London/Paris Trip

1) Because you have the time, IMO a week in each city would not be too long. And taking into account day trips outside of London and Paris, you could enjoyably utilize 10 days in each city, and still not see everything on your list!

2) London day trips:
Greenwich - close but you can enjoyable spend most of the day there
Windsor - same as above
Cambridge
Stonehenge - you'll probably want to take a tour instead of trying to get there by public transportation
Bath - many travelers prefer to spend a night or two here

2) Paris day trips:
Versailles - close but it will take most of your day
Chartres
Giverny
Reims

3) For London, see this thread from today:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/london-neighborhood

For Paris:
Rue Cler neighborhood
Marais neighborhood
Luxembourg Garden area
Montmartre (but read Rick's discussion of this area)

6) This is subjective, but IMO the "dress code" is different in Paris than London. You can see what people on the street are wearing if you use the Street View feature of Google Earth.

As Kent indicates some people like to stay a couple of nights in Bath. Last time I went I stayed 3 nights which, for me, was not too much. I spend one day doing a Mad Max tour from Bath to Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock and another small village. It was great. I also found that the hotel prices in Bath are much higher on the weekend nights. In Bath itself, I am fascinated by the juxtaposition of the Roman Baths with the Georgian architecture. I love the Georgian period and Bath is fun if you are a Jane Austen fan. It is very easy to get to by train.

In London, if you go in September you can do a tour of the State Rooms in Buckingham Palace. They are only open in August thru the last part of September. I find them fascinating altho others might not!

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/the-state-rooms-buckingham-palace/plan-your-visit

I stayed at the Lime Tree Hotel on Ebury Street last Sept and enjoyed it. I like being able to walk to Buckingham Palace but also used the London Underground to get around easily. I will also point out that it is NOT necessary to be able to walk to the Palace, but it just makes me smile to think that!

You will want to fly open jaw, so in to either Paris or London and out of the other. You can take the Eurostar between the 2 cities.

Depending on what your budget is, you could also do back to back Rick Steves tours of London and Paris! I did the Paris tour last fall and it was very enjoyable.

I didn't really find the dress code different in each city. I just wore my regular tourist clothes/shoes and did not feel out of place in either city. Do take a waterproof jacket.

Thank you Kent and Pam. I will check those threads out. I had not even considered the dress being different in London and Paris. Just never crossed my mine. Everything was casual in Italy and it made packing really easy. Pam, which RS tours did you take. The best of Paris in 7 days???

Karen, I did the 21 day BOE and added the Paris tour on to the end of that. I packed light, did sink wash the whole time and wore the same clothes in London as on the BOE and in Paris. I started out in London for a few days as I wanted to see a 100th commemorative display of WWI at the Tower of London then had the extra time in Paris.

I did Bath in 2013 and typing this, am about to decide to do it again this Sept! I also suggest you check the board outside Bath Abbey if you stay over in Bath as there was an organ concert one night when I was there that was marvelous. They asked for a 5£ donation which was a bargain.

BTW, as far as time in Paris, I actually met up with a friend after the RS Paris tour so stayed another week with her and STILL didn't see everything I wanted. We did do day trips to Chartres and Giverny and did Versailles on the RS Paris tour.

Interesting observation Kent. Perhaps I was in mostly the tourist areas and you may have been more off the beaten path?

Karen & Pam,
Obviously London and Paris are two very different places.
One thing I've noticed is that in London they will speak English (well, sort of); whereas in Paris, you probably will have a bit more pleasant time if you have studied up some and make an attempt to begin a conversation in French. And here I'm speaking of French people in the tourist service industry, even though they have to deal with tourists every day, they still seem to appreciate your making an attempt to begin a conversation in French, and then when they hear how bad my French is, they quickly shift to English).

In London, they don't even say anything bad about my accent.

In September and October, I think that you can get by with one wardrobe in London & Paris. Fashionable lightweight raincoats for the city...easy to take off and carry. Nice sweaters and scarves. Decent slacks, maybe one nice skirt. Water resistant shoes. For country trips: A rain jacket to wear over fleece with comfortable slacks (Not Jeans). Good walking shoes. If you wear darker hued clothing you will always be in fashion and the dirt doesn't show.

I would stay in a B & B in London for a week...then take a continuous trip to other towns on the train for another week or so and circle back to London to take the Eurostar to Paris and a booked accommodation. If you are traveling in September and October you should be able to book accommodations on the fly outside of the big cities in the UK. It is fairly easy to drive there once you get over driving on the left side. This is great if you want to stay in country inns or farmhouse b & b. I didn't stay as long in Paris...once I saw the big Museums. I was more interested in seeing the chateaux and cathedrals of the rest of France. I loved Provence. Bon Voyage.

I would stay one week in London, one week in Paris, and one week somewhere else in the country side near by one of these cities.

I'm glad that the Italy trip was a success and I can tell from your Italy forum questions that you did some homework before asking them. My very honest, actual travel experience is that the London and Paris books include everything you need to know. So don't skimp on the step you're currently on, of reading through the books and highlighting points of interest. If you're planning to book plane tickets soon, then I'd feel comfortable to book a three-week period, which you can divide between the two big cities, plus some nearby, smaller-town side trips. Three weeks gives you fair amount of flexibility.

Hi Karen,

I've been to London and Paris several times and spent over a week in each city on each visit. I still haven't done all the day trips on my list because there's so much I enjoy seeing and doing in the cities themselves. I'm a "museum mouse" and London is a paradise, not only great museums but most of them are free (helps offset the high cost of lodging :-). My favorite school of art is Impressionism and Paris has the best and the most.

I love the theatre so I try to see as many plays as possible while I'm in London. I use theatremonkey.com as my main resource. It's a wealth of information, including any special deals, and which are the best seats in each London theatre. On my last visit, I took three London Walks and can't figure out why I never tried them before.

One of the best things to do in Paris is walk. There are lovely surprises if you just keep your eyes open.

Most European countries celebrate "heritage days." In France they are Les Journees du Patrimoine and its usually the third weekend in September. On this weekend the State opens its buildings to the public. While it doesn't sound exciting to visit government offices, in Paris they are in palaces. I was lucky enough to be there once, visited the Luxembourg Palace (home the the Senate), the National Assembly, and the Hotel de Ville (Paris municipality). One was more gorgeous than the next. Many embassies also opened their doors (yes, they are in palaces too, just smaller ones). The Russian embassy had a special exhibit all about the Romanovs (lots of jewels and Faberge eggs too). September is a high-occupancy month for lodgings because there are many trade shows then, so you should book well in advance. The tourist sights are not really impacted though, so it's a good time to go.

Thank you everyone for the information. This forum never fails to provide a wealth of information. I am going to check out all the sites, threads, etc. that have been provided. I am sure once I pin down what we want to see and do I will be back with more questions. I have to laugh because it would be so easy to plan a return trip to Italy...actually I do not think it would even feel like a foreign country this time. Looking into London and Paris makes me feel like I am starting from square one all over again....well, I guess I am :) Dang! I just got use to the Euro now I have to use the Pound :)

I was in London and Paris for a week each in September 2012 and found 8 nights in each city (7 full days, including a day trip) was a good amount of time. The weather in Paris was great - in the 60s, sunny every day but one - but in London, not so much. It rained every day (parts of the UK received so much rain that there was widespread flooding) and it was chilly and windy. Sometimes it was sunny. London is windy - no one told me that!

Dress more for the weather and for comfort than for fashion. You're a tourist and have a limited supply of time and clothes, unlike the locals. Check the weather daily for a couple weeks before you leave, so you know what to pack.

While you're in London, I assume you'll use public transit. Check the Transport for London website (https://www.tfl.gov.uk/) every morning before you leave your hotel to see which Tube lines, if any, are closed for "planned engineering" (maintenance and construction). On the weekends it isn't uncommon for entire Tube lines to close. Once you know which lines and stations are affected, you can plan your route much more effectively.

