TOP things to do in Barcelona, Paris and Zurich?

In Paris, you should definitely go to visit “les Catacombes” – they are bizarre and interesting and you will never go any other place like it! Info in English is available at: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/paris/A25361.html.

Make sure you get ice cream at “Berthillon,” 31, rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile, on Ile de la Cite (Métro: Sully-Morland or Pont Marie), and hot chocolate at Cafe Angelina, 226 Rue de Rivoli (1st arrondissment, metro Tuileries).

Also in Paris, if you are looking for a fun place to go to a concert and get a drink I recommend “La Guinguette Pirate” which is a pirate ship-turned-floating-club on the Seine (when the dancing gets heavy, the whole ship rocks, literally) in the 13th arrondissement. Get out at either the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand or Quai de la gare Metro stops and walk over to quai François Mauriac.

And you have to walk, walk, walk in Paris as much as you can! That is one of the best things you can do there. The Time Out Book of Paris Walks, published in 2000, and edited by Andrew White, is probably starting to get a little out-of-date but has some great suggestions and easy-to-follow directions of different walks to take: “Hemingway’s Paris,” “the Sacred and the Profane” (the red light district and cemeteries), that kind of thing. Have fun!

rheinfalls are beautiful

Barcelona: Go to the beach! And walk around a lot because it’s probably not too cold yet. And go to the old quarter (I forget what it’s called) and go to a wine bar. Honestly, I think its pretty hard not to have fun in Barcelona. But don’t go to the sex museum because, sadly, it’s a waste of time. You might want to look into day trips outside the city because there are some great ones even if you don’t have a lot of time.

Paris: I highly recommend walking around. Do not miss the “Le Marais” neighbourhood and while you’re at it, go visit the Picasso Museum and take a nice cup of tea at “Mariages Frères”. They even have a museum there. You can’t miss it: the smell of tea fills the street. Also, if you’re into modern art, the Pompidou centre is a must.
Barcelona: anything Gaudí related, really. He was a genious. “Las Ramblas” and thousands of shops. Oh, and the beach, of course. If you like going to clubs, then check out “Razzmatazz”. Great music, good looking people :o)

In Paris: eat. When you go into a restaurant, a bar, a cafe or even get on a bus, immediately say “bonjour” to the proprietor and to the people who look up when you come in, because not to do so is rude (in France) and will keep people from wanting to serve you, plus after you say it someone will speak French to you.
In Barcelona: eat, and try to learn some polite phrases in Catalan because Catalans appreciate it if you do not assume they like to speak Castilian.
In Zurich: climb up into the forest if you can, but in half a day it would be pretty hurried.
And eat pastry. (Always eat pastry.)

Specifically in Zurich: eat dessert at Confiserie Sprungli where you will find not only delicious Swiss chocolates but incredibly beautiful and delicious pastries. A must-eat.

best pastries in paris are at La Duree on Rue Bonaparte. I also suggest the falafel in the Marais. Make sure to eat like a french person if you want to save money: espresso, baguettes, etc. Don’t order a coke unless your life depends on it.

Beware – I was in Paris last month and the catacombs will be closed for a while for renovations. I don’t understand how one can clean up catacombs….

eat carpaccio, my favorite. and shop at pimkie and jennyfer…and ride the subway…and drink beer!