After finishing my work meetings in the UK, Sari and I kicked off our girls’ trip with a classic European route (My first): London, the French Riviera, and Paris.

This was not a slow travel itinerary by any means—we packed quite a lot into the trip—but with a bit of planning and strategic transport choices, it worked surprisingly well.

Here is how our itinerary unfolded.

London, United Kingdom

We landed at Heathrow Airport and went straight to Ascot, where I was staying for several days due to work commitments at Macdonald Berystede Hotel & Spa.

The hotel was lovely—quiet, spacious, and surrounded by greenery. It felt more like a countryside retreat than a business hotel, making it perfect for a relaxing weekend or a focused meeting away from the noise of the city.

Ascot is only about 30 minutes from Heathrow, but public transport connections are not particularly convenient. Since I was travelling with a large suitcase, I booked a car transfer with Addison Lee, which made the arrival very smooth.

Day 1 – Windsor Castle

Since Windsor Castle is only about 13 km from Ascot, it made perfect sense for a short excursion.

From near the hotel, we found Bus No.1, which runs between Ascot and Windsor roughly once an hour.

Windsor Castle is one of the official residences of the British monarch and also one of the oldest continuously occupied castles in the world. Walking through the historic grounds and exploring the town of Windsor made for a perfect half-day outing.

Day 2 – London Highlights

After checking out of the hotel, we took a short taxi ride to Ascot Railway Station, about five minutes away.

From there we took the train to London Victoria Station.

Before travelling, I made sure to check that all the stations on the route had elevators. This was very important because we were travelling with large suitcases and wanted to avoid dragging them up and down stairs.

Our hotel in London, Cherry Court Hotel, was conveniently located just a few hundred meters from Victoria Station.

After dropping our luggage, we spent the afternoon exploring some of London’s classic landmarks:

• Buckingham Palace
• Parliament Square
• Palace of Westminster
• South Bank London

Walking along the Thames in the evening was the perfect way to end the day.

Day 3 – Oxford and Bicester Village

For a mix of culture and shopping, we planned a day trip to Oxford and Bicester Village.

We took the train from London Paddington Station to Oxford, where we spent half a day exploring the historic university city.

Afterwards, we took a bus to Bicester Village. This route turned out to be cheaper than going directly from London.

There is also a direct bus from London to Oxford which is cheaper than the train, but we chose the train to save time.

After a few hours of shopping, we returned to London by train from Bicester Village to London Marylebone Station.

Day 4 – Harry Potter Studio Tour

One of the highlights for Harry Potter fans is visiting Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.

We booked our tickets in advance, including the bus transfer from Victoria Coach Station.

Advance booking is highly recommended because tickets sell out quickly.

London Travel Logistics

Accommodation

London is expensive—probably the most expensive stop on this entire trip.

Ironically, our London hotel was the smallest room we had, despite costing more than our hotels in Paris and Nice.

Many well-reviewed UK hotels also prefer direct bookings rather than online booking platforms, so it’s worth checking their websites directly.

Why Stay in Victoria

We chose to stay near Victoria Station because it was extremely convenient for our itinerary.

From here we had:

• Walking access to Buckingham Palace
• Easy access to the coach station
• Direct train to Gatwick Airport for our flight to France

Trains in the UK

Unlike many European countries, the UK rail network is run by several different train companies.

To get the best price, it’s often cheaper to:

1. Check schedules on Trainline
2. Then purchase tickets directly from the train operator’s website

Buying tickets in advance usually saves money, especially for longer journeys.

We also noticed some promotional offers while travelling—such as 2-for-1 entry to certain attractions when presenting a train ticket.

Oyster Card

To use London’s public transport system (Tube and buses), you can use an Oyster card.

You can either:

• Top up the card with credit, or
• Buy a Travelcard day pass with unlimited rides

The Oyster system also has a daily fare cap, meaning you will never pay more than a certain amount per day.

