Europe – Page 4 – The Wknd Travel

N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Arrival, Colosseum Tour & Trastevere Food Tour [Part 1 of 3]

My friends and I have always wanted to go to Italy. Last November 2022, we finally got the chance to visit this beautiful country. We spent 2 weeks around the key Italian cities of Rome, Florence and Milan. After exploring Paris for 5 days, my friend and I took an Air France flight to our first Italian destination – Rome, Italy. We explored this historic city for 6 days and 5 nights.

Allow me to share with you what happened, which places we visited and what tours we took on our first few days around the wonderful city of Rome, Italy.

Accommodation

Rome is one of the few key cities in Europe that is budget traveler-friendly. The city has affordable and reasonable accommodation rates far from the expensive per night rates in Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels. There are hostels available for less than €20 per night. These hostels even offer better and more-valued experiences than those from the other expensive cities.

My friend and I stayed at The RomeHello for 5 nights. We had a pleasant and memorable hostel experience with this high-rated and affordable hostel. We believe the hostel ticked all the boxes – cheap and reasonable rates, a central location, clean rooms and communal areas, friendly and hospitable staff, fun activities, tours and experiences and a traveler-friendly vibe. I wrote about our RomeHello experience in the latest Hostel of the Day feature; I hope you can check it out here.

Going Around Rome

Going around Rome is easy. If you do not mind walking all day, you can practically visit all popular sights by foot. Another way to visit these spots is by taking the Metro Line A. This underground metro has stations dedicated to and near the popular Roman attractions.

Unlike in Paris where we used the Navigo card, my friend and I only bought single journey train tickets during our Rome visit. The one-way BIT Metro Ticket costs €1,50 valid for 100 minutes after the first stamp. This ticket is valid for 1 metro or train ride only. Take note that there are other available metro tickets such as the Metro Card, the Rome Travel Card and the 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour passes. We planned our itinerary well so we do not have to purchase these passes.

Day 1 – Arrival

My friend and I arrived Rome–Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) at 4:40pm onboard Air France flight AF 1304 from Paris, France. We got our luggage after disembarkation and took the Leonardo Express from the airport to Roma Termini. This 30-ish minute train ride cost €14 per person. From Roma Termini, we walked to The RomeHello, checked-in and took a rest.

We went out for dinner and caught up with our college friends in a famous local restaurant near Roma Termini – La Famiglia. I got a whole pizza for myself and paired with a classic Aperol spritz. After dinner, we walked towards Gelateria La Romana and got authentic gelato for dessert. After dessert, we walked back to the hostel and called it a night.

Day 2 – Palatine Hill, Roman Forum & Colosseum Tour + Piazza Navona

We started our 2^nd day in Rome with a quick train ride from Repubblica Station to Vittorio Emanuele Station on Metro Line A. We then walked to a local place called Caffè Antica Roma for breakfast. We ordered maritozzo (a traditional sweet pastry filled with whipped cream), pistachio croissant and cappuccino.

After breakfast, we walked to our tour meet-up place. We got an English guided tour around Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and Colosseum (including Gladiator Gate and Colosseum Arena) with Enjoy Rome Tours for only €42 (at that time) per person. We visited the following places during the guided tour:

Arch of Constantine (Italian: Arco di Costantino) – This arch was built to commemorate Constantine’s victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge that led to his takeover of the Western Roman Empire.

Palatine Hill (Italian: Monte Palatino) – Palatine Hill is believed to be the birthplace of Rome. Known as the centermost and most famous of the seven hills, this hill used to be Ancient Rome’s most sought-after neighborhood. High-profile businessmen, politicians and elites used to live in this hill.

Roman Forum (Italian: Foro Romano) – Situated between the Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum was the place for trade, ceremonies and public engagements.

Colosseum (Italian: Colosseo) – The Colosseum is a world-famous amphitheater that used to host gladiator wars and public events. This elliptical structure is located east of the Roman Forum near the Palatine Hill.

Our 3-hour guided tour included a pass through a Gladiator Gate and a brief visit to the Colosseum Arena where the gladiator matches take place. It also included a visit to the higher areas of the Colosseum. The tour ended inside the Colosseum.

After the tour, we took an Uber to a local Roman restaurant named Osteria da Fortunata to have lunch. We ordered their house-special carbonara (with handmade noodles) and paired it with limoncello.

After lunch, we walked towards Piazza Navona – a large public square in the heart of Rome. We saw several fountain masterpieces such as the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Italian: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), the Fountain of the Moor (Italian: Fontana del Moro) and the Fountain of Neptune (Italian: Fontana del Nettuno). We also saw the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone in the public square.

