I am going to Europe (with gf) for 2 weeks and then to Jamaica (with gf and another couple) for a week in July. We are going to London (staying with a friend), train to Paris, train to Amsterdam, and then flight to Munich. Hotels, flights, trains are all booked. Staying in city center for all of them. I need suggestions on things to do. London - I have no clue what to do but trusting my friend Paris - Eiffel tower, day trip to Versailles, Notre Dame, Luxembourg gardens, need more? Amsterdam - Heineken brewery, redlight district, sex museum / show Munich - Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle, day trip to dachua, and then walk around the city / go to gardens and beer gardens Jamaica we are staying in Ocho Rios and planning to go to the river dunn water falls and probably need to book some other excursions.
I've done Dunn's River Falls and river tubing in Jamaica. Both were fun. From my experience, I like the people and scenery there, but be prepared to be hassled about buying things. Especially as you're leaving the falls. We also had Jerk Chicken at a place that I can't remember the name of. Apparently, it was where the locals go. It was very good, and pretty cheap from what I remember. Our guide's name was Marva Shaw, if that helps. She was very nice and knowledgeable.
Have you done the Blue Hole? I only have time for one or the other and trying to decide between them.
In London, I would attend a Premier League game preferably at White Hart Lane. Don't go to Emirates or Stamford Bridge.
in Munich - swap out the day trip to Dachau for a bike tour. The bike tour is incredibly touristy (and filled with Americans) but it's actually quite good and you learn a lot about the city and see a good chunk of the city. Dachau is depressing as hell. or double down on the Biergartens. Augustiner is a good one if the weather is nice. Hofbrau is a must, but a bit chaotic and filled with Americans and Japanese.
It is good to see that Amsterdam has a nice reputation...... I Amsterdam it is also nice to go on the canals. Also If you want to see a bit of Dutch landscape you can take a train and see the landscape during the trip. Two good options are: To either Utrecht (nice traditional landscape with meadows etc) or To Amersfort (you can get out in Naarden/Bussum) that way you go trough the Naardermeer a nice nature reserve (At which my family has lived for generations) and you can see Naarden and the Muiderslot (A nice dutch castle http://www.muiderslot.nl/?lang=en) You can also go to the coast, or take a short trip to the Hague. How long will you be in the Netherlands? When you are in London Go see a musical.
If I were you I would take one of your days in London and walk from Tower Bridge to the Albert Memorial or Royal Albert Hall in Hyde Park. Map it out on how you want to go along the way with what you want to see. Stop and eat when you want. I think it's the best route and way to see the city.
Want to 2nd this. Having spent time in Munich, and having toured Dachau, I'm not sure you want to do that on a quick visit. if you had a couple of weeks, sure, but texxx is correct about the bike tour, or hell, just walk around Munich. It's extremely gorgeous and easy to get around in.
There are some great art museums in Paris: Musée d'Orsay, Musée du Louvre, Musée de l'Orangerie. Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower are must sees. You can climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and look around. I spent a week in Paris about 15 years ago and the best part of the day was the evening meals. Local area restaurants had amazing food. For London, I would recommend taking one of the hop-on hop-off tourist busses. The guided tour (run every 30 minutes or so) for the Tower of London is a highlight. The British National Museum is also amazing. Like NYC, the theatre will have many world class shows to chose. The only thing I remember about our short stay in Munich was that we went to a beer garden, ordered a beer, the waitress brought back a liter of beer and the rest is kinda hazing. I have nothing good to say about Jamaica. Jamaica has some serious poverty issues and I would be very careful about leaving "the reservation" aka your resort.
Since most of the touristy stuff is already mentioned, if you get a chance in Paris, head to the south of the city and check out the catacombs. Pretty surreal experience. Also, not far from there is the tallest building in Paris (Montparnasse), and it has an observation terrace on the roof. It's the only skyscraper in the entire city, and gives you the only chance to get a panoramic view of Paris WITH the Eiffel Tower in the shot as well. Obviously if you have a chance to go to the museums, definitely do that. Also take a stroll down Champs Elysses and Rue di Rivoli. Amsterdam is just a really cool city to be in. There's not a whole lot to necessarily "see", but the overall vibe of the city is pretty awesome. Obviously the Red Light District has the most character, but the rest of the city is really nice too. Museumplein (sp?) is a very classy area of town, and has the Van Gogh Museum. In the RLD, there's a breakfast spot called Debakerswinkel.....they have some of the best pastries and jams I've ever had in my life.
If you have never been to London or Paris, just go ahead and let the typical touristy stuff overwhelm you and go with it...seriously. There is a reason the famous stuff in London and Paris are famous. In London, depending on how long you will be there, just get your Oyster cards for zone 1 and 2 and take the Underground everywhere...or if you want to get really touristy, its worth taking the Big Red Bus tour for one day. Its a get on and off bus tour of all the main sites in the entire city. My favorite stuff in London is the National Gallery, the Museum of Natural History, St. Pauls Cathedral (go to the top), and Westminster Abby. Tower of London is fun, but I was underwhelmed a little. Make sure to get your picture in front of Buckingham, but unless you are there at the exact right time of year, there are no tours of the Palace. If you want to take a more relaxing day, take a train out to Windsor and enjoy the small town atmosphere. There are some good pubs in Windsor and the tour of the castle is impressive. If you are there on a day when the Boys Choir is singing in St. George's chapel, its worth attending. If you are in Mayfair, everybody says afternoon tea at the Ritz is the best, but the one at the Four Seasons is better and more relaxed. They give you enough "snacks" it can count as a meal if you are worried about the money. IF you walk down to Mount Street in Mayfair, get pizza and Peroni beer at Delfino. Great little pizza joint. In Paris, Musee D'Orsay was more fun for me than the Lourve, but the Lourve was still amazing. We went late in the afternoon on a Sunday and basically had no lines and were able to see everything we wanted to see in about 4 hours. The metro in Paris is awesome, but quite honestly, we just enjoyed walking everywhere and stopping in at the sites we passed by...meander in Paris and don't try to see everything because you won't. Pick 2 things to do each day and stroll there. Paris is awesome if you don't have plans. Try to search Google for off the main path cafes. Tend to be better than the tourist traps. Also, dress up a little in Paris...wear long pants, etc. Parisians get a bad rap. The key in Paris is that service people (waiters, hostesses, cashiers) don't have a "customer is always right" mentality...they treat you exactly how you treat them. If you show a little respect and try some French and then ask if you can speak English, you get a lot further than just assuming they speak English. If you treat them politely and respectfully, they do so in turn.
Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. In Paris, take it easy. Stroll through the neighborhoods, take a coffee in a cafe, find little nooks and crannies. In London, find a pub, drink a pint, talk to a local. Also, explore different cuisines - Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Lebanese and on and on, food is incredible.
