Nanda & Nathan The Travellers: Four Days in Paris, France

July 16-19, 2015 ---- This is our second to last trip in Europe. I didn't intend to keep Paris to the end of our journey, but because the train tickets were more expensive to travel there, so I had to wait till I got the cheapest ones. Our trip generally was pleasant and enjoyable, and I loved Paris as much as other capital cities in Europe. I think London and Paris are both must-see!

Accommodation: We stayed at a hostel called "Au Royal Mad" located just a few minute walk from the metro (line# 9) Voltaire station. The room was simple but had everything we needed. I especially felt thankful that we had a fridge and microwave in the room, so we always had cool beverages and hot food to eat after the full day of sightseeing. The downside is that there was no fan or air conditioning and it was sooooo hot during our stay.

Transportation: Paris is a big city, so the public transportation is very efficient. There is an extensive metro system, and they normally recommend tourists to buy a "Paris Visite Pass" for all public transportation. However, I felt like the pass won't be worthwhile if you take less than 6-7 trips a day. A single-trip ticket costs €1.8, but you can buy a pack of 10 tickets that cost €14, so it becomes only €1.40 per trip. In fact, a lot of tourist sites are located within walking distance from each other, so make sure that you plan your sightseeing accordingly, so you don't have to take too many metro trips. For more information about Paris public transportation, click on this link: http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/

Food and Restaurants: Eating out in Paris can be very expensive. However, there are many cheap restaurants that offer a set menu for tourists ranging from €10-30 per person. The 3-course menu might sound cheap, but the prices of drinks are really high, so it will end up to be about €40 plus tip for a meal for two people. This is the MINIMUM. Nathan and I were traveling on budget, so we ate out only once and later got our food from Carrefour supermarket and heated it up in our hostel room.

Attractions: There are at least a hundred things to do in Paris! You can spend days or even a few weeks touring around and seeing everything. My best suggestion is to go do/see what you want to do/see most first because there can be a long waiting line if that place is very popular. At first I planned to see a lot in a day, but it turned out that we were stuck in line most of the time and didn't get to see as much as planned. Later I just put what I wanted to see most to go first thing in the morning, and the rest was up to what time allowed. If you are a museum lover, I highly recommend you buy the "Museum Pass" at Tourist Information. It'll save you time in some places, and it's also a great money-saver!

Our Trip Itinerary: As I mentioned above, I planned to do/see a lot in a day, but it turned out I couldn't follow my schedule. Here is what we actually did.

Day 1

Afternoon: Rick Steves's audio tour "Historic Paris Walk" ( Norte-Dame Cathedral, Crypte Archeologique, Pont de l'Archevêché, Square René Viviani, Paroisse Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, Shakespeare & Company, Eglise St-Severin, Latin Quarter, Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, Pont Neuf)

Evening: Garden of the Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower

Day 2

Morning: Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, Musée d'Orsay

Afternoon: Pont des Arts, Seine River, Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, Tuileries Garden, Place de la Concorde, Orangerie Museum, Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe

Evening: Louvre Museum (close late on Friday night)

Day 3

Morning: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, théon, Luxembourg Gardens
Afternoon: Rodin Museum, Tombeau de Napoléon Ier, The Army Museum,
Evening: picnicking at the Eiffel Tower

Day 4

Spending the entire day at Versailles Palace, Trianon palaces and Marie-Antoinette's Estate