One year anniversary coming up. Leave friday. Doing Paris and london. Grace me with tips. What to do, where to eat? Thanks in advance bulldogs brothers.
OT: going to paris and London tme.
- Thread starter mdbryant2010
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+1, I've got a weeklong work trip on Paris coming up
And I'd like to tack a week onto the trip since I'm over there anyway. London, Amsterdam, Spain, etc?
And I'd like to tack a week onto the trip since I'm over there anyway. London, Amsterdam, Spain, etc?
Will respond fully when I'm on a computer instead of my phone. Spent five weeks over there but it's been a while. Luckily, everything cool is older than the US and thus hasn't changed much.
For BMT and OP4: do this if you can. You'll need to put in for tickets WAY in advance and still aren't guaranteed to get them. I was fortunate to see it and the exclusivity made it that much more badass. Anyone can go see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and you end up with hundreds to a thousand there every day. This thing is capped at 50.
http://changing-guard.com/ceremony-of-the-keys.html
For BMT and OP4: do this if you can. You'll need to put in for tickets WAY in advance and still aren't guaranteed to get them. I was fortunate to see it and the exclusivity made it that much more badass. Anyone can go see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and you end up with hundreds to a thousand there every day. This thing is capped at 50.
http://changing-guard.com/ceremony-of-the-keys.html
I've been to Europe several times
The first time was in high school, and have been several times with work. My advice to you is to skip france. Spend more time in England or go to another country. Almost any other country is better than france. There is a reason the stereotypical frenchman is rude, smelly, obnoxious and rude. yes I meant to say rude twice. Once you get away from the tourist attractions france is very dirty. Old world Germany is very nice with all of the old castles.
The first time was in high school, and have been several times with work. My advice to you is to skip france. Spend more time in England or go to another country. Almost any other country is better than france. There is a reason the stereotypical frenchman is rude, smelly, obnoxious and rude. yes I meant to say rude twice. Once you get away from the tourist attractions france is very dirty. Old world Germany is very nice with all of the old castles.
I would do Amsterdam then train to Germany.
Amsterdam was great, and not just because of the weed. The Anne Frank House is to this day one of the more memorable things I've ever done. I really liked Munich (Oktoberfest was going on), but wish I had gone more into wine country and traveled to see some of the old castles.
Amsterdam was great, and not just because of the weed. The Anne Frank House is to this day one of the more memorable things I've ever done. I really liked Munich (Oktoberfest was going on), but wish I had gone more into wine country and traveled to see some of the old castles.
I'll second this. Only been to Paris but didn't love it. Dirty and smelly and didn't even find the food and wine to be particularly great. Very possible I just didn't know where to go, but we cut out after a few days and went to Switzerland. So far, out of England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Switzerland, and France (or at least Paris), I'd put Paris last. Unless I go with somebody that has been there a lot and can convince me that I just didn't know where to go, I probably won't ever go back to France. Too many other places I want to go try and I'd probably do a couple of repeats of all the other countries I've been to before going back, so it will probably never make it back into the rotation.
Have only done it a handful of times, but I've always shopped for the cheapest flights possible and still had free drinks on every cross atlantic flight.
Paris and London
In London, take the train to Wimbledon (Goes through Strawberry Fields), of course Westminster Abby, The Imperial War Museum, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square and shopping at Harrods’s. Carnaby Street is/was the hippie mecca and worth a visit although I have not been since the late 70's so you may want to research that one. I love getting out into the English countryside with the beautiful landscapes, etc. If you want to do so, go to Stratford-upon-Avon. Great place to walk around, go to the theatre, visit Anne Hathaway's house with its thatched roof, crewing on the river, etc. Lots of stuff close to Stratford to do also. Food sucks in England, save you money and eat in the pubs!
Paris, I loved the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame. You almost have to go to Versailles even though it takes a lot of time and is not close to downtown Paris. Chartres is not to far from Versailles, maybe 50 miles and I loved that old cathedral and area. It would make a good day trip to do those 2 and be able to get out into the French courtryside. Champs Elysee is worth a visit and the Lido is very close by, your wife might enjoy the show at the Lido and nothing wrong with looking at topless fine ladies under the auspices of culture and class. Take a cruise on the river Seine I believe. Spend the food money you saved here in Paris!
