Month: October 2023

Exploring the Eiffel Tower-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn Eiffel Tower, France, Girls Trip, Paris, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized1 Comment

No trip to Paris would be complete without checking out the Eiffel Tower. It is an icon and a masterpiece of engineering. Whether you just walk by or you go for the whole guided tour, skip the line ticket, dining at the restaurants on the first or second levels or the champagne at the top package, you MUST experience the Eiffel Tower in some shape or form.

The Eiffel Tower was created to be the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. With 60+ million visitors a year, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris (about 81 stories high). For our 30th anniversary several years ago, Thom and I celebrated the milestone with a trip up to the top. With a combination of tickets to use the elevators and access the top floors, we enjoyed the view and took some amazing pictures to memorialize the moment. We ended up going the less travelled route as usual by walking down the steps all by ourselves for awhile. We wandered around the park underneath, enjoyed seeing the carousel and went back to the Trocadero at night to see the tower light up and twinkle, which it does every night for just for 5 minutes. Get there in advance so you don’t miss it! The night we were there, it was also a full moon which made for an amazing view.

This time on our Girls Trip 2023, we decided to skip the trip up the tower due to some issues with the ladies not liking heights. Instead, we jumped off the Batobus boat, got off at the Eiffel Tower pier and walked around the grounds admiring it from the bottom up. Well, at least as much as we could, given the “sprucing up” that Paris was doing to get ready for the 2024 Olympics coming up. There is a lot of construction going on all around town. Paris will shine in 2024. Enjoy the journey!

PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO THE EIFFEL TOWER TRAVEL TIPS:

  1. Go online to the official Eiffel Tower site and compare options to visit: The OFFICIAL Eiffel Tower website: tickets, news, info… (toureiffel.paris) Best times to visit are early mornings for a day visit and at night for the twinkling lights.
  2. Book tickets well in advance from official site (they go on sale two months in advance) for the experience you want. Once you’ve booked them, you cannot change or exchange your e-tickets. All purchases are final. So double check before hitting that “purchase” button to make sure you have right date/time. Prices/times may vary so I won’t quote any here. Just go to the site and check it out.
  3. You can print tickets or show on your phone just as long as barcode can be scanned. Bring ID for everyone as you may get asked to show it (even for children).
  4. You do have to go through security checks so don’t bring anything that will prevent you from going in like luggage-small bags okay but not big ones.
  5. There are free toilets on every floor (1st, 2nd and top). Use the facilities here because there are practically no toilets on the grounds around the Eiffel Tower. Believe me-I searched and found one defective pod toilet where the door wasn’t closing all the way so my sister stood in front of it so I could use it.
  6. Go during the day AND at night. These are very different experiences. Lights start twinkling after sundown (depends on time of year) on the hour for five minutes (so get there early) and until midnight.
  7. Walk up/down at least some stairs to get a feel for the structure. There are 1665 steps to the top so probably plan on a combo of getting elevator tickets and walking some sections for a well rounded experience. There are only 328 steps to the first floor-you can do it! Thom and I did this and loved it. Lots of good pictures taken too.

GETTING THERE:

ADDRESS:

Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France

On the day of your visit, allow A LOT of extra time to get there. Surface street traffic in Paris is always bad so if you are coming by taxi or Uber, you will get stuck in traffic. I’ve never before gotten a text from Uber that said “we see you haven’t moved in 20 minutes, are you alright?” until I recently went to Paris and then I got it several times. One trip that was predicted by the app to take 20 minutes took two hours. Not kidding! Poor driver did not make money on that trip but we did trip him 20 euros for not kicking us out.

I would recommend using the Metro (Lines 6, 8 or 9) to get close and then walking. Other options: Bus (line 42 or 82/closest bust stop is Bir-Hakeim), take a scenic boat ride (we took the BatoBus Seine River hop on, hop off and they have a stop at the Eiffel Tower), or RER train line 3 (get off at Champs de Mars station). Map below courtesy of official Eiffel Tower site.

Enjoying the River Seine-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn France, Girls Trip, Paris, Travel, travel tips, travelling, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hop aboard let’s take a ride! There is no better way to spend your first full day in Paris than to take the Batobus hop on, hop off boat down the River Seine. Glide under historic bridges, see all the big museums from a river perspective and, of course, gaze in awe upon the iconic Eiffel Tower. On our Girls Trip 2023, we rode up and down the river enjoying all the sights-what a great way to get around Paris!

