Kycl

Hello,



Can you please help me with my itinerary I have made from an upcoming trip? I will be going in February 2025. I will be traveling solo if that helps (32M).



Paris-Saturday (Arrive from US at noon): Moulin Rouge, Dali Museum, Sacre-Coeur and Montmartre

Paris-Sunday: Eiffel Tower, Galerie Lafayette, Palais Garnier, Champs-Élysées, Arc De Triomphe

Paris-Monday: The Museum of the Shoah, Saint Chapelle, Conciergerie, Notre Dame

Paris-Tuesday: Pantheon, Musée d’Orsay

Paris-Wednesday: Versailles, Catacombs, Les Grand Epiceries de Paris

Paris-Thursday: Louvre, Musée de l'Orangerie

Rome-Friday (Arrive from Paris at noon): Trastevere

Rome-Saturday: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Altar of the Fatherland

Rome-Sunday: CAPITOLINE Museum, Jewish Ghetto

Rome-Monday: APPIAN WAY, Santa Maria Maggiore, Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, Basilica of San Clemente

Rome-Tuesday: VATICAN CITY, St Peters, Castel Sant’Angelo, Trevi Fountain

Rome-Wednesday: Borghese Art Gallery, Pantheon

Naples-Thursday (Arrive at noon): National Archaeological Museum

Pompeii-Friday: Pompei

Travel_Nerd

Are your plans scrapped for November now? No Berlin?

How are you flying home? From Naples or from another city. Full disclosure: I am just planning on my Naples portion of a trip but I'd, personally, want to have time in Herculaneum.

What are your plans if you hit nasty, rainy weather in February? Museums and churches provide shelter, sites like Colosseum, Pompeii, etc. do not.

Kycl

Yes, I had to change my itinerary because of work, they moved a mandatory conference. From what people had suggest I think I was trying to be too ambitious. So, I think this will make life much less hectic. I will be flying out of Naples.

I am originally from Seattle so rain does not scare me. I have also travelled in some pretty crappy weather. I always wear waterproof shoes, rain repellant pants and have a Gore-Tex Jacket. I have also taken off the all the outdoor activities I could. As far as I know Pompeii, Colosseum, Appian way are the only weather exposed activates except for walking through Montmartre, Jewish quarter, etc.

SusanP

You have a nice amount of time in Paris and Rome, but some days are pretty packed.

Does your flight actually arrive in Paris at noon? If so, by the time you get through Immigration, travel to your hotel, get checked in, it will be a long time past noon, which leaves that day's itinerary difficult.

Versailles is pretty much a whole day. I don't think you'll have time for the rest that day.

In Rome, Monday is packed, don't think you can do all of that.

For the Vatican, are you including the Vatican Museums? If so, you can spend a lot of time there. An option would be to take the night tour. It must be booked ahead. You can do this on their own website.

Other things that have to be booked are the Colosseum and the Pantheon. There are plenty of tours that in​​​​clude the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill.​​​​​​

Travel_Nerd

I understand Seattle folks are built different so, I will defer to you. Plan for snow, too, which I know is not immune to Seattle as well.

I see two spots that immediately caught my attention:

I am assuming your flight arrives around noon. And if so, you're underestimating logistics just a little. While you may arrive by noon, by the time you get into the city after passport control, check into lodging, etc. it may be closer to 3pm than you realize. You may only have a little time to see Sacre-Coeur before they close. And little time to see the Dali museum. Moulin Rouge is better at night. If you want to see the show, make reservations. I've read that the meal is...mediocre.

Are you staying in the Montmartre area? That might make things a bit easier.

And also here:
Versailles is an all or most of the day excursion. Even with the reduced crowds, there is still SO much to see at Versailles. And with it being an hour from the Catacombs, you may run out of day. You can see Les Grand Epiceries at any point - does not necessarily need to have the strict schedule.

Edit to Add: flights from Naples leave absurdly early. I only know this as I have to plan a 3:30am departure from my hotel to the airport for my trip in October. Keep that in mind for your schedule.

bvlenci

I think most of your days are too packed. I usually plan one morning activity and one afternoon activity, and just wander around in any time left over. Some of my most memorable experiences have happened on these casual strolls.

