Top things to do in London and Paris ??

I'm going to Paris in mid July for my niece's wedding. We'll be spending a week in Paris. I've never been to Europe, and my sister suggested that if we had the time, to spend another week in London while over in that part of the world.

So a question to everyone. If you had only about 6 days to spend in London and another 6 days to spend in Paris, what are the top things to see or do? Doesn't have to be in the cities proper, just in that general area.

We won't be renting a car (at least in the U.K.). Don't know where we will stay in London, but we will be staying in an apartment in the 6th district in Paris.

Ideas anyone?

I was in Paris last year and hated it I've started going to London a couple of times a year for a girly weekend with my sister and we do a westend show You have the tower of London, Buckingham Palace etc...

Theres so many places to stay in London, it just depends on what price you want to pay?

This hotel chain has them all over the uk, and their reasonable and clean. We use them at work when they go on business trips

http://www.premierinn.com/pti/home.do

Mmm Paris,

Well definately go to the Luxemburgh Garden, it's also a great break away from the main city and it's in the 6th district so should be an easy wander for you.

Go look at the Notre Dame and then wander around the area. Since you're staying in the 6th District it'll be really nice wandering from there down into the 5th district and then across the Seine. Those areas are great just for wandering around, enjoying the city and stopping at cafés for an energy refill every now and then.

Beware though if you're eating don't go looking for junk food or takeaways. There are a ton of cafés that are also restaurants "Brasserie" all over the place, use them if you can. I'm saying this because a friend of mine went to Paris and they ended up eating kebabs or MacDonalds most of the time because they couldn't find the sort of food they were looking for and they'd completely ignored the Brasseries which is a complete shame.

Then there are the standards of course, the Eiffel tower, the Louvre and the gardens around both. If you want to do the Eiffel tower show up early. The queues get insane if you show up late. I.e check out when it opens and aim to be there then if not before then.

The Louvre is magical, it's also really really huge so if you're going to spend a day in there there is absolutely no way you'll be able to cover even half of it. Make a plan first of what sort of stuff you're wanting to see (Egyptian stuff, Greek, paintings? by whom and what period etc) and try to organise your visit. The queues are often quite long getting in there as well but when I was there they were processed quite quickly and since the museum is so large it didn't feel too crowded inside. Well apart from just where the Mona Lisa is.

London I don't have as much practice being a tourist in but I've always really enjoyed the Tate Modern gallery. It's free and the building itself is quite fun to be in and they have lots of interesting displays on usually.

ETA: Oh and Versailles are gorgeous and beautiful and easily done as a daytrip from Paris, BUT don't go if the weather is very hot. Even though they are gardens they were structured to be seen from a carriage so it's all sectioned off garden paths and you get almost no shade.

There are absolutelyl massive queues to get into the palaces that are just dangerous to wait in if it's a hot sunny day. I.e standing in a stone courtyard in 90 degrees with blazing sun roasting you and no shade anywhere is not healthy. We didn't even try to do that and just went straight for the gardens when I was there last summer but it was still quite hard and it should be just fun rather than a semi endurance event where everyone has to really watch their water intake etc.

The queues in Paris are what i remember as well, especially notre dame.... nightmare, and i still didn't get inside to see it

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

The queues in Paris are what i remember as well, especially notre dame.... nightmare, and i still didn't get inside to see it

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That's why I always choose just to not do the thing you need to queue for if the queue is looking unreasonably long. Sometimes you're in the mood and can do it but sometimes you don't.

That's why things like the Luxemburgh garden and also just wandering around the nicer areas are great. There are also a ton of museums and things you can see without having to queue. Also if you're interested in that sort of thing the pere lachaise cemetery is quite fun to wander around in. A lot of famous people, including Oscar Wilde, Edit Piaf and Jim Morrison are buried there.

Oh I just remembered as well. There's a Rodin museum that's partly a park, since it's showing off statues, but yeah I think deciding to just bail on the main tourist attractions if the queues are too long and instead finding something else fun to do is pretty much a must to really enjoy the city.

We spent a great week in London. We got a subway/bus pass and just rode all over to the end of the line.

We've spent a couple of weeks in Paris. Once we learned French, Paris was great. Not expensive to eat in, if you go to the sidewalk cafes away from the tourist areas. Not expensive to stay in, either, if you speak French.

