Talk to me about Europe

MamaBear904

Hey ladies! FI and I are hoping to go to Europe for our Honeymoon for about 8 days (specifically London and either Dublin or Paris). We're estimating needing appx $5K for our honeymoon. For anyone who has been, does this amount sound right? Also, our biggest concern with Dublin is that it would take appx 12 hours for roundtrip travel from London and it would be significantly more expensive to fly into one city and fly out of another. Because we're already losing 1 1/2 days in travel to and from Europe, Im worried that losing another 12 hours would cut into our vacation too much. This is why we're thinking Paris instead, which is 3 hours roundtrip.

Any suggestions in general would be greatly appreciated!

dazyabbey

We went on our honeymoon this past June and we went to London and Paris. Travel between the two is very affordable and I think the trip on the Eurostar was about 1 1/2 hours. I think you should figure out which you would like to do most and just go for it. Traveling to Dublin from London would be much easier then from Florida.

An important part for us was making sure we had enough time in each city. We ended up staying 5 nights in each city which I thought was perfect. We had 6 full days in London and 5 days in Paris. I originally thought I would want more time in Paris but I really loved London much more than Paris. I love history and although Paris is much more intriguing to me it wasn't what I imagined. It was a lovely city but it was dirty and there were a lot of beggers and people peddling on the streets and subways. Also both Paris and London were very chilly the middle of June so I am sure they will be chilly in May as well. It was probably in the low to mid 60's.

Budget wise I think you might be tight on a 5k total budget. We spent about $4400 just on Airfare and Hotel and we didn't go with anything fancy. Our priorities were breakfast and being close to public transportation, specifically the subway was most important. We were willing to stay out farther just to keep the costs down. Our spending money when we were there was probably about 3k. It is an expensive area. You could probably spend much less than this but we wanted to be able to see all the sights and go to some nice dinners. Although we didn't do a whole lot of extra stuff things seem to add up quickly. We did a bit of shopping, got lots of souveneirs and spent money on a few tours and extra things.

There are a lot of other girls on here that will be able to give you some good advice. Nice thing about this board is a lot of them travel extensively.

aloisk57

We're also going to Europe for our honeymoon in November.  For you, going in April you will be at the veeery beginning of the upswing of tourism...it's hard to say whether it will be cheaper to fly than normal.  However, to save some money, check out apartment rental sites like vrbo.com - we're staying in apartments in Paris, Cinque Terre and Rome and we've saved a phenomenal amount of money.  I would also stick with just London and Paris for your visit - like you said, the travel time to Dublin may take up too much of your precious time there!  You can always make a return trip

katslack

we just did this.  We live in miami. Flew to Dublini then to manchester to visit family. Check aer lingus Paid 100 dollar for the two of us with our luggage, super cheap and only about a 45 min fight. We went for three days. If I ever went again I wold do max 2 days dublin. Not much to do except drink. Take an excursion and see the county side.
Loads to do in London.  Paris is great, I loved it all. I would do Paris over Dublin. Imo so much more to do and see and just a beautiful city overall. We found a hotel for 100 dollars a night in paris. Cheap. I'll try to find it if u would like. 3 minute walk to the underground. paris is very expensive. we took advantage of the markets around instead of the restaurants. Although u will spend less with the euro than the pound. Check travelzoo and trip advisor special deals and reviews of hotels.

hz80408

I leave for Ireland next week (for anniversary trip);  ealier this year we did our first trip to Europe which included London and Paris.

One thing I will note off of the bat is that open-jaw/mult-city flights aren't always more expensive.  We flew into Amsterdam and out of London (from O'Hare in US) and those tickets were less than $100 difference to do a roundtrip flight to/from either city.  Plus, to take into account needing to get from London back to Amsterdam (if we'd done a roundtrip Amsterdam flight); would have cost us atleast $200/person and atleast a half day worth of travel.  I recommending looking into multicity flights (you can price check/track on yapta.com)

If your 8 days includes travel; how many nights do you have in Europe?

I would probably do Dublin.  Like a pp mentioned; there's not as much to see there as London or Paris.  However, with the amount of time you have; I think it'd be rather rushed to do Paris and London. We spent 4 nights in Paris and I would have loved to have more time there (and we crammed in a ton of stuff).

