Arènes de Nîmes

The craic is mighty

Planning the best Europe itinerary can bring about a mixture of emotions. Many people feel both excited…..and confused! With so many unique cities, climates, activities, and cuisines to discover, it is difficult to know where to even start! If it is your first time in Europe, treat it like a Sampler Platter at Applebee’s, and try a combination of destinations. With the use of high speed railways and short plane rides, most all European destinations become within easy reach of each other. Each destination has it’s own vibe. Especially if you haven’t been to Europe before, it’s hard to estimate which destination you would like the best. When in doubt, try the classic Western European combination of London + Paris + Rome! I have put together a carefully curated two week itinerary covering London, Paris, and Rome…all in one trip! In fact, this Paris, London, Rome vacation even includes some bonus destinations that you can easily squeeze in during this trip if your energy and budget allows for it. Day One: Depart To London Now, of course the time spent flying will be based on where you’re leaving from. Maybe you live in Seattle, and you’re looking at 2 separate flights and a layover. Perhaps you live in Belgium, just a short train ride away. Unless you end up arriving in the morning/afternoon, this day will be dedicated to possible jetlag-inducing travel. Be sure that you have packed properly beforehand, and it helps to plan your airport attire in advance (especially for long international flights.) Flying into London, you are likely to arrive at Heathrow (LHR), one of the busiest airports in the world. Additionally, there are alternative airports such as Gatwick (LGW), City (LCY), and Southend (SEN.) If arriving by train from a nearby country in Europe, consider Eurostar. Low on funds? Consider arriving by bus through a company like Ouibus. Day Two: London It’s time to explore! A great strategy for exploring a new city is a Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour. If this is your first time in London, you might be itching to check out the big tourist attractions (and get them out of the way.) Today, take the tour and visit these locations: Tower Of London Trafalgar Square London Eye Tower Bridge Harrods and Harvey Nicholls Chinatown Day Three: London As with yesterday, I would encourage you to continue with the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour, because while it is impossible to see everything in two days, you will at least be able to get the most famous attractions checked off of your list. Try these locations out today: Buckingham Palace Abbey Road Kensington Palace View From The Shard Big Ben St. Paul’s Cathedral Shakespeare Globe Theater The British Museum If you want to see London differently, check out the Emirates Air Line. Not to be confused with a plane flight, this air cable takes passengers across the Thames River, revealing stunning and unobstructed views. Day Four: You Decide! Okay…here’s the part of the itinerary where you get to make a choice based on your style. If you are like me, it will be difficult to choose between the two. Your choices are…. Stonehenge or Harry Potter! Stonehenge is an ancient man-made (………or, alien-made) rock formation with mysterious origins to say the least. Located about two hours away from London by bus, this excursion will take at least a total of six hours when you factor in traffic and crowds. Not a huge history buff? Consider a Harry Potter Tour! There are many times to choose from, such as: Warner Bros Studio Tour (approx. 7 hrs.) Harry Potter Walking Tour (approx 2.5 hrs.) Interactive Harry Potter Tour (approx. 2 hrs.) Day Five: Journey To Paris Today is the day you travel down to the City Of Lights! I would highly suggest timing your transportation so that you arrive in the morning, such as a 6am flight. Speaking of flights, your air travel time will probably be around 1.5 hours. The most popular Paris airport is Charles de Gaulle (CDG), but you could also try Orly (ORY) or Beauvais-Tille (BVA.) A train ride will take about 2.5 hours from London, and a bus ride will take 8 to 10 hours. If you are considering a bus trip, try to do an overnight route so you aren’t wasting a whole day. Hopefully you still have several hours of daylight left to do some exploring. As previously suggested, Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tours are awesome for seeing all the big-name attractions using one convenient strategy. Be sure to check out these must-see attractions today: Arc de Triomphe Champs- Élysées Notre-Dame Eiffel Tower Grand Palais Louvre Museum Musée du Quai Branly Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre Parc des Buttes Chaumont (great place for a picnic!) The goal for today is to take lots of pictures in as many places as possible and take note of a few places you may want to check out more in depth in the days to come. For example, it will take many days to properly get through the Louvre at a leisurely pace, so maybe today try to just check out the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Day Six: Explore Paris One of my favorite things about Paris is walking around without a strict plan. To venture among the beautiful architecture and cobblestone streets is truly romantic. So get “lost in Paris” but remember to download street maps on your phone and keep your wits about you at all times 🙂 There are many cool neighborhoods to explore. The Latin Quarter is a great place to explore, with such gems as: The Rue St-Andre-des-Arts area Luxembourg Gardens Arenes de Lutece Musée Cluny Fountaine Saint-Michele Pantheon You can’t leave Paris without a dinner cruise on The Seine. There are many to choose from, and although it can be a little touristy, it’s a relaxing activity to indulge in after a long day of