9 days- London, Paris, and Rome- Help me plan!

[Anonymous]

Since you only have 3 days (really about 2 1/2 days) in each city, just hit the highlights.

For Rome: Vatican Museum (Sistine Chapel) and St. Peters one day. Walk around and see the forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and such another day.

Paris: Louvre, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Musee Orsay (where the impressionist paintings area), walk on the Champs-Elysees and through the Tullerie gardens, walk along the river, eat lunch at a cafe, that sort of stuff.

London: Go to the tower of london, do the whole buckingham palace, westminters abbey, house of parliament thing, walk in Hyde Park and St. James's Park. There are a bunch of good museums as well, like the British Museum that have mummies and other cool stuff that your husband might like more than just paintings.

[Anonymous]

Too much, too far apart.

Pick one: London and Paris OR Rome and another part of Italy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too much, too far apart.

Pick one: London and Paris OR Rome and another part of Italy.

It's a two hour trip between each.

[Anonymous]

I used visitacity.com - they have great itineraries for all those cities that you can customize etc.

We did 4 days Paris, 4 days Rome, 3 Days Athens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used visitacity.com - they have great itineraries for all those cities that you can customize etc.

We did 4 days Paris, 4 days Rome, 3 Days Athens

How did you like it? Did you feel you had enough time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rome is the pickpocket capital of the world, so just be extra careful.

They have rounded up a number of Gypsies so it is much better. But still watch out for these sneaky criminals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used visitacity.com - they have great itineraries for all those cities that you can customize etc.

We did 4 days Paris, 4 days Rome, 3 Days Athens

How did you like it? Did you feel you had enough time?

We had a good time. We didn't do everything but had a plan but we were willing to deviate from and enjoy the shops and of course eating.

We decided to by pass public transportation to and from the airport which made things much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used visitacity.com - they have great itineraries for all those cities that you can customize etc.

We did 4 days Paris, 4 days Rome, 3 Days Athens

This is such a cool website! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Don't get stuck by Buckingham palace during changing of the guard. Stand on an outer rail area if you want to catch a glimpse of it, then move on. We got stuck there and wasted so much time.

We walked everywhere in London. Loved strolling along the water to ts Tower Bridge and the Tower. Walked around Big Ben, parliament and Westminster but didn't go in.

Loved a daytrip to the Cotswolds, Stratford upon avon, oxford she Warwick.

If you don't want to waste time in museums, skip the louvre and spend a day at Versailles. Don't skip Versailles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't get stuck by Buckingham palace during changing of the guard. Stand on an outer rail area if you want to catch a glimpse of it, then move on. We got stuck there and wasted so much time.

We walked everywhere in London. Loved strolling along the water to ts Tower Bridge and the Tower. Walked around Big Ben, parliament and Westminster but didn't go in.

Loved a daytrip to the Cotswolds, Stratford upon avon, oxford she Warwick.

If you don't want to waste time in museums, skip the louvre and spend a day at Versailles. Don't skip Versailles.

Oh lord no. Skip Versailles and do Isle de la Cite and a bateau mouche ride, and oui to the Louvre, and Centre Pompidou, les Halles, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre. Stay in the city and eat, eat, eat.

Given the short time period, I would do absolutely no day trips outside London. Too much time wasted. You need to hit the highlights. A show in SoHo and a pub after, eat at that nose to tail place. Think it is St. John's? Eat Indian in London, it is fantastic. Personally I would look for some live music in the evening. There is so much to eat in London as well and you must visit Harrod's. Are you into shopping? Good shopping in London.

Now Rome I have not yet done, but we are into ancient history and that would be our angle. In Europe generally you need to be far, far more prepared for pickpockets than in America. Rome is notorious, but I was pickpocketed in the London Underground by an old guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't get stuck by Buckingham palace during changing of the guard. Stand on an outer rail area if you want to catch a glimpse of it, then move on. We got stuck there and wasted so much time.

We walked everywhere in London. Loved strolling along the water to ts Tower Bridge and the Tower. Walked around Big Ben, parliament and Westminster but didn't go in.

Loved a daytrip to the Cotswolds, Stratford upon avon, oxford she Warwick.

If you don't want to waste time in museums, skip the louvre and spend a day at Versailles. Don't skip Versailles.

Oh lord no. Skip Versailles and do Isle de la Cite and a bateau mouche ride, and oui to the Louvre, and Centre Pompidou, les Halles, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre. Stay in the city and eat, eat, eat.

Given the short time period, I would do absolutely no day trips outside London. Too much time wasted. You need to hit the highlights. A show in SoHo and a pub after, eat at that nose to tail place. Think it is St. John's? Eat Indian in London, it is fantastic. Personally I would look for some live music in the evening. There is so much to eat in London as well and you must visit Harrod's. Are you into shopping? Good shopping in London.

Now Rome I have not yet done, but we are into ancient history and that would be our angle. In Europe generally you need to be far, far more prepared for pickpockets than in America. Rome is notorious, but I was pickpocketed in the London Underground by an old guy.

If you like to go, go, go...like OP said...then do a daytrip outside of London. Seeing sheep covered rolling hills and thatched roof cottages was a highlight of our trip. We pretty much saw all of the touristy stuff in London in one very long day---despite getting stuck at the palace for the changing of the guard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rome is the pickpocket capital of the world, so just be extra careful.

They have rounded up a number of Gypsies so it is much better. But still watch out for these sneaky criminals.

I hope this is a joke.

[Anonymous]

RE: pickpockets - we chatted up a policeman at Buckingham palace during changing of the guard, and he cautioned us about pickpockets in the crowd. Then we saw plain clothes security grab a pickpocket and cart him off.

Pickpockets are also by the Eiffel Tower---especially in the elevators and observation decks where you are nut to butt like cattle.

We were being cased outside of Galleries Lafayette in Paris (high end store). Two guys working together were standing about 10-15 feet apart approaching us from both sides. I grabbed my friend, made eye contact with the guy closest to me and aggressively grabbed my bag close to my chest bad yelled thief. The guy stopped and waved his friend off and both quickly turned the other way and walked off.

I pretty much hated Paris. I felt like a target the rest of the trip.

[Anonymous]

OP, just want to say that your trip sounds awesome! Don't give a second thought to those who think you're doing too much. When you've never been there before, it's nice to do short samples of things. Longer, more immersive experiences are for return trips. And I love, love, love Rome.

[Anonymous]

Paris is my absolute favorite city. Rome a close second. Don't let everyone discourage you. I had an amazing 48 hours in Rome. You just have to do the visit assuming you will come back at some point.

Some tips:

I'm a big fan of the walking tours in Rick Steve's guidebooks. They usually take a couple of hours and let you hit up the major sites at your own pace. I'd grab one for each city.

Pay a little more to economize on time wherever you can. Taxi to/from the airport. Buy museum tickets in advance instead of standing in lines. Etc.

Research some good restaurants in advance too so you don't waste time deciding where to eat each night. (somehow always a big time suck when traveling)

Each pick one thing you must do in each city. After that, just enjoy exploring and eating your way through. Save the things you miss for "the next visit."