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Somehow, I could almost see her rushing through the small side streets from her apartment to the office. It was a day reserved for fashion, so I went to explore some of the famous vintage shops in the Marais neighborhood in the afternoon. I just loved its picturesque streets filled with small cute stores, caffes and restaurants. The whole area has a young alternative vibe.
There is a lot of street art on the buildings there, as well. I am wondering if there are some street art tours organized over there. I would definitely love to join some of them. Marais is well known for some of the best vintage stores in Paris. I was feeling a bit sick that day, so I went to my hotel earlier. I get myself a nice cup of hot tea and went to sleep. I was feeling much better in the morning, so after the breakfast I was ready for some sightseeing again.
Day two was reserved for Parisian Impressionism. When you leave the most popular area of it behind you, some streets and houses still looks the same as they did at the end of the 19th century. You can almost imagine carriages strolling through its streets and music coming from the small cabarets. I knew the painting he made while looking through the window of his apartment so well, that once I went there, the place felt almost familiar to me. The building in which museum is located is a piece of art and history itself. It was built as a train station at the end of the 19th century and later on was converted to museum.
So now it has this great combination of industrial architecture together with modern pieces of art and it works amazingly well! It has a beautiful collection of one of the best female Impressionists — Berthe Morisot. And the largest collection of the works of Claude Monet. After this visit to Paris, I am even more in love with Impressionism then before. We spent close to 5 hours exploring on our own with the help of an audio guide.
Word of advice — if you are just going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, this is what you can expect. You might be disappointed.
We got in and out of this room as fast as we could, and enjoyed the rest much more. After 5 hours, we reached our threshold of paintings, sculptures and tourists and headed for some fresh air in the beautiful Tuileries Garden. This is a great spot to kick back, indulge in some treats and do a lot of people-watching! From there, we decided it was finally time to head up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. For this, we had prepared ourselves for a long line and knew we were going to wait no matter what.
It was the Eiffel Tower, after all, and we could not leave without making it to the top. We read ahead that you could take the steps up to the second level and from there you could take the elevator to the very top, not only saving money but saving time because the line is usually much shorter from there.
We are so glad we went this route! We managed to get in and out in less than 1. That being said, if you have a fear of heights or are not in great health for climbing over steps, you might want to skip this option. Otherwise, it was a great experience and we would definitely recommend it. While 3 days in Paris was not nearly enough, our bank accounts told us it was so we were glad to be moving onto Belgium. There were some things we missed and wished we could have seen, like Montmartre and the Moulin Rouge, but that will just be more reason to go back one day when our budget is bigger!
Thank you for the tips. Please tell me which apartment on Airbnb you stayed. Let me know if you have any other questions and have a great trip! This is very informative. First time for me, 4th time for my Aussie hubby. Glad you found the post helpful! Have a great time!! Thanks for the info, my wife and I are heading out there in August. I enjoyed reading your post and found somethings to plan ahead for. How did you find the common Parisian to be?
When you say the Louvre was busy and crowded, are we talking black friday shopping crowded or something more do-able? They were friendly enough and we definitely never had any negative vibes. It was craaaazy — definitely takes away from the moment. It looked worse than it actually was! I really like how you laid out your itinerary. We might just steal this! Were on a really tight budget and we might just take the apartment rental route! Hoping for a reply from you! Hi Paula — thank you! I am heading in next year june and izzit possible if you could send me a list of AIRBNB that is near town and i am traveling alone most likely.
Hi, Hope your are doing great, i can see this post is a bit old, but i found it really interesting and useful. Hi Rana — thanks for your comment! It seems that the Airbnb we stayed in is no longer listed. Just be sure to read the reviews and check the location. Hope you have a great time in Paris! Thank you for taking the time to lay this out for newbie Paris visitors. Its really great and helps a lot. Glad you found the post useful.
Let us know if you have any other questions. You two are awesome. I have never been to Europe before, and have my first trip to Paris planned in July for three days. Your tips are much appreciated, and will definitely help me experience the city more prepared and with less stress!
Wow thank you so much!! Glad you found it helpful. Hope you enjoy your time in Paris! It really is such a beautiful city. Greetings from north FL!
The posts about Paris are great. I just went for the first time in , and I never made it to many of the big sites or museums. I got sidetracked by wandering in different neighborhoods and seeing some amazing photography exhibitions. They spent a fortune on average at best restaurants. I never could figure out why. Would you mind sharing information about your Airbnb location?
I will be visiting in OCt for 3 days too. Could you share the accommodation details and recommendation of the itinerary too? Thanks for the post. This just made my day! I was feeling overwhelmed by which hotel we should stay at that was close to transit. Could you please send me your listing to your airbnb? It can definitely be overwhelming as there are so many options!
