9 days in London, Paris & Iceland Itinerary

Vibrant and noisy, London is one of the world’s leading cities, an international capital of culture, education, fashion, music, finance, trade, and politics.

On the 28th (Thu), shop like a local with Harrods, then steep yourself in history at Buckingham Palace, then contemplate the long history of Tower of London, and finally take in the architecture and atmosphere at St. Paul's Cathedral.

To find photos, traveler tips, other places to visit, and tourist information, read our London holiday planner.

New York City, USA to London is an approximately 11-hour flight. Traveling from New York City to London, you'll lose 5 hours due to the time zone difference. In December, daytime highs in London are 50°F, while nighttime lows are 39°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 29th (Fri) early enough to catch the train to Paris.

A beautiful and romantic city fit for any itinerary, Paris brims with historic associations and remains vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design.

Deepen your sense of the past at sights like Eiffel Tower and Champs-Elysees. Go for a jaunt from Paris to Versailles to see Palace of Versailles about 48 minutes away. Next up on the itinerary: admire the landmark architecture of Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, explore the world behind art at Louvre Museum, pause for some serene contemplation at Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre, and steep yourself in history at Arc de Triomphe.

To find photos, ratings, traveler tips, and more tourist information, you can read our Paris trip planning site.

Traveling by train from London to Paris takes 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can fly; or do a combination of car and train. The time zone difference moving from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour. In December, plan for daily highs up to 47°F, and evening lows to 37°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 31st (Sun) so you can fly to Grindavik.

A historical fishing town on the scenic south coast of the Southern Peninsula, Grindavik boasts one main attraction, the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa.

Get some historical perspective at Strandarkirkja and Akranes Lighthouse. Change things up with these side-trips from Grindavik: The Viking Village (in Hafnarfjordur) and Alafoss Wool Store (in Mosfellsbaer). And it doesn't end there: take in the natural beauty of Gunnuhver Hot Springs, see the interesting displays at Viking World, and don't miss a visit to The Giantess in the Mountain.

To find reviews, maps, ratings, and other tourist information, you can read our Grindavik attractions planner.

Getting from Paris to Grindavik by flight takes about 6.5 hours. The time zone changes from Central European Standard Time to Greenwich Mean Time, which is usually a -1 hour difference. Expect a bit cooler temperatures when traveling from Paris in December; daily highs in Grindavik reach 37°F and lows reach 29°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 3rd (Wed) to allow enough time to fly back home.