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Travel with a 13 year old in France and Spain

Travel with a 13 year old in France and Spain

Old Jul 6th, 2013, 02:26 AM
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Travel with a 13 year old in France and Spain

I am taking my 13 year old son to Europe in September 2013. We are staying with family in England but we have a week to explore other parts of Europe on our own. I thought that we might catch the train from London to Paris, spend a day and night in Paris, go to euro Disney and then train to Barcelona. I welcome any suggestions about where to stay and things to do there. We are trying to keep spending to as reasonable as possible without staying at really nasty backpackers.
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Old Jul 6th, 2013, 04:31 AM
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You can take the Elipsos hotel train from Paris to Barcelona and give you kid the experience of a night train - my son at that age found it really exciting - score some cheap tickets in advance at www.elipsos.com - check out these sites for lots of great stuff on European trains - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

For Chunnel trains booking really early can save a ton of money - www.eurostar.com if the official site that is easy to book your own ticket on - early bird gets the worm here though so book months early to get the limited in number discounted tickets. ditto for day trains to Barcelona (www.voyages-sncf.com for those ducats).
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Old Jul 9th, 2013, 02:24 AM
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PalenQ, thanks so much for your advice. I think I have left the early bird bookings too late as we will be there around 17 September 2013. I think I might leave the tickets to closer to the time when I am sure of our dates. The night time train sounds very cool though. Thanks again
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Old Jul 9th, 2013, 05:56 AM
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For cheaper Chunnel train tickets try for a mid-week departure as cheaper tickets may be more available those days than busier weekend days. And by booking early even now you will probably get cheaper tickets than if you just wait as there are tiers of various prices - when one sells out it bumps up to the next. You really perhaps could save tons of money by booking now - but those tickets cannot be changed nor refunded. Check on Youth Fare tickets for your son.

and thanks for the thanks!
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Old Jul 9th, 2013, 06:33 AM
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I played on the Easyjet site, you can fly from Paris to Barcelona and then return from Barcelona to London for the total of 240 euros total for the two of you. This includes the extra fees for checking in your bags.

This is not a bad deal considering you don't have to back track to Paris to take train back to London for return flight home. Now, if you haven't booked return flight home you can make it even easier by booking your international flight open jaw, fly into Lodon and out of Barcelona, you would be booking an open jaw or multiple destination ticket. Saves back tracking to London.

The train can be fun, but its not cheap, and it does take a whole night ( but don't assume you will arrive refreshed and ready to go having saved a hotel night, many find they arrive exhausted,lol )

Anyways look at train fares, check out Vueling and Easyjet.

Good luck.
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Old Jul 10th, 2013, 04:21 PM
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He may enjoy the Behind the Scenes tour at the Eiffel Tower:

http://www.cultival.fr/en/visites/be...e-eiffel-tower
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Old Jul 11th, 2013, 10:30 AM
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You might catch the years greatest festival in Barcelona, La Mercé, towards the end of September. All kinds of events and activities for more than a week, and as most fun things in Spain, it's genuinely oriented towards all ages. http://barcelona.de/en/barcelona-la-merce.html

Some other things he might enjoy is the first class Aquarium:
http://www.aquariumbcn.com/AQUARIUM/index.php

The teleferic ride up to the Montjuich (Jewish mountain) castle: http://www.tmb.cat/es/teleferic-de-montjuic

And if no vertigo, go for the Port Cable Car ride from the harbour up to the Montjuic:
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...barcelona.html

If interested in soccer, a tour at Camp Nou, the stadium of FC Barcelona, the greatest soccer team in the world the past years and a legendary club with tons of history:
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/camp-nou

Or even better, you can experience Lionel Messi live, the greatest soccer player alive and perhaps of all times. He plays at Camp Nou in Barcelona in average every second week, and the season is well underway in September Some 70 000-90 000 spectators at every match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvbbzVCyoik
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Old Jul 11th, 2013, 10:46 AM
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... and I can recommend Hostal Orleans as a great value basic hotel standard (tv, AC, safe, private bath, 24 desk)place to stay in an excellent location on the edge of the vibrant medieval El Born Area and close to "everything".
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/hostal-orleans.en.html
http://www.hostalorleans.com/

More upscale in the same area for 105€/night for a double at Hotel Banys Orientals:
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/banys-orientals.en.html
http://www.hotelbanysorientals.com/

About El Born:
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

Ten minutes walk to the bustling city beach Barceloneta where all kinds of people in all kinds of ages go about doing all kinds of things from swimming, sunbathing, watersporting, cycling, skateboarding, partying, eating etc. etc.
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Old Jul 11th, 2013, 11:36 AM
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.. and Barcelona is of course a chocolate city. Go to narrow Carrer Petritxol, just off Las Ramblas towards the Cathedral to find some of the best and most traditional chocolate cafés/bars. Well worth the effort to find! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CKYSkEOep0
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Old Jul 11th, 2013, 01:05 PM
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You might catch the years greatest festival in Barcelona, La Mercé, towards the end of September. All kinds of events and activities for more than a week, and as most fun things in Spain, it's genuinely oriented towards all ages>

Yes indeedy - I saw the fantastic parade a few years back as it snaked down to the port - papier-mache puppets, lots of groups dressed in eclectic old costumes - just a whole lot of fun - many of the groups were teens and they livened it up with their enthusiastic marching. Be sure to see the parade if in Barcelona.
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Old Jul 11th, 2013, 05:16 PM
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Wow, I can't believe the effort everyone has gone to in providing us with information and the website addresses as well. Is it possible to book the football tickets in advance as this seems to be the thing he is most excited about. I am super pleased that we will be there during the festival but will need to book our accommodation in the next few days as hotel Orleans is already booked out. I think we will catch the Chunnel across and then fly Paris, Barcelona and then back to London. You have made two excited Aussies very happy. We are having a 3 day stop over in Dubai on the way, should I start a new forum for tips on things to do there?
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Old Jul 12th, 2013, 02:36 AM
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Have you tried booking Orleans at their own web site? At booking.com hotels often appears to be fully booked when they are not.

Here you buy the FC Barcelona tickets in advance. Very recommended to do so: http://www.fcbarcelona.com/info-tickets

Here's the 2013/2014 calendar. Barcelona plays at home on Sept 15 and 25. http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/calendar
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Old Jul 13th, 2013, 08:16 AM
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I played on the Easyjet site, you can fly from Paris to Barcelona and then return from Barcelona to London for the total of 240 euros total for the two of you. This includes the extra fees for checking in your bags>

Be sure of maximum baggage sizes for both checked luggage and carry-on luggage - a recent NY Times article mentioned huge surcharges imposed at the gate for even exceeding the limits by a tiny bit.
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Old Jul 18th, 2013, 09:52 AM
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Ah give your 13-yold the memorable experience of hopping an overnight train - book a private compartment - take food and drink aboard - my son at that age relished the experience so so much - something out of the ordinary and saves time to overall as you travel by night - flying consumes at least half a day no matter how long the flight is.
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