The action list

Reservation Links

What is booked, what to do next, and what is just waiting for its booking window.

Everything that needs booking or doing before the trip, grouped by what it is and sorted by what needs you now. Finished things collapse out of the way. The filters pull up one category, one status, or one booking window.

Party: 2 adults on everything. Passports: both US, carried on the days flagged in the itinerary. Cards: the no-foreign-transaction-fee card. Confirmations: restricted Europe 2026 / Reservations & Vouchers on Google Drive; use the exact verified booking links below. *: free with the Museum Pass, no cancellation fee, nothing lost if plans change.
You're caught up.Nothing needs action today. Next booking window opens about 24 Oct.

Pending · 3 items, not counted in the score above

Not a problem, not overdue, nothing you missed. Each one is blocked by a booking window that has not opened yet, so there is genuinely nothing to click yet. The moment a window opens, that item moves out of here and into the real to-do list, and the percentage above will drop to show it, then climb back to 100% once it is booked too.

Notre-Dame, free timed reservation
Waiting
~3–5 min · Easy
Booking opens about 24 Oct. Mon 26 Oct, around 14:00 · tentative, free
Entry and timed reservation are free. The official booking page says slots release progressively only on the same day, a few hours before entry. The 09:00 Sainte-Chapelle and 11:00 Conciergerie are booked; lunch and a roughly 25-minute walk come before this tentative afternoon stop.
Know before you go

Dress: it's a working place of worship, no transparent or tight-fitting clothing, shoulders/torso/stomach/thighs covered, men remove hats indoors. Non-compliant dress can mean being turned away at the door.

Bags: security checks at entry, large luggage and bags prohibited; backpacks reportedly OK up to roughly 20 litres.

notredamedeparis.fr sits behind a bot-check that blocked direct verification, this is sourced from Google's indexed snippets of the official pages, not a page read live. Worth a quick recheck closer to the date, especially the 20-litre bag figure.

Free. Ignore paid 'skip-the-line' Notre-Dame tickets from resellers.
We are booking
Notre-Dame, free timed reservation
Mon 26 Oct
around 14:00, after lunch
2 people
Choose
a free timed entry slot
Same-day release only. The official booking page releases free slots progressively a few hours before entry. Check on 26 Oct; allow a 25-minute walk after lunch and up to three hours at the cathedral. The 09:00 and 11:00 visits are booked and cannot be crowded by a morning cathedral slot.
Do not choose
  • paid 'skip-the-line' Notre-Dame entry from third-party sellers
Match before paying
  • Mon 26 Oct
  • around 14:00
  • 2 people
  • free
Done when
a free reservation confirms two entries near 14:00 on Oct 26. If none, free walk-up is the fallback, subject to the queue.
Do this: On 26 Oct check progressively for two free timed entries near 14:00, allowing up to three hours on site. If none, free walk-up is the fallback, subject to the queue.
ETIAS (EU / Schengen authorisation)
Waiting
Watch only. Not a booking, and nothing you can do yet.
ETIAS is not yet operating. It is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2026. No application should be made unless the official EU system is live for an Oct 13 entry. You are not behind on this.
Do not pay any 'ETIAS' site. Not live, not required for this trip. If it launches it will be ~€20pp on the official EU site only.
Do this: Check the official EU status at 30 days out and again at 7 days out. Apply only if it has actually gone live for this trip, on the official EU site, never a third-party 'ETIAS service'.
Star Alliance Lounge, LAX (Tom Bradley International Terminal)
Waiting
App only, no paper backup
Mon 12 Oct, if you go, book on your phone right before walking over
TBIT, Level 6, airside past security. A real paid lounge, not Priority Pass and not free: about $65-70 per person, ~$130-140 total for both. Replaces the earlier Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse plan, which had a hard 17:00-20:00 Priority Pass blackout that LA traffic couldn't reliably beat. This is a last-minute, at-the-airport call, not a locked-in plan — the fallback is just dinner somewhere before/near the airport and a drink at a regular bar instead.
Know before you go

Booking: still must be booked online, even if it's minutes ahead of walking in — staralliance.com/paid-lounge-entry, walk-up isn't offered. Pick a 3-hour arrival window that covers whenever you actually decide to go, timed to comfortably cover the 20:50 LEVEL departure. Entering a Star Alliance frequent-flyer number at booking earns a small discount.

Hours: open until 00:30, and once you're in for your booked window there's no forced exit, so there's no blackout to race.

Offerings: a full buffet plus a noodle bar, 8 shower suites, and an outdoor terrace with fire pits, a real, above-average lounge.

Cost: ~$65-70pp, ~$130-140 total for two. Worth it for a guaranteed, no-blackout window ahead of an 11h45 overnight flight, if you decide to do it.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Optional, pending arrival at LAX — not a real to-do until John decides, since traffic makes the timing unpredictable. If he goes in, it's booked on the spot on his phone before walking over..
Do this: Pending arrival at LAX — if you decide to go in, book on your phone right there at staralliance.com/paid-lounge-entry before walking over, 2 adults, whatever 3-hour window covers your actual arrival and the 20:50 departure. Enter a Star Alliance frequent-flyer number if either of you has one, for the small discount. Pay at booking.

Choose your mission

Reservations 100% booked (46 of 46 actionable, plus 3 pending) · Reconfirmations 0 of 19 due (they come up after you book, from about a week out; the full list is the final 7-day check on Prep).

Flights4 of 4 · Complete
The route is real. Four cities are officially connected.
Booked (4)
Los Angeles (LAX) to Barcelona (BCN)
Booked
App only, no paper backup
Depart Mon 12 Oct, evening (~20:00-21:00) · arrive Tue 13 Oct, afternoon
The only nonstop. ~11h45. 2 adults, carry-on only. LEVEL's cabin bag allowance is 56×40×25cm + a 40×30×15cm personal item, up to 10kg combined, included even on Economy Light. LEVEL flies this a few days a week, and Oct 11-13 are on the 2026 schedule.
Confirmed: LEVEL LL2624 · dep Mon 12 Oct 20:50, land 17:15 · seats 23C / 23A · Economy Light, fare $897. Both boarding passes are in the linked two-page restricted Drive PDF. Carry-on only, nothing left to add: Economy Light already includes a cabin bag + personal item.
Fair price: LEVEL 'Economy Light' one-way runs ~$350-450 per person, carry-on included, ~$700-900 for two, all in. Over ~$1,000, wait a week or two, this route softens. 'Economy Comfort' (seats included) is worth it only if it's within ~$60 of Light. Budgeted $850.
Barcelona (BCN) to Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
Booked
pdf
Fri 16 Oct, dep 08:00, arr 09:50
~1h50, nonstop. 2 adults, carry-on only. Confirmed on the booking: both a free 40×30×20cm underseat bag and a large 55×40×20cm/10kg overhead-locker cabin bag are included for both passengers, no add-on needed.
Confirmed: Vueling VY6106 · Fri 16 Oct, dep BCN 08:00, arr FCO 09:50 · seats 2C / 2B (Space Plus) · €269.98 total (2 adults + 2 Space Plus seats). The booking reference, the confirmation and both boarding passes (John 2C, Le Andra 2B) are on the Drive voucher, saved 2 Oct. Still to do: add both passes to Apple Wallet on both phones and check they scan.
What it's worth: €269.98 for two incl. seat selection, inside the ~$140-190 fair-price band once seats are added. Clean outcome.
Reconfirm nearer the time: both boarding passes are on the Drive voucher and in the Vueling app · add them to Apple Wallet on both phones and check they scan before travel.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Barcelona (BCN) to Rome-Fiumicino (FCO)
Fri 16 Oct
08:00 departure
2 adults
Vueling, nonstop
Price estimate Booked for €269.98 for two, seats included. Vueling and ITA Airways both run this route several times a day.
Choose
Vueling VY6106, the 08:00 nonstop, Economy fare with 2 Space Plus seats added
ITA Airways ‘Classic’ economy is the other reasonable pick, the bag is already in the fare. Ryanair flies BCN to FCO too now (not Ciampino), only worth it if it's meaningfully cheaper and strict gate-check rules are fine.
Match before paying
  • Fri 16 Oct
  • a morning departure
  • 2 adults
  • cabin bag only unless you're checking one
Done when
the confirmation shows a Fri 16 Oct BCN-FCO nonstop for two.
Rome Fiumicino (FCO) to Paris Orly (ORY)
Booked
App only, no paper backup
Wed 21 Oct, dep 10:10, arr 12:20
~2h10, nonstop. 2 adults, carry-on only, cabin bag + priority boarding included. Transavia's included cabin bag is up to 55×40×25cm, plus a 40×30×20cm personal item, 10kg combined.
Confirmed: Transavia TO3911 · Wed 21 Oct, dep FCO 10:10, arr ORY 12:20 · €292 total (2 adults, €146 each, incl. cabin bag + priority boarding), paid via Mastercard. The booking reference is on the Drive voucher. Still to do: nothing yet; check in online closer to the date via My Transavia.
What it's worth: €292 for two incl. cabin bag and priority boarding, right in the ~$180-250 fair-price band for this route.
Reconfirm nearer the time: online check-in opens 30 hours before Wed 21 Oct 10:10 Rome departure: Tue 20 Oct 04:10 Rome / Mon 19 Oct 19:10 Pacific · Travel Agent will check in both, verify passes and report; calendar reminder corrected to Oct 19 19:15 Pacific.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) to Paris-Orly (ORY)
Wed 21 Oct
10:10 departure
2 adults
Transavia, nonstop
Price estimate Booked for €292 for two, cabin bag and priority boarding included. Transavia owns the mid-morning bank of flights on this route to Orly.
Choose
Transavia TO3911, the 10:10 nonstop, with a cabin bag and priority boarding added
easyJet is the other real option if the time works better. FCO to CDG on ITA or Air France plus a flat-fare taxi to the Left Bank is the fallback, only if Orly departures don't line up.
Match before paying
  • Wed 21 Oct
  • a mid-morning departure
  • 2 adults
  • Orly, not Beauvais or Ciampino
Done when
the confirmation shows a Wed 21 Oct FCO-ORY nonstop for two, landing at Orly.
London Heathrow (LHR) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Booked
App only, no paper backup
Fri 30 Oct, midday departure (~10:00-14:00, land LAX ~13:00-17:00)
Nonstop, ~11h15. BA, Virgin Atlantic and American all run midday departures. 2 adults, standard economy, carry-on only. American's carry-on limit is 22×14×9in (56×36×23cm), no weight limit, plus an 18×14×8in (45×35×20cm) personal item.
Confirmed: American AA137 · Fri 30 Oct, dep LHR Terminal 3 11:55, arr LAX 16:10 · seats 31C / 31B · $997 incl. seat selection. The booking reference is on the Drive voucher. Carry-on only, nothing to add: American's Main Cabin fare includes a carry-on bag and a personal item at no charge.
Fair price: ~$430-550 per person one-way in standard economy (carry-on included), October is a low month. Good deal under ~$1,000 for two. It rarely spikes, wait if it's over ~$1,300. The fare that was booked came in at $997 for two, carry-on included, nothing more to spend on bags. Budgeted $950.
Reconfirm later (2)

Barcelona (BCN) to Rome Fiumicino (FCO): both boarding passes are on the Drive voucher and in the Vueling app · add them to Apple Wallet on both phones and check they scan before travel.

Rome Fiumicino (FCO) to Paris Orly (ORY): online check-in opens 30 hours before Wed 21 Oct 10:10 Rome departure: Tue 20 Oct 04:10 Rome / Mon 19 Oct 19:10 Pacific · Travel Agent will check in both, verify passes and report; calendar reminder corrected to Oct 19 19:15 Pacific.

These do not count against booking progress. Full list: the final 7-day check.

Lodging5 of 5 · Complete
Every night has a home. Close the hotel tabs.

Prices are moving. The original planning number stays as the baseline so you can see what waiting has cost. The current figures are estimates and can shift. A rise of a hundred or two is not automatically a bad call if the upgrade genuinely improves the stay, but a rising price on its own is not a reason to chase a dearer room.

CityOriginalRecommendedEstimateDrift
Barcelona$630Room Mate Anna~$768+$138
Rome$1,165Hotel Santa Prassede~$1,457+$292
Paris$346L'Empire Paris - Louvre~$601+$255
London$705citizenM London Victoria Station~$676-$29
All four$2,846current picks~$3,502+$656

London is under the original plan. Paris is +$255 against the old $346 plan, but a 1st-arr studio books near $560 today, so the real premium in the current picks is closer to +$180. Rome moved the most: the Monti apartment is up +$446 on its own planning number, enough that Hotel Santa Prassede is now the cheaper option, see the Rome lodging card for the live comparison. The Marriott Rive Gauche (nights 1 to 4) is on points and unchanged.

Booked (5)
Barcelona, Eixample (3 nights)
Booked
Just ID + the card on file
Check in Tue 13 Oct (from 3:00 PM), check out Fri 16 Oct (until 12:00 PM, 3 nights)
First stop, straight off the overnight flight. Central Eixample, walkable to Passeig de Gràcia, the Gothic Quarter and the Sagrada Família.
Confirmed: Room Mate Anna, Carrer de Aragó 271, Eixample · Double or Twin Room, 2 adults, a king bed was requested but is subject to availability on arrival. The confirmation and PIN are on the Drive voucher, keep the PIN private, it can modify or cancel the booking. €655.52 paid on Booking.com (total price €710.96, incl. a €58.41 Booking.com-covered discount); €55.44 city tax (€9.24pp/night) due at the property. Non-refundable, no date changes. Online registration is complete for both travelers; show photo ID and the card on file at the desk for in-person key handoff.
What it's worth: booked at €710.96 total (€655.52 paid, city tax at the property), right at the ~$800 all-in trigger set for this hotel. Good outcome.
Recommended upgradeRoom Mate Anna 4 star · 9.2 / 10 · ~1,000 reviews · 1 queen or king
Original plan$630Eixample apartment near the Sagrada Família
Current estimate~$768Room Mate Anna, all-in for two
Difference+$138+$46/night · +$69/person for the stay
Worth the modest upgrade, and this is the one we booked.
Why it earns the difference. Room Mate Anna buys more than a nicer room. It buys a front desk and luggage handling on the first European morning, an easier check-in after the red-eye, and a Passeig de Gràcia address that pays off across the whole stay, not just the one Sagrada trip. Barcelona is only 3 nights, so the apartment's kitchen counted for less here than it would in Rome, and it's only one commute toward the basilica.
Price trigger. This is what got booked, at €710.96 total, right at the ~$800 all-in line that was set going in.
Other options considered (3)
Praktik Bakery~$769 +$139
3 star · 9.0
4.5 star · 9.4
Room Mate Carla~$862 +$232
4 star · 9.2

None of these added enough over Room Mate Anna to switch. Anna sat where value and upgrade met.

Rome, Monti (5 nights)
Booked
Just ID + the card on file
Check in Fri 16 Oct (2:00 PM), check out Wed 21 Oct (until 10:30 AM, 5 nights)
The longest single stop of the trip. Monti and the streets right around it, walkable to the Forum, San Clemente, Santa Maria Maggiore and the Vatican bus.
Confirmed: Hotel Santa Prassede, Via Di Santa Prassede 25, Rione Monti · Double or Twin Room, 2 adults, king bed requested and approved by the property at no extra charge. The confirmation and PIN are on the Drive voucher and the calendar invite, keep the PIN private. €1,457 total, fully paid according to Cristina's 16 Sep confirmation; €50 city tax due at the property. Non-refundable, no date changes. No elevator in the building. The earlier card-decline and retry are resolved; no card details belong on this public page.
What it's worth: booked at €1,457 (~$1,570), once Hotel Santa Prassede's live price actually undercut the Monti apartment it had been up against. See the price history below, that's the reasoning that led here.
Recommended upgradeHotel Santa Prassede 9.5 / 10 · 313 reviews · Monti edge
On the site, look for exactly thisHotel Santa Prassede17th-century Barberini building by Santa Maria Maggiore · breakfast included · no elevatorVia Di Santa Prassede 25, Rione Monti, Rome
Original plan$1,165CasaSomai, the Monti apartment
Current estimate~$1,457Hotel Santa Prassede, all-in for two
Difference+$292+$58/night · +$146/person for the stay
Prices moved in Hotel Santa Prassede's favor, and this is the one that got booked.
Why it earns the difference. Five nights still argues for space over a star rating in principle: a living area, a kitchen, a real bedroom-living split, right on top of the itinerary (Colosseum, Forum, San Clemente, San Pietro in Vincoli, Santa Maria Maggiore). But the price case flipped: Hotel Santa Prassede, the strongest hotel alternative, ended up cheaper than the apartment while adding breakfast, a front desk and housekeeping, so that's what got booked.
What actually happened: the apartment (CasaSomai) had drifted to $1,611 for the 5 nights, up from the $1,165 planning estimate. Hotel Santa Prassede had dropped below that, and came with breakfast, a front desk and housekeeping. Booked at €1,457 (~$1,570 all-in).
Price trigger. This is what got booked, once Santa Prassede's live price undercut the apartment it had been up against.
Other options considered (3)
4 star · 9.2 / 10 · ~1,800 reviews
+$257 over the apartment plan; buys a front desk, housekeeping and breakfast but a smaller room. Not chosen.
4 star · 9.1 / 10 · design, opened 2025
The contemporary-design option you flagged earlier. Great rooms and tech, but +$539 was a lot for a smaller space over five nights.
Mecenate Palace~$1,642 +$477
4 star · 9.0 / 10
+$477 over the apartment plan. Too much incremental spend for what it changed on this itinerary.

Rome is the stop where a hotel star rating is worth the least, but the numbers moved and Santa Prassede won on price too.

Paris, Marriott Rive Gauche (nights 1 to 4)
Booked
Just ID + the card on file
Check in Wed 21 Oct, check out Sun 25 Oct (4 nights)
Paris Marriott Rive Gauche, near Montparnasse. Family Suite (upgraded from Deluxe king), on points and the Free Night Award.
Confirmed: In John's name, 2 adults. Deluxe Room, guest room, 1 king. Paid with the 35,000 Free Night Award on one night plus 180,000 points, and 67.60 EUR in Paris city tax on the card. Free to cancel until 11:59 PM Paris time on 20 Oct 2026. The confirmation number is on the Drive voucher. The four Nightly Upgrade Awards were confirmed on 16 Oct: the room is now a Family Suite (two bedrooms, 1 king and 1 queen). Titanium gets you the Executive Lounge.
What it's worth: the Rive Gauche cash rate these dates runs ~$320-420 a night, so ~$1,400 of stay for 180k points, the award and ~$75 tax, roughly 0.75¢ a point plus a free-night cert put to full use. A good redemption.
Paris, last two nights (nights 5 to 6)
Booked
Just ID + the card on file
Check in Sun 25 Oct (3:00 PM), check out Tue 27 Oct (by 12:00 PM, 2 nights)
Only the second Paris lodging segment; the Marriott Rive Gauche covers nights 1 to 4 and does not change. After Versailles on the 25th, then the Eurostar early on the 27th. The move between the two is already happening, so finishing in a proper hotel is low friction.
Confirmed: L'Empire Paris - Louvre, 48 Rue De L'arbre Sec, 1st arr. · Superior Double or Twin Room, 2 adults, king bed requested and approved by the property at no extra charge. The confirmation and PIN are on the Drive voucher and the calendar invite, keep the PIN private. €498.30 paid on Booking.com (total price €532.10, incl. a €44.40 Booking.com-covered discount); €33.80 city tax (€8.45pp/night) due at the property. Breakfast is not included (€25pp/night if you want it). Non-refundable, no date changes. Still to do: the property offers online registration before arrival, a link is in their “reservation confirmed” email, worth doing to save time at the desk.
What it's worth: booked at €498.30 for two nights, right in the recommended $600-650 all-in range once city tax is added. This is the upgrade this card recommended.
L'Empire Paris - Louvre, the exact listing
Recommended upgradeL'Empire Paris - Louvre design hotel · 8.8 / 10 Excellent · 904 reviews · king rooms, soundproofed, air-conditioned
On the site, look for exactly thisL'Empire Paris - LouvreIndependent design hotel, black and white diamond-pattern headboards, an Eiffel Tower mural in the lobby lounge8.8 / 10 Excellent, 904 reviews on Booking.com (English pages throughout, the official site defaults to English too) · air-conditioned, soundproofed · guests highlight the location and the front-desk staff by name48 Rue de l'Arbre Sec, 1st arr., 75001 Paris · 1 min walk from the Louvre, on Rue de Rivoli
Original plan$3461st-arr studio near the Louvre
Current estimate~$601L'Empire Paris - Louvre, all-in for two
Difference+$255+$128/night · +$128/person for the stay
Upgraded to L'Empire, and this is the one that got booked.
Why it earns the difference. L'Empire is not an upgrade just because it has four stars. It is at 48 rue de l'Arbre Sec in the 1st, a minute from the Louvre and Rue Saint-Honoré, with a real front desk and concierge, luggage handling for the check-in and the early Eurostar checkout, soundproofed rooms and a king bed. You are changing hotels on the 25th anyway; ending Paris in a boutique hotel instead of a walk-up studio meaningfully improves the last two nights for very little more than a studio now costs.
The maths that matters: versus the original $346 plan L'Empire is +$255. But a 1st-arr studio books around $560 today, so the real premium for choosing L'Empire over a studio right now is only about $40, well inside the $150 line where a hotel is the clear call. If L'Empire climbs past about $225 to 250 over the current studio price, drop back to the studio.
Price trigger. Book L'Empire if it holds around $600 to 650 all-in. Between roughly $150 and $225 over a current studio it becomes a judgement call; past ~$250 over, take the studio.
Other options considered (6)
Hotel Crayon~$480 +$134
8.8 / 10
Lion d'Or Louvre~$510 +$164
8.6 / 10
8.0 / 10
9.0 / 10
8.2 / 10
8.2 / 10

Hôtel Thérèse and Hôtel Molière, the two you leaned to in the last pass, both run about $850 to 905, above L'Empire. L'Empire is the better intersection of price, location and hotel service for two nights.

London, Victoria (3 nights)
Booked
Just ID + the card on file
Check in Tue 27 Oct (from 2:00 PM), check out Fri 30 Oct (until 11:00 AM, 3 nights)
Last stop, a packed schedule: Westminster, two West End shows, the Tower, Borough Market, the War Rooms, the Studio Tour, The Ivy, then wheels up. London has no tourist tax and VAT is in the rates, so these figures are all-in.
Confirmed: citizenM London Victoria Station, 292 Vauxhall Bridge Road, Westminster · King Room, 2 adults. The confirmation and PIN are on the Drive voucher and the calendar invite, keep the PIN private. £500 total (£416.67 + £83.33 VAT), paid in full. Non-refundable, no date changes. Breakfast not included (£20.50pp/night if you want it). Confirmed by the hotel 18 Sep: luggage storage is free, so an early arrival can drop bags and go; early check-in cannot be booked ahead and is only offered on arrival if a room is ready; late check-out is available for a small fee, ask at the desk rather than in advance. Reception is staffed 24/7. Still to do: nothing, just show photo ID and the card on file at check-in.
What it's worth: booked at £500 (~$676), right at the estimate this pick was carrying. This is the itinerary that doesn't reward paying more for room size.
Book and stop searchingcitizenM London Victoria Station 4 star · 9.4 / 10 · 2,000+ reviews · XL king, ~14 m²
Original plan$705citizenM London Victoria Station, the plan pick
Current estimate~$676citizenM London Victoria Station, all-in for two
Difference-$29-$10/night · -$14/person for the stay
citizenM, and this is the one that got booked. It came in under the original number and this itinerary does not reward paying more for room size.
Why it earns the difference. The room is small, about 14 m², and that is fine for this stop. London is the most schedule-heavy leg of the trip and you will be in the room only to sleep. What you do get is the right things: a very short walk to Victoria Station, an XL king with blackout blinds, a strong shower, a fridge, a smart TV, food and drink and guest service around the clock, and quick check-in and out. Paying substantially more here buys floor space you will not use.
Price trigger. Stay with citizenM unless The Rubens at the Palace drops to within about $150 total of it. At roughly $200 or more apart, citizenM stays the better value. Book it direct on citizenm.com.
Other options considered (5)
5 star · 9.2 / 10 · ~1,000 reviews
The only real experiential upgrade: a Red Carnation hotel on Buckingham Palace Road by the Royal Mews, the hotel itself part of the London experience. +$195 over the original plan, about +$224 over citizenM today. The itinerary already delivers a lot of London atmosphere outside the room.
boutique · 8.7 / 10 · Pimlico
The value pick from the last pass, about level with citizenM's original number. A fine choice, but citizenM's current price undercuts it.
9.6 / 10
Excellent rooms, but the current rate has climbed well past citizenM.
9.2 / 10
Grand station hotel. Not enough more for this itinerary.
9.0 / 10
Big, corporate, more than the trip needs here.