exploring. Day Seven: You Decide! It’s that part of the trip again! Paris is an amazing city, but there are also many places outside of France’s most famous city worth exploring. This time you get three choices… Disneyland Paris OR Versailles Palace ORRR a Wine Tasting Trip! For the kid at heart, choose Disneyland Paris! Every Disney property is a little different, and this one is no exception. Last time I went, the entrance fee was a tiny bit more than the American Disneyland, and the overall vibe is a little on the mellow side. (6+ hours, but it just depends on long you want to stay.) The Versailles Palace is the beautiful historical home of French royalty, with past residents such as Queen Marie Antoinette and and Louis XIV. Some notable places to visit include The Royal Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Versailles gardens. (6 hours.) The wine in France is world-renowned for a good reason. By now, you may have already tasted wine during one of your meals in Paris…but why not go to the source? Spend the day in the countryside, touring vineyards and sipping wine with your loved one/s. (10.5 hours.) Day Eight: Explore Paris It’s your last full day in Paris! Today, you can do a little bit more exploring through my suggestions. Or maybe you want to revisit a location you breezed past earlier and dig deeper? The fairly new Fondation Louis Vuitton is a very unique art museum and center of culture. It will certainly stand out in stark comparison to much of the historical buildings you will have seen on your trip thus far. Are you into creepy experiences? If skulls don’t make you flinch, check out the Paris Catacombs. Underground lies the remains of six million Parisians, with tour guides narrating the history and circumstances behind this bizarre location. Get some last minute shopping in at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. The retail and shopping options fit a variety of budgets. If you want some city-specific souvenirs, there are several kiosks set up right outside as well. Why not end your trip to Paris with a spectacular Moulin Rogue experience? Possibly the most famous cabaret show in the world, dozens of performers put on an entertaining show representing classic French culture. Day Nine: Fly To Rome Two destinations down, one more to go! Today it’s time to venture over to the last leg of the trip, Rome, Italy! An ancient city with tons of areas to explore, a few days won’t cover EVERYthing. But this itinerary will give you a great basic overview, and perhaps leave you curious to come back and explore even deeper. The main airport for Rome is Leonardo da Vinci (FCO) located in Fiumicino. An alternative airport is Ciampino (CIA) which caters to budget airlines. Your flight from Paris will only take around 2 hours. A high speed train ride from Paris to Rome will take around 11 hours, and an overnight train will take around 20 hours. A bus ride from Paris to Rome, while the cheapest option, will take almost a full day at around 22 hours. I will continue this itinerary as though you took a short plane ride and arrived in Rome in the morning/early afternoon. Upon arrival, you already know what I’m about to suggest…A Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour Of Rome! It’s easy, it’s convenient, it works. Here are some places included on this tour that you’ll want to check out: Colosseum Spanish Steps Trevi Fountain Roman Forum Circus Maximus Piazza Venezia Trastevere Sistine Chapel Palazzo Barberini Pantheon This bus tour will give you a great overview of your options in Rome, and allow you to see which attractions and areas you may want to explore more in depth, at least in the super-touristy areas. Day Ten: Explore Rome There are two tours today that I would suggest in order for you to experience the food and amazing history of Rome. Start off your day with an in-depth tour of the Colosseum. There are several different types of tours to go on, so it depends on your budget, time, and overall interest in this attraction. The tours typically range from 2 hours to all day. After you’ve learned some history, it’s time to get your hands messy and create your own pasta! Pasta is arguably Italy’s most popular dish, as well as an international phenomenon. There are many food tours to choose from which range from one to five hours, covering all types of Italian cuisine. Day Eleven: You Decide! It’s time for one more day trip! Now, you could certainly modify this whole trip to be full of a whole bunch of excursions. But I find that this leads to a lot of fatigue and stress. Two weeks of non-stop travel is a lot more involved than it seems on paper (or computer screen.) But, it’s completely up to you of course. My top choices for you today are…. Trip To Florence OR Trip To The Tuscany Countryside ORRRR Trip To The Amalfi Coast! Yes, you get three choices again this time, which may make it hard to narrow down. But I wanted you to see how many great options are just a reasonable train or bus ride away. Florence, Italy is a world famous, beautiful city filled with amazing architecture and art that you’re likely to have learned about is history class. A day trip exploring the museums with lunch included is a great way to explore Florence for the first time. The Tuscany region, which includes Florence and Pisa, is a mixture of scenic wine country and high art. A full day guided tour with transportation is included in this excursion, and is a great option if you opted not to do the suggested wine tour in the French portion of the trip. Looking to visit the beautiful Italian coastline? A day trip to the Amalfi Coast is a wonderful option. This particular day trip includes a trip to Pompeii in the shadow of the famed Mount Vesuvius. Day Twelve: Explore Rome I think another...

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