mchookem finally leaves the continent!

[mchookem 16,322]

haha well yeah, instead of thread hopping i thought i'd just do my own, as i'm sure i will have lots of questions from more seasoned international travels. so we are pretty frequent/seasoned travelers, all over the US but have never ventured much beyond many trips all over Mexico and the Caribbean. i was born in Germany, visited Canada in my early 20s, got married in Jamaica, and Hawaii is about the farthest we've ever been from home.

it took years of discussion, some major physical injuries/setbacks for my dad, and my sister getting over her general fears (and finally getting a passport!) to motivate everyone to pull the trigger and put this trip together. 

anyway...the last half of the trip is still being planned, but so far we have nailed down 8-10 days starting mid-May. gonna be a lot of driving thru the countryside! 😁 dad is focused on nostalgia and WWII sites, i'm ready to really dig into France...and spend some time on the beach! (yes i know it will be cold, don't care, i'm better at beach than Ken!) i speak some and we are hooking up with our French exchange student on the coast while there. my sister knows nothing about anywhere and has barely traveled domestically, she is leaving all plans up to me and dad. and my mate wanted to add Italy (which includes a train trip through Switzerland), so that's on the agenda so far...

Frankfurt

Kitzigen/Wurzburg (my parents lived here for 2 years)

Berchtesgaden 

Heidelberg/Strasbourg

Normandie 

Brest/Brittany

Paris...this is where we'll part ways with the fam, they'll head back to Frankfurt with the car and after 4 nights we'll continue on via train to...

Florence

Rome

and then maybe...Ireland? 🤔

that new twist is our BFFs from Austin 'moved' to Europe back in November - they are doing this 'slow travel' thing, moving every 6-8 weeks or so, for at least a year. they've been in Cyprus and will be migrating to Greece and then Italy in the next few months...but they have to leave the Schengen zone about two weeks before we'll get to Rome! so they will be in Great Britain for the summer, Ireland in June...and are encouraging us to add on a stop there. which is doable i think. i mean, why not? 

i've been reading both the France and Italy threads for recommendations and advice, but as i'm exploring the options for a Rome>Dublin detour, a question came up that prompted me to go ahead and make this thread...

is a 7 (or 10) hour layover in Amsterdam something that could be fun? like, leaving the airport and checking out some of the city? does mchookem want to go into Amsterdam and maybe sample some local, uh, flavor? yes, yes she does. but again...we haven't done a ton of international travel, definitely not airports as layovers between two different countries, in and out of EU, etc. this will be during the middle of the day so everything should be open. i don't know about things like customs/passport control in/out, security, luggage (do we have to claim and store or will it just go to next flight?? transportation to city (Uber? taxi).  

anyway...please feel free to offer any advice, suggestions, etc., and forgive any stupid questions. i do consider us pretty well-seasoned travelers, we are smart and know a lot of dos/don'ts, we particularly enjoy visiting cities with lots of people/activity, i do meticulous research and am honestly a 5-star trip planner...but obviously this one is out of my comfort zone. so fuck it, we're all getting older, and this is what we worked for 😊

Edited February 18 by mchookem

[Kennythetiger 9,376]

@Brisketexan

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,100]

10 hours is long enough to do a decent tour of the city.  7 hours is just too short IMO.  

[dcbc 14,465]

Are you the family that beat the Frogers on Pig in a Poke?

 

Enjoy the trip!

[Biff Tannen 45,665]

3 hours ago, mchookem said:

i was born in Germany,

Thread is a lie. Abandon ship. 

[mchookem 16,322]

50 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Are you the family that beat the Frogers on Pig in a Poke?

 

Enjoy the trip!

haha pretty much...husband is definitely Clark-ish 😄

 

1 minute ago, Biff Tannen said:

Thread is a lie. Abandon ship. 

i mean technically i haven't left...once i got brought here 😋

[mchookem 16,322]

ok...we did add 3 nights in Dublin, just to see our friends, but we're skipping any substantial layover in Amsterdam. 

i also split up our time in Italy evenly, 3 nights each Florence and Rome.

the only one night stay we have is Berchtesgaden (i couldn't talk dad out of that 😜). every place else will be at least two nights, mostly three, and four in Paris itself. i always try to plan in time to just breath a little and enjoy some local ambiance. 

our longest day in the car will be the slog across France, Strasbourg to Normandie - that looks like it will take us 9-10 hours so we'll get a super early start. then 6-7 hours Brest to Paris about six days later. otherwise the driving will be broken up pretty manageable i think, we'll have at least 3 drivers. 

some activities already planned:

Dachau and Eagle's Nest

Segway tour of Strasbourg

Mont Saint-Michel

Dinner cruise on Seine with family our first night in Paris - our last night before they head back, seemed like an easy way for my sister to see a lot of the sites pretty quickly. she didn't even want to visit Paris initially...afraid of crowds, bed bugs, mean French people, etc. 😆

Secret Food Tour in Paris - husband and i will do this the next day, much excite! 😁

Chianti region wine tour from Florence - just a half day, enough to get a taste.

got all our flights booked...my next booking will be the high speed train Paris>Florence then Florence>Rome. using The Man in Seat 61 to figure that out... can't remember if i found that resource here or elsewhere 🤔 but he's awesome! those tickets aren't on sale yet...

still mulling general ideas to fill in time in the cities (Paris, Florence, Rome, Dublin), obvious sites notwithstanding. 

haven't decided on the Louvre...smaller spectacular museums sound pretty awesome 🙂

making note of some restaurant recs in the Italy/France threads for sure.

this thing pretty quickly (and easily!) went from a two week/two country tour to a 3 1/2 week/5 country journey! i mean i guess that's what retirement's for 😊

[elfenix 34,223]

7 hour layover is plenty of time to take the train into Amsterdam central, hit a cheese shop, get fries at manequin piss, and maybe even have some space cake. Alternatively you could make a quick run through van Gogh museum or rijksmuseum. 

Edited February 19 by elfenix

[VABuckeye 2,472]

Jesus that’s a lot of travel days. 

[Brisketexan 105,074]

1 minute ago, VABuckeye said:

Jesus that’s a lot of travel days. 

It really is.  I've learned that there is a happy medium to be struck - we don't mind travel days, even a fair number of them, but you want to build an itinerary that lets you actually get into and absorb the experiences you're having.  E.g., we did a "Christmas market" trip to Germany and Denmark a couple years back.

Started in Berlin, several days there (visited our son, enjoyed one of our favorite cities).

