Travel Guide: Paris

Where we stayed:

First let me start by saying there are SO MANY hotels in Paris. You really have to narrow down what you truly want to be around. I will say the closer your hotel is to the Eiffel, the price is a lot more. Our hotel was about a 35 minute walk from the Eiffel, but only a 10 minute walk from the Louvre. We stayed at Hotel Da Vinci. This is considered a "boutique" hotel and only offers 6 rooms total. They range is sizes, we had one of the smaller rooms, but expected that because it is Paris. The bed was comfortable, we had room to put our belongings, the bathroom was small, but it worked.

If you want more room then I would recommended researching or going with an apartment, which you can rent with Home Away. You will walk a ton, so definitely have your hotel as a central location to restaurants and sightseeing spots.

 

Where we ate:

I definitely did not take enough photos of the meals and restaurants we ate at, but the ones I did take, you want be disappointed. The first place we ate when we arrived was 13- a baker's dozen. This was right across the street from our hotel and definitely set the bar high. I wanted something healthy, since I was pretty low on energy from traveling from London. So I got there summer salad and it was amazing! Every single item they have there is home-made and all organic. And with a glass of mint lemonade! Definitely check this place out!

Crêpes are of course a must while visiting Paris. The best one I had was from a street vendor, so definitely pick one of them up while walking the streets. I recommend the nutella.

When people hear "macarons," they always think "Laduree," well I found a place that's BETTER! Pierre Herme. JUST GO! Seriously the best macaron I have ever had and they are less crowded since everyone heads to Laduree. And they have sorbet, which was so good too.

Paris Picnic was my favorite lunch! You order ahead of time right on their website and they deliver it all on the day of your picnic from this cute little truck. They give you everything you would need, like a blanket and utensils. We selected the salads, baguette, cheeses, & meats. I even added a bouquet of flowers.

What we did:

The eiffel tower was even more amazing in person. I didn't expect to be so in awe of it. Seeing it from a distance is definitely my favorite, but still tour it! It is definitely worth seeing the city from above. Don't wait to get tickets the day of, buy ahead of time to skip the long lines. And of course, definitely see it at night and at the top of every hour when it twinkles!

We went to Versailles for the day with Big Fox Travel. We explored Marie-Antoinette's Estate, which was breathtaking! I loved every aspect of it, so definitely put this on your itinerary. The last stop was at the palace and it was spectacular! Such a beautiful building inside and out, the gardens were my absolute favorite. I would recommend doing the bike tour because so much is included, even your train tickets.

The bridges of Paris are so beautiful. Of course we had to stop at the current "Love Lock" bridge and mark our territory. I would recommend getting one and pack in your luggage, as it is more meaningful then buying one from the guy selling them around the bridge.

The Louvre was incredible. I didn't realize how big it is, it is impossible to tour the entire building in one day. We did the night tour and we were told it is better because it is less crowded, but I will say, IT WAS CROWDED. So many people, but definitely worth it to see.

I hope this was helpful to anyone traveling to Paris or making it a future travel! Please let me know if you have any questions or need anymore recommendations!

Thanks so much for stopping by, xo