7 Cities You Must See in Europe
As I mentioned above, Italy has so many spots to see, but perhaps the most famous would be Rome. With culture, history and colorful buildings, Rome is a city that you really just must see and experience in your lifetime, enough said.
AirBnB Apartment in Paris : Review
APARTMENT on the ÎLE ST. LOUIS
Paris, France
A-
Decor – The thing that first caught my eye on this apartment was the lovely decor. The apartment is furnished perfectly with so much character. The rock wall, the wood beams on the ceiling, the furniture, the ladder, everything screamed “cool Paris apartment.” And in person, it did not disappoint. Come to find out, the owner’s dad is an interior designer and you can really tell.Location – The location of this apartment is another big reason of why we picked it. We love the Ile St. Louis and many of our favorite spots are on the island, our favorite boulangerie, our favorite restaurant the St. Regis Cafe and it’s also really central and a great spot to be based. Knowing the apartment is in that area, was really convenient and a great selling point.
The view from our windows. |
Comfortable Bed – I was actually most nervous about staying in an apartment not knowing if the bed would be great. I really like a good bed and a long night’s sleep, particularly when traveling, and the bed in this apartment was great.
Good Wifi – Another thing I was curious about, but the wifi here was great. The owner’s gave us the passcode when we arrived and it worked perfectly the entire stay.
What I Didn’t Love
Stairs – The apartment is up 3 flights of wooden windy old stairs and believe me, by the last day we were swearing every step up. It’s killer, particularly with suitcases or heavy bags. Of course this is something you can deal with, but to keep in mind.
3 flights of these wooden stairs were hard to climb. |
Towels – I wasn’t crazy about the towel situation in the apartment truthfully. There were no hand towels, only washcloths and only a few of those. I did miss having fresh towels every day like in a hotel, but it would be an easy fix to just bring a couple small towels of your own, which I would totally do next time.
Notes to Keep in Mind
Read the reviews of the Renter – I read through every single review from this renter before we booked because I wanted to make sure other people had good things to say. You can tell a lot by reviews, for hotels and apartments online, they are the best way to get real information about the place. But also keep in mind that you should take everything with a grain of salt, some people just complain to complain, so try to figure out what’s important that they’re saying and what’s not.
Be Comfortable but Polite – Particularly when renting an apartment, it’s important to make yourself comfortable but also be polite with the space and with your neighbors, even more so that in a hotel. Put things back they way you found them, don’t open cabinets you’re not supposed to or make an effort to clean up a bit before you leave.
Travel Tips : 5 Tips for a Better Trip to Paris
Paris is one of those cities that millions of people visit and yet, many times, asking those who have visited, they will tell you they either loved or hated it. Or that they aren’t sure how they felt about it because their itinerary was so jam packed while there, they didn’t really experience Paris itself, but instead just the tourist spots there. It’s a common problem with tourists to the gorgeous French capital, many people spend so much time trying to fit in seeing everything they are “supposed to” see, instead of just taking in the city and really “seeing” it. Paris is one of those places that is meant to be explored, not just seen, a place that is more about the feeling, the wandering, the insignificant sites around the city instead of the grand monuments. And while those grand monuments and tourist spots are still worth seeing, don’t base your whole trip around them. Instead, here are five tips for a better trip to Paris!
1. Don’t overdo your itinerary.
9 times out of 10, this is what I hear from people who visit Paris, they packed their days so full of seeing everything in the city from their guidebook, they didn’t actually see the real Paris. It’s important to mark down the things in your guidebook that you really want to see, I’d say pick your top 5. Then after that, don’t worry about seeing the other things. You’ll probably end up seeing them as you wander or walk around the city anyways, but it’s more important to spend your time really taking in Paris itself and enjoying the aura of the city instead of overwhelming yourself with too much on your itinerary.