Train to Lubeck (old Hanseatic town, really old Christmas market).  A couple of days there.

Train down to Cologne (whoops, got on the wrong train, but it was also going to Cologne, ticket dude cut the dumb Americans some slack).  A couple of days in Cologne (we'd like to go back, another day would have been nice).

Train down to Koblenz to spend the weekend with friends.  A couple of days with them, exploring the Rhein valley.

Quick train to Frankfurt, short flight to Copenhagen.  2.5 days in Copenhagen, just relaxing and enjoying the place.  Still had a little Christmas market at Nyhaven.  Ate at the Torvehallern, great dinner at Host, walked the city parks in the snowfall.  Headed home.

We hit lots of places, but gave ourselves time to truly BE in all of them.  So, think that through.  You don't want to hit everything you can imagine in one trip (you can't, and if you try, you'll just be miserable).

[mchookem 16,322]

eh, it's really not that bad, especially once we hit France. i 100% agree with the sentiment and as usual i've built in several 'down days' with no set itinerary just to be able to relax and leisurely absorb some time in various locs. i mean we're spending nearly a week on the coast for example 😎

honestly a lot of the "packed" part in the beginning is bc my dad had this huge list of places he remembers/ wants to see...i actually had to push back on some of his spots bc he was just like 'and we can go here and then go here and then here...' he's pretty hyperactive for a 76 year old! i had to point out that all those places included travel time so just spending the night somewhere was useless if we arrive at 6pm and have to leave at 8am the next morning! 😝 (only place we're doing that is Berchtesgaden bc it's only 15 mins from Eagle's Nest.)

as for the basics of seeing so many places...well that's what happens when you've never been before and may realistically never go again 😊

having said that... if there's a spot that we just fall in love with, if we decide we can handle the long haul travel to get there (that's me and my plane claustrophobia 😒),  then husband and i could possibly consider going back alone. heck, our friends are planning to be on the coast of France in the fall, and if the prices are similar to what they are in the spring we may just go back then! 😊

[The Ace of Aces 5,175]

I hate to be negative but this seems incredibly tough for an older person to handle and be able to take part in activities as the trip goes on.

There is no way myself would ever want to do this type of trip. It is wayyyyyyy too much and you won’t see much anything of substance.  You’re wasting a metric ton of time in packing and unpacking, travel from A to B, etc. if you’re somewhere three days you probably have 18 hours max in that city to explore. That’s a huge ask for a 76 year old. Or anyone. 

[mchookem 16,322]

well sure, i def appreciate the sentiment...but again, dad's the one insistent on hitting all these initial stops *shrug* i actually talked to him just this morning about it a bit, the stamina issue, and he was literally 'i feel great, my leg is a thousand times better, i can't wait!' i mean he's a dad, what are you gonna do? lol

and once we separate from them in Paris our pace is gonna drop significantly. in both Florence and Rome we're less than a 10 minute walk from the train stations, so we should be able to get settled pretty easily. we've got sufficient 'rest days' for ourselves. and once we hit Ireland we're basically just gonna be chilling and catching up with our friends, i'm not anticipating 'going and doing' much there beyond visiting some pubs 🙂

the main thing i keep thinking about is by week three i know i am really gonna be missing my bed! 🛌 😄

[VABuckeye 2,472]

Have you built in jet lag decompression time for your dad?   It’s a very real thing at that age.  If he hits the ground running he will never catch up.  I totally get that he wants to do everything but it’s likely to wear him down a lot. 

[mchookem 16,322]

yes actually! 👍 i had to force two nights in Kitzigen for that reason lol...he wanted to land and drive straight to Berchtesgaden! 😮

uh, no, we're gonna chill for two nights and a full day first and get our heads straight 😊 and we have no itinerary for Kitzigen beyond where they lived and a couple guesthouses that he remembers that are all apparently still there. and where i was born maybe 😊

if at any point anybody is feeling too worn down...we have at least one 'spare' day at every location (except Berchtesgaden) where one (or all) of us can just rest.

i guess to be clear...mate and i do normally prefer to do as everyone is encouraging, make the most out of savoring local ambiance, often off the beaten path, even traveling the US. we also enjoy 'way finding' now that we don't really have to stick to a schedule (we did a couple 2-week road trips last spring like that and they were awesome).

but this is def more of a 'we've never been to any of these incredible/historical/ancient places so let's see as much as we reasonably can while we're here' kind of trip as opposed to a 'chill out and relax, man' kind of trip 😁

we can do the former, later. maybe. ha. 🤔😊

also...i just went over the final lodging/driving plan with him tonight and he was still saying 'so that's only 12 days, we still have 2 more...' i'm telling y'all he's hyperactive! 😄

my strategy is also to only pre-book things that are likely to sell out (dinner cruise, Louvre, trains, etc), as we're gonna rollover to the high season by the third week and i know things get booked. 

Edited February 20 by mchookem

[Orale 1,087]

 

Quote

haven't decided on the Louvre...smaller spectacular museums sound pretty awesome 🙂

If you're tight on time, I'd skip it. I was there in early November and had a reserved entry time. The line was still at least an hour long to enter despite being there a half hour early for my time slot. It's cool to see, but as you note, there are lots of really cool smaller museums. I really enjoyed the Musee Carnavalet in the Marais district which is a history/art museum specifically about Paris. Tons of really cool objects and art in a beautiful old building.  

[texasdago 7,568]

I'm active and in really good shape and love to go go go and that trip makes me tired.  BUT I like having a base or two bases and making day trips.  Did a go go go trip last year and saw lots of cool things but afterwards really wished I had stayed longer in certain locations.  Agree with finding smaller museums vs the more touristy ones.  Sometimes they are even better combined with fewer crowds.  

[mchookem 16,322]

ok... one of the things very high on my list for this trip is visiting some real-by-god castles 🏰 😊

Germany...Neuschwanstein would be the best candidate (based on route) but it isn't really what i had in mind - too 'young' lol. i really wanted to visit Heidelberg castle...but i want to enjoy our time in Strasbourg and keeping in mind all the advice not to try to see too much haha...i don't think we're gonna fit it in. 