Both places have more great museums depending on your taste that I didn't list. I would love to be going again, hope this helps.
Edit to add going to a play in London was cool. We saw Jesus Christ Superstar and No Sex Please we are British and enjoyed them both.
In London, take the train to Wimbledon (Goes through Strawberry Fields), of course Westminster Abby, The Imperial War Museum, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square and shopping at Harrods’s. Carnaby Street is/was the hippie mecca and worth a visit although I have not been since the late 70's so you may want to research that one. I love getting out into the English countryside with the beautiful landscapes, etc. If you want to do so, go to Stratford-upon-Avon. Great place to walk around, go to the theatre, visit Anne Hathaway's house with its thatched roof, crewing on the river, etc. Lots of stuff close to Stratford to do also. Food sucks in England, save you money and eat in the pubs!
Paris, I loved the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame. You almost have to go to Versailles even though it takes a lot of time and is not close to downtown Paris. Chartres is not to far from Versailles, maybe 50 miles and I loved that old cathedral and area. It would make a good day trip to do those 2 and be able to get out into the French courtryside. Champs Elysee is worth a visit and the Lido is very close by, your wife might enjoy the show at the Lido and nothing wrong with looking at topless fine ladies under the auspices of culture and class. Take a cruise on the river Seine I believe. Spend the food money you saved here in Paris!
Both places have more great museums depending on your taste that I didn't list. I would love to be going again, hope this helps.
Edit to add going to a play in London was cool. We saw Jesus Christ Superstar and No Sex Please we are British and enjoyed them both.
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As far as France is concerned, I really enjoyed being in Normandy for a few days back in '94. Touring the beaches, hedgerows, St. Mere Eglise, Caen, Pegasus Bridge... That was awesome.
I'll third this. Put Paris last - at least in the list above (I've vacationed in all of them). Paris is worth one day - two max. France on the other hand has the best vacation spots in all of Europe - unfortunately just not Paris.
One or the other. Bayern (Southern Germany) is an eternity away from Amsterdam. Both are worth the visit - just not on the same visit.
If you do Amersterdam, I would recommend spending a couple of days in Belgium. Ghent is a definite. It's a hidden jewel of Western Europe.
And be sure to watch the film The Monuments Men before you go!
ETA: Brussels is often the cheapest airport to fly into Europe. Then (inexpensive) high speed trains to England, France, Germany, Netherregions
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Just returned from London and Scotland
This was a 2nd trip to London, so I was able to do some of the items a little further down "the list".
In no order things to do:
British Museum (free)
Museum of London (also free)
Tower
Tower Bridge exhibit/Monument (ticket can be bought as combo, saving money)
Westminster Abbey
St. Paul's
Take DLR to Greenwich and see all the museums
walking tours of city (London walks is best known and most popular)
day trips to areas outside city (Oxford/Stratford Upon Avon, etc.) usually leave from Victoria coach
Food:
Brick Ln/Petticoat Ln/Spitalfields Mkt - East End markets/curry stands/restaurants of all ethnic varieties
Adiva - Turkish and Lebanese in East end
Young's pubs - check out the lamb near Holborn
Any number of local restaurants near Russell Sq/ Queen Sq park
town market in Greenwich
tips: the tube is crowded all day, and hot as hell on most lines - check out bus stops for routes that may take you near where you need to go. City bus travel is easy, tap Oyster to pay, and less stressful.
While on the subject, if flying to Heathrow with relatively light luggage (1 bag pp), take the tube in to the city. Costs 3 pounds off peak, and takes only a few mins longer than the Heathrow express, which costs an ungodly amount of money and requires a change to underground or taxi at Paddington, which can cost a ton. Travelling on tube, transfer from Piccadilly line to District at Baron's court easily, circle line change at Gloucester Rd.
If you have graduated in the past 10 yrs and have a student ID, bring it. Most tours have a student price, and nobody generally looks at your IDs.
