Paris has been incredible for me so far. I was very lucky in that I watched the airlines for a while in order to find the cheapest flight (which still turned out to be rather pricey!). Still, my trip was rather last minute. With some planning, I’m confident you can find a flight for around $200-$300.
Highlights
- Hearing the bells Notre Dame
- Walking along the Seine river
- Sitting in the Jardin des Tuileries
Stay At…
- An Air B&B! – It was much cheaper, but it also got us out of the touristy area. One of my favorite things to do when I see a new city is get away from there the tourists go to experience some local life!
Eat At…
- Home. The local markets are incredibly affordable. For most meals, try eating where you stay. Cheese and baguettes were only a few euros, and served as breakfast and snack food our entire stay!
- La Croissanterie – Very affordable, yummy, and filling! If you’re spending the day out seeing the sites, we ate at the one near Notre Dame and had a fantastic time sitting outside with a sandwich and drink, and then finishing off with a pastry and tea for only 9 euro!
- Bakeries and pastry shops – a great stop for breakfast! Make sure you get a croissant at least once!
Things to Do:
- FREE – Visit Notre Dame! It’s free to get inside this magnificent church. Don’t be discouraged when the line is very long – it moves incredibly fast!
- FREE – Walk along the Seine River
- FREE – Visit the Eiffel Tower! It does cost money to go inside, but you can go see this landmark for free. It’s quite the sight!
- FREE – Sit by the pond (near Allee de Diane) in the Jardin des Tuileries. There’s so many ducks and they walk right up to you (but do not touch for feed them!)
Overhyped:
- The Louvre. If you love art, go for it! Before I came to Paris, everyone said I can’t miss the Louvre, but ultimately it was a waste of money – especially if you, like me, were only going to see the Mona Lisa. You cannot get very close to her, and an online photo looks just as good. If you love Greek or Egyptian art / history, that was amazing !
- Escargot. If you’re really adventurous with food, obviously go for it! I thought it was something I “had to” try in France, but ultimately as soon as I saw one, I knew it was not for me. Some people, even tourists, really love them though!