France...i think we'll be able to see some ancient ruins in the Brest area... but i'm also looking at a full day trip to Loire valley to visit two or three spectacular castles. this would be your standard tour bus trip, with a stop for lunch in Blois. we've got four days in Paris so don't mind spending a day on this. we're not interested in renting a car at all (once the family leaves) so doing it on our own is out. just wondering if someone has done one of these, with what company, and how it was overall? 🤔 

Italy...they don't seem to feature as much there, at least near Florence/Rome. not nearly as big or opulent as the French palaces.

i will also research Ireland as i'm sure they have many, but we're gonna be pretty tired by then and wanting to spend time with our friends...🤔

 

[Carl Spackler 3,479]

11 minutes ago, mchookem said:

ok... one of the things very high on my list for this trip is visiting some real-by-god castles 🏰 😊

Germany...Neuschwanstein would be the best candidate (based on route) but it isn't really what i had in mind - too 'young' lol. i really wanted to visit Heidelberg castle...but i want to enjoy our time in Strasbourg and keeping in mind all the advice not to try to see too much haha...i don't think we're gonna fit it in. 

France...i think we'll be able to see some ancient ruins in the Brest area... but i'm also looking at a full day trip to Loire valley to visit two or three spectacular castles. this would be your standard tour bus trip, with a stop for lunch in Blois. we've got four days in Paris so don't mind spending a day on this. we're not interested in renting a car at all (once the family leaves) so doing it on our own is out. just wondering if someone has done one of these, with what company, and how it was overall? 🤔 

Italy...they don't seem to feature as much there, at least near Florence/Rome. not nearly as big or opulent as the French palaces.

i will also research Ireland as i'm sure they have many, but we're gonna be pretty tired by then and wanting to spend time with our friends...🤔

 

Go to Neuschwanstein.  Just do it.

[52-80 19,147]

On 2/18/2024 at 1:42 AM, mchookem said:

is a 7 (or 10) hour layover in Amsterdam something that could be fun? like, leaving the airport and checking out some of the city? does mchookem want to go into Amsterdam and maybe sample some local, uh, flavor? yes, yes she does. but again...we haven't done a ton of international travel, definitely not airports as layovers between two different countries, in and out of EU, etc. this will be during the middle of the day so everything should be open. i don't know about things like customs/passport control in/out, security, luggage (do we have to claim and store or will it just go to next flight?? transportation to city (Uber? taxi). 

If you get into Amsterdam from outside Schengen, you will need to clear immigrations (ie passport) before you exit the airport.  If flying from Schengen, you just stroll on out.  If you checked your luggage through, you don't need to worry about it, just take your carry-on.

There's a train that goes directly from airport to city center so it is extremely easy to get back and forth.  So yes you can just hop into town, have a meal or a drink, and then get back for the next flight. 

Be sure to take and share lots of photos of Brest.

[Brisketexan 105,074]

7 hours ago, 52-80 said:

Be sure to take and share lots of photos of your Breasts.

FIF what I'm sure 52-80 meant.

[texasdago 7,568]

9 hours ago, mchookem said:

Italy...they don't seem to feature as much there, at least near Florence/Rome. not nearly as big or opulent as the French palaces.

Weeellll...

"Royal Palace of Caserta is the largest palace in the world and is a magnificent representation of Baroque architecture. This Luigi Vanvitelli creation has revolutionized world architecture so much that it is the most copied palace in the world. The palace was meant to be a centerpiece in the uprising city of Caserta. It was also a symbol of contemporary architecture in its time. 

The Royal Gardens are another Luigi Vanvitelli creation that are inspirations for many gardens that came after. These Italian Renaissance gardens stretch as far as the eye can see as soon as you pass through the palace entrance because of an innovation called “Telescope Effect”."

https://www.reggia-di-caserta.com/about-royal-palace-of-caserta/

Italy is full of castles... they're dotted all over the country but it all depends on where you want to go.   

One of my favorites - https://www.travelemiliaromagna.it/en/emilia-romagna-villages-san-leo/

This one is in the middle of Milano - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castello_Sforzesco

This one you can visit when going to check out the F1 track https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rocca-sforzesca

Edited February 21 by texasdago

[52-80 19,147]

8 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

FIF what I'm sure 52-80 meant.

Photos of Brittany are also acceptable.

[High Plains Drifter 11,032]

On 2/19/2024 at 12:29 PM, mchookem said:

mean French people, etc. 😆

😊

 

I've been to France twice: Once for a week in paris this past summer and a few days in Alsace Lorriane, and years ago bike touring through the basque region of France and Spain. 

I want to set the record straight. People in France are not mean. If you make even a half ass attempt to speak french, instead of just asking if they speak english, they will appreciate the effort and be just as nice as anyone else anywhere. 

So dust off that high school french and don't be afraid to use it. It'll make everything so much better. 

 

 

Also, if by high speed train you mean the TGV, I will pray for you. Over crowded cluster fuck of epic proportions. Get ready and when it pulls up to the station, get the fuck on.  DOn't worry about which car is yours, just get on. It will leave on time, and if half your shit (or the olds in your party) aren't on board yet, tough shit. Then be prepared for the crush of bodies. But when I rode it was summer time so maybe not so bad during the non-summer months. 

[High Plains Drifter 11,032]

9 hours ago, 52-80 said:

If you get into Amsterdam from outside Schengen, you will need to clear immigrations (ie passport) before you exit the airport.  If flying from Schengen, you just stroll on out.  If you checked your luggage through, you don't need to worry about it, just take your carry-on.

There's a train that goes directly from airport to city center so it is extremely easy to get back and forth.  So yes you can just hop into town, have a meal or a drink, and then get back for the next flight. 

Be sure to take and share lots of photos of Brest.

 

Yes all this. Eat a space cake on the train back to the airport. 

[rage-a-holic 4,381]

On 2/19/2024 at 10:07 PM, mchookem said:

yes actually! 👍 i had to force two nights in Kitzigen for that reason lol...he wanted to land and drive straight to Berchtesgaden! 😮

 

Too bad about Berchtesgaden, it's a nice area. I stayed for 3 days in 2016, then 4 days last summer. 

You have Eagles Nest, Koenigsee, Werfen (Ice Cave and cool castle) and Salzburg all within a 40 minute drive. Plus it's just a beautiful area.

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

3 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

I want to set the record straight. People in France are not mean.....

Agree. Is the culture different from elsewhere? Yes, just like places all over the world. We found in France, like places all over the world, there are a lot of nice people who just happen to be different in some ways and not in others.

Have a lovely time @mchookem, Europe in May is a wonderful time to picnic... so if things start to unravel/grow tiresome, grab some beverages and munchies, find some green space and relax; à votre santé!

