I will be traveling to europe, starting Jan 1 leaving Tampa, Fl and want to be home by the 15th of January.
I like to see whats to see and not diddly daddly....
I want to visit.... London, Paris, Rome (these are musts, but i also want to see as many other things that i can see along the way).... I am not sure of the best way to travel within Europe, I've been seeing trains as a good sort of transportation... would this be true even for these destinations.... and would there be any great stops along this train path that would lead to a better trip..... i'm sure i'll have more questions but this is to start!

We need a little more from you to be able to help properly.

How long are you here for? What do you like? Would you drive?

Where are you flying into and out of?

You have 13 days of sightseeing.

The train from Paris to Rome takes 15 hours one way.

The train from London to Paris takes 2+ hours.

If you want to see Rome, I would book a flight from Paris/London to Rome and back.

You will want to diddly daddly a bit because you'll have jet lag and will find everything a bit overwhelming at first.

Fifteen days is not much time for three cities. Keep in mind, you'll leave Tampa on the first and arrive in europe on the 2nd. With potential jet lag, you're only looking at a half of a day. Factor in the day you leave, you're down to twelve and a half days. Knock off one or one and one half days for the travel between the cities and your down to 11 to 11.5 days. That means less than four days in each city. You could whirlwind it, but you'd likely be worn out. I'd recommend knocking it down to two cities.

I'd consider doing an open-jaw flight into say London, stay there until the eighth and take the last chunnel train to Paris, or flight. Then you'd have the 9th to the 14th in Paris. Catch a flight home from Paris. Or switch the cities around to suit your particular interests.

You have less than 13 days of sightseeing time so I'd stick to just London/Paris/Rome.

Fly open jaw into London and out of Rome. (Flying out of the UK costs more due to much higher departure fees/taxes)

• Leave Jan 1/arrive London Jan 2.
• London to Paris by Eurostar on Jan 6 or 7.
• Fly Paris to Rome on Jan 11-ish.
• Fly home from Rome on Jan 15

That will still be a quite hectic itinerary w/o seeing any other cities. Remember - the weather will probably be very cold, and the days will be very short. Day 1 will probably be jet lagged - so it is almost a "throwaway day". Then, traveling to Rome will eat up much of one day when you factor in packing/unpacking, checking out/checking in, advance check in and travel to/from the airports. The 15th will be strictly a travel day to get to the airport and fly home.

so out of your 15 days you really have about 11 free days . . . . .

It seems to me that a tour might fit your plans. Up at six and on the bus and off for the day, mostly seeing places from a window. I wouldn't do it nor most posters, however, it just might be for you.

You'll barely do justice to London, Paris, and Rome, given your short timeframe.

I agree an open-jaw itinerary is best for this trip. Fly into London, out of Rome. Take the Eurostar from London to Paris and then grab a cheap flight from Paris to Rome (check www.whichbudget.com). A train from Paris to Rome would not be advisable.

You won't have time for diddly daddly, whatever that is, as you're heading for three of the major metropolises in the world - what's in between will have to wait until you have more time.

sheila...

i will be arriving there on Jan 2 and leaving on 15th of January..... I like a lot of stuff, but mainly in england I want to see regular touristy things... Buckingham Palace, big ben, the eye, (which will take 3 days at most) in Paris the same as above but obviously paris attractions (which will take another 3 day, 4 days if i want to do paris in disneyland, does anyone recommend or not recommend?)
and Rome I want to see the pope and st peters (i'll probably see more in 3 days than that) therefore i still have 2 days (any suggestions) left even if i do nothing on the 2nd(even though i know i will because i don't get jet lag *knocks on wood*) and nothing on the 15th but traveling home I would definitely not be driving cars too small and roads even too smaller or so i hear

schuler

Where are you flying into and out of? I do not have anything set because I want to see opinions but the plan is to fly into london(2nd) and fly out of rome(15th).... the interflights/trains in europe are not set yet


do they have a website for train schedules, prices, times( if i could get a night train i wouldn't mind the 15 hours i would sleep for 9, and i wouldn't be wasting a day)

i think i will definitely be taking the 2 hour train from london to paris unless its cheaper to fly

apersuader65
what is open-jaw flight?????


