Top ten things to see in London and Paris

[splashpot]

I will be stopping in London for 5 days. I hear that Paris is only 1.5 hours away by train so I could possibly spend a couple days there too. I know it's not a lot of time, but what would you say are the "must-see" things from these cities? I have never been to Europe before so this will be quite an experience. Any suggestions about how I split my time up?

[wacki]

Make sure you have a knife/mace on you. I've heard that male-male rape is becoming a problem over there.

[jason_t]

Alizee.

[slickpoppa]

how old are you and do you like drinking?

[splashpot]

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how old are you and do you like drinking?

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I'm 20. I like drinking, but I'm going to be by myself so I don't imagine I'll be going to many bars/clubs. I'm mainly interested in touristy stuff. Seeing the city/landmarks/museums, etc. What do you suggest considering I have limited time?

[ilya]

British Museum; I'm not a huge fan of museums but this one is unique and fascinating.
Check out St. Paul's Cathedral, then cross the new foot bridge over to the Tate Modern, stop by to see the ginormous spider sculpture in the lobby, and wander down that bank towards the National Film Theatre. It's especially lively over there on the weekends...cafe with outdoor seating, used book stalls, etc...then keep walking in the same direction and you'll end up at the Saatchi gallery (the place that exhibited the shark in formaldehyde).

Picadilly Circus is the super-touristy area but still worth checking out. Several excellent movie theaters clustered in that area, like the Curzon Soho, if you get bored of sightseeing. Soho is also where you go if you're interested in another kind of sightseeing, if you catch my meaning.

Check out Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, I guess.

If you don't mind the trip, I really recommend a day trip out to Cambridge. The ride takes about an hour/hour-and-a-half from King's Cross, and it's maybe the most beautiful campus I've ever seen. Much better than Oxford. If you do go, leave early as the colleges will shut their doors by early evening and it'll be harder to get a peek inside. Make sure to check out King's and the Backs, also if the weather is good you might want to go punting.

Speaking of canals, another fun thing to do in London is take a ride on a boat along the canal that winds through one of the big parks (I forget what it's called, but I think it's in the northeast part of the city...I could be really off here though)...lots of people live in boathouses right in the canal, fun to see all of these.

I dunno, what else. Walk the length of Oxford Street and do some shopping and/or people watching. Oh yes. Speaking of shopping - check out Harrod's and/or Harvey Nichols. Harrod's has a sushi bar on the top floor in case you get hungry.

There's a cool swanky bar in the City on the roof of one of the office buildings. You can sit on a lawn and enjoy your drink in the open air, or get up and check out the view. I forget what it's called, but if you ask around in the City I'm sure you'll quickly find someone who knows where it is. I think it's quite close to the "City" Metro stop, maybe even visible from some of the exits. The place is popular with young banker types, so dress up if you feel like it.

When you're there, buy a Time Out. Very useful.

In Paris, just go to the movies. Best damn town for movies in the whole world.

[partygirluk]

Ilya that is some pretty awesome advice. Really outstanding. I'd add the London Eye/River cruise to your list.

[daveymck]

I would also recommend walking from Westminster (embankment tube I think) up towards Trafalger Square as this takes in a lot of the tourist sites, Parliment, Downing Street and the Cenataugh up past Horseguards and into trafalgar square.

The Science and Natural History Museam are pretty good as well if you like dinosaurs and that sort of stuff.

[daveymck]

This seems a good website Go London (http://www.golondon.com/london_tv/go_visit/)

[b0000000000m]

If you head to Paris, take the OpenTour (http://www.paris-opentour.com/index_eng.htm). It's a bunch of bus routes, with taped narration. The cool part is that you can get off and get on at a million different stops. It doubles as both a narrated tour and a mode of transportation around the city, stopping at the best spots. A 1-day pass is 24 euros. A 2-day pass is 27 euros.

[splashpot]

Thanks for the advice. Especially ilya. Chances are I'll end up doing exactly what you mapped out. The Paris open tour also looks very interesting. Since I'll be by myself, an audio tour might not be a bad idea. Any other suggestions?

[ilya]

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Ilya that is some pretty awesome advice. Really outstanding. I'd add the London Eye/River cruise to your list.

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Thanks partygirl. I spent last spring & summer in London and really loved it, so I remember all this stuff.

[pshreck]

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In Paris, just go to the movies. Best damn town for movies in the whole world.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never heard this. Why is it the best for movies?

[jesusarenque]

London: Go to the theatre. As an American, I found London to be quite expensive, but the theatre was a relative bargain. I saw Les Mis and Phantom, and the tickets weren't very expensive at all.