[Brisketexan 105,074]

1 hour ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

Agree. Is the culture different from elsewhere? Yes, just like places all over the world. We found in France, like places all over the world, there are a lot of nice people who just happen to be different in some ways and not in others.

Have a lovely time @mchookem, Europe in May is a wonderful time to picnic... so if things start to unravel/grow tiresome, grab some beverages and munchies, find some green space and relax; à votre santé!

Oh, and you'll be there at the very beginning of strawberry season.  If you can get some fresh, local, in-season strawberries at any point, even just for a snack, do it.

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

Just now, Brisketexan said:

Oh, and you'll be there at the very beginning of strawberry season.  If you can get some fresh, local, in-season strawberries at any point, even just for a snack, do it.

Yes, indeed. The taste is spectacular.

[VABuckeye 2,472]

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Oh, and you'll be there at the very beginning of strawberry season.  If you can get some fresh, local, in-season strawberries at any point, even just for a snack, do it.

With a nice crisp white wine!

[mchookem 16,322]

9 hours ago, texasdago said:

Weeellll...

"Royal Palace of Caserta is the largest palace in the world and is a magnificent representation of Baroque architecture. This Luigi Vanvitelli creation has revolutionized world architecture so much that it is the most copied palace in the world. The palace was meant to be a centerpiece in the uprising city of Caserta. It was also a symbol of contemporary architecture in its time. 

The Royal Gardens are another Luigi Vanvitelli creation that are inspirations for many gardens that came after. These Italian Renaissance gardens stretch as far as the eye can see as soon as you pass through the palace entrance because of an innovation called “Telescope Effect”."

https://www.reggia-di-caserta.com/about-royal-palace-of-caserta/

Italy is full of castles... they're dotted all over the country but it all depends on where you want to go.   

One of my favorites - https://www.travelemiliaromagna.it/en/emilia-romagna-villages-san-leo/

This one is in the middle of Milano - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castello_Sforzesco

This one you can visit when going to check out the F1 track https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rocca-sforzesca

ha! well you would know  thank you! i've noted these, which also look to be substantial day trips from Florence/Rome. i'm gonna hold off on booking any of these for now, see how everything else fills in. i still haven't researched all the possible sites around Paris or Rome. in Paris i've booked a dinner cruise with the family (first night) and a morning Secret Food Tour in Monmarte, that's it so far. we've got a half day winery tour from Florence, and other than a list of places i know i want to see (Colliseum, Parthenon, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, etc.) i haven't booked anything for our three days in Rome yet. we still have a lot of time to fill in...or not 😄

7 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

I've been to France twice: Once for a week in paris this past summer and a few days in Alsace Lorriane, and years ago bike touring through the basque region of France and Spain. 

I want to set the record straight. People in France are not mean. If you make even a half ass attempt to speak french, instead of just asking if they speak english, they will appreciate the effort and be just as nice as anyone else anywhere. 

So dust off that high school french and don't be afraid to use it. It'll make everything so much better. 

 

 

Also, if by high speed train you mean the TGV, I will pray for you. Over crowded cluster fuck of epic proportions. Get ready and when it pulls up to the station, get the fuck on.  DOn't worry about which car is yours, just get on. It will leave on time, and if half your shit (or the olds in your party) aren't on board yet, tough shit. Then be prepared for the crush of bodies. But when I rode it was summer time so maybe not so bad during the non-summer months. 

mais oui, je sais que les francais sont aimable! i've already been practicing, doing an online refresher, etc...our exchange student was wonderful and she is SO excited for us to come visit her this time! so cute lol. she always told us that the French, and Europeans in general, especially young people, still love the average American, despite some, uh, recent 'challenges' we've had #noCR (she stayed with us in 2017 and 2018). i'm up on the greeting etiquette and i've been corresponding in French with all of our AirBnB hosts (Strasbourg, Normandie, Brest, Paris) and they have all been kind and gracious (and only one doesn't speak much English). it helps that i can read/write a lot better than i can converse in person haha! but i'm not at all worried about making our way about in France, even in the countryside. my sister is the one with the heightened anxiety about it, but i suspect once we're there a while she'll relax a bit.

and good to know about the train - yes, i'll be booking the TGV Lyria Paris to Florence, via Switzerland. tickets not yet available but should be within the next week (i've been tracking daily). will just be the two of us at this point, and i plan on splurging for the first-class tickets so we can get the full Alps experience. there seem to still be plenty of tickets that far out so far but i know they will sell out eventually between now and then. good to be prepared for what the crowds might look like, especially since it's an early morning train, thanks. 

 

4 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

Too bad about Berchtesgaden, it's a nice area. I stayed for 3 days in 2016, then 4 days last summer. 

You have Eagles Nest, Koenigsee, Werfen (Ice Cave and cool castle) and Salzburg all within a 40 minute drive. Plus it's just a beautiful area.

we're still going, just after we take a couple days in Kitzigen to get our sea legs. only one night though, an old Bavarian hotel - will honestly be our must 'rustic' accomodations lol. coming in the afternoon before and planning to be at Eagle's Nest right at opening (hotel is only 10 minute drive). depending on how much time we spend there...Burg Hohenwerfen isn't nearly as out-of-the-way as Heidelberg would be 🤔looks like it only adds about half an hour as opposed to 2 1/2 to our drive time to Strasbourg. hmmmm...we may call an audible on that one. ohhh and it has a funicular too! like Heidelberg!😀i'm a dork for funiculars lol. thanks for the mention of this one!

 

4 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

Have a lovely time @mchookem, Europe in May is a wonderful time to picnic... so if things start to unravel/grow tiresome, grab some beverages and munchies, find some green space and relax; à votre santé!

merci! i'm getting pretty stoked. my dad is as well...talking about the DDay spots in France, he said "man, i'm so glad i'm gonna get to see all this before i check out!" this trip is really going to mean something to him 🧡. i'd say my sister is still in the anxiety phase...she has pretty much said 'i have no opinion on seeing anything or anywhere, i will go wherever any of y'all say to go, just get me through it safely!' 

 

et oui, absolutement j'attends les fraises et le vin specifiquement!🍓🍷

thanks for the ideas guys. 

[mchookem 16,322]

actually...now i'm thinking of another question...Rome is pretty close to the coast right? what would be a good destination for a nice day trip to soak in some of the Mediterranean? since we don't have anything planned yet for Rome, i might want to look into that. again, just a 'sample', a nice place to shop a little, picnic or have lunch with a view, not looking to spend 4 hours in a car traveling to the Amalfi coast lol 😊

@texasdago?

