Which London and Paris highlights to see?

[mystang52]

DW and I keep changing our plans for a Europe visit. We'd now like to do a combined London-Paris "Greatest Hits Tour." We are thinking 3- 4 days in London area, and 3-4 days in Paris. We intend to dedicate a day seeing Stonehenge and Bath, and we'd like to devote a day to going to Normandy.
Beyond that, can anyone recommend the "must-see" sites in those 2 cities.
We have no illusion that we will see it all in our limited time, but frankly we'll be happy just seeing some bucket list sites.

 

[Car-Guy]

I've taken tour busses on the first day I arrive (London was really good to see that way, IMO) Then follow with up by car with a sightseeing drive to see things the tour bus might have missed and/or a closer look at what you like. Lot's to see in both but I've been to London several times and still find things I've missed and that I find interesting. YMMV.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

My favorites...
London - The Eye, Westminster Abbey/Big Ben/Parliament building, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, coffee/drinks/morning atop the Swiss Re (gherkin) building, British Museum, Windsor Castle, just exploring the various neighborhoods. I enjoyed a day trip (by tour bus) to Stonehenge and Bath very much.

Take Eurostar train between the 2 cities -- book early.

Paris - Eiffel Tower (of course)/Trocadero Gardens, Sacre-Coeur, Seine River cruise, cafes, Montmartre, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, The Tuileries Gardens, Hotel des Invalides, Versailles, just exploring the neighborhoods.

I've never actually done Normandy, but it's on my bucket list.

 

[clobber]

Hidden gem in Paris: the catacombs. Its unreal.

 

[athena53]

The Louvre- go during evening hours or get a guide so you can skip the line. Same for the D'Orsay. We found them WAY overcrowded (this was in 2013) and at the D'Orsay you were routed around the perimeter of the rooms- not a good way to see Impressionist paintings. I'd actually recommend the smaller museums (Le Petit Palais is one). You'll never get anywhere near the Mona Lisa or Venus de Milo. Oh, and don't order the steak tartare in the Louvre restaurant. It gave DH diarrhea.

I went back to Paris for a couple of days a few years ago and just wandered. I went to a couple of small museums and skipped Notre Dame, the D'Orsay and the Louvre. I loved it. Allow plenty of time just to wander, admire the buildings, people-watch and browse shop windows in both cities.

 

[Gumby]

Hidden gem in Paris: the catacombs. Its unreal.

I second this recommendation. It is one giant memento mori, and quite interesting. Off the beaten path, I would also recommend the Musée de Cluny and the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

London:
Tower of London (#1 out of everything by far)
Chruchhills War Rooms (#2)
British Museum (or as I like to call it "Stuff we stole from the whole world.")
Tour of Parliament (standing on the floor of the House of Commons...wow.)
Westminster Abbey (Timely to see the coronation chair)
St. Paul's

St. James Park & stroll past Buckingham Palace
Lunch/Dinner at the Blackfriar
Walk down the Thames
Trafalgar Square

I think the Eye is "meh" personally.

Stonehenge and Bath are great. The town of Salsibury is closer to Stonhenge than Bath. The cathedral there are absolutely first rate. Old Sarum ruins are right nearby as well. You can easily hit all three in one day.

Bath is really, really cool as well. But if you're pressed for time, Salsibury instead Bath is a good swap.

If you want to get out of London, take the train east to Canterbury, perhaps an hour or so. The cathedral is dripping in history and spectacular architecture. Renovations are underway but the catherdral is still worth visiting. And the town is really nice. From there you can catch a tour to the cliffs of Dover which are a great hike, but Dover castle is actually my preferred spot. One of the best preserved, non-working castles I've ever been to and the docents are so friendly. Make sure you go down into the tunnels where they ran Operation Dynamo.

Paris:
Louvre (they use Nintendos for self tours now and they are great)
Eiffel Tower (and go back at night if its nice)
Napolean's tomb (which is also a museum)
Catacomb's (wow...just wow.)
Versaille (so this is how revolutions happen...)
Arc de Triumphe, especially at night.
Saint Chapel (beautiful windows)
Notre Dame reconstruction is interesting but so sad

Any number of hours sitting at a cafe watching the world go by in Paris is time well spent.