I also don't plan two things that require reservations on the same day. Reserved visits can wreak havoc with your schedule.

Think twice about activities that wouldn't interest you at home. If you never go to an art museum at home, I don't understand why you would visit the Vatican Museums. I would stick with some more gentle introduction to art, for instance a palace that has a fair amount of art inside. For instance, in Rome, the Palazzo Doria Pamphili, or the Villa Farnesina.

Doria Pamphili Gallery (near Trevi Fountain)
https://www.doriapamphilj.it/roma/?v...CwwQgU96BAgjEA

Villa Farnesina (in Trastevere)
Villa Farnesina | Gli affreschi di Raffaello a Roma

Kycl

Thanks, y'all. Couple of follow up questions to the responses. For the first night in Paris, I am not tied to the Dali Museum, if I make it that is fine if not, no big deal. I looked and the Sacre-Coeur closes at 10pm. I just want to walk by the Moulin Rouge so that won't take that long. Even if I get to Montmartre at 3, I should still be good right?

For Versailles everyone says it is a full day but isn't that if you include the gardens (which will be dead in early February)? Does it really take 8 hours to see? All the tours I have seen are for 3-5 hours.

For the Vatican I was planning on taking a guided tour and it is 3 hours long. I guess it hits the highlights and after the museums in Paris I am not sure how much I will have left in me. I really want to see the Sistine chapel and St. Peters.

Thank you so much for all of your help. I truly appreciate it.

SusanP

Sacre Coeur will actually be beautiful at night, and the view from up there is wonderful. On the other hand, it's your first day and you may have a little trouble with jet lag or just being really tired from the trip over. Something to keep in mind.

For Versailles, it's more than just the time you spend there. You have to get from your hotel to the train, then the train trip, then from the train to the palace, and the same in reverse on the way back. Plus, you will presumably want to have lunch at some point. All these logistical things take up more time than you think.

You can't see the Sistine Chapel without going through the Vatican Museums, so if that's a high priority, don't cut it. But, if you're worried about museum overload, cut a couple in Paris. There's no rule that you have to go to all of them. Choose those that interest you most. Leave some time to sit in a cafe and just take it all in!

Also, maybe you already know this, but the Borghese Gallery, which is wonderful, also has to be booked ahead.

Travel_Nerd

In addition to the detailed description SusanP provided above, the "standard" Versailles visit of the Palace and gardens takes about 3 hours. With travel to/from, that is easily 5+ hours of your day.

Depending on your interests, there are parts of Versailles that are not included on the main tour such as the Kings and Queens apartments, coaches gallery, etc. The fountains, if they are running, are spectacular (not sure their schedule in the Winter) and, if the weather is nice, it is absolutely worth it to wander in the gardens.

Your plan in Rome seems very church-heavy, especially that Monday. If churches are a priority, absolutely go. Even though I am an art, history, and architecture nerd (art history minor), I got weary of them after a while and begin to prioritize if there is a specific sculpture or painting I want to see. YMMV.

Sassafrass

When you go to Versailles, the town itself is well worth a little walk and the covered market is wonderful! Check the times it is open so you do not miss it. There are lots of little restaurants, nice to have lunch there before heading back to the city. We spent an afternoon and a night in Versailles before touring the next morning and it was the best part of our trip.

Traveler_Nick

I wouldn't worry about the Rome weather in February. It's a time of year that literally anything is possible including snow and beach weather in the same week but in general it's not challenging.

You're missing two papal basilicas -)

Kycl

OK, I will loosely plan not to visit the catacombs after Versailles. If I end up having time, I will do it. The churches in Rome are kind of like the museums in both Rome and Paris. If I’m tired of them I won’t go and see them. I kind of want to over plan, so that I at least have an itinerary in mind. If I don’t want to see something or stay too long at a place that works and is different than not having anything planned and scrambling to fill time. I enjoy art, but I am not a connoisseur by any means. Where some people may stand for several minutes, admiring a painting or artifact I can appreciate its value and move on with just having seen it.

