Tour or Independent for First Timers
Oct 28th, 2013, 12:28 PM
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Tour or Independent for First Timers
My husband and I are planning on traveling to Europe for the first time next summer. We're thinking London, Paris, and Barcelona and have 10-14 days. Is this something we can do on our own or should we book a tour? Do they have tours that allow people a lot of their own time? Any suggestions if we try to book this ourselves? Any suggestions in general for us excited first timers? Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!
Oct 28th, 2013, 01:03 PM
#4
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With 10 days, I would choose 2 cities. With 14, you may be able to include 3. I like the cities you have chosen. The only change I would make is Rome instead of Barcelona but you will get lots of different ideas from this board.
It can be hot in Europe, especially in the summer, and crowded. Consider going in early June if you must go in the summer.
You can do a trip of this sort on your own, no need for a guided tour.
It can be hot in Europe, especially in the summer, and crowded. Consider going in early June if you must go in the summer.
You can do a trip of this sort on your own, no need for a guided tour.
Oct 28th, 2013, 01:08 PM
#5
You can do it on your own. With the help of this forum, Trip Advisor, and a couple guidebooks from your local library. It's easy.
Where to begin? You already have!
#1 get passports, if you don't already have them.
#2 Look into flights from your home city airport. See if you can get an "open jaws" (which means into one city and out of the other. For example, you'd fly to London, take a train to Paris, fly or train to Barcelona, then fly home from Spain. This is nice because you avoid 'backtracking' at the end of your trip.
If this is cost prohibitive. Look into a London/London round-trip ticket. Then plan your plane/train between the two other cities in between that.
#3 After you lock in the plane tickets. Then make 3 hotel reservations. That's really all you have to do in advance. You can then plan out your days in the various cities either in great detail, or leaving things until you get there and figure out on the fly.
suze
Where to begin? You already have!
#1 get passports, if you don't already have them.
#2 Look into flights from your home city airport. See if you can get an "open jaws" (which means into one city and out of the other. For example, you'd fly to London, take a train to Paris, fly or train to Barcelona, then fly home from Spain. This is nice because you avoid 'backtracking' at the end of your trip.
If this is cost prohibitive. Look into a London/London round-trip ticket. Then plan your plane/train between the two other cities in between that.
#3 After you lock in the plane tickets. Then make 3 hotel reservations. That's really all you have to do in advance. You can then plan out your days in the various cities either in great detail, or leaving things until you get there and figure out on the fly.
suze
Oct 28th, 2013, 01:11 PM
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Any suggestions if we try to book this ourselves? Any suggestions in general for us excited first timers?>
Well once in those three cities it is easy to get around - no need for a guide - and the train system between those cities is fantastic - London to Paris via the Eurostar train takes now just two hours - Paris to Barcelona can be done as an overnight train - long day train or cheap flight.
You'll need IMO all of 14 days to split between those cities - say 5, 5 and 4 - flying into London and out of Barcelona - the so-called Open Jaw ticket that usually does not cost that much more if any than a round trip ticket to one city.
For Eurostar trains go to www.eurostar.com - the official site of Eurostar and see the various fares - and the early bird gets the worm as there are deep discounts available but they are sold in limited numbers so must be booked weeks or months in advance and then are non-changeable non-refundable but a lot cheaper than regular fare - a lot cheaper so book those very early.
And for overnight trains to Barcelona check www.elipsos.com - again some discounts for booking really early - this is a hotel train - get a private double and make it a romantic thing - you can bring any food or booze on-board - as on just about any train in Europe.
For cheap flights try www.skyscanner.net or www.whichbudget.com to see what cheap airlines fly the Paris to Barcelona route.
For lots of great info on European trains and overnight trains I always spotlight these IMO superb sites - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com (great info on discounted tickets) and www.ricksteves.com.
Really doing this is not rocket science - even if you speak no French or Catalan it is easy to use trains - have everything booked up and ticketed ahead of time and you just have to show up at the station and hop aboard.
Each of these cities have hop on hop off double-decker buses that circulate between main sights - with a day ticket you just clamber aboard and get on and off anywhere all day - commentary in English is included so this is kind of a cheap guided tour. A good thing to do the first day in each place I think.
And don't worry about not speaking the local language - never a real problem as many - more and more folks speak English - especially in London!
