I have been really absent from my blog lately, unfortunately not by choice though. Work has been rather overwhelming since I got back from Paris and there has not been time for anything other than sleeping. Sad I know, but now I have finally found a moment to sit down and go through my pictures, to choose ones that best describe the memories my sister and I had in Paris.
They do say that the City of Lights should be visited with the one you love and for me that is definitely my sister. I have never been to Paris before and of course I had to visit all the famous landmarks. However, I do hate tourist areas and I tried to stay away from the crowds as much as possible. I have done research and the best advice I can give anyone is to walk opposite to the direction that everyone else is. We decided that walking everywhere would be our best option. Just allowing ourselves to get lost in the streets of Paris was an experience in itself, as every time we didn’t have a clue where we were, we managed to stumble upon an amazing area with beautiful buildings and sidewalk cafes.
One of my favorite things about Paris is everywhere you go wine is cheaper than espresso and of course it’s gorgeous sights. We loved our short stay in Paris and I have picked few places for you guys that I think are worth visiting.
So thank you so much for reading my Paris for Beginners guide and please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.
EIFFEL TOWER
We stayed next door to the Pantheon, the famous monument in the Latin Quarter of Paris and in my opinion one of the nicest areas to base your stay in. On our first day we decided to walk towards the Eiffel Tower. We walked through the gorgeous Luxembourg Gardens with the Eiffel Tower ahead of us. It was a beautiful day and nice to walk around aimlessly! Since our map reading skills are atrocious, we often found ourselves lost, though thankfully without much stress.
We made a couple of stops to have an espresso here and there and once we finally reached Champ de Mars, the Eiffel Tower in front of us was just alluring. I know I said that I hate touristy attractions and all the crazy crowds, however, I had go to the top and see gorgeous Paris from there. The view was absolutely breath-taking; although I can’t say it was worth it. It took us about 4 hours to get to the top and back, as the whole queuing system was somewhat unorganized. We paid 15 Euros to take the lift all the way to the top but the queues put me off massively. It was very claustrophobic but it was the choice I made. Once I saw the view, I felt a little better. One thing I can say is that a glass of wine after this experience was exactly what I needed.
CAFE DE FLORE, PONT DES ARTS AND THE LOUVRE
If you are going to the City of Lights, I would recommend starting your day with a cafe creme at Cafe de Flore. Cafe de Flore is positioned in the 6th arrondissement at the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue St. Benoit (on the South bank). It is famous for welcoming Parisian thinkers and famous artsy clientele for longer than a century. It has been said that Ernest Hemingway used to be a patron of Cafe de Flore.
The next stop and another famous landmark to see is Pont Des Arts Bridge, over the river Seine. This bridge is famous for the bazillions of padlocks that represent “love locks”. Couples all over the world attach padlocks to the bridge rails and throwing the key in the river Seine is symbolic of their eternal love. I’m slightly sceptical of this tradition as I’m not a romantic soul, however it is beautiful to see that there is so much love in the world, so much so that the bridge is actually falling apart. Parts of the railing are falling into the river and the police have to keep a watchful eye on tourists who throw their keys into the river.
After crossing the bridge make your way to the Louvre, one of the most famous museums in the world and the home of the Mona Lisa. This is a very touristy spot but really beautiful and a must see. We didn’t have enough time to go inside but this is definitely something I will do the next time I am in Paris.
TO BE CONTINUED…