Europe Trip Recap

Okay. I'm *almost* done going through pictures. In the meantime, I figured I'd do a quick day-by-day recap of our trip so that I have it somewhere. (I'm going to keep it pretty dry and straightforward...will add details and discoveries in another post or two.) 

Thursday, May 17: We walked from home to catch our shuttle to the airport, rode uneventfully to the airport and boarded our plane for London. 

Friday, May 18: After arriving in London in the morning, we got through security, ate lunch, then boarded a plane for Rome. Took the train from the Rome airport, found our station and walked to our AirBNB. We settled in and were thankful that there was a restaurant in the same building...and a waitress who spoke English.

Saturday, May 19: We walked to meet up with our Trastevere Food Tour and spent four hours enjoying a delicious welcome to Italy. On our own after that, we wandered...across Rome's oldest bridge, to the Campo de Fiori market, to the Pantheon, and to the Piazza Novana and the Fountain of Four Rivers. 

Sunday, May 20: We walked to the train station and caught a train to Ostia Antica. We explored the ruins there all morning and afternoon before taking the train back to Rome and figuring out how to take the tram back to our AirBNB. Gelato and family game night.

Monday, May 21: After a slow/disrupted morning, we made it to the Colosseum (thankful for the overcast day) then Palatine Hill. Figured out the metro and got a late lunch before walking to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. When we finally made it home, spent the evening walking back and forth to a nearby hotel room for showers. (The hot water had gone out Sunday night at our AirBNB.)

Tuesday, May 22: Tram then bus to the Vatican. We made it promptly inside, wandered through the Pinecoda, had a picnic lunch in the courtyard, then made it through the Vatican museum...ending at the Sistine Chapel. Straight from there to climbing St Peter's dome and enjoying the view from the top and the rest on the rooftop. Back on the ground, we spent some time inside St Peter's before looking for souvenirs and gelato and heading home for dinner at a nearby restaurant. (Thankfully, the hot water got fixed during the day, yay!)

Wednesday, May 23: Out the door on time and caught the bus to the train station. We grabbed paninis to take with us for lunch and rode to Florence. In Florence, we walked to our AirBNB and had a quiet day for laundry and down time and dinner at the central market, Mercato Centrale. 

Thursday, May 24: Started early, got our Firenze Cards, and climbed the Campanile. Once down again, we found the carousel we'd spotted from above. Second breakfast then to the Duomo Museum. To the central market for a late lunch before heading to The Accademia to see David. Gelato and some down time then shopping and dinner.

Friday, May 25: Caught a train to Pisa and found the Field of Miracles. We got some gelato and our bearings before checking our bags and getting in line to climb the Leaning Tower at our assigned time. Lunch, shopping, into the Cathedral and back to the train station. Home, more gelato, another load of laundry, dinner at the central market and game night.

Saturday, May 26: Walked past the market with the pig fountain/statue on our way to the Palazzo Vecchio. Climbed the tower and went through the museum there. Gelato then the Florence Experiment slides. Lunch then through the Uffizi museum. Hydrating then the Galileo Museum. Gelato then walked across the Ponte Vecchio before heading home for a bit to cool off. Dinner at the central market again then home for pinochle and packing.

Sunday, May 27: Checked out and caught our train to Venice then trekked to our AirBNB (ended up waiting more than 30 minutes in the sun as our host was late). Finally checked in and cooled off before heading out for a late lunch and gelato and wandering Venice with no plan. Found a couple of great (free!) exhibits, many picturesque spots, the Rialto Bridge, St Mark's Square and the Bridge of Sighs. Tried to take a waterbus across to another island but ended up on a tour of the Grand Canal, which turned out to be just fine and we enjoyed seeing Venice from the water. Wandered back home, stopping for candy, dinner and groceries.

Monday, May 28: Waterbus to Murano with a short stop at the cemetery island. Had a fabulous time shopping on Murano and going to the glass museum. Lunch and gelato before we ended up taking a waterbus to Burano also and enjoyed the colorful houses, leaning bell tower and gelato. Back to Venice and cooling off time before heading out for dinner and last minute souvenirs.