Well once in those three cities it is easy to get around - no need for a guide - and the train system between those cities is fantastic - London to Paris via the Eurostar train takes now just two hours - Paris to Barcelona can be done as an overnight train - long day train or cheap flight.
You'll need IMO all of 14 days to split between those cities - say 5, 5 and 4 - flying into London and out of Barcelona - the so-called Open Jaw ticket that usually does not cost that much more if any than a round trip ticket to one city.
For Eurostar trains go to www.eurostar.com - the official site of Eurostar and see the various fares - and the early bird gets the worm as there are deep discounts available but they are sold in limited numbers so must be booked weeks or months in advance and then are non-changeable non-refundable but a lot cheaper than regular fare - a lot cheaper so book those very early.
And for overnight trains to Barcelona check www.elipsos.com - again some discounts for booking really early - this is a hotel train - get a private double and make it a romantic thing - you can bring any food or booze on-board - as on just about any train in Europe.
For cheap flights try www.skyscanner.net or www.whichbudget.com to see what cheap airlines fly the Paris to Barcelona route.
For lots of great info on European trains and overnight trains I always spotlight these IMO superb sites - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com (great info on discounted tickets) and www.ricksteves.com.
Really doing this is not rocket science - even if you speak no French or Catalan it is easy to use trains - have everything booked up and ticketed ahead of time and you just have to show up at the station and hop aboard.
Each of these cities have hop on hop off double-decker buses that circulate between main sights - with a day ticket you just clamber aboard and get on and off anywhere all day - commentary in English is included so this is kind of a cheap guided tour. A good thing to do the first day in each place I think.
And don't worry about not speaking the local language - never a real problem as many - more and more folks speak English - especially in London!
Oct 28th, 2013, 01:34 PM
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Understand what you're dealing with: London has the population of New York, Paris of LA (in far less space) and Barcelona is the size of Philadelphia. London can easily take a week (and leave 1/2 unexplored), so could the others.
Oct 28th, 2013, 01:39 PM
#8
Of course you wouldn't see everything in each city. But 14 days is plenty of time to see 3 places. That's not even all that fast-paced. Allowing 2-days-worth-of-time for moving between the three places, that's still 4 full days on the ground, in each of 3 cities.
Oct 28th, 2013, 01:41 PM
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Ummm, duh, Bigruss.
But, as others have said, it is doable. I'd ask --do you think you'll go back to Europe?
What do you really like.
In some ways, London is an easy trip--no language problem, and often pretty good prices to fly--maybe for a week.
Paris is just like a definition of wonderful--and can take forever--but too short a time will really leave you saying, oh, no, we have to leave.
I haven't been to Spain--been lots of other places though, and they are all wonderful.
The difference between 10 and 14 is a LOT. AND you need to factor in the travel time between cities far apart. If you do this, make it an open jaw flight plan--in one end and out the other, no matter if it is Spain or Italy.
Train between London and Paris is easy peasy. Paris to Rome or Barcelona--maybe think about a flight. The actual time to get there will be short--but getting to and from airports is not.
SO LOVE your planning.
Be realistic, and feel your way along.
Get a couple of guide books and look endlessly on the internet.
But, as others have said, it is doable. I'd ask --do you think you'll go back to Europe?
What do you really like.
In some ways, London is an easy trip--no language problem, and often pretty good prices to fly--maybe for a week.
Paris is just like a definition of wonderful--and can take forever--but too short a time will really leave you saying, oh, no, we have to leave.
I haven't been to Spain--been lots of other places though, and they are all wonderful.
The difference between 10 and 14 is a LOT. AND you need to factor in the travel time between cities far apart. If you do this, make it an open jaw flight plan--in one end and out the other, no matter if it is Spain or Italy.
Train between London and Paris is easy peasy. Paris to Rome or Barcelona--maybe think about a flight. The actual time to get there will be short--but getting to and from airports is not.
SO LOVE your planning.
Be realistic, and feel your way along.
Get a couple of guide books and look endlessly on the internet.
Oct 28th, 2013, 02:27 PM
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You can do it on your own. We did it with MIL and son for the first time but I also suggest doing only two cities rather than three.
A lot of time gets eaten up traveling, checking in/out so the less of that means more time for actual site seeing. We also had 14 days and spent 10 days in London and 4 in Paris. There is enough to do in London for weeks and months so even with 10 days we barely scratched the surface. Paris we saw a fair amount but no way can I say we saw it all--hardly.
