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| | The TRAVEL LOVERS! Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | Views: 1553 | | May 11, 2007 8:45 am | | HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # | 
Priya Pathiyan | | Anyone travelling there around the same time? And tips for what i should do/eat/wear/be wary of....?
This will be my first time and i'm gonna be all alone. Excited, but definitely quite jittery too!Private Reply to Priya Pathiyan | | May 11, 2007 9:23 am | | re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # | 
Ismail Shariff | | Hey Priya.
That sounds great. I hope you enjoy your trip to the brim ;)
As for tips, i would suggest you
write down all the places you want to go to,
take a map and figure out where all they are,
accordingly sort out the places you wanna visit each day.
Will give you enough time at each place to take the most from it, and then you wont even need to hurry up on things.
Oh and take the 3 day or a week pass for transport.
It covers metros, trams and buses. Its a little expensive, but gives you the tension free travel all around paris. You get good maps at the airport too, so ask for it.
People there seemed to be preoccupied with their work and themselves, and as i was with a friend, who had already been there for a couple of months, i didnt really need to interact with anybody.
I have a few pics from there, hope that helps.
http://picasaweb.google.com/ismail.shariff
Take care, and best of luck.Private Reply to Ismail Shariff | | May 11, 2007 9:39 am | | re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # |
rishima | | Once you reach Paris, be sure to get a map of their metro (available at the metro stations). Travel by metro as much as possible - cheapest and most efficient. Do go and visit Palace of Versaille. Its lovely walking around Paris. Food is pretty safe - there are cafes all over serving great food. Enjoy! Private Reply to rishima | | May 11, 2007 8:55 pm | | re: re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # |
Priya Pathiyan | | thanks a ton ismail and chandrama! that's great advice! :) Private Reply to Priya Pathiyan | | May 12, 2007 2:25 am | | re: re: re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # | 
Vimal Dikshit | | In Paris, must do the Montmartre area, especially the square , very bohemian and also walk around the left bank area of the seine, known famously as " La Rive Gauche". Spend a typical french afternoon with a baguette, half a bottle of wine and some cheese and laze in the gardens around the Tour Eiffel. Another thing that you could do is take a ticket to access the top of the Arc de Triomphe, great views of the Champs Elysee and the Eiffel from there. Bateaux Parisien will take you on a ride down the Seine, hop of at Notre Dame and watch the world go by.. Fascinating.
In Venice of course must do the gondola ride, Piazza San Marco and take the ferry trip across the lagoon to Murano and Burano, famous for its blown glass, and do not forget to pick up the famous venetian masks as keep sakes. Buy a pass and use all the public transport systems (all over water of course). There is also the famous Guggenheim Musuem which has one of the best private art collections in the world.
Let me know if you need more...Cheers and Happy TrippingPrivate Reply to Vimal Dikshit | | May 12, 2007 2:29 am | | re: re: re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # |
Vimal Dikshit | | I am sure you will do the Louvre, if you are a Museum addict then keep at least 2 full days for it..its huge..There is also the very famous bar on Champs Elysee i recall, Chez Harry, immortalized in various movies.
If you will travel around apart from Paris, please do a TGV train trip to someplace like Avignon or Lyon, you could be back the same day, after travelling at 300 kms+ per hour. EnjoyPrivate Reply to Vimal Dikshit | | May 12, 2007 4:47 am | | re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # | 
Anand Pakkurti | | Hello
Please do remember that May is the peak season in Venice. Even during other times, Venice is one of the most expensive cities to find accomodation.
In case you havent decided where to stay, I suggest the following
Casa Martini on Rio Tera San Leonardo & Locanda Casa alla Fenice on rio terra degli assassini, Both are very quaint and fantastic staying experience at about 50euros a night and if dont care to stay right in the middle try Locanda Conterie on the Murano Island this will cost about 30 to 40 Euros a night and it is a super place to stay. Off the tourist trac and it is a pleasure. Murano is the glass blowing centre of venice and if you stay there, you will get to hang around the workshops long after the tourists are all gone there are also a couple of quaint chruches near buy.
