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Paris, France
Day 1 (Sat Aug 8) — Arrive CDG/Orly, land at 1PM, plan activities from 4PM onward. Check into your hotel, then head to the Champs-Élysées for a classic first evening stroll. Grab dinner at Café de Flore in Saint-Germain or try L'As du Fallafel in Le Marais for something casual. Day 2 (Sun Aug 9) — Start at the Eiffel Tower (book skip-the-line tickets in advance!), walk across Pont de Bir-Hakeim, then cruise the Seine on a Bateaux Mouches. Afternoon: visit the Louvre (pre-book tickets — aim for 2hrs minimum, see Mona Lisa + Venus de Milo). Evening dinner at Septime (book weeks ahead) or the more accessible Bouillon Chartier for classic French brasserie food at great prices. Day 3 (Mon Aug 10) — Morning at Montmartre: Sacré-Cœur basilica, Place du Tertre artists' square, and grab a croissant at a local boulangerie. Afternoon: world-class shopping on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès) or the more accessible Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann — don't miss the stunning Art Nouveau dome inside. Evening: catch golden hour at the Trocadéro viewpoint overlooking the Eiffel Tower, then dinner at Le Jules Verne inside the Eiffel Tower (splurge option) or Les Cocottes by Christian Constant for upscale bistro fare.
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Milan, Italy
Day 4 (Tue Aug 11) — Take an early morning train or short flight Paris → Milan (Trenitalia high-speed or EasyJet/Air France, ~2hrs). Check into your hotel near Brera or the Duomo district. Afternoon: visit the Duomo di Milano — go up to the rooftop terraces for incredible views over the city (book online). Walk through the gorgeous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world's oldest shopping malls (window shop Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci flagship stores). Dinner at Trattoria da Pino for authentic Milanese risotto and osso buco, or Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia for a fine dining splurge. Day 5 (Wed Aug 12) — Morning: see Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' at Santa Maria delle Grazie — MUST book tickets months in advance, viewing slots sell out. Explore the Brera neighbourhood: art galleries, vintage boutiques, and aperitivo bars. Shopping: head to Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga for the 'Quadrilatero della Moda' (fashion quad) — Versace, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana all have flagship stores here. Evening aperitivo (Campari Spritz) at Nottingham Forest or Bar Basso, then head to Lake Como by train (45 mins from Milano Centrale).
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Lake Como, Italy
Day 5 evening / Day 6 (Thu Aug 13) — Stay in Varenna or Bellagio on Lake Como — both are stunning and far less crowded than Como town. Varenna is arguably the most picturesque village on the lake with pastel-coloured houses, narrow lanes, and a gorgeous lakefront promenade (Passeggiata degli Innamorati — Lovers' Walk). Day 6: take the ferry between villages (Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio — ferry pass is affordable and the best way to explore). Visit Villa del Balbianello in Lenno (used in James Bond: Casino Royale and Star Wars) — book garden entry ahead. Lunch at Il Molo in Varenna for fresh lake fish and pasta with lake views. Afternoon: rent a kayak or take a boat tour for a different perspective of the Alps meeting the water. Dinner at Ristorante La Vista in Bellagio for romantic lake-view dining. Day 7 (Fri Aug 14) — Morning: visit Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo for stunning botanical gardens in bloom. Then take the train from Varenna-Esino station toward Venice (change in Milan, ~3.5 hrs total to Venice Santa Lucia).
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Venice, Italy
Day 7 (Fri Aug 14) afternoon / Day 8 (Sat Aug 15) — Arrive Venice Santa Lucia station in the afternoon — the moment you step outside the station and see the Grand Canal is unforgettable. Take a vaporetto (water bus Line 1) down the Grand Canal to your hotel — stay near San Marco or Dorsoduro for best access. Afternoon: Piazza San Marco, Basilica di San Marco (go inside — free entry), and climb the Campanile bell tower for panoramic views. Walk across the Rialto Bridge and browse the Rialto Market stalls. Splurge on a gondola ride at sunset (~€80-100 for 30 mins — negotiate beforehand). Dinner at Osteria alle Testiere (tiny, world-famous, book ahead) for the freshest seafood in Venice, or Trattoria Da Romano on Burano island if you took a day trip. Day 8 (Sat Aug 15): morning stroll through quieter sestieri (neighborhoods) like Cannaregio or Castello away from the crowds. Pick up Murano glass or Venetian masks as souvenirs before heading to Venice Marco Polo Airport for your departure flight home.