Trip to London and then Paris

[nisryus]

So after month of thinking and soul searching, the wife has calm down a little and has shelved the idea of moving to VA or back to CA.. for now.

With house nearly paid off and how i have been saving a few bucks, she wants to visit Europe before she gets too old. The only out of the country she had ever gone to was a trip back to visit her relatives in China years back. She has actually never been to any other country at all! So we could used the money for moving and stuffs on vacation instead, now that it's just the two of us with the kid in college.

Plan is to fly to London Heathrow airport. Stayed and do the usual sign seeing around London for three days before spending a day in oxford. Fifth day will be taking the Eurostar to Paris. (unless there are other must see places around UK)

Spend three days around Paris, then take the train to Italy (Venice) and spent three days around there before flying home.

Still haven't thought of what to see around London, Paris or Venice, so going to search a bit but for now that's the time line we have.

Any tips and area of interests you would recommend? Would limited to stay and do things around one city (Paris or Venice) be not good? But with limietd time, not sure which towns/cities would be worth going.

Paging Exterous

 

[WelshBloke]

Where are you staying in Venice? I stayed at the north of the island and it was fantastic. Much less crowded than the more tourist bits (which are only a 15 minute walk away).


The bits at the popular areas can be a scrum in the day, still amazing but busy.

 

[nisryus]

I have not start looking at hotel yet, but kid's senior class trip went to Venice and one of the teacher recommend some local hotel (small one), I need to find the name again.

Wife doesn't care much for historical sites like The Coliseum, Pantheon.. although i love to see them... but happy wife, happy life...

Anyway, WelshBloke, whats the name of the place you had stayed at?

 

[WelshBloke]

I have not start looking at hotel yet, but kid's senior class trip went to Venice and one of the teacher recommend some local hotel (small one), I need to find the name again.

Wife doesn't care much for historical sites like The Coliseum, Pantheon.. although i love to see them... but happy wife, happy life...

Anyway, WelshBloke, whats the name of the place you had stayed at?

We went as an extended family so there were 10 of us and a lot of them were fluent in Italian (not that that ended up mattering), we rented an airB&B for a week or so. I'd definitely advise that rather than a hotel as there are a ton of places to eat out in Venice plus its nice to have your own kitchen.
Off the top of my head the place was called Madonna Dell'Orto and it was just off the ferry stop of the same name. Those ferries are fantastic for travelling around btw, fantastic sights and really cheap!

​

 

[WelshBloke]

Ok, it was here if this location thing works.

45°26'50.2"N 12°19'59.0"E

maps.app.goo.gl

Edit. That didnt work! Its just to the left of that on google maps!

 

[Brainonska511]

You could easily spend a week in each place. Beyond London, other things to see: Bath (~1.5 hours from London by train, but buy the tickets in advance to get the cheapest cost; can easily be a single day trip).

I'm not sure I'd take the train from Paris to Venice: it seems like that would be a 10 hr+ journey. If I was going to Europe, I wouldn't want to waste what amounts to almost a whole day on additional travel.

I've been to both Paris and London in recent years, so happy to drop some recs.

 

[purbeast0]

The Louvre is one of the most boring places I've ever been to in my life lol. I am not a museum person by any means but my wife and I did it when we were there just to do it and we both were bored to death in there. I wish we had done the catacombs instead.

 

[nisryus]

Oh I have heard of the catacombs... but not sure if the wife is ready, she hates anything that is dark and scary.

Yeah I have not thought the time it takes to ride from Paris to Venice. That's a pretty long ride.

Another way is to fly to Venice, then go to Milan before over to Switzerland, then to Paris. Finally ride Eurostar to London.

 

[Fenixgoon]

there's a ton to do in paris. i literally walked around the city for 10 hours straight. i didn't go in the Louvre though but I did hit L'Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower (the elevator was broken, RIP), and a bunch of other stuff.

Also, you do need to get a coffee and pain au chocolat at breakfast purely for the experience. not that it's fancy or amazing, but it's a very french thing.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Too much traveling. Two places max, scratch Italy off and just go London & Paris.

 

[nisryus]

Indeed, Dr. Detroit is right, this will including a lot of train rides and spent too much time traveling.

sigh*

London and Paris, or maybe London (4 days) to Brussel (3 days) and then to Paris (4 days)? They are close to each other so might be doable?