SusanP

This is not a bad idea, to have more in mind than you can probably see. As you say, that way you're not in a position where you have to try to fill time without knowing what is there.

I would recommend prioritizing your sites for each day so you can do the things that are more important to you first and lower-priority things if you have time.

Be sure to check open/closed days and times so you don't spend time getting someplace just to find out it's closed. A lot if churches especially close in the middle of the day, and yes, they will usher you out if you're there when it's time for them to have the afternoon break. They usually reopen late afternoon.

J62

When I was younger (~ 32M) I would plan trips like this - museum, church, another museum, ruins, run run run. Looking back years later I now realize that it’s not the sights that I have any fond memories of, but rather the experiences of slowing down - listening, tasting, lingering, smelling, and actually enjoying being where I am. Enjoying the unplanned.

Missing from your plan is any intentional slower time.

Book an hour break mid morning to sit in a cafe and strike up conversation. Stop in a small neighborhood church and sit in a pew for an hour to observe the the flock of nuns in their Nikes tittering, or catching that sunbeam shining through the stained glass you failed to notice walking by. The church has the name of your favorite aunt, and the incense reminds you of visiting her home as a child. On a nicer day, grab a picnic lunch with a bottle of wine a d hang out on a brick wall overlooking the forum and track the tourists down below zipping among the ruins and imagine yourself living there 2000 years ago. Maybe your ancestor was a Senator, or maybe they were a slave hauling stone from the quarry. Talk to people. Break bread or share your wine with someone who interests you.

Been there. All of the above. These are the stories you’ll remember and tell.

Plan into your schedule time to just be present. You can always skip those plans, just as you can skip another museum.

AJPeabody

When I first saw this thread, I was going to post the usual "This is impossible" post, but I was bored doing that on every laundry list proposed itinerary. I strongly suspect that after failing miserably to achieve the OP's original first day, the situation will self-correct. Rational people don't try to do the impossible day after day.

I wonder if there will be a trip report after this itinerary is executed.

Kycl

J62 I have tried to build in some relaxing time. Like spending the whole first afternoon in Rome in the Trastevere, or the afternoon in the Jewish ghetto a couple days later. On some of the days I just planned two things like day 4, 6 and 12. That should give me time for a long lunch. I know some days I probably packed too much but I though I was doing a good job planning off times, maybe not every day though. Ill have to do more research. And getting advise from you guys is extremely helpful.

AJPeabody I'll make sure I do one just for you

J62

Only 2 things planned on days 4, 6, and 12..... "Less busy" is not the same as including actual planned slow time. A few long lunches doesn't count in my mind, but it sounds like you know what type of trip you want.... go for it.

apersuader65

In February, Paris will be dark by 5:50 to 6:30 in February, so you'll certainly see Moulin Rouge lit up. If you're staying in the Montmartre area, you will likely see the Moulin Rouge several times at night.

AJPeabody

I will be looking for your report, as will all Fodors users.

In fact your method is sort of what my method was for past trips to a city. I would list possible things for any day and then we would choose depending on mood and weather. We did not expect to do more than a third of the options, Having a day list kept us from needing snap research on hours and closure days.

Have a good (and not impossible) trip!

apersuader65

The planning of 'slow time' is a purely personal endeavor. I absolutely abhor sitting still and watching, it actually makes me anxious - in the bad anxiety way.

My first trip to Paris was in February, so weather can be all over the place, but I would think Seattle would be a good comp.

As for Versailles, if you catch a RER C to Versailles Rive-Gauche, its about a 30 minute ride. Catch one early enough to get to Versailles by 8:15 to 8:30, You can leisurely walk to the entrance in less than 30 minutes. It opens at 9:00 so you can be in ahead of any crowds (not likely in February anyway) that come in by bus.

I'll reiterate, the hours of daylight are limited in February, but there is a vast difference between the 1st (9.5 hours) and the 28th (11 hours). Keep that in mind as well.