For a leg where you are barely in the room, none of these beats citizenM on value. Rubens is the one to reconsider only if its price falls close to citizenM's.

Reconfirm later (3)

Barcelona, Eixample (3 nights): online registration is complete for both travelers; collect keys at the desk on Oct 13.

Rome, Monti (5 nights): payment confirmed by the property; present ID at check-in Oct 16 and pay the city tax at the property.

Paris, last two nights (nights 5 to 6): do the property's online registration before arrival if there's time - saves time at the front desk.

These do not count against booking progress. Full list: the final 7-day check.

Intercity travel1 of 1 · Complete
The channel crossing is set. Paris to London, seats and all.
Booked (1)
Eurostar: Paris (Gare du Nord) to London (St Pancras)
Booked
Print it, don't rely on your phone
Tue 27 Oct, depart between 09:00 and 10:30
About 2h20, centre to centre. 2 adults, Standard class.
Confirmed: Tue 27 Oct, dep Gare du Nord 10:01, arr St Pancras 11:30 · Standard, Coach 2, seats 77 / 78 · $294. The booking reference is on the Drive voucher. Ready: Advance Passenger Information is completed for both travelers, both UK ETAs were approved, and tickets were retrieved. Bring the passports linked to the ETAs and your tickets.
Fair price: the cheapest Standard fare is ~£38 per person, but only if you book the day the date loads (~6 months out). It climbs past £100pp if you wait, and Oct 27 is UK half-term so fares run higher. Target ~£45-70pp (~$115-180 for two). Over ~£100pp, wait or shift the departure. Budgeted $280.
Sights & tours24 of 24 · Complete · 1 pending
The doors are open. Gaudí, Bernini, the Louvre, Versailles and the Crown Jewels are on the calendar.
Waiting to open (1)
Notre-Dame, free timed reservation
Waiting
~3–5 min · Easy
Booking opens about 24 Oct. Mon 26 Oct, around 14:00 · tentative, free
Entry and timed reservation are free. The official booking page says slots release progressively only on the same day, a few hours before entry. The 09:00 Sainte-Chapelle and 11:00 Conciergerie are booked; lunch and a roughly 25-minute walk come before this tentative afternoon stop.
Know before you go

Dress: it's a working place of worship, no transparent or tight-fitting clothing, shoulders/torso/stomach/thighs covered, men remove hats indoors. Non-compliant dress can mean being turned away at the door.

Bags: security checks at entry, large luggage and bags prohibited; backpacks reportedly OK up to roughly 20 litres.

notredamedeparis.fr sits behind a bot-check that blocked direct verification, this is sourced from Google's indexed snippets of the official pages, not a page read live. Worth a quick recheck closer to the date, especially the 20-litre bag figure.

Free. Ignore paid 'skip-the-line' Notre-Dame tickets from resellers.
We are booking
Notre-Dame, free timed reservation
Mon 26 Oct
around 14:00, after lunch
2 people
Choose
a free timed entry slot
Same-day release only. The official booking page releases free slots progressively a few hours before entry. Check on 26 Oct; allow a 25-minute walk after lunch and up to three hours at the cathedral. The 09:00 and 11:00 visits are booked and cannot be crowded by a morning cathedral slot.
Do not choose
  • paid 'skip-the-line' Notre-Dame entry from third-party sellers
Match before paying
  • Mon 26 Oct
  • around 14:00
  • 2 people
  • free
Done when
a free reservation confirms two entries near 14:00 on Oct 26. If none, free walk-up is the fallback, subject to the queue.
Do this: On 26 Oct check progressively for two free timed entries near 14:00, allowing up to three hours on site. If none, free walk-up is the fallback, subject to the queue.
Booked (24)
Sagrada Familia, 'with Towers' + audioguide
Booked
App only, no paper backup
Thu 15 Oct · basilica 14:00, tower 14:15
2 adults, self-guided, audioguide included, Tower on the Nativity facade.
Know before you go

Dress: it's an active church, shoulders covered, shorts/skirts to at least mid-thigh, no swimwear, no bare feet, no hats inside (unless religious/health).

Bags: no official size limit published, bags are inspected at the door, still worth skipping a full backpack. No cloakroom; lockers exist only for the tower climb and aren't liable for loss.

Not allowed: food, drinks (finish them outside first), weapons, tripods without press authorization, smoking.

Photos: not allowed inside the Basilica at all, no phone or camera, except accredited press.

Confirmed: Booked on the official site, Thu 15 Oct, basilica 14:00, Nativity tower 14:15, 2 x General €36 (€72 total). The locator is on the Drive voucher. Before you arrive: download the Sagrada Familia Oficial app and load the tickets + audioguide with the locator and John's email. Non-transferable; photo ID checked at the door and the tower.
Fair price: €36pp is the fixed official price, ~$79 for two. Resellers charge €55-75pp for the identical ticket.
Park Güell, Monumental Zone, x2
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Wed 14 Oct · 09:30
Timed entry to the Monumental Zone (the terrace, the serpentine bench, the mosaic dragon), 2 adults.
Know before you go

Dress/bags: nothing published, just comfortable shoes and sun cover. No bag-size rule either.

Not allowed: sitting, lying down, or taking your shoes off on the benches or lawns; climbing on or leaning against the heritage stonework; picnicking outside a designated spot; once you leave, you can't re-enter on the same ticket.

Confirmed: Booked on the official site, Wed 14 Oct, 09:30, 2 tickets, the Monumental Zone. The locator is on the Drive voucher. Tickets are valid at the booked time and for 30 minutes after; download them before you go, the app on wi-fi is easiest.
Fair price: €18pp official (~$40 for two), fixed. Bought on parkguell.barcelona, the identical ticket a reseller would mark up.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Park Güell Visit
Wed 14 Oct
09:30
2 adults
self-guided, Monumental Zone
Price estimate Verified live 10 Sep 2026: the “Choose your experience” page lists five cards top to bottom, in this order.
Choose
the first card, titled exactly “Park Güell Visit”, green BUY button
Do not choose
  • 2nd card, “Park Güell Guided Tour”
  • 3rd card, “Park Güell visit with Gaudí House Museum”
  • 4th card, “Park Güell Guided Tour in Catalan”
  • 5th card, “Park Güell Group Visit”
Match before paying
  • Wed 14 Oct
  • 09:30
  • 2 adults
  • card 1 of 5, plain “Park Güell Visit”
Done when
the confirmation shows Oct 14, 09:30, 2 admissions.
If you do not see the exact product described here, do not buy a substitute. Come back later, or use the steps above.
Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel, official guided visit
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Mon 19 Oct, 11:00
Official Vatican guided visit (“Musei Vaticani - Visite Guidate Singoli Musei”). Shoulders and knees covered, enforced. St Peter's is free and separate; the dome is paid on the day (~€10pp, last admission ~17:00 in Oct).
Know before you go

Dress (strict, both of you): shoulders AND knees covered, no sleeveless or low-cut tops, no shorts above the knee, no miniskirts, no hats. A light scarf over bare shoulders is a common workaround but isn't officially guaranteed to pass, wear the real thing.

Bags: anything bigger than 40×35×15cm goes to the free cloakroom. A small rucksack is fine worn on the shoulders only if it doesn't stick out more than 15cm past you, otherwise it's checked too. The cloakroom can't hold cash, valuables, phones or cameras, those stay with you.

Not allowed: food/drink, knives or scissors, full-length umbrellas, walking sticks (unless a mobility aid), tripods, selfie sticks, banners.

Photos: fine in most galleries, no flash. Total ban in the Sistine Chapel, no phones or cameras at all, no exceptions.

Confirmed: Booked direct on the Vatican site, Mon 19 Oct 11:00, 2 pax, €80. The booking reference is on the Drive voucher. On the day: go to the Viale Vaticano entrance 30 minutes early (10:30), show the voucher to staff at the reserved-booking line (right side of the main entrance), clear security, then collect the tickets at the “Sportello Visite Guidate” (guided-visits desk). Non-refundable, no changes to date/time/pax. Stairs on the route.
Fair price: €40pp for the official guided visit (~$88 for two) is the fixed rate and cheaper than a third-party group tour. There was no deal to wait for.
Borghese Gallery, timed entry
Booked
Tue 20 Oct · 14:00-16:00 · 2 adults
A booked 2-hour timed entry for 2 adults at Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5. Arrive before 14:00 with one distinct ticket per person. The earlier 13:00 option did not have two seats.
Know before you go

Bags, the strictest limit on the trip: no medium or large bags, backpacks, shoppers, or baggage of any kind get in. Only a small fanny pack or purse up to 21×15cm, smaller than a paperback, is allowed in. Everything else goes to the staffed cloakroom at the entrance (tag-and-claim, not self-serve lockers). Plan to carry only your phone, cards and ID in something tiny, or check the daypack.

Not allowed: food and drink, including water; umbrellas; selfie sticks; animals except guide dogs.

Dress: no dress code published, it's an art museum, not a church.

Sourced from search-engine excerpts quoting the official page rather than the live page. The official pages were wrongly believed unreachable until 19 Sep 2026; they load fine in a normal browser, so this is worth re-reading on the site itself before you go, given how strict the bag rule is.

Confirmed: Tue 20 Oct, 14:00-16:00, two adult tickets, €40 total including online fees. John booked direct through TOSC/TicketOne after the original 13:00 slot was down to one seat. No optional insurance. The PDF stays in the restricted trip Drive folder. The Galleria Borghese entry tickets link opens that booking's PDF. Each traveler presents a separate ticket and photo ID; both tickets show the purchaser's name, and name handling needs a venue check. Dated leisure admission has no standard consumer withdrawal.
Paid: €40 for two including fees, direct via the official TOSC/TicketOne channel. Budgeted ~$60 for two; the ECB Oct 9 reference rate puts €40 near $44.82, with the actual card conversion still unknown. No need for a third-party 'skip the line' offer.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Two tickets booked for Oct 20 14:00-16:00. Ask the venue if both individual tickets showing the purchaser's name admit John and Le Andra. The labeled exact-file link opens only to authorized travelers; no PDF is embedded on the site..
Warner Bros. Studio Tour, The Making of Harry Potter (with Breakfast at the Hogwarts Table)
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Thu 29 Oct · breakfast 08:45, tour 10:00 to 10:30
Leavesden. 2 adults. The breakfast is in a dedicated space with the Great Hall long tables; the tour itself is self-paced, 3.5 to 4 hours. Oct 29 is inside English school half-term, its busiest week, so the early slot is the right one.
Know before you go

Bags: no size limit published, but suitcases and large bags go through baggage scanners and may be searched. A free cloakroom takes coats, bags and suitcases (at your own risk, space is limited), so a big bag isn't a problem here the way it is at some other stops.

Not allowed: knives or bladed weapons, alcohol or drugs, pepper/CS spray, anything read as a security risk.

Photos: handheld phone/camera photos fine in most areas, except the pre-show cinema and the green-screen areas. No tripods or drones anywhere on site, including the car park.

Costume/robes policy: an old official FAQ answering this has come down from the live site, not currently confirmed either way, don't assume you can (or can't) wear one.

Confirmed: Thu 29 Oct · the Breakfast at the Hogwarts Table package for two: breakfast 08:45 (be at the studio by 08:30), Studio Tour start 10:00 to 10:30, plus a butterbeer and a souvenir guidebook each · £254 total. The booking reference is on the Drive voucher. E-tickets are attached to the confirmation email (also saved to the Drive voucher folder), show them on a phone or printed on arrival. Non-refundable. Nothing left to book: confirmed direct on wbstudiotour.co.uk, the Watford Junction shuttle bus is included as part of the entry ticket, free, no separate fare and nothing to buy in advance.
Fair price: the standard adult ticket is ~£53.50pp; the Breakfast at the Hogwarts Table package runs ~£127pp. Paid £127pp, the fixed package price, it is a deliberate splurge on top of the standard tour (about £150 / ~$185 more for the two of you than plain entry).
Colosseum arena floor + Forum + Palatine, guided tour (Ivo Tours)
Booked
App only, no paper backup
17 Oct · both 10:00
Guided tour with arena-floor access and headsets, 2.5 hours, in Spanish.
Know before you go

Footwear/clothing (official rule): "proper clothing and closed footwear suitable for the rough paths" — the arena floor and Palatine walkways are uneven ancient stone, no sandals, both of you in real walking shoes.

