First Tour - A week in London and Paris end of April
in Travel Tips
Total newbies. First tour for me and my husband. Any suggestions as to clothing, practical totes, adapters, safety, restaurants (need for reservations), etc. would be appreciated!
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Read everything you can on this forum both in the older posts for this tour and any tour that goes to London or Paris. Don't get carried away over packing. You can also use the search function for specific questions like what to pack which has loads of entries. There is a packing list for all tours found on the website page for your tour and in your final documents. For adapters to charge dual voltage items (smartphone, tablet, etc) France uses the standard European one but the UK has a totally different design. Amazon has plenty to choose from. As to reservations it depends on the type of restaurants you favor. Many restaurants let you make reservations online now from the US so if you find something special you really want you can reserve ahead.
One 25 inch suitcase and a small backpack or tote per person will be more than adequate and if you are a light packer you can go carry on only. Once you pass customs, Tauck will handle your luggage for the entire trip until your drop off. The Eurostar does have luggage racks at the end of the cars and a small overhead rack. Tauck will get your luggage to Paris for you so you only need a day bag for the train ride. You will need to get a British ETA which is done on line. You will have a first class ticket on the train. If there are any sites you want to see that are not on the Tauck schedule you will also need advance tickets for some of those.
If you can extend the tour at either end it would really improve your experience. I favor London for you as no language barrier, in theory….last time I was in London, I didn’t hear much English.
Be very careful of pick pockets in Paris, they have all kinds of distraction tricks, just about everyone I know who have been to Paris, including myself have had such experiences. I never feel unsafe in London.
ARose - If your hotel in London is close to Covent Garden, there are many eateries there. We had lunch twice at Dishoom featuring Indian cuisine on the suggestion of a fellow Forum member. It was very nice and no reservations were needed for lunch.
The InterContinental in Paris is adjacent to the Opera House. It is a lovely establishment with a very nice dining room for dinner. Weather permitting, you can have a more casual meal at their outdoor café—also a great place to people watch. If celebrating a special event, Guy Savoy was a very memorable experience. Dinner reservations are imperative, however.
I wouldn’t be concerned about safety. Just be cognizant of your surroundings, especially in heavily populated tourist areas such as the Eiffel Tower. I would refrain from carrying a tote while on excursions. My preference is a crossbody purse.
Have a wonderful time.
Thank you everyone.
This our first Tauck tour- June 2026 on Serene. I don't seem information on room service. Can you share a few details?
100 days to go!
Ann
AnnGreen - This thread discusses a land tour. To answer your question about a river tour, those who stay in the 300 sq. ft. cabins are entitled to have breakfast room service.