13 Practical Tips for Visiting Paris: How to Avoid Mistakes
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Loading... - Hanha Farkas
- 02 Jun 2022
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Paris is a great city that can never disappoint. You can keep on visiting Paris again and again and there is always something fantastic to experience, something to see that you haven’t seen before and eat food you haven’t tried yet.
The overwhelming amount of things on offer can be a real challenge for first-time visitors. That’s why everyone needs some practical tips for visiting Paris in order to avoid mistakes.
Why You Should Listen to Me? I’ve been to Paris on several occasions, stayed in many different areas and studied in Paris as well. Let me tell you: each time was different. Despite spending a decent amount of time in Paris I still haven’t seen everything and I also made a few mistakes on the way.
Now I’m confident to give you the best Paris travel tips that will help you avoid some unpleasant disaster.
Tips for Visiting Paris
1. Don’t Go to Paris Just for a Weekend
When someone tells me that they’re going to spend just 3 days in Paris I feel like they’re most likely not going to love it. I mean, it’s possible to have a great time but if you do it right and prioritize what do you want to see. During such a short visit most tourists head to see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Louvre and some other tourist attractions, and therefore experience crowds, long lines and not the real local Paris.
Take your pick and spend some time to actually enjoy these things instead of rushing through everything. I’m not telling you not to see these famous landmarks, but in order to fully feel the Paris vibe, you need to stay in the city way longer.
There are also so many amazing day trips to take from Paris. You can do them on your own by renting a car (compare car rental prices here) or book an organized tour. To name a few options:
- Vaux le Vicomte & Fontainebleau Castles (a great alternative to crowded Versailles)
- Loire Valley Castles
- Mont St-Michel
- Giverny
- Auvers Sur Oise
and much more…
2. Eiffel Tower Isn’t a Very Glamorous Experience
Almost everyone is dreaming of getting to the top of the Eiffel Tower. But the moment you start approaching the tower you might realize that it’s not very romantic, as it’s surrounded by a ton of visitors and annoying vendors. The place is crowded, and lines take forever no matter when you visit.
It’s hard to find a romantic spot unless you book a dinner on top of the Eiffel Tower. It’s something you do once, as it’s not the best fine dining you’ve ever had, but again – you’re doing it for the experience.
Again, you won’t like the Eiffel Tower if you just stand in the crowds. However, if you climb the stairs behind the Croatian Embassy you may be able to find a quiet spot overlooking the tower. The view is gorgeous and definitely worth it, especially at night when the tower starts blinking!
Similar to the Empire State Building in NYC, going to the top of the tower is overpriced and not as worth it. I mean, you probably want to see a panorama of Paris with the actual Eiffel Tower in it, right?
I recommend you to see the city from up high from the top of the Tour Montparnasse, Arc de Triomphe, or even a carousel in Tuileries, and actually have the Eiffel Tower in your view.
3. Paris Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
Before going to Paris friends were warning me that the city was going to destroy my wallet and almost every person on any travel forum was telling me the same. But, Paris does not necessarily have to be a city that sucks all the money out of pockets and bank accounts.
Paris isn’t cheap, but it isn’t more expensive than other European cities. In fact, visiting London or Amsterdam will cost you way more money.
You can also benefit from locals’ knowledge who can point you out in the right direction and that includes finding the best deals and how not to get into any tourist traps.
4. Stay in Central Location
I cannot emphasize this more! Pinning down the perfect place to stay depends on budget and location, but quite often the second one is way more important as you think. Paris is divided into 20 neighborhoods or arrondissements and everything is being referred to 12th, 18th, etc. Read More...