2) Day trips from each city:
-From Paris I visited Versailles (awesome - takes most of a day but totally worth it) and Chartres (an hour train ride from Paris; cathedral is amazing)
-From London I went to Canterbury to see the cathedral, medieval city gates, and the ruins of an 11th-century Norman castle in the middle of an apartment complex. Blew my mind!

3) and 5) Areas to stay in and hotel recommendations
-In Paris we stayed in the 5th arrondissement at the Hotel Cluny Sorbonne for 4 nights (100 euros per night for a room for 2 people; tiny room, no frills, but great neighborhood) and in the 7th at the Hotel Londres Eiffel for 4 nights (200 euros per night for a room for 2 people; larger room, fancier hotel; very quiet neighborhood 5 minutes from Eiffel Tower)
-In London I stayed in Bayswater at Vancouver Studios in a one-person room for 75 pounds per night. This hotel is close to 2 Tube stops on 3 different lines, which was great for planning my itinerary around construction!

4) Must-see sites - only you can decide what is must-see. I love museums so I went to a different one each day in Paris and London. You might not care about museums.

Karen,

how long you stay is up to you. Use the guide books and see what floats your boat. I find that what you 2 may like may not float my boat and visa versa.

When i was in London if found for me that 4 full days was good for what i wanted to do and see. Note that i fly solo, so i can do/see/stay or leave when ever i want. but to give you an idea on my itinerary when i was there this is it.

Tower Of London, Tower Bridge
Millinium Bridge
St Pauls Cathedral
Templer Church (check times) (closed when i was there. Still trying to see it)
Museum Of London
British Museum
Piccadilly Circus
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Room
Westminster Abbey (didnt see this, was closed)
Royal Mews
Imperial War Museum
London Eye
Horseback riding - Hyde Park
National Army Musuem (free)

I gave Paris 4 full days too. Note that no outside day trips either and the same for London.

Paris Tour
Orsay Museum
Eiffel Tower
Sewer Tour
Army Museum & Napoleons Tomb
Arc de Triomphe
Champs-Elysees
Louvre
Pantheon
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Treasury
Notre-Dame Tower climb
Cript
Montprnasse Tower
La Defense & La Grande Arche (closed to public)
Catacombs

In my opinion, do some homework and readup what each place has to offer you. that way you will have a better idea on what YOU may like, not what i "think" you may like.

If you 2 are into WWII history (I'm guessing here since you dont say whats youre interested in) you can spend some time in the Normandy area. Its about a 2h20m train ride from Paris to Bayeux/Caen. There are WWII tours of the area, but if you do, think about spending more than 1 day up there since there are other things to do see, like.

Caen
Mont Saint Michel (can get shuttle from hotel in Bayeux. Cost about 55 Euros)
Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux War Museum
Bayeux

happy trails.

happy trails.

Sara and Ray thank you for your inputs. I know that everyone has their own likes and dislikes but the reason I ask for "your not to miss" attractions is that it makes me think outside of my box. Sometimes people mention things I would not have thought about and then I can read up on the attraction. Sara, reading your post about the weather in London has me thinking I should take a closer look at the weather and maybe...or maybe not pick another time of year. Once again, thank you all for the information.

Karen, weather varies wildly. I was in London and Wales for almost 4 weeks in Sept of 2013 and had perhaps 3 days of rain out of the whole time, a few days of sweltering heat at the beginning and comfortable weather the rest of the time. I was in London for a few days the last week of August 2014 and it rained the afternoon/evening I got there then was beautiful and cool the rest of the time.

I was in Paris for 2 weeks mid to end of Sept in 2014 and it was hot to begin with, then cooled off and was lovely. There was no rain.

Really, you can't tell what it is going to be but you can pack to be prepared for anything. Always, always have a waterproof rain layer and an umbrella whenever you travel in Europe.

Karen,

as far as weather goes, my first time was in a March and the weather was overcast with some "sunny" days. I also try to do a stop on my way back home and the past 2 years its been in late September. Those 2 times have been overcast also.

happy trails.

