A Delightful London and Paris Winter Tour

My family and I had our winter holiday vacation in December 2022 and since visiting Europe was in our bucket list for a long time, we were more than excited to set out to explore London and Paris for the first time. Needless to say, it was an unforgettable trip! The sights and landmarks of London and Paris truly lived up to their iconic status, leaving us in awe and amazement throughout our entire trip. Even our accommodations at the hotels we stayed at were impressive beyond measure.This would not be possible without the assistance of our travel agency and our lovely travel agent, Nicole, who provided invaluable assistance for my and my family during the whole process. Nicole went above and beyond, from helping us plan our itinerary before our trip, to ensuring a smooth experience during our travels, and even following up with us after we returned home. In short, our holiday vacation to London and Paris was nothing short of incredible thanks to Zicasso, the agency, and our kind travel agent. From start to finish, we felt completely supported and taken care of.

It was a wonderful trip. We had not been to London before and our hotel was an ideal location. It was approximately 2 blocks to Buckingham Place and a pleasant 20 to 30 minute walk to Parliament and Trafalgar Squares. The tube was also very accessible and easy to use. Our tour guides for a ½ London orientation tour and for the Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge were exceptional.

In Paris, the hotel was more of a business hotel than a location for tourists. It was located between two Metro stops but on a residential street and many homeless people gathered in the evening at the church at the end of the street.  Therefore, travel to museums was several stops including transfers to other lines and we were not comfortable walking in the neighbor at night. Our day trip to Normandy was unforgettable and very emotional. We like travelling in a small van with four other tourists and a drive rather than a large bus. Our driver/guide was very congenial and gave us sufficient time at each site to explore on our own. He was new to the tour and not a certified tour guide as was the case in London.  He was knowledgeable but I question the accuracy of some of his statements. For example, “body parts and equipment still wash up on the shores of Normandy today.”

We were disappointment in the travel company's attention to detail concerning our trip. They never told us that breakfast was included with our hotels. The London hotel told us upon arrival and we had to ask at the Paris hotel. The staff at the Paris hotel did not know and had to check on it. We did not receive any tipping guidance on tours/trips that were pre-paid by our travel company. Were the gratuities included with the transportation to and from the airport, or the London and Paris tours?  We did provide our driver/tour guide with a gratuity but had no way of knowing if it was adequate. For our Normandy trip, we did NOT have a either a receipt or a confirmation number and the driver/guide requested payment for the trip. We told him it was paid for by the travel company and he checked back with his office and both he and his office apologized for the error. In addition, it would have been nice to know that dinner was included on our 17:01 pm trip back to London. Due to our late arrival in London, we ate a late lunch, so we passed on the pre-paid meal offered on the train.

The description of our ½ day London tour read, “½ day tour of London. The (morning) tour includes a panoramic drive around the city to see many of the well know landmarks.”  From this description, we did not know that we would stop and enter paid attractions. We did not plan to use the 2-day London Pass because we did want to waste it on the only a afternoon that would count as a full day.

 The travel company uses a pre-written itinerary and just drops in the traveler’s information. The never asked about our interests or the type of vacation we envisioned. 

The trip planner at the tour company was very responsive to help us plan and select accommodation and activities for an incredible Christmas in Paris, ideally suited to our needs and budget.  I had not been to France before and my wife had not visited since 1966, so we were a bit overwhelmed by choices and unknowns.  The trip planner was a big help, always at hand by phone and app, and understanding of our interests and limitations, and she gave us good advice for rugging up for a cold Christmas in Paris (which we needed because we live on a tropical Micronesian island in the middle of the Western Pacific where it is hot year round).

London and Paris did not disappoint. We had a wonderful time and the arrangements made by the Zicasso travel agency were great. We packed a lot into the seven days we had there. The London day tour was wonderful! The guide was so great!!!! Paris was great too and we had awesome weather for the entire trip. The travel agent was extremely helpful and so kind and cheerful. Our favorite in London was the walking tour with our guide. Our favorite in France was Giverny.

Thank you to our travel planner and her company for helping us plan and schedule an amazing trip to Europe for our grand daughter’s graduation from high school.  This was a multi-generational tour - grandchildren, parents and grandparents.The trip was a year in the making to see the highlights and do some of the not to ordinary experiences in London and Paris, plus an extension to Budapest, Salzburg and Munich for the grandparents.  Our travel planner was attentive to our desires to do and see certain attractions, but also she suggested sights and activities unique to the places we were to visit.  She located condos in center city which were accessed by walking or public transportation to the major sites on our itinerary  ( We purchased Oyster Cards in London to make for quick and easy access on public transportation.)

Upon arriving in London we settled into our condo and then took off on our first adventure to ride on the Coca-Cola London Eye with  beautiful views of the city and then do a thrilling ride on the River Thames.  To highlight the activities in London: (the parents had previously visited London and Paris two times and the grandparents three times)  tour of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral; in the evening  of the second day it was a dark, cold and rainy setting the stage for our Jack the Ripper Tour.  It made the walk on the cobbled alleyways eerie and thrilling reminding us of days gone by.  On our second full day we visited Wimbledon with behind the scenes visits of facilities used by the press, broadcasters and the world’s best tennis players.  Our grand daughters and their mother play tennis so it was very exciting for them to see the grass courts and to envision the championship players on center court.  Back to center city to visit the Tower of London to see the royal jewels and to hear the history of the castle and of those who were executed there.  Day three we were able to see the various stages of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace,.  We didn’t have to stand in line for hours, as we had done in the past, but instead were able to see the inspection, Old Guard, New Guard, Palaces and were even able to march alongside the Guard and the Ceremonial Bands.