We dropped by Cremi Gelateria Artigianale and got gelato for dessert. After spending a few minutes in Piazza Navona, we passed by Piazza Venezia and saw the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument (Italian: Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II). We continued our walk back to The RomeHello and joined the evening carbonara cooking class.

Day 3 Part 1 – Trastevere Food Tour

Our 3^rd day in Rome was as hectic as our 2^nd day. We started our day with The RomeHello’s €7 buffet breakfast. After this, we took a FreeNow ride to Tiber Island (Italian: Isola Tiberina) for our tour’s meeting place.

We joined Free Rome Food Tour’s tip-based Trastevere Food Tour. Trastevere is an old but beautiful neighborhood found on the opposite bank of the river Tiber. Centuries ago, this area, characterized by narrow streets, cobblestone pavements and ancient houses, used to be the place where the working classes lived. At present, it is now a neighborhood famous for its cafes, wine bars, restaurants and craft shops.

We met our guide and tour group in front of The Basilica of St. Bartholomew (Italian: Basilica di San Bartolomeo all’Isola) and started the walking food tour at 11:00 am. We were told to prepare at least €10 each for all the food and snacks we will have during the tour.

Allow me to share the places we visited and the local delicacies we tried.

Biscottificio Artigiano Innocenti – This is a family-run patisserie that sells sweet bread, cookies, tarts and pastries. Signora Stefania and her family bakes these treats daily in their large oven. We bought some cookies and tried them during the tour.

Supplì Roma – Supplì Roma is a fast-food shop that cooks traditional Italian dishes daily. They are famous for their pastas, pizzas and more importantly their supplì. Supplì is an Italian fried snack ball made of a rice and tomato sauce wrapped in egg and breadcrumbs. We tried the classic and cheese-flavored supplì.

Antica Caciara Trasteverina – It is a family-run cheese shop that sells locally-produced cheese and deli. They are also famous for selling locally-produced pecorino cheese. We tried their pecorino cheese and ended up buying at 100 grams of it.

Giselda Forno – We had our tour lunch break at Giselda Forno. We had pizza and pasta (I only had pasta) in this local café / bakery.

La Norcineria di Lacozzilli – After lunch, we headed to another cheese and deli shop named La Norcineria di Lacozzilli. We tried their porchetta – an Italian savory pork roast.

Bar San Calisto – Our food tour finished at this local bar. Bar San Calisto serves a must-try when in Trastevere – red wine gelato.

After the food tour, my friend and I went to Vatican City for something I will share in the next Rome blog post. This sums up our first few days around Rome. We have not been to a lot of places yet but we made sure that we enjoyed every single moment we have in every place.

This sums up our first 3.5 days around the beautiful city of Rome. Have you been to the city? If yes, which one is your favorite landmark and why? Share your answers and experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about Rome or anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s first blog post about Rome. Please stay tuned for parts 2 and 3. In case you missed it, I already shared details about our visit to Paris and Versailles in France; I hope you can also check them out.

Before you go, if you want to be updated on the latest travel itineraries, hostel posts and flight reports, please like and follow my Facebook page. You may also follow me on Instagram. Again, thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: AIR FRANCE AF 1304 – Paris CDG to Rome – Short Inter-European Hop to Italy’s Capital City [November 2022]

After spending 5 days around Paris (Days 1 and 2 + Days 3, 4 and 5), it was time for us to leave this beautiful city. My friend and I took an Uber from Le Village Montmartre to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and hopped on a short flight to another beautiful and famous city – Rome, Italy. We flew with Air France on their inter-European flight AF 1304 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport to Rome–Fiumicino International Airport. Join me in today’s flight report as I run you through my first-ever Air France flight experience.

Air France

Air France is the flag carrier of France. Founded in 1933 from a merger of a few airlines, the airline is one of the biggest subsidiaries of the Air France-KLM Group. It operates most of its flights from its hubs in Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly Airports.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Emirates & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category..

The airline flies to over 90 countries and 200 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a mixed fleet of narrow and wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The airline also operates a cargo division named Air France Cargo. The airline also has substantial shares in regional carrier HOP! (also known as Air France Hop) and low-cost carrier Transavia France.

Air France’ frequent flyer program is called Flying Blue. The airline is a founding member of one of the world’s biggest airline alliances (with 19 members) – SkyTeam. Aside from this alliance, the airline also has codeshare and interline agreements with over 50 airlines from all over the world.