Not knowing what the weather would be like, we waited until we arrived in Paris and checked the forecast before heading out on our first full day with the intent to enjoy a boat ride and see the sights. Pulling up the website on my cell as we walked along the river, I found their nearest stop on www.batobus.com/. Our first planned “hop off” was at the Eiffel Tower. As it was early, we didn’t see any boats on the river yet and sure enough, the boat routes don’t begin until 10 am. You will learn soon enough that in Paris everything starts later in the day then in the US so enjoy sleeping in. Specialty shops are usually open 11-7 with a lunch break taken around 1-2. As many small shops are run by one person, they will close during their lunch hour. Coffee shops don’t open up at 6 am like their American counterparts-more like 7-8 am. Plan accordingly!

The Batobus ticket office that we found on the river walk wasn’t open yet, so as the boat pulled up to their designated dock, only those who had already purchased their tickets online were allowed on. As fast as I could get the tickets purchased on my cell wasn’t fast enough for the boat ticket taker who took off without us and we waited 20 minutes for the next one, our online tickets secured. We got the one-day pass for $20 euros, which is good for 24 hours from the time you buy it so it could technically span two days with careful planning of the purchase at a mid-day time. Boats run 10 am-7 pm on a designated route with stops at: Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Musee D’Orsay, Saint-Germain-Des-Pres, Notre Dame, Jardin Des Plantes, Hotel De Ville, Louvre, and Place De La Concorde.

Travel tip: don’t count on using the facilities on the boats-they have no bathrooms! There are seats under both open roof areas and closed roof areas depending on if you want sun on you or not. It was a hot day when we were there, so we opted for shady seats, going to the back where it was open to take pictures as we cruised by the various sites along the way.

Depending on the time of year that you visit, you’ll see the local Parisians and tourists lining the banks of the River Seine hanging out and socializing. Bring some food and wine, hope off the boat and join them to watch the world go by on the river and soak up the ambience. Stroll the street level sidewalks by the river in between boat stops to get some exercise and check out the classic green stalls filled with souvenirs, books, art and magazines.

You can take a really nice shot of the Eiffel Tower as the boat glides by. We hopped off, walked around the Eiffel Tower as best we could since there were lots of fences up and construction going on to prep for the 2024 Olympics. The Olympic countdown clock was near the dock, so we checked it out. I’m excited to watch the Olympics in Paris next year knowing we were just there enjoying this beautiful city. Hopping back on, we went up the river and around the islands in the middle of the river, île Saint-Louis and île de la Cité, which was more on the side of the city where our apartment was located. Plan an all day boat ride or just a few hours, but definitely take a ride on the River Seine while you are in Paris. Enjoy the journey!

Walking Montmartre/Sacre Coeur-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn France, Girls Trip, Montmartre, Paris, Sacre Coeur, Travel, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized2 Comments

Want a great view of Paris AND lots of cafes and shops? Well then head on over to Montmartre in the northern 18th arrondissement on the Right Bank of the Seine. Whether it’s gelato or wine, you’ll find refreshments galore to keep your energy up while you sit in café Le Consultat on rue Norvins, which has hosted famous artists such as Dali and Toulouse-Lautrec, and people watch. For Girls Trip 2023, we made Montmartre our first stop to get the lay of the land and soak up the Parisian atmosphere. Bon jour!

How to get there? The most unique way is to ride the funicular up the steep hillside. You will need a ticket to go on, purchased there or you can use the Metro aka subway/bus paper tickets too or your Navigo card, which we got to use all week on mass transit around town. It takes one ticket up and one ticket to go down. They pack them in there, but it beats walking up the hundreds of steps unless you want to get the exercise! I’ve only walked up on past trips to Paris, so it was fun to finally try the funicular. It’s nice to have alternatives depending on how you are feeling. Since we usually do 20,000+ steps a day when we visit Paris, there may be times you just want a ride up!

Famous artists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and Pablo Picasso lived in Montmartre and were inspired by this beautiful area. Who wouldn’t be??? Patti is the artistic one in our girls’ group, and I know if we had more time there, she would have had an easel out in the square like the many artists who were doing landscapes and portraits. Perhaps get an original sketch as a souvenir to take home and hang on your wall as a reminder of your wonderful trip? We’ve bought artwork before when we travel and love seeing it daily as a reminder of our journey. You can pick up a cardboard tube at local art supply stores to carry your treasure home safely.

Once you get up to the top, when you aren’t shopping or dining, you can enjoy Sacre Coeur Basilica pictured above. Completed in 1914, Sacre Coeur is a Roman Catholic church that is free to visit and where religious masses are still held frequently. Inside and outside, it is stunning. You do have to go through security but there is no admission fee. From the fabulous stained glass and sculptures to the various crypts and chapels to explore, there is so much to see and appreciate but the centerpiece is the dome, which, according to Wikipedia, symbolizes the celestial world, resting upon a rectangular space, symbolizing the terrestrial world. The two are joined by massive columns, which represent the passage between the two worlds. If you don’t mind walking up a lot (300+) steps, you can climb the Dome for a spectacular view. Note: no elevator.