Normandy is spectacular. Inspiring and heart wrenching. The town of Bayeux is really charming and the tapestry there is totally cool.

+1 on taking the Eurostar from London to Paris, just leave A LOT of time to check-in. Brexit has completely trashed their bording process. We took a trip in June 2022. Arrived at St. Pancras two hours early and sat to get a coffee. We saw this line snaking all the way through the station and outside into the street. God bless DW - something made her wonder if that could possibly be our line. Yup. Wait in line to discover they had turned the exit border into three distince stops ... ticket...then UK border exit...then France border entry in the UK station. They held the train and even then people behind us got locked out.

Finally, I'd suggest "Rick Steve's Audio Guide" for you iphone/android. He does great walking tours of the cities and many of major attractions. They are informative, witty and keep a good pace.

PM me if I can be helpful. We were London expats for three years and Paris is my favorite city in the world.

Have fun!

 

[tulak]

Crown Jewels (Tower of London).

 

[fosterscik]

The Imperial War Museum in London is a really good visit (especially for war buffs - seems likely given you want to visit Normandy). Big second (third...?) for the British museum.

 

[Ian S]

For Stonehenge and Bath, we took a tour that got us into Stonehenge just after closure to the general tourists. Our bus of 50 were the only ones there and the group was split in two: group 1 was permitted to go inside the inner circle for IIRC 1/2 hour while group 2 remained outside the inner circle. Then we switched. We were warned not to touch any of the stones otherwise we were free to wander within the inner circle. Since we were there in May, there was plenty of daylight for good observations and photography. There is also a pre-opening version of this tour but we weren't up for such an early jaunt.

I also recommend taking the high speed train to Paris from London. If you are pressed for time, I suggest a tour of the Louvre that will hit the highlights. After our tour we walked the distance to the Arc de Triomphe which included strolling along the Champs-Elysees. We climbed the stairs to the top which gives a great view of the city. Then we walked to the catacombs but when we got there the line was long and we were told that it would close before we could get in.

Also, the Eiffel Tower is a must. When we were at the top, I proposed to my DH and when he accepted, we toasted with glasses of champagne! Definitely do something romantic when you are up there. Versailles is truly fascinating but I'd recommend visiting on a day when the musical fountains are in operation.

 

[HawkOwl]

I've taken tour busses on the first day I arrive (London was really good to see that way, IMO) Then follow with up by car with a sightseeing drive to see things the tour bus might have missed and/or a closer look at what you like. Lot's to see in both but I've been to London several times and still find things I've missed and that I find interesting. YMMV.

Totally agree about taking a bus tour your first day. Usually you are so tired on the arrival day that anything more strenuous than sitting on a bus is wasted. Plus it is interesting enough to keep you awake so that you adjust to the time zone differences faster.

One of my favorite activities in London is attending a West End theater production. London is one of two world class theater districts (the other is Broadway, of course). There is a half-price ticket outlet in Leicester Square (beware the dozens of fake imitations).

Speaking of theater, a trip to the replica Globe Theater is worth it. If there is an actual Shakespeare play going on while you are there, see it at the Globe!

A couple of off the usual tourist route options are the Imperial War Museum, and Crystal Palace Park. The latter requires some explanation. In 1852, Great Britain put on the Great Exposition in Hyde Park, which included the famous Crystal Palace, and a collection of sculptures of dinosaurs as they were understood to look in those early days of paleontology. Which is to say goofy-looking by our current understanding. After the Exposition the Crystal Palace and the dinosaurs were moved to a park at the periphery of London. The Crystal Palace burned down, but the dinosaur sculptures are still there, in the middle of a beautiful park, which was filled with families and school children the day I went there.

For day trips, a train ride to Canterbury is enjoyable.

So many things to see. London is my favorite city.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

One of my favorite activities in London is attending a West End theater production. London is one of two world class theater districts (the other is Broadway, of course). There is a half-price ticket outlet in Leicester Square (beware the dozens of fake imitations).

That was my favorite thing to do, too, including the half price ticket booth. I haven't been to London in years, but I see a lot of low priced theater tickets these days online on the TodayTix app, and sometimes free seat filler tickets for London plays and concerts on my On The List subscription, https://otlseatfillers.com/london-seat-fillers/

 

[athena53]

he Crystal Palace burned down, but the dinosaur sculptures are still there, in the middle of a beautiful park, which was filled with families and school children the day I went there.

