Solo Tripping @Paris
Bonjour! Paris one of the most beautiful & romantic cities of the world and unfortunately I decided to travel solo there. It was a 4 day trip and I traveled from Amsterdam through Thalys Train. From my experience I will guide you how to make the most of your Solo trip and enjoy the city in the most entertaining way. 1). Where to Stay?- I stayed in 8th Arrondissement, Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements and one will get confused which one to choose. Please do google about specialty of each neighborhood. I would suggest stay in 08th if you love shopping, since all major brands stores are at walking distance. Also grand departmental stores like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps are star attraction of 08th arr. Louvre is also nearby. However if you want to spend major time around Eiffel Tower than do choose 07th Arrondissement and you can walk to Eiffel any time of the day and click as many pictures as you want. If you think you can cover all major attraction by walking than you are mistaken, due to huge boulevards each attraction is quite far from each other.So if you choose to stay in any other arrondissement than you can choose basis hotel preference or cost of air-bnb. It is also dependent on how you choose to travel. 2).1-4 Day Itinerary- If you have 2 days at hand than I would surely suggest buy a big bus or a open Tour bus ticket and cover all of the major attraction and rest of the time can be spent on shopping and indulging in french desserts. Sound Good?Right! But if you have more than 2 days than you have lots of time to see Paris in detail, indulge in art, food, shopping and strolls. To get a sense of distance and topography buy a City tour ticket or pass. Do not buy any attraction ticket in advance rather stand in que and buy the current tickets, this way you will be able to closely observe people and the city. Read about the history of that attraction while you kill time in the que. Trust me it will be fun! Also if you want to see the city view from the top than do climb up Arc-De-Triomphe, this will have dual benefits:- Spectacular view of City with Eiffel and less crowd:). Next do vist Notre-Dame from inside, its free of cost and what a great architecture delight! Try and cover 2 attractions each day from inside and outside, followed by comfort lunches, coffee and macroon in the evening and a drink at night. Do not forget to shop a little each day to utilise each day wisely:).Last but not the least do witness the sparkling Eiffel at Night. 3).How to Travel? So I did all calculation and analysed each situation- Here is my logic and recommendation: A 3 day Train Ticket will cost you around 26 Euro so technically you can cover all the attractions in just 26 Euro but you will have to walk a lot, seek guidance from locals, study the map and might be tiresome. However the smart way to do is buy a 2 day hop on hop off pass from any City tour which will be approx 45 Euro almost double, but you will be able to roam hassle free with free guiding tour and bus will drop you to a stop near to the place you are staying. Apart from convenience, the reason why I am suggesting a city tour bus is due to safety concerns. From the moment I was travelling from Amsterdam till I left the City I got several calls and messages to warn me against the crimes in Paris, specially pick pocketing and snatching. Also I have heard these things are common in stations and streets close to stations. But my dear Solo travelers, if you are attentive and cautious you can avoid such miss-happening anywhere. And if money is not an issue, one can opt for Taxis as well!. Phew! I hope I have addressed all your major concerns, and you can pack your bags for a great Paris trip very soon. Paris in itself is a piece of art, each corner is beautifully carved that will leave you awe-stuck. So do not make a quick trip, this city needs time. Enjoy the full meal, just the starters wont do.:)