Check out London walks for walking tours in London. They are usually two hours in length and give you a glimpse of certain topics/themes.
For London--top picks are the British Museum, the V&A, National Gallery at Trafalgar Square, National Portrait Gallery across the street from the National Gallery and St Martin in the Field, Westminster Abbey, St Paul Cathedral, Cabinet War Rooms, Imperial War Museum, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare Globe Theater, Museum of London, walk by Buckingham Palace (tours given inside during certain time periods only), Parliament, see a West End Show. Take a day trip to Greenwich and another to Hampton Court Palace. So many things to research.
For Paris--Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Musee de Orsay (fabulous inside and out), Orangerie, St Chappelle, the Concigerie, Notre Dame, a cruise along the Seine, a fine bistro, walk in the Luxembourg Gardens, quick train trip to Versailles. Again enough to do for a week by itself without adding a third city in such limited time.
Have fun putting an itinerary together and the folks here can offer comments.
A lot of time gets eaten up traveling, checking in/out so the less of that means more time for actual site seeing. We also had 14 days and spent 10 days in London and 4 in Paris. There is enough to do in London for weeks and months so even with 10 days we barely scratched the surface. Paris we saw a fair amount but no way can I say we saw it all--hardly.
Check out London walks for walking tours in London. They are usually two hours in length and give you a glimpse of certain topics/themes.
For London--top picks are the British Museum, the V&A, National Gallery at Trafalgar Square, National Portrait Gallery across the street from the National Gallery and St Martin in the Field, Westminster Abbey, St Paul Cathedral, Cabinet War Rooms, Imperial War Museum, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare Globe Theater, Museum of London, walk by Buckingham Palace (tours given inside during certain time periods only), Parliament, see a West End Show. Take a day trip to Greenwich and another to Hampton Court Palace. So many things to research.
For Paris--Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Musee de Orsay (fabulous inside and out), Orangerie, St Chappelle, the Concigerie, Notre Dame, a cruise along the Seine, a fine bistro, walk in the Luxembourg Gardens, quick train trip to Versailles. Again enough to do for a week by itself without adding a third city in such limited time.
Have fun putting an itinerary together and the folks here can offer comments.
Oct 28th, 2013, 02:27 PM
#11
As guys above say, easy to do on your own. We can help on stuff like which areas to stay in (maybe start with tripadvisor to get an idea of prices) hotels offer you some support on info and can book you tours etc, while appartments will be cheaper but with less help. If hotels are too expensive B&Bs can be good value.
You have to realise that each country you are visiting has different cultures as well as languages, so in Barcelona you will probably be eating late (think 11pm). To get a handle on this read sites like this or pick up a guide book for each city/country (libraries are good for this).
You have to realise that each country you are visiting has different cultures as well as languages, so in Barcelona you will probably be eating late (think 11pm). To get a handle on this read sites like this or pick up a guide book for each city/country (libraries are good for this).
Oct 28th, 2013, 03:28 PM
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It might also help to know your ages and interests. I think there is much to enjoy in Europe outside the major cities, and you could do London, Paris and Beaune in Burgundy, for example, if you are interested in wine.
Oct 28th, 2013, 03:29 PM
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You may not need 7 days in either London or Paris, but you certainly won't get bored either. From a planning perspective, I think two large European cities is a good place to start in learning how to put an independent trip abroad together. There's so much to learn about each city. But I like spending a lot of time in any given place. It gives me room to relax a bit when the I-must-see-everything anxiety kicks in. Especially in a place like Paris, where there is so much life to take in and savor--I think a longer visit has its benefits.
Oct 28th, 2013, 04:22 PM
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Unless you have a preference for joining a tour, you can certainly visit these places independently. Some very good places to begin planning an independent trip include your local library or bookstore -- check out some guidebooks on the places you most want to see. IME, Fodor's guide books would be an excellent starting point for you. Investing in at least one, if not several, guidebooks should not only prove helpful, but could easily end up being worth every penny. Once you get some more info, come back with questions. And as voyager61 said, be sure to tell us something about your interests. Enjoy!