Not allowed: costumes, masks, period or ceremonial dress; drones and professional tripods/audio without authorization; bikes/scooters; spray or gas cans; laser pointers; loudspeakers; oversized backpacks, suitcases or trolleys.

A ~40×35×15cm bag limit is widely cited online, but the official site (colosseo.it) refused every connection attempt, so that exact figure isn't independently confirmed, pack light rather than count on it.

Confirmed: Both now on the 10:00 tour, 17 Oct ($133 each). The booking references and PINs are on the Drive voucher. The old 9:30 seat was swapped when a second 10:00 spot reopened; the $83 refund went to a GetYourGuide credit that covered most of the new $134 seat. Le Andra's ticket lives only in the GetYourGuide app, no PDF. Spanish, 2.5 h, arena floor via the gladiators' gate. Meeting point Via delle Terme di Tito 93, be there 15 min early with passports.
Fair price: a guided arena-floor tour with headsets normally runs ~$65-90pp. Both seats priced at ~$133 on limited October availability; the reopened 10:00 spot was taken to get you on the same tour.
San Clemente, lower levels (x2)
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Sat 17 Oct, 15:00
Basilica di San Clemente lower excavations, two adult tickets.
Confirmed: Booked direct for Sat 17 Oct at 15:00, two adults, €20 total. The exact two-ticket PDF is in restricted Drive. Both tickets show the purchaser name; the venue's policy for Le Andra using her separate ticket is awaiting confirmation.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Paid for two at 15:00 on Oct 17. Venue name-policy check for the second traveler remains open..
Eiffel Tower, lift to the summit
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Thu 22 Oct, 12:30 (moved from 10:00)
2 adults, 'Lift to the summit', plus the Champagne Ballet Cocktail option.
Know before you go

Bags: large luggage and suitcases are refused; a physical sizer gauge checks bags at security, no printed cm dimensions are published online. No lockers, cloakroom, or left-luggage on or near the tower.

Not allowed: anything that poses a safety risk (a Swiss Army knife counts), non-folding strollers, scooters and bikes; skates/roller-blades must be bagged, not worn.

Drinks: no picnic areas, and you can't carry glass bottles or cans up yourself, only a reasonable amount of food/drink at staff discretion. The Champagne Bar you booked is on the top floor and serves its own glasses as part of the paid experience, plan to drink it there rather than carry a glass around.

Dress: none stated.

Confirmed: Booked on the official site, Thu 22 Oct, top floor by lift, 12:30, 2 adults, plus the Champagne Ballet Cocktail option for two. The order and QR codes are on the Drive voucher. €117.40 total. The 10:00-12:00 window sold out before booking; 12:30 was the next real availability, so the rest of the day shifted around it (see the day page). Still to do: download or print the ticket PDF, don't save it to a phone wallet (the tower asks for that specifically).
What it's worth: booked at €117.40 for two (€73.40 of that the lift tickets, €44.00 the champagne option), a deliberate add-on over the plain ~$80 lift-only fare, not an accident.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Check the summit is operating (weather and maintenance can close it) and the exact 22 Oct sunset time for the cruise.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Eiffel Tower
Thu 22 Oct
12:30 (10:00 sold out first)
2 adults
the top / summit, by lift, plus the Champagne Ballet Cocktail
Price estimate Booked: €117.40 total for two (2 × €36.70 lift tickets + 2 × €22.00 champagne option). The 10:00-12:00 window sold out before booking; 12:30 was the next open slot.
Choose
the card titled “The top” · subtitle “Ticket with access elevator” · Adult €36.70 each, plus the “Champagne Ballet Cocktail – Adult” option at €22.00 each
Do not choose
  • “Second floor” cards (€23.50 or €14.80), wrong floor
  • “The top, ticket with access stairs 2nd floor + elevator” (€28.00), that's the stairs option, not full elevator
Match before paying
  • Thu 22 Oct
  • 12:30
  • 2 adults
  • card titled “The top”
  • “Ticket with access elevator”
  • €36.70 adult
Done when
the ticket says “The top” and “Ticket with access elevator,” not a second-floor or stairs ticket.
If you do not see the exact product described here, do not buy a substitute. Come back later, or use the steps above.
Paris Museum Pass, 4 days, x2
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
First use 23 Oct
€105 each in 2026 plus a booking fee, about $235 for two. Covers the Louvre, Orsay, Orangerie, Versailles palace, Sainte-Chapelle, Rodin and more. One per person.
Confirmed: Bought direct via parismuseumpass.fr (issued through Weezevent) · 2x 4-day pass, John + Le Andra · €216.30 total (€210 + a €6.30 booking fee), right on the estimate. Clock starts on first scan, at the Louvre on 23 Oct, so it runs 23-26 Oct exactly as planned.
Fair price: €105pp for the 4-day + a small fee = ~$235 for two. Fixed official price. Booked at €216.30 (~$235).
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Paris Museum Pass
4 days / 96 hours
2 passes
first use Fri 23 Oct
Price estimate €105 each, ~$235 for two.
Choose
4 days / 96 hours
The pass is not the timed reservation. After you buy it you still book separate timed slots for the Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle and Versailles.
Match before paying
  • 4 days / 96 hours
  • quantity 2
Done when
two 96-hour passes are issued.
Louvre, timed entry (with the pass)*
Booked
Covered by Paris Museum Pass
Phone or printed, either works
Fri 23 Oct, 09:00
A time slot is required even though the pass makes entry free. 2 adults.
Know before you go

Bags: anything over 55×35×20cm isn't allowed in. Free lockers cover anything smaller, same-day pickup.

Not allowed: weapons, tools (craft knives, screwdrivers, hammers, pliers), blunt objects, flammable or explosive material, aerosols, animals except guide dogs, "excessive" food or drink.

Photos: fine in the permanent collection for personal use, no flash, no selfie sticks. Some temporary exhibitions restrict it further.

Dress: none.

Confirmed: Booked direct on ticket.louvre.fr · 'Museum Pass holder' ticket type, so it stayed free · Fri 23 Oct, 09:00, 2 adults · exactly the planned slot.
The Louvre now has an exit strategy. 09:00 in, the masterpieces, out before it becomes a survival exercise.
Fair price: free with the Museum Pass, just a mandatory time slot. No charge. (Without the pass it's €22pp.)
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Louvre timed reservation
Fri 23 Oct
09:00
2 people
Museum Pass holder
Price estimate €0 reservation.
Choose
Reservation, Paris Museum Pass holder
Do not choose
  • a standard paid Louvre ticket
  • a second admission if you already hold the Museum Pass
Match before paying
  • Fri 23 Oct
  • 09:00
  • 2 people
  • Museum Pass holder
  • €0
Done when
two timed reservations show Oct 23 at 09:00.
If you do not see the exact product described here, do not buy a substitute. Come back later, or use the steps above.
Musée de l'Orangerie, timed entry (with the pass)*
Booked
Covered by Paris Museum Pass
Phone or printed, either works
Fri 23 Oct, 14:00
A free timed slot, still mandatory with the pass. 2 tickets. A small museum, an hour to 90 minutes is plenty.
Know before you go

Opening: 9:00-18:00, last entry 17:15. Closed Tuesdays, same as the Louvre; this is a Friday.

Arrive within the slot. Pass holders who reserve get priority within about 30 minutes of the booked time.

Confirmed: Booked direct on the museum's own ticketing (billetterie.musee-orangerie.fr, issued through Digitick) · Fri 23 Oct, 14:00, 2 tickets, €0.00 as Museum Pass holders · exactly the planned slot, no change to the day. The ticket type is a contremarque, a voucher rather than a standalone ticket: it is only valid if you also show the Paris Museum Pass itself, so carry both. The two barcodes are on the ticket PDF attached to the confirmation email, and each ticket has its own Add to Wallet link in that email.
Fair price: free with the Museum Pass, just a mandatory time slot. Booked at €0.00. (Without the pass it's €12.50pp.)
Musée d'Orsay, timed entry (with the pass)
Booked
Covered by Paris Museum Pass
Phone or printed, either works
Fri 23 Oct, 16:00
From March 2026 the Orsay requires Museum Pass holders to also book a free timed slot on its own site, the same rule as the Louvre and Orangerie; the pass alone can be turned away at the door without one. 2 tickets.
Know before you go

Opening: 9:30-18:00 Fridays, last admission 17:00 (last entry to exhibitions 17:15, galleries clear 17:30). Closed Mondays.

About a 10-15 min walk from the Orangerie, across the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor footbridge.

Confirmed: Booked direct on billetterie.musee-orsay.fr · Contremarque horodatée Paris Museum Pass, 2 tickets, €0.00 each · Fri 23 Oct, 16:00, exactly the slot this day was built around, so nothing else moves. The order number is on the Drive voucher, purchased 20/09/2026 22h00. The ticket numbers are on the Drive voucher too. Like the Orangerie and the Conciergerie this is a contremarque, a timed voucher rather than a ticket in its own right: it only works if you also show the Paris Museum Pass, so carry both. The confirmation PDF (both tickets) is on Drive.
Fair price: free with the Museum Pass, just the mandatory time slot. (Without the pass it's €16pp.)
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Musée d'Orsay, Contremarque horodatée Paris Museum Pass
Fri 23 Oct
~16:00
2 tickets
Museum Pass holder
Price estimate €0, free with the pass, just the timed slot.
Choose
the card titled “Contremarque horodatée Paris Museum Pass”
Verified live 20 Sep 2026: the calendar for this ticket type is open from 10 Mar 2026 through 31 Jan 2027, and 23 Oct 2026 is bookable right now with half-hourly slots from 10:00 to 16:00, including the planned ~16:00 slot. This is not blocked by any release window, unlike the Borghese; it just hasn't been booked yet.
If the page looks different
  1. Billets d'entrée au musée d'Orsay
  2. Contremarque horodatée Paris Museum Pass
  3. pick 23 Oct, then a time
Match before paying
  • Fri 23 Oct
  • a slot between 10:00 and 16:00
  • 2 tickets
  • €0
Done when
the confirmation shows two free Oct 23 slots.
Versailles, palace timed entry (with the pass)*
Booked
Covered by Paris Museum Pass
Phone or printed, either works
Sun 25 Oct, 09:30 (opening)
Palace entry slot, 2 adults, pass holders.
Know before you go

Bags: the same 55×35×20cm limit applies estate-wide, larger bags and suitcases are flatly refused. Free left-luggage lockers at the Palace/Trianon entrances (30×49×50cm), but they can't hold cash, jewels or a computer.

Not allowed: knives, scissors, other sharp or blunt objects; food and drink inside the palace/museum rooms; flash photography, tripods, selfie sticks; animals.

Dress: no formal code for a regular palace visit. Costumes, fancy dress and wedding dresses aren't permitted anywhere on the estate.