 

[purbeast0]

When I was in Europe I went to 4 places - Barcelona, Paris, St. Sebastian, and Valencia. I was at each spot for 3 nights and we traveled by train to each spot. I think the longest train ride was maybe like 5 hours if I remember? It was cool but it was way too busy for what I like to do on vacations and way too "scheduled" for my likings.

But to be fair, my ideal vacation is always going to the Caribbean and chilling on a white sand beach with clear water and a cocktail, and get some diving and snorkeling in and do a sunset cruise.

We did Europe because my wife had been wanting to do it for a while and we stayed with her cousin in St. Sebastian. We may hit up Greece next year though for our anniversary, but will be on some of the islands versus the mainland.

 

[nisryus]

I try not to cram too many places, so probably just three countries and stick to the capital area, except Oxford as I want to see the university (and then show the kid pics and taunt him... why didn't you apply here! )

 

[zinfamous]

I just got back from 3 weeks in Italy/Switzerland/western France, where I also went to Venice for the ...3rd time, I think. Venice is lovely. It's overly crowded and can be smelly depending on when you go, but you need to see it at least once. There isn't really a thing to do there, but just walk around and hang out. Go and don't have a plan. Just wander. There are concertos and things that are always running that you can do, every two years there is the Biannale which is something you have to do if you're there (it's currently running through the end of November).

If you have time, you might want to stop in Verona on the way. You can see everything you need to in the small old town area, and it is quite lovely. They have a really nice colosseum in the middle of everything.

Paris to Venice is going to be a very long train ride, btw. It will kill a day.

Paris...I never cared too much about. With only 3 days, you might not even bother with the Louvre. It takes 3 or more days to see everything, but you don't have to see everything--if you go, you should spend at least a day. Paris has tons of really nice museums though, and cathedrals with pieces of saints and all those cool things. same with...all of Italy of course.

 

[zinfamous]

I try not to cram too many places, so probably just three countries and stick to the capital area, except Oxford as I want to see the university (and then show the kid pics and taunt him... why didn't you apply here! )

this is good. Don't travel too much. It's exhausting, a time sink, and more expensive.

 

[zinfamous]

Oh I have heard of the catacombs... but not sure if the wife is ready, she hates anything that is dark and scary.

Yeah I have not thought the time it takes to ride from Paris to Venice. That's a pretty long ride.

Another way is to fly to Venice, then go to Milan before over to Switzerland, then to Paris. Finally ride Eurostar to London.

for example: I took the train from Bologna to Lausanne, 2 high speed trains, and that was about 8 hours. You also have only a few trains per day that will cross countries from certain cities, so you're limited by when you can schedule this. Train back to Venice from Lausanne was about 10+ hours--actually, we stopped in Arona (one of the lake towns north of Milan) for an afternoon/evening to break up the nonsense.

I would definitely reconsider going all the way over to Venice. Or...just choose the UK/Paris, or only Italy. Maybe stay in Venice for several days and maybe take a trip to Padova one day. And then spend the rest of the trip around Florence and travel around there.

...I always tell people with that kind of time and these ideas, to just go somewhere like Florence and spend weeks traveling around there and coming back to your home base each day (don't travel every day, just take your time and see more of the local area rather than jump from city to city)

 

[K1052]

The Louvre is one of the most boring places I've ever been to in my life lol. I am not a museum person by any means but my wife and I did it when we were there just to do it and we both were bored to death in there. I wish we had done the catacombs instead.

The Louvre is...a whole lot of museum if you are not museum people. Paris has quite a few smaller museums which I prefer.

 

[WelshBloke]

If you have time, you might want to stop in Verona on the way. You can see everything you need to in the small old town area, and it is quite lovely. They have a really nice colosseum in the middle of everything.

Verona is lovely and they put on live opera there. It's pretty amazing watching a show in a Roman amphitheater and thinking people have been doing that for thousands of years!

A pic of the amphitheatre filling up before the opera while it was still light!

 

[WelshBloke]

The Louvre is...a whole lot of museum if you are not museum people. Paris has quite a few smaller museums which I prefer.

The musee d'orsay and the musée Rodin are both great but if you aren't into looking at art they probably won't float your boat either!
The musee d'orsay has a fantastic cafe and a statue of a polar bear though so there's that!

