Paris: The City of Love
10 Things to Do & See in Paris, France
Thinking of spending a weekend in Paris and are not sure what to prioritize? Let me help you with that! Paris is an amazing city with so many things to do and see! Make sure you don't miss a single thing in the city of love!
1. Where to Stay? As a young adult traveller, I highly suggest St. Christophe's Inn. This hostel costs around the same amount as any other Parisian hostel but gets you everything you can ever imagine and more. The hostel is extremely clean, quiet, safe, and has it's own bar! The staff are super friendly as well and can tell you all the best places to visit! Hop on one of the free walking tours or benefit from all of the discounts they provide and you won't be disappointed! 2 for 1 drinks most nights for guests along with a free shot when you walk in! The beds are the new pod design where you have a locker underneath for your belongings, plugs of all kinds on your headboard, a light on your bed, and even a curtain so you don't feel you are actually in a dorm with others! The atmosphere is extremely friendly and you are sure to make friends! Free Breakfast every morning consists of coffee, juices, croissants, sandwich meats and breads, and so much more! There's no need to upgrade to the 8 euro breakfast unless you want a little more everyday! There are two St Christophe's Inns in Paris including Gare Du Nord and Canal Street. I've stayed in both and recommend Gare Du Nord as it is newer and everything is one step above Canal Street. Also, Gare Du Nord is in a better location for accessing everything in Paris including the metros, RER's to the airport or versailles or Disneyland. Both locations are better than the other hostels I've stayed at in Paris, but Gare Du Nord is definitely the better choice!
PS: The staff is extremely helpful, one of my friends booked for the wrong night and after contacting them and letting them know his situation, he was able to switch his reservations!
2. Arc De Triumph What better place to start than the beautiful arc de triumph? Students are able to climb to the top for free while others cost anywhere from 6-11 euros depending on your age. Typically, there is no line to climb to the top, however, there may be a short 5-10 minute line to buy your ticket. Beautiful view of all of Paris from the top. This is one of my favorite places in Paris! (PS: even students must stand in the ticket line to get a student ticket)
Beautiful view!
3. Champs Elysees- As soon as you climb back down the arc de triumph, walk straight from there towards the concords on the Champs Elysees. This is where you will find the most profitable McDonald's in the world, famous restaurants where you can buy the most expensive shot of expresso, and many different famous shops. Download Steve Rick's European tour app to listen to his commentary on the champs elysees while walking down the street!
4. The Louvre Museum- This world famous museum is an absolute must while traveling to Paris, even if it's just for a view of the outside. This museum holds the famous mona lisa (much smaller than most imagine), and many other famous art works. The museum is huge! If you're an art fan, you could spend an entire day here! However, if you're not into the art world as much you could take a quick 1-2 hour walk through the inside or even see the beautiful outside!
5. Take a stroll (or cruise) down the Seine River! Here you will find the pont neuf and many other beautiful famous bridges. There are many restaurants and shops along the way!
6. Visit Notre Dame! The famous cathedral is not to be missed! You can wait in line for an hour or two to enter the beautiful building, or just admire it from the outside! This building is in the Latin Corridor and is a great place to stop for food! Also, don't miss the spot on the ground in front of Notre Dame, Point Zero or Kilometre Zero, which is the point from which all distances in the city are measured!
7. THE EIFFEL TOWER OBVIOUSLY! Of course, a trip to Paris would not be complete without a trip to see the eiffel tower! This is perhaps the most well known monument in the world and definitely in France! Wait in line for 2+ hours to ride to the top, or, better yet, buy your ticket online in advance (about 3 months in advance). If neither of these options sounds appealing, you can walk to the first and second floors for a lower price and less waiting time. Right before sunset is a lovely time to go! Don't forget it sparkles on the hour every hour for five minutes after dark!
8. My absolute favorite: Visit Montmarte and the Sacre Coeur!! The Sacre Coeur Basilica, located in Montmarte, is the highest spot in Paris. You can see the entire city from the front of the basilica. If that's not enough, the basilica is a sight to see with no entrance fee. After walking through the basilica, walk to the right of the basilica to see the quaint town with the beautiful artwork. If you're looking to get a drawing of you and your significant other, this would be the place to go. Prices will be high, about 40 euros a person, but the artists are also known to haggle with the prices. If you don't have money, it is still a wonderful place to visit and watch the artists work their magic! The ice cream and cafes around here are all delicious with typical Parisian prices of about 10-20 euros a person. Watch out for the drinks! They won't mention the prices, but they are extremely expensive! I'd recommend asking for tap water to cut down costs!
9. Versailles & The Magical Gardens: Versailles is a place you could spend an entire day. Between the beautiful interior and history of the inside of the castle, to the enormous gardens, you will not be bored. Buy your tickets before hand to skip the 1-2 hour ticket line and jump directly into the line to get in (typically still another hour or two). Students are free and only need their student card &/or visa to get into the castle. However, everyone has to pay for the gardens. Download Rick Steve's European Tour App & Download the audio for the castle of versailles and the gardens before you go! (Bring your own headphones so you can hear better and so others around you aren't forced to listen along!) If you're not one for history, I'd suggest skipping the inside of the castle and heading straight to the gardens to cut costs. They are beautiful and definitely worth walking through. The castle and gardens together take about 3-7 hours with the lines, interior of the castle, and the enormous gardens! Definitely worth it though!
10. Have an Extra Day? Why not spend it at Disneyland Paris?! Although most Americans would not think of heading to Paris to go to Disneyland, it is a sight to see! Get the 2-park pass to be able to see both parks as they are right beside each other! Check out the best times to see your favorite characters & pick up the fast passes while you're waiting! If you stay at St Christophe's Inn, buy your tickets there at a discounted price! If you aren't staying there, still buy them and print them online before you go to skip the crazy long ticket lines!
Moral of the story (or blog): Paris is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world & is definitely a "must visit" city in my book. However, with that being said, everyone knows Paris is wonderful & everyone wants to do the things mentioned above.... THEREFORE.... Buy as many tickets as possible online & way in advance before you go!!!! If you fail to buy them ahead of time, don't worry, everything is still do-able, you just have to be prepared to stand in long lines during the time you could be venturing out to see more of this wonderful city!
PS: yes the people in the city can be rude, but don't let that stop you! You will find just as many wonderful people as you would anywhere else in the world & will be seeing some of the most magnificent sights you can imagine!
Bon Voyage!
Au Revoir!
-Lexi
No comments:
Post a Comment