London, Paris, and Rome Travel Itinerary
How long was your stay?
12 days
How did you travel?
Mother-daughter
Tell us why you traveled to this destination.
My 14 year-old daughter and I were excited to take a mother-daughter trip to Europe. We chose London, Paris and Rome for the amazing site-seeing, culture, history and of course the food!
Give us all the details! Tell us where you went and what you did on your trip.
Days 1-4: We spent our first 4 days in London exploring the major sites and experiences such as the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey. We also snagged passes (free) to sit in the gallery and observe the House of Commons and House of Lords in session. Very cool!
We took a day trip to Windsor Castle and especially enjoyed the quaintness of the town of Windsor itself. We recommend taking a train to and from Windsor instead of a tour bus for ultimate flexibility. Our highlight was attending the Stonehenge Summer Solstice sunrise event as we watched the sun rise behind the Heel Stone and shine into the heart of Stonehenge! London hotel: K & K George Hotel
Days: 4-7 We then took the Eurostar train from London to Paris, to spend the next 4 days in the “city of lights”! We spent our first night strolling along the Seine river, dining at a tiny bistro, and visiting an open-air market along the Left Bank. So lovely! The next day we did a private walking tour and learned quite a bit about French history, including the beautiful Notre Dame. As part of the tour, we stopped by the beloved Shakespeare and Company independent bookstore to pick up a few books and marvel at its iconic history. During our remaining few days we enjoyed a private tour of the wonderful Louvre, ventured to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and took a day trip via train to the Palace of Versailles. We really loved all that Paris had to offer, especially the casual outdoor bistro dining and late evening sunsets at 10 pm or later! Paris hotel: Hotel Royal Saint Honore.
Days 8-12 For the final 4 days of our adventure, we took a short flight from Paris to Rome and landed just in time for a leisurely lunch and stroll past the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. We thoroughly enjoyed our time shopping in the tax-advantaged luxury stores located right at the base of the Spanish Steps. Hello Louis Vuitton! The next day we enjoyed another private walking tour, this time exploring the awe-inspiring Roman Colosseum and Forum. We were amazed to stand on the same ground as the gladiators! We then spent a full day in Vatican City at St Peter’s Basilica, including the dome climb, and touring the Vatican museums. The Sistine Chapel was breathtaking and not to be missed! For our last day, we decided on a last minute day trip to Florence via bullet train. The Statue of David was awe-inspiring and it was wonderful to explore another beautiful Italian city. Rome hotel: Hotel Quirinale.
Would you recommend this trip to a friend?
Yes
What was the highlight of your trip?
While in England, our most special experience was to attend the Stonehenge Summer Solstice sunrise event. A once in a lifetime experience for us! Our comfortable double decker tour bus departed London @ 1am and headed directly to Stonehenge, arriving roughly @ 3am. We joined a lively crowd already in full celebration mode. We observed pagen rituals and ceremonies that took place throughout the night and into the early morning hours. People watching at its best! But more than that, we felt part of the celebration and we were even able to walk amongst the stones and in the stone circle itself. The celebratory atmosphere grew more intense until the sun rose behind the Heel Stone in the north-east part of the horizon and its first rays shone into the heart of Stonehenge. Simply amazing! The journey ended with a quiet and comfortable ride home on the same tour bus that brought us. The bus left @ 6am and arrived back to London around 8am, just in time for a morning nap.
If you were to take this trip again, is there anything you would add or do differently?
During our 12 day trip, we enjoyed either private or semi-private (a few other people) tours of Paris’ Left Bank, The Louvre and the Roman Colosseum. We were so happy to have these private tours as we were able to go at our own pace and had a more personalized experience. Completely worth it! We also really enjoyed getting around both Paris and Rome via electric scooter. We downloaded the “Lime” app, attached our credit card and were able to rent them easily as the scooters could be found all over both cities. We saved time and energy, but best of all we were able to see the city up close. A highlight for sure!
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