Outside on the steps, thousands of people gather at any time but especially to watch the sun set over Paris. It’s a party! Bring snacks, wine and settle in to enjoy the company of thousands as you gaze over the rooftops of Paris. Enjoy the journey!

GETTING AROUND SACRE COEUR AND MONTMARTRE

After the Eiffel Tower, this is one of the most popular tourist destinations so plan your visit accordingly. Come at the end of the day for a stunning sunset view or early in the morning to avoid the crowds.

I didn’t take one but there are lots of walking tours of Montmartre-here is one: Montmartre Walking Tour: Paris’ Best Art, Culture and Food 2023 (viator.co. Maybe next trip!

We saw lots of taxis on the streets in Montmartre. If you see one with a green light, hail it and it just might stop for you if it doesn’t already have a ride booked through their app (G7). We used Uber all over Paris with usually only a 5 minute on average wait time.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Sacre Coeur is accessible by bus or metro line 2 at Anvers station. Sacré-Cœur Basilica is open from 06:00 to 22:30 every day and the dome is accessible from 10:00 to 19:00.

Montmartre is served by these Métro lines:

Line 2 stations at Barbès-Rochechouart, Anvers, Pigalle and Blanche 

Line 4 stations at Château Rouge and Barbès–Rochechouart

Line 12 stations at Pigalle, Abbesses, Lamarck–Caulaincourt (one of the most photographed metro stations because of its iconic Parisian charm) and Jules Joffrin.

It is also served by the Montmartre Funicular, operated by the RATP, which ascends the hill from the south while the Montmartre bus circles the hill. (Wikipedia)

London A to Z

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, London, Travel, travel apps, travel essentials, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, UK2 Comments

I love London! We’ve been several times for both business and pleasure and plan to go back in 2024 for a 40-night pet sit. It’s a city filled with history, great food and shopping and everything else you could want in a European city. When a friend told me that they had recently gotten a trip to London for their birthday (lucky La Shanda!), I thought I would put together a comprehensive A to Z list for her and anyone else visiting London soon including us. Enjoy the journey!

GETTING TO/FROM AIRPORT

London’s major airport is Heathrow (LHR) but close by is also Gatwick (LGW). Both airports have public transportation options to get from the airport to the city. Get all the info here: Trains To & From London Heathrow Airport – Maps, Tickets | Rail Europe

I’ve used a car service as well, which is the nice and more expensive option vs. public transportation but necessary if you have lots of luggage or have accessibility issues. We’ve used this service-book online: https://www.blacklane.com/en/car-service-london/

GETTING AROUND WITHIN LONDON CITY TRANSPORTATION

London, like any big city, has terrible traffic almost all the time. If you have booked tickets and need to be somewhere at a specific time, plan ahead and leave LOTS of extra time to get there. Using the travel apps like Rome2Rio or Citymapper, compare your options and add one hour to your travel time.

It’s always best to walk, which will be faster than almost any ground transportation due to the traffic. Next best options are buses (double-decker ones are fun!) and the Underground aka the Tube (subway). For both, you should have Apple Pay or Google Pay on your phone/smart watch to tap at the turnstiles to pay. Otherwise, you are fumbling for a credit card to tap, and you probably don’t want to have that out and about with other people nearby who could snatch it (yes, it happens so be smart). You don’t buy paper tickets anymore-it’s all tap to pay here.

Consider staying in Zone 1 or 2 if you will be using the Tube daily. Remember, “mind the gap” to get on/off the subway and “look left” when crossing the street. Review this before you go: How to use the London Underground: Tips & tricks – Tripadvisor

If you really have to get a car ride, then go with Uber first and, as a last resort, a taxi. Why? Well, with Uber you have a fixed price when you input the pickup and drop off locations. It is in the best interest of the driver to get you there quickly with Uber. With the taxi, you are on a meter and the driver may or may not take a direct route. We tried both and always the Uber would have been cheaper by 20% or so. When using Uber, find a landmark like a hotel or restaurant and get the address to enter into the Uber app and make it easy for the driver to find you. Our average wait time for an Uber in London was 5-10 minutes.

Uber boats go up and down the Thames-in good weather, a fun way to get around London and avoid the terrible street traffic. Just tap on and off. Thames River Cruises & London Boat Trips – Uber Boat by Thames Clippers

TRAVEL APPS

Google maps works well in London.

Citymapper App-best transport app of London. Makes public transportation easy. Shows you prices too.

Use the GETT app to get taxi’s. Especially for short distances, they are convenient. Taxi’s can use the bus lanes and Uber can’t so taxi’s can get you there quicker.