[slickpoppa]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
how old are you and do you like drinking?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm 20. I like drinking, but I'm going to be by myself so I don't imagine I'll be going to many bars/clubs. I'm mainly interested in touristy stuff. Seeing the city/landmarks/museums, etc. What do you suggest considering I have limited time?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, there is this place called "The Church" in the King's Cross neighborhood of London. It is only open on Sunday, and it opens at noon. It is hard to describe, but basically it is a drinking party in am abandoned warehouse type building. When you walk in you buy pints of beer by the sack. Basically they just play music and there is ridiculous drinking going on. But there is also a stage where they have a performer do some kind of routine. Sometimes it is a stripper, and sometimes it is this guy called the regurgitator, who is the coolest thing I have ever seen. He has the ability to swallow objects and bring them back up at will. He puts on a really good show. Usually there are also beer chugging comptetitions for prizes and if the audience is good they will convince the girls in the competition to do it topless. So if you like getting drunk and meeting girls with "morally casual" attitudes, The CHurch is a must. Also, this is definitely the type of place you could go by yourself and still have a good time.

[splashpot]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, there is this place called "The Church" in the King's Cross neighborhood of London. It is only open on Sunday, and it opens at noon. It is hard to describe, but basically it is a drinking party in am abandoned warehouse type building. When you walk in you buy pints of beer by the sack. Basically they just play music and there is ridiculous drinking going on. But there is also a stage where they have a performer do some kind of routine. Sometimes it is a stripper, and sometimes it is this guy called the regurgitator, who is the coolest thing I have ever seen. He has the ability to swallow objects and bring them back up at will. He puts on a really good show. Usually there are also beer chugging comptetitions for prizes and if the audience is good they will convince the girls in the competition to do it topless. So if you like getting drunk and meeting girls with "morally casual" attitudes, The CHurch is a must. Also, this is definitely the type of place you could go by yourself and still have a good time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol. I'll have to seriously consider checking this out. My main intention was to be a complete tourist and see the sights; I can go drinking any time. But what you describe sounds pretty cool. I'll have to see where I am Sunday afternoon.

[ilya]

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In Paris, just go to the movies. Best damn town for movies in the whole world.

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I have never heard this. Why is it the best for movies?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I'm half-joking, but Paris has a TON of indie/archive/boutique type movie theaters, as well as plenty of mainstream popcorn palaces. There are usually like 80 different movies playing in town on any given afternoon. There's a tradition in France of taking movies very seriously; it makes sense...they have a reasonable claim to inventing movies, a ton of famous directors and major theorists/critics are French, and there's a strong sense there that movies and politics are connected, so much so that they've had heated student demonstrations over a film archive's hiring decisions.
But I dunno, I haven't been to Paris in a few years, maybe that's changed.
London is quite decent for movies as well.

[Dominic]

If you go to Paris, be sure to just walk along the Champs Elysee, walk along the Left Bank, check out the Renoir Museum (my favorite museum in the world) and the Pompidou Museum (all modern and goofy and fun), and take a metro ride up to Sacre Cour/Montmarte. Very cool.

I'd say do the Louvre, but that's a whole day right there and you won't have a chance to do anything else.

Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, of course.

Have a coffee at a sidewalk cafe.

Eat from vendors on the street - crepes, sandwiches, etc.

Check out Notre Dame and Ile de St. Louis.

Paris is awesome - if you get a chance, go! And doing it by taking a train thru the Chunnel is the best!

[ilya]

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If you go to Paris, be sure to just walk along the Champs Elysee

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I can't believe I forgot to mention this. Walking down the Champs Elysees in cool of the early evening, watching the crowd and looking at the lit-up store windows...it's not bad.

[splashpot]

Damn...so many things to see, so little time. I only have 5 nights total. I fly in and out of London. Probably spend 2 nights in Paris. I have a place to stay for free in London, but if I go to Paris, I'm gonna have to find a cheap place to stay for 2 nights. Do you guys know of a website where I could look up hostels in the area? Cheap as possible.

BTW, I'm a college student. I'm not completely broke, but I know London is an expensive city and I don't want to waste money on a nice hotel that I'm only going to use for sleeping and showering.

[partygirluk]

[ QUOTE ]
Damn...so many things to see, so little time. I only have 5 nights total. I fly in and out of London. Probably spend 2 nights in Paris. I have a place to stay for free in London, but if I go to Paris, I'm gonna have to find a cheap place to stay for 2 nights. Do you guys know of a website where I could look up hostels in the area? Cheap as possible.

BTW, I'm a college student. I'm not completely broke, but I know London is an expensive city and I don't want to waste money on a nice hotel that I'm only going to use for sleeping and showering.