Dont be stuck with all the fantastic places just in venice. I think if you are a roadie and would like to exprience the place, leave venice and stay and visit the villages and town around. I think it is a good true Italian experience. Being in Venice itself and seeing the sites is vert touristy and should be quickly done with. Another point is that if there are any specific sites you would like to see, get on the web and book atime. There are ques at many of the main attractions and booking a time will help you by not having to wait in ques.
One good pastime in Venice will be to count the number of Lions or heads of lions that you will see all over the city. You will be amazed how many you can count. In case you need more specfic info on the towns and villages around vence do let me know. I will write in a while about Paris.Private Reply to Anand Pakkurti | | May 12, 2007 5:27 am | | re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # |
Shobha(usha) gowri | | Hi
Travelling alone in Europe can be a bit of a bore because as someone so rightly pointed out everyone will be doing their own thing
but thats cute too as you can do your own thing!!
Take something to read-and of course the best thing to do is to sit and stare at life there
The best advise-plan.Get a map,decide on the things you want to do and plan
Otherwise,Europe is so well marked out you dont need anyones help any where.
If you have the time get out of the main cities-breath takingly beautiful.
The hotel rates change by day and night-so check that out:meaning if during the day it is say 60 e it could go upto 80 e for the night
Find out before you land there
UPrivate Reply to Shobha(usha) gowri | | May 13, 2007 3:19 pm | | re: re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # | 
Devil's Trill | | Hi Priya,
Communication - most of Europe runs on GSM so you can get a Matrix SIM card which enables you to rcv free phone calls, make calls at local rates and generally be in touch.
carrying money - it is a good idea to carry a travel card instead of euros/TCs. You can get one from Thomas Cook, load it with Rupees at a pre-decided, negotiated rate and spend as you go - its like a debit card and accepted by almost all merchants.
While travelling - on arriving, dont be in a hurry to get to anywhere. at a large airport/station, go to a corner, stop, check out your bearings and dont get panicky - its very easy to panic in those first few moments of first-time-travelling-alone. A great thing about europe is that all cities have information offices at the stations/airports with very detailed maps and timetables of trains. Also ask the lady at the desk for help in seeing the main attractions in a town and the best way to do it (if you dont have a list already).
Travelling - you may want to buy a 3/8 day Euro-rail pass if your trip is not too strait-jacketed. You can buy one from Griffon (near Cusrow Baug at Colaba) or the Cox n Kings Office at Vaswani Mansions, Churchgate. Travel in Europe on just-brought tickets can be very expensive.Private Reply to Devil's Trill | | May 14, 2007 8:54 am | | re: re: re: HELP!!! Going to Paris and Venice next week | # | 
Prat da Brat | | hey priya
r u going 2 paris and venice only or wish 2 combine other places as well? in paris the 1st thing u must do is buy a 3 day or 5 day (depending on how long u r gonna b there) metro pass. this will enble u travel on rail or surface transport. will b a lot cheaper. abt places 2 stay both in paris and venice, if u r not particular abt staying in a hotel check out the hostels or pensiones. they r brilliant, a lot cheaper but yet at par.
Also, get a vaperetto day pass in venice...u can travel all day long as many times u want on all routes. really the cheapest. and the much hyped gondola can b given a miss...ur call. st marks square is a must.
i stayed at dimora serenissima in venice and they were v gud. check out hotel packages as breakfast r not necessarily included...getting ur own breakfast outside is quite cheaper than opting 4 it in ur hotel.
wen r u going though...if u need any more info feel free 2 let me know. btw i went 2 both theses places in november'06 and got a lot of info from fellow ryzers...u can check the archives for france and italy. if u still need more info, can mail u more ;-) hv a gr8 trip.Private Reply to Prat da Brat | | |
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