Air France is a semi full-service carrier. The airline provides inflight snacks and drinks on their short, medium, and long-haul flights. Complimentary check-in baggage depends on fare bundle you purchase from the airline. Basic fares normally only include carry-on baggage allowance with check-in baggage available for a minimal fee (or complimentary in a higher fare bundle). The airline offers inflight entertainment in selected sectors but not on flights within Europe.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

My friend and I booked our flights 4 months before our intended trip; we paid €116,64 each for this one-way economy class flight. We were charged by our bank ₱6,854.74 each including foreign currency conversion fees.

This expensive ticket included 12 kilograms of carry-on baggage (1 backpack or luggage + 1 accessory bag), 23 kilograms of pre-booked check-in baggage, a randomly-assigned seat during check-in and inflight snacks. Unfortunately, the plane assigned to this flight did not feature personal entertainment screens.

This ticket was probably one of the most expensive one-way economy class tickets I have purchased to date. It is more expensive than my 2019 Brussels Airlines Brussels to Prague and Czech Airlines Prague to Copenhagen flights combined. It is even more expensive than my Vietnam Airlines Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh one-way business class flight last January 2023. It came with a hefty price but it was the best and most convenient option that fit our itinerary.

Travel Requirements

Italy has scrapped all pandemic-related requirements during our flight back in November 2022. The airline only required a valid ID for Schengen residents and passport for foreigners or visitors.

Before the Flight

30 hours before the flight, Air France sent an e-mail advising that our flight is already open for online check-in. We checked in for our flight and were assigned to exit row seats – 25B and 25C.

Aircraft & Flight Information

Air France flight AF 1304 was operated by a 24.7-year-old Airbus A321-200 aircraft. This aircraft, delivered to the airline in March 1998, has 212 seats in a 2-class configuration – business class and economy class. All seats had a 3-3 configuration with business class section having a blocked middle seat. The blocked middle seat business class configuration is typical in inter-European flights.

AP 1304 took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport at 3:06pm and landed at Rome–Fiumicino International Airport at 4:40pm. The quick and relatively uneventful flight only took 1 hour and 34 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

At the time of the flight, this Air France flight to Rome departed from Paris CDG Terminal 2F.

CHECK-IN

Airport check-in / bag drop for Air France flights open exactly 2 hours before the flight. All passengers can print their boarding passes and luggage tags using the check-in kiosks outside the bag drop area. After printing the boarding pass and tags, those with luggage can drop their bags in the automated bag drop machines. Our check-in and bag drop process only took 4 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, we got some snacks then passed by final security. Airport authorities in the European Union ask all passengers to take out all laptops and 100-ml liquids from the bags and have them checked in using a separate tray. They are a bit strict compared to how security checks are made in the Philippines. We then walked to Gate F28 and waited for boarding to start.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 2:14pm. Business class passengers, Flying Blue and SkyTeam status holders boarded first. Economy class passengers boarded the plane last. The crew handed out face masks and sanitary wipes to passengers upon entering the aircraft.

The aircraft doors were closed at exactly 2:50pm. The whole boarding process took 36 minutes. It took longer than usual because all seats were booked. There were no empty seats.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

The aircraft used in this flight is equipped with 212 seats on an all-economy class 3-3 configuration. The cabin features a business class section but only with the typical blocked middle seat on a few rows. Each seat has 18 inches width and 32 inches of leg space.

Each seat features a foldable tray table, a small seat pocket with an aircraft safety card and a decent recline. Passengers have access to individual reading lights, air nozzles and attendant call buttons. Each row also has 2 USB charging ports which passengers can use during the flight. Short haul flights on economy do not feature headrests, pillows, and blankets.

I got seat 25B – a middle emergency exit row seat which cannot be reclined. I got a bigger than usual leg room; I had a pleasant seat experience in this short flight to Rome.

INFLIGHT SNACK

The cabin crew started the snack service 15 minutes after take-off. They offered sandwiches and a long list of drink options for passengers to choose from – beers, fruit juices, carbonated drinks, wine, coffee, tea, water, and spirits.

I got a ham sandwich and a can of Heineken beer. I applaud Air France for keeping the snack service even on such short inter-European flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

This Airbus A321 aircraft do not feature personal entertainment screens. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe Air France does not offer inflight entertainment options on their flights within Europe.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

I saw an icon in the aircraft saying that this Airbus A321 is equipped with on-board wi-fi service. I tried to connect during the flight but I did not see an active wi-fi option during the flight.

LAVATORY

The lavatory was busy throughout this full flight to Rome. I decided to skip it and used the toilet upon arrival at Rome–Fiumicino International Airport.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight from Paris to Rome was just alright. The crew did their job in assisting the passengers during boarding and meal service.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Disembarkation and baggage claim process was quick and organized. We got off in a gate far at the far end of the terminal, walked towards baggage claim area and got our suitcases in no time.

