European Vacation to France, Italy, and Spain
In 2008, my wife Mary, three daughters, and I went on a Mediterranean cruise, our first trip to Europe. At the time, the cruise made sense for us. Meals, lodging, and many language issues were taken care of for us. We’d sign up for a tour, arrive in port, and follow around a guide holding up a flag. What could be easier? It was a wonderful, but a bit touristy trip, and we vowed to visit Europe again.
We finally got around to it in May, 2019. Thank goodness we did it before start of the pandemic in 2020. For our second time to Europe, Mary and I didn’t want to do it like the first. We decided to so it in a more challenging way, no cruises, packages, or tours, just us having to find our next meal and how to get to our next destination. We wanted to immerse ourselves in the experience and have to communicate along the way, even though we knew almost no French, Italian, or Spanish.
Over 18 days, we visited Paris, Venice, Matera, Cinque Terre, Tossa de Mar, and Barcelona. Our journey included:
- 8 flights
- 3 boat rides
- 14 trains
- 16 buses
- 21 metro/subway rides
- 1 car ride
- Miles and miles of walking
As avid hikers, we embraced the walking. And the adventure.
Paris, France
We hit the ground running — literally. After landing in Paris, we walked 10.5 miles on our first night. But the story actually began a bit earlier…
A Wild Coincidence in Iceland
During a five-hour layover at the Reykjavik airport, we bumped into two close friends — who now live 1,800 miles from us — completely by chance. Even stranger, they were on our same flight to Paris, sitting directly behind us. They had booked a hotel near Notre Dame, while ours was a more budget-friendly spot, 1.5 miles away by Metro. We agreed to meet up at 7 PM at Notre Dame — though due to the recent fire, we couldn’t go inside.
We spent the evening walking together along the Seine, passing stunning landmarks like Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, d’Orsay, and the Grand Palais. The riverbanks buzzed with life — vendors, cafes, and walkers like us.
We crossed the ornate Pont Alexandre III, had dinner on the Champs-Élysées (where duck liver pâté cost a shocking $40 — maybe I’m just cheap), and ended up at the Arc de Triomphe. Our friends’ app logged nine miles of walking by the time we said goodbye.
A Long Walk Home
We headed to the Metro… only to find the doors locked. It had stopped running for the night. So we walked the remaining 1.5 miles to our hotel — through dark streets and alleys — arriving in the early morning.
Our hotel, Solar Hotel, was lovely (as long as the Metro was running). Breakfasts included croissants, jam, and coffee. The neighborhood didn’t have a supermarket — just a variety of individual shops: butcher, cheesemonger, produce stands, wine, and pastries galore. It was a refreshing contrast to the chain-heavy retail of the U.S., and a great opportunity to practice our limited French. Parisians were mostly patient and kind.
The most useful French words? Bonjour, oui, and merci.
Jetlag
Our sleep schedules were seriously out of whack, but we didn’t want to sleep the day away. I woke up groggy and fumbled with our pill bottle. Instead of taking Levothyroxine a small white pill that’s supposed to increase my energy level, I accidentally took my wife’s melatonin, a small white pill that helps people sleep. That morning, I stumbled around like a total zombie!
Montmarte and Sacre Couer
Even without melatonin confusion, the Paris Metro was a challenge. Stops sounded nothing like their spelling — try saying “Aubervilliers–Pantin–Quatre Chemins”!
Still, we navigated our way to Montmartre, a charming, artsy neighborhood filled with cafés and street performers. We visited Sacré-Cœur, newer than most churches we saw (opened in 1914), but with a unique architectural beauty and sweeping views.
Sainte Chappelle and the Louvre
Sainte Chappelle from 1248, was stunning — its 1,113 stained glass scenes felt almost overwhelming in their detail.
The Louvre, the world’s largest art museum, was equally impressive. We wandered until we hit our museum limit. Honestly, the architecture of the building itself impressed me as much as the art. It made me wonder: how many modern buildings will still stand 800 years from now?.
Onward to Venice
We loved Paris, but after three days in a big, bustling city, we were ready for something different. We headed next to Venice — beautiful, historic, and refreshingly car-free.
Coming Up:
A peaceful escape in the caves of Matera
Getting lost in Venice (and loving it)
The travel disaster en route to Matera
Our favorite Italian meal — made at “home”