Ooh, I'm spending a day in London on my way home from E. Europe in October and that will be on my list of the weather is nice! I've been to London many times (a hub for the insurance business and also as a tourist) so I've done most of the usual things and look for the places that get less traffic.

 

[Chuckanut]

I've taken those London hop-on-off tour busses and they can be fun. Or not. It all depends on the tour guide doing the commentary. One fellow was a boring and rote and obviously had little interest in his job. The next bus had an older Englishman who reminded me of the fellow who used to host Masterpiece theater 20+ years ago, but he was truly English in the best way possible. Not only did he have an unlimited supply of historical stories, he also knew about the rest of the world. Everybody on board got a pleasant compliment about their home town or state or city. I actually stayed on the bus for two complete circuits just to listen to him. And he noticed that and complimented me on my good taste!

 

[HawkOwl]

Ooh, I'm spending a day in London on my way home from E. Europe in October and that will be on my list of the weather is nice! I've been to London many times (a hub for the insurance business and also as a tourist) so I've done most of the usual things and look for the places that get less traffic.

I hope that you do! It is a cool place!

 

[HawkOwl]

That was my favorite thing to do, too, including the half price ticket booth. I haven't been to London in years, but I see a lot of low priced theater tickets these days online on the TodayTix app, and sometimes free seat filler tickets for London plays and concerts on my On The List subscription, https://otlseatfillers.com/london-seat-fillers/

I was surprised at how relatively inexpensive West End theater tickets are compared to NYC.

 

[Lewis Clark]

I really enjoyed the Royal Observatory museum in Greenwich.
https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory

 

[ivinsfan]

IMO you should pick just one destination or lengthen your stay. You won't do either area justice in such a short time

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I was surprised at how relatively inexpensive West End theater tickets are compared to NYC.

The TodayTix prices looked cheaper than most of the San Francisco area theater prices, too, as least on the the splashier productions.

 

[ElizabethT]

I would invest a few bucks in Rick Steves travel books. Worth every dollar for the tips, rating scale for all major sights, detailed guides for the most highly rated sights, restaurant recommendations, and the fantastic self-guided walking tours.

As just one example, his Paris book specified exactly which early train to take in order to be first in line at Versailles, and what time to get in line at the Louvre to also be first in the door at opening. He also had a tip on beating the line to go up the Eiffle tower. And he was correct on all counts.

His books are just the best.

 

[braumeister]

I was surprised at how relatively inexpensive West End theater tickets are compared to NYC.

Absolutely! I usually try to see a show there, and the lower cost of tickets is just icing on the cake. You will sometimes find the same show playing in both cities at the same time, and the price difference is remarkable.

 

[Gumby]

In my opinion, the Louvre is so large and there is so much art to see that it is impossible to cover it all in one visit. There are three main wings; I would just pick one of them, which is what we did. We spent a morning there and then went to a long lunch at an outdoor café to rest and recover.

You might want to go online to review the collection and develop a plan for what to see. You should be aware that they are undergoing a major restoration and some galleries might be closed. The closure schedule is on the website.

https://collections.louvre.fr/en/

 

[Accidental Retiree]

On my last trip to London, I stayed on the South Bank, near the National Theater, and loved the area: lots of street food, lots of activity and energy, the Tate Modern, and of course, theater!

It was also an easy walk across the bridges to theatres on the other side of the river as well as walkable to other areas of interest.

 

[ivinsfan]

On my last trip to London, I stayed on the South Bank, near the National Theater, and loved the area: lots of street food, lots of activity and energy, the Tate Modern, and of course, theater!

It was also an easy walk across the bridges to theatres on the other side of the river as well as walkable to other areas of interest.

That's a great area...following up on my post to the OP 3 or 4 days in central London and then 3 or 4 days for staying in another area of England would be doable.

 

[Golden Mean]

I also recommend taking the high speed train to Paris from London.

FWIW. I was surprised to find (for March/April) that the Eurostar is about twice as much as a flight for any trips not very early or late in the day.