Final Thoughts

It was an interesting experience with Air France. I will not say it is a great flight but a normal or usual inter-European flight.

Here are some points where I believe the airline excelled. First, check-in and bag drop process was quick and efficient. All passengers will check-in through the kiosks and print their boarding pass and luggage tags. After this, those with check-in luggage need to surrender their bags in the automated bag drop counters. The whole process finished in less than 5 minutes including a short queue.

Second, Air France provides a generous carry-on baggage allowance of 12 kilograms for a bag and a personal item. I believe they are the only airline that I have flown so far that allowed up to this generous allowance. Third, the airline provided masks and disinfectant wipes during boarding.

Lastly, the airline provided a snack service (sandwich and beverage of choice) on this 1.5-hour flight to Rome. I, kind of, expected it given Air France is a full-service airline but I did not think that the beverage list will be that extensive.

This flight also had some let downs. First, the fare was not cheap. I booked the ticket 4 months before the intended flight date but it was still more expensive than my 2019 Brussels Airlines and Czech Airlines tickets combined. It was even more expensive than my Vietnam Airlines business class ticket from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. Maybe the fare was expensive because of high demand (the flight was full), soaring fuel prices (at that time) and inflation?

Second, the cabin cleanliness can be improved. The tray table, seat pocket and seat itself were all unacceptably dirty. Third, the aircraft does not feature wi-fi service even if there were signs showing that it is wi-fi equipped. Fourth, without the meal service, I felt like I was flying a low-cost carrier. I may not be used to how flights are within Europe but I felt like it was just so-so.

This sums up my first ever Air France inter-European flight. Will I fly them again in the future? For sure I will but only if the flight schedule fits my itinerary. Please note that this will only apply for flights within Europe. I am still keen on trying their medium and long-haul products.

Do you want to know the geeky details of this flight? Here you go!

Airline: Air France
Flight Date: 20 November 2022
Flight Number: AF 1304
Route: Paris, France (CDG) to Rome, Italy (FCO)
Duration: 1 hour and 34 minutes
Seat Number: 25B (middle emergency exit seat)
Aircraft: Airbus A321-200
Aircraft Registration: F-GTAE
Engines: 2 x CFM International CFM56 engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 24.7 years old
Delivered: March 1998

Have you tried Air France in their short, medium and long-haul routes? How was your experience? Share them in the comments section below. Do you have comments, suggestions, or questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to comment them below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me on this Air France flight report. I have a long list of flight reports and Europe blog contents coming up so I hope you can watch out for them. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

N9 Friends in Europe: CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES Day Trip Photoblog

Previously, I shared with you what my friends and I did in Paris for 5 days. I posted 2 blogs (Days 1 and 2, Days 3-5) giving details about our trips to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Saint-Chapelle, Basilica of Sacré Coeur and all other Parisian landmarks. I also mentioned in my Days 3-5 blog that we took a day trip to Versailles to check out Château de Versailles. Allow me to share with you photos and some details about this day trip.

In case you missed it, my friends and I went to Europe late last year for 3.5 weeks and visited France, Italy and Spain. I have just started sharing bits and pieces about this trip. This Paris blog is the 7^th after posting about my Schengen Visa application with VIA Italy, my Emirates flight from Manila to Dubai, my Emirates flight from Dubai to Paris CDG, our hostel in Paris – Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels and our itinerary during our 5 days around Paris – Days 1-2 and Days 3-5.

Château de Versailles

Château de Versailles or The Palace of Versailles is a former royal residence located about 20 kilometers away from Paris. It started out as a hunting lodge by King Louis XIII and was then expanded by King Louis XIV into a grand palace and estate. With the hopes of controlling his power and reign over Paris, King Louis XIV transferred the seat of his government and court to Versailles. That time, the Palace was the capital of France. The French Revolution prompted the royal family to return to Paris in 1789 bringing the country’s capital back to Paris.

The Palace of Versailles now sits as a popular museum visited by millions of tourists per year. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its contributions to French history. The 800-hectare estate is divided into sections: The Palace, The Gardens, The Estate of Trianon, The Park, The Royal Tennis Court, The Great and The Small Stables.

Transportation

Most people visit Château de Versailles on a guided tour. My friend and I decided to visit it on our own. From Anvers Station, we took the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) to Place de Clichy Station, changed to Metro Line 13 (Light Blue Line) to Invalides Station. From there, we transferred to the RER C (Yellow) Service to Versailles Château Rive Gauche Station.

The train journey including transfers took about an hour but the train ride from Invalides Station to Versailles Château Rive Gauche Station only took half an hour. From the station, we walked for less than a kilometer (about 10 minutes) to the Palace Gate. We took the same way back to Paris after the visit to the estate.

