Valentine's Day Ideas

Do you feel how Valentine's Day is almost upon us? It is high time you figure out what to do to surprise your loved one. A gift is something temporary, and of course tangible. If your beloved person is not into material things, ook for the spiritual side of life. A trip to a foreign destination, encountering new people and interacting with different cultures may be that special thing you both crave for.

Visit Park Bois de Boulogne

Bois de Bologne is a vast park in western Paris. It is usually not full of tourists, so you can relax undisturbed by the big crowds.

How to get there? This vast green peace of land is boardered by River Seine to the west and is close the 16th arrondissement of Paris to the east. You may have already been there without knowing it. The park encloses place Trocadero and the famous Palais de Chaillot near the Eiffel Tower. It is going to be a long walk so be prepared.

Paris: Centre Pompidou

Centre Pompidou is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris. Believe it or not, it attracts more visitors than the Louvre – twice as much. The French love it, and they call it with the lovely name “Beaubourg” - the beautiful town. It is a cultural centre and if you happen to be in Paris do not miss it.
 

Paris: Champs Elysées

Happy New Year to all. We would keep bringing you interesting information about the most spectacular tourist destinations worldwide. We hope to make 2011 our the most Exclusive Travel Experience you may ever had.

We are back to Paris today and it turned out that we have passed several times the most popular boulevard in Paris - Champs Elysées. We will now take some details into account.

Finding this boulevard is the easiest thing for you. If you are staying at Arc de triomphe hotels it is the very street down from the Triumphal arch.

Champs Elysées used to be a cart-way for trips in a carriage , or a place to have an intimate dinner in a discrete restaurant. Luxury Victorian style hotels are now replaced by fabulous modern hotels and boutique shops. The boulevard is now shining with intense traffic and neon lights, instead of the diamond's glittering from the necklaces of the aristocratic ladies.

The stylish restaurants are now expensive and most tourist-oriented. But a quick walk down the Champs Elysées Boulevard will lead you to the office of big airline companies, tourist bureaux and luxury hotels such as Hotel la Defense or George V. The boulevard is also known for the world-famous car-shops Hippo Citroën and Pub Renault. The latest models of this auto brands are displayed there.

Just spare some time and take a long slow walk. The boulevard may be busy in the day but it is quite a romantic place in the evening. Go straight to the top of the Arch at the end of it and see its beauty from bird's eye.

Make your stay an unforgettable experience by booking a decent hotel in advance. There is a huge variety of choices, Orly hotels are closest to the airport, or if you need a room in the centre, pick a hotel on Champs Elysées but be prepared for a pricey pay-check.

Paris: The Elegant Gardens

Some of the most beautiful gardens in Europe are in Paris. The city of Light has an elegant street planning so the spacious parks are just an accessory to the overall exquisite setting. Enjoy a tour around some of the most grandiose Paris gardens. 

Jardin de Luxembourg - is a little landmark of natural woods. The entrance is through le Petit Luxembourg Museum - the Little Museum of Luxembourg, a common place for art exhibitions. Along the little pond you will easily get near the Luxembourg castle - Palais du Luxembourg. This magnificent building is a former royal residence and is now the headquarters of the French Senate.  The building quite resembles Hotel Paris la Defense. 

When you get to the far end of the park you will be able to notice the dome of Sacre Coeur Cathedral on the top of Montmartre.

Jardin des Tuileries - are few steps away from the Louvre complex. They start with an arch not that impressive as the Triumphal arch. A pond in the centre of it is often decorated by artists. The garden itself is like an open art gallery with all the statues placed around.

Le jardin du Patio Andalou is one the splendid gardens of Hotel Paris Arc de Triomphe. It is not Bois de Bologne, but this little garden is a real diamond among the busy with traffic streets.

Paris: La Bastille

Paris has a lot to offer to foreign culture explorers. There are many places to discover. Today's destination is the notorious Bastille. 

To get to la Bastille it is more practical to catch the metro from Orly Hotels. The station is Bastille. You will get directly in the centre of Place of the Bastille. Here used to be the horrifying prison, taken over by the rebels and completely destroyed durin the Revolution on July 14th 1789. Now here stands the July Colomn, built to commemorate the memory of all who died in the name of the Freedom. A golden sculpture on the very top of the colomn marks the achieved freedom. 

Instead of the bastille prison you will now find L'Opera de la Bastille. A sparkly modern building all in glass and silver. The opera is one of the most remarkable projects implemented by President Mitterrand in 1989. 

Now you can take a quick walk in the surrounding area. Proceed to Rue de la Roquette. You will gradually get close to the former feminine prison. Public executions took place here, centuries ago. The street is full of original shops and fine restaurants.

A perfect end of this walk amongst the ancient places of terror in the French capital is a peaceful dinner in Hotel Charles de Gaulle or any other hotel offering a panoramic view of Paris. Make this day a good memory.

