The resident European wants to weigh in, too!
1. Munich: It IS true that (many) people there are dressed to the nines, but to be honest, I'm a 'jeans & t-shirt' person and I've never felt out of place. No reason to worry. Definitely get comfortable shoes!! I'm no expert on Munich in terms of what to do there, but it's a beautiful city and you'll definitely have to go for a beer at one of the beergardens. Stay away from the Hofbraeuhaus - it's a tourist trap full of drunk Australian college kids and Japanese tourists..haha. Instead, ask at the hotel if they can recommend a local beer place.
2. Paris: OMG, one of my all-time favorite cities!!! EVERYTHING in Paris is beautiful. If you're into modern art, check out the Centre Pompidou - it's a cool building on top of it. I agree with whomever said to get to the Louvre early in the morning. In fact, I'd get there before it opens and then race to the Mona Lisa, otherwise you'll be shuffled past her with a mere few seconds to glance at her. Try to get tickets to go on top of the Eiffel Tower when it's dark out - it's beautiful! The food....*faint*. I was in Paris for 2 weeks and NEVER had a bad meal, no matter what kind of restaurant we went to. You can make smart choices, but try not to worry too much about it. You can't say no to that bread all time!
If you're looking for a day trip (aside from Versailles), I recommend Monet's Garden at Giverny. It's a 45min train ride from Paris or you can take one of the bus tours.
3. Rome: I've been to Rome many times and if there was only one thing you could do there, I would tell you to visit the
Negropolis beneath the Vatican Basilica. You get to see the excavated tomb of St. Peter (we literally saw his bones!) and the 3 or 4 layers of buildings they discovered beneath the Vatican. It was THE most amazing thing I've seen in Rome - and there are lots of amazing things
. The only way to get tickets for a tour is through the Vatican's Excavations Office and you have to make them as soon as possible. They only allow a certain number of people each day, so the earlier you check availabilities, the better. Their tours are in whatever language you need and they are usually guided by one of the Vatican-based clergy (mine was a hilarious, young Australian kid). Check out this website for instructions:
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/in...040112_en.html
Other than that, I recommend getting a personal tour guide. They aren't as expensive as you think (if you want, I can find out who we used) and have the great advantage that they can get you into the museums (esp. the Vatican Museum) faster. Plus, there is so much history in Rome that they can sort through all the confusion.
Let me know if you need more tips..haha.