Planning 3 days in Rome and Paris

sschivate · 25th June 2008, 18:01

Saw one post on planning a Switzerland trip, so I thought I should post my question, too...

I am planning a week-long getaway (3 days in Rome, 3 days in Paris) in late Aug - early Sep time-frame. Any info on 'must-visit' places, and other pointers

?

Thanks in advance...

BWN · 25th June 2008, 19:52

In Paris, you can visit Eiffel Tower, Louvre museum in a day. Other attraction would be disney land(1 day), Versailles Palace(1/2 Days), Moulin Rougue(@ nights), Seine boat ride in the evenings, Notredam Cathedral( 3 hrs) etc.

In Rome, the collosium (1/2 day) and a full day for vatican. Rest you can plan accordingly.

Wish you a ncie trip

sammyboy · 25th June 2008, 19:54

What a coincedence, I just came back after spending 3 days in Rome and 2 in Paris. Will give you some pointers by tomorrow.A lil stuck with work today.

n_aditya · 25th June 2008, 21:31

Check out Sam's Europe trip. He had visited quite a few places in Paris and the pics say a lot.

sschivate · 26th June 2008, 16:20

@BWN: Thanks! And thanks for the wishes!!

@SammyBoy: Eagerly waiting for your details.

@n_aditya: Can you please provide the link to Sam's Europe trip? I could not locate it using 'search'...

@All: Appreciate your help...

sammyboy · 26th June 2008, 18:17

Hi bro,

Rome is a beautiful place with a wonderful balance of historocal and the modern environment.
I would suggest the following things :
Take the opentour bus ticket vaild for 2 or 3 days. This is a nice way to look around (from the top open level of the double decker bus). THis takes you close to quite a few of the monuments. You can get on and get off as and when you please and as many times as you wish, take the next bus and continue.

Make sure that you visit the Colloseum and the Vatican and do take the group tour there. They are excellent tours and they explain all about the monuments. THey will give you a small earphone or a reciever and walk you through the tour.

Trevi fountain, spanish steps are also worth seeing once. (nothing great but hey why not look around).
We had booked the Grand Hotel Palantino in Rome, fantastic hotel, big rooms, great service and excellent location. Walking distance from the colloseum and next to a metro station.
Do also check out the local cuisine. One more thing, if you stay in the same hotel there is a supermarket on the opposite side of the road and an indian resturant (if u like ) opposite it. Pick up basic stuff from there as most things like coke n water are quite expensive outside.(learnt the hard way but you can save a lot here)

Paris --
One way to enjoy most monuments in Paris is take the L'Opentour bus. It costs about 25 euro for 24 hours and runs on 4-5 routes. THe major route that covers most monuments and takes 2 hours. THis is not a guided trip but a get on get off service so sit on top of the double decker bus and enjoy the ride. THen based on what one wants to see get off, visit the monument then hop back on.
What i did was cover the entire route once and then just got off on the second trip.
A cheap and wonderful way to look around.
Two main things, not to be missed are the Louvre and the Eiffel tower. Take the lift to the top of the Eiffel, its incredible. Missed seeing the Moulin Rouge and the Lido Show:( Surely something worth seeing if one is interested.Need to book in advance,
Take tips from the information desk at the CDG. You can also buy the opentour bus pass from there . Also if you want to go to more museums (the military museum is a suggestion, also check tripadvisor) take a museum pass, allows you to skip lines and is for 35 euro per head for 2 days. THis is also available at the information desk at the airport.
I would suggest not cramping too many things in Paris...just do what the heart feels.Roam around Champs Elysees, St Germain etc. .
Just take it all in at leisure. Isnt that the whole purpose ? Let me know if you need any info.
p.s The hotel rooms in Paris are really tiny so be prepared for that. We stayed at the Best Western Star Champs Elysees. Nice but very small rooms compared to other Best Westerns in other places. But then thats how Paris is.

Also visit tripadvisor once and go through the information available for both Paris and Rome. It will give you a lot of options of the things you can select.

Whew... hope this helps. Lemme know if there is anything i can suggest.
Cheers . Hope this helps

sschivate · 27th June 2008, 12:10

SammyBoy,

wow! That is great detailed info! Thanks a ton!!

As I had mentioned earlier, I was looking forward to your response, and you have not disappointed me! I really appreciate your help.

I will check out the details about the tours, and I will ping you if I need any more details.

Thanks again!

Regards,
Sameer.

sammyboy · 27th June 2008, 13:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by sschivate

SammyBoy,

wow! That is great detailed info! Thanks a ton!!

As I had mentioned earlier, I was looking forward to your response, and you have not disappointed me! I really appreciate your help.

I will check out the details about the tours, and I will ping you if I need any more details.

Thanks again!

Regards,
Sameer.

No Problems at all Sameer. Glad to provide any help anytime

Do let me know if you need any other info .
Cheers!

tsk1979 · 27th June 2008, 15:51

I am told that you have to be very careful about your wallet and personal belongings in Italy. A person I heard pff was robbed on the train(after being drugged) and had to spend a couple of days in the lockup because his passport also got stolen alongwith.
The Indian embassy intervened, and his parents somehow managed to send money to someone in Germany known to them.