In addition to flying Dublin-London; there's also a ferry called SailRail.  It looks like it takes about 3.5 hrs and is 45EU/person.

After I get back from Dublin; I'd love to answer any questions you have to try to help you decide btwn Dublin and Paris.

Lastly; your budget is low.  If you're planning on going in May; that's the start of tourist season and flight/hotel rates will be higher.  We booked our flights for $899 and that was considering a great price (eta: and that was for end of March/lower tourist season).  I would budget $2,500 alone for just flights to/from Europe. Hotels (or rental aparments, which we did and i recommend) will range; but I'd budget at least $150 USD/nt.

Feel free to PM me or email me via my blog!

anssett

I've been to all three places and think the contrast you'll get betwen Paris and London is much larger than London & Dublin. That combined with the extra travel time would make me definitely pick the London/Paris combo. The first time I went to Paris I focused a lot of touristy stuff, and the second time I played things more by ear and just explored. I had a much better time with the second method!

Whatever you do will be great. Have fun.

MamaBear904

Wow. Thanks for the advice. Im definitely glad I asked and found out my budget may be too low. We were looking at roundtrip flights and found flights to/from dublin from Orlando for appx $850pp.

I am in love with the apartment idea and definitely want to do that option which will allow us to shop local and will help cut down on eating out a lot.

Keep those ideas coming! I'd love to hear about everyone's experiences!

aloisk57

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_talk-to-me-about-europe?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:4dab38c9-2dd2-41ae-a5e2-aa05c0671bfePost:aacbcc3c-8c9d-46f7-a946-00d077fcbb7a">Re: Talk to me about Europe</a>:
[QUOTE]Wow. Thanks for the advice. Im definitely glad I asked and found out my budget may be too low. We were looking at roundtrip flights and found flights to/from dublin from Orlando for appx $850pp. I am in love with the apartment idea and definitely want to do that option which will allow us to shop local and will help cut down on eating out a lot. Keep those ideas coming! I'd love to hear about everyone's experiences!
Posted by MamaBear904[/QUOTE]

Well, while you're there I suggest NOT eating in the touristy areas.  They are overpriced and the food is not really "local" in my experience.  Find some locals and ask for their recommendations as to the best authentic cuisine...you'll probably get to try something new!

Also, I would say to pick your 1-2 most important things to do activity wise - like...do you really want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower? Go to the Louvre?  Pick just the top one or two so you don't spend ALL of your time and miss out on the real sightseeing.  I highly suggest getting lost just walking around and seeing what you see - I did that in Paris and I had the BEST time...meanwhile my friends were stuck in line for the Eiffel Tower and they missed out on hours of fun!

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I think $5k sounds about right. A few years ago my now-husband and I did London and Edinburgh (4.5 hour train ride) and it worked out really well. We were there 10 days total.

jemali_2003

My husband and I went to London and Paris last summer, right in the middle of tourist season.  I think you will be fine with your budget depending on what you plan to do.  My husband and I spent a total of $3,800 without food.   That cost included our flights, from California in and out of London, our Oyster Cards, Tower of London admission, day trip to Stonehenge, a river cruise in Paris, Louve tickets, and tickets into Versailles.  We stayed in apartments in both London and Paris, so I think that is how we keep our costs down and we were there for 5 nights in London and 4 nights in Paris.  We booked both apartments through airbnb and had no issues with them.  We stayed in central London near Covent Garden and in the 12th district in Paris.  

I had been to both London and Paris in college before and liked Paris less this past time.  I agree with some previous posters talking about the city being dirty and beggers everywhere.  The first time I was in Paris it was at the end of October, so I think since there were not many tourists the beggers weren't out and the city was a lot cleaner.  My husband had commented that he pictured Paris being romantic and he didn't see that at all.  I guess that can also depend on the area you stay in.  Coming from London where the city is SUPER clean and women wearing heels and ball gowns ride the underground to Paris where the metro smells like piss, was not a very nice welcoming.  Versailles was amazing and the river cruise was nice.  The non touristy parts were beautiful.  If you want some romance in Paris, do take a walk and get lost.  The food will the better and the streets will be cleaner.    

