Planning Paris: Is there a right way?

Planning Paris is hard… but I like it! 

I’ve been waiting for this trip for so long and when it’s finally almost the time I’m super excited and relieved. I now believe dreams do come true… but you have to work for them. You have to act, you have to safe money in order to afford to travel, you have to prioritize.

I don’t know how other travellers like their trips – planned or spontanious, but I’ve always been an organizer, planner. Maybe some don’t like travelling like that but that’s my way. At least for now…

We are going to be in Paris from 2nd to 6th of May so if you are in the area give us a shout.

Paris, a view from Arc de Triomphe

Planning the trip

Me and my boyfriend were waiting for cheap airplane tickets and have been watching websites and companies since october-ish last year. We missed some very good opportunities for a really descent price but hey, what’s a journey without disappointments. And it wasn’t really a disappointment actually. So we bought our tickets on 1th April 2014. So close to the date but I think the price was fair – 440 Euros two-way tickets for two.

I remember that day because it was one of my very favorite and lucky of the year – my first day at work as an editor for an online business media, my scholarship results came back positive, I finally paid off my super expensive orthodontic treatment with my own saved-for-the-past-2-years money (very proud!), had a great movie night at the cinema and published my photos from Istanbul!

On April 4th we booked our hotel. It’s a block away from Moulin Rouge and the beautiful Monmartre. On April 7th we bought tickets for the Eiffel Tower – 15 euros for Adult and 13,50 euros for youngster like me! There were free hours only in 9:30 in 5th of May. Not for any other day in May! So lucky! On April 12th we bought tickets for Disneyland for 64 euros each.

And that was it! We were ready to go to Paris!

The next thing I did was hours in research, reading and planning…

The Louvre, Paris

Program and Itinerary

Day 1, Friday: Arriving at night. Check-in. Nothing planned so I guess we will go out for a nice evening walk.

Day 2, Saturday: Disneyland! I would choose Monday for that but our Eiffel Tower tickets are for Monday so… At the evening we plan to have dinner out. We are on a budget so we will eat only 1 night out. We have supermarket near the hotel and we will buy cheaper food for the other nights.

Day 3, Sunday: Versailles for free! We’re going to tha palace and the gardens for free! Did you know that EU citizens under 26 can go without paying taxes! Those were very good news for our wallets. We’re going to Versailles with two friends from Bulgaria who are also going to Paris.

After Versailles: Arc de Triomphe (free for EU citizend under 26) and Champs-Elisée. Then: A night walk in Monmartre, Sacre Coeur (free for us, but: tax for the Dome – 6 euros, and the Crypte – 3 euros), Moulin Rouge (from outside)

Day 4, Monday: Walking tour of the city. I spent hours thinking where to go first, watching open hours and planning our itinerary. The starting point will be the Eiffel Tower since we have tickets for 9:30. But we are going out early in the morning – 6:00 am! The reason to do that is because we want to see the city without so many people and cars andto be alone with the Eiffel Tower, heh!

1. Start point: Place du Trocedaro

2. Eiffel Tower, The Champ de Mars

3. Army Museum (free for EU citizens under 26), UNESCO World Heritage Center, Musée d’Orsay was on our way but it’s closed on Monday (free for us)

4. Tuileries gardens, Place de la Concorde, Grand Palais and Le Petit Palais (from outside)

5. Place Vendome, Paris Opera,

6. Louvre Museum (free for us)

7. Notre Dame de Paris (free for everyone, but tax for the Towers) + Saint Chapelle (Consiergie, from outside, free for us),

8. La Sorbonne, Pantheon and Latin Quarter,

9. End point: Luxemburg Gardens and Palace.

After that: Eiffel Tower at night (see the lights)

Day 5, Tuesday: Check-out. Free program. If we couldn’t visit one of our planned stops for the other days. Maybe Musée d’Orsay, Seine river tour with boat, a walk in Boulevard Saint Germain (not necessarily in that order). We’re going on the airport at the night because our flight is early in the morning. And go back to Sofia, Bulgaria.

Pont des Arts, Paris

Final Words

Considering I don’t have much experience with travelling I may make some silly mistakes in planning, I may not do something the right or the most proper way. So I’ll be glad to hear what do you think about the program, the itinerary, the decisions I made.

Is the program alright?

Are there any other places you would recommend me to see in Paris or things to do (restaurants, museums, etc.)?

Do you plan your trips or you just leave?

I am open to recieve as many advices as you can give!

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Check out:  3-Day Paris Itinerary