Are Our Honeymoon TA Travel Plans too Ambitious?

Great plans. We might see you on the train from Paris. We are flying into London on the 22nd, after a couple of days there, we are taking the train to Paris for a few days. We plan to take the TVG on the Friday. We are booked on the Jade, also leaving Barcelona on the 30th.

Thanks! We were originally booked on the Jade before the original TA got cancelled and the new TA itinerary was posted...too many ports for what we wanted for a leisurely honeymoon cruise.

Are you planning on 1st or 2nd class tickets? We are also planning on Friday...the morning train. I have heard people suggest grabbing some cheese, bread, and wine and doing your own little Parisian picnic on the train, which I think we will do!

Thanks! We were originally booked on the Jade before the original TA got cancelled and the new TA itinerary was posted...too many ports for what we wanted for a leisurely honeymoon cruise.

 

Are you planning on 1st or 2nd class tickets? We are also planning on Friday...the morning train. I have heard people suggest grabbing some cheese, bread, and wine and doing your own little Parisian picnic on the train, which I think we will do!

I am not sure I would enjoy the Epic, too many passengers in my opinion, but thats just me. Maybe one of these days will try a larger ship. Also no Spinnaker Lounge or Great Outdoors as far as I know. Waiting for my notification of the train tickets going on sale, so will decide when I see the price of each class. Planning on the morning train as well. Will probably bring snacks at very least.

I am not sure I would enjoy the Epic, too many passengers in my opinion, but thats just me. Maybe one of these days will try a larger ship. Also no Spinnaker Lounge or Great Outdoors as far as I know. Waiting for my notification of the train tickets going on sale, so will decide when I see the price of each class. Planning on the morning train as well. Will probably bring snacks at very least.

How do you get notification of the train tickets going on sale?

How do you get notification of the train tickets going on sale?

All my info came from The Man in Seat 61 (http://www.seat61.com). Look down the left side column. Under Train Travel in Europe... find Spain. First option once you hit Spain is London to Barcelona. (I am doing that, but you can just skip reading the London to Paris parts). http://www.loco2.com is the site he recommends for booking with. On Loco2, enter Paris Lyon to Barcelona Sants and October 28 for your date. It will tell you that it is too early to book this Journey, but booking should open on July 1. It asks if you want notification when the tickets go on sale.

Paul

All my info came from The Man in Seat 61 (http://www.seat61.com). Look down the left side column. Under Train Travel in Europe... find Spain. First option once you hit Spain is London to Barcelona. (I am doing that, but you can just skip reading the London to Paris parts). http://www.loco2.com is the site he recommends for booking with. On Loco2, enter Paris Lyon to Barcelona Sants and October 28 for your date. It will tell you that it is too early to book this Journey, but booking should open on July 1. It asks if you want notification when the tickets go on sale.

 

Paul

Totally unrelated to this thread, but I clicked on your link to "the man" for advice on a Berlin to Prague rail trip and the advice he gave for booking was invaluable! His tip to sit on the left side of the train for Elbe River views will be taken by us for sure. The man also provided detailed info on how to book and even gave a link for booking the same itinerary on Czech rail for less cost than the German train....think we'll stick with Germany since we can book with them 32 days sooner than Czechia.

All my info came from The Man in Seat 61 (http://www.seat61.com).

I just want to echo what a great resource that site is. We got tons of help from it (and also from folks here on CC) when booking our very first trip on the Eurostar last fall. Right down to the seat plans for each car and figuring out the "best" places (for us at least) to sit.

We are much more earthly wonders/nature people

Based on your note above, don't miss the chance to see Iceland, if even briefly! The volcanic Iceland countryside is the most unique landscape I have ever seen. Iceland is very easy to drive around, so I'd recommend skipping the tour and doing the Golden Circle on your own with a rental car. This allows you to determine your own time spent at each highlight, as well as stop at anything interesting you see along the way. But given your overnight flight, it's understandable you may be concerned about being too tired to drive safely.