Oct 28th, 2013, 04:55 PM
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You can do it yourself, with a little research. Start, as the others have suggested, with some guide books. Each time you go from one city to another, figure you'll lose almost one full day: checking out, getting on the train, arriving, taking a cab to your hotel, checking in, whew now I'm here. People here will be happy to help you, again, if you give your interests, age, budget, etc.
If you fly into London and spend 5 nights there (figure the first day is jet-lag day), take the train to Paris for 5 nights (that's 10 nights), then fly to Barcelona for 4 nights - that's 14 nights, 15 days. That's not too bad, actually. And Vueling airlines (www.vueling.com) has constant flights from Paris Orly airport to Barcelona, for around 60 - 100 euros. Avoids CDG airport, too.
You will have a wonderful time!
If you fly into London and spend 5 nights there (figure the first day is jet-lag day), take the train to Paris for 5 nights (that's 10 nights), then fly to Barcelona for 4 nights - that's 14 nights, 15 days. That's not too bad, actually. And Vueling airlines (www.vueling.com) has constant flights from Paris Orly airport to Barcelona, for around 60 - 100 euros. Avoids CDG airport, too.
You will have a wonderful time!
Oct 29th, 2013, 11:44 PM
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Three cities in 14 days if doing it yourself.. it you want to see more places ( get a taste and then maybe a return trip to favorites next time) there is a good tour option for you.
Rick Steves now offers "My Way" tours,, they are unguided.. just hotels and transport from city to city.. so easy to do, you would plan your own sigghtseing but not have to worry about any logistics. This is in addition to their traditional tours ( the big bus guided tours) so be sure to look at the "My Way " tours specifically.
If going on your own, and it would be pretty easy .. fly into London , take eurostar to Paris and then fly home from Barcelona. I would not go for 10 days, make it 14 if you can, this is europe.. you will have jet lag first day or two anyways..
Rick Steves now offers "My Way" tours,, they are unguided.. just hotels and transport from city to city.. so easy to do, you would plan your own sigghtseing but not have to worry about any logistics. This is in addition to their traditional tours ( the big bus guided tours) so be sure to look at the "My Way " tours specifically.
If going on your own, and it would be pretty easy .. fly into London , take eurostar to Paris and then fly home from Barcelona. I would not go for 10 days, make it 14 if you can, this is europe.. you will have jet lag first day or two anyways..
Oct 30th, 2013, 02:58 AM
#18
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Get familiar with the maps and the public transport systems for each city - you can do a lot online in advance without having to commit yourself to printed guidebooks until you know what you might want to have with you.
<b>London:</b>
http://www.tfl.gov.uk
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/15101.aspx
<b>Paris:</b>
http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/tourists/
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/
<b>Barcelona:</b>
http://www.tmb.cat/en/home
http://www.tmb.cat/en/el-teu-transport
<b>London:</b>
http://www.tfl.gov.uk
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/15101.aspx
<b>Paris:</b>
http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/tourists/
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/
<b>Barcelona:</b>
http://www.tmb.cat/en/home
http://www.tmb.cat/en/el-teu-transport
Oct 30th, 2013, 08:55 AM
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Thank you all for your advice!! I feel much more comfortable already and will start looking into travel guides and other websites as mentioned. We will probably extend our trip to 14 days as most of you have suggested. We plan on making a few trips to Europe, so trying to visit as many cities and then come back to our favorites after we've done some more traveling.
My husband and I are 40, and husband will like to visit a few pubs in between my sightseeing. We're able to do quite a bit of walking and traveling in a short amount of time.
I like the "Open Jaw" idea and since we're traveling from southern California, have a few options for flights.
Is anyone interested in monoliths and have actually seen any? Besides Stonehenge?
Any tourist attractions that are popular but could/should be skipped?
My husband and I are 40, and husband will like to visit a few pubs in between my sightseeing. We're able to do quite a bit of walking and traveling in a short amount of time.
I like the "Open Jaw" idea and since we're traveling from southern California, have a few options for flights.
Is anyone interested in monoliths and have actually seen any? Besides Stonehenge?
Any tourist attractions that are popular but could/should be skipped?
Oct 30th, 2013, 09:05 AM
#20
Britanny has a fair few Dolmens (monoliths are rock in position by poser of nature not man ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolmen tombs abound in the old world, Orkney has a bunch
) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolmen tombs abound in the old world, Orkney has a bunch
