Overseas Travel – 3 Cities in Europe

My dear friend, Amanda and her family had an incredible overseas travel adventure touring three major cities in Europe. This family vacation took two years of planning, mostly due to the stall caused by Covid 19 and the Covid restrictions. Never the less, my friend, her husband, and their four kids, two sets of twins, ages 10 & 13, were able to spend several days exploring Rome, Paris, and London. During “The Trip of a Lifetime” they woke up at 6:30am, walked everywhere, and went back to bed, wiped out at 8pm!

Overseas Travel to Rome

Their overseas travel adventure began with a flight to JFK for their first layover. Unfortunately, their flight out was delayed by 90 minutes, causing a domino effect! They took the long flight over the Atlantic to Frankfort, Germany. Because of the delay and customs in Germany they missed their next flight. Fortunately, they were able to rebook and took their final flight to Rome without a hitch.

To help with the jetlag, the kids were encouraged to stay awake for the first and second flights and sleep for the final flight. To help them sleep, electronics were turned in to the parents. Amazingly this helped and kids slepts about 4 hours and were ready to go when they arrived in Rome.

Once they arrived in Rome they checked into their hotel, grabbed lunch, and then set out to explore the city on foot. To help acclimate to the time-zone change they stayed awake and kept on moving until 7pm.

Day One in Rome

The Colosseum Tour

The three hour Colosseum Tour was their favorite activity of the entire trip. It began in the lower level which was once the underground where the animals, gladiators, and prisoners waited before battle. The area, now exposed to the sun because of time and deteriorization, has many winding passageways. The guide lead them to an area where the floor rose up into what would have been Colosseum arena. The tour continued through the upper levels and stands where they learned the fasinating history of the infamous Colosseum, as well as the gladiator battles.

The tour also include a walk through of the Roman Forum adjacent to the Colosseum. The Roman Forum was once a very active town square. Today it is the site of ruins of ancient goverment buildings and an arch very much like Arc de Triumph in Paris. The tour continued from the valley and up the hill to Palatine Hill. Palatine Hill was one of the most desirable neighborhoods for aristocrats and emperors. The lavish palaces and homes lay in ruins, but still offer fabulous views overlooking the Roman Forum and The Colosseum.

Roman Gladiator School

This kiddos chose this fun and active activity, but the adults had a good time too. The three hour Gladiator school started out with some gladiator history along with information about the weapons, shields, and helmets the gladiators used. Then everyone got to dress up in the gladiator robe and choose a weapon. Instructors had them go through training, learning sword moves and going through an obstacle course. This prepared them for battle! Weapons were not real and the battle was playful and fun. The “King” and “Queen” choose the winners, but everyone recieved a certificate.

Day Two in Rome

Vatican City – The Vatican and St. Peters Dome Climb

Vatican City is a overseas travel must see for those visiting Rome. My friend was able to book the Vatican City tour before the trip and it was definitly worth it. The tour started with a climb up the dome of St. Peters Basilica for a breathtaking view of Rome and The Vatican. They continued the guided tour down, back into St. Peters Basilica. The tour included the Vatican Museums to see ancient sculptures and art work and the Sistine Chapel to see The Last Judgement by Michelangelo.

At some point during the tour, they were given some free time for lunch and souvenir shopping. Of course, lunch was pizza at a restaurant that came highly recommended.

Tip: When making your overseas travel arrangements, be sure to check the website dress code guidelines. There are strict guidelines for entry into the Vatican.

Fountains and Piazzas of Rome

The later part of the day was a Piazza scavenger hunt, of sorts. Rome has many gorgeous Piazzas throughout the city, some easy to find in large squares and others hidden within small neighborhoods. The water in each of the Piazzas is fresh and clean, tested daily, so you can just fill your water bottle up with the water when you spot a fountain. My friend and her family mapped and searched out as many Piazzas they could find.

Tip: Make sure to purchase a colapsible waterbottle. They are realatively inexpensive and easy to pack when preparing for your overseas travel.

Day 3 in Rome

Villa Borgeous Gardens

The Villa Borgeous Gardens, located on Pincian Hill, are very much like an arboretum with a botanical collection of different species of trees along with other plantlife and meandering paths. They were able to rent a Treak Bike (a covered four person bike) and two single bikes for their family of six to explore the grounds of the gardens. While riding the paths and groves, they saw gardens, fountains, historical buildings and came to high point where they had a fabulous view of city of Rome and the Vatican. There was also a lagoon where they were able to rent a row boat for a 20 minute excursion.

On the way back to there hotel, there adventure continued on foot while they wondered through Rome searching for more Piazzas.

Day 4 in Rome

The Catacombs

The last full day in Rome started off with a tour of The Catacombs of Domitilla! The 45 minute guided tour took them below the city to the underground church, Domatilla, and through the tunnels and corridors to see the catacombs. They learned about the history of the catacombs dug by the Domatilla family, the pilgrimages during the Middle Ages, and the controversy it sparked over the role of women in the Church.

The Pantheon

Although there are many tour options, my friend and her family chose to do a self-guided tour through the the nave and crypt of The Pantheon. It was entirely FREE. They enjoyed the sculptures and artwork in the church, but were most fasinated by the Pantheon Dome. The oculus or hole in the center of the Dome is the main source of light, but also allows rain water into the interior. Water drainage became a captivating topic between the adults as they tried to locate the 22 holes for outflow.

Tip: Like the Vatican, there are strict dress code guidelines. Before your overseas travel, make sure to check out the Vatican website for dress code guidance.

They also spent time viewing the marble sculptures and carved plaques surrounding the three main tombs. Raphael, a well-known master of Renaissance painting and architecture, Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy, and Umberto I, Victor Emmanuel II’s successor were buried along with their wives at the Pantheon.

To finish off the tour, they visited the Fontana del Pantheon. The small Baroque fountain that stands in front of The Pantheon in the famous in the Piazza della Rotonda or square.

Mass at Vatican City

Papal Audiences are held on Wednesdays St Peter’s Square if the Pope is in Rome. This gives tourists and visitors a chance see the Pope and receive the Papal Blessing. Unfortunately Pope Francis was out of town, so there was no service.

Tip: No tickets are required, but you can reserve up to 10 tickets in advance and there is no charge. Either way, you want arrive at least 2 hours early to guarantee seating.

Good bye Rome, Hello Paris!

Day 1 in Paris

A quick flight took them from Rome to Paris. After checking into their hotel and early dinner they took a short walk to the Eiffel tower and explored the surrounding gardens until it got late.

Day 2 in Paris

Statue of Liberty

The first order of the day was to find the Paris Statue of Liberty located on Île aux Cygnes, an island on the Seine River. The island with bridge access to the statue was easily found only blocks from the Eiffel tower. The statue is much smaller than the one on Liberty Island in the Us, about a quarter of the size.

The Île aux Cygnes Statue of Liberty is actually one of six statues located in Paris. There is also a replica of the Flame of Liberty, La Flamme de la Liberté at Pont de l’Alma. Pont de l’Alma is also the same bridge that Pricess Diana died, so the La Flamme de la Liberté is surrounded by flowers and pictures of the princess making it an unofficial memorial.

Siene River Tour

After the Statue of Liberty they took a one hour boat voyage on the Siene. While taking in the breeze from the top deck, the guided tour took them past some of the iconic Paris landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musee d’Orsay.

Eiffel Tower Summit

They headed back to the Eiffel park for a small lunch purchased at one of the food kiosks. While enjoying a small picnic they savored their light lunch surrounded by the gardens and a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower.

Finishing off the afternoon they headed to the Eiffel Tower for fantastic views of the city. The Eiffel Tower Summit View option was a must do for the kiddos. Tickets were purchased as soon as they were available (3 months in advance) from the Eiffel tower website.

Day 3 in Paris

The Louvre

Planning ahead they purchased the Louvre Highlights Tour. Their morning tour allowed them to skip the line and head straight for the museum’s most famous works including the Mona Lisa. After a 40 minute presention with the group they were left on their own to explore. They spent the remainder of their time in Greek Antiquities because the kiddos loved the statues.

Back to Eiffel Park

After a busy morning at the Louvre and lunch, they took a bus back to Eiffel Park for an afternoon of free time. The kids…and adults, needed a little extra time to relax from all the business of site seeing the last several days.

Day 4 in Paris

Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie

After a quick view of the outside of Notre Dame they meandered a few blocks to their tour of Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie. The self guided took them through both medieval Gothic buidings. Tickets were purchased in advance through the website at a 2 for 1 price deal.