I'd encourage you to stay in Reykjavik for the night, so you can walk around the city a bit while going out to dinner, but that may depend on how early your flight out is. Almost everything in Iceland is beautiful to observe, but the airport is in a somewhat remote/boring location. There is not much traffic in Iceland, so the drive time from Reykjavik to the airport is pretty reliable. Downtown Reykjavik is a very easy/safe area to wander around.

I know it may seem that I'm recommending you wear yourself out, but I sympathize with the 'might not get there again' thought and hope you go for it!

You can see Dali's home and some of his artwork about an hour or so away. I'm a fan of his work, although I'll agree the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell are both ahamazing

Your plans are doable but don't know how much you'll see on sncf tgv train it's pretty fast everything flys by

Barcelona is a fantastic city, Im not arty or into museums much, but I would suggest getting the hop on hop off bus and do exactly that. We stopped in the old Born district in a B and B ( Casa Marcelo) good value with plenty of bars and Tapas around at reasonable prices and good transport links

enjoy

You are going to have a fabulous honeymoon. Paris and Barcelona are two of my favourite cities. So walkable even though they have great transport systems.

My youngest daughter went to Iceland last summer and had such a great time that it is now on my bucket list - the only downside for you is that you are going when the days are very short, but it will make for an interesting experience. Check on what you will need to wear there. Just know that Iceland is expensive. I think DD spent the same on her week in Iceland as her sister did doing a 3 month tour of SE Asia last autumn.

In Paris and Barcelona I would recommend starting the day as early as you can when you plan on seeing the Eiffel Tower and Sagrada Familia. You will need pre booked tickets, but I think earlier visits avoid the most crowded times.

You don't need to go to museums to enjoy these cities, read a couple of guide books to get an idea of where you want to stay - but it is hard to think you would be in the 'wrong' location. It is all good.

Musée d'Orsée has Whistler's Mother. It also has young artists outside where we got some drawings and other artwork. There is even an art supply shop a few doors down the Rue where you can pick up mailing tubes to protect art on the way home.

Reykjavik can be a bit pricey, but we got a decent lunch at the cafeteria at the Perla...the white funny-looking building above town. Everyone we met there speaks excellent English...certainly better than my Icelandic.

Steve

For Paris I have to second SKF's suggestion about the Musee d' Orsay that I consider to be the most beautiful museum we have ever visited http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html Scroll down in the site for this link to the history of the museum. The sculpture gallery on the old main floor of what was the train station is awesome. I like impressionist paintings and this museum has a compact and fantastic display. In comparison, I think that the Louvre is too big, too overwhelming and it would take several days to see vs. your time frame in Paris.

Do be careful in Paris on the Metro in particular. I have traveled a lot and that was the first time I was ever almost pick pocketed as a group of around 5-6 young girls surrounded me and started jostling/bumping/and apparently fingering my pockets. Wallet was NOT in my pants and inside my shirt pocket underneath a sweater so they got nothing. Now I have a wallet that attaches to my belt and is inside my pants and not in a pocket; worked well last yea

The Sagrada Familia is spectacular from the outside and apparently unbelievable on the inside...........we were there last year and only got to see the outside on our one day there on a cruise. We liked Barcelona SO MUCH in our one day trip I just had to go back for more days this year.

We WILL see the inside of the church this year. This year we are going to spend 4 nights in Barcelona before our cruise on the Equinox leaving on Oct. 25th and will devote one morning or afternoon at Parc Guell that we only saw in passing last year on the Hop on Hop Off Bus (that did take us up Montjuic for a really nice view).

Book your tickets for Sagrada Familia online as suggested by others and I read that the audio tour is well worth it as well as the elevator to one of the two towers. FYI: I have read that Passion tower has an elevator up AND down; Nativity tower only has elevator up and you walk down.

Do be careful in Paris on the Metro in particular.

Also the Eiffel Tower. Many signs in French state "ATTENTION AUX PICKPOCKETS!"

Sagrada Familia is a must because it a work of genius by Salvador Dali. There is a recent segment on 60 Minutes which was repeated recently. Look for that to watch to decide

Antonio gaudi not Dali

To the op. Go up in the elevator into the spirals and walk down