Paris

How to Travel Cheap in Paris?

2009-06-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

Submitted By: Mohit Jain

Paris being the "City of Lights" and "Romance" attracts people from all over the globe. Being one of the most visited and hot tourist destinations, Paris is considered quite expensive. But do not panic as it does not mean that you cannot dream of going to the most romantic city in the world.

It is very much possible to visit the expensive Paris within limited budget. For that you just need to plan your trip and follow some budget tips. Rest assured you will enjoy a fabulous trip of your lifetime.

Accommodation

• If you want to save on accommodation, consider staying in smaller towns where it is cheaper. When you are planning to visit Paris, you can look out for Paris hotels which are located near or well connected to the Metro or the RER (the suburban train lines), or even have the option to stay in a near by city like Chartres which is just train ride away. It will save a lot on traveling as well.

• You can also look out for star ratings of Paris hotels according to your budget and need. The Paris star-rating system is good and dependable. Even if you stay in one star less than your desired hotel, it will not make much difference in terms of comforts and facilities. You will find that sometimes even these lesser-rated Paris hotels are far better than their peers a notch up.

• However, if you are planning to stay in a town for more than a week, it is advisable to stay in a vacation rental or serviced apartments than a hotel. You can save on eating out as you can cook on your own in the fully equipped kitchen. Your have the privacy and comforts of home in these vacation rental or serviced apartments. However, the only disadvantage of not staying in hotel is that you will miss the personalized service of hotels.

• If you do not want to spend on accommodation you have the option of home exchange. It is possible if you are living in a big city which is also a popular tourist destination. While they visit your New York City Apartment, you can stay in a Paris couple's Paris apartment.

• For a change from your usual stay in hotels, you can consider camping in Paris. It can be a lot fun. With France's government-regulated star rating system, even a pricy two-star hotel can be equivalent to four-star campground.

Rail

• Get a rail pass if you are going to travel for long distances or for a few days of rail travel, as it is the best and only way to travel cheap.
How to Get Cash

• It is advisable not to visit exchange companies as the rates are terrible and commissions high. The best way to get Euros is by withdrawing at an ATM in Paris or charging on a credit card. It is the most budget way to get Euro.
Eating Out

• You can save on your hotel breakfast which is usually overpriced and consists of just few pastries and coffee. You can visit the local cafe and start your day with a breakfast and spend half or quarter the price for a pastry or croissant. You can also inform them when you are booking your room or checking in whether you want breakfast or not as you can be automatically charged for it. However, it will be much cheaper if you opt only for coffee in the room instead of full breakfast.

• Instead of spending money on all three meals a day, you can indulge in one great big French meal and preferably lunch. You will be served the same food for dinner for lesser money. For a low price, you can have the prix fixe menu consisting of a starter, main dish and dessert, and sometimes even wine.

• Having eaten much in lunch, you can go for cheap pastry and sandwich for dinner. Or if you prefer, you can go for the big three-course dinner and have sandwich lunch instead. Almost all over Paris, sandwiches are very good and usually cost around 3.5 Euros.

Transportation

• Paris is well served by good transportation thus, making it easy for you to access to any part of the city. It is easy to get from one town to another as smaller towns in Paris are also linked by good transport system. If possible try to avoid hiring or taking taxis because it is expensive. However, if you are not sure or confident about your specific destination, you can always e-mail the tourism office to enquire about their transportation system.

Follow these tips and you need not ruin your trip or make it too difficult to enjoy your trip to Paris. So, do not miss the opportunity to visit Paris as you only live once.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=321695&ca=Travel

Things to Buy in Paris

2009-06-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

Submitted By: Mohit Jain

Paris is heaven for those who live (love) to shop. There are many options and it is worth every penny to look for the one which suits your pocket. You can find different kinds of shops like small boutiques to large malls and galleries. Whether you are a business traveler or a leisure traveler, when you are in Paris, shopping is always on the cards.