Paris: The Grands Boulevards

Paris is welcoming you. The city of light acts like a magnet for tourists. The capital of France is full of surprises. Let us take a tour of the Grands Boulevards to the Place de l'etoile. 

Paris boasts with spectacular city planning and now we will prove it. Baron Osman contributed a lot to the magnificent street arrangement.  Out trip will start from Champs Elysées and will continue to centre Pompidou.

To get to the most grandiose boulevard in Paris catch the metro to station Arc de Triomphe or just find Arc de triomphe hotels. It is the beginning of the so-called Road of Triumph. In the centre of it is the Triumphal Arch, one of the largest in the world. When you are there, go to the top of it to see Paris form a bird's eye view. The gorgeous Arch is in the very centre of Place de l'etoile. This square is shaped like a star and the grand boulevards stream like rays from the arch. Champs Elysées is one of them. It is a real ray of light at night.

To the west you will be able to notice Bois de Boulogne (the Boulogne Forest). La Defense - the business area of Paris is in the opposite direction. Apart from the famous Hotel la defense, there are many other modern buildings - skyscrapers and shopping centres. 

Do not miss to visit the Virgin Megastore with loads of books and CDs. It is one of the many non-stop 24/7 open stores on Champs Elysées. Fine luxury restaurants and pubs make it the boulevard of boulevards.

Take your time to contemplate the grandeur of Paris and its architects' talent.

Notre Dame de Paris and the River Seine - part 2

We continue our tour around Paris Ile dе la Cité. Just to remind you we were near the Sainte Chapelle yesterday, if you want to start the trip from its beginning read the previous post Notre Dame de Paris and the River Seine. 

Just behind la Conciergerie is Sainte Chapelle - one of the most spectacular chapels in Paris. Sainte Chapelle is a typical Gothic high-vaulted cathedral built in 1264 by St. Louis King of France. The cathedral is one of the most delicately decorated in Paris with its colourful stained-glass works and the effective restoration of the walls and the tiges. Numerous chamber orchestras perform here, so it is a perfect chance for all chamber music lovers to go to a concert in on of the most grandiose churches in Europe. 

It is time to take a break, but if Hotel la Defense is too far away for you to have your lunch there simply go to Brasserie bazar on 49 "Rue des Ecoles" and try some escargots (snails) or the pepper steak called "pavé au poivre". Now that you have feasted your eyes on Medieval architecture it is time to feast on some traditional French Cuisine. 

Now let's go to the legendary Notre Dame de Paris. The stone foundations of Victor Hugo's epic cathedral were laid in the early 1163, but the entire building process was concluded in year 1300. Notre dame has witnessed some of the greatest moments in French history from medieval executions to the crowning of Emperor Napolean I. Faces and silhouettes of important people from the rich French history are eternalized on to the walls and engraved through frescoes and sculptures.

Now it is time for you to relax and take a good nap and prepare for tomorrow. Hotel paris arc de triomphe is the best place for you to do so. Have a good time!

Where to Go in Paris?

Paris is a busy metropolitan city. But that is why it is rife with life and people. Sometimes, it is hard to move around the city, but all means of public transport are working properly, but be careful these days, strikes are possible to block the traffic.

Apart from all this, you can always find a peaceful place to sit down and relax. One such place is Jardin des Plantes, a green garden easily accessible with the popular bateau bus. 

Upon arrival you can catch a metro from the nearest metro station. Me, for example, I was bound to go to Hotel Paris la Defense, but I didn't really know where it was. But a took a long walk, fortunately I didn't have much luggage.

So starting from Place de Concorde, I went all the way down to the Triumphal arch. I saw there the Hotel Paris Arc de Triomphe and there were kind and showed me the way to my hotel.

I realised that my hotel was in the very centre of the city. Hotel La Defense is near the famous Quadrangle with the eyes inside, called the Centre of Modern Technology and Industry. It is strange but classy.

So, as far as I was able to explore Paris, Notre Dame was so grandiose. It is worth seeing, while recollecting the story told by Victor Hugo.

All most important places to visit in Paris are located along the River Seine. So just go along the canal and explore all the beauties. 

Why It Is Worth Visiting Paris?!

You may doubt that Paris is the right place to visit, but let me tell you few things. You will change your mind.

Paris is not just the French capital. It is a fashion, art, cultural and gastronomy destination. When you are there you can enjoy it all at once. You can shop or just window shop in the great fashion labels stores along Champs Elysées. You can grasp all cultural aspects of the city of lights. 

There is something for anyone. For art-lovers there is Montmartre. For extravagant lovers the world-famous Moulin Rouge has a lot to offer. What a pleasure it is to sip a cup of aroma coffee with a freshly baked croissant while the beautiful view feasts your eyes. Astonishing.

Paris is a preferred romantic destination. Many couples come to Paris on a honeymoon. And there is a good reason for them to do so, Paris boasts with some of the best hotels in Europe. Try Hotel la defense, at an easy accessible place near the Center of modern industrial arts. The best high service hotels surround the tourist sites and provide an amazing view to all famous places.