 

[K1052]

The musee d'orsay and the musée Rodin are both great but if you aren't into looking at art they probably won't float your boat either!
The musee d'orsay has a fantastic cafe and a statue of a polar bear though so there's that!

The Army Museum at Les Invalides is also a nice departure from just staring at art all day IMO.

 

[WelshBloke]

The Army Museum at Les Invalides is also a nice departure from just staring at art all day IMO.

Yeah. I wouldn't advise anyone just to go to the big museums and look at random art works (unless that's your thing). Pick some stuff that you like and go find it.
I'm fairly dull and basic so I really like the impressionist stuff and seeing it in Paris is nice!

It's easy to get museum overload in Paris. Don't try to see too much, just see a little really well!

 

[K1052]

Yeah. I wouldn't advise anyone just to go to the big museums and look at random art works (unless that's your thing). Pick some stuff that you like and go find it.
I'm fairly dull and basic so I really like the impressionist stuff and seeing it in Paris is nice!

It's easy to get museum overload in Paris. Don't try to see too much, just see a little really well!

My personal favorite is probably the Musée Picasso in the Marais but that's probably because I always found his work interesting. I am also perfectly happy not going into any museums and just wandering the city or sitting at a cafe. Paris is a great place to just exist for a while.

 

[Brainonska511]

Beyond some of what's been mentioned above, here are a few other ideas for Paris, London, and potentially Milan:

Paris:

• L'Orangerie - small art museum near the Louvre; they have a room filled with Monet's Water Lilies
• Walk around: there are just lots of great things to see, and great vantage points (eg, great views of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine; just watch out for the hawkers; walk along the river; walk through the various parks)
• Arc de Triomphe - I didn't go in, but walking around the grounds and whatnot was still neat
• Musee de l'Armee (Army Museum) at Invalide; there is also Napoleon's tomb
• Walk around Montmarte, see the stairs Keanu Reeves repeatedly fell down; walk through Sacre Couer cathedral, take in the sights of the city
• Pere-Lachaise Cemetery
• The Pantheon
• In one spot: Notre Dame (if it's open); Sainte Chapelle Cathedral; the Conciergerie Museum
• The Curie Museum - they have a recreation of her lab and a bunch of historic science things - very neat
• Take the train out to Versailles: see the palaces, walk around the beautiful gardens
• Palais Garnier - you can tour the opera house, see the Phantom's booth

London:

• Tower of London
• Walk along the Thames river
• Greenwich: the buildings of the former Naval College, the Prime Meridian and associated museum, the naval museum (name escapes me at the moment)
• Plenty of art museums to see
• The Imperial War Museum
• Westminster Abbey
• St Paul's Cathedral
• Camden Market
• Kew Gardens
• Bath: take the train out, see the Roman baths and walk around this neat little city. Some nice places to get tea service. If you do go out to Bath, try to plan accordingly, I remember the train tickets the day before were kind of annoyingly pricey, and if I had known, I would have purchased them further in advance to save some money
• Gordon's - it's allegedly the oldest wine bar in London; just a generally neat vibe inside; lots of great cheeses and wines to choose from
• Near St Paul, there is also Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese - a pub that was rebuilt shortly after the 1666 fire
• Plenty of gardens to go through
• Hampton Court, if you want to see an old palace and walk through some more gardens (though, as far as gardens go, Kew Gardens is the best from my own experience)

Milan:

• The Dome and associated museums
• Walk around the castle in Milan
• See the Last Supper Painting (tickets sell fast though, so buy them weeks to months in advance; sadly, I did not get to see this because of the advance ticket purchase required)

Generally speaking, many of these places now sell tickets online, so if you know what days you plan to go to some of them, you can do that to skip the long ticket lines (or even sometimes buy the day-of online).

 

[brianmanahan]

i saw london, i saw france

 

[nOOky]

We literally were done with Venice after half a day lol we were there this past April. I am more of an outdoorsy type so I prefer the mountains and hiking so all the big cities are way down on my list. I would say for London actually take some of the guided city tours versus trying to do it all yourself and deal with transportation etc. and possibly the same with Paris. Are you going soon or next year or something?

I'd probably rather do Switzerland myself than either of those cities, I'd fly into Zurich and drive around and experience the countryside and try to hit Austria etc.