Confirmed: Booked direct on chateauversailles.fr · free 'Museum Pass holder' entry ticket, entrance A (Pavillon Dufour) · Sun 25 Oct, 09:30, 2 adults · exactly the planned slot.
Sunday at Versailles is locked. Hall of Mirrors first, fountains in the afternoon.
Fair price: free with the Museum Pass, just book the slot. No charge. (Palace-only without the pass is €21pp.)
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Step 1, Palace. Versailles palace, timed entry
Sun 25 Oct
09:30
2 adults
Paris Museum Pass
Choose
the timed palace entry for Paris Museum Pass holders
Step 2 is a separate ticket: the Musical Fountains garden admission (the next item). It is not on the Museum Pass.
Do not choose
  • another full Passport ticket just to enter the palace, when the Museum Pass already covers the included admission
Match before paying
  • Sun 25 Oct
  • palace 09:30
  • 2 adults
  • Museum Pass option
Done when
you hold a timed palace reservation for 09:30.
If you do not see the exact product described here, do not buy a substitute. Come back later, or use the steps above.
Versailles, Grandes Eaux Musicales (Musical Fountains), x2
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Sun 25 Oct, valid 9:00 to 19:00
A SEPARATE garden ticket, not on the Museum Pass, sold on a completely different site than the palace tickets. Runs every weekend April to November; the 25th is a Sunday. Four gates accept it: Cour des Princes (the main entrance, via the Cour d'Honneur), Petite Venise, Ménagerie, and the Grille de Neptune et du Dragon, so a queue at one is not a queue at all of them. Valid for one entry, plus a second entry through a gate you did not use first. Off the ticket: music in the gardens 10:00 to 19:00 and the groves open 9:00 to 19:00, an exceptional opening, so the bosquets normally kept closed are open today. Standing route, no seating. The ticket itself lists 25 October among its early-closure dates: the gardens are evacuated and closed at 17:30.
Know before you go

Picnicking is allowed, but only in designated spots: the Covered Picnic Area near Halle des Marmousets, the Swiss Ornamental Lake, and Saint Antoine Plain.

The official pages make no statement either way on alcohol in the gardens, and give no footwear guidance for the gravel paths, genuine gaps in what's published, flat comfortable shoes are still the sensible call.

Confirmed: Booked direct on Château de Versailles Spectacles (a separate site from the palace ticketing, chateauversailles-spectacles.fr, not chateauversailles.fr) · Sun 25 Oct, 2 adults, Tarif Plein · €30 total (€15pp, above the ~€10.50pp this was first estimated at, ticket prices had risen). Not a timed entry: the ticket is valid 9:00 to 19:00, so it does not clash with the 09:30 palace slot, walk into the gardens when the palace is done. The order number and the two barcodes are on the Drive voucher.
Price: €30 for two (€15pp), official, paid direct. A third-party reseller would only add markup on top of this.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Step 2, Fountains. Grandes Eaux Musicales
Sun 25 Oct
garden admission
2 adults
Price estimate ~€10.50 each, ~$23 for two.
Choose
Musical Fountains Show / Grandes Eaux Musicales garden admission
Not included in the Paris Museum Pass. Buy it alongside the palace slot.
Match before paying
  • Sun 25 Oct
  • Musical Fountains garden admission
  • 2 adults
Done when
you hold garden admission for the same date as the palace slot.
Sainte-Chapelle, timed entry (with the pass)*
Booked
Covered by Paris Museum Pass
Phone or printed, either works
Mon 26 Oct, about 09:00
A slot is required. 2 adults, pass holders. Security screening is separate, the chapel is inside the Palais de Justice.
Know before you go

This is courthouse-grade security, not museum security. Not allowed, no exceptions: motorbike/motorcycle helmets, aerosols, knives, forks, scissors, any sharp object however small (nail clippers and penknives included, confiscated items are not returned), scooters/skateboards/rollerblades, and all glass containers, so no glass water bottle.

Bags: no exact size published, official wording only says "bulky luggage/bags" aren't allowed. No cloakroom on-site, use off-site storage first if you're carrying anything bulky.

Arrive exactly at your booked time, the courthouse security process doesn't run early.

Confirmed: Booked direct via getaticket.com (the monument's own timed-slot system) · free 'I already have a ticket' reservation · Mon 26 Oct, 09:00, 2 adults · exactly the planned slot.
Price: free with the Museum Pass, just the slot. (Without the pass it's €13pp.)
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Sainte-Chapelle timed reservation
Mon 26 Oct
09:00
2 people
Museum Pass entitlement
Choose
the pass-holder timed access
A timed slot is needed even though the Museum Pass covers admission. Security screening is separate, the chapel sits inside the Palais de Justice.
Match before paying
  • Mon 26 Oct
  • 09:00
  • 2 people
  • pass-holder / timed access
Done when
two timed reservations show 09:00.
Conciergerie, timed viewing slot (with the pass)*
Booked
Covered by Paris Museum Pass
Phone or printed, either works
Mon 26 Oct, 11:00
A reserved viewing slot, not the admission ticket itself, still mandatory even though free with the pass. 2 tickets. Marie-Antoinette's cell, the Revolutionary Tribunal history, the Gothic Salle des Gens d'Armes downstairs.
Know before you go

Bags: checked at the entrance under the Vigipirate security plan; no suitcases or voluminous bags, and no cloakroom inside the monument.

Not allowed: motorcycle/motorbike helmets, aerosols, knives and other sharp objects, scissors, glass bottles, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades.

Arrive within the slot: each reservation window is 30 minutes, so an 11:00 booking means entering by 11:30 at the latest.

Confirmed: Booked free on tickets.monuments-nationaux.fr, the “I already have a ticket” / Museum Pass category · Mon 26 Oct, 11:00, 2 tickets, €0.00 each · confirmed 20 Sep 2026. The ticket numbers, one slip per person, are on the Drive voucher. This is its own reservation, separate from the 09:00 Sainte-Chapelle slot next door.
Fair price: free with the Museum Pass, just the mandatory time slot. Booked at €0.00. (Without the pass it's €13pp, free under 18.)
Westminster Abbey
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Tue 27 Oct, Abbey 13:00-13:30; Galleries 14:00-14:30
2 adults, plus the Galleries. Last entry about 15:30. Closed Sundays. The Galleries sit up in the triforium, reached by the Weston Tower lift, and look down the length of the Abbey; allow an extra half hour on top of the main visit.
Know before you go

Dress: a working church, no strict tourist dress code, but modest and appropriate is asked. Flat, comfortable shoes recommended, the floors are uneven.

Bags: small bags up to 40×30×20cm are fine. No luggage of any size, no large backpacks, no wheeled bags or cases. No left-luggage on site, nearest is Charing Cross or Victoria station.

Not allowed: weapons, hazardous materials (cutting tools, aerosols, flammable liquids), portable speakers/instruments, paints/adhesives/markers, banners/confetti/balloons/flowers.

Photos, corrects a common assumption: generally allowed, just not during services or performances. No flash, video, extra lighting, selfie sticks or tripods. Fully banned in the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor, St Faith's Chapel, and the Diamond Jubilee Galleries you're visiting, so no photos once you're up in the triforium.

Confirmed: Booked direct on westminster-abbey.org · Tue 27 Oct, 2 adults · £74 total (£32pp admission + £5pp for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries, which were added on top of the original plan). Non-changeable and non-refundable. Verified the four-page PDF: two Abbey tickets admit 13:00-13:30; two Galleries tickets admit 14:00-14:30. Drop bags promptly after Eurostar and reach the Abbey before 13:00.
Fair price: ~£30pp advance online (~$76 for two), audio guide included. Official site, fixed price. Third parties don't undercut it. Came in at £74 (~$100) because the Galleries were added.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Westminster Abbey, general admission
Tue 27 Oct
~13:30
2 adults
Choose
Verified live 10 Sep 2026, top of the list: the card headed “General admission Westminster Abbey”, button labelled “Choose”
You want standard afternoon admission after the Eurostar arrival, audio guide included.
Do not choose
  • “Abbey Unlocked tour 08.30 - 10.00 (selected dates)”, a 90-minute early-morning private tour, wrong item and wrong time
Match before paying
  • Tue 27 Oct
  • ~13:30
  • 2 adults
  • card titled “General admission Westminster Abbey”
Done when
the confirmation shows the afternoon entry for two.
Tower of London
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Wed 28 Oct, 09:00 (opening)
2 adults.
Know before you go

Bags: no suitcases, large bags, or rolling luggage; no left-luggage or bag-storage facility on site. No exact size published, ignore the "16 inches" figure that circulates online, it isn't official.

Dress: nothing specific, just dress respectfully, no costumes (unless part of an event), shoes required, bare-chested adults will be asked to cover up.

Photos: non-commercial, no-flash photos are fine in most of the palace, except the Jewel House and the Martin Tower, so no photos of the Crown Jewels themselves. No tripods or selfie sticks. A bag search is possible on entry.

Confirmed: Booked direct on hrp.org.uk · standard admission, 2 adults · £74 total, right on the estimate. No fixed entry slot on the ticket itself, so still plan to arrive at opening and walk straight to the Crown Jewels before the queue builds.
Fair price: ~£35-36pp advance online (~$90 for two), the cheapest way in, walk-up is a few pounds more. HRP.org.uk only. Budgeted $100 for two, booked at £74 (~$100).
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Tower of London, standard admission
Wed 28 Oct
09:00, opening
2 adults
Choose
Verified live 10 Sep 2026: the plain “Tower of London” card, “Buy tickets” button, standard admission includes the Yeoman Warder tours and the Crown Jewels
At checkout there is an optional 10% donation, pre-ticked on some flows. Fine to leave it, just don't be surprised by it, it is not a hidden fee, it is a charity ask you can remove.
Do not choose
  • “Keys Club experience” upgrade (Tue/Thu only)
  • “Ravens experience” upgrade (Wed/Fri only)
  • “Tower of London + Opening Ceremony experience” upgrade, these are optional paid add-ons, not the base ticket
Match before paying
  • Wed 28 Oct
  • 09:00
  • 2 adults
  • standard admission
  • no upgrade experience added
Done when
two standard Tower admissions are confirmed.
Churchill War Rooms
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Wed 28 Oct, arrive between 14:00 and 14:30
2 adults. Timed entry, about 90 minutes inside. Last entry about 17:00. No suitcases or large bags, and there is no cloakroom or locker on site.
Know before you go

Bags: no cloakroom, lockers, or pushchair/stroller parking anywhere on site. Suitcases, wheeled luggage, and large holdalls/rucksacks aren't admitted at all, the site is small and historic. No exact size published, this is a flat no on anything big.

Not allowed (site-wide IWM policy): knives or sharp/dangerous items (a religious kirpan is exempted), paints/sprays, fireworks/smoke bombs, animals except assistance animals, balloons, loudspeakers/microphones, offensive clothing, flags/banners/leaflets, skateboards/scooters. "Enhanced bag checks" apply at entry, possibly with scanning.