I recently went on the Thames clipper, which was great fun!
Its just like a bus, you queue up, wait for one going the right direction and pay on board. You get to see all the great architecture on the river front, and many of London's main attractions are on either side of the river.
I second the Tate Modern and London Eye recommendations, and add Southwark Cathedral for some history, the South Bank Centre and Hayward gallery for some art/drama exhibitions and the vast number of great restaurants available in the area.
I love the atmosphere at the South Bank (which is both the general name given to the south side of the river and the collection of arts related buildings that are up there). You can visit the London aquarium, and there are always living statues and jugglers/performers of some kind just out on the pavement. There is also a huge open-air used book fair and there are several cafes.
You really could have a day or two just traveling up and down the river, as everything I've mentioned is on the water's edge.
Its all particularly pretty at night, as the bridges and skyscrapers light up in a variety of colours, and you can hear Big Ben.

Unless you want fish and chips England doesn't have much in the way of traditional dishes, but there is a fantastic Chinese restaurant right around the corner from the London Eye and next to Waterloo tube station called Ping Pong. I went there recently, and ate so much I felt slightly ill. But in a really satisfied way.

so yeah, guess which city I live in

Here's some clarification. My niece lives in Paris about 6 months of the year and speaks French so well that they don't know she is American. My sister has been to Paris often and can get around the restaurants in the city. They will both be my guides if we run out of ideas. My nephew, who is an artist, will also be with us in Paris. I assume that he will want to check out as many art museums as humanly possible that week.

In London, DH and I will be on our own. I've been warned that when you order breakfast, you usually get beans with the meal. Not something we see in the states. DH isn't into long bus tours. He rather go into a place and really spend some time there to check it out rather than doing a drive by. We are also very much into doing things to understand the people and the culture. We're not resort people, but prefer clean, out of the way places where the normal tourists don't visit but we can still get to the touristy places if we need to. In Mexico, we stay at an apartment with the barking dogs, screaming babies and cats wandering the courtyard. We'll sit on the patio and talk to the neighbors to get a sense of the people that live where we visit. A neighborhood pub in London comes to mind.....

Great ideas and links everyone! Keep em coming!!

(and if anyone is in the London area while we're there, hmmmm....could be a UK TCS get together?)

Everyone I know who's been to London more recently than I (say, within the past 40 years... ) says don't stay there, just go in for the day and do the sights. When my brother was there about eight years ago, he decided to splurge and stay in the city, so he spent over $500 for two nights in a hotel. I wish I could show you the photograph of his room... it was just about two feet wider than the single bed it contained. It was literally a place to sleep, and nothing more.

And the number-one item on my London list, if I ever get there again, is to have my picture taken like every other Baby Boomer: the classic Walking-Across-Abbey-Road shot!

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

And the number-one item on my London list, if I ever get there again, is to have my picture taken like every other Baby Boomer: the classic Walking-Across-Abbey-Road shot!

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I still have that album, yes I said album (not CD), plus the turntable to play it on. Good idea!!

Originally Posted by Momofmany

I've been warned that when you order breakfast, you usually get beans with the meal.

Great ideas and links everyone! Keep em coming!!

(and if anyone is in the London area while we're there, hmmmm....could be a UK TCS get together?)

Click to expand...

Beans?! Really? I guess if you go for a fry-up, but you can ask for no beans if it really bother you.
Hmm, people don't really talk to each other in London. I mean, we'll help tourists, and be polite to each other etc, but we don't really strike up conversations with each other like you might in the countryside.
If you want to get a sense of what life is like within different communities you could visit Tooting, which has a strong asian community (and a great sweet shop called Ambala's). Brixton has a lively black community, and a great market place, selling a variety of african/caribbean food and clothes.
While the South Bank is touristy, its used by commuters and its where many Londoners go on dates, so if you don't go on the eye or in the aquarium you can ignore most of the tourists.
Oh! I almost forgot South Kensington. There are a huge number of well sign-posted museums reachable from South Ken station. They aren't very busy during the day as they are so numerous and so big, but you may have to avoid a few school trips. The Natural History Museum is my favorite. South Kensington is the old, rich part of London and the Royal Albert Hall is there. Its also near Hyde Park which frequently has garden exhibitions in the summer and is great to take a picnic to.