 

ETA: did a little research...this might be reasonable?🤔one-hour train ride Rome >Santa Severa, 15 minute walk to Castello di Santa Severa (9th century castle! ding! 🏰) with a good museum, immediately adjacent to a nice size free beach, with lunch at Isola del Pescatore restaurant which looks amazing, right on the beach. go on a Sunday when it will likely be more crowded, or Monday when the castle and museum will be closed (so just external pics)? Google tells me Italian school year goes until mid-June so we'd be a few weeks ahead of that. hmmm...

Edited February 22 by mchookem

[texasdago 7,568]

12 hours ago, mchookem said:

actually...now i'm thinking of another question...Rome is pretty close to the coast right? what would be a good destination for a nice day trip to soak in some of the Mediterranean? since we don't have anything planned yet for Rome, i might want to look into that. again, just a 'sample', a nice place to shop a little, picnic or have lunch with a view, not looking to spend 4 hours in a car traveling to the Amalfi coast lol 😊

@texasdago?

 

ETA: did a little research...this might be reasonable?🤔one-hour train ride Rome >Santa Severa, 15 minute walk to Castello di Santa Severa (9th century castle! ding! 🏰) with a good museum, immediately adjacent to a nice size free beach, with lunch at Isola del Pescatore restaurant which looks amazing, right on the beach. go on a Sunday when it will likely be more crowded, or Monday when the castle and museum will be closed (so just external pics)? Google tells me Italian school year goes until mid-June so we'd be a few weeks ahead of that. hmmm...

I have been to Santa Severa... its been a long time and its a little further out from Rome  You can tie it in with a visit to Cerveteri which has fascinating Etruscan ruins.  Alternatively you can go to Osita... its not the best beach, per se... but it is your closest option and you can tie it into Ostia Antica (https://violetamatei.com/ostia-antica/) which are my favorite ruins in/near Rome, personally.  

You could also go to Fiumicino (the town, not the airport) and maybe just find a local beach restaurant.  Cannot recommend this personally but this looks typical to me... 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/CTdvN1f1PDMMDB268 

This looks nicer and has parking... https://www.ristoranteilmoro.eu/ and prices look reasonable to me.  

Fiumicino is not fancy but it is typically Roman and close to town.  

Either option gets you to the coast.  IF you want to drive further, I love Sperlonga... it is a very special place for me and my family.  Great historic town, beautiful views, great food and amazing history (ruins of Tiberius Villa) - https://flavorofitaly.com/trips-travel/my-top-travel-picks/the-fifteen-best-things-about-sperlonga/ 

[rage-a-holic 4,381]

15 hours ago, mchookem said:

we're still going, just after we take a couple days in Kitzigen to get our sea legs. only one night though, an old Bavarian hotel - will honestly be our must 'rustic' accomodations lol. coming in the afternoon before and planning to be at Eagle's Nest right at opening (hotel is only 10 minute drive). depending on how much time we spend there...Burg Hohenwerfen isn't nearly as out-of-the-way as Heidelberg would be 🤔looks like it only adds about half an hour as opposed to 2 1/2 to our drive time to Strasbourg. hmmmm...we may call an audible on that one. ohhh and it has a funicular too! like Heidelberg!😀i'm a dork for funiculars lol. thanks for the mention of this one!

 

There's not a hell of a lot to see/do at Eagle's Nest itself. You spend most of your time buying bus tickets, waiting for the bus, riding the bus, waiting for the elevator, etc. The restaurant up there is ok, but depending on when you go in May, it can be really cold with snow everywhere.

Hohenwerfen is pretty cool and worth a drive. It was the castle in Where Eagles Dare, if your dad is a WW2 movie fan. The ice cave is about 5 minutes away and is a neat experience.

 

Eagle's Nest in May 2016

 

May 2023

 

View of Hohenwarfen from the path to the ice cave

 

Ice cave

 

Koenigsee

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

15 hours ago, mchookem said:

 not looking to spend 4 hours in a car traveling to the Amalfi coast lol 😊

Maybe not, but @PenelopeWitherspoon's travel posts on the coast were amazing. You realize you need to be blogging here either during or post trip so we can 'see' too.....

[mchookem 16,322]

train tickets finally came online today...Paris to Basel, Basel to Milan, Milan to Florence. i have the app but i think i'll print paper copies before we leave just in case. because old and paranoid lol 😄 

first class seats upstairs Paris to Basel as The Man in Seat 61 recommended, looking forward to the views of the Alps! we have just over a two hour 'layover' (is that the train term?) in Switzerland so should have plenty of time to get lunch and explore the station. 

now need to buy Florence to Rome, although those seem to be about like Southwest flights Austin>Houston>Dallas, i.e. very frequent and all day. not as likely to sellout as the high speed/crossing borders rides i would guess. 

for some reason buying the train tickets makes it more real...this is really happening! 😀

 

[mchookem 16,322]

On 2/22/2024 at 11:35 AM, rage-a-holic said:

There's not a hell of a lot to see/do at Eagle's Nest itself. You spend most of your time buying bus tickets, waiting for the bus, riding the bus, waiting for the elevator, etc. The restaurant up there is ok, but depending on when you go in May, it can be really cold with snow everywhere.

Hohenwerfen is pretty cool and worth a drive. It was the castle in Where Eagles Dare, if your dad is a WW2 movie fan. The ice cave is about 5 minutes away and is a neat experience.

 

Eagle's Nest in May 2016

 

May 2023

 

View of Hohenwarfen from the path to the ice cave

 

Ice cave

 

Koenigsee

 

well...you convinced me!  we added a day/night in Berchtesgaden which should allow us to see visit Burg Hohenwerfen (castle built around 1076, with a funicular!) and Eisriesenwelt (ice caves). we cut out one night in Kitzigen - dad said other than a quick nostalgia tour around town there really wasn't much to see (it's barely bigger than Palestine) this also makes our travel to Strasbourg not quite so condensed - we'll have an entire day to make our way there, can take our time and if we're feeling like it we may even be able to make a pitstop at either Neuschwanstein Castle or Linderhoff Palace.

all lodging booked, all flights and trains booked, rental car booked. i honestly feel pretty good about the itinerary, i think we're gonna have ample time to see what we want to see as well as just chill out a bit in various places...

firm activities already pre-booked are 1) City Segway tour in Strasbourg, 2) dinner cruise on the Seine (this is the only night dad/sis will be in Paris, seemed like an easy way for them to get to 'see' a lot of things in such a short period), 3) walking Secret Food Tour in Monmarte neighborhood, and 4) half-day Tuscany winery tour out of Florence. 