[/ QUOTE ]

www.hostelworld.com (http://www.hostelworld.com) is fantastic - P.M me as I thn I can get you £2 off bookings.

Second what a poster said about theatre, Let me know what oyu like, and I'll recommend something.

[Munkster]

on what days will you be in London for?

[splashpot]

[ QUOTE ]
on what days will you be in London for?

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Arrive in London on May 21st, depart London May 26th. Hopefully with 2 nights in Paris sometime in between.

I know it's a little early, but I like to do all my homework before I go to a new city. Why do you ask?

[splashpot]

[ QUOTE ]
www.hostelworld.com (http://www.hostelworld.com) is fantastic - P.M me as I thn I can get you £2 off bookings.

Second what a poster said about theatre, Let me know what oyu like, and I'll recommend something.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks a lot for the link. Looks good. I'll send you a PM if I decide to book through them.

[lil_o]

paris:
eiffel tower
the louvre
notre dame
museum of modern art
bastille
champs elysee
concorde
napoleans tomb

[Munkster]

I was going to offer you a place to stay if you needed, I am also a college student staying in London (for an internship). I'll only be here till end of the April, and then again from September till December.

Hope you have a great time here.

[jakethebake]

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Alizee.

[/ QUOTE ]

Clearly this should have been followed by "end of thread".

[partygirluk]

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I was going to offer you a place to stay if you needed, I am also a college student staying in London (for an internship). I'll only be here till end of the April, and then again from September till December.

Hope you have a great time here.

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Where are you living and working?

[Munkster]

by Surrey Quays,
working at JPMorgan.

we should go to the gutshot sometimes together.

[splashpot]

[ QUOTE ]
I was going to offer you a place to stay if you needed, I am also a college student staying in London (for an internship). I'll only be here till end of the April, and then again from September till December.

Hope you have a great time here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, that is greatly appreciated, but I have a place to stay in London with family. Not everyone would be willing to offer housing to a stranger.

Also, it turns out that I might not be alone after all. I'm very close to convincing two girls to meet me there. Very close friends with both of them. This means that we probably will want to go out drinking. Besides "The Church" (which looks very cool btw), what other nightlife hotspots should I try not to miss?

[nicky g]

Paris is actually about 2.5-3 hours away (by Eurostar). Book your ticket in advance is it works out much cheaper that way.

The spider is long gone from the hall of the Tate but there's always some cool stuff there. Some kind of "sound scultpure" at the moment.

Don't bring a knife or mace as it's illegal to carry either and you'll get arrested bringing them in.

The Church is now at the Kentish Town Forum and not in Kings Cross. It is very near where I live. It pisses me off immensely - when it closes there is a massive crowd of frigheningly drunk people in Kentish Town behaving like utter morons at 3 in the afternoon. I like a drink and that's OK at three in the morning in the centre of town where you expecct it and can avoid it but it's not cool to have to deal with in a residential area on a Sunday afternoon. Don't go or I may have to beat you up.

One thing I would recommend is to have a look round the Inns of Court (Lincolns Inn is a good one). They are these old law colleges around Holborn and the City, still full of practicing lawyers. They're quite beautiful, sort of like Oxford/Cambridge colleges, without having to travel all teh way there. You can just walk in to most of them and they're completely tourist free. Don't act all touristy or attract attention as you might get thrown out. Make sure to go on a weekday.

Whereabouts are you staying? I might be able to give you some pub/restaurant tips if you name an area.

[splashpot]

I'm not the rowdy type so you won't have to worry about me. If I do check out the Church, it will just be for the experience, not to get wasted. I'm staying with my mom's cousin who I've never met. I'm not sure what part of London she lives in though. That is one of the things I need to find out. I'll be sure to ask you if I am looking for a restaurant recommendation though. Thanks.

[slickpoppa]

I went to The Church 3 years ago so I don't know about the new location, but if it's anything like it used to be it is worth checking out. Don't let nicky g scare you away.

As for other night life, I'm no expert, but the Leicester (spelling?) Square area was where my friends and I usually hung out at night. There are probably a lot of other choices too.

Here's the link to the Church's website: http://www.thechurch.co.uk/

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
www.hostelworld.com (http://www.hostelworld.com) is fantastic

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nice. im going to be all around europe in may with some friends and we were going to get hotels, but after looking at this site we went with hostels instead.

sorta an off-topic question:

what is the best (cheapest/quickest) way to get from Paris to Manchester?

[tek]

London
Go to the area known as The City. That's where the people who control US and British commerce work...

Paris
Make sure you get pics of guys with gay mustaches and black berets peeing on the sidewalk after consuming mass quantities of espresso and white wine...