I am very sorry I don’t have the exact cost as to how much the train rides cost. The trains, including the RER C (Yellow) service is included in the Navigo Découverte Weekly Pass we availed. Please note that there are other options to the palace from the Versailles Chantiers and Versailles Rive Droite Stations.

Opening Times

The Palace opens every day except Mondays at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm during low season and 6:30pm during high season. The Estate of Trianon opens every day except Mondays at 12:00 pm and closes 5:30pm during low season and 6:30pm during high season. The Palace Gardens and The Park open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm except during extreme weather conditions like strong winds and snow.

Ticket PRICES

The Palace of Versailles offers a variety of tickets depending on what the visitor wants to experience. The Palace-only ticket costs €19,50 per person; it guarantees access to the Palace on a timed entry, to the temporary exhibitions, the Palace Gardens, and the Park. The Estate of Trianon-only ticket costs €12 per person. This ticket guarantees access to the Trianon Estate from 12:30pm, to the temporary exhibitions within the estate, the Palace Gardens, and the Park. The Palace also offers a combination ticket for both the Palace and The Trianon Estate. This combination ticket called Passport costs €21,50 per person. There are still other ticket options; feel free to check these in the Palace website.

I mentioned in the Paris Days 1-2 and 3-5 blog posts that my friend and I availed of the Paris Museum Pass. This museum pass includes Château de Versailles in the list of museums and sites that can be visited with the pass. My friend and I used our Paris Museum Pass to enter both the Palace and the Trianon Estate. We did not pay anything to enter these sites.

Note: Château de Versailles requires timed entry bookings even for Paris Museum Pass holders. We booked our schedules through the Palace website a few weeks before our intended visit. We got the 9:00 morning schedule for the Palace and the 12:00 noon schedule for the Trianon Estate. The staff only scanned our Paris Museum Pass at the entrance.

Château de Versailles Photos

THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES

The Grand Commun

The Royal Chapel

The Hall of Mirrors

The Royal Apartments

THE GARDENS

THE ESTATE OF TRIANON

The Grand Trianon

The Petit Trianon

The French Gardens of The Petit Trianon

The English Gardens

Beautiful place, right? No wonder millions of people visit the estate yearly. Château de Versailles is a day trip worth taking outside Paris!

The Hall of Mirrors was charming without other tourists / visitors. It felt surreal seeing it in person. I also liked The Petit Trianon and The English Gardens. Which area of Château de Versailles is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about Château de Versailles? You may post them in the comments below or you may send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you enjoyed browsing through today’s photoblog. Thank you for checking up to this part. In case you missed it, my friends and I also went around Paris, France for 5 days. Feel free to check my posts about this postcard-perfect city – Days 1 and 2 + Days 3 to 5. Everything about our 3.5-week trip to Euro can be found under the N9 in Europe category. Stay tuned for more posts about this trip!

Before you go, I hope you can visit, like and follow my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? It means a lot, cheers. Catch you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 3, 4 & 5]

Last time, I shared with you what kept us busy on our first 2 days in the beautiful city of Paris. We started our trip with a dinner meal at Carette, a visit to Place du Trocadéro, Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe. We spent our second day knowing more about Paris, France and its history. We took the walking tour with SANDEMANs New Europe; we also visited Saint-Chapelle, Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay.

In case you missed it, my friends and I went to Europe late last year for 3.5 weeks and visited France, Italy and Spain. I have just started sharing bits and pieces about this trip. This Paris blog is the 6^th after posting about my Schengen Visa application with VIA Italy, my Emirates flight from Manila to Dubai, my Emirates flight from Dubai to Paris CDG, our hostel in Paris – Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels and our itinerary during our first 2 days around Paris.

Today, I will share with you what my friend and I did for 3 more days in the postcard-perfect city of Paris, France. Allow me to share again the details about our accommodation, public transportation pass and museum pass.

Accommodation

Given the high accommodation rates around the city, my friend and I decided to stay in Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels. We booked 2 beds in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room for 4 nights and paid €132 each including city tax. I wrote about the hostel, its amenities and our experience in the latest hostel of the day feature. Check it out here.

Going Around Paris

We opted for the Navigo Découverte Travel Card in our 5-day trip around Paris. We bought the week-long unlimited travel ticket for around €35 (including the card itself) and we had access to all RER trains, bus lines and city metro lines (in all of Paris’ 5 fare zones) until Sunday 23:59 that week. The ticket also included train lines to Paris Disneyland, Château de Versailles and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Tip: Please take note that the train card requires a photo of the card holder. You may bring your own photo or you can use the photo booths located near the train offices in CDG Airport and major train stations.