You can take a brisk walk or jog in the parks. You are free to do whatever you want. Enjoy yourself to the fullest while you are in Paris. And remember once you have been there you will definitely come back one day.

The Dream Trip: Paris

Paris - the dream romantic destination. Paris not only the most romantic city in the world. It is a metropolitan area with almost 12 million inhabitants. Paris is one of the famous European Fashion destinations, it is also world popular for its gastronomy and high education quality.

But there is more to Paris than this. The "city of lights" has a long and spectacular history. But now it is not the time to talk about Napoleon or the Revolution. We are now discovering the beauty and magic of this cosmopolitan city. 

Did you ever wondered what does Paris stands for? it is not just a name, it has its specific signification. Paris comes from the name of a Gaulish tribe which inhabited the area during the Roman era. The tribe bared the name Parisii, meaning "working people". Don't you think that Paris has become now the city of the working people.

For us, the tourists, the Paris reality is not the nerve-cracking busy one. I was able to see all the busy traffic outside, leaning on a wide window at my Hotel Paris la Defense. The thing which fascinated me was how the ancient bits of the city cohabited with contemporary elements in architecture. It is strange, but however, it is classy. I was really amazed by the astounding monuments well preserved for ages now. 

When I was walking down the long boulevards and of course on Champs Ellyses I was imagining how all great figures such as Louis 14th and Napolean were heading down the same road. Magnificient.

I reckon that the best time to visit Paris is spring or summer. But definitely on Christmas. You should not miss all the boulevards beaming with lights, all the sparkles. It is worth.

Chose your hotel carefully. Make sure you spend your money wise. In hotels like Hotel Paris Arc de Triomphe have a lot to offer you at decent prices. So pick a hotel that is in area you would like to spend most of your time in. For example if you are an arts-fan, book a hotel on Montmartre. You will be surrounded by artists and their tripods. and the breathtaking view will inspire you to be creative yourself.

The Never-Ending Story – Paris

Paris is the most visited city in the world. Each year there are more than 25 million tourists in the City of Light. You can find everything you need for the perfect vacation. The best restaurants, the best hotels and the most amazing sights, you have ever seen – they are all gather in one place.

This is what makes the planning of your trip difficult. You just don't know where to start from because the different guides divide it to different parts. It is separated into the Right Bank and Left Bank respectively the north and the south parts of the city. You can also read that there are twenty administrative districts as the first one is in the centre of Paris and it spiral out until the last one.

There is also a separation of arrondissements and quarters. For example, the Fifth and the Sixth arrondissments include the Sorbonne and Hemingway's apartment. This is the so-called Latin Quarter. Most people, of course, prefer the First one, because the most famous attractions are situated there.

But before that, it is important to decide the question with the hotel. If you want to be near the airport, you can choose between two very convenient options. First one is Hilton Hotel Charles de Gaulle, which is only 5 minutes away from the biggest

airport in Paris – Charles de Gaulle. The second very good variant is to stay in Hilton Hotel Orly. It is near Orly airport and can offer you many meeting rooms for your business. Both are wonderful for your family vacation, or just for a romantic weekend.

Welcome to My Travel Odyssey

Travelling is a passion. I would like to welcome you to my new blog. I chose this title because travelling is a never-ending source of emotions, meeting new people and cultures.  I would share with you my travel experience and we can dream together of all the distant, exotic places.

First of all, Let's go to Paris!

From all European destinations Paris is one of the most tempting ones. It is like a metropolitan city unlike all other towns in France. So if you have never been there. Do it! Take your loved one or your family,or just a couple of friends and take part in the Paris Odyssey.

I was afraid at first to just get on the bus and arrive in Paris, but it was worth it. Early in the morning I boarded the bus and in a couple of hours: Hello Paris! Strange, no sign of the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. Obviously we had to find our way to them. Fortunately, we have booked a room in a hotel, so the first thing to do was to look for Hotel Paris Arc de Triomphe. Check the page here.

Logically thinking, the hotel was somewhere near the Triumphal Arch. And this monument had to be big enough to be noticed from far away. At least we hoped so. But we were distracted by many people, or the famous Paris beggars with all their creative methods to make money out of tourists' exaltation. It took us ages to get rid of their offers for free golden rings and fortune telling.

The first hotel we reached was Hotel Paris la Defense, we liked it a lot, but our hotel was still to be found.

We bought a map so all the tourist dilemmas were solved immediately. We realised that we were going in the opposite direction. It was most convenient to take the metro to the Triumphal Arch. 

WOW! This arch is so impressive. We felt like we are tiny creatures standing under the biggest achievement of humanity. The Triumphal arch commemorates all the brave soldiers died in battle for their country "la patrie"- France. So impressive.

 Next time I will tell you what the Eiffel Tower made me think of.