2. Use the metro.
The metro in Paris (their Subway) is one of the best in Europe and is so easy to use and get around the city. We’ve only used a cab 1 time in Paris and that was the first time we went, since then we only walk or use the metro. It’s cheap, efficient, and will get you anywhere, often without a lot of changes. To get your true value out of the metro though, it’s important to know how many trips you’re going to be making per day to get the best value ticket. If you’re going to be using 6 or more one way trips per day, the day passes for around 10 euros are the best deal. If you’re making less trips than that, then the t+ tickets are the way to go for cheaper. Just keep your tickets handy as you’ll need them to enter and leave the station. Also, carry around a metro map with you at all times. Mine is 4 years old and is ripped and torn all over, but it’s my lifeline to getting around the city.
3. Don’t just see the tourist spots.
Paris is filled with tourist spots, but in truth, many of my favorite spots are not found in a guidebook. They are found by wandering the city, taking in places that you might never hit had you followed your guidebook and finding those spots that speak to you. While the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe are wonderful, there are so many spots in Paris that are just as beautiful and just as “Paris” as those, if you take the time to look for them.
4. Wander.
One of the most important things to remember when traveling to Paris. Take the time to just wander. I like to have a direction in mind, but on the way, you might venture off your path a bit or walk a zig zag path to your destination, but the journey is often more important than the destination in Paris. Pick a spot you’re headed to and then make up your path along the way. You’ll be amazed at what you come across.
5. Learn some French.
I would suggest this tip for any country you visit, learn a bit of the language. However, it’s particularly important in Paris. While a large majority of people do in fact speak English there, it’s polite and helpful to know a bit of the language. Just to be able to read signs, menus, ask for the bill, it’s easier if you can say certain things in French. After all, we are in a French country, why shouldn’t we make an effort to speak their language?
Headed to Paris?
Day 7 : Paris
On our last full day of the trip (we left the following morning mid-day), we got up for the sun rise and wandered around the Ile St. Louis, taking in the early morning quiet before any one was up and about. We wandered along the quays of the Seine, took in the views of the morning clouds over the city and watched as the restaurants and cafes began setting up for their morning routines. We watched as the garbage collectors stopped for espressos (only in Europe) and watched locals taking their dogs out for morning walks. It’s moments like this while traveling that are my favorite, seeing the city how it should be seen, with no tourist crowds, no worrying about getting from one place to the next, just taking in Paris, breathing it in.
After an hour or so of wandering our neighborhood, we ran by our boulangerie St. Martin, picked up some croissants and pain au chocolat to take home with us for breakfast. We returned to our apartment, ate breakfast, got ready for the day and headed back out a couple hours later. We strolled across the River to the Right Bank, wandered through the Louvre square, then over to the Le Nemours Cafe (the spot where Angelina Jolie has breakfast in The Tourist) to have lunch. We sipped on cafe au lait and ate sandwich mixte and watched Paris flood past us. After lunch, we wandered over to the Tuileries, which are always gorgeous this time of year. Paris does parks so well and the Tuileries are always a favorite of ours. We wandered through the falling leaves, taking in the Autumn colors and enjoying the mild weather.
After a while of wandering, we jumped on the metro and headed up to the Opera district for some shopping. After a bit of exploring and shopping, we jumped back on the metro to the Eiffel Tower. Seeing this landmark really never gets old and every time I’m blown away by its sheer size and what it represents. For me, it’s always represented the world out there to explore, a landmark that showcases how much is out there to see and travel to and it blows me away every time.
In the late afternoon, we headed back to our apartment on the RER to rest a bit and then headed back out after a long late lunch at our favorite spots, Cafe St. Regis, and jumped back on the metro to the Tour Montparnasse, a spot Nick really wanted to check out on this trip. We watched the sun set over Paris, high above the city with 360 degree views of the whole area. It was truly a gorgeous spot and I can’t believe we’ve never checked it out before. As the sun set over Paris on our last night in Europe, I couldn’t help but feel like this city has come to mean so much to me. I fell in love with Paris years ago, but with each subsequent trip back, it feels more and more like a home away from home, a refuge in the crazy world, a place that makes me feel safe and inspired and always in awe. It’s a place that will always be a spot I can escape to, a place that will hold my heart and a place that feels like my spot in the world and I’m so thankful for that.
Headed to Paris?
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