Tip 2: The Navigo travel card is valid for 10 years. You can use it again in your next trips to Paris. Also, the weekly pass validity starts 00:01 every Monday and ends 23:59 every Sunday. It is not advisable to get the weekly pass if you are arriving Paris on a Thursday or Friday.

Paris Museum Pass

We bought the 48-hour Paris Museum Pass for €52 (now €55). This pass allowed us fast-track entry to known museums and sites within Paris and the nearby region. Some museums and sites like Musée d’Orsay and Pantheon do not require reservations. The more famous ones like Musée du Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle and Château de Versailles require reservations prior entry.

Tip: Plan your itinerary well. The pass period count starts when the museum pass is scanned in the first museum or site.

Places Visited in Paris – Days 3, 4 & 5

We went around Paris for 5 days (or 96 full hours) and went to a lot of famous spots. We did not aim to see all places and decided to take our time in every spot. The only planned itinerary we had was when we used the Paris Museum Pass for 48 hours. Allow me to share with you days 3, 4 and 5 of our 5-day chill itinerary around Paris.

Day 3 – Versailles Day Trip, Pantheon & Jardin de la Tour Eiffel

Day 3 started very early with a day trip to Versailles. We visited the Château de Versailles; walked around The Palace of Versailles and The Estate of Trianon. I will walk about this day trip in a separate blog post – please look forward to it.

We dropped by KFC Versailles for late lunch and then headed back to Paris. We were supposed to go up the Arc de Triomphe but decided to change plans while we were on the RER C train – our Navigo pass allowed it. We got off at Javel Station on RER C and transferred to Javel – André Citroën Station. We took the Metro Line 10 (Dark Orange Line) and got off at Cardinal Lemoine Station. We walked for a few minutes and made it to The Panthéon. We got in using our Paris Museum Pass.

Note: The Panthéon does not require booking for Paris Museum Pass Holders. Visitors using the pass can use the fast-track line. Regular tickets cost Є11,50 per person.

The Panthéon was initially built as a church in honor of St. Genevieve. It was commissioned by King Louis XV. After the French Revolution, the government decided to make a place of honor for those who fought during the revolution. Nowadays, it is also a burial place of prominent French writers like Victor Hugo, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Alexandre Dumas. It is also where the famous scientists Marie and Pierre Curie are buried.

After The Panthéon, we walked to Place de l’Estrapade to check out the Emily in Paris shooting locations. We saw Emily’s apartment, the small park in front of it, Gabriel’s restaurant and the boulangerie where Emily got her first French pastry. We, then, walked towards Jardin du Luxembourg only to find out that the park was already closed. We had no choice but to leave and head to the Eiffel Tower. We took RER B Luxembourg Station to Denfert-Rochereau Station then changed to the Metro Line 6 (Green Line) to Bir-Hakeim Station.

Note: Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night due to copyright laws.

We met with our friends again at Jardin De La Tour Eiffel before heading to Gusto Italia 218 for dinner. We had pasta and wine to celebrate our friend’s memorable trip to Europe. After dinner, we walked back to Jardin De La Tour Eiffel for more photos with the iconic landmark. We bid our goodbyes to our friend and her family and took a FreeNow ride back to our hostel.

Day 4 – Sacré Coeur, Paris Highlights & More Eiffel Tower

Our 4^th day in Paris started with a decent breakfast meal from Le Village Montmartre. After breakfast, we walked up to La Basilique du Sacré Cœur de Montmartre or the Sacré Cour Basilica. We also inside the church and saw the beautiful art painted in the basilica’s dome. This basilica is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It sits on top of a Montmartre Hill and has a panoramic view of Paris and its suburbs.

Note: Entry to Sacré Cour is free of charge. Just fall in-line near the steps for a quick security check.

After Sacré Cour, we walked down the hill and went to Barbès – Rochechouart Station. We took the Metro Line 2 (Magenta Line) to Les Halles Station and walked to Palais-Royal. We checked out Domaine National du Palais-Royal and took photos in this cultural landmark. We also strolled around the nearby Jardin du Palais-Royal.

Note: Entry to Domaine National du Palais-Royal and Jardin du Palais-Royal premises is free of charge.

We had our late lunch at Burger King and continued our walk to one of the most beautiful Starbucks branches in the world – along Boulevard des Capucines. We then walked towards Academie National de Musique / Palais Garnier before heading to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. We checked out the department store’s iconic dome and Christmas tree as well as its crowded roof deck.

After the quick visit to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, we took the Metro Line 9 (Yellow Green Line) from Chaussée d’Antin — La Fayette Station to Alma-Marceau Station. We headed to Flamme de la Liberte (Liberty Flame). We also enjoyed the magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower from the banks of River Seine.

