People call Paris the world capital of tourism. For those bit by the travel bug, Paris is a must tag in their itinerary. However, this haven of travellers is a bit on the costly side.
The first thing that comes to the mind while planning a trip to Paris is the expense. But you can make it to the beautiful city on a budget, if you pay attention to few details.
Book early
Early bird booking is the easiest way to cut down your travel expenses. Most of the airlines offer discounts when booked early on. Try to book your tickets at least two or three months ahead of the travel. The ups and downs in fuel price can also cause variations in ticket prices.
Similarly, pay attention to all the offers available while booking the flight tickets. There may be some packages that come with discounts for hotel rooms and cuts on other charges like that of extra baggage. This will help you to cut costs on many fronts.
Off-season trip
Most of the people prefer to travel either during summer or winter. But both seasons happen to be 'the season' for Paris, which also means the most expensive time. If you plan your trip during the off-season time, it will be easier to limit the costs within your budget. You can roam around the streets of a Paris which will be comparatively less packed. You can also avail of many off-season discounts in local train and bus tickets, as well as for accommodation and food.
Public transport and free visits
Paris has a great public transport system, with comparatively cheaper tickets and passes. The 'Hop-On, Hop-Off' bus tours are another good option for sightseeing in the city. In many of these lines, you can find beautiful routes. Thus, you can travel around Paris, touching the very heart of the city. The tramways of Paris are another cheap option for seeing the city.
There are many sightseeing spots that are available for free in Paris. Dozens of free museums, annual events and other attractions are available for the budget travellers. Many vantage points in the city including the banks of the Seine. And all of Paris's museums are free on the first Sunday of the month.
Shopping, accommodation, and food
Paris is known as the centre of the world's fashion. You can find an infinite array of global brands over there. But, never feel dejected that shopping in Paris is well out of your hand. There are enough flea markets that come to your rescue. The flea markets offer a huge selection from branded dresses to vintage cookware. And Paris also offers all kinds of food, from all over the world. The Michelin star restaurants are a good choice to find affordable food.
Stay in an apartment
Paris offers an endless choice of accommodation facilities as well. There are hundreds of hotels ranging from the budget to mid-budget. Many of these budget hotels are quite comfortable and cosy. Another attractive option for affordable accommodation is the apartments available for rent through options like Airbnb. The studio apartments with a room and kitchen will suit your budget and the kitchen will help you to cut the cost of eating out too.
Rent a cycle
In case you want to roam around on a bicycle like back home, just go to Veilib Bike Stations. The city has around 23,000 bicycles for rent, which can be rented for one day or even upto a month.
Inform your bank
Inform your bank before you start the journey, and give details of your trip. Discuss the foreign transactions of your bank and about ATM withdrawals in a foreign country. In case your bank has a partnership with some Paris-based banks, you can make your transactions in Paris through that bank, which will help to make the transactions easier.
Never get deterred by the fears of cost while dreaming of a Paris trip!
