8-Day Paris & London Itinerary 

Written By Sydney Vaccaro
 
 

8-Day Paris & London Itinerary 

Hello friends!! Here is the perfect 8-day Paris & London itinerary, especially if it is your first time in these cities.

If you are coming from my planning 8 days in Paris & London videos, you’ll find more details and links to the tours I mentioned here! If you haven’t seen the videos, I’ll link them next to the corresponding days.

Let’s dive in!

*Some links in this post are affiliate links. It doesn’t change the price, but I may earn a small commission if you purchase something I’ve recommended. I’m really grateful for your trust in my advice, and if I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend, I won’t recommend it to you.

PARIS DAY 1:

🛬 Land in Paris and check into your hotel/drop off your luggage. You can take a cat nap, or waste no time and start exploring the city.

💒 Begin your Parisian adventure with a visit to Sainte Chapelle, renowned for its stunning stained glass windows.

🏛 Then head over to the Eiffel Tower. You’re in Paris, baby.

PARIS DAY 2:

🖼 Immerse yourself in art and history at the Louvre, home to some of the world's most treasured masterpieces.

👀 Jumping straight into Rick Steves again by taking his Historic Paris Walking Tour. This will take you around Notre-Dame, and much more.

🏛 Then we are off to the Arc de Triomphe. You’ll get a sweeping view of the Champs-Élysées and you can hit up the shops on the way to or from.

PARIS DAY 3:

🏰 Embark on a day trip to the opulent Palace of Versailles, exploring its lavish interiors and gardens to match.

🖼 Visit the Orsay Museum. Housed in a former railway station, it has a magnificent collection of Impressionist art. Rick Steves has a tour of this museum as well!

🖼 Next head off to the sculptures and serene ambiance of the Rodin Museum, set in beautiful gardens.

LONDON DAY 4:

🚊 Take the 2 ½ hour train ride through the Chunnel from Paris to London, an experience in itself.

🏰 Once you get to London, head to the historic Tower of London, a fortress steeped in royal history and housing the Crown Jewels.

🎶 In the evening, treat yourself to a memorable show in London's famous West End, a hub of world-class theater.

LONDON DAY 5:

🏰 We are starting day five at Buckingham Palace. As they say on their site,

“Buckingham Palace is recognised around the world as the home of the monarch, the focus of national and royal celebrations, as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing the Guard ceremony.”

Now this will look a little different depending on what time of year you go. Durning 10 weeks each summer, the Palace is open for tours so you can actually see the inside of the Palace. The rest of the year, the Palace is closed off for tours, but you can still see the changing of the guards.

The changing of the guard ceremony takes place, weather permitting, at 11:00 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday and daily in the summer.

Watching the changing of the guard ceremony is free! Or if you’d like a guide to get a more educational experience, here are some great options:

🏰 Next, we are off to Westminster Abbey, where since 1066, has hosted every coronation, and is the final resting place for the great kings, queens, poets, musicians, scientists and politicians.

The Rick Steves App doesn’t have a tour of the Abbey, so you can rent an audio guide that is available through the Abbey or get a guided tour similar to this one.

👀 After the Abbey we are going to start making our way to St. Pauls Cathedral, but along the way we are going to follow Rick Steve's Historic London Walking Tour, so you’ll see all the major sites and learn about London on the way! You can download the free Rick Steves Audio Europe™ Travel App here.

Here is a map of the Historic London Walking Tour so you have an idea of what you’ll see!

💒 Number 18 on the Rick Steve’s Historic Tour is St. Paul’s Cathedral, where you can switch tours to Rick’s audio tour of the Cathedral, then continue on your walk after you see this beautiful church.

LONDON DAY 6:

🏰 We are heading to Henry VIII’s (and his wife’s 1 - 8) house, Hampton Court Palace. You’ll see the inner workings of the Tudor court.

Or here are some tour options for you!

🖼 Then we are off to see amazing artifacts! First, immerse yourself in the vast collections of the British Museum, housing artifacts from cultures around the world.

🖼 Next, discover literary treasures and rare manuscripts at the British Library, a haven for book lovers and history enthusiasts.

Both the British Museum and British Library are free to enter! And there are free audio guides for both on the Rick Steves Audio Europe™ Travel App.

PARIS DAY 7:

🚊 We are taking the 2 ½ hour train ride through the Chunnel from back to Paris.

👀 Upon arrival, head to the artistic neighborhood of Montmartre. You can join a guided tour to uncover the stories behind the charming streets, iconic landmarks, and the iconic Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Or just enjoy the views of the city from there!

🎶 Finish off the night with a cabaret show! The classic Moulin Rouge or the new show, Wild Horse.

PARIS DAY 8:

🏰 On our last day we are going to finish up the European adventure with a tour to the enchanting Mont Saint-Michel. A drive through the French countryside, to an abbey perched atop the rocky island, and soak in the mystical atmosphere.

That wraps up our 8-day itinerary, where you will hit all the highlights from Paris and London. I hope you found this blog helpful! If you have any questions you reach out to me here.

Thank you for following along!

xoxo,

Syd

 
Sydney Vaccaro
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