I will be visiting Paris in July for 3 days too. Could you share the accommodation details and any recommendations? Thank you very much. This is so helpful since I am planning to go with my family hubs, 6yr oldand 2 yr old this September! There are a few things I have in mind which I thought you could shed some light on -what location do you get the city tour bus from? Also their tickets, are they available online or can you buy in advance etc?
Or else what are the must go places out of all, according to you? Glad you found it helpful! The tickets can be purchased ahead of time on the website or you can buy them when you get on the bus. You might be able to purchase them from your hotel as well. I think you get a small discount for booking online ahead of time for a fixed day however. I would say the highlights for the kids would be the Eiffel Tower obviously! Honestly, I think the Louvre could be quite boring for kids and requires quite a bit of walking and at least a half day.
I would also recommend getting tickets for things like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre if you plan to go ahead of time to avoid having to wait in long lines. I am heading there in late March with family. Heard so much about aggressive beggars and crime. Is it really that bad over there?
Hey Brian — thanks for the comment! We never felt unsafe in Paris but you do have to be aware of the pick-pockets and scams, especially around the main attractions Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame. We saw a lot of that going on. Hi Charlie and Brittany , Great post. Could you please share the airbnb listing for Paris and the itinerary details.? Planning to go this month.
Will be spending 3 nights in Paris. And could you please recommend another city out of France another country to spend 2 nights.. I am confused between Amsterdam, Belgium and Switzerland. So it would be helpful if you could suggest one. Two nights will give you only one full day of sightseeing. Bruges, Belgium might be a good option? It depends on what you are looking for though. Some people find it a little too Disney-like but we found it very charming and you can see it pretty easily in two days. We loved Amsterdam so that would be a good option as well but it is bigger so you might want to wait until you have a little more time to see it.
That being said, I think you will enjoy any of these options.
As well as a 3 day Paris itinerary, this guide covers lots of practical advice The Paris Pass travel card only covers zones of Paris, which is. But you can design five near-perfect days in Paris, provided that you're flexible . Or join the GG2P Travel Club program to receive discounts and special extras.
The link for our Paris BNB is https: Will be traveling for a medical consult with my boss and a very ill grandchild doctors are in a closeby European country After all is said and done I will have days of in Paris as a layover. They will rest for the next leg of trip, I will get 2days and all 3nights to make the most of my time away from the hotel I know it will be a very nice hotel if you had to choose fewer place during the day and more places at night what would you suggest.
Its a free trip for me but night will have to be my wonderland. Definitely take a cruise on the Seine River to take in the city lights and see the Eiffel Tower sparkling I think it happens every hour for just a few minutes beginning 11pm until 1 or 2 am. Take a stroll down the Champs Elysees. Visit the Latin Quarter. Enjoy Paris and sending well wishes to your grandchild. Important fact I often forget to mention. I can speak english, spanish and a few words of french quite clearly however its exhausting therefore I chose my battles.
The more visual the better The Eiffel is a must see for me! My husband and I are taking our daughter to London and Paris for a college graduation gift. We too can only afford 3 days so this itineraries is perfect for us. I would like to try Airbnb but would hate for us to get there and not have a place to stay.
Would you mind sending me the info of the place you stayed at?
Hi Michele, what an excellent gift to your daughter! My best advice is to spend some time on the site getting comfortable with it before committing to anything. Also, pay attention to location. It is time consuming but it can save you disappointment. Honestly, Airbnb has changed the way we travel and I hope you give it a try.
Also, you can always send the host a message through the site with any questions you have if you are unsure before you book. Hope this helps and that you have a great first experience and wonderful trip! Will definitely follow this as we plan for a 4 day trip in December. Can you also share details of the Airbnb? Hi Randy — the airbnb we used was https: Hope you have a great trip! Hi Charlie and Brittany, thank you for the tips. I looking for a nice bnb in walking distance and I really like the tip on the bus tour. Do you have any other suggestions that kids will enjoy?
Thank you for sharing your experience. Do you know the website to purchase tickets ahead of time for Eifel Tower, etc.? Thank you for the kind words! It looks like you can get them here http: Should I get tickets in advance for Eifel tower, Museums, etc? Hi Charlie and Brittany, My wife is travelling solo to Paris and Amsterdam in about a months time for about days at each place. I am the one doing all the homework for her as its her first solo trip whereas i ve travelled a lot though Paris has been only for a day trip!
What do you recommend her plan should be like…. S I have put her email id here so she gets the mail directly. So sorry for the delayed response! I have only stayed in one Airbnb in Paris https: Just pay close attention to the location and reviews from others when booking. It is great for getting around from place to place and then going off to explore on your own. Amsterdam, on the other hand, is very walkable. There is a free walking tour that was about 3 hours by Sandemans that we really enjoyed. The best parts of those cities are just walking around the streets and admiring the architecture and..
Hi Paula, we stayed in a studio apartment attached to a family home https: