pamolly678

My daughter and I are planning a trip for this summer- through a school tour and trying to add onto the trip at the beginning; we need to meet with group in Milan and planning to see London and Paris first - how many days do we need to plan on for London & Paris? How is best to get from Paris to Milan to meet up with rest of group (where we will see southern France/Italy). We are very excited and nervous trying to fit everything in - suggestions are very much appreciated! What should we plan on and what should we not miss?

cathies

How many days do you have before you join the group? Paris to Milan, I'd try to find a budget air fare.

pamolly678

Hoping to have 5 days; but concerned that may not be enough to do both Paris and London. Planning on taking train from London to Paris.

suec1

Well 5 days for Paris AND London is pretty rushed but I guess doable. Have a plan! OR maybe do just Paris? Get a guidebook to help you make the most of your time for sure. I like Rick Steves books; he has alot of practical transportation tips and his ranking of sights is usually spot on. A great site if you do go to London is "thelondontoolkit" - follow the links for the 2-4-1 offers for some reduced fares.

There is a night train from Paris to Milan - I think its a fun experience but others are not fans. But it will go city center to city center and save you airport hassles. Enjoy your trip - I did two school trips with my daughters in the 1990's - I had alot of fun and they were great introductions of the "adult Disneyland" that is Europe!

ira

Hi Mom,

> how many days do we need to plan on for London & Paris?

One week in each.

>How is best to get from Paris to Milan to meet up with rest of group

Fly. See whichbudget.com

>We are very excited

I'm sure you are.

>.. and ... trying to fit everything in

That is the usual newbie mistake.

Europe has been there for 5000 years and will still be there in another decade.

With 5 days, I suggest that you visit either London or Paris and save the other for your next trip.

London is usually a good spot for a first visit as you can read the signs, even if the language is difficult.

whichbudget is offering LGW/MPX for 48GBP pp, which is cheaper than taking the train to Paris.

Enjoy your visit.

The8treGirl

If you're landing in London, I would suggest taking the "jet lag" day and doing something like ride the Eye and/or take a cruise on the Thames. This will give you an overview of the city in two different ways and not be too taxing an exhausted bodies.

At the end of the afternoon, hop on board the train and four days of joy in Paris (travel first class if you can - I always believe the little bit of extra money is worth it - and be sure to check on meal service, if any, before boarding. You might want to bring along un picnic).

In Paris, a hop on-hop off bus ticket is a great way to get around to the major tourist points in the city. The tickets are good for two days only, but you can stay as long as you like at any stop-off point.

My trip with my mother (which was to London) was made most memorable by the off-the-beaten path things we did and are the ones we talked about most after we returned. If you're looking for something similar in Paris, I cannot recommend an afternoon strolling around Le Marais strongly enough. Fun shops, wonderful bistros and/or cafes, a brilliant market (Le Marche des Enfants Rouge) which has ready-to-eat food from around the world & tables at which to sit and enjoy.

I so envy you this experience with your daughter. I wish I had my mother with me still to TAKE HER on such another adventure!

The8treGirl

Oh, dear. I forgot to say....

Take the train to Milan. You can book a sleeping compartment for just the two of you, it will be safe & comfortable and best of all, you will avoid the giant pit of hell that is CDG airport.

cathies

You could easily spend 5 days in London and have a couple of day trips to see Windsor castle and Hampton court palace if you want to. Then fly to Milan to meet the group.

I absolutely love Paris, but I'm not crazy about the idea of you arriving jet lagged in London, racing around there for a day or two and then spending virtually all of one day catching the train to Paris and then really only having one full day in Paris. Save Paris for next time

pamolly678

Thanks for everyone's help! We are thinking that we need to concentrate on one place. Now thinking either Rome (and see Pompeii, Venice) and meet in Milan or Paris (and possibly Normandy and meet in Milan. Think either one would be amazing, but suggestions? Thanks!

kybourbon

Fast train from Rome to Milan in only three hours so it would be easy to meet your group.

Where does your tour go?

frogoutofwater

A couple of things to consider:

1) Think about narrowing down the choices of the main city to visit (before Milan) based on how easy it is to fly there direct (or nearly direct) from wherever you live. Once you get to Europe, it will be pretty easy to get a direct flight to Milan (from a major European city). You don't have a lot of time and you don't want to waste it on travel days. For example, all other things being equal my vote for a city to visit before Milan would be Venice or Florence, but if you can't get there directly, I'd scratch them off the list in favour of a city like Rome, Paris or London (where you're likely going to be able to fly direct).

2) Although overnight trains are fun, I'd skip that experience for this trip. Instead, fly from your selected city to Milan (if your selected city is outside Italy) or take a short train (if, for example, you choose to go to Rome).

3) When is this trip you're planning? If it's summer, keep in mind that it will be blazingly hot and crowded - not necessarily the best introduction to foreign travel. It will sap your energy. Cooler London or slightly cooler Paris might be a better choice.

JeyMorgan

Hey,you need to have at least five days in London to see the grace and excellence of it. You can book a hotel in Stratford or West Ham. It is a bit cheaper (way cheaper) and the train ride(Underground Tube) from Stratford and West Ham to Central London is around 30 minutes. I couldn't even visit all the places there - I was there for more than 2 years as a student! So good luck, please keep the budget in mind. If you rent a hotel in Notting Hill or Paddington or Victoria, get ready to inflate your budget. But stratford or East Ham, you can save a lot and use it for something useful. Cheers!

pamolly678

Thanks so much for all your help! We have decided to limit our extra time to Paris, planning on going 6 days early to see as much as we can. Suggestions for tours, etc. are much appreciated. My daughter really wants to tour Versailles, and we are hoping to take a train to Milan to meet up with the group. Also hoping to stay in an apartment near Notre Dame. Thanks!

cathies

Do go to Versailles, it's well worth the trip. However, I found the chateau the most claustrophobic place I've ever been to so I would suggest you either grt there really early or alternatively, explore the gardens first and then go to the chateau as the last thing to do before catching the train back to Paris.

Monet's Garden at Giverney is also lovely and worth a 1/2 day or so away from Paris.

Be flexible with your plans and don't forget to check when different galleries etc are closed. Mist of them close one day each week.

jamikins

Great decision to limit yourself to Paris!!

We used this agency to rent an apartment a few years ago, they have a lot of apartments in the 1st near the Louvre which may appeal:

http://www.myparisvisit.com/

pamolly678

Any specific tours of Versailles that anyone would recommend? Or which train to take to Milan? Thanks!