still need to book/get tickets early to a number of things...

so has anybody visited Mont St. Michel? i'm not even sure how to do this as far as timing - like, do you have to study the tides and figure out when you can even get there??  

also need to layout a general 'area' itinerary for our days in Paris, Florence, and Rome. i mean, i have a huge list of stuff to see in those cities but i know they aren't all right next to each other. and at least one day in Paris i don't really want to plan anything, like just stroll around and see what we see. and other than Dublin Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral (both within 1 km of our hotel) i expect we'll spend our time in Dublin just hanging out with our friends and relaxing/recuperating.

i'll be working on fleshing out our itinerary in the coming weeks, as well as restaurant recommendations/reservations. (i've already got Trattoria Sostanza in Florence noted...i'm going to ask our hotel to make our reservation for us! )

23 nights total...officially the longest trip we've ever taken. and we'll be coming home right as high tourist season kicks off, good timing! 

Edited March 2 by mchookem

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,100]

18 hours ago, mchookem said:

 

well...you convinced me!  we added a day/night in Berchtesgaden which should allow us to see visit Burg Hohenwerfen (castle built around 1076, with a funicular!) and Eisriesenwelt (ice caves). we cut out one night in Kitzigen - dad said other than a quick nostalgia tour around town there really wasn't much to see (it's barely bigger than Palestine) this also makes our travel to Strasbourg not quite so condensed - we'll have an entire day to make our way there, can take our time and if we're feeling like it we may even be able to make a pitstop at either Neuschwanstein Castle or Linderhoff Palace.

all lodging booked, all flights and trains booked, rental car booked. i honestly feel pretty good about the itinerary, i think we're gonna have ample time to see what we want to see as well as just chill out a bit in various places...

firm activities already pre-booked are 1) City Segway tour in Strasbourg, 2) dinner cruise on the Seine (this is the only night dad/sis will be in Paris, seemed like an easy way for them to get to 'see' a lot of things in such a short period), 3) walking Secret Food Tour in Monmarte neighborhood, and 4) half-day Tuscany winery tour out of Florence. 

still need to book/get tickets early to a number of things...

so has anybody visited Mont St. Michel? i'm not even sure how to do this as far as timing - like, do you have to study the tides and figure out when you can even get there??  

also need to layout a general 'area' itinerary for our days in Paris, Florence, and Rome. i mean, i have a huge list of stuff to see in those cities but i know they aren't all right next to each other. and at least one day in Paris i don't really want to plan anything, like just stroll around and see what we see. and other than Dublin Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral (both within 1 km of our hotel) i expect we'll spend our time in Dublin just hanging out with our friends and relaxing/recuperating.

i'll be working on fleshing out our itinerary in the coming weeks, as well as restaurant recommendations/reservations. (i've already got Trattoria Sostanza in Florence noted...i'm going to ask our hotel to make our reservation for us! )

23 nights total...officially the longest trip we've ever taken. and we'll be coming home right as high tourist season kicks off, good timing! 

I’ve been to Mont St. Michel.  We just went during a day.  Had no issues.

[Carl Spackler 3,479]

22 hours ago, mchookem said:

 

 and if we're feeling like it we may even be able to make a pitstop at either Neuschwanstein Castle or Linderhoff Palace.

 

I definitely recommend trying to see at least one or both if you have the time.

22 hours ago, mchookem said:

so has anybody visited Mont St. Michel? i'm not even sure how to do this as far as timing - like, do you have to study the tides and figure out when you can even get there??  

No, there's a road that goes from the mainland to the island.  My understanding is you can either take a shuttle bus or walk to the island.  

I visited many years ago, i.e., 40+ years ago as a kid.  But a friend went there within the last few years, and what I said above is based on what he told me after he got back from his trip. 

My understanding is that the place has gotten a lot more touristy over the years, but it's still definitely a worthy visit if you're in that part of France.

[mchookem 16,322]

On 3/2/2024 at 10:09 AM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I’ve been to Mont St. Michel.  We just went during a day.  Had no issues.

buy tickets online beforehand i assume? with a tour? would anybody who's been recommend a guide? 

been working on our Paris leg. we are skipping the two biggest ticket items (Tour Eiffel, Louvre), i just don't want to spare the time mostly, and there are good substitutions. we'll do a mix of metro (bus mostly), walking and Uber (or taxi) throughout the day, i've scoped out routes and times. did i mention i was a 5 star trip planner? ☺️

one day we'll start with les jardins and plaza around the tower, get some touristy pics, move on pretty quick to Les Invalides...a much better place to spend several hours! work our way down to Jardin du Luxembourg, towards Latin Quarter. plan to have Catacombs tickets for sometime that day (they only go on sale 7 days before). optional: add Montparnasse at dusk, see the city from there with the tower in it

btw, studying street view and pics...the whole Eiffel area reminds me of the national mall in Washington. i assume that is on purpose? man we were really close with the French for a while weren't we? i'll be looking for the Statue of Liberty too lol 

another day we'll start at Petit Palais and work our way down the river front...Musee L'Orangerie, Tulieres, Louvre plaza, Palais Royal...generally working our way towards Marais. optional: add Le Centre Pompidou which is open late.

optional stuff is just if we're feeling like it. so other than a few hard targets (Les Invalides, Orangerie, Catacombs), a lot of our time will be just...strolling thru parks or neighborhoods, ha, which we enjoy and which i am anticipating is going to be fabulously in bloom this time of year! i dig architecture and gardens the most, and my mate tends to get impatient if we're in one spot for too long. so the days feel full but fairly slow-paced.

a third day we will spend in Monmartre...we have a walking food tour in the morning and then will spend some of the afternoon kicking about that neighborhood. the tour includes lunch from the various shops we visit, fun!

and of course our first day which will only be about 65%...just rest, check out our immediate neighborhood, then we have an evening dinner cruise.

with a couple of exceptions (like Lafayette's) i'm not trying to go out of our way for any particular restaurant. there appear to be several within a few blocks of where we're staying in the 17th. i could maybe use recommendations in the Latin Quarter or Marais? otherwise i'm sure we'll stumble on something pretty good. 🙂

[High Plains Drifter 11,032]

 

The Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris is cool. So are the catacombs. But lots of tourists at both. Nice views from the top of the Sacre Coeur, as well as from the front entrance. 