This was a 2nd trip to London, so I was able to do some of the items a little further down "the list".
In no order things to do:
British Museum (free)
Museum of London (also free)
Tower
Tower Bridge exhibit/Monument (ticket can be bought as combo, saving money)
Westminster Abbey
St. Paul's
Take DLR to Greenwich and see all the museums
walking tours of city (London walks is best known and most popular)
day trips to areas outside city (Oxford/Stratford Upon Avon, etc.) usually leave from Victoria coach
Food:
Brick Ln/Petticoat Ln/Spitalfields Mkt - East End markets/curry stands/restaurants of all ethnic varieties
Adiva - Turkish and Lebanese in East end
Young's pubs - check out the lamb near Holborn
Any number of local restaurants near Russell Sq/ Queen Sq park
town market in Greenwich
tips: the tube is crowded all day, and hot as hell on most lines - check out bus stops for routes that may take you near where you need to go. City bus travel is easy, tap Oyster to pay, and less stressful.
While on the subject, if flying to Heathrow with relatively light luggage (1 bag pp), take the tube in to the city. Costs 3 pounds off peak, and takes only a few mins longer than the Heathrow express, which costs an ungodly amount of money and requires a change to underground or taxi at Paddington, which can cost a ton. Travelling on tube, transfer from Piccadilly line to District at Baron's court easily, circle line change at Gloucester Rd.
If you have graduated in the past 10 yrs and have a student ID, bring it. Most tours have a student price, and nobody generally looks at your IDs.
If you're serious about flying down to Spain as a possibility?
Barcelona is awesome. Lots of very cool architecture and museums (Picasso museum for instance) to see if that kind of thing interests you. Higher end, more affluent part of the country. On the border of France. They speak Catalan which is French influenced Spanish derivative as best I can explain. Beautiful place and people. Plenty of partying if you're looking for it. The Gothic quarter doesn't really crank up for night life until 10:00ish. On the water, too. Fantastic city and area in Catalonia.
Barcelona is awesome. Lots of very cool architecture and museums (Picasso museum for instance) to see if that kind of thing interests you. Higher end, more affluent part of the country. On the border of France. They speak Catalan which is French influenced Spanish derivative as best I can explain. Beautiful place and people. Plenty of partying if you're looking for it. The Gothic quarter doesn't really crank up for night life until 10:00ish. On the water, too. Fantastic city and area in Catalonia.
I would recommend spending most if not all of your time in England. If you think this will be your last opportunity to come to Europe, then I would do Paris, if not England has a lot of great things to see. The greater London area truly deserves a week; to explore.
Here's two itineraries for England (other than London):
1. Western Loop
Stops at Windsor Castle (Queen's residence), Highclere Castle (home of Downton Abbey), Stonehenge (never went because can't touch the stones), Bath (a gem; pronounced Bahth**), maybe stop in Bristol (I didn't), north to Stratford-on-Avon (Shakespeare), southeast to Oxford (tons of history and insanely beautiful colleges), and back to London.
2. Northern England (more is you like nature and castles)
Take a flight (usually inexpensive - or train or car) to Edinburgh. Visit there and then head south. Stop at Berwick-upon-Tweed (I think) for Linderfarne Holy Island - an island monastery and the oldest Christian establishment in England (be careful as there is a land bridge that disappears with the tide). If you're in a car, Bamburgh castle is in the neighborhood (I've head Alnwick - pronounced Anick** - has some nice castles) has . If you want to stick with nature, head west at Newcastle and spend a few days in the Lake District and join some English on some walks.
Otherwise stay heading south and stop at the medieval cities of Durham and York and check out their cathedrals and castles. Cambridge is worth a stop, although I find Oxford the more beautiful university.
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Skip them both and go to Italy
Rome & Florence. Food & Wine are outstanding, wonderful history, nice people, great architecture, etc...
To pile on, spend most of your time in England. Not a fan of Paris at all. It's true what you hear, the people are rude. There are too many other cool places to visit than having to deal with that. The only think I liked about Paris was just getting there on the haul-*** train through the Chunnel from London to Paris.