One tip: Victoria Station is extremely busy, so it’s easier to buy an Oyster card at a quieter station.

Also remember that not all stations in Europe have elevators, so if you’re travelling with suitcases, it’s worth checking accessibility in advance.

French Riviera and Paris

Day 5 – Fly to Nice

From Victoria Station we took the Southern Rail train to Gatwick Airport and flew with EasyJet to Nice.

From Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, we took Bus No.23 to the Liberation tram stop.

Our hotel was Hotel Comte de Nice.

Day 6 – Monaco

We took the bus along the beautiful Mediterranean coastline to Monaco, visiting Monte Carlo.

Day 7 – St Paul de Vence and Cannes

This day was spent exploring two Riviera destinations:

• Saint-Paul-de-Vence
• Cannes

We took a bus to Saint-Paul-de-Vence and later travelled by train to Cannes.

Day 8 – Nice

We spent the day exploring Nice itself—shopping, sightseeing, and enjoying the relaxed Riviera atmosphere.

Day 9 – Travel to Paris

We took the high-speed TGV from Nice to Paris.

Despite carefully choosing routes that avoided stairs during the trip, we forgot to check one important detail: whether Nice train station had elevators.

Unfortunately, the station was undergoing renovation and the elevators were not available. Carrying our very full suitcases up the stairs—after several enthusiastic shopping days—was not our finest travel moment.

Lesson learned.

We stayed at My Hotel in France Saint Georges, located near the Opéra area and close to the Saint-Georges metro station.

Day 10 – Paris Highlights

We spent the day exploring central Paris and its iconic sights.

Day 11 – Day Trip to Versailles

We visited Palace of Versailles using the RER C, departing near Musée d’Orsay.

Day 12 – Sacré-Cœur and Le Marais

Since my flight was in the evening, I spent the morning visiting Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

In the afternoon I wandered through Le Marais, one of the most charming neighborhoods in the city.

There is a bus service from the Opéra area to Charles de Gaulle Airport, but because my suitcase had grown significantly after all the shopping, I chose the hotel shuttle instead.

It was still cheaper than taking a taxi alone.

France Travel Logistics

Transportation

Paris

We purchased a Paris Pass for three days, but in hindsight it wasn’t necessary because we didn’t have enough time to fully maximise its benefits.

It’s always a good idea to calculate the value carefully before buying city passes.

Alternative options include:

• Paris Visite transport pass
• A carnet of 10 metro tickets

Nice

In Nice we mostly used trams and buses.

Transport passes are available for:

• 1 day
• 3 days
• 1 week

Tickets can easily be purchased at machines using a credit card.

Regional buses to Monaco, Cannes, and Saint-Paul-de-Vence can often be paid directly with the driver.

Accommodation

Similar to London, many well-rated hotels in France also prefer direct booking through their own website rather than online booking platforms.

Safety

Pickpocketing can be an issue in busy tourist areas in France.

A few simple precautions help:

• Keep your bag zipped and close to you
• Avoid carrying flashy bags or wallets
• Stay alert in crowded areas like metro stations and major attractions

When travelling, I usually carry a simple non-designer bag to avoid unnecessary attention.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, this trip will always feel special to me because it was my first trip to Europe. Experiencing it with my best friend made it even more memorable. From the elegance of London and the quiet countryside of Ascot, to the sunshine of the French Riviera and the timeless streets of Paris, every stop had its own rhythm and personality. Travelling mostly by train and public transport made the journey feel wonderfully connected—one city flowing naturally into the next.

Of course there were small travel mishaps along the way (stairs with heavy suitcases seemed to be a recurring theme), but those moments somehow become part of the story later on. More than anything, this trip reminded me how special it is to travel with friend: wandering unfamiliar streets together, sharing meals, laughing at small inconveniences, and collecting memories that stay long after the suitcases are unpacked.

And like all good trips, it left us with the same thought at the end—where should we go next? ✨