TfL Go app for Tube travel. Shows map of various lines and tells about cancellations. Tap on a Tube station on the map to see facilities like lifts and bathrooms.

WhatsApp to call and do video chats with those back home. Free! Also some restaurants use to make reservations.

WHERE TO STAY:

Hotels:

St. Ermin’s is elegant, historic and has the best service I’ve experienced at a hotel. Great location with easy walk to Big Ben and other landmarks. Historic Luxury 4-star Hotel in Central London | St. Ermin’s Hotel (marriott.com)

The Tower Hotel (get a room with a view of the Tower Bridge) https://thetowerhotellondon.com/

Sarova-Rembrandt Hotel: https://www.sarova-rembrandthotel.com/

Serviced luxury apartments https://theharrington.com/stay

GREAT VIEWS:

Book tickets to the Sky Garden. It’s free and we have great memories there. You need to book in advance but it’s worth the effort. https://skygarden.london

The Shard-London’s tallest building The Shard: Inspiring change (the-shard.com)

London Eye The lastminute.com London Eye: The Official Tickets Website

Parliament Hill for best view of city Parliament Hill, London – Wikipedia

SITES/TOURS:

Parliament Tour Tours – UK Parliament

Tower of London Tower of London | Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk)

Westminster Abbey A royal church | Westminster Abbey (westminster-abbey.org)

Happy Potter Tour Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter (wbstudiotour.co.uk)

Buckingham Palace https://www.rct.uk/visit

St. Paul’s Cathedral St Paul’s Cathedral | St Paul’s Cathedral (stpauls.co.uk)

Hampton Court Palace https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/#gs.msyc38

Alexandra Palace Amazing Things To Do at Alexandra Palace

London Walks Contact Us – London Walks Harry Potter walk; ghost tour; historical walk

MUSEUMS:

All national museums in the UK are free but check online in case you need to reserve tickets because they restrict the # of people at any given time. Special exhibits may cost. Donations encouraged. Use Smartify App to scan paintings and learn more about the art.

PARKS: (locals hang out in the parks on nice day-rent bikes and ride around to see more!)

  • Hyde Park
  • St. James Park
  • Hampstead Heath/Parliament Hill-view of skyline
  • Holland Park-Kyoto garden
  • Diana Memorial
  • Kew Botanical Garden there is entrance fee https://www.kew.org/

RESTAURANTS/BARS:

Pret-A-Manger is fast food and delicious. For coffee and pastries, takeaway (this is how they ask for “to-go”) cold sandwiches which are fresh and tasty or hot soups and sandwiches. Very affordable $5 euros for wrap that is plenty big. Great veggie options.

PUBS:

MARKETS:

AFTERNOON TEA: (a “must do” while in London!)

SHOPPING:

We aren’t big shoppers but I had always wanted to see the inside of Harrod’s so off we went after a look at the Microsoft Experience Center on Regent Street (my former employer). All I can say is that the retail sector looks strong in London. The streets were packed with shoppers going here and there like back before the pandemic. Harrod’s is fancy and the shoppers there were dropping thousands of dollars on designer bags, jewelry and perfume. Taking the main center escalators, you will see beautiful displays throughout the store. The food market has great takeaway food (no tables to eat there!) including yummy jams, candies and crackers to take back home. In the basement is the Herrod Gift Shop where the affordable items area including a Christmas area, lots of Harrod’s branded items and such. If you have room in your luggage, go for it and buy, buy, buy!

Typical London Shopping Hours but check with each store before you go:

Mon – Wed: 9:30am – 7pm, Thu: 9:30am – 8pm, Fri: 9:30am – 7pm, Sat: 10am – 7pm, Sun: 12pm – 6pm

ACTIVITIES/DAY TRIP:

SPORTS EVENTS:

THEATER:

When we lived in NYC, we tried to go to a Broadway show almost every week. London has a lively theater scene so we booked tickets to see Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theater. This theater was compact with maybe 25 rows on the main floor and then several balconies over it. So small but tall and probably no bad seats in the house. Upon entering, you can grab a drink and relax in the lobby where they had tables/seats which you would not find at a Broadway theater. I love to collect bar cups branded for each Broadway show we attend but here just regular plastic cups for my wine but way cheaper than Broadway ($6 vs. $20 I’m used to in NYC).

You can take drinks into the theater to enjoy while you watch the show. Book of Mormon was hilarious with talented singers/dancers/actors. In NYC we are used to going to the TKTS booth in Times Square the day of the show and getting good deals but here I’ve been using the TodayTix app for good pricing you can get in advance of the day you go-usually 20-40% off depending on the seats you want.

Get your tickets online at and never pay full price: