Paris Around

Posts Tagged ‘Europe’

Grand Paris! Think of a romantic trip to Europe, and the City of Lights springs immediately to mind! And why not? It\’s a beautiful city. Easy to navigate. And the sights! Well, there is no shortage of sights. And because of the combination of tourist attractions, food, and romance, it is one of the most popular destinations in the world.

So what do you want to do in this grand city? The museums? The Monuments? The markets? The bookstalls along the Seine? Is it the food that attracts you at world class restaurants, or do you just want to sit in a sidewalk cafe and watch the world go by?

There are so many \”must sees\” that you really will have to choose what is most important to you. Monuments? How about the Eiffel Tower. The Place de la Concorde with it\’s Egyptian obelisk. Think of the line up of the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel through the Tuileries to the Arc de Triomphe, and the grand Grande Arche in La Defense district. Or how about Invalides where Napoleon is buried.

Landmark churches? Start with Notre Dame de Paris. The Basilique du Sacre-Coeur… dramatic and white on the hill in Montmartre. The churches of La Madeleine, Sainte-Chapelle, and the Pantheon. Or just landmark buildings like the Palais Garnier.

There are so many world class museums that it would take your entire vacation to see them. The Louvre, the Musee d\’Orsay, the Musee Rodin and the Musee Picasso to name some of the most obvious. Museums can make your head spin after a few hours. To avoid being overwhelmed by them, get a museum card. They are available for 1, 3 and 5 days.

The card will allow you can go in and out of the museums over the period of your stay and not get \”museum head\”. The museums are fantastic, but you want to get a feel for all of Paris don\’t you?

Take time to stroll in a garden or two. The Tuileries stretches in front of the Louvre. The Luxembourg Garden is a great place to watch children of all ages sail small boats on the ponds. Sit in one of the cafes and have a glass of wine.  Read more...

When you think of going on your holidays, what springs to mind when it comes to travelling to your destination?

If you’re travelling by air, complications such as crowded airplanes – usually with plenty of screaming children – long waits for shuttle buses to your respective hotels and other general annoyances that come with travelling abroad.

But have you ever thought about rail travel? With prices from as little as £30 return for a journey from London to Paris, holidaying in Europe has never been easier. And with a wide variety of hotels in London available to the avid rail traveller, the potential for weekend breaks by rail travel has become more widely available.

With the recent refurbishment of London St Pancras station, passengers now have the opportunity to travel to Paris and Brussels via high-speed Eurostar services.

For those looking to experience rail travel in more than one country, there are a variety of different railcards available for across Europe. For a single fee you can purchase railcards that are valid for a certain amount of countries in a certain amount of time.

For example, you could start your journey in London, hop on the high-speed train to Paris before going on to a wide range of other destinations – from Munich to Madrid, the choice is endless.

And with some railcard deals stretching to include ferry travel from ports like Copenhagen, the sense of freedom provided by such deals allow for freedom of travel – provided you stick to within the timeframes of the pass.

For longer journeys you have the option of sleeper carriages whilst on board, depending on how long your journey might take you and at what time you will be travelling. Cabins are usually shared and provide the opportunity to either catch forty winks or simply sit back and enjoy the rolling scenery.

And upon arriving at your destination station, you can either go on to your next destination, or choo-choose to stay and take in the sights – finding eateries and hotels along the way – giving a greater sense of freedom and choice during your journey.

You can effectively extend a touring holiday of Europe by several days and perhaps save money. To do it you need a Eurail pass and a little forward planning. This is how it works. With a Eurail Pass you can go from city center to city center in Europe in great comfort at a reasonable price.

The key to this is the phrase ‘city center to city center’.

Consider Paris. The airport, Charles de Gaulle, is 23 km north-east of Paris. If you go by taxi in either direction it costs the national debt and takes 45 minutes. There are regular buses and trains but your journey is never going to be less than 45 minutes. Leaving, you have security to go through and the airlines would like you there well before take-off. At least an hour, sometimes two hours.

Thus on any flight you find that as much as six hours, never less than four, are spent getting to the airport, checking in, flying, getting there and collecting your luggage. Then getting to the center of your destination.

By train, in every capital in Europe (I have searched and found no exception) you arrive in the center of the city.

Yes, you need to be at the train station ten minutes before the train leaves — make it fifteen minutes to be on the safe side — and when you get to your destination it is instant arrival. Your baggage is with you and you are there, bang in the center of the city. To test this stay with Paris for the moment.

