Next Year's Trip to Europe
 

I can't believe I'm even thinking about our 2009 trip when we haven't even gone on our 2008 trip yet, but I am. (it's just so tempting to start planning!)

So... we have 18 days to spend in Paris, London, and Amsterdam in June. Not sure how to divvy up the days yet, but we were definitely going to spend the most time in London since we've never been.

We *have* to use hotel points for most of this trip, otherwise we can't afford it, so apartments are out. Having said that, I have never stayed in the same hotel for more than 5 nights at a time, so the thought of doing like 8-9 nights in one hotel scares me.

What would be the optimal amount of time to spend in London - i.e., how would you break up this trip if it was yours? We are flying into Paris, then to LHR, then xx days later from LGW to Amsterdam, and then home from Amsterdam. They're FF tickets so I can change the dates but not the destinations.

I was thinking maybe 6 days in London proper, with smaller trips before or after the London portion, to other parts of the UK? Any suggestions?

I have spent several 1-week trips IN London and still have plenty of sites on my list which I haven't made it to.

Optimal time in London for me would be forever... :)

In your case, I think 8 days in London (and 5 each in Paris and Amsterdam) sounds right.

You can either stay in London for 8 full days (and do 1-2 daytrips), or stay in London for 3 days, elsewhere for 2 days, back in London for 3 days.

It's entirely up to you.

Sights such as Windsor & Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace etc easily can take up an entire day.

Other easy day trips would be Cambridge or Oxford.

Overnight trips perhaps Bath + Salisbury + Stonehenge.

Since you're going in June, I STRONGLY suggest you to coordinate your London visit with <u>Trooping the Colour</u> - celebration of Queen's birthday with thousands of troops parading outside Buck Palace.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page4934.asp

Thanks, yk, for those suggestions! Right now we are due to be in London around June 2 - June 10, so we'll just miss Trooping the Colour. We fly home from AMS on June 16.

18 days is a nice amount of time to split among Paris, London, and Amsterdam. What are your interests? All three have great museums and neighborhoods for interesting walks. Sounds like you've already spent time in Paris and Amsterdam, so you've already answered your question to spend more time in London and environs. After 6 days of city life, you probably would enjoy staying in the countryside for a less hectic time.

Certainly use the longest time in London and divvy it up among the options already presented, but I wouldn't divide the remaining time equally between Paris and Amsterdam. There is so much more to see in Paris and if you love it as so many do, put the greater number of remaining days there.

For sure I'd do 8 or 9 or maybe even 10 days in London, especially if you decide to do a number of day trips or to cut out for the countryside for 2 or 3 days--might even bump it to 10. Depending upon how much you've previously seen in AMS, I'd plan 3 or at the most 4 there (depending upon how much you allot to London) and then the balance to Paris.

Hi J,

If you have already been to Paris and Amst, I suggest

7 nights London, with 2 daytrips

train to Paris, 2 nights then
train to Strasbourg, Dijon or Libourn for a 3 night motor trip in Alsace, Burgundy or the Dordogne,

Return to Paris for 2 nights

Train to Amst for 3 nights.

((I))