 4 nights

Yup I agree with janis if 12 full days max 3 cities.

PalenQ

$150 night is easy at that time of year in Paris - just check www.accorhotels.com for say ETAP hotels or IBIS especially.

In London Travel Lodges often run specials and should easily fall in that range: https://www.travelodge.co.uk/search/...EaAhwAEALw_wcB

Janis is the penultimate and ultimate expert here IMO on London accommodations and can give more insights into Travel Lodges there and other places well under $150/night.

BigRuss

Why skip Dublin?

Because it doesn't have the Royal Mile, castles, and whisky of Edinburgh.

Because it doesn't have the London-ness of London.

Because it doesn't have the Parisianness of Paris.

Dublin is a capital city in Europe. It's not particularly pretty. It's not nearly as historically important as London (generally) or Edinburgh (for Scottish/UK history). It's a bit bluff and nowhere near the romantic air of Paris. And it's not a microcosm of Ireland to the extent that Edinburgh is a microcosm of Scotland (new and old).

That said, there are SO MANY resources on what to see and do in Edinburgh, London and Paris (even on this website) that you need to do the research first before asking what not to do, especially considering "must see" items are in the eye of the beholder.

mjs

I also agree bon dropping Dublin with a trip with this time frame. I also think you should leave Dublin for another trip when you also have time to visit the countryside which imho is the most interesting parts of Ireland

amfr08

Wanted to give a (long overdue) update and another thanks for all the advice. It was helpful for researching, planning, and thinking through what we wanted to do/how we spend our time on this trip.

We did visit all four locations (approx three days in each location with day trips in Ireland and Scotland). WE LOVED IT! It was busy and we packed a lot into our days, but we maximized (some) time with late night/overnight train travel and an early morning flight between countries.

Our favorite stop was Dublin and we would return in a heartbeat! People were incredibly friendly and we loved the pubs, music, etc. We both enjoyed Edinburgh and London for different reasons, but we had quite a bit of snow/sleet/ice during our trip so that made some of our plans/wish lists a little more difficult to carry out. We liked Paris but it wasn't our favorite. I doubt we would return for another visit. We wish we had spent one less day in Paris and one more in London. To each their own, I suppose

Thanks again and happy travels!

Macross

Yes to Dublin. A kindred spirit. I love Dublin, Edinburgh, Paris and then London in that order.

sassy27

It's so nice when people come back and give an update. It's also great that we all don't have the same tastes and likes. I'm glad you had a wonderful trip as I've been to all 4 places but not at the same time. Personally, I love Paris and Edinburgh with Dublin being nice but just not a fan of London. Never say never as I've been to London 4 times and Dublin once.

PalenQ

'when you tire of London you tire of life'?