At Easter — one of the busiest times of the year for Paris — I arrived at Gare de L’Est, one of the main stations of Paris. In the station was the tourist help desk — every station in Europe has a help desk.

There I explained what I wanted — an inexpensive (as in under 50 Euros a night) room in a hotel near Place Republique with a view over the rooftops of Paris. And I got it confirmed in ten minutes and went happily on my way. (In passing, it was the most romantic room I have ever had in a hotel anywhere and this was Paris in the spring and the chestnuts were in bloom and, alas, I was alone.)
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SHERMAN, CT–(Marketwire – December 21, 2009) – Europe may still be experiencing the effects of the recession, but online travel continues its upward march across the continent’s diverse and complex markets, according to travel industry research authority, PhoCusWright Inc. Changes in the economy and the travel industry have driven significant shifts in how consumers shop for and purchase travel. PhoCusWright’s European Online Travel Overview Fifth Edition analyzes the dynamics of online and offline travel distribution across Europe’s major travel markets.

Here are five predictions for the European online travel market in 2010 from the new report:

1. Online travel will account for more than one-third of the total European travel market

While the total European travel market experiences a double-digit decline, online leisure and unmanaged business travel will in fact grow slightly in 2009. As effects of the recession linger into next year, consumers are increasingly shopping online for better deals. Online penetration will surge from 28% in 2008 to 34% by 2010.

2. Priceline could become the largest pan-European OTA

Long in last place among the big four global OTAs (Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity being the other three), Priceline has gained ground dramatically since the onset of the recession and especially through the success of its main European acquisition, Booking.com. Amid Orbitz’ stumbles and Expedia’s catch-up play with Venere, Priceline is poised to become the number two OTA globally and quite possibly the largest OTA in Europe (although Expedia may have something to say about that…).

3. Metasearch will make it in Europe — finally

The highly fragmented European online travel shopping landscape — among OTAs and suppliers — could prove fertile ground for metasearch. Uptake of meta in Europe has lagged behind the U.S., but the growing incidence of online shopping is driving more consumers to visit metasearch sites when they plan their travel.

4. Germany gains ground amid the recession

The lumbering giant of Europe’s online travel market is picking up plenty of regional market share. The country’s strong cultural affinity for travel is helping prop up demand as other European markets falter. Germany’s share of the European online travel market will jump from 17% in 2008 to 20% by 2011. Gute Reise!

5. As larger markets mature, all eyes turn south — and east  Read more...

Thinking about going backpacking in Europe alone, with your sweetie, or a buddy? Instead of just grabbing your backpack and hopping on the first plane out to a random European country, it’s worth your while to plan a little bit ahead and figure out what you need in order to have a successful, hassle-free, and exciting European backpacking trip.

Pick a Destination
Some people choose to go into Europe blindly without a plan or destination in mind, but it’s best if you have an idea of where you’d like to go backpacking. Some stick to Western Europe, some to Eastern Europe, some traverse the entire continent on a rail pass, and others explore one or two countries more intimately. Your destination(s) will also determine your budget, gear, and other factors.

Budget
Make sure to plan an overall budget for your backpacking trip. Your budget will include your flight, your gear (all the stuff you need to buy before you go), and your “living expenses” by the day, which will include food, accommodations, and activities. Around $40 USD is fairly realistic, but this will vary from country to country and even city to city. Do some research to find out how much it will cost you in the countries/cities you wish to visit. Find out the exchange rate as well, and keep a journal of your expenses.

Get your Gear
Think you can go backpacking in Europe with nothing but the shirt on your back? Think again. There are a few fundamental elements you’ll need to take with you on your backpacking trip. First and foremost, a durable, high-quality, side-loader backpack that fits you is a must. You’ll also need several travel shoes (you’ll be doing a lot of walking), a money belt (with your money), all your necessary travel documents, a European guidebook and phrasebook, a journal, a camera, a water bottle, camping gear (if applicable), and more (neck pillow, basic clothing, a few toiletries).

Accommodations & Transportation
Hostels are the accommodations of choice for backpackers in Europe. Try to make arrangements (at least some) ahead of time. This way you’ll be able to find the best deals and you’ll have a spot reserved for you.

Look for cheap flights to Europe (search online or go through your travel agent)-student travel agencies and student airfare finders are great places to start. Get a rail pass when you’re in Europe, especially if your backpacking adventure takes you through several countries. Subways make a great option, too.  Read more...