As we had the desire to visit a european city that we both haven’t visited before, we decided to go to Paris from October the 1st to October the 2nd. It’s a short time but enough to visit the city, with a detailed programme in order not to waste time.

We spent 82 Euros each for the flight, while choosing the hotel wasn’t easy because Paris has many quarters and, as usual, we had to take into consideration where the main attractions are located. We booked a nice hotel in Montparnasse: Atèlier de Saint Germain (http://www.hotel-atelier-paris.com/it/) and we spent 110 Euros for a double room. It’s a little but very comfortable 3 stars hotel, located in a nice area of Paris, very close to the metro station. The first impression we had wasn’t great because the hall is very small and the lift is barely big for two, but surprisingly the room was spacious. 

FIRST DAY:

As we landed we took the RER B to get to Basilique du Sacre Cœur and visited Montmartre. We got off the train at Gare du Nord Station where we took the metro number 2 direction Porte Dauphone until Pigalle. It is possible to reach the Church by walking or with the funicolar; we decided to walk to enjoy the view as much as possible. The visit to the Church is free, while the tickets to get to the dome is 6 Euros. The inside the Church is bare except the big colored windows and the gold mosaic of the cheviot.

Then we walked through the streets of Montmartre, which are really characteristic, full of nice restaurants, bars and boulangeries where we stopped to eat a delicious pain au chocolat. We met many artists because Montmartre is known as the “artists’ quartier”. Place des Abbesses is really nice an it deserves a visit; it is famous for its “je t’aime” wall, with 311 “I love you” written in all the world’s language and dialects.

After our nice promenade we took the metro to get to Place de la Concorde. From our position the handiest station was “Blanche” and we took line 2 of the metro -direction Porte Dauphine– until Charles De Gaulle Étoile stop where we took line number 1 –direction Château de Vincennes– until Concorde. Using the metro in Paris in absolutely easy and cheap: we bought for 19 Euros “Paris Visite” which is a perfect solution if you want to visit the city but you don’t have an unlimited time. Place de la Concorde is really big; it is composed by the fountain, the obelisk decorated with hieroglyphics and by many streets. Here we noticed how bad the driving of the French is.

Jardin the Tuileries are close to Place de la Concorde, so we got there and we had a little break. Then we moved to Champs Elysées and we walked across Alexandre III’bridge which stands over the Senna river and it has many decorations, each of them referring to a particular moment of the story of France. We decided to hire the bikes with “Velib’”to get to Champs Elysées from the bridge but it wasnt’ a great idea because the most famous street of Paris was full of people, cars and using the bike wasn’t safe, so we continued our visit by feet until we got to Arc du Triomphe.  

Next stop: Champs de Mars. We took the metro until the stop Bir-Hakeim (line 6). Champs de Mars is really big, located between the military school and the Tour Eiffel and it is perfect for relaxing, pic-nics and sports. We spent an hour and a half there and then we decided it was time to go to Montparnasse.

Montparnasse is a young quartier, with many bar, restaurants, crêperies and boulangeries and it is famous for Montparnasse Tower: from the top of it you can enjoy a wonderful 360° view of the city. As we were to tired we decided that we would have gone there the day after. After a relaxing shower we were ready for dinner and we already knew where to go: “Relais de l’Entrecôte”. It isn’t possible to book a table, so if you would decide to go there be ready for the line but, luckily, it moves very quickly. There is no menu in the restaurant, you can only choose drinks and desserts. They serve, as you sit, a plate with fresh salad and then the signature dish of the restaurant arrives (it is served twice): cut and smooth meat soaked in a secret green sauce with fries. Desserts are great too. We spent 80 euros with wine, two desserts and two coffees) and it surely is worth it! After the dinner, despite the tiredness, we wanted to see Tour Eiffel in the dark with all its lights and so we took the metro to get there.

Good night!

SECOND DAY:

We woke up at 8.30 am and we immediately went to Tour de Montparnasse which is very close to Atelier de Saint Germain. The top of the Tower is at the 56th floor and can be reached with a fast and large lift. The view from the top is incredible and the cost of the ticket is 17 Euros (15 for students).

After the visit of the city from the sky we moved to Île de la Cité, located between two branches of the Senna. In our opinion this is the most characteristic part of Paris, we walked around it for a couple of hours. Île de la Cité is famous for the Saint Chapelle and Notre–Dame. Notre Dame is huge and majestic; entering is free, but if you want to visit the towers you have to buy the tickets.

Then we walked until the Pantheon, located in the latin quarter. The tikets cost 8.50 Euro but it is interesting to know that if you are an Under 26 european citizen you can visit a lot of attraction for free.

After the visit to the Pantheon and the quartier we went to visit the Louvre. Unfortunately our time was running out so we didn’t enter to visit the Louvre, also because the line was endless, but who knows, maybe it is an excuse to go to Paris again? Around the museum there is a lot of confusion, turists are everywhere and even taking a photo can be difficult. Very symbolic is the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel, which is located few meters from the Louvre, in the oriental part of Jardins de Tuileries. Particularly significant is the simmetry with Arc du Triomphe. At the beginning we wanted to reach Arc du Triomphe by feet, but as we didnt’have the time, we took the metro and we enjoyed another walk by the Champs Elysées.

Our last stop was Moulin Rouge, located in the red lights quarter Pigalle and you can easily get there taking the metro (line 2, stop “Blanche“). We ended our little holiday where it started, with a walk in Montmartre.

Paris is a wonderful city; for us living there would be difficult because it’s too chaotic, but it is perfect for a two-days get away  holiday. We got back home very tired but happy for having visited the city in 48 hours as we planned.

Paris…à bientôt!

Stay tuned…the best is yet to come!