Paris is very hard to do on a budget. While many of the major sites are free of charge or reduced price with your student ID or visa everything else could easily cost you an arm and a leg.
Major sites you need to visit are:
- Disneyland Paris
- Notre Dame
-The Louvre
- Arc de Triomphe
- the Eiffel Tower
Advice:
When we booked this hostel I let other people pick it. Do not make that mistake. Look thoroughly into whatever hostel people are talking about before you book it. After I booked I realized I had been completely overcharged and the hostel ended up being absolutely disgusting. Never stay at AIJ hostel. They make you leave the hostel from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and they turn off their Wi-Fi at different times during the day. It is very inconvenient.
Still a beautiful city though!
Buy the book of tickets for the metro. It only costs €1.80 per ride and the metro is super convenient and really easy to figure out. It is actually very similar to D.C.'s metro. So, be sure to use it as much as you can, but if you choose not to walking is very doable the layout of the city is easy to understand.
Just like D.C.!
Food is incredibly expensive and the portions are very small. My advice here would be to eat cheap and try not to sit because by law you need to tip 10 percent. Save up your money for one really nice traditional French dinner (try escargot-- it's actually delicious). Be sure to go to Laduree for the best desserts in Paris!
Macaroons from Laduree
Escargot (snails!)
Souvenirs are incredibly overpriced. Usually I wouldn't advice buying from the people on the street but absolutely do it in Paris. I bought little Eiffel Towers on the street for €3 that cost about €15 or more in the stores, and they are the exact same things. From the metal to the actual look of the towers there was no difference other then price. It's also pretty easy to haggle with these guys to get the price down.
Attractions:
If you're a huge Disney fan (such as myself) absolutely go to Disneyland Paris. It is very expensive (€90 for two parks-- yikes!) but a fun time and worth it. There are a few rides and restaurants that are unique to Disney Paris so that was a huge highlight. Although, if you're not a diehard Disney fan then definitely do not go in the off-season. I went in April and a lot of stuff was closed for renovations.
Sleeping Beauty's Castle
Alice in Wonderland Maze
View from top of Notre Dame and gargoyle
Be sure to visit Notre Dame, it is absolutely beautiful. Go on Sunday and attend mass if you can. The mass was not very crowded. The only downside of going to mass there is that tourists still walk around the cathedral taking pictures during mass. Once you’ve done your lap through the cathedral you can climb to the top of Notre Dame and learn a bit about Quazi Moto. Great views and history! It is free to climb to the top if you are attending a EU University.
Pyramid at the Louvre
The Louvre is an absolute must. You can also enter for free here if you have your visa with you. Make sure you take lots of pictures outside next to the pyramid! The major pieces I was excited to see here were the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa. There are countless pieces of art here so be sure you made time to cover your ground. There are many different wings with art from different centuries so be sure to plan out what you want to see a bit before going in.
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is another site that is free for students to visit. You can climb to the top for free and you have a great view of the city, especially at night. This monument was finished in 1836 and it honors men who fought for France during the period of the Napoleonic wars. Under the Arc there is a special memorial to the unknown soldier with an eternal flame burning.
Memorial of the Unknown Soldier
View from the top of the Arc
Only 700 steps to go
Obviously you're going to visit the Eiffel Tower while you're in Paris. A lot of people say it's a waste of time to climb it, but I say do it. With your student ID you can climb to the second level (700 steps) for only €5. So, why not? There is a restaurant in the tower that is pretty pricey (€70 for a meal) and you can take the elevator to the very top for another €15. I didn't eat there or travel to the very top, but I was still completely satisfied with my visit. If you are willing to pay the extra money I’m sure you will get your money’s worth. The only thing to take into consideration here is that your landscape pictures wont have the Eiffel Tower in it, which is usually a huge identifier of being in Paris.
View from inside
You can get the best pictures from a grassy field in front of the tower. At night there is a light show at the top of every hour starting at 8 p.m. A good place to watch the show is from the top of the Arch. I found my own little spot with a great view from the waterfront.
View from the waterfront
There are so many things for you to do in Paris just be careful of prices!