hoffse

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_talk-to-me-about-europe?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:4dab38c9-2dd2-41ae-a5e2-aa05c0671bfePost:287b6358-67d9-4011-8ddc-9a593f73394f">Re: Talk to me about Europe</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Talk to me about Europe : Well, while you're there I suggest NOT eating in the touristy areas.  They are overpriced and the food is not really "local" in my experience.  Find some locals and ask for their recommendations as to the best authentic cuisine...you'll probably get to try something new! Also, I would say to pick your 1-2 most important things to do activity wise - like...do you really want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower? Go to the Louvre?  <strong>Pick just the top one or two so you don't spend ALL of your time and miss out on the real sightseeing.</strong>  I highly suggest getting lost just walking around and seeing what you see - I did that in Paris and I had the BEST time...meanwhile my friends were stuck in line for the Eiffel Tower and they missed out on hours of fun!
Posted by aloisk57[/QUOTE]

<div>This.  I spent a month in Rome while in college studying art, and we did day trips out to various smaller cities (florence, naples, etc.).  Obviously with a month in Rome we saw lots of things, sometimes more than once, but the day trips were a lesson in prioritizing.  I will never forget most of my friends standing in line for 2 or so hours to see the real David in Florence... when there is a nearly perfect copy in the square a couple blocks away.  Yes, I have an art degree, but honestly?  I looked at the copy for about 2 minutes, decided it was exactly what I thought it was going to be, and then moved on.  I got to see an extra museum that my friends missed because I didn't want to stand in line to see the "real" david.  And frankly, my friends were jealous when they heard what I saw there, beacuse they had a travelling exhibit of some really cool things that normally weren't there.</div><div>
</div><div>So yeah I'd pick just the top couple of items for each city and be willing to explore for the rest of your time.  Know that if you do go to Paris, the Louvre is massive... as in, it takes several days to get through the whole thing massive.  So for that I would pick the wing you want to see.  Personally, I would be 100% fine skipping the mona lisa, but I couldn't miss le sainte chapelle, which is a basillica with some of the most amazing stained glass in Europe.  Same thing for the Eiffel tower... I mean, ok, it's the eiffel tower, but whatever.  It's not nearly as interesting as Napoleon's tomb in my opinion (they buried him at the bottom of a put so you have to lean over a rail and bow to him even in death).  Point is, whatever you choose to do, you won't see all of it, and I think standing in long lines is a bigger waste of time than the travel time to and from different cities.  At least if you choose the right travel method (ie: train) you get the see the countryside, KWIM?</div><div>
</div><div>If it were me, I'd do Dublin/London... or just London.  Paris needs a week to itself to be able to go out to the cooler things on the outskirts like Versailles.</div><div>
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PDXShari83

I've lived in London twice and have traveled there from Portland, Oregon at least 7 times. I've also traveled to Paris from London by train.

I think your budget is definitely going to work. Granted, you won't be able to march into some high-street boutique and buy whatever you want on the budget, but that's not what the trip is about anyway

In London, get the London Pass and map out the attractions you really want to see. Keep in mind that many museums do not charge admission. Here are some of my must-see suggestions:

1) Tower of London

2) Hampton Court Palace

3) National Portrait Gallery 

4) Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (get "groundling" tickets -- I think these are about 5-10 quid a piece -- cheap!)

5) Camden Market 

6) St. Paul's Cathedral

7) Westminster Abbey

8) Take an evening walking history tour -- have done the Jack the Ripper walk, it's great!

Get an Oyster Card and take the tube, or go by bus (more scenic!) Avoid the black cabs at all costs -- you'll blow your budget quickly. Eat at pubs and immerse yourself in the culture. There's no other place in the world like London, and I guarantee you will fall in love with it! I believe you can get to Paris by train via the Waterloo station. It's incredibly cheap -- and fast! 

Enjoy your honeymoon!

Snippylynn

I just really hate when people go into one country, see ONE city, and move on. The entirety of England is not London. There are a hundred other cities or natural areas that could be seen without losing so much more travel time and culture shock on picking up sticks and moving to something completely different.

My advice, as someone who lives in Europe and have for several years is-- pick a country and STICK TO IT.  Sure, lot's of people have done the London/Paris thing, but geez. Is that really all you want out of your honeymoon? A couple of cities on a whirlwind or an experience in one country?  