[rage-a-holic 4,381]

On 3/1/2024 at 4:49 PM, mchookem said:

 

well...you convinced me!  we added a day/night in Berchtesgaden which should allow us to see visit Burg Hohenwerfen (castle built around 1076, with a funicular!) and Eisriesenwelt (ice caves). we cut out one night in Kitzigen - dad said other than a quick nostalgia tour around town there really wasn't much to see (it's barely bigger than Palestine) this also makes our travel to Strasbourg not quite so condensed - we'll have an entire day to make our way there, can take our time and if we're feeling like it we may even be able to make a pitstop at either Neuschwanstein Castle or Linderhoff Palace.

all lodging booked, all flights and trains booked, rental car booked. i honestly feel pretty good about the itinerary, i think we're gonna have ample time to see what we want to see as well as just chill out a bit in various places...

firm activities already pre-booked are 1) City Segway tour in Strasbourg, 2) dinner cruise on the Seine (this is the only night dad/sis will be in Paris, seemed like an easy way for them to get to 'see' a lot of things in such a short period), 3) walking Secret Food Tour in Monmarte neighborhood, and 4) half-day Tuscany winery tour out of Florence. 

still need to book/get tickets early to a number of things...

so has anybody visited Mont St. Michel? i'm not even sure how to do this as far as timing - like, do you have to study the tides and figure out when you can even get there??  

also need to layout a general 'area' itinerary for our days in Paris, Florence, and Rome. i mean, i have a huge list of stuff to see in those cities but i know they aren't all right next to each other. and at least one day in Paris i don't really want to plan anything, like just stroll around and see what we see. and other than Dublin Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral (both within 1 km of our hotel) i expect we'll spend our time in Dublin just hanging out with our friends and relaxing/recuperating.

i'll be working on fleshing out our itinerary in the coming weeks, as well as restaurant recommendations/reservations. (i've already got Trattoria Sostanza in Florence noted...i'm going to ask our hotel to make our reservation for us! )

23 nights total...officially the longest trip we've ever taken. and we'll be coming home right as high tourist season kicks off, good timing! 

I forgot to mention that Neuschwanstein is still under extensive restoration and I'd guess at least 40% of the normal interior tour area is closed, if that affects your plans.

[mchookem 16,322]

1 hour ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

The Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris is cool. So are the catacombs. But lots of tourists at both. Nice views from the top of the Sacre Coeur, as well as from the front entrance. 

yep 👍 we're spending an entire day in Monmartre, will def visit Sacre Coeur (watching out for pickpockets! 😁). and i'm a dork for funiculars so will be planning that...we're going to be able to experience several in different countries throughout this trip! 

[Mango4 189]

On 2/19/2024 at 1:57 PM, Brisketexan said:

It really is.  I've learned that there is a happy medium to be struck - we don't mind travel days, even a fair number of them, but you want to build an itinerary that lets you actually get into and absorb the experiences you're having.  E.g., we did a "Christmas market" trip to Germany and Denmark a couple years back.

Started in Berlin, several days there (visited our son, enjoyed one of our favorite cities).

Train to Lubeck (old Hanseatic town, really old Christmas market).  A couple of days there.

Train down to Cologne (whoops, got on the wrong train, but it was also going to Cologne, ticket dude cut the dumb Americans some slack).  A couple of days in Cologne (we'd like to go back, another day would have been nice).

Train down to Koblenz to spend the weekend with friends.  A couple of days with them, exploring the Rhein valley.

Quick train to Frankfurt, short flight to Copenhagen.  2.5 days in Copenhagen, just relaxing and enjoying the place.  Still had a little Christmas market at Nyhaven.  Ate at the Torvehallern, great dinner at Host, walked the city parks in the snowfall.  Headed home.

We hit lots of places, but gave ourselves time to truly BE in all of them.  So, think that through.  You don't want to hit everything you can imagine in one trip (you can't, and if you try, you'll just be miserable).

We will be in Berlin for four days in early October after a few days in Munich. Hit me with any of your recs. 

Edited March 29 by Mango4

[mchookem 16,322]

btw i get to start my attempts to actually get tickets for the big ticket Roman sites (Vatican/Sistine Chapel, Colosseum/Roman Forum) this weekend 😐

i'm not very optimistic and have already prepared myself for just getting to see external views of these places. i mean i knew it was going to be busy as we're there the first week of high season...but i honestly didn't expect 1) their websites to be so crappy (i imagine UI/UX just really isn't a priority for ancient historical sites 😄) and 2) for the whole process to be as stressful and unsuccessful as trying to get Tool tickets! 😂

it's cool... the experience will still be incredible if we can't get in...and it will leave more time to visit the coast and stroll around the city gawking at incredible ancient shit! 😁

[Orale 1,087]

1 hour ago, mchookem said:

yep 👍 we're spending an entire day in Monmartre, will def visit Sacre Coeur (watching out for pickpockets! 😁). and i'm a dork for funiculars so will be planning that...we're going to be able to experience several in different countries throughout this trip! 

You'll love it. I rented an AirBnB in Montmartre in November and really enjoyed hanging out in the neighborhood.  

[4th and 5 4,914]

Suggestion for Normandy: 

 

[texasdago 7,568]

9 hours ago, mchookem said:

btw i get to start my attempts to actually get tickets for the big ticket Roman sites (Vatican/Sistine Chapel, Colosseum/Roman Forum) this weekend 😐

i'm not very optimistic and have already prepared myself for just getting to see external views of these places. i mean i knew it was going to be busy as we're there the first week of high season...but i honestly didn't expect 1) their websites to be so crappy (i imagine UI/UX just really isn't a priority for ancient historical sites 😄) and 2) for the whole process to be as stressful and unsuccessful as trying to get Tool tickets! 😂

it's cool... the experience will still be incredible if we can't get in...and it will leave more time to visit the coast and stroll around the city gawking at incredible ancient shit! 😁

Hello there... I see you are new to the world of Italian internet sites.  Italians give two farts about good website design and marketing.  It's pretty astounding.  Most Italian hotels have sites that were designed around 1995 and look like hot garbage.  I'm not surprised the ticket sites are the same.

Not sure if you have to pre-purchase a ticket for the forum but I'm a big fan of just lounging and chilling up on the Palatine Hill.  

By the way, these are near the Colosseum and are pretty cool and usually totally ignored by tourists.

https://www.caseromanedelcelio.it/en/le-case-del-celio/

Also a good spot to get away from crowds 

https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/villa-celimontana

We listened to David Gilmour warming up for a concert in the Circo Massimo from that park.  You could hear his guitar in the distance.

