Post # 1
Member
2099 posts
Buzzing bee
My Fiance is finishing up the plans for our honeymoon and tonight he asked me what I thought about going to London via the Eurostar train and spending a night or two in London. I am torn – I think it would be so fun to go on a bullet train and also get to see London but not sure if it would be worth it for such a short trip. On the other hand 1 week is not enough to really see either city so this way we get a taste of both.
So 4 or 5 nights in Paris with 1 or 2 nights in London or stay in Paris the whole time?
We will be going on April 16th if that helps
Post # 3
Member
15349 posts
Honey Beekeeper
I’d go for 4 night Paris, 2 nights London. I think you could spend all week in Paris, but 4 night is enough to get a good feel of it. I’d definitely go run around London for 2 days and see that too while it’s so close. “Worth it” in my mind is – what would it cost me to go back there on a separate trip? A quick hop from Paris, what’s the train ticket, about 100? Versus flying over there from the states again would probably be 700.
Post # 4
Member
1826 posts
Buzzing bee
Paris and London are both amazing cities that really deserve a whole week on their own. You could do 4 nights in Paris and 2 nights in London, but both trips will be rushed. The Eurostar takes about 2.5 hours and with getting to Gare du Nord (I think that’s where the Eurostar departs from) and then getting to wherever you’re staying from Waterloo takes additional time, you’ll really lose the majority of that day unless you take a very early train. Two days in London will only be enough to give you a tiny taste without being able to really experience it.
Having lived in London and travelled to Paris 5 times now, I would say pick one or the other and stick with it. Keep the other destination for a separate trip at a different time.
Post # 5
Member
790 posts
Busy bee
I think 5 days is a reasonable (but rather rushed) amount of time for Paris, but I imagine that 2 is not enough time for London. (I’ve never been to London.) It just depends on the type of traveler you are though. I don’t really like to go to a major city for less than a week. I don’t like feeling like I have to cram things into my itinerary — I like to leave plenty of time to wander around on foot, stop in cafes, sit on park benches and people watch, get lost in an interesting neighborhood for an afternoon, etc. I hate leaving a place without feeling like I’ve gotten to really know it. Other people want to see as many places as possible in the time period they have available. So it depends on your travel style. Personally it would make me anxious to know that I had such a short amount of time to see London, but that’s just how I am. You said you think it’d be fun, and it’s not that long of a trip from Paris-London, so it might be a great idea for you.
One other thing — the last time I was in Paris (June 2010) the lines/crowds at all the museums and major attractions were INSANE, making it difficult to do more than one tourist thing in a day and not feel utterly exhausted. Hopefully it won’t be so mobbed in April.
Post # 6
Member
9856 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
i think 5 nights in Paris, 2 in London, if you have a chance to go to more than one city in Europe it’s a great idea 🙂 and i dream of Paris, my ideal city to travel to, never been, hopefully going in a couple of years, a honeymoon in Paris sounds fantastic! but I think time in London is a good idea too, it is a great city! (although can’t remember much, I was 6 when i visited)
Post # 7
Member
2099 posts
Buzzing bee
OK Now we are considering Paris and the Loire Valley instead – this is so confusing but in a good way 🙂
Post # 8
Member
4322 posts
Honey bee
I wouldn’t go all that way and NOT go to London! Are you kidding? 🙂 Have fun, doll! It’s going to be the trip of your life.
Post # 9
Member
955 posts
Busy bee
Paris all the way, and perhaps other areas of France. Sounds like a wonderful honeymoon! I absolutely love Paris and can’t wait to return again!
Post # 10
Member
4765 posts
Honey bee
4 nights in London and 2 in paris. London’s amazing Paris not so much.
Post # 11
Member
5117 posts
Bee Keeper
@Atalanta: Ditto. I’ve been to both, and I much prefered London.
Definitely hit London if you can. If you’re not giong to be there for at least a week’s time to spend in one city, then I’d go for a sample of each.
Post # 12
Member
1157 posts
Bumble bee
In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “Paris is always a good idea.” 🙂
I hope you enjoy your time whatever you choose to do!
Post # 13
Member
1572 posts
Bumble bee
Could you add any extra time on to the trip? I agree that if you’re going all the way there, make the most of it. I’ve been to both Paris and London (as well as a few other cities in that area – LOVE the south of France, if yo’ud consider spending all of your time in just France), and they’re wonderful. I could easily spend several weeks in London and not get bored. Truthfully, Paris is not one of my favorite cities I’ve travelled to, but amongst people I’ve known who have been, i’m in teh minority on that. My only concern is how long does the train take? In my experience, when I’ve gone from Paris to London (was staying about an hour out of London, so took train into London, and then from there further) it seemed to take half of the day – but I could be remembering wrong. I would hate to see so much of your honeymoon eaten up by just travel. Keep that in mind (and look up how long travel takes).
Post # 14
Member
65 posts
Worker bee
@Ree723: The Eurostar no longer goes to Waterloo, but to Kings Cross St Pancras instead now…
OP – I think you should go to London. I’ve been to Paris on short trips and find I always get a bit bored towards the end. London is just as amazing as Paris, and I think you should push to spend 2 days there. It’s not nearly enough to see everything but you’ll have a good feel of the city!
Post # 15
Member
7774 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
@Atalanta: I was thinking the same thing. London > Paris
Post # 16
Member
4596 posts
Honey bee
As a Londoner I think you can do a couple of days here. You just have to decide what it is you really want to do, because you will miss out on something. I suggest staying nearer the centre for such a short time, but that’s pricey.
Eurostar leaves from Kings Cross St Pancras.