Rome & Florence. Food & Wine are outstanding, wonderful history, nice people, great architecture, etc...
To pile on, spend most of your time in England. Not a fan of Paris at all. It's true what you hear, the people are rude. There are too many other cool places to visit than having to deal with that. The only think I liked about Paris was just getting there on the haul-*** train through the Chunnel from London to Paris.
Don't do the London Eye. Unless you just want to mark it off a list, are completely bored, or need to rest, it's a 50 dollar(at least when I did the conversion) per person ferris wheel that lasts 30 minutes plus wait time.
It's a chain restaurant, but try and find a Nando's. It'll be the best spicy chicken you'll ever have in your life. Outside of that, unless you like really bland food or indian food, English cuisine is awful.
In London, you should visit the Churchill War Rooms....very, very cool. Also visit St. Paul's cathedral and climb the stairs to the top of it. Great view of London.
Also, you should take time notice how pointless most American stop signs are. This may not be as easy to recognize in London, but in rural England it's so obvious.
There's the standard London tube map that you'll see everywhere, but it is not scaled very well, particularly in the touristy areas around the Thames. I'd take a gander at this, which gives you the same information, presented a slightly different fashion which makes it a lot more to-scale: http://www.london-tubemap.com/
Get cash from an ATM when you get there, and the money works like this:
Bills: 5, 10, 20 pounds
Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pence, 1 pound, 2 pound.
Their money is very cool, particularly the 2 pound coin, and they actually USE all of the available denominations. David could've taken out Goliath with a well-placed British 2-pound coin.
Also, you should take time notice how pointless most American stop signs are. This may not be as easy to recognize in London, but in rural England it's so obvious.
There's the standard London tube map that you'll see everywhere, but it is not scaled very well, particularly in the touristy areas around the Thames. I'd take a gander at this, which gives you the same information, presented a slightly different fashion which makes it a lot more to-scale: http://www.london-tubemap.com/
Get cash from an ATM when you get there, and the money works like this:
Bills: 5, 10, 20 pounds
Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pence, 1 pound, 2 pound.
Their money is very cool, particularly the 2 pound coin, and they actually USE all of the available denominations. David could've taken out Goliath with a well-placed British 2-pound coin.
I just typed a big write-up for Paris, but lost it somehow when I submitted. So I'll summarize:
The key to enjoying Paris is to slow down, eat alot, and relax. Grab a baguette, some decent French cheese (try St Marcellin), some good cured meat (try Saucisson) and picnic in a park (try Luxembourg Gardens). Take a nap. Eat. Repeat.
As for the touristy stuff, the key is to save time and energy:
1. Museum Pass: Good for 4 or 6 days, gets you into basically all museums and you get to skip the line. Worth it.
2. Louvre: Don't go in blind. Have a gameplan; the place is huge. Try Rick Steve's tour.
3. Eiffel Tower: Book a tour online. Book early; they fill up fast. It costs more but you get the history and get to, again, SKIP THE MASSIVE LINE.
4. Hop-On, Hop-Off tours get a bad rap, but they are a good way to get around and see some secondary stuff while not expending energy.
5. Eat some Berthillon ice cream and some Amarino gelato.
6. Avoid Montmartre / Sacre Coeur on the weekend. It gets very crowded.
7. When entering and leaving shops/restaurants, smile and acknowledge the people working there in French if possible. This is standard in France, and may lead to better service.
The key to enjoying Paris is to slow down, eat alot, and relax. Grab a baguette, some decent French cheese (try St Marcellin), some good cured meat (try Saucisson) and picnic in a park (try Luxembourg Gardens). Take a nap. Eat. Repeat.
As for the touristy stuff, the key is to save time and energy:
1. Museum Pass: Good for 4 or 6 days, gets you into basically all museums and you get to skip the line. Worth it.
2. Louvre: Don't go in blind. Have a gameplan; the place is huge. Try Rick Steve's tour.
3. Eiffel Tower: Book a tour online. Book early; they fill up fast. It costs more but you get the history and get to, again, SKIP THE MASSIVE LINE.