Karen, I see your point about must-sees. Here are mine:

London:
Museums: Tate Modern, British Museum, National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum
London Eye
Tower of London -give yourself several hours for the complex to soak in all the history
Tower Bridge - walking across it was cool; visitors might be able to go up in the towers; if I knew that, I totally would have done it
The Portobello Road Market is amazing - it's crowded but you can find some really cool items
St. Paul's Cathedral - I did the audio tour, which is a great supplement to being there, and spent maybe 3 hours in the building, including going up to the top for great views of the city
Westminster Abbey - I did the audio tour here too and enjoyed it. It tells you about famous people buried there and where their graves are.

Paris:
Museums: Pompidou, Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Jewish Museum, Cluny Museum
Boat tour on the Seine
Eiffel Tower - I didn't go up but wish I had
Montmartre and Sacre Coeur
Pere Lachaise Cemetery
Sainte-Chapelle
Notre-Dame
Marais and Jewish Quarter
Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore
Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe (my sister wanted to walk the Champs and see the Arc; I wasn't interested but did it with her anyway)
Buy macarons at Laduree ( on the Champs)
On our last full day we went out to La Defense to see the modern "Arc", the giant white square building which was built on the axis of the Champs and the Arc. That was really cool to see.

Thank you Sarah for your "must Sees." Also thank you for suggestions on how much time to allow. I try not to over book but sometimes things don't work out as planned. Also, the "I wish I had" is good to know. There were a couple of things in Rome I wish I had done after visiting the Vatican. If I had considered them ahead of time I could have worked them into the plan...sigh...now I will just have to go back :) I have not picked up the RS book n Paris yet but at least now things will sound familiar...if that makes sense? Oh and I love macaroons...so a big thank you on that recommendation. I just love this forum!

One more vote here for Vancouver Studios in London. Each room has a kitchenette, complete with fridge, Mikey, 2-burner stovetop, and all the pots, pans, and dishes you'll need. My wife and I usually head out to either Marks & Spencer or Sainsbury's as soon as we can, and stock up on breakfast stuff. It's really nice to have breakfast without getting dressed and walking a few blocks.
In Paris, we stay at a small place in the 17th called Hotel des Duex Avenues. It's about 5 or 6 blocks from the Arc de Triumph, on a small market street, Rue Poncelet. Very nice, very quiet. We've stayed there every year since 2009.

Since you're retired -- maybe you should start thinking in terms of month-long trips. TransAtlantic airfare is the single biggest cost, so maximize your usage by staying longer (not necessarily more places)
Warning: after a month-long trip you may start thinking about a whole season ...

I have been to London five times. Once in March( it SNOWED and sleeted, very cold and wet) and the other four times were july or august. It has rained,, every single time.

It did not pour.. but it rained,, at least for a day or two.. every single visit.

London = take umbrella

Paris.. I have been dozens of times.. between May and October.

Usually hot in July and August.. BUT , one year I brought a friend to visit in August,, told her to pack sundresses and capris.. ( because it would be hot) .
It rained 7 out of 9 days and was cool.

Weather sucks.. give up .. lol
Always pack a rain jacket ( lightweight for summer , heavier for winter ) and an umbrella. Every thing else should layer.

The only drag with weather and sightseeing is that some sites really are most enjoyable just for outside wandering.. and it is harder to enjoy wandering around outside for 5 or 6 hours if you are cold and wet , or roasting hot and sweating. So mentally I always have back up plans ie: if its raining today we will see such and such museum,, or if its cold we will skip the seaside walk in Brighton( which btw is another nice side trip from London) . OF course its a drag sometimes when you have prepaid train tickets.. have to go wet or not..

Thank you Jim, Laura, Emma and Pat for your inputs. Seems like a couple of people now have mentioned the Vancouver Studios so I need to take a look at them. It is correct that the airfare is a big portion of the trip but then again if we stayed a month.... outside of breakfast I can promise you we would not be cooking :) LOL...I guess I will just be ready for any kind of weather when I get there...may even throw in a pair of shorts. We are still reading the RS book on England (I know we are slow) and then we will pick up the book on France. Right now we are planning on staying 7 full days in each country with a travel day before, a travel day between England and France and a travel day at the end. Guess that will be 17 days....subject to increase.

Once again, my thanks to everyone who has responded. Love this site!