Well-seasoned Europe travellers needed to plan 13 days in France and Spain
 

Hi,

I'm trying to plan a 13 day trip and would like to visit Paris, Aix-En-Provence and Barcelona. I know that this is ambitious and I don't plan to enter museums nor go shopping for whole days. I would like to get a taste for each city hopefully 5 days in Aix. What highlights do you recommend. What can we afford to miss? Please feel free to use TGV or flight times in your sample itineraries. Any recommended places to stay/or not to stay in Aix and Barcelona ( I already have accommodations in Paris)


Many thanks!

Hi everyone, for some reason, Sweden is tagged instead of Spain. But, just to clarify that the trip will compose an element in Barcelona, Spain.

Nice trip--just enough time. I would do:

Arrive Paris---5

Train to Provence[prefer Avignon-- consider a car]--3

Train to Barcelona---5---fly home

For info on hotels you really need to give us a budget.

Thanks for your advice so far.

Bobthenavigator: do you have any suggestions of what to see in these cities? So far I have planned for Paris:
Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs d’Elysées, Louvre, Place du Tertre, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte Chapelle, Conciergerie, Notre Dame, Centre National d”Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou. I will not be going into any of them because I want to maximize my time there. What else must I see in Paris?

In respect to Aix and Barcelona, How would you suggest that I fill the days? I was thinking 5 in Aix and 3 in Barcelona but am open to idea.

nytraveler: Let's say 100 euros a night for hotels. I need clean that's it. I don't plan to do more than shower and sleep in the rooms. I have a place to stay in Paris.

I always suggest guide books for the details of what to see at any destination. I am a big fan of the Michelin Green books for that. It would take hours here to tell you what to see. Barcelona deserves much more time than Aix or Avignon.

Ok, I will check out Michelin. Thanks!

Please do go inside most of the places you listed in Paris. That's sort of the whole point of why they are interesting. St Chapelle can only be appreciated from inside and will only take you less than an hour to explore. Norte Dame is pretty outside, but even more beautiful inside and also doesn't take long to visit. The d'Orsay and Louvre have some of the most beautiful artwork in the world. If you can't do both, pick one. In other words, you may not be able to see everything, but it would be a shame to not actually experience the things you do "see."

Avignon much better than Aix. Rent a car in Provence. YOu aren't going "in" any place--just passing by?

Thanks everyone. To clarify, I meant that I was not going into the museums. Not this trip. I prefer to spend the majority of my time exploring architecture. I know that the lines for the Louvre is long, so given the length of my trip, I prefer to leave museums to when I have more time to absorb the arts. I will definitely check out Avignon. I might have to alter my schedule a little bit. What if I took time away from Barcelona?

The lines at museums are manageable particularly with the pass. It is fine, but just seems odd. Are you planning to come back soon? Sort of a drive by vacation when the museums and their collections are so astounding. Five days is a nice amount of time to include interiors also. Just a thought.

Oh, and for architecture you really might enjoy the "basement" of the Louvre where you can see how the chateau was actually built.

Thanks Gretchen, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to squeeze in museums in the 5 days. Have you been to Barcelona? Do you think that 5 days is enough to get a taste for the city. I might go back next year for 4-6 weeks.

Please do as others have recommended and see the inside of the sights of Paris and Barcelona. In Paris, the inside of the Musee D'Orsay is as interesting as the outside. Same with the Louvre. If you have 5 full days in Paris you have time to visit the inside of Ste. Chapelle and Notre Dame. You have time to visit the Pompideau which is very interesting architecturally even if you don't spend much time with the art.

Don't try to see everything. Choose 3 or 4 things in each museum and visit those. I absolutely never go to Paris without visiting the Winged Victory of Samothrace even if I only spend 30 minutes in the Louvre on that trip.

you will miss so much if you only walk around outside. The walk from the Louvre through the Tuilleries to the Champs Elysees and eventually to the Arc is interesting. You really won't need to go inside anything on the Champs unless you plan to buy a car. A Seine River cruise will allow you to see the beautiful buildings along the river and the exquisite bridges.

Find the Green Guides and choose your sights. I think with 13 days and your interest in architecture, I would skip Provence and spend the time in Paris and Barcelona. With 6 days in Paris, you could visit Versailles.

Happy Planning.

The

How did you plan your previous trips to Europe?

As far as Barcelona is concerned, ther great art is not in their museums but on the streets. Before you go you must learn about Modernisme and ite best known architetural practioners Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

As a town, I liked Aix better than Avignon. Partly because I'm a fan of MFK Fisher, who wrote about it.

Are you looking for a town to visit or for a base from which to explore Provence? For the latter Avignon makes a good base if you're using public transportation. With a car it's not so good. Whereas Aix is not so central to the sights of Provence.

Hi everyone, thanks again for your help so far. I have decided to visit museums now that I have been reassured that I have enough time.

Paradeofmonkeys- last time I went to Europe was with my family when I was an adolescent so it was planned for me :) Thanks for the tips, I am familiar with Gaudi and Montane so I have one more to go :)

Mimar - Aix is to relax, enjoy the lavender fields and markets. Not so much to see the sites of Provence.

Five days in Aix? I think that's too long. Two would be fine.

I am curious about how well travelled you are, only because "relaxing" for 5 days in Aix after 5 in Paris seems to not be travelling, but just hanging out. I see you have been once on a family trip. Personally I would be trying to maximize all my time and make it a trip to remember--not gadding from place to place, but at least seeing the environs. It's fine, but for a budget traveller, I am not getting the picture of the aim of this trip.
There are better markets than Aix also. It's a largish congested city.

When are you traveling? The lavendar blooms from the first week in June to well into July. May differ according to the weather. The TI in Aix has quite a few excursions, including one to see the lavendar fields: http://en.aixenprovencetourism.com/aix-excursions.htm

I didn't find Aix congested, but then we didn't do much driving in city. The market is quite nice, the town very relaxed. Search out the fountains, adopt a sidewalk cafe on the Cours Mirabeau.

Most often here we're chastising people for traveling too quickly. Now you're being told you're spending too much time in Aix. Well, if there's any place for leaning back and taking it easy, Provence is the place.