London and Paris
London and Paris, arguably two of the most vibrant
cities in the world, have been tied together by
an umbilical cord for the past 10 years … Eurostar,
the high-speed train between London and Paris… making
it the most convenient double-ended vacation experience
in Europe.
The Eurostar has also made it easy to build itineraries
that allow for leisurely enjoyment of London: theater,
shopping in Harrod’s or on Saville Row and the British
Museum, to name a few, combined with the style,
elegance, fine dining and museums in Paris. A sample
itinerary might be the combination of both of these
great cities, spending 5 nights each in Paris and
London. Accomodations can fit any budget.
In the ten years that the Eurostar train has been
in service, it has completely revolutionized travel
between England and the Continent. There are choices
of up to 16 departures per day, traveling to Paris
from Waterloo station in London and vice-versa.
From Waterloo station, you can be walking in the
heart of Paris in just two hours and 35 minutes.
Both cities offer passes which can be purchased
ahead of time, allowing unlimited transportation
on the bus and subway systems, as well as city passes
that feature a variety of discounts at attractions
throughout the metropolitan areas. The London Pass,
for example, allows free entry to over 50 attractions
as well as a public transport option on buses, tubes
(subways) and trains where the transport option
is purchased. In addition, there are also special
offers such as discounts at restaurants and theaters.
Or, where the attraction is normally free to the
public, The London Pass offers extras such as guided
tours. A 3-day London Pass can be purchased for
about $110 USD … a good price since it covers more
than $700 in entrance fees and discounts.
One of the most important museums in London is
the Victoria and Albert Museum, which used to be
a stuffy old place. Befuddled visitors haunted seven
miles of galleries, hoping to emerge before the
seasons changed. All of that has changed recently
with the transformations that begin in late 2001
and continues. The Victoria & Albert Museum,
known as the V&A, has the world's greatest collection
of fine and applied arts.
Founded in 1852, the museum has been housed in
the same grand building since 1909. The building
has an impressive facade and main entrance. As the
museum grew new buildings were erected when needed.
Many of these buildings were intended to be semi-permanent
exhibition halls but all have survived and represent
one of the finest groups of Victorian buildings
in the country.
The V&A has over four million items on exhibit
from all periods and areas of the world. Displays
include sculpture, jewelry, enamels, silver, miniatures,
watercolors, pottery, glass, furniture, weapons,
musical instruments and costume. The 145 galleries
cover ten acres and are spread over four floors.
The V&A is on Cromwell Road, near the South
Kensington tube station (telephone 44 20 7942 2000).
It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. For
complete information visit HERE
In Paris, “the City of Light,” a 3-day Paris Museum
Card can be purchased for about $53 USD, which allows
entry into more than 70 museums and monuments in
Paris and the surrounding area. Another way to enjoy
Paris at reasonable prices is the $40 USD 2-day
Unlimited Paris Sightseeing Pass. It consists of
transport on a double-decker bus on four routes
throughout the city to attractions, shopping areas
and historic sites. You can hop on and off as often
as you want and enjoy sightseeing commentaries in
English and French on free private earphones. It’s
a fun and economical way to get familiar with the
city.
The international renown of the Louvre museum sometimes
makes us forget that it was originally designed
as a palace. Since the Middle Ages, its development
has been quite exceptional, marked by both the major
events of French history and the succession of architects
and decorators who have left their mark on it The
Louvre was not in any way originally intended to
become a museum. The "salle des antiques"
which Henri VI set up on the ground floor of the
Grande Galerie was not accessible to the general
public, nor was the king's cabinet of drawings,
created in 1671, or the king's cabinet of paintings,
to which access was reserved for a privileged few.
The museum is open daily, except Tuesdays and certain
public holidays, from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Evening
openings until 9:45 p.m. are on Wednesdays and Fridays.
For complete information visi HERE