Confirmed: Booked through IWM's ticketing · Wed 28 Oct, arrival window 14:00 to 14:30, 2 adults · £68 total (£34pp). The barcode is in the confirmation email, and an exact private PDF print of that email with the visible barcode is on Drive; it also loads into Apple or Google Wallet. Entry is not guaranteed before the slot, so aim for 14:00, not 14:30. Exactly the time the day was planned around.
Fair price: £34pp advance (~$86 for two) for autumn/winter dates, on the IWM site. Fixed. Came in at £68 (~$92).
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Churchill War Rooms, general admission
Wed 28 Oct
14:00
2 adults
Price estimate Verified live 10 Sep 2026: £34.00 per adult, ~£68 (~$88) for two.
Choose
the ticket option literally labelled “Adult | Churchill War Rooms | General Admission”
You can arrive up to 30 minutes after your timeslot, e.g. a 14:00 booking lets you in until 14:29, not guaranteed earlier.
Do not choose
  • “Become an IWM Member”
  • “Book Member Tickets”
  • a guided premium tour
  • a special event
Match before paying
  • Wed 28 Oct
  • 14:00
  • 2 adults
  • “General Admission”, not a member or guided option
Done when
two general admission tickets confirm the 14:00 slot.
Seine sunset cruise with champagne, Paris
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Thu 22 Oct, 17:45 (at the pier by 17:25)
A one-hour guided cruise with a glass of champagne each, 2 adults. Live guide in French and English.
Confirmed: Booked with Vedettes de Paris · Thu 22 Oct, 17:45 departure (be at the pier by 17:25) · 2 adults, Guided Cruise with Champagne · €64 paid. Boards at Port de Suffren, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Not Bateaux Parisiens, a different company at a different pier. The QR tickets are on the Drive voucher; they also load into Apple or Google Wallet from the confirmation email. Vedettes de Paris +33 1 44 18 08 03.
Fair price: ~€35-50pp for the 1-hour cruise with a glass of champagne (~$90-120 for two). The 'premium' / 'VIP' boats at €90pp+ aren't worth it for a sightseeing loop. Booked at €32pp, under the range.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Reconfirm the 22 Oct sunset time and the cruise timetable, then pick the slot that puts you mid-river at nightfall.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Booked 27 Sep 2026: Vedettes de Paris, “Guided Cruise with Champagne”
Thu 22 Oct
17:45 departure, at the pier by 17:25
2 adults
Price estimate €32 per person, €64 for two, one glass of champagne each, ordered at the bar on board.
Choose
the 17:45 departure, the last of the day and the one closest to dusk (sunset is about 18:45)
How the choice changed. On 10 Sep the plan pointed at Vedettes du Pont Neuf's “Sunset Cruise at twilight”, which boards at the tip of Île de la Cité and would have docked around 19:40-20:00, tight for the 20:00 table at Le Train Bleu. The Vedettes de Paris 17:45 boat, from Port de Suffren at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, still puts you on the river at dusk and docks about 18:45, leaving roughly 75 minutes to reach Gare de Lyon.
Do not choose
  • Bateaux Parisiens at Port de la Bourdonnais, a different company and a different pier, your tickets won't work there
Match before paying
  • Thu 22 Oct
  • Vedettes de Paris
  • 17:45
  • 2 adults
  • Guided Cruise with Champagne
Done when
the confirmation names Vedettes de Paris, 17:45 on Thu 22 Oct, 2 adults, and the QR tickets are attached.
Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, Barcelona
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Thu 15 Oct, 11:00, booked
On the shopping route before 13:00 lunch and 14:00 Sagrada Familia. Bring both covers. Do not leave either without a confirmed practical collection time before departure.
Confirmed: Official LV email confirms Thu 15 Oct at 11:00, Paseo de Gracia, Passeig de Gracia 71, Barcelona. Booked for John as a personalization consultation for two already-owned passport covers. It does not guarantee stamping, cost or handback before the Oct 16 flight.
No appointment charge shown; stamping fee and pickup unconfirmed.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Consultation booked Oct 15 at 11:00; confirm eligibility, price and workable handback for both existing covers before leaving them..
Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, Rome arrival day
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Fri 16 Oct, 15:00, booked
After Friday lunch in Monti and a short hotel rest, travel to Via Condotti 13 with both existing covers. Preserve Trevi at 18:00 and the booked dinner around 20:00.
Confirmed: Booked directly in LV's official in-store appointment flow under Leandra Avitia for Fri 16 Oct at 15:00, Via Condotti 13, Roma. The official success page was saved to the restricted trip folder. It is a personalization consultation for the two passport covers already owned, not proof that the store will stamp them, quote a fee or return them in 48 hours. The separate Sun 18 Oct 16:00 consultation was cancelled on LV's official page Oct 10 at John's request and no longer blocks a slot.
No appointment charge shown. Existing-cover eligibility, stamping fee and pickup time unconfirmed.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Consultation booked Oct 16 at 15:00; verify both covers and a specific practical pickup before leaving them..
Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, Paris first day
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Wed 21 Oct, 17:00, booked
After Orly arrival, Marriott bag drop and a gentle Luxembourg-to-Saint-Germain walk. Bring both already-owned covers. Dinner around 19:30 is optional.
Confirmed: Booked directly through LV's official guest flow under Le Andra Avitia for Wed 21 Oct at 17:00, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 170 boulevard Saint-Germain. Original official success page filed in restricted trip Drive. This is the only Paris LV appointment; the earlier Mon Oct26 La Samaritaine idea was an unbooked inquiry, not a reservation to cancel. Existing-cover acceptance, fee, duration and precise pickup are unconfirmed.
No appointment charge shown; confirm stamping cost and actual return time before leaving covers.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Consultation booked Oct 21 at 17:00; confirm existing-cover acceptance, fee and return date. Oct 26 La Samaritaine inquiry is not a second booking..
Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, London Selfridges
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Tue 27 Oct, 16:00, booked
After Westminster Abbey and before the booked 17:00 Cafe Murano table. Bring Le Andra's existing cover; transit and appointment time are tight.
Confirmed: Official LV appointment email confirms Tue 27 Oct at 16:00 at Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London, for an in-store personalization consultation under John's name. A readable extract of that email is filed privately. A consultation does not guarantee stamping an already-owned cover or a pickup time.
No appointment charge shown; stamping fee and pickup unconfirmed.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Consultation booked Oct 27 at 16:00; appointment email extract is filed. Pickup before departure remains unconfirmed..
Reconfirm later (8)

Borghese Gallery, timed entry: Two tickets booked for Oct 20 14:00-16:00. Ask the venue if both individual tickets showing the purchaser's name admit John and Le Andra. The labeled exact-file link opens only to authorized travelers; no PDF is embedded on the site..

San Clemente, lower levels (x2): Paid for two at 15:00 on Oct 17. Venue name-policy check for the second traveler remains open..

Eiffel Tower, lift to the summit: Check the summit is operating (weather and maintenance can close it) and the exact 22 Oct sunset time for the cruise.

Seine sunset cruise with champagne, Paris: Reconfirm the 22 Oct sunset time and the cruise timetable, then pick the slot that puts you mid-river at nightfall.

Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, Barcelona: Consultation booked Oct 15 at 11:00; confirm eligibility, price and workable handback for both existing covers before leaving them..

Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, Rome arrival day: Consultation booked Oct 16 at 15:00; verify both covers and a specific practical pickup before leaving them..

Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, Paris first day: Consultation booked Oct 21 at 17:00; confirm existing-cover acceptance, fee and return date. Oct 26 La Samaritaine inquiry is not a second booking..

Louis Vuitton personalization consultation, London Selfridges: Consultation booked Oct 27 at 16:00; appointment email extract is filed. Pickup before departure remains unconfirmed..

These do not count against booking progress. Full list: the final 7-day check.

Shows & events2 of 2 · Complete
The curtain is set. Pride Rock, Uganda and Hogwarts are locked in.
Booked (2)
The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre
Booked
Phone or printed, either works
Tue 27 Oct, 19:30
Covent Garden. 2 adults, Royal Circle N.
Know before you go

Bags: no suitcases, rucksacks or large bags, ATG does bag checks on arrival so leave extra time. A small cloakroom takes coats and umbrellas; it doesn't take large bags or luggage (a paid third-party left-luggage service, Stasher, is nearby if needed).

Dress: nothing published, this is not a dress-code house.

Age: under 3s aren't admitted; recommended age is 6+; under-16s must be with an adult.

Confirmed: ATG Tickets · Tue 27 Oct, show 19:30 (bars open 18:00, be in your seat by 18:25) · Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington St · Royal Circle, N 24 and N 25 · £88.95 each = £177.90 (incl. £29.64 VAT), paid on the Mastercard. The order number is on the Drive voucher. The eTickets are the PDF on the Drive voucher, load them on both phones or print them. Non-refundable, no exchange after purchase.
Fair price: face value for the Royal Circle runs ~£75-95pp. Paid £88.95pp for Royal Circle N, a clear but rear seat in the second tier, fair for this house, not a bargain. Budgeted $150 for the two; came in ~$90 over at ~$240.
The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre
Booked
App only, no paper backup
Wed 28 Oct, 19:30
By Leicester Square. 2 adults, Circle Row G.
Know before you go

Bags: security and bag checks on arrival. No alcohol brought in, and nothing that could be read as dangerous (knives, glass, personal sprays/chemicals) — it can be confiscated. A fee-based cloakroom stores items during the show; for anything larger, contact Stasher before you go.

Dress: nothing published for this venue.

Confirmed: Delfont Mackintosh · Wed 28 Oct, 19:30 · Prince of Wales Theatre, Coventry St · Circle, Row G, seats 20 and 21 · £110 tickets + £7 booking fee = £117. Both distinct mobile tickets were verified through the ticket link in the confirmation email; a private two-page PDF copy is on Drive. Open the live Delfont Mackintosh mobile ticket page at the door; the PDF is a backup, not a promise that a printout will be accepted.
Fair price: ~£45-85pp for stalls rows E to L (~$115-215 for two). Paid £55pp in the Circle, a fair mid-price seat for this house.
Dining6 of 6 · Complete
Tables secured. No hungry 8 p.m. debates in Paris or London.
Booked (6)
Le Train Bleu, Paris (the big dinner)
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Thu 22 Oct, 20:00
A table for 2 in the historic dining room, up the staircase in Gare de Lyon.
Know before you go

Dress: no dress code stated anywhere on the official site, no smart-casual language, no jacket requirement. It's a grand belle-époque room though, the blazer/dressy-boots plan for the big dinner still fits the room.

Confirmed: Booked through TheFork · Thu 22 Oct, 20:00 · table for 2 · Place Louis Armand, Gare de Lyon. Free to cancel from the confirmation email. No deposit taken. Restaurant direct line +33 1 43 43 09 06 if the plan changes.
The table under the gold ceiling is yours.
Fair price: the reservation is free, no deposit. Dinner runs ~$150-200 for two with wine, that's on the Oct 22 page. The set menu is the value play.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Le Train Bleu
Thu 22 Oct
20:00
table for 2
main dining room, not the bar
Choose
the direct reservation for 20:00 in the main room
The restaurant takes bookings on its own site and via TheFork. Use direct first; compare TheFork only if it offers the same 20:00 table on better terms. Do not move the time or the restaurant to chase a discount.
Match before paying
  • Thu 22 Oct
  • 20:00
  • 2 people
Done when
the table for two is confirmed at 20:00.
La Poule au Pot Paris 7, dinner for two
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Fri 23 Oct, 20:00
A table for two in the 7th, after the 16:00 Orsay visit. Leave the Marriott by about 19:15.
Confirmed: The restaurant confirmed the existing table by email on 10 Oct: Fri 23 Oct, 20:00, two guests. Yannis explicitly said no bank-card guarantee is needed. This supersedes the earlier Yonev pending and payment-failed messages. No deposit or card payment was made. Dinner is estimated at $78 and paid at the restaurant. 121 Rue de l'Université, 75007 Paris, near Invalides, not the similarly named restaurant at 9 Rue Vauvilliers.
The Ivy West Street, London (the farewell dinner)
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Thu 29 Oct, 19:30
The original Ivy, green awnings, a party of 2. Julian's must-do, the last night.
Know before you go

Dress: the group-wide Ivy Collection FAQ states, verbatim: "Our dress code is smart casual. Tailored shorts and short sleeved shirts are permitted during fine weather. However, guests are asked to be respectful of the fact that many diners will be dressed for a celebration." (Not confirmed as West-Street-specific, but nothing suggests this location differs.) The blazer + dressy shoes plan already fits this.

Confirmed: Booked via OpenTable, Thu 29 Oct 19:30, a table for 2. Le Andra holds the reservation and sent John an invite to join it on his own OpenTable, worth accepting so it's on both phones.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
The Ivy
the original, at 1-5 West Street
Thu 29 Oct
19:30
table for 2
Choose
The Ivy at 1-5 West Street (not an Ivy Cafe, Brasserie, Grill or Asia spin-off)
Match before paying
  • The Ivy
  • 1-5 West Street
  • Thu 29 Oct
  • 19:30
  • table for 2
Done when
the confirmation reads: The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, Oct 29, 19:30, 2 guests.
Cafe Murano, Covent Garden, London (before The Lion King)
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Tue 27 Oct, 17:00
A party of 2, a 6-7 minute walk to the Lyceum. Swapped from Dishoom (originally booked 17:00, cancelled the same day) for a non-Indian pre-theatre dinner.
Know before you go

Dress: smart-casual, nothing published as a strict code. No bag policy published.