[Brisketexan 105,074]

We will be in Berlin for four days in early October after a few days in Munich. Hit me with any of your recs. 

Some quick hits: museum island - the Neues museum, Altes museum, and Pergamon (although it is STILL under renovation, and you can't see the actual Pergamon altar....I also think you need advance reservations for it).  Definitely worth it.
The Deutsches Historisches Museum on Unter den linden is a must-see, although fuck, I see that it is closed for restoration work as well.  Damn. It's an amazing museum.  Maybe by October, they'll be open.
The DDR museum is small, but kinda cool if you're a cold war kid like me.  And of course, all of the area around the TV tower and Alexanderplatz is worth seeing.  It's really just kind of a busy urban area, but it's a focal point for activity and transit.
I've never been to Berlin in the fall, so not so sure about outdoor activities.
Check out the Mauerpark, which is an old section of the wall that is now a live "graffiti exhibit" - as in, it changes every day.  For example, my son is in Berlin right now (visiting friends for the hell of it), and he painted this portion of the wall yesterday:



 
He also loved the Mauerpark flea market on Saturdays when he lived there (we never made it there), but it's got a super-Berlin vibe.
We really found the other segment of the wall on Bernauer Strasse, with a visitor center and memorial, to be pretty powerful.
Walk Unter den Linden, all the way to the Brandenburg gate and then the Holocaust memorial and the Russian War Memorial.  A nice park starts there.  If you want to take the little boat tours on the Spree, they're short, and you get to see some stuff.
Some places we've eaten that we really dig:
A hole-in-the wall Turkish place, El Rief in Prenzlauer Berg, a pretty cool little neighborhood on its own.
Get some beer and a giant pork knuckle at Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt (central, just south of Unter den Linden).
And one of the surprisingly best restaurants we've ever been to, Cookies Cream.  Michelin Star, and vegetarian (we didn't even realize it till halfway through an amazing meal).  And a pretty cool entrance.  An "IYKYK" kinda thing.
 
 

[crash_davis 23,101]

On 3/19/2024 at 11:10 PM, mchookem said:

buy tickets online beforehand i assume? with a tour? would anybody who's been recommend a guide? 

been working on our Paris leg. we are skipping the two biggest ticket items (Tour Eiffel, Louvre), i just don't want to spare the time mostly, and there are good substitutions. we'll do a mix of metro (bus mostly), walking and Uber (or taxi) throughout the day, i've scoped out routes and times. did i mention i was a 5 star trip planner? ☺️

Going up the Eiffel is not worth the wait. Tip for the Louvre, go EARLY and use the Carrousel or Porte des Lions entrances. Not many people know about these entrances. They are much shorter lines than the main Pyramid entrance. Then fast walk straight to the Mona Lisa and see it before the asshole horde get there. It's bizarre seeing the Mona Lisa with only 2 or 3 people around. An hour or so later when you leave the Louvre, walk by the Mona Lisa just to see the dipshit chaos around the picture. Watching the mass of inconsiderate people is an exhibit unto itself. Also he's controversial but I love the huge Jacques-Louis David paintings. You will regret going to Paris and not seeing all the GREAT art.

Make sue to look at the link to find more info on the entrances. https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/map-entrances-directions

On 3/19/2024 at 11:10 PM, mchookem said:

one day we'll start with les jardins and plaza around the tower, get some touristy pics, move on pretty quick to Les Invalides...a much better place to spend several hours! work our way down to Jardin du Luxembourg, towards Latin Quarter. plan to have Catacombs tickets for sometime that day (they only go on sale 7 days before). optional: add Montparnasse at dusk, see the city from there with the tower in it

btw, studying street view and pics...the whole Eiffel area reminds me of the national mall in Washington. i assume that is on purpose? man we were really close with the French for a while weren't we? i'll be looking for the Statue of Liberty too lol 

another day we'll start at Petit Palais and work our way down the river front...Musee L'Orangerie, Tulieres, Louvre plaza, Palais Royal...generally working our way towards Marais. optional: add Le Centre Pompidou which is open late.

optional stuff is just if we're feeling like it. so other than a few hard targets (Les Invalides, Orangerie, Catacombs), a lot of our time will be just...strolling thru parks or neighborhoods, ha, which we enjoy and which i am anticipating is going to be fabulously in bloom this time of year! i dig architecture and gardens the most, and my mate tends to get impatient if we're in one spot for too long. so the days feel full but fairly slow-paced.

a third day we will spend in Monmartre...we have a walking food tour in the morning and then will spend some of the afternoon kicking about that neighborhood. the tour includes lunch from the various shops we visit, fun!

and of course our first day which will only be about 65%...just rest, check out our immediate neighborhood, then we have an evening dinner cruise.

with a couple of exceptions (like Lafayette's) i'm not trying to go out of our way for any particular restaurant. there appear to be several within a few blocks of where we're staying in the 17th. i could maybe use recommendations in the Latin Quarter or Marais? otherwise i'm sure we'll stumble on something pretty good. 🙂

Marais has great shopping and restaurants. Latin Quarter restaurants are touristy and not very good. But if you want to sit at a table and spend an hour people watching, it's the best place to do it. The walk between Lux Garden and LQ is one of my favorite walks anywhere. Spend a an hour relaxing in Lux Garden. 

In Marais, get pastries from Florence Kahn. Definitely get the pistachio one. It will be one of the best things you'll ever eat in your life.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/x1QNwuSv7N4DKtFp8

Bourdain thought thought Du Pain et des Idees was the best bakery in France. It's really good but it's kinda out of the way. You used to have to get there early or they'd sell out of everything. Not sure what it's like now. We like to Uber there, get some pastries and walk along the canal. If the farmers market is up, spend some time and shop there. Then take an Uber/metro to Marais to lunch and shop.

I never cared for Monmarte. It doesn't have the charm of the Left Bank, LQ, or Marais.

Lourve to Place de la Concorde is a great walk along the Jardin des Tuileries. That's another of my favorite walks.

Definitely visit the Musee des D'Orsay. I think it's better than the Louvre for different reasons. Hire a private tour if possible. 

 

Basically, Paris is a city to be savored. The best way to do it is to slow down and spend time there. I LOVE just aimlessly walking around the city. It's amazingly charming. Doing nothing in a wonderful park is a great way to spend an afternoon. Also Place des Voges is another great park to enjoy an hour or so. It's in Marais.