In the Sainte Chapelle they marveled at the colorful stained glass windows that depicted scenes from the bible. While at the Conciergerie, a medival palace turned into a courthouse and prison of Marie Antionnette, they toured through the chapel, Gaurds Room, and the Hall of Soldiers. They learned the history of the building and how it was abandoned by King of France in the 14th century.

From Paris to London

Rather than dealing with the hustle of an airport they took the Eurostar high speed train to from Paris to London. The rail trip took them through the French countryside and under the English Channel. There was not much to see on the train and it was black going under the channel, but it was fast. The ride was only two and half hours!

Day 1 in London

Harry Potter Studio

After a late breakfast they took an all day tour Harry Potter Studio tour. This was their daughter’s pick, but everyone really enjoyed the excursion and the kids especially had a blast.

The tour began with a one and half hour bus ride where the kiddos were able to watch movies on the seat back screens, set much like the airplane flight. As they ventured off to view the studio they were given head sets for there own self guided tour. The kids had fun doing the kids scavenger hunt while meandering through the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, and Dumbledore’s office. They viewed the original sets used for filming which included props and costumes on display. They were captivated with filming tricks, specifically on how Hagrid was made to look bigger. Toward the end of their time they even got to ride broomsticks in an imaginary quidditch match.

Day 2 in London

Museum Day

Given London museums are free, they spent the day investigating a few of them. They appreciated the peace and quiet of the Museum of Natural History until they came to the intriging Mummy exhibit, which was really busy. While at the Science Museum, the kids really delighted in the science of space and space exploration.

Day 3 in London

Buckingham Palace

The morning Buckingham Palace tour was a delight! During the tour they viewed the opulent State Rooms of the palace which only open two months of the year. While there, they learned the long history of the Queen Elizabeth II and the British Royal Family through an independent audio guide. The host guide brought them outside to experience the Changing of the Guard leaving them time to finish the tour wandering through St. James Park.

Tower of London

As a last minute add the night before, they purchased the Tower of London tickets. The tickets gave them access to the Crown Jewels, The White Tower, Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, Battlements, Medieval Palace, Bloody Tower, Torture at the Tower exhibition, Fusiliers Museum and Royal Mint exhibition. My friend was most fasinated by the Crown Jewels, learning about how and when the jewels and garments were worn. The Tower of London was probably the most favored activity while in London!

Day 4 in London

London Tower Bridge

One of the most noticable structures of the London, the Tower Bridge is also a fasinating museum. It is a combined suspension and bascule bridge over the river Thames. While on the bridge they were educated about the bridge structure and history along with London history. Although it was rather small, their favorite part of London Tower Bridge was the glass floor where they could see the traffic below.

Taking in a Broadway Show

For the fun of it, they purchased tickets for the performance of Wicked. The theatrical performance took place at historic Apollo Victoria Theatre and was probably the best show they had seen, even beating out US performances.

Day 5 in London

After a 7am morning prayer service at Westminster Abby, they spent day walking around the city and catching the sites of some of famous landmarks. Those landmarks included Speaker’s Corner at Hyde Park, the Original Hard Rock Cafe, and Big Ben & Parliament. One of their favorites of the day was the Household Calvary Museum where they saw the Queen’s mounted bodyguards and the working stables.

The Last Day in London

The final day of the overseas travel adventure was spent riding the Toot Bus, a hop-on, hop-off bus, giving them the opportunity to see anything they had missed. They had a drive-by of Windsor Castle, St. Paul’s Church, the Theator district, and went across London Tower Bridge to see the bridge from below. To finish off they went souvenir shopping.

Last minute tickets to the London Dungeons Museum were on the agenda, but the museum was sold out for the day.

Heading Home

After an incredible 14 days in Rome, Paris, and London the family of six concluded there overseas travel vacation. The flights back, with only one short layover at JFK, were uneventful. Both parents and kids slept most of the way making it an easy flight.

Overseas Travel Vacation Conclusion

During this amazing overseas travel vacation, the family of six made it a point to walk almost everywhere. They woke up at 6am daily and put in 28,000 to 30,000 steps before going to bed at 8pm. Everyone was exhausted when they concluded each day. There were even a few times the kiddos fell asleep at dinner! The trip was amazing for both parents and the kids as they got to see so many things while learning so much history and culture.

A special thanks…

Thank you Amanda for sharing your trip with me and my Travel Adventures followers.