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-   -   Nervous! Need help - Paris/Italy Honeymoon Itinerary (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/nervous-need-help-paris-italy-honeymoon-itinerary-647562/)

vkb2 Sep 19th, 2006 07:10 PM

When in Paris make sure you go to Sacre' Coeur. It is the most beautiful church that sits high above Paris in a very artsy district. In my opinion it was much more spectacular than Notre Dame. The area alone was worth going to.

Also an evening ride on the Sienne is beautiful and romantic as well.

jules4je7 Sep 19th, 2006 07:27 PM

Overall, I think you've gotten some good suggestions here.

Also, You can look at adding much to do after Notre Dame since it's a church that could take an hour or four, but not an entire day, even if you climb the tower -- don't miss Ste. Chappelle, which is on Ile de la Cite as well, and a short walking distance from Notre Dame. You could also add the Deportation Memorial, and just walk about Ile de la Cite a bit, and see the Conciergerie-the prison where Marie Antoinette & many, many others were held before their execution during The Terror following the French Revolution.

Sunday in Paris -- walk the Champs Elysees, from the Arc towards the Louvre since it's downhill and therefore just a pleasant stroll, and see the Grand Palais. Another option to add is the Luxombourg Gardens (sorry about the spelling) and the neighborhood surrounding it. Nothing makes me happier than relaxing in a park with an ice cream or coffee watching the locals relax in their city. I find one of the most fun things to do Paris is just walking around from cafe to cafe, a glass of wine here, a cafe au lait there, and plenty of relaxing and people watching in between.

Oh, and the Picasso Museum doesn't disappoint either and is in a nice neighborhood to walkabout.

Finally -- I found the way to really meet Parisians is to go to the same bar a couple of nights in a row after hours (after 9 or 10 p.m.) when most other tourists are too tired for the night to stay out.

As for Rome -- the Colisseum/Forum & Palatine Hill are all doable in one long day. I wasn't that thrilled with Palatine Hill, so if you get tired and want to stop for the day, that's the one I'd skip. The Colisseum does not disappoint!

Happy travels...and congratulations!

Jules


hipvirgochick Oct 1st, 2006 05:25 PM

KrunkoDallas -- Sounds like a great trip! Here are some additional suggestions based on our favorite things experienced this year.
Paris:
>>Walk to Montorguiel from the Louvre. It's a pedestrian street with cute shops and cafes. Our apartment was in this area and we loved it!
>>We had a great experience taking the Da Vinci Code Tour (through Paris Muse w/4 people max) which is expensive, but the guide is a historian who can offer wonderful insight to the displays at the museum (not just specific to TDC).
>>Angelina, also walkable from the Louvre, for the world's best hot chocolate (and you can buy treats to bring home).
>>The Batobus is fun and a good way to get around to the major sites.
Venice -
>>Make sure to visit Via Garibaldi where you will find no tourist shops. It's magical, especially at night, watching the locals with their dogs and children. Be sure to eat at Giorgione's (sp) and make reservations, they're popular. There are also shops to pick up things for a nice picnic and a park where you can stroll and be romantic :)
One day we just hopped on and off the water taxi and wandered around, that was fun!
Florence:
>>Santa Croce was our favorite area and we were lucky to have an apartment 1 block from the best food we had our entire trip (in a restaurant). The Chef/Owner is well known and it's a local hot spot. He went over the entire menu each night with us personally. It's at Via de Mezzo 24 in Santa Croce. Yum!
>>LOVED our wine tour with The Accidental Tourist. We booked the walk, but it got full so they gave us the evening tour for the same price, which turned out wonderful, much to our delight. We were taken into the Chianti region, olive oil tasting, wine tasting, the winery tour and such (I brought back olive oil and wine), and then to a private estate where wonderful ladies made a 5 course meal (best food not in a restaurant), unlimited wine, plus special family liquors of both Walnut and Rose. Awesome! Our guide also happened to be a tenor, and he sang a song from inside a bell tower, and again after dinner. His voice was so beautiful I almost cried!
Rome:
>>As the others state you can see Colloseum, Palatine, Forum together. We did a 4 hour tour with Rome Walks (small groups) and were SO happy we did. We learned so much about the history of Rome from our guide we never would have without.
>>My favorite and most beautiful museum is Galleria Borghese, which you do not mention. I also like it because it is "user friendly". Reservations are recommended. From floor to ceiling, it is incredible.
>>The Scavi Tour under St. Peter's Cathedral is also a unique and enlightening experience. Only 200 people are let in each day and you must request reservations in advance.
>>Take the bus, it's fun people watching and jumping off where you see something interesting.

Most of the things we did on our own, but the tours I mentioned above were well worth paying for. We stayed in apartments too and loved it! It's an adventure so make friends and enjoy!
When you see the lines for the museums mentioned here, you will not regret having made reservations.
Happy honeymooning :)


tuscanlifeedit Oct 1st, 2006 06:36 PM

Just a small correction: the San Lorenzo market is the open air market in Florence, featuring leathers, ceramics, etc. The food market is indoors and that is the Mercato Centrale. Very nearby both is the church of San Lorenzo, with the chapel where you can visit the beautiful Medici tombs. This does not take long.

If I were you, and I do hate to tote anything, but I would take at least one small guide book for each destination. You can carry these about with you, and see what is in an area that you'd like to visit.

You're going to have a great time!

ggreen Oct 1st, 2006 06:57 PM

Don't worry, practically anything you do in the places you have chosen will be wonderful! And you've gotten some great advice (though I can only speak for Paris).

I have only one comment to add, which is to second the idea of staying closer to your apartment on your first day - and by all means, pick another day to go to Musée d'Orsay! Most of the major museums are closed on Tuesdays, which makes the Orsay the default destination for every tourist in Paris. In other words, very crowded!! You could easily put that on another day, such as the weekend, along with l'Arc de Triomphe. Another idea for your first day, you could walk from the Bastille to Notre Dame and take the metro back, or vice versa...

Bon voyage and félicitations!! :)


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