We continued our walk to Rue de Monttessuy where we found Chez Ming – a Chinese restaurant. We have been craving for rice so we decided to have Asian food for dinner. We ordered their set meal which included fried rice, fried spring rolls, sweet and sour pork, beef sauteed with garlic, dumplings and ice cream.

After dinner, we walked along Rue de l’Université to check out a famous photography spot with the Eiffel Tower. We went to Bateaux Parisiens by the River Seine and took the night river cruise. We got our ticket from Le Village Montmartre for only Є9 per person. We enjoyed the beautiful view of Paris from the upper open deck area of the boat while cruising along River Seine.

After the hour-long boat cruise, we walked back to Alma-Marceau Station and took the Metro Line 9 (Yellow Green Line), changed at Miromesnil Station and took the Metro Line 13 (Light Blue Line) to Place de Clichy Station. We walked towards the famous Le Moulin Rouge and checked out the place from the outside. We finished the day by taking the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) from Blanche Station to Anvers Station and walking back to our hostel.

Note: I am still doing research about copyright if I can post photos of Moulin Rouge.

Day 5 – Montmartre & Goodbye Paris

Our 5^th day in Paris was not that eventful. We started our day by packing our stuff and getting breakfast in the nearby French bakery – Les Fournils de France. We enjoyed their croissant, pain au chocolat and other local pastries. We also took some time to walk around the Montmartre neighborhood.

After check-out, we took an Uber ride to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Merci at au revoir, Paris!

This ends our 5 days around the postcard-perfect city of Paris. My friend and I have been to and have seen a lot but we still have not seen everything. My personal favorite is Saint-Chapelle from Day 2 – what is yours?

Which is your favorite Paris landmark or museum and why? Are you looking to visit Paris in the future? What are you most excited to see? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Do you have questions about those mentioned above or about Paris in general? Feel free to post them as well below. You may also send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I will help you in any way I can.

Thank you so much for checking out today’s post about Paris, France. Please look forward to the upcoming posts about this trip. In case you missed the other posts about this trip, you can check them out under the N9 in Europe category.

Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? It means a lot, cheers. Catch you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 1 & 2]

Paris, France – a city which many people dream of visiting! I am lucky I had the chance to go around this beautiful city for a few days last November 2022. In case you missed it, my friends and I went to Europe late last year for 3.5 weeks and visited France, Italy and Spain. I have just started sharing bits and pieces about this trip. This Paris blog is the 5^th after posting about my Schengen Visa application with VIA Italy, my Emirates flight from Manila to Dubai, my Emirates flight from Dubai to Paris CDG and my hostel in Paris – Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels.

I will share with you today what my friends and I did on the first 2 days of our 5-day trip around the postcard-perfect city of Paris. To be honest, 5 days were not enough to see everything the city has to offer. We did not aim to see and visit everything; instead, we had a well-planned and relaxed itinerary. I will share into details our day-to-day happenings around Paris.

Accommodation

Going Around Paris

Paris Museum Pass

Tip: Plan your itinerary well. The pass period count starts when the museum pass is scanned in the first museum or site.

Places Visited in Paris – Days 1 & 2

We went around Paris for 5 days (or 96 full hours) and went to a lot of famous spots. We did not aim to see all places and decided to take our time in every spot. The only planned itinerary we had was when we used the Paris Museum Pass for 48 hours. Allow me to share with you the first 2 days of our 5-day chill itinerary around Paris.

Day 1 – Hello Paris & Hello Eiffel Tower

After arriving at Paris CDG Airport, I met up with my friend, Leng, who arrived at the airport a few hours before. She bought our Paris Museum Pass for €52 each in one of the tourist information centers while I was waiting for my luggage. We met at Terminal 2C and headed to Billets Paris et Ile de France or the train ticket office. We purchased our Navigo Découverte Travel Cards, went to the station and waited for the next RER B service to the city.

We took the 30-minute RER B train to Gare du Nord and changed to Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) and took the 5-minute ride to Anvers Station. We checked-in at Le Village Montmartre, took a rest for a while and freshened up. After a little over an hour, we took the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) and the Metro Line 6 (Green Line) to Trocadéro Station and went up to meet our friends at Carette. I got Quiche Lorraine, greens salad and their signature hot chocolate for dinner.