4. Hop-On, Hop-Off tours get a bad rap, but they are a good way to get around and see some secondary stuff while not expending energy.
5. Eat some Berthillon ice cream and some Amarino gelato.
6. Avoid Montmartre / Sacre Coeur on the weekend. It gets very crowded.
7. When entering and leaving shops/restaurants, smile and acknowledge the people working there in French if possible. This is standard in France, and may lead to better service.
Here's a few tips...
Hopefully not too repetitive since I didn't read every single response.
London:
Paris:
Hopefully not too repetitive since I didn't read every single response.
London:
- Definitely hit the main tourist spots like the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. I'd splurge for the guided tours at both places - they let you see a few things you can't see wandering around on your own.
- If you get a rainy day while you're there, you can spend it checking out any of the free museums in the city. The best two are the British Museum (pretty much a must see) and the National Gallery.
- A few places of interest that I've enjoyed... The Sherlock Holmes Museum, Highgate Cemetery, Churchill War Rooms, Kensington Palace.
- If you like sports, and I'm guessing you do since you're on this board, it's worth it to take a tour of one of the soccer stadiums in the city. I'm partial to Arsenal's stadium (The Emirates).
- If you end up near The Emirates, it's worth checking out Piebury Corner for a quick meal. Their dishes are named after former Arsenal stars.
- If you're in central london and need a bathroom, find a pub. Many of them have stairs that go up to a second flood restaurant and the bathrooms are usually up there. Most times you can just pop up there without going into the pub itself, although just hanging out in a pub can be a good time.
- You'd be surprised how small central london is... Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square are practically on top of each other. So if you're trying to get places in that area, it's often just easier and quicker to walk than to take the tube.
- Speaking of the tube, it's great and very easy to use. But you don't want to spend all day on it. I like to semi-plan my day so that I'm basically exploring one part of the city. For example, if I want to check out the Tower, I'm going to find other places to go in that area so that I'm not criss-crossing the city all day on the tube.
- If you're looking for a day trip from London, I like Canterbury and especially Canterbury Cathedral.
Paris:
- I'm not as familiar with Paris but like London, there's a few touristy things that are must-see... The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe (climb to the top for some cool views of the city).
- If you need a day trip from here, I'd check out Strausburg on the German border. I had a great time here a couple of years ago. Just get into the city center and wander around. Plenty to do and see.
Flying is possible, I'll have over 200K miles to use by then, and when I checked the other day flights were cheap as hell.
Been to London and Paris a dozen times each. No need to leave London for things to do. You can fill up a week and never leave the city (although I'm including in that a trip to Windsor Castle). Ignore the myths about bad British food. The food there is fantastic.
Regarding Paris, while I hate doing business with the French, I found France a great place to visit. Don't expect them to act like Americans and you'll be fine. Be nice to them and they'll be nice to you. Paris is an amazing city with lots of great food and cool things to see (Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, Louvre, Musee D'Orsai, Versailles, Luxembourg Gardens (my daughter's favorite place), Les Invalides).
Regarding Paris, while I hate doing business with the French, I found France a great place to visit. Don't expect them to act like Americans and you'll be fine. Be nice to them and they'll be nice to you. Paris is an amazing city with lots of great food and cool things to see (Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, Louvre, Musee D'Orsai, Versailles, Luxembourg Gardens (my daughter's favorite place), Les Invalides).
I wish we had a chance to go to Mt. St. Michel. That would have been awesome. One place I didn't mention was Bayeux. We had a couple hours to spare and I spent that viewing the Bayeux Tapestry.
Yeah, nothing like watching that structure rise above the horizon as you drive toward the land bridge.
Speaking about Bayeux, the British cemetery is there. It's not publicized very well, but there's a German cemetery (La Cambe) near Bayeux. It's definitely worth visiting. The spoils go to the victors.
Speaking about Bayeux, the British cemetery is there. It's not publicized very well, but there's a German cemetery (La Cambe) near Bayeux. It's definitely worth visiting. The spoils go to the victors.