Confirmed: Booked live via SevenRooms, 18 Sep 2026. Covent Garden branch, 34-36 Tavistock Street, Tue 27 Oct, 17:00, Main Dining Room, table for 2; the reservation number is on the confirmation email. No deposit. The table is held 17:00 to 18:30 and there is a 20-minute grace period. Marked as a pre-theatre table with the restaurant.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Cafe Murano, Covent Garden
34-36 Tavistock Street, WC2E 7PB
Tue 27 Oct
17:00
Main Dining Room, table for 2
Price estimate Verified live on Cafe Murano's own SevenRooms widget 18 Sep 2026: 17:00 in the Main Dining Room shows as an open, bookable slot for 2, no deposit.
Choose
the Covent Garden branch (Cafe Murano also has Bermondsey, Marylebone and St James's locations)
The full story. This slot was originally Dishoom Covent Garden, moved from 18:00 to 17:00 on 10 Sep 2026 because Dishoom doesn't take bookings after 6pm for a table of 2 (walk-in only, 30-60 minute queues reported). On 18 Sep, going back through the dish research for this trip, it came out that both Dishoom and the other Soho pre-theatre option (Kricket) are genuinely Indian-influenced kitchens, which doesn't match the couple's stated preference to skip Indian food generally. Dishoom was cancelled the same day and Cafe Murano, Angela Hartnett's modern Italian, booked live in its place for the identical 17:00 slot, a 6-7 minute walk to the Lyceum either way. Marked as an pre-theatre table directly with the restaurant.
Match before paying
  • Cafe Murano
  • 34-36 Tavistock Street
  • Covent Garden
  • Tue 27 Oct
  • 17:00
  • table for 2
Done when
the confirmation shows Cafe Murano, Covent Garden, 34-36 Tavistock Street, WC2E 7PB, at 17:00 for 2, with the reservation number on the email itself.
Bar del Pla, Barcelona (first-night dinner)
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
Tue 13 Oct, 21:00 to 22:30
Modern tapas in El Born, a party of 2. The first dinner of the trip, on the night you land.
Know before you go

Dress: no dress code published anywhere on the official site, a casual neighbourhood tapas bar. The everyday-walk outfit is fine.

Confirmed: Table for 2 on Tue 13 Oct, 21:00 to 22:30. Booked by email after Instagram turned the request down. The restaurant wrote back on 21 Sep: “We have a table available for Tuesday, October 13th, 2026, for 2 people, from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM. We look forward to your confirmation so we can hold the table for you.” That confirmation was sent the same day, accepting the 21:00 slot and the 22:30 finish. Note the 90-minute table, they gave an end time as well as a start, so this is a seating rather than an open-ended evening. No deposit, no card and no confirmation number, the booking is simply under Avitia. C/ Montcada 2, 08003 Barcelona, in El Born, phone +34 932 68 30 03.
Reconfirm nearer the time: the venue acknowledged the Oct 13 table on Oct 12. Monitor only for a new change or reply; do not repeat the confirmation request.
A proper Roman trattoria, Rome (dinner)
Booked
No ticket, the reservation is enough
BOOKED · Sat 17 Oct, 21:00
La Carbonara, Via Panisperna 214, 00184 Roma (Monti), a party of 2, confirmed by Instagram DM. There are at least 3 restaurants called La Carbonara – this one in Monti, another at Campo de’ Fiori, and one in Fuengirola, Spain, about 600 km away. If an address other than Via Panisperna 214 comes up in a search or a map app, it is the wrong restaurant. Da Enzo is the backup if anything falls through, cash only, no reservations taken at all.
Know before you go

Dress: no dress code published on either restaurant's site, both are casual trattorias, the everyday-walk outfit is fine.

Confirmed: Confirmed by the restaurant on Instagram, 19 Sep 2026. No online booking exists for this location, so the ask went by DM in Italian to @lacarbonara1906_roma on 18 Sep (table for 2, Sat 17 Oct, 21:00). They replied: “Buongiorno. Le confermo il tavolo. Ma gentilmente mi riscrive a metà ottobre x conferma. Grazie mille” – “Good morning. I confirm the table. But kindly write to me again in mid-October to confirm. Thank you very much.” So the table is held, and it only stays held if you message them again in mid-October. Nothing was paid and no deposit was asked for.
Reconfirm nearer the time: the restaurant asked for this specifically – message @lacarbonara1906_roma on Instagram in mid-October (around 12 to 14 Oct, while you are in Barcelona) to reconfirm the table for 2 at 21:00 on Sat 17 Oct, or call +39 06 482 5176.
Reconfirm later (2)

Bar del Pla, Barcelona (first-night dinner): the venue acknowledged the Oct 13 table on Oct 12. Monitor only for a new change or reply; do not repeat the confirmation request.

A proper Roman trattoria, Rome (dinner): the restaurant asked for this specifically – message @lacarbonara1906_roma on Instagram in mid-October (around 12 to 14 Oct, while you are in Barcelona) to reconfirm the table for 2 at 21:00 on Sat 17 Oct, or call +39 06 482 5176.

These do not count against booking progress. Full list: the final 7-day check.

Entry & travel admin4 of 4 · Complete · 2 pending
Paperwork out of the way. Now the trip gets to be the fun part.
Waiting to open (2)
ETIAS (EU / Schengen authorisation)
Waiting
Watch only. Not a booking, and nothing you can do yet.
ETIAS is not yet operating. It is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2026. No application should be made unless the official EU system is live for an Oct 13 entry. You are not behind on this.
Do not pay any 'ETIAS' site. Not live, not required for this trip. If it launches it will be ~€20pp on the official EU site only.
Do this: Check the official EU status at 30 days out and again at 7 days out. Apply only if it has actually gone live for this trip, on the official EU site, never a third-party 'ETIAS service'.
Star Alliance Lounge, LAX (Tom Bradley International Terminal)
Waiting
App only, no paper backup
Mon 12 Oct, if you go, book on your phone right before walking over
TBIT, Level 6, airside past security. A real paid lounge, not Priority Pass and not free: about $65-70 per person, ~$130-140 total for both. Replaces the earlier Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse plan, which had a hard 17:00-20:00 Priority Pass blackout that LA traffic couldn't reliably beat. This is a last-minute, at-the-airport call, not a locked-in plan — the fallback is just dinner somewhere before/near the airport and a drink at a regular bar instead.
Know before you go

Booking: still must be booked online, even if it's minutes ahead of walking in — staralliance.com/paid-lounge-entry, walk-up isn't offered. Pick a 3-hour arrival window that covers whenever you actually decide to go, timed to comfortably cover the 20:50 LEVEL departure. Entering a Star Alliance frequent-flyer number at booking earns a small discount.

Hours: open until 00:30, and once you're in for your booked window there's no forced exit, so there's no blackout to race.

Offerings: a full buffet plus a noodle bar, 8 shower suites, and an outdoor terrace with fire pits, a real, above-average lounge.

Cost: ~$65-70pp, ~$130-140 total for two. Worth it for a guaranteed, no-blackout window ahead of an 11h45 overnight flight, if you decide to do it.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Optional, pending arrival at LAX — not a real to-do until John decides, since traffic makes the timing unpredictable. If he goes in, it's booked on the spot on his phone before walking over..
Do this: Pending arrival at LAX — if you decide to go in, book on your phone right there at staralliance.com/paid-lounge-entry before walking over, 2 adults, whatever 3-hour window covers your actual arrival and the 20:50 departure. Enter a Star Alliance frequent-flyer number if either of you has one, for the small discount. Pay at booking.
Booked (4)
UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), both of you
Booked
Approved 20 Sep 2026 · valid to 20 Sep 2028
US citizens need a UK ETA to enter the UK. It is checked at UK entry control at Gare du Nord before you board the Eurostar. Valid 2 years, multiple entries.
Confirmed: APPROVED for both of you, 20 Sep 2026. Applied and decided the same afternoon, within about a minute. Both are valid until 20 September 2028, multiple entries, so this covers the Eurostar on 27 Oct with years to spare. €28.07 (about $28) each, paid through Worldpay. Each approval is correctly linked to the passport that person is actually travelling on, checked against both passport numbers. The reference numbers are in the two approval emails from UK Visas and Immigration, filed under the Europe label. Nothing to print or carry: the ETA lives against the passport, and the Home Office says explicitly you do not need to show the confirmation email. Just bring the same passport.
London border handled. One less thing between Paris and Pride Rock.
£20 per traveller at the official rate, billed as ~$28 each. Official GOV.UK or the 'UK ETA' app only. No third-party 'ETA service' site.
Reconfirm nearer the time: only if either of you renews a passport before October. The ETA is tied to the passport number, so a new passport means a new ETA.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
UK ETA
one application per traveller
the passport each of you will travel on
Price estimate £20 per traveller.
Choose
the official GOV.UK ETA application, or the 'UK ETA' app
You need a passport, an email, a payment method and a face photo. Do this twice, once each.
Do not choose
  • any third-party 'ETA service' site, they only add a fee
Match before paying
  • John's application uses John's passport number
  • Le Andra's uses hers
  • £20 paid each
Done when
both travellers have ETA approval emails and each approval is linked to the correct passport.
STEP enrolment (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), both of you
Booked
A few minutes, do it any time before you fly
Free State Department programme. Puts the nearest US embassy or consulate in touch with you if something happens on the trip, and sends alerts for the countries on your route. One-time, no cost.
Confirmed: Both enrolled, 18 Sep 2026 — each of you separately, covering all four legs (Spain, Italy, France, UK) with the trip dates and the right embassy subscribed per country.
Free. Official government site only, step.state.gov.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
STEP enrolment
step.state.gov
both travellers
trip dates + Spain, Italy, France, UK
Choose
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, on step.state.gov
Done when
both travellers are enrolled with the trip dates, the four countries, lodging and an emergency contact.
eSIM data, both phones
Booked
Bought. Install on 11 or 12 Oct, not before, see the validity warning
Bought, but do not install until 11 or 12 Oct. Check the Validity Policy in the Airalo app first (My eSIMs › Details › Show more): if this plan's 30 days start at installation rather than at first connection, installing it now would expire it around 19 Oct, five days into the trip. Installing the day before the flight is safe under either rule. Regional eSIM covering the EU and the UK, 20 GB, 30 days, one per phone. Upgraded from the original 10 GB plan after checking real daily-usage estimates for two people navigating four unfamiliar cities (constant live Maps use runs well past 10 GB over 18 days) — the extra $26 total was worth not risking a mid-trip data run-out.
Know before you go

Where the codes live, and why they are not on this page. An eSIM QR code is a credential, not a receipt: anyone who photographs or screenshots it can install your line on their own phone and use the data, and you would have no way to get it back. This site is public and search-indexable, so no QR code, activation code, ICCID, SM-DP+ address or Airalo order number appears anywhere on it, and none ever should.

The real ones live in exactly two places: the Airalo app, signed in to John's account, which is the one that actually matters and works offline once installed; and a copy of each install PDF in the private Drive folder (Europe 2026 / Reservations & Vouchers) as a backup if a phone is lost or reset. That folder is restricted to John and Le Andra. Its link is printed on this public site, which is fine while it stays restricted, so do not switch it to ‘anyone with the link’, that one change would publish the eSIMs along with everything else in it.

Confirmed: Bought live on Airalo, 18 Sep 2026, one 20 GB / 30-day “European Union and United Kingdom” eSIM per phone, $37 each ($74 total). Auto-renewal left off on both.
What it cost: Airalo ‘European Union and United Kingdom’ 20GB / 30 days, $37 per phone, $74 for two. (The original ~$23-27/phone 10GB estimate below undershoots real usage for this itinerary, kept for reference.) Holafly unlimited is ~$65-75 each, only worth it if one of you tethers a laptop a lot.
How we booked it
Kept here on purpose, for the memory and in case anyone wants to book the same thing.
What we booked
Airalo 'European Union and United Kingdom' eSIM
one per phone
20 GB / 30 days
Price estimate $37 per phone, $74 for two.
Choose
the 20GB / 30-day tier, not the original 10GB one
Bought live 18 Sep 2026 after checking real usage math: two people running live Maps navigation through four unfamiliar cities over 18 days runs well past 10GB, closer to 18-27GB per person by typical traveler estimates. The extra $26 total over the 10GB plan was worth not risking a mid-trip data run-out. Both phones independently confirmed eSIM-compatible and carrier-unlocked before buying (Le Andra's iPhone 15 Pro Max showed unlocked on Verizon's own live status tool, despite neither of them ever having requested an unlock - it auto-unlocked years ago under the FCC's then-standard 60-day rule, which Verizon has since gotten a waiver to move away from). Do not install them yet, and check the validity rule first: Airalo app › My eSIMs › Details › Show more › Validity Policy. Most Airalo plans start the 30 days on first connection to a network in coverage; some start at installation. If this one starts at installation, installing in September expires it around 19 Oct, mid-trip in Rome. Installing on 11 or 12 Oct is safe either way (30 days from the 12th runs to about 11 Nov), so do it at home on wi-fi the day before you fly. Each QR installs exactly once, one per person, so install the right one on the right phone. Then on landing in Barcelona on the 13th, switch the eSIM on as the data line, leave the US number as voice with data roaming off, and turn on wi-fi calling. Auto-renewal left off on both.
Match before paying
  • European Union and United Kingdom, 20GB
  • one per phone
Done when
both phones show the eSIM installed and switched on.
Priority Pass Select unlock fee (Capital One Venture X, authorized users), both of you
Booked
App only, no paper backup
Paid 19 Sep 2026 · expected active within about 2 weeks
Not a separate membership purchase — it's the one-time fee Capital One charges to unlock Priority Pass Select for an authorized user on a Venture X card. Covers 3 real Priority Pass lounge stops already built into the itinerary: Barcelona (BCN lounge), Rome (FCO lounge), and London (LHR, No1 Lounges). LAX itself is a separate, paid Star Alliance Lounge booking (~$130-140 for two, not Priority Pass), see the Oct 12 day page.
Confirmed: Paid to Julian, 19 Sep 2026 · the $125 per person authorized-user unlock fee Capital One charges to activate Priority Pass Select for an authorized user on a Venture X account, ×2 (John + Le Andra) = $250 total, paid by/through Julian's card since he is the primary Venture X cardholder and John and Le Andra are being added as authorized users. Still to come: Julian is expediting the card issuance on his end; Capital One's own processing should have both memberships showing active within about 2 weeks of the 19 Sep payment. Nothing further to pay, this is just Capital One's activation catching up.
What it's worth: $250 total for two Priority Pass Select memberships covering 3 airport lounge visits already on the itinerary — cheaper than buying single-visit lounge passes at any one of those airports.
Reconfirm nearer the time: confirm both Priority Pass Select memberships actually show active in the Priority Pass app before relying on them at Barcelona, Rome or London.
Reconfirm later (3)

UK ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), both of you: only if either of you renews a passport before October. The ETA is tied to the passport number, so a new passport means a new ETA.