So enjoy your trip and pretend you are in India.

mjothi · 27th June 2008, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I am told that you have to be very careful about your wallet and personal belongings in Italy. A person I heard pff was robbed on the train(after being drugged) and had to spend a couple of days in the lockup because his passport also got stolen alongwith.
The Indian embassy intervened, and his parents somehow managed to send money to someone in Germany known to them.

So enjoy your trip and pretend you are in India.

Yes. I had similar issue when I was in Paris. My colleague (US Citizen) was with me, and we both were walking around the Eiffel Tower. He lost his wallet, passport all together. We realized it only the next day when we are back to Lyon. Went to police station and complained. You know what, he got his new passport from the US Embassy in just 3 days couriered to our hotel. He never visited the embassy too, all transaction was on phone and nearest police station.

This is not to scare you. But just letting you know that you need to be as careful as you are in here

Mission_Safari · 27th June 2008, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjothi

Yes. I had similar issue when I was in Paris. My colleague (US Citizen) was with me, and we both were walking around the Eiffel Tower. He lost his wallet, passport all together. We realized it only the next day when we are back to Lyon. Went to police station and complained. You know what, he got his new passport from the US Embassy in just 3 days couriered to our hotel. He never visited the embassy too, all transaction was on phone and nearest police station.

This is not to scare you. But just letting you know that you need to be as careful as you are in here

Paris and especially the eiffel tower area seems to have a bad reputation of pick pocketing. Couple of my friends lost their wallet and passports when they were there on a short vacation from london.

rohan_fonseca · 27th June 2008, 20:47

Lots of pickpockets around the coloseum as well and believe it or not came across a few disheveled shaddy characters l;oitering around there conversing in Hindi!

sschivate · 1st July 2008, 16:45

tsk1979, mjothi, mission_safari, rohan_fonseca,

Thanks for your tips... any additional details you can share, will be very helpful...

Thanks again!

sammyboy · 3rd July 2008, 13:52

oh yeah i saw a lot of indians and africans in groups in Paris as well as Rome with some bags and other stuff. They just scoot whenever they see cops. Laughed my head off when I heard one guy warn the others, "bhaago BKL aa gaye"

Sameer - I had bought a samsonite travel pouch (a small one with a sling) and kept the money and the passports inside it with the pouch inside the vest tucked into the trousers and the sling around the neck.
lol things u have to do to keep belongings safe.

phamilyman · 3rd July 2008, 15:35

I have spent an ENTIRE night out on the road walking around Rome Termini station (complete with SLR around neck) at night and seen the darkest underbelly of Rome. Please be very very very very very cautious

I would request you to kindly plan well unlike me (took the last train into Rome, all metro services stopped bef 12 - station was PHYSICALLY locked as I walked in, youth hostel was 1 hr away) so I walked around. More on those adventures later.

The pouch mentioned by SammyBoy is the way to go. That said, Italians are almost like Indians, big hearted, noisy and very colorful!

PS: Outside rome english doesnt work. Do visit the naish terraced gardens though (google, dont know the names).

25th June 2008, 18:01	#1
sschivate BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 184 Thanked: 97 Times	Planning 3 days in Rome and Paris Saw one post on planning a Switzerland trip, so I thought I should post my question, too... I am planning a week-long getaway (3 days in Rome, 3 days in Paris) in late Aug - early Sep time-frame. Any info on 'must-visit' places, and other pointers ? Thanks in advance...
	() Thanks

25th June 2008, 19:52	#2
BWN BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toulouse Posts: 113 Thanked: Once	In Paris, you can visit Eiffel Tower, Louvre museum in a day. Other attraction would be disney land(1 day), Versailles Palace(1/2 Days), Moulin Rougue(@ nights), Seine boat ride in the evenings, Notredam Cathedral( 3 hrs) etc. In Rome, the collosium (1/2 day) and a full day for vatican. Rest you can plan accordingly. Wish you a ncie trip
	() Thanks

25th June 2008, 19:54	#3
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	What a coincedence, I just came back after spending 3 days in Rome and 2 in Paris. Will give you some pointers by tomorrow.A lil stuck with work today.
	() Thanks

25th June 2008, 21:31	#4
n_aditya Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Namma Bengaluru Posts: 5,373 Thanked: 3,806 Times View My Garage	Check out Sam's Europe trip. He had visited quite a few places in Paris and the pics say a lot.
	() Thanks

26th June 2008, 16:20	#5
sschivate BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 184 Thanked: 97 Times	@BWN: Thanks! And thanks for the wishes!! @SammyBoy: Eagerly waiting for your details. @n_aditya: Can you please provide the link to Sam's Europe trip? I could not locate it using 'search'... @All: Appreciate your help...
	() Thanks

