Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Going to Europe (London, Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome) for two weeks....any helpful hint you can provide? Like what to bring, do etc.?

Thanks so much

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Message edited 8/1/2007 1:57:37 PM.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

WOW...thank you so much...great suggestions. I am staying at the same hotel as you did in Florence!

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Message edited 8/1/2007 1:57:42 PM.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Message edited 6/7/2007 12:35:56 PM.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Bring comfortable walking shoes!!! there is a lot of walking in all of those places and you should be comfortable.

Things to do:

London - Tower of London, Westminister Abbey

Paris - Sacre Couer, St. Chapelle (a small little chapel on the Ile de Cite which is all stained glass - one of the most beautiful things I saw in Paris)...a side trip to Versailles is nice, plus of course Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame

Venice - Gondola ride, St. Marks Square

Florence - lots of great shopping there!

Rome - The colisseum, the forum, the Vatican

What a great trip you are going on!!

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

I was in London today, we went on the London Eye which was good fun, the Tate Modern is something to see.

I would also say do a tour bus/Thames Cruise hop on hop off thingy. Be prepared cos the UK is mega expensive if you are travelling on the US$. Take the Tube...its fantastic

Just do all the fun touristy things, ask the locals where to eat, have high tea at Selfridges, drink a pint at a local pub, eat at a fancy restaurant (I recommend yauatcha..google it, good celeb hangout)

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Paris - Sacre Couer, St. Chapelle (a small little chapel on the Ile de Cite which is all stained glass - one of the most beautiful things I saw in Paris)...a side trip to Versailles is nice, plus of course Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame
---------------------------------------------

Yes!!! I second St. Chapelle! I was in awe of the stained glass chapel!

I wasn't all that impressed actually with Notre Dame, however we did walk up to top where the gargoyles are.

Message edited 6/6/2007 8:14:06 PM.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Are you going to go to Murano (take boat from Venice to Murano) to see the glass blown?

Def. enjoy some music and wine in St. Mark's Square.

We stayed in Florence for 4 days or so...and took a side trip to Sienna and San Giminagno (both mideval towns with tremendous history). Sienna was amazing...I thought the Duomo there was one of the most beautiful I'd seen.

I'll ask my DH for his opinion.

I also agree with the previous poster....eat a lot of gelato!

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Thanks for all the help and ideas I leave in 22 days!

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

I can only speak for Florence but you will love it and it's such an amazing city.

Make sure you do side trips, we did the chianti wine region tour and the pisa tour.

Also make sure to visit the the market of st lorenzo, is a huge flea market type where they sell everything.

also, something I wish I could have done was the gucci and prada outlet tour.

I booked all my tours through caf tours through expedia.

Have fun and enjoy it, Florence is an amazing city.

Here the website for the tour company.

Tours

Message edited 6/7/2007 3:02:46 PM.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

in Venice, have coffee and pastry at Florian's in Piazza San Marco.

it's truly and otherworldly experience. it's NOT cheap, but oooohhh soo worth it. I got the hot cocoa and the cookies

gondola ride is a definite. just make sure you eat dinner fairly early. there are not many restaurants that stay open late. (though there are two, right by the Rialto bridge but crossing over it from St. Marks' that are open late...the food is divine...and the waiters are BEYOND friendly - unless you will be with your beau...in which case they are just nice )

Rome is a gimme the first time...Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain to add a few to the above list.

Florence- Ufizi Gallery for art, lots of leather goods shops..GREAT GELATERIA, the duomo, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens...it was the home of those darned Medici's!

I think the other posters have London and Paris covered.

Have a GREAT time.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

DH and I flew the red-eye over to London. We arrived in the morning and did not want to miss the day, so we decided to take the double decker bus to get our bearings. Ended up falling asleep on the bus and riding around London My sister and I also took the red-eye another time and took a different approach. We stayed in Kensington (LOVE KENSINGTON!!!) and decided to visit the Victoria & Albert museum. It was nice for a half day. Then we took a nap before heading out for dinner. Some suggestions: hit up all of the tourist areas first thing in the morning. We went to the Tower of London first thing in the morning before it got extremely crowded. Try to stand in front of the beefeater tour around the Tower... he paid extra attn to my sister and I. We also visited Westminster Abbey first thing as well. Book tix to see an authentic Shakespearean show at the Globe theater. Visit the museum before the show, and splurge on a blanket! Watch the changing of the guards - we saw the Queen! We also took a day trip to Bath, Stonehedge, Windsor Castle...AMAZING!! I would love to go back and spend a week in Bath! We did so much more... FM me with ques.

DH and I backpacked thru Europe for a month. Rome was my favorite city (the history ) but I really liked the areas less travelled like the Beaujolais Wine Region of France, Hopfgarten, Austria, and the Rhine Valley in Germany. Let me know if you have any ques!!

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

My best advice for travelling to Europe is taking a red eye (following on from the post above me) and NOT SLEEPING when you get in. Stay awake for as long as you can, have a nap, but for 2/3 hours. Then, throw yourself right into the local time zone, have dinner at their dinner time. Do not sleep for the whole day, this is the best way to avoid jet lag!!!

In London eat at Wagamamma...yummy! I am glad to have them here locally, the food is delish!

Message edited 6/9/2007 4:50:02 AM.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

definately the london eye. its gives you great views of just about everything. i went in late july and it was very rainy and cool.

Re: Helpful Hints...2wks in Eurpope????

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

I have all my notes now...I will write a review when I return....2 more weeks!!