I can't help much with accommodation, but there are loads of holiday flats available, and you may find it easier and more fun to self cater. Hotels in London tend to be wildly expensive or not at all attractive (or both), although there are a few exceptions.

Feel free to PM me if you want to know more about a particular area or something, and also stop me if its all too much

A UK TCS get together would be really fun, I'm always envious of the US ones

Ahhh the English Breakfast!! Actually the food isn't bad unless you are a real big beef eater-US type steaks could be a challenge to find.

In London-go to Harrods and the food hall!! Also side trips to Windsor and RHS Wisley garden!! I remember the hotel I stayed at one time was in Knightbridge.

Also Tower of London to see the jewels!

I have been to London 4x and Paris 2x and London is definitely my favorite.

If you need a place to stay, please email/call our favorite B&B:
Jenny and Peter Littlehales
Peterlittlehales @aol.com
+011 44 20 773
5 Elmstone Rd
London SW6 5TL

Tell them that Rosemary & Jenny from CA sent you.

They are a lovely couple. My daughter and I stayed there when she was just 12 and they adopted us. Great breakfasts and lovely rooms. They are off the Parsons Green underground so the prices will be good and travel is easy.

Buy the Rick Steve's guidebooks. They will tell you where to go and when to go to avoid the crowds. Buy a transit pass. Here are some of my favorites:

The Tower and the Crowned Jewels. Get a ticket in advance. See the Jewels b/4 you take the tour.
The London Eye.
Go to a play or 3 The Mousetrap is still playing and good.
Go to the Imperial War Museum. It is really good.
All the museums are great, but the Victoria and Albert is huge. Don't expect to see all of it.
Get on one of the on/off tour buses.
See a play at the Globe.
Cruise the Thames
Take a tour to Stonehedge and Bath (same tour).
Take a side trip to Cambridge.
Buckingham palace. They had tours of it last time we were there which was new.
Covent Gardern, etc.

There is so much to do in London, so really get the Rick Steve's guidebook.

Paris is okay, but the others have said what to see.

PM me if you need more info.

Rosemary

Ive never been to Paris but I love London.
I guess it sort of depends on what you like, if you like history make sure to stop by the British Museum, maybe Stonehenge too. See Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London and the Bridge. See if you can catch Big Ben ringing. Walk down The Strand. Paddington and Waterloo stations. You can get a train to Windsor and see the castle and Eton college. One think I really regret is not seeing the Cotswolds. You'll have an amazing time, Im so excited for you!

Oh, I want to add (I just read the rest of the posts)
I really love the UK, London was great, we stayed in B&B's and it was either cheerios or a fry up, we never once got beans but once we did get fried toast, yuck. We also got really good food at the pubs. Pasties are the best ever, we ate a lot of fish and chips too but there was a lot of good stuff. I remember most people being pretty friendly (the only people I specifically remember being rude didnt speak english).

So what exactly is a "fry up"? I've never heard that term before!

Fry up, lets see, its been a while so Ill probably forget something but someone else will chime in Im sure
First off, its all fried, but I dont remember it being really greasy for some reason
Bacon (not like american bacon)
Eggs
Mushrooms
Halved Tomatoes
Sausage
maybe black pudding too.
I do not recommend the fried bread, its actually a slice of bread fried in oil, its like an oil sponge! Maybe its good and the stuff I got was just a bad batch.
http://www.globalchefs.com/article/a.../art012bre.htm

Originally Posted by Momofmany

In London, DH and I will be on our own. I've been warned that when you order breakfast, you usually get beans with the meal. Not something we see in the states.

(and if anyone is in the London area while we're there, hmmmm....could be a UK TCS get together?)

Click to expand...

The hotels i stay at Amy have a buffet style breakfast where you help yourself to either a full English, or continental, so you can skip the beans if you want

Let me know the dates when your going and i may jump on the train for the day, and i'll take you to Harrods and treat you to a cream tea

Originally Posted by Momofmany

So what exactly is a "fry up"? I've never heard that term before!

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That's your full English breakfast, bacon, sausage, eggs etc... Have one of those for breakfast and your set up for the day!

Dottie worked for Hilton when we were in London, so we stayed at the London Hilton on Park Row. I couldn't afford to walk in the door of that place, normally.

We took a train out to Windsor. It was a lot of fun. Then we blew off the return tickets and rode a bus back.