Saraho

Have a good trip- I took a trip to Italy seven months after DH died and found that it helped a lot. I was able to relax and enjoy new and interesting things to think about.

Hope this will be true for both you and your mother. I think both of you will really enjoy Paris.

Lilly2016

Saraho - I'm so sorry for your loss I am hoping it will be good for us.
We will be playing it by ear with the weather and the walking, but I do have the buy the Eurostar ticket, the NY eve, and christmas day tours from the US, as others here said things sell out.

marvelousmouse

Just one final thing- hop on hop off is only good for someone like your mom if you don't really intend to hop off. (Which rather defeats the purpose). The stops aren't always marked, the stops can be inconveniently far from the sites which is obnoxious in poor weather. The narration is usually not all that interesting, some narrators just make up entertaining crap while they go along. I would just take a narrated driving tour of some kind, that doesn't stop. And then take a taxi or transit to the few things you really want to see after.

(I actually like hop on and hop off, especially if it's an open top, but that is not a plus in the winter.)

historytraveler

Have a look at www.blacktaxitours.co.uk May be a better option than Hop On Hop a Off.

emily71

Instead of the HOHO bus, you can take the Number 11 regular bus. This takes you from Kensington down past Harrods and around Parliament.

I believe it used to be a double decker but it's been almost 8 years so I could be wrong.

janisj

OK - Viator doesn't even do tours (and your TA should KNOW that).

Viator only sells other company's tours. They are just essentially a travel agent.

Lilly2016

marvelousmouse Thanx a million for telling me ... I will not book the hop off hop on and will try another form of tour. We were going to do a tour of the city in a vehicle than decide where to spend more time ..
I will check the ones suggested above. ** TY Emily71 and Historytraveler --

I also found a company that does private tours but its far more expensive, Unique Paris Private Tours ?

The TA did tell me Viator sells the tours, but in Buffalo - In person that is our ONLY option. Unless I blindly book something online, via reviews on Tripadvisor etc..

or wait until I get to the Hotel (which from what I am understanding maybe too late)?

thursdaysd

Tours are really unnecessary for either city. Pick up a guidebook, as suggested above, figure out what you want to see, and go see it. Public transport is excellent in both cities (except Christmas Day in London). You especially don't want a Viator tour, which is just a tour run by someone else with a markup.

http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/

https://tfl.gov.uk/
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-...ral-london.pdf

Although you say your mother doesn't like museums, I would suggest visiting the Victoria and Albert, the wonderful decorative arts museum. Take her to see the costume section on the ground floor, and the jewelry section on the top floor, and then have a scone and clotted cream in the gorgeous tea rooms. (Note that the major museums in London are free.)

https://www.vam.ac.uk/

Lilly2016

Thursdaysd -- ty for your continued support and helpful info..

I have already ordered both pocket books from Rick Steve's as you recommended.. it will hopefully arrive in 10 days.. a few days before departure.

also your suggestions sound wonderful, i will check the sites now..

We have narrowed the itinerary down to

1. the River Dinner cruise describes it as an enclosed ship - I thought we would do that on christmas day.

2. The Louvre (sp?) museum one day (mom says that she wants to see)
3. Eiffel and Notre dame
4. a little shopping

should I allow the 25-27 leaving the 28th or add an extra day and leave the 29th?

thursdaysd

That's not a lot unless you spend ages in the Louvre. You should be able to fit it into 25-27. BTW, consider adding Ste Chapelle.

marvelousmouse

Agree that bus tours aren't necessary. However, my older relatives really enjoy them. It's the first thing that they want to do in any city. A few of them flat out refuse to take transit, so it's taxis and bus tours. Lilly, if your mom likes to walk, look up "London walks"- they don't require prebooking. Don't buy through Viator. If you mother isn't picky, believe me, you won't have any difficulty booking a tour bus. There will be stands in the major tourist areas or ask your hotel front desk. Now, if you are picky, and you really want those private tours, you might be in trouble. Chances are those guides are all booked up or taking the holidays off.

I second Thursdaysd's suggestion about museums. There are a whole bunch of interesting museums in both cities that a non museum person will enjoy more than the louvre. Get a guide book, or google time out or "best museums in city". I cannot talk my mother or siblings into a major art museum- but they enjoy textiles, historic houses, decorative arts, toy museums, science museums, etc. dragging her to a massive art museum when she doesn't like them is not a recipe for success.

One of the guide books my grandmother liked was the "top ten of everything". Small and succinct and not terribly detailed. But you don't need details for a first time visit. I just let her page through it and we'd plan each day the night before. A lot depended on how she felt and how the weather was, so the only thing we did in advance was book restaurants, because we were always in the mood for food

KyraS

London Walks is a great outfit. They mainly run walking tours but can also do special tours, and tours by taxi. I'd send them an email (I just had to email them with a question the other day, and got a prompt and helpful response) and see what they might have on offer. It would be more enjoyable than one of the HOHO (hop on, hop off) buses, I think.

Lilly, I hope you are feeling a bit calmer. Are the plane and train tickets, and places to stay, all arranged now? Any major outstanding issues or questions?

historytraveler

I also love London Walks but one should be aware that the walks last two hours and and may be a bit much for anyone with mobility issues or who would just have trouble staying on their feet and walking for that long. While many of us would give a pass on bus tours, I agree that many seniors may enjoy them.

jamikins

Www.walks.com is their website. The walking tours are generally 2 hours. They don't usually walk very far but there may be a lot of standing. There is no opportunity to sit down or rest during their tours.

I do love their tours though

Lilly2016

Thursdaysd - I have added Ste Chapel -ty for telling me, i googled it WOW wouldn't have wanted to miss that.. any other suggestions ?

--
Marvalousmouse -- so funny - Yes idk what it is about those buses that my mom loves too... go figure.
we will not do the HOHO - but i did find one called the city tour double decker bus, that just drives you through with a headphone guide, she may enjoy that. The sign on it was a fox.. i think it was called foxy something ?

--I would love a walking tour, but mom def can not do it.. more than mobility - her intolerance of cold is a problem.

---
I def do want to see the Louvre -and was hoping to reserve a guided tour for that one, so I could just see the highlights, due to the limited time. I Love art and could prob spend a week in there, not so much mom.

---
TA says we must stay the 28th bc the Louvre is closed, but with the link above i checked and it seems open on the 26th?

Lilly2016

Ok just was able to get through the Louvre myself it is open on the 26th.. yeah

now for the eiffel tower should we try to eat there.. is it a nice unique experience ? how is the food? is lunch or dinner better?

thursdaysd

WHY ARE YOU STILL TALKING TO THIS STUPID TA???

If your guidebooks haven't arrived yet, go to your library. Or to your local Barnes and Noble - buy a cup of coffee, and read theirs.

And if by "get through" you mean by phone, the Louvre has a website that you can switch to English.

emily71

The only days that the Louvre is closed is Christmas, New years, and on Tuesdays.

Lilly2016

thursdaysd -- this was a different TA eheheh and online I could Not book the guided tours for the 12/26 i know you can switch the site to EN i did that.. j

Emily71 yes i now know ty

skipping dinner on river cruise since you all said food wasn't good.

How about dinner at eiffel tower?

do you recommend?

Lilly2016

also wish i had the time to go to B and N and read and drink coffee..