That's what I've heard... We didn't go to the British cemetery. However, we did go to the German cemetery at La Cambe as well as the American cemetery.
I'm a big fan of the hop-on, hop-off buses if you're somewhere new that you're going to stay for more than a few days. We would do it our first day in a city to help us figure out the layout for cheap and quickly knock off some of the touristy stuff while identifying which attractions might be worth spending time at. If you're only going to be in a place like London or Rome for a day or three, you're probably better off just setting up an itinerary that hits the big things, but if you're going to be somewhere four days to a week, it can really help you make the most of the rest of your week.
These people are crazy. Paris is definitely worth going to.
I've been to both twice. London has been pretty well covered. I will say the Tower of London and climbing to the top of St. Paul's are my favorite memories from there. When I go back I'm definitely doing an excursion to Stonehenge or Bath or somewhere.
Paris: Definitely go to Versailles if you have time. The interior is nothing special (for a palace) but the grounds are spectacular. DO NOT forget to get a return ticket before you go though. The train station is a madhouse at closing time.
Definitely climb the Arc de Triomphe. Probably the best view you'll have on the trip. Sunset is a great time. Another climb to make: Sacre Couer. Haven't seen anyone mention it. Spectacular view. There's a little art market around the corner from it too that's really cool.
The Louvre... it depends on your taste. If you're into that it's great. There's a side entrance that few people know about. You can walk right in while 1000 people could be in line to enter via the central pyramid. The Orsay is another great museum. I really liked the Rodin museum, myself.
Both cities, but especially Paris, the key is to just take it slow. Decide what site you want to see that morning or afternoon and just go hang out in that area. Check out the shops. Stop in a cafe. Relax, and don't worry if you don't see everything. You'll go back.
I've been to both twice. London has been pretty well covered. I will say the Tower of London and climbing to the top of St. Paul's are my favorite memories from there. When I go back I'm definitely doing an excursion to Stonehenge or Bath or somewhere.
Paris: Definitely go to Versailles if you have time. The interior is nothing special (for a palace) but the grounds are spectacular. DO NOT forget to get a return ticket before you go though. The train station is a madhouse at closing time.
Definitely climb the Arc de Triomphe. Probably the best view you'll have on the trip. Sunset is a great time. Another climb to make: Sacre Couer. Haven't seen anyone mention it. Spectacular view. There's a little art market around the corner from it too that's really cool.
The Louvre... it depends on your taste. If you're into that it's great. There's a side entrance that few people know about. You can walk right in while 1000 people could be in line to enter via the central pyramid. The Orsay is another great museum. I really liked the Rodin museum, myself.
Both cities, but especially Paris, the key is to just take it slow. Decide what site you want to see that morning or afternoon and just go hang out in that area. Check out the shops. Stop in a cafe. Relax, and don't worry if you don't see everything. You'll go back.
I've never been to London but here are some Paris tips: 1) Watch out for pick-pockets and scammers. They are everywhere. Don't talk to anyone that approaches you on the street. Don't even slow down for them. Their buddy is probably coming up behind you waiting for you to stop so he can bump you. 2) Learn the subway system, it's easy and buy passes for however many days you're going to be there. 3) If you go to the Louve, plan for a full day and you still won't see it all. Take a pen to mark off all of the rooms you have been through on the map they will give you. After a while statues of naked men and paintings of naked women all start to look alike and you'll get confused as to where you've been.
I didn't really get into any of the fancy dining but every sidewalk cafe I stopped at had good food.
Paris was dirty and smelly. I went and did the tourist thing but I won't be back. Rome was much better in my opinion. And, of course, the people were much nicer there too.
I didn't really get into any of the fancy dining but every sidewalk cafe I stopped at had good food.
Paris was dirty and smelly. I went and did the tourist thing but I won't be back. Rome was much better in my opinion. And, of course, the people were much nicer there too.
If you are tall and don't have points for first class seats and are paying out of pocket for seats, upgrade to comfort class. I am 6'5 and for around $100 this upgrade gets you 4-6 inches in legroom. The flight to Europe is long and this upgrade is worth every penny if your legs are long.