Tuesday, May 29: Caught a very crowded waterbus to the airport...got through security and ate before making it onto the plane. Landed in Paris and took the train to our AirBNB (a temporary one that we'd gotten for just the one night). Got dinner and decided we didn't feel comfortable staying in the AirBNB (dirty and just not great) but fortunately managed to get into our second Paris AirBNB a day early...so collected our bags and took the metro and finally got settled in about 8. Nathan and I got caught in a thunderstorm trying to get a few groceries. Enjoyed the Eiffel Tower's evening lights from our balcony.

Wednesday, May 30: Slept in and had a much needed slow morning. Did a load of laundry and headed out to the Architecture Museum, getting crepe lunches on the way. Enjoyed the quiet museum then headed to the Eiffel Tower and climbed the stairs to the second level. Journeyed home and had a delicious dinner on our street.

Thursday, May 31: Took an Uber to Versailles and started by exploring the gardens...wandering the grounds, renting boats to row in the Grand Canal, and grabbing lunch. Got in line to enter the Chateau and went through that before getting an Uber home. Did more laundry then took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. Climbed that and ended up in our neighborhood again for dinner.

Friday, June 1: Metro to Notre Dame and found Point Zero and the Archeological Crypt. Asher, Micah and I got to experience the frustration of a Parisian street toilet before all heading into Notre Dame Cathedral. Lunch then into Sainte Chapelle. Walked along the river to the Musee d'Orsay. Enjoyed that before going in search of more food then macarons. Into the Louvre Museum to explore there before taking the metro back home for dinner and dessert.

Saturday, June 2: Travel day...checked out and took the metro to the Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar. (Got lunch at the station.) Arrived in London, got our Visitor Oyster cards situated and took the Tube to our last AirBNB. Rested a bit then out for dinner and groceries.

Sunday, June 3: Walked to catch a BigBus tour (started on one of the audio commentary buses and switched to a live guide). Enjoyed seeing the sights in the sunshine and got off at the Tower of London. Lunch then took the included free river cruise (great guide!). Took the Tube home and got some groceries. Called an Uber and got to our Warner Brothers Studios Harry Potter tour. Stayed there from 5-9:30ish with dinner and shopping during the tour. 

Monday, June 4: Lazier, cooler day. Nathan went for a walk then we all had lunch at a lovely nearby pub. Visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum then walked to Regent's Park boating lake and rented a couple boats for an hour. Played there for a bit then walked home and got groceries to make dinner at home for a change.

Tuesday, June 5: Found our way to the Island Gardens stop and took the pedestrian tunnel under the Thames, which let us out at the Cutty Sark. Enjoyed the Cutty Sark and had afternoon tea beneath the ship. To the Greenwich Market for a yummy lunch then walked on to the National Maritime Museum. After that, hiked up the hill to the Royal Observatory to straddle the Prime Meridian and go through the exhibits. Back to town for gelato before catching a boat upriver to the London Eye. Collected our fast track tickets and rode the Eye before heading home.

Wednesday, June 6: Tube to the Tower of London and enjoyed the Yeoman Warder tour to start before wandering on our own through the White Tower and seeing the Crown Jewels. Crossed the Tower Bridge and stopped for a late lunch before walking on to Borough Market for dessert. Continued walking along the river to the Tate Modern. Saw the view from the top and browsed the exhibits before crossing the Millennium Bridge and taking the Tube home.

Thursday, June 7: Slower morning and quick trip to the store...early lunch then off to the British Museum, Trafalgar Square and the Churchill War Rooms. Early dinner nearby then back to take our seats for the Household Division Beating Retreat (marching and mounted military band performances and fireworks). 

Friday, June 8: Packed and took an Uber to the airport. Through security and grabbed breakfast before boarding our flight home. Watched lots of movies and landed and got through customs just fine. Took an Uber home so that Nathan could do a quick turnaround and drive back to the airport to catch a flight to Washington. Boys and I started laundry and went to karate demo team practice. Home again to continue laundry and sleep.

Whew. And that was our Europe trip. :)