That's just my perspective and I know it's not popular, but I just don't understand the mentality of everyone who wants to see a giant city and nothing else. 

freebread03

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_talk-to-me-about-europe?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:4dab38c9-2dd2-41ae-a5e2-aa05c0671bfePost:c4832b53-d081-44c3-8a65-0d3883db4acd">Re: Talk to me about Europe</a>:
[QUOTE]I just really hate when people go into one country, see ONE city, and move on. The entirety of England is not London. There are a hundred other cities or natural areas that could be seen without losing so much more travel time and culture shock on picking up sticks and moving to something completely different. My advice, as someone who lives in Europe and have for several years is-- <u>pick a country and STICK TO IT. </u> Sure, lot's of people have done the London/Paris thing, but geez. Is that really all you want out of your honeymoon? A couple of cities on a whirlwind or an experience in one country?   That's just my perspective and I know it's not popular, but I just don't understand the mentality of everyone who wants to see a giant city and nothing else. 
Posted by Snippylynn[/QUOTE]

<div>This!  If you're just in one city for a few days, you don't really get to see and experience the country as a whole.  Personally, I don't really hit my travel groove until I've been in a city for at least a few days.  We did Turkey, Greece, and Romania this past May, and had I not already been to the Greek Island we visited, that would have been way too much in one trip.  We ended up seeing multiple cities in Romania and being really glad that we didn't move on to another country as planned.</div><div>
</div><div>I'd suggest looking at Trip Advisor and Hostelbookers for guest houses--my favorite place we stayed during two weeks this past May was a guest house in a small city that I found on Trip Advisor via google.  It ended up being nicer than any hotel we stayed in, and it felt relaxing like home.  </div>

arendiva

I went on a 9 day trip to london and dublin last fall. For my FI and I we probably spent $2500 total (though we stayed in a hostel). My advice is skip Dublin. the time we spent transporting ourselves from london to dublin and then back again was effectively a whole wasted day of travel. Dublin was hugely disappointing. even the famed guiness brewery was a let down (I've been on many brewery tours and that was the lamest one I've been to. Fuller's brewery in London is awesome though)

I went to France 9 years ago a 10 day trip that included Paris. I spent $1400 total for 1 person (prices have likely risen in the past 9 year. Paris is lovely but in the summer it smells like piss. Rural France was much more enjoyable and felt less touristy.

dazyabbey

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_talk-to-me-about-europe?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:4dab38c9-2dd2-41ae-a5e2-aa05c0671bfePost:00ce697b-9354-443a-b095-2ed39e81e0dc">Re: Talk to me about Europe</a>:
[QUOTE] <u>In London, get the London Pass and map out the attractions you really want to see. Keep in mind that many museums do not charge admission.</u>  Posted by PDXShari83[/QUOTE]

I disagree with this. The London Pass tends to be a waste of money and you end up usually paying more then they would have. If you get a 7 day paper travelcard with unlimited subway travel you can get 2 for 1 admission to many London attractions. We used this multiple times across London this summer and we were originally going to get the London Pass. We got into Tower of London for the price of just one admission, plus we did a Brit Movie Tour (Harry Potter) and several other things. You can get shows cheaper too. It is a pretty awesome thing that they have and mostly Locals use it. If you want more information about it check out the Trip Advisor board on London. They are awesome and so full of information. Also, one thing with the London Pass is if you just want to hang out in Trafalgar Square or go to a long lunch it is hard because you keep thinking about getting your money's worth.


Also as lovely as it would be to see just one country, I think some people realize this might be a once in a lifetime trip. So going that far to see London and then wander about in great villages and the English countryside would be great, but if you would rather spend more time in different cultures and make the most of it. I think it really just depends on what you like to do and what you want out of it.

hz80408

I agree with Dazey and London pass NOT being worth it. Especially if you get an osyter card for public transit and/or if you travel National Rail since they have BOGO coupons for sights like London Eye and Tower of London.

Here's my experience: http://shineisntalwaysshimmer.blogspot.com/2012/09/london-day-1.html

Getting2Vowels

I haven't been to Paris in a long time but from what I remember it can get pretty pricey pending on where you have meals. Other than that I HIGHLY recommend going there. The views and surroundings are breathtaking! Make sure you have a full day allotted for The Louvre, it's definitely worth it!