We arrived via Ferry from the UK, which I highly recommend if you want to hit the sites of London first. On the ferry we arrived in the port city of Calais which you can pass by World War 1 battlefields in the Valley of Somme before reaching PARIS.

You have heard of the all the sites and I recommend them all for first timers. See the Eiffel Tower (there was a crepe food stand and it was by far the best), Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysees, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. You can easily get to all of these by using the “T” metro in Paris. I highly recommend stopping and grabbing some champagne & Escargot. We also dabbled with frog legs. Not as bad and you might think! Also see the Love Bridge!

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Day 2 whilst juggling coffee and crepes (Nutella is a local favorite) you can visit the museums of the Lourvre. While this was a pretty incredible experience I would not make it a stop again. The trek to see the Mona Lisa is long and not right when you enter the museum. By the time we reached it, we wanted to leave as there is mass amounts of crowds.

That night we took in a Parisian dinner at Le Mere Catherine (I still dream of their French onion soup and all the BREAD). We often just picked up bread for lunch and it’s so good you can eat it plain. Also gelato is everywhere! We took in the Nouvelle Eve cabaret show which is a little cheaper than the traditional Moulin Rouge show. I recommend both for a cultural experience.

Leaving Paris we traveled to Fontainebleau where the Chateau’s medieval stature and grand surrounding ponds will take your breath away. You can explore the gardens. We stayed in Beaujolais which is charming little city. Here you can take in the villages and see Chablis, Burgundy, and Beaujolais vineyards.

On to the French Riviera. We stopped at the Fragonard Perfumery which was so interesting to see how they make perfumes. You can stock up here! Back on the road via the stunning Cote d’Azur. The water is blue and the beaches are different. They are rocky but you get used to it.  This region is famous for lavender honey, aioli, and rose wine!

We stayed the night in Monaco. We visited the Royal Palace and visited the Monte Carlo Casino. The winding roads are home of the Monaco Grand Prix. The Monte Carlo has a fee to get inside and you can gamble if you want or just a grab a drink. This will cost you a little bit. My mojito was around 15 euros. You will be able to take in all the incredible cars parked outside!

PISA. Can’t go to France without hitting this gem and getting those infamous shots of the leaning tower. There are markets and shopping around the tower, but we didn’t stay long. Onwards to Florence.

The dome of Duomo Cathedral sits above the city so it’s a great overlook. We did a walking tour. Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower), Ponte Vecchio (which I believe they said was the oldest bridge standing in France as the others were destroyed in WW11 by the Nazi’s), Piazza della Signoria, Statue of David, and Basilica Santa Croce. We also witnessed a leather making demonstration.

Rome. Cannot begin to describe the heat in June. I would visit another time if that bothers you. We were also here during the Pride parade which was packed with people. Gelato, pizza and ancient monuments!

See the Colosseum, the Roam Forum, Piazza Venezia, Trevi Fountain (throw in a coin for good luck), Pantheon, and Piazza Navona. There are so many opportunities for al fresco dining at cute little bistros I would not pass them up here or in France.

You can visit the Vatican. Which is technically considered its own state.  Tour the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. We were lucky to be on the grounds and hear the Pope speak. You can spot his window if not. You do have to have the proper attire to go inside.

(The Spanish Steps I heard was also a great place to visit, we didn’t make it here)