Travel Help

Did you include arrival and departure travel days in the 13? If so you really only have 11 days. With that amount of time I'd choose only 2 big cities- London and Paris or London and Rome or Paris and Rome. If your budget is tight- limiting it to one city would save the rail costs. Packing light (carry-on only) helps you be secure about your possessions. Read this site and others (onebag.com for example) to get an idea of what you REALLY need to take- it is much less than many people think.

You and your friend should talk about what your interests are, then narrow down your travel ambitions for this trip. Start reading guide books (Rick's and others) and learning about hostels, etc.

Personally, London is my "prefered" destination especially for a first trip It may be a bit more expensive than some other cities, but the transportation is easy to use, there are no real language barriers and .... well I just love London!

I agree with Toni on pairing cities. London is a good "starter" city as you will have only a minimal language barrier.

From there, Paris is just a little over two hours away. There is nothing like getting off the Eurostar from London and being in Gare du Nord in Paris.

The more places you try to go, the more you will spend on transportation and the more time you will spend in trains and planes instead of seeing sites and having fun. I think two cities would be ideal, and I would suggest London and Paris because they are so close. You could always do day trips from either city. You definitely won't be able to see everything there is to see in both cities, but you'll have enough time to see plenty of greath things without running yourselves ragged.

I agree with the suggestions of London and Paris. I suggest starting in London and then take the Eurostar train to Paris, flying home from there. Both London and Paris have excellent public transportation. If you base yourself in two cities you won't have to worry about your luggage except the one time you change locations. Sometimes if you spend more than a few days at a hotel you might get a free night.

Another option could be to get an apartment in each location. Having a kitchen can save a lot of money on food. Many apartments have a washing machine, and some have dryers. I strongly urge you to pack light. You will be surprised at how many stairs you will encounter. If you can easily wash your clothes it is really helpful. There are a number of websites you can use for apartments. I use vrbo.com.

Have fun!

Saya,

For such a short time frame, it would be possible to make a quick trip to London, Paris & Rome, allowing 3 days or so in each.

As you're "first time travelers to Europe", I'd suggest pre-reading the Guidebook Europe Through The Back Door. That will provide you with lots of information to "travel well" (including "securing our belongings", and hopefully avoid too many problems.

Starting in London is a good idea, as there will be an easier introduction to the European culture (aside from the aspect of "two peoples separated by a common language"). You shouldn't have any trouble finding flights to either LHR or LGW.

After London, take the EuroStar to Paris for a few days. Paris is a wonderful city and well worth having a look at.

Finally, use one of the budget airlines from either Paris CDG or ORY to Rome. If you book early enough, the prices are often VERY cheap (however these increase as the flight fills). NOTE their Terms & Conditions carefully, as tickets are often non-changeable and non-refundable once booked! You'll need to allow at least 4-6 hours for that, and be sure to PACK LIGHT as they have very tight luggage weights.

After touring in Rome, fly home from Rome / FCO. With such a short trip, using open jaw flights is absolutely the best idea. You shouldn't need a rail pass, so you won't have to budget for that.

Don't be too concerned about "looking like tourists". The locals can always tell, regardless of how you dress.

You may also want to have a look at the country or city-specific Guidebooks for the places you'll be visiting, to get ideas on places you might want to see, opening & closing times, costs, Hotel & Restaurant info, etc.

Don't try to see everything in one visit. As Rick says "assume you will return".

Happy travels!

Thank you all for your tips. This website did help a lot with first time travel questions I didn't even think to ask. I really did want to spend a bit of time in at least London, Paris and Rome. Maybe I can convince my friend to do the same. Hahah.

Thanks again!