NFT: Paris & Barcelona Recommendations

this summer - VRBO - Vacation Rentals by Owner
Stay anywhere in the center of town and you should be fine.

Spent 5 nights in Barcelona in late September and absolutely loved the room, the staff and the location of this hotel.

Place to be

stay thirsty, my friend!

Try to stay on the Ile Saint Louis. Tiny island in the heart of the city. There are a few boutique hotels there. We stayed at the Hotel Jeu de Paume a number of years ago. Fantastic.

Three years ago we stayed on the left bank at Hotel Spirit. Very cool place.

You can't go wrong with either of those in Paris. We stayed at a larger hotel when we were there last month. Very nice but the two above will give you the real feel of Paris. Last month we brought my brother and his wife to see where we stayed previously and they agreed if they come back they would stay at one of those hotels.

Check them out online and let me know.

I had fun in Bordeaux. Maybe not a day trip, but shave a day or two off Barca and stop in Bordeaux on the way. Not sure I'd split time evenly between the cities -- really liked Barcelona but Paris is Paris. I could spend a month there.

Last visit we took a two hour train ride to Normandy and met a guide there. Took us all over to see Omaha Beach and Utah Beach and did a D Day tour. Great day trip. We got up early and grabbed a 730 train and were back in Paris by 830 that night.

Since that trip last month I have been binge watching Band of brothers, the Longest day and Saving Private Ryan.