Now the important question is what to buy in Paris. You can buy several things but listed below are some of the things worth buying:

Antiques

Buying antiques is a pleasure as well as an art in Paris. You can find many dealers around the Boulevard St. Germain and also in Rue du Faubourg. However, few things should be taken into consideration like you need to take special permit before buying an antique which costs more than 1 million euros or those over 100 yrs old. Even for the purpose of investment buying antiques are a better option. In Paris there are many shops where you can get a good deal so you should do some searching before buying things which requires good amount.

Fashion

What to say about fashion in Paris. It has all the big names and you can buy as many as you want. Champs Elysees is the place for all the designer shopping and there you can also find some boutiques which are convenient to you. There are many stores also which has everything that you need and it has all fashionable clothes and accessories which will add to your mood and personality as well.

Perfumes

This is one of the best things to buy and gift someone. You can have the best of the perfumes here. To buy that perfume for your dear one you just need to step out of your hotel as perfumes are easily available and they even provide duty - free perfumes which are delivered to the airport on the day of your departure.

Souvenirs

This is what we generally give to our friends and all. The little Eiffel tower is a very famous souvenir along with the T-shirts that you can easily find in many areas of Paris. If you want it to be very special then go for some up market stores and shop, where you will enjoy shopping.

Food and Wine

You can have the best of the wines and also take home different stuffs like curd milk, cheese and others. If you are a regular visitor here then trying your hands in buying something out of the league will be pretty refreshing. Paris has lots of stuff regarding food which you can buy and most important of all they are very good in quality.

So, by now you would have got some ideas of what to buy in one of the most charming and fashionable cities of the world. Apart from shopping one can also enjoy visiting historical monuments, museums and art galleries and take back the memories that will be cherished throughout your life.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=332757&ca=Travel

The Beauty of Paris - A Perfect Place to Spend Your Holidays

2009-06-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

Submitted By: Jessica Nielson

Paris is known to be the city of lights and is one of the most visited cities in the whole world. A lot of people really do flock the city that in a year alone, there can be over 30 million visitors who spend their vacations here. Maybe because romance never misses to fill the atmosphere of Paris, which is why lovers and honeymooners always consider this place to visit despite of the expenses that they will incur. Paris is a romantic city that even a simple stroll along the Seine and the spires of Notre Dame is considered to be a walk like no other. The Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe are just some of the many wonders you are going to see when you visit Paris.

If you are one of the museum goers, Paris would always be the right city for you as the city is the home of world-class museums such as the Picasso, the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. If ever you have visited the famous museums, you can always take a stroll and explore Montmartre, which is Paris' artists' community before. Then going up the highest hill of Paris, you will then reach the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, which any traveler should not miss out when visiting Paris. In addition to this, you can also go to the Chateau de Versailles, and in the southwest of Paris, you can visit Louis XIV's castle and head to its beautiful gardens.

France is not just a beautiful country but also holds so many areas of interests. One of the most favorites is the Loire Chateaux which is actually a collection of beautiful castles that are built in the Loire Valley. Another area of interest is no other than the Cote d'Azur or the French Riviera that has known to stretch from St. Tropez to Cannes, Monte Carlo, Nice and Menton.

French Riviera has really been a director and producer's favorite as the coastal highways have been featured in many movies already. This is because the highway offers panoramic views of the mountains as well as the Mediterranean. And if you still want to explore more, you can always go to the Provence. The Provence is the hinterland of the Riviera which has greatly inspired a number of artists already. Such artists do include Van Gogh and Cezanne.

To sum it all up, a visit to Paris is like a visit to the heart of art and travel back to the renaissance period. The city is rich with European culture and is known to be the one of the best cities in the world. And not only that! The city is also the capital of a country which is also rich in history and culture, France. So, when planning to have a vacation in Europe, why not try to drop by at the most romantic city of the world and enjoy the enchanting spell that wraps the place? And as you enjoy the wonderful city try to visit its famous tourist spots and take a trip that,
for sure, you will never forget.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=367763&ca=Travel