Thanks all for your suggestions! I will take them into consideration. I am young and i am not worried about being tired or sleeping really i can sleep when i get home or when im dead
Happy Vacationing!!

Open jaw is what I already described -- fly from FL to London and then from Rome to FL.

That is really the only practical way you'd have time to see those three cities in that short of time. Otherwise you will lose most of another day traveling back to to London from Rome the day before flying home.

&quot;<i> I want to see regular touristy things... Buckingham Palace, big ben, the eye, (which will take 3 days at most) in Paris the same as above but obviously paris attractions (which will take another 3 day, 4 days if i want to do paris in disneyland, does anyone recommend or not recommend?)</i>&quot;

You cannot see most (or even a lot) of the major London or Paris sights/sites in three days. Sorry - but you are seriously underestimating how long it takes to get from place to place and how long it takes to tour them once you are there.

Two places you do mention (Big Ben and Buck. Palace are merely &quot;walk by's&quot; and each only take a few minutes at most). But do your &quot;regular touristy things&quot; include the Tower of London, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's, etc etc etc.

Also - opening hours are shorter in winter, and daylight hours are much shorter than you are used to in FL.

My suggested itinerary would give you 4+ days in London, 4 days in Paris, and 3+ days in Rome - and that is all the time you have so there simply isn't a way to go anywhere else.

If you want to squeeze in DL Paris too - then you probably need to re-think your plan and just do London and Paris and drop Rome. A week for London and a week for Paris/DL Paris is about right for a winter trip.

&lt;That is really the only practical way you'd have time to see those three cities in that short of time. Otherwise you will lose most of another day traveling back to to London from Rome the day before flying home.&gt;

Well no - you can easily hop the Artesia overnight train either from Paris to Rome or vice versa and then in a few hours later via the Chunnel train be in Paris - saving a hotel cost to boot - if doing this investigate the France-Italy railpass, which also qualifies you for a good deal on the Chunnel train's passholder fare.

I'm sorry i never heard that term before!( but now i know )


You cannot see most (or even a lot) of the major London or Paris sights/sites in three days. Sorry - but you are seriously underestimating how long it takes to get from place to place and how long it takes to tour them once you are there.
(according to the different site that have premade itineraries and they do london in 3 and paris in 3(doesn't include one day to Disneyland in Paris, thats where the 4th day comes in)
for example so you don't think im making this up for one day in london this is what it says i can do
&quot;In One Day




Touring London in a day seems ridiculous at first, considering that it's a sprawling metropolis filled with treasures, but it can be done if you get an early start and have a certain discipline, plus a lot of stamina. Since Britain is the world's most famous kingdom, this &quot;greatest hits&quot; itinerary focuses on royal London, monumental London, and political London, with some great art thrown in to satisfy the inner soul. After an early morning trip to Westminster Abbey, you'll want to see London's greatest plaza, Trafalgar Square, take a grand &quot;royal stroll,&quot; visit the National Gallery, and perhaps poke into Whitehall, seeing 10 Downing St. (home of the prime minister). A pint of lager in a Victorian pub and a night in a West End theater will cap your day very nicely. Start: Tube to Westminster.

1 - Westminster Abbey

This early English Gothic abbey is the shrine of the nation, and most of England's kings and queens have been crowned here -- and many are buried here as well. We always like to get here when it opens at 9:30am before the crowds descend. Architecturally, its two highlights are the fan-vaulted Henry VII's Chapel (one of the loveliest in all of Europe) and the shrine to Edward the Confessor, containing the tombs of five kings and three queens. For a final look, walk over to the Poets' Corner, where everybody from Chaucer to Shelley and Keats are buried.