Priority Pass Select unlock fee (Capital One Venture X, authorized users), both of you: confirm both Priority Pass Select memberships actually show active in the Priority Pass app before relying on them at Barcelona, Rome or London.

Star Alliance Lounge, LAX (Tom Bradley International Terminal): Optional, pending arrival at LAX — not a real to-do until John decides, since traffic makes the timing unpredictable. If he goes in, it's booked on the spot on his phone before walking over..

These do not count against booking progress. Full list: the final 7-day check.

Apps & check-in6 to set up now · 3 closer to the trip

Loading tickets and boarding passes into the right apps before you fly. Not reservations, but do not skip them.

GetYourGuide app, holds both Colosseum tour tickets
Do now
Install and log in before you fly (12 Oct). Open it again in Rome the night before, 16 Oct.
The Colosseum arena-floor tour tickets live only in this app, John and Le Andra both 17 Oct 10:00. Both bookings are under John's account, so Le Andra's ticket shows there too. No paper, no PDF.
Free.
Do this: Download on both phones, sign in to John's account, open Bookings and confirm both tour vouchers load (tap each one so it caches offline). The meeting point and the guide's phone number are in the booking.
Sagrada Família Oficial app, tickets + audioguide
Do now
Install before you fly. Load the tickets a day or two before, and download the audioguide on hotel wi-fi on 14 Oct.
Loads the 'with Towers' tickets (15 Oct, basilica 14:00 / Nativity tower 14:15) and the free audioguide. The audioguide is a large download, do it on wi-fi.
Free.
Do this: Download on both phones, enter the locator (on the Drive voucher) and John's email to load the tickets, then download the English (or Spanish) audioguide over wi-fi before you leave the apartment on the 15th.
Eurostar app, mobile tickets + live platform
Do now
Install before you fly. Add the trip once, it then works offline.
The Eurostar (27 Oct, Gare du Nord 10:01). A printed ticket is already in the Drive folder; the app is the backup and it shows the gate and any delay. Advance Passenger Info is already completed for both travelers.
Free.
Do this: Download on both phones and add the trip (John's surname + the reference from the Drive voucher). Advance Passenger Information is complete and both UK ETAs are approved.
Marriott Bonvoy app, mobile key + lounge, Rive Gauche
Do now
Install before you fly. Mobile check-in opens the day before, 20 Oct.
Paris Marriott Rive Gauche, 21-25 Oct, on points. The app gives mobile check-in, a digital room key, and confirms Titanium for Executive Lounge access.
Free.
Do this: Download on John's phone, sign in to the Bonvoy account, and do mobile check-in on the 20th so the room is ready when you arrive from Rome. The four Nightly Upgrade Awards are confirmed (Family Suite); check the suite shows in the app.
City transport, what to install per city
Do now
Set these up on hotel wi-fi the night before each city, or all at once before you fly.
You do not need a transit app in every city. This is the short list of what actually helps.
All free. Tickets bought in-app cost the same as the machines.
Do this: Paris: 'Bonjour RATP' or 'Ile-de-France Mobilités' to buy t+ carnet / Navigo Easy and route the Metro. London: no app, just tap a contactless card or phone at the gates (Oyster is not needed). Barcelona: optional 'TMB App' for the Metro; a paper T-casual (10 rides) is simpler. Rome: Google Maps offline + paper 100-minute tickets, no app needed. Download Google Maps offline areas for all four cities before you go.
TheFork, restaurant booking and fallback
Do now
Install before you fly. Use it only when it actually helps.
A booking app for Barcelona, Rome and Paris restaurants. Le Train Bleu can be reserved through it as well as direct.
Free. Promotions vary by restaurant, date and time, treat any discount as a bonus, not a plan.
Do this: Use TheFork only when the restaurant you actually want is listed there, or when you need a nearby fallback. Book direct with the restaurant first where you can.
American Airlines app, boarding passes for the flight home
Waiting
Booking opens about 29 Oct. Install before you fly. Check in from 11:55 on 29 Oct (24 hours before AA137).
AA137, 30 Oct, LHR Terminal 3 11:55. Mobile boarding passes for both of you, and it flags any gate or time change.
Free.
Do this: Download on both phones, add the trip (John's surname + the reference from the Drive voucher). Set a reminder for 29 Oct, 11:55 London time to check in both passengers and pull the mobile boarding passes. Carry-on only, nothing to check.
Vueling app, boarding passes for Barcelona to Rome
Booked
Fri 16 Oct, 08:00. Checked in 1 Oct; passes on the Drive voucher.
Vueling VY6106, 16 Oct, BCN 08:00. Mobile boarding passes for both of you, and it's where you manage the booking or check flight status. No KTN/TSA PreCheck field applies here, confirmed live 20 Sep — that only matters for US-departure security, and this flight departs Barcelona.
Confirmed: Checked in, 1 Oct. Vueling issued both boarding passes for VY6106, Fri 16 Oct, BCN 08:00, seats 2C / 2B. The passes and the confirmation are on the Drive voucher. Still to do: install the Vueling app on both phones, sign in with the booking reference from the Drive voucher and Avitia as the surname, and add both passes to Apple Wallet so they scan before the airport. The confirmation email itself is not a boarding pass.
Free.
Transavia app, boarding passes for Rome to Paris
Waiting
Booking opens about 20 Oct. Install before you fly. Online check-in opens 30 hours before departure, about 04:00 on 20 Oct.
Transavia TO3911, 21 Oct, FCO 10:10. Mobile boarding passes for both of you. No KTN/TSA PreCheck field applies here either, same reasoning as Vueling — this flight departs Rome, not a US airport.
Free.
Do this: Download on both phones, sign in with the booking reference (on the Drive voucher) and Avitia as the surname. Check in once it opens and add both boarding passes to Apple Wallet.
LEVEL boarding passes (no dedicated app)
Booked
Both travelers checked in for Oct 12 20:50 Pacific; two-page PDF verified.
LEVEL LL2624, 12 Oct, LAX 20:50. LEVEL has no dedicated iOS app. Both actual boarding passes, John 23C and Le Andra 23A, are in the restricted two-page Drive PDF. Open or download it to both phones before reaching LAX; do not rely on a wallet pass that has not been verified.
Free.
Reconfirm nearer the time: Both travelers are checked in and the two-page boarding-pass PDF is filed. Save it offline on both phones before LAX..
VAT refund provider app, only if you use one
Waiting
Install only after a qualifying tax-free purchase, not in advance.
If a shop in Spain, Italy or France issues a Global Blue or Planet tax-free form, that provider's app can track the refund. Don't install every refund app up front.
Free. Only worth it if you actually made a tax-free purchase.
Do this: After a big EU purchase, note which provider is on the form (Global Blue or Planet) and install that one app if you want to follow the refund. The paperwork is handled at Gare du Nord on Oct 27.
Booking timelinethe 90 / 60 / 30 day planning view
On the groundnothing to book, buy it on arrival
City transit
Buy on arrival
Barcelona: a T-casual, 10 rides. Rome: single 100-minute tickets, buy a book of them. Paris: a Navigo Semaine loaded on each phone. London: nothing, just tap a contactless card or phone.
Do this: Barcelona and Rome: machine at the first metro station after dropping bags. Rome, skip the Roma Pass, the only paid sights it would cover for you are the Borghese and Castel Sant'Angelo (~€28pp of value against a €35pp 48-hour pass), and it doesn't help at the Colosseum tour or the Vatican; single tickets are cheaper. Paris: buy the Navigo Semaine in the Ile-de-France Mobilites app before the first city transit ride. It runs Monday to Sunday, so bought on the 21st it covers to Sun the 25th and every RER/Metro trip inside zones 1-5 in that window, including the RER C to Versailles on the 25th; you are taking a taxi from Orly. Add a Navigo Jour day pass each for Mon the 26th. London: contactless auto-caps for ordinary city rides; the Watford Junction leg for the Studio Tour (29 Oct) sits past normal TfL zones and costs more. The shuttle bus from Watford Junction to the studio is included in the Studio Tour ticket.
Airport and station transfers
Arrival cars on the spot; hotel pickups arranged the prior evening
Barcelona T1: after passport control compare the final app-car price and pickup walk, or take the official black-and-yellow taxi at the ground-floor arrivals rank to Room Mate Anna. Oct 16: have Anna's desk arrange a 05:15 hotel-door car to BCN T1. Rome FCO: official white taxi rank to Hotel Santa Prassede at €55 flat each way; ask its desk for a 06:30 taxi on Oct 21. Paris Orly: official taxi rank to Marriott Rive Gauche at €36 flat. London: ask citizenM the day before for an all-in licensed car to Heathrow T3, around 07:30 departure, target 08:55 arrival. None is pre-booked yet.
Do this: Do not schedule a fixed meeting for unpredictable airport arrivals. Check the final app fare and assigned pickup point; if it is inconvenient, go straight to the licensed airport taxi rank. For hotel departures, ask the front desk the previous evening and confirm pickup, terminal, fare and traffic. Ignore unsolicited drivers inside terminals.
A third West End show, if a spare evening opens
Day before or day of
The Lion King and The Book of Mormon are already pre-booked. A third could be Matilda or Operation Mincemeat. Not the Hunger Games show.
Do this: Open TodayTix on the day or the day before. A matinee (Wed, Thu, Sat) is roughly half the price of a Friday or Saturday night.
London 2-for-1 attractions
Check before booking attraction tickets
The 2FOR1 deal needs a QUALIFYING National Rail paper ticket that matches the promo rules (the travel date, the route, the named attraction). It is not unlocked by any random 3-pound ticket, and buying a throwaway ticket as a 'key' does not reliably work.
Do this: Check daysoutguide.co.uk against the Tower (and the Churchill War Rooms) and against any train you are actually taking. If a real journey qualifies, print the voucher and bring the paper ticket. If not, skip it and just book direct.
Tax-free (VAT) refund forms
Collected at each purchase, handled at the EU exit on 27 Oct
Only EU purchases (Spain, Italy, France) qualify. The UK ended tourist VAT refunds, nothing to do at Heathrow.
Do this: Ask for the Global Blue or Planet form at the till on any big EU purchase and keep the goods with you. Paris to London on Oct 27 is the final EU exit: French forms may use the French PABLO electronic process at Gare du Nord, and Spanish and Italian paperwork is handled per the issuing country and refund provider instructions there. Allow extra time at Gare du Nord if you bought anything tax-free.
Not being bookeddeliberately left out
Travel insurance
Skip
Decided against it.
Add-ons under consideration
Decide 2 to 3 weeks out
A third West End show if a London evening opens, priced on the extras page. The Roma Pass is not worth buying for this trip. Nothing here is booked or budgeted.