After the meal, we braved the rain and strong winds and walked to Place du Trocadéro to take photos and videos with Tour Eiffel or the Eiffel Tower. We then took the Metro Line 9 (Yellow Green Line) to Saint-Philippe-du-Roule Station. We went to our friend’s hotel and waited for the weather to improve. Unfortunately, it kept raining. We then braved the rain (again) and the strong winds and walked around Champs-Élysées then to the iconic Arc de Triomphe. We took our photos from the center islands of Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

After that, we took the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) from Charles de Gaulle – Étoile Station back to Anvers Station and walked up to the hostel.

Note: Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night due to copyright laws.

Day 2 – Paris Walking Tour & Museum Day

Our 2^nd day in Paris started with a metro trip on Line 2 (Magenta Line) from Barbès – Rochechouart Station to Saint-Michel Station. We dropped by Soc Parisienne Restauration Rapide SP2 to have some croissant breakfast before going to Saint-Chapelle.

We got inside Saint-Chapelle at 9:00am with our Paris Museum Pass and explored the royal Gothic chapel. This chapel was commissioned by King Louis IX to house important Christian relics including the Jesus Christ’s Crown of Thorns. The said relic was transferred to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The chapel has been converted to a museum. It is honestly one of the must-see places in Paris!

Note: Saint-Chapelle requires timeslot bookings for Paris Museum Pass holders. Visitors can reserve their slots via the museum’s website. Regular tickets to Saint-Chapelle cost Є11,50 per person.

After an hour at Saint-Chapelle, my friend and I prepared for a 2.5-hour walking tour by getting a quick bite at Brasserie Les Deux Palais. We got Croque-Monsieur, frites maison, salade to share – it is toasted ham and cheese with homemade salad and French fries. We walked to Place Saint-Michel to join our walking tour group.

We joined SANDEMANs New Europe’s Free Walking Tour of Paris. We met Harry, our guide, in front of Fontaine Saint-Michel. We walked around Latin Quarter, an area that was spared from the transformation led by Baron Haussmann. We, then, crossed the River Seine and walked to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris or more known as the Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral is currently closed and undergoing renovations after it caught fire back in 2019. We passed by Palais de Justice de Paris, Tour de l’Horloge du Palais de la Cité (Clock Tower) and Conciergerie (14^th Century Royal Palace and Prison). We walked to Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) and finished the walking tour at Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Gardens).

We learned about the history of Paris and of France during our tour with Harry. We also knew more about the stories of King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the French Revolution from our guide. I highly-recommend this tip-based tour under SANDEMANs New Europe. I took a few tours under them in the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Denmark and I have to say this Paris Walking Tour with Harry was one of, if not the best I have had with the company.

After the tour, we had our lunch at the nearby McDonalds store. Minutes before 3:00pm, we walked back to Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) and entered using our Paris Museum Pass. Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) is the world’s most famous and most-visited museum. It houses hundreds of thousands of objects and tens of thousands of artworks. It houses famous works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Alexandros of Antioch’s Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People of Eugène Delacroix, The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault and a lot more. We roamed around the museum for 2.5 hours and we still did not see everything.

The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault

Liberty Leading the People of Eugène Delacroix

Note: Musée du Louvre requires a timeslot reservation for Paris Museum Pass holders. We booked our slots 2 weeks before the intended day of visit via the museum’s website. Guests can still book slots even if you do not have your Paris Museum Pass yet – in our case, we bought it upon arrival at Paris CDG. Regular tickets to the Louvre Museum cost Є17 per person.

Note: Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the Louvre’s Pyramid due to copyright laws.

We walked to the other side of River Seine and entered Musée d’Orsay using our Paris Museum Pass. This museum is located in the old Gare d’Orsay train station. It houses impressionist paintings and artwork by famous artists like Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Berthe Morisot.

Note: Musée d’Orsay does not require timeslot bookings for Paris Museum Pass holders. Visitors can directly go inside the museum using the special lane for pass holders. Regular tickets to the museum cost Є16 per person.

After Musée d’Orsay, we walked to Assemblée Nationale Station, took the Metro Line 12 (Dark Green Line) to Pigalle Station, then changed to the Line 2 (Blue Line) and got off at Anvers Station. We dropped by the supermarket to get food for dinner before heading back to the hostel.

This wraps up our first 2 days in Paris. We visited a lot of places but we made sure that we learned something about the city, its history and culture.

Have you been to Paris? If yes, may I know which landmark or museum mentioned above is your favorite and why? If not, which is the first place you would want to visit when you fly to Paris in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have questions about Paris or the itinerary above? Feel free to post them below or send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Paris itinerary. We are just starting on this 3.5-week trip around France, Italy and Spain. Make sure to check out the previous posts about this trip; it’s all compiled under the N9 in Europe category. Stay tuned for Days 3 to 5 and the other adventures we had in this memorable trip!

Before you go, can you please visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Means a lot, thank you. See you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.