Leaving London, we arrived in Paris and were met and transferred to our centrally located condo.  On our first full day in France we traveled to Normandy via train.  We visited the Caen War Memorial, the Normandy Landing Beaches walking on the beaches where so many lost their lives fighting for our freedom and for those in other countries.  After lunch we visited the American Military Cemetery to remind us of the human sacrifice.

We purchased 4-day Museum Passes in Paris in order to visit the museums on our own time frame: the Louvre, the d’Orsay, the Rodin and the Palace of Versailles.  We put on our walking shoes and walked to the museums and other major sites: Notre Dame, the Eifel Tower, the Arc of Triumph and the Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise over the next four days.  In the evening of our second full day in Paris we did a Gourmet Food Tour walking in the Les Halles-Montorqueil section of Paris.  We sampled wonderful pastries, cheese, sausage, wines and candies from this famous area.After seeing Versailles three times before we were excited about the unique visit our travel planner had arranged for us.  We did a bike tour in the town of Versailles, purchased items for a picnic lunch and then pedaled out to the Palace grounds.  We explored Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet, and the Petit and Grand Trianons, picnicked at the end of the Grand Canal and skipped the lines to tour the Palace.

To end our tour in Paris and to send the grand daughters and their parents off to home, we highlighted the last night with a dinner cruise.  We all enjoyed the fine cuisine and the beautiful night time views of Paris along the River Seine.

We as grandparents continued our journey to Budapest, Salzburg, and Munich.  Staying in centrally located hotels we were able to walk to main attractions and to easily meet our guides for our tours.  In Budapest we did a walking tour of Pest learning about the history, legends and myths while visiting the major sites.  Our second day we took a market tour in one of Europe’s finest halls while sampling several foods and drinks.  Leaving the city we visited a winery-owned restaurant in Etyek for lunch and then drove to a family run winery for a wine tasting.Leaving Budapest we went by train to Salzburg via train.  (We found the trains comfortable, clean and an easy way to move from city to city and country to country. 

Doing the “Sound of Music” Tour was a highlight for us after enjoying the movie over the last fifty years.  We also visited the Fortress of Hohensalzberg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birthplace, did a Mozart concert at the Fortress and toured the beautiful Salzkammergut area. 

Onto Munich for three days.  We enjoyed a walking/driving tour of the city with stops at the Bavarian monarchs palace, the 1972 Summer Olympic Park, the BMW Plant and the famous Hofbrauhaus.  On day two we went outside the city by train to the see King Ludwig‘s castles.  We marveled at the natural beauty of the Alps and villages and the magnificence of the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles.  To complete our stay we took a five hour tour to the Dachau Concentration Camp.  Our guide gave us a detailed tour of the camp and the memorials.  A sobering experience and “lest we forget” all those who lost their lives.

The total trip was remarkable and a special thank you goes out to our tour designer for her expertise and diligence in making everything work together in our time frame.  Her attention to detail was awesome: we had a detailed itinerary, all necessary vouchers for attractions and travel, excellent guides and accommodations.  We highly recommend this company and our outstanding agent.

Our three-week winter escapade to France, Switzerland, and Austria was nothing short of a magical journey through some of the most enchanting winter wonderlands Europe has to offer. From the romance of horse-drawn carriage rides to the charm of bustling Christmas markets, every moment was incredible.

France: A Parisian Winter Dream

We began our adventure in Paris, the City of Lights, which becomes even more captivating during the winter. The Eiffel Tower sparkled against the night sky and Paris offered a blend of elegance and festive cheer that set the perfect tone for the rest of our trip.

Another highlight was our visit to Colmar, a charming Alsace town that felt like stepping into a storybook. Its cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, and magical Christmas market made it an unforgettable experience, with festive lights and holiday spirit around every corner.

Switzerland: A Snow-Capped Wonderland

Next, we ventured to Switzerland, where the true magic of winter revealed itself. The highlight was our trip to Jungfraujoch, the "Top of Europe." The journey up was as breathtaking as the destination itself, with panoramic views of snow-draped peaks and charming alpine villages. Once at Jungfraujoch, we were mesmerized by the endless expanse of snow and ice.

Equally unforgettable was our visit to First Mountain. The crisp air, thrilling walk, and ziplining added an adventurous touch. The view from the suspension bridge, with the mountains stretching endlessly into the horizon, was a sight that will forever be etched in our memories.

We also had the thrill of dog sledding near the Matterhorn. Gliding across snowy trails with a team of eager huskies was an exhilarating and unique way to experience the majestic mountain landscapes.

Austria: A Symphony of Tradition and Festivity

Our final stop was Austria, where the Christmas spirit was alive in every corner. The Vienna Christmas Market was a dream come true, with its illuminated stalls offering everything from handcrafted ornaments to mouthwatering strudels and mulled wine. Salzburg, with its Baroque architecture and snow-dusted rooftops, felt like stepping into a fairy tale. We also attended a classical music performance that added a touch of cultural richness to our holiday.

To top it off, we enjoyed a cozy, horse-drawn carriage ride through a picturesque Austrian village. Wrapped in warm blankets, we listened to the rhythmic clopping of hooves as we glided past snow-covered chalets and twinkling lights – a truly enchanting experience!

The entire trip was a seamless blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and festive joy. Each destination brought its own unique charm, leaving us with unforgettable memories of twinkling lights, snowy peaks, and the warm glow of holiday cheer. Winter in Europe is truly a season to behold and this journey was nothing short of spectacular.

Our Zicasso travel representative made sure every small detail was organized and even double-checked the drivers, tours, etc, in advance. This is the perfect travel company and we will surely use them again! Our agents communicated with us throughout the trip to ensure everything was flawless! Thank you for the most magical holiday ever! We shall cherish these memories forever.