26th June 2008, 18:17	#6
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	Hi bro, Rome is a beautiful place with a wonderful balance of historocal and the modern environment. I would suggest the following things : Take the opentour bus ticket vaild for 2 or 3 days. This is a nice way to look around (from the top open level of the double decker bus). THis takes you close to quite a few of the monuments. You can get on and get off as and when you please and as many times as you wish, take the next bus and continue. Make sure that you visit the Colloseum and the Vatican and do take the group tour there. They are excellent tours and they explain all about the monuments. THey will give you a small earphone or a reciever and walk you through the tour. Trevi fountain, spanish steps are also worth seeing once. (nothing great but hey why not look around). We had booked the Grand Hotel Palantino in Rome, fantastic hotel, big rooms, great service and excellent location. Walking distance from the colloseum and next to a metro station. Do also check out the local cuisine. One more thing, if you stay in the same hotel there is a supermarket on the opposite side of the road and an indian resturant (if u like ) opposite it. Pick up basic stuff from there as most things like coke n water are quite expensive outside.(learnt the hard way but you can save a lot here) Paris -- One way to enjoy most monuments in Paris is take the L'Opentour bus. It costs about 25 euro for 24 hours and runs on 4-5 routes. THe major route that covers most monuments and takes 2 hours. THis is not a guided trip but a get on get off service so sit on top of the double decker bus and enjoy the ride. THen based on what one wants to see get off, visit the monument then hop back on. What i did was cover the entire route once and then just got off on the second trip. A cheap and wonderful way to look around. Two main things, not to be missed are the Louvre and the Eiffel tower. Take the lift to the top of the Eiffel, its incredible. Missed seeing the Moulin Rouge and the Lido Show:( Surely something worth seeing if one is interested.Need to book in advance, Take tips from the information desk at the CDG. You can also buy the opentour bus pass from there . Also if you want to go to more museums (the military museum is a suggestion, also check tripadvisor) take a museum pass, allows you to skip lines and is for 35 euro per head for 2 days. THis is also available at the information desk at the airport. I would suggest not cramping too many things in Paris...just do what the heart feels.Roam around Champs Elysees, St Germain etc. . Just take it all in at leisure. Isnt that the whole purpose ? Let me know if you need any info. p.s The hotel rooms in Paris are really tiny so be prepared for that. We stayed at the Best Western Star Champs Elysees. Nice but very small rooms compared to other Best Westerns in other places. But then thats how Paris is. Also visit tripadvisor once and go through the information available for both Paris and Rome. It will give you a lot of options of the things you can select. Whew... hope this helps. Lemme know if there is anything i can suggest. Cheers . Hope this helps
	() Thanks

27th June 2008, 12:10	#7
sschivate BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 184 Thanked: 97 Times	SammyBoy, wow! That is great detailed info! Thanks a ton!! As I had mentioned earlier, I was looking forward to your response, and you have not disappointed me! I really appreciate your help. I will check out the details about the tours, and I will ping you if I need any more details. Thanks again! Regards, Sameer.
	() Thanks

27th June 2008, 15:51	#9
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,697 Thanked: 23,489 Times View My Garage	I am told that you have to be very careful about your wallet and personal belongings in Italy. A person I heard pff was robbed on the train(after being drugged) and had to spend a couple of days in the lockup because his passport also got stolen alongwith. The Indian embassy intervened, and his parents somehow managed to send money to someone in Germany known to them. So enjoy your trip and pretend you are in India. Last edited by tsk1979 : 27th June 2008 at 16:06.
	() Thanks

27th June 2008, 20:47	#12
rohan_fonseca BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Panaji Posts: 984 Thanked: 9 Times View My Garage	Lots of pickpockets around the coloseum as well and believe it or not came across a few disheveled shaddy characters l;oitering around there conversing in Hindi!
	() Thanks

1st July 2008, 16:45	#13
sschivate BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 184 Thanked: 97 Times	tsk1979, mjothi, mission_safari, rohan_fonseca, Thanks for your tips... any additional details you can share, will be very helpful... Thanks again!
	() Thanks

3rd July 2008, 13:52	#14
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 526 Times View My Garage	oh yeah i saw a lot of indians and africans in groups in Paris as well as Rome with some bags and other stuff. They just scoot whenever they see cops. Laughed my head off when I heard one guy warn the others, "bhaago BKL aa gaye" Sameer - I had bought a samsonite travel pouch (a small one with a sling) and kept the money and the passports inside it with the pouch inside the vest tucked into the trousers and the sling around the neck. lol things u have to do to keep belongings safe. Last edited by sammyboy : 3rd July 2008 at 13:53.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2008, 15:35	#15
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,975 Thanked: 4,673 Times	I have spent an ENTIRE night out on the road walking around Rome Termini station (complete with SLR around neck) at night and seen the darkest underbelly of Rome. Please be very very very very very cautious I would request you to kindly plan well unlike me (took the last train into Rome, all metro services stopped bef 12 - station was PHYSICALLY locked as I walked in, youth hostel was 1 hr away) so I walked around. More on those adventures later. The pouch mentioned by SammyBoy is the way to go. That said, Italians are almost like Indians, big hearted, noisy and very colorful! PS: Outside rome english doesnt work. Do visit the naish terraced gardens though (google, dont know the names). Last edited by phamilyman : 3rd July 2008 at 15:37.
	() Thanks