As you emerge from Westminster Abbey, you confront the virtual symbol of London itself:

2 - The Houses of Parliament and &quot;Big Ben&quot;

Guarded over by &quot;Big Ben&quot; (the world's most famous timepiece), the former royal Palace of Westminster shelters both the House of Lords and the House of Commons and has done so since the 11th century. Gaining admission to the debating chambers requires a long wait and a lot of red tape that the &quot;Day 1 Visitor&quot; will have to forego, but at least you can admire the massive architectural pile from the outside before passing on your way.

If you feel you've missed something, duck into the Jewel Tower across the street, one of only two surviving buildings from the medieval Palace of Westminster. Here you can see an exhibition of the history of Parliament and even use a touch-screen computer that takes you on a virtual tour of both Houses of Parliament.

Continue walking north along Whitehall until you reach:

3 - No. 10 Downing St.

Hang a left and look down Downing Street to number 10, flanked by policemen. Because of security concerns, it is no longer possible to walk down the street -- you can only look down it through the gates on Whitehall. The official residence of the prime minister isn't much of a sight and is rather modest, but it's been the home of everybody from Sir Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher. Today Gordon Brown and his family call it home. Although the building is hardly palatial, it's the most famous address in Britain, other than Buckingham Palace, and all visitors seem to want to take a peek.

After that look, continue north to:

4 - Trafalgar Square

The hub of London, this is Britain's most famous square and the scene of many a demonstration. A 44m (144-ft.) granite statue of Horatio Viscount Nelson (1758-1805) dominates the square. As you walk around this square, noting the ferocious pigeons &quot;dive-bombing,&quot; you'll know that you're in the very heart of London where thousands amass on New Year's Eve to ring in another year.

Right on this square, you can enter the:

5 - National Gallery

On the north side of Trafalgar Square looms this massive gallery. All the big names, from Leonardo da Vinci to Rembrandt, from van Gogh to C&eacute;zanne, strut their stuff here. Displaying some of the most important art ever created, the panoramic galleries cover eight centuries. This is one of the greatest art museums on the planet. On even the most rushed of schedules, you'll want to devote at least 1 1/2 hours to its galleries. Since everybody's taste in art differs, check out our Insider's Tip under the National Gallery preview. A computer makes it easy and convenient for you. Select 10 paintings you'd most like to see, and a computer will design your own map and print it out for you.

Directly north of Trafalgar Square, you enter the precincts of:

6 - Covent Garden

The old fruit-and-vegetable market of Eliza Doolittle fame is long gone, and the market has been recycled into one of the most bustling and exciting sections of London today. Begin with a walk around The Piazza, the center of Covent Garden. When architect Inigo Jones designed it in 1633, it became London's first square. To its south you'll see St. Paul's Church, which Jones called &quot;the handsomest barn in England.&quot; Immediately to the southeast of St. Paul's you can enter the Jubilee Market and to its immediate east the London Transport Museum. After wandering around the gardens and after a heavy morning of sightseeing, even with a full English breakfast, you may be ready for lunch. For our pounds sterling, there is no better place for lunch in all of London than Covent Garden.

Take a Break

7 - Porters English Restaurant

We suggest a visit to our dear old friend, the Earl of Bradford, who owns and runs this venerable Covent Garden favorite. Try one of Lady Bradford's old English pies (ever had lamb and apricot?), and finish off with her fabled steamed pudding, made with ginger and banana. 17 Henrietta St., WC2. tel. 020/7836-6466. Tube: Covent Garden or Leicester Sq.

The day is marching on, and you should too if you want to take in more that London has to offer.

At Covent Garden, take the Tube (subway, to Americans) to Charing Cross Station to the south of Covent Garden. After disembarking here, prepare yourself for one of the grandest strolls in all of Britain, walking west along:

8 - The Mall &amp; Buckingham Palace

A stroll along the Mall all the way west to Buckingham Palace is the most aristocratic walk in Britain. Passing King George's IV's glorious Carlton House terrace on your right, you can enjoy the same view Elizabeth II sees when she rides in her gilded &quot;fairy-tale&quot; coach to open Parliament every year.

Whether you can actually go inside Buckingham Palace itself depends on the time of year. We've deliberately skipped the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which isn't held every day and is often difficult to schedule. It's an overrated attraction anyway.

After viewing Buckingham Palace, at least from the outside, walk along Constitution Hill to the Tube stop at Hyde Park Corner. Once there, head east for one big final attraction for the afternoon.

9 - The Tower of London

We prefer to visit this attraction later in the afternoon, when some of the hordes pouring out of tour buses have departed. A first-time visitor to London wouldn't dare miss this old symbol of blood and gore standing on the Thames for 900 years. Many famous Englishmen have lost their heads at the Tower. It's been a palace, a prison, and a royal mint, but mostly it's a living museum of British history. Since you don't have a lot of time, take one of the hour-long guided tours conducted by the much-photographed Beefeaters. They make the history of the Tower come alive with their often humorous and irreverent commentary.

After viewing the Tower, we suggest you head back to your hotel and take a much-needed break before descending on London by night.

We like to begin our evening with a pint in an evocative London pub. Try one of the best and also one of the most famous:

Take a Break

10 - The Salisbury

This Art Nouveau pub is in the heart of the theater district. You can enjoy a drink and a quick pub dinner of home-cooked pies or freshly made salads before heading out to see the show of your choice. 90 St. Martin's Lane, WC2. tel. 020/7836-5863. Tube: Leicester Sq.

11 - A Night at a London Theater

Before purchasing your ticket, read our box on &quot;Ticket Bargains&quot;, and you might save a lot of money. Unless you've got your heart set on seeing a big London hit, perhaps a musical, we suggest your one-and-only night in London be spent at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. This is a replica of the Elizabethan original where the Bard premiered many of his plays. The productions, often performed in Elizabethan costume as in Shakespeare's days, are of the highest quality, often showcasing the talents of many of Britain's greatest thespians, both young and old.

Head back to your hotel for a well-earned night of rest and promise yourself you'll come back to London soon.&quot;


Thank you for your insight on the sun factor i was not sure how that would work... we have sun from our time 6 am til 5:30pm

I have already stated i have 2 extra day therefore i don't understand your post, thanks anyways

PalenQ
thank you i will check that out!!!!

Well janis is right that an open jaw would be more convenient - but if the open jaw costs a ton more than a return flight to London then keep that option open.

Downing Street??? Sorry - but you cannot get close to 10 Downing street. It is fenced off and gated and all you will see is basically an alley w/ police guard out front.

Fer cryin' out loud. Where did you get that silly itinerary from anyway? It has you jumping back and forth across London three times in one day. That is a disjointed and nearly impossible itinerary.

Open jaws almost never cost more if you factor in the extra expense/inconvenience of traveling back to your point of entry.

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...055020766.html

well - that is just another reason to stick w/ Fodors!!

Open jaws almost never cost more if you factor in the extra expense/inconvenience of traveling back to your point of entry&gt;

how about factoring in the cost of a hotel saved - and if you had the railpass the cost of the train would not be very much. Expense wise may be the same, perhaps - but obviously more convenient to fly home from Rome, no doubt bout that.

&quot;<i>Touring London in a day seems ridiculous at first,</i>&quot; and at second and third . . . .

If you just want to see the outsides of those places and maybe go inside one - then definitely do one of the hop-on-hop-off bus tours. But sitting upstairs on those open-top buses in January is not that much fun.

PQ - how do you save on a hotel? You have to sleep <i> somewhere</i>. Either in Rome, in London or paying extra for a sleeper on the train.

Accommodations will cost approx. the same open jaw or not . . . . .