Lingering Versus Doing
Paris's appeal is density. Within a 20-minute walk you can pass a Gothic chapel, a covered passage of old bookshops, a market street and a park where locals play pétanque. Doing very little feels like plenty, whether that is an hour on a café terrace or a weekday lunch with a half bottle of wine. You never need a car and rarely need a taxi.
London is a big city that does grand romance and casual fun equally well. Spend the afternoon over tea at Claridge's and the evening in a crowded pub in Covent Garden. It is greener than its reputation, with eight Royal Parks, canal towpaths and Hampstead Heath. Because it is huge, plan each day around one neighborhood, such as South Bank with Borough Market or Mayfair with Hyde Park.
Couples who want to slow down and stroll tend to prefer Paris. Couples who want a packed evening calendar tend to prefer London.
Museums, Shows and Views
Paris leads on art. The Louvre, Orsay, Orangerie, Rodin and Picasso collections could fill a week, though two or three well-chosen visits are better. The Orangerie's oval rooms of Monet's water lilies suit jet-lagged couples. See Sainte-Chapelle on a bright morning, take a Seine boat at sunset and book the Palais Garnier if anything is playing. Versailles is an easy day trip by RER.
London leads on evenings. Book a West End show, or see a play at Shakespeare's Globe in summer, where yard tickets are famously cheap. Many major museums are free, so you can drop in for one room of paintings. Reserve free tickets to the Sky Garden for a sunset over the river, ride a riverboat to Greenwich to stand on the Prime Meridian and walk the Regent's Canal past painted narrowboats.
If culture means paintings, choose Paris. If it means theater and nightlife, choose London.
Bistros or Sunday Roasts
Paris is the better eating city for most couples. Lunch is the bargain, with a two or three course formule at a bistro costing a fraction of dinner. Bakeries are reliable for breakfast. For a celebration, the city has dozens of Michelin-starred tables, though a classic bistro with steak frites and a good Burgundy might be the meal you remember most. Wine bars in the 11th arrondissement are relaxed and good for natural wine.
London eats far better than its old reputation suggests. Graze at Borough Market on a weekday morning, queue for breakfast at Dishoom and keep the ritual of Sunday lunch at a pub: roast beef or lamb, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. St. JOHN in Smithfield is a landmark of British cooking. For drinks, try the American Bar at The Savoy or a pint at a riverside pub in Wapping.
In both, book popular dinners weeks ahead. Paris books online two to four weeks out, while London's famous tasting menus go a month or more in advance.
Where to Base Yourselves
In Paris, your neighborhood matters more than star rating. Saint-Germain-des-Prés has the classic Left Bank cafés, the Marais has medieval lanes and lively evenings and the Île Saint-Louis is almost traffic-free. We cover three hotels: Relais Christine, a quiet courtyard hotel in Saint-Germain; Hôtel Pavillon de la Reine & Spa, right on Place des Vosges; and Le Bristol Paris, one of the city's palace hotels.
In London, choose the neighborhood first too. Covent Garden and Soho put theaters on your doorstep. Mayfair is the classic grand-hotel district, home to Claridge's, the hotel we cover, with quiet streets and Hyde Park nearby. Marylebone is village-like and Belgravia is elegant and residential.
Rooms in both cities can be small, so check square footage before you book. Ask for a courtyard or high-floor room, since street-facing rooms can be noisy late at night. Mention your honeymoon when you book, not at check-in.
Flights, Weather and Getting Around
London has the shortest hop, about seven hours from the East Coast, with nonstops into Heathrow (LHR) from most major US hubs. The Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in about 15 minutes. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) has nonstops from about two dozen US cities. Taxis to the center run on fixed fares set for the Right Bank and Left Bank.
The best months are similar: May, June and September in London, late April through June and September into October in Paris. Both can be hot in July in older buildings without strong air conditioning. December brings Christmas lights in each, with early dark, especially in London, where the sun sets before 4 p.m.
Getting around is easy. Walk in Paris and use the fast Métro when your legs give out. In London, tap a contactless card or phone on the Tube and buses, with daily fares capped automatically. Do not rent a car in either city.
Which Costs More
London is usually the more expensive city. Good central hotels often run $400 or more a night and dinner for two with wine can reach roughly $200, with rooms, cabs and dinners priced like New York. Many restaurants add a 12.5% service charge automatically, so check the bill before tipping. Free museums, parks and walks balance things out.
Paris has a wide spread. Palace hotels such as Le Bristol are among the priciest in Europe, while smaller hotels in Saint-Germain and the Marais cost much less. Everyday eating is better value, thanks to lunch formules, bakeries and market picnics. Hotel rates fall in winter, when museums feel spacious.
All prices here are approximate ranges and shift with the season. If you are watching the budget, Paris usually gives you more for the money at the table, while London's free culture saves you on days out.
Linking the Two by Train
The Eurostar makes these two of the easiest cities in Europe to combine. Trains run from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in a little over two hours, center to center, with no airport security lines.
A week works well split three nights in London and four in Paris, or the reverse. Fly into London, which has the shortest flight from the East Coast, then take the train and fly home from Paris. Book an open-jaw ticket so you never backtrack.
With ten days or more, add a slower stretch. From London, trains reach Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds in under two hours. From Paris, the TGV reaches Provence in under three hours. Many couples find two big cities plus a quiet countryside finish is the right rhythm for a honeymoon, since city days are tiring and a few lazy days at the end help you go home rested.
