Paris is unquestionably one of those cities with magnificent cuisines, stunning boulevards, it has everything you could ever look for in a city, it wasn’t named the city of love for nothing. I’ve only been to Paris twice and I’m ready to visit again in 2019. I could remember during secondary school when everyone would go on school trips to Paris to visit Disneyland and other attraction, I used to think “Must be nice” but I could now see why it was such a big deal back then. Paris is another London with a bunch of amazing people who speak French, there are so much great positives coming out of Paris lately from the Malian spider man Mamoudou who scaled a 4-story building to rescue a 4-year baby off a balcony to the Kupe Boyz (ladies cinnamon apple crumble) to the overnight internet sensation Salif Lasource (French Michael Jackson) to the French winning the 2018 football world cup, the list goes on it’s just an amazing city with such rich culture. Just like Amsterdam & Brussels, Paris is only a breeze away from London so getting there is a doddle, its well known for romance, the wealth of culture and history, and the sheer beauty of those iconic Haussmann streets.
How To Get To Paris
You can get to Paris via plane, road or train but i'd have to say the most convenient way to get to the city of love is via train (Eurostar) as cheap as £64 return, it's a quick 2 hours 15 mins trip and less stressful however the cheapest way to get to Paris is via an 8 hours 30 mins coach which i would not recommend and this is from experience but if this was a last option i would suggest travelling on the mid-night coach from London Victoria to Paris, only positive of this is that it's very cheap at £25 return and on the plus side you get to Paris nice and very early also you would probably spend half of the trip sleeping. I believe you could get to Paris by car from the UK but i wouldn't do this to myself not only would it be stressful but driving on the other side of the road in a french country isn't something i would want to put myself through, imagine getting lost in a remote french village and having to ask for directions or having a flat tyre in the middle of no where or breaking down, i don't think AA would come all the way from London to rescue you. One great thing about visiting Paris via train is you get to see the beautiful countrysides of France and the views can be breathtaking.
What To Do In Paris
Trocadero At Sunrise
Trocadero at sunrise is a beautiful sight, with tons couples taking picture perfect wedding shots, models shooting for clothing brands, families shooting memorable photos for their kids. Sunrise at Trocadero is picturesque and one of the most popular viewing points of the Eiffel Tower.
Jardins Du Trocadero
The Rush hour 3 movie with Chris Tucker & Jackie Chan made me want to see Jardins du Trocadero, it's a long stretch of water fall just before the Eiffel Tower. An evening picnic would be a great date idea at this location, you don't have to break the bank to impress or spend time with your crush. A nice bottle of french wine with some light bites could seal the deal for the night.
The Eiffel Tower At Night
Paris would not be named as the city of light without the Eiffel Tower, so book your next trip to Paris and go see what the Eiffel Tower is really about. I would rather see the Eiffel Tower from the ground as the view appeals more to me however a view from the top of the tower would probably have a different perspective.
Visit the Louvre museum
The Louvre Museum is undeniably one of the finest art galleries in the world with all the masterpieces like Mona Lisa, there are hundreds of thousands of other classic and modern masterworks, the Louvre is the icing on the cake of French culture and a tribute to European art history – it’s not surprising that it’s also one of the most visited art galleries in the world! However due to the long queues personally I would get more satisfaction from absorbing the views from the outside.
Jardins Du Luxembourg
People watching is a real thing and some people happen to enjoy this hobby. Jardins Du Luxembourg is full of culture and history, very colourful and I would compare this to El Retiro Park Madrid or Central park in New York.
Other things to do
When in Paris it's all about hobbies and interests as there so much to do and see, i was able to see few attractions on my first visit such as Moulin Rouge, La Defense and Arc De Triomphe.
Visit Disneyland
See Moulin Rouge At Night
Arc De Triomphe
Pont Alexandre III
Go To La Defense for shopping
See Sacre-Coeur
Photo Credit: The Crazy Tourist
Where To Stay
Where to stay is usually one of the biggest dilemmas when it comes to travel, but the real question is "Where to stay in Paris with the view of the Eiffel tower" as who wouldn't want to wake up to a view of the city’s most famous landmark. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (neighbourhoods) and as long as you stay somewhere within these 20 arrondissements, I believe it'll be fine as Paris has great metro links into the city On my 2 visits to Paris, I’ve stayed in both the 13th and 14th arrondissements with no issues. The most expensive the hotel with a view has to be 5* luxury Shangri-La Hotel Paris as prices could range between £400 - £900 per night, but you get what you pay for where the Eiffel Tower views can be found from your deep soaking bathtub and large rooftop terrace, it’s located on the 7th arrondissement. On the contrary you could stay in much affordable 3* Ibis Paris Tour Eiffel located in the 15th arrondissement, it’s a modern hotel with all the basics and prices ranging from between £40 - £160 per night so personally I believe unless it was a honeymoon or very special occasion I’d opt for Ibis and save my buck for the future as travelling doesn’t have to be expensive.
TIPS
Buy the tourist 3 days or week unlimited travel pass which works on the metros and buses i believe.
Book and stay in any hotel within the 20 arrondissements of Paris .
Learn some basic french phrases "Bonjour, Merci, Oui" are not good enough a few sentences would be nice and DO NOT say "Voulez-vous Coucher Avec Moi" unless you're in the streets of Moulin Rouge, kidding! Do not say it at all.
Book tickets for everything in advance as Paris is amongst the top 5 most visited places in the world and can get very crowded.
Take lots of pictures as Paris is a picturesque a lot of photo op can be taken of the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre etc, one of the most beautiful, charming and fascinating destinations in the world.
Have a budget and DON'T get 'lost in the sauce' as Paris is cheap but can be expensive if care isn't taken.