Even with the euro being at historic lows against the dollar, people are still looking for the best bargain hotels in Paris. The ones listed in The Traveling Professor's blog post are selected for their location, cleanliness, friendliness, and value. In fact, one of my hotels was selected by Conde Nast Traveler as a featured pick, based upon my recommendation. So, if you are looking for a best bargain hotel in Paris on your next tour to Paris, check out my blog post first.
On our small group tour to Paris this month, we visited Giverny, the home and gardens of the famous impressionist painter, Claude Monet. It's and easy day trip from Paris and quite easy to plan. In today's blog post The Traveling Professor tells you how to plan a trip and what to see once you get to Giverny.
Just got back home today from a small group tour with 10 travelers. We started in Paris then went onto Giverny, the home of Monet. From there we did 2-days in the Normandy Invasion Beaches followed up by 4 nights in London. June and Jeff, Gail and Jim, Cindy and Larry have all been on tours with The Traveling Professor previously. We had 4 new travelers, Joe and Nancy, Kris and Alex join us this time. Read the blog post to get an overview of The Traveling Professor's small group tour to France and England.
On Friday I depart Bradley Airport in Hartford, CT to meet up with travelers in Philadelphia for an overnight flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. From there we meet up with 8 other travelers for a 5 day tour in Paris, 3 days in Normandy via Giverny, the home and gardens of Monet, for a tour of the Normandy Invasion Beaches, then we finish up with 4 days in London. The best place to follow our progress and see photos is on The Traveling Professor's Facebook page or check back here for updates. Read the blog post for the details of our trip.
When on a tour to Paris, travelers will find that most churches and parks are free to enter. But some museums and other attractions are free of charge also. Some of the attractions listed in the blog post are familiar but I have also listed some of the best free Paris attractions too, that you have probably never heard of. Today, The Traveling Professor will review some of the better free locations to visit next time you are on a trip to Paris.
When visiting Paris solo or on a small group tour, it is always a good idea to put some religious sites on the itinerary. Some are important for their historical or cultural value, some for their religious value of course, and some because they have been featured in famous Hollywood films. Read The Traveling Professor's blog post and find out about some interesting Paris religious sites on your next tour to Paris.
Picnic in Paris. How authentic is that? Whenever I am on a solo tour to Paris or traveling on one of my small group tours to Paris, it's always a good idea to take a break from sitting in a cafe or bistro and do what the Parisians do - enjoy a picnic. Grab a baguette, pick up a bottle of wine and enjoy the day. In my blog post you will see The Traveling Professor's favorite spots for a Paris picnic:
One of my favorite activities when on a tour of Paris is to visit one of the many different markets. A Paris market can be found just about any day of the week selling anything from flowers to antiques to birds. Some are located in central Paris and some require a little bit of planning to get there. Check out The Professor's blog post on his favorite markets of Paris.
Since The Traveling Professor has been running small group tours to Paris, Italy, Spain and other destinations in Europe, every year the price of a tour goes up. In fact, on our first tour to Paris back in 2008, we could run a tour for $999. Since then I have added many, many amenities and improved our tours significantly, but the price has gone up too, almost three times the original amount. But just because of the weakness in the US dollar, costs on running a tour to Europe have risen significantly. But now, the US dollar is stronger than it has been in about 15 years and for the first time since I have been running tours, prices have gone down. NOW is the time to go to Europe.
On any tour to Paris, dining out is an important component of the trip. Whenever I take a tour to Paris I like to dine at least one restaurant that has that typical Parisian atmosphere. You know, it could be those places with high ceilings, paneled with mirrors, or it could be a romantic spot, with chandeliers and candles. Read The Professor's blog post to find out his picks on the best Paris restaurants for classic beauty and style.