Help needed on what to see - 1st trip to London, Paris and Rome

[laughinplace199]

We were in London for 5 days this summer. Some of our favorites were the London Eye, Tower of London, Churchill War Rooms, Westminster Abbey, Natural History Museum, National Gallery, and Harry Potter Studio Tour. We also saw Matilda.

If I only had a day and a half, I'd do the Tower of London (takes 3-4 hours), Churchill War rooms OR Westminster Abbey, and one of the museums. You may also be able to ride the EYE later in the day when the other attractions are closed. We stayed at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, which was a great location.

 

[Sandi]

We also did a Fat Tire Versailles tour -- no biking -- that was terrific. The guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. That and walking through Notre Dame were highlights of Paris for me (among many other things).

Favorite things in London were the Churchill War Rooms, the British Museum, and using the Big Red Bus to go about on our own. We also did the London Eye at about dusk and it was lovely. (We were there in June/July, not February.)

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Dear OP - you can also post this question at the Rick Steves travel forum. People there will be happy to post on itinerary suggestions for those cities.

 

[sharbear]

Fat tires tours sound lovely but it's pretty cold in France in February so I don't see picnics in Versailles.

Splurge on a vatican tour and make reservations for the colosseum ahead of time. With the short amount of time you will be in each city, booking tours is the way to go to optimize the sites.

Make sure to pack warm clothes, you'll be outside a lot

 

[MermaidMommy]

With 1.5 days in London, you'll need to concentrate on the highlights. I would start at the Tower of London first thing in the morning (make sure to wait for one of the free Beefeater tours, they're a must), and then take a boat down to the Houses of Parliament. Get off the boat and tour Westminster Abbey, then walk down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, and then over to Buckingham Palace. See something in the West End in the evening. If you have time, hit the British Museum.

We stayed at the Premier Inn County Hall, which is in the same building as Marriott County Hall, but much, MUCH cheaper. It's also no frills, but clean and with all necessary conveniences. Think a nice La Quinta in a centuries-old building, and that's pretty much it. But, the location is fantastic -- directly across from the Houses of Parliament, and close to most everything you'll want to do in 1.5 days.

 

[PamNC]

Been to London and Paris, but not Rome. You're a lucky duck! I loved the Tower of London and I took the red bus - hop on / hop off as a quick way to tour. Of course go to Buckingham Palace. I arrived right at the changing of the guards and it was amazing. Only had 2 nights in Paris - did the Eifel Tower and otherwise just strolled around! Have a blast!

 

[DizMe]

This probably sounds silly to many, but as a die-hard Beatles fan, one of my favorite stops on our London trip this summer was Abbey Road Studios. Got a family picture in the iconic crosswalk and saw original pages from 'Yesterday' hand-written by Paul McCartney. We walked over to Regent's Park afterward. With such a short visit, you probably wouldn't want to take the time for it, but you could do it without spending too much time there.