Bonjour, Paris! My sister and I decided to plan a trip to Europe when tickets were only $450 round trip. Like what? Unheard of. We used sky-scanner to book our trip. Two words: game changer.

So bonjour, Paris!

I feel like you can’t just skip Paris your first time traveling to Europe. It’s for sure on every girl’s bucket list.

My sister and I didn’t do any research before we hopped on a plane straight to Europe. LOL. But come on, who has the time for that? The only thing we did secure, was an airbnb in the most perfect location. It was located in the 1st neighborhood.

Typically, it’s a smart idea to plan, especially when you’re going on a costly and long trip. But honestly, our time in Paris was so much more relaxing and go with the flow than if we did plan.

We first traveled to Barcelona and then met our parents in Paris, which gave us broke 20-year-old sisters a more bougie experience. Aka… more wine, luxurious dinners, and over the top tours.

Europe is historical AF. Like too many museums… not my thing. IDK maybe it’s yours. Instead of touring every museum possible in Paris, we said NO THANK YOU & did the below instead.

[line]

 Palace of Versailles 

I want to live here. This place is absolutely magical. A palace that I thought only existed in movies. Think gardens and mile long grass fields, dirt paths, a man made lake with cute little rentable boats, a royal palace with intricate decor, everything is exceptionally royal. My sister and I purchased bottles of wine and walked around the gorgeous palace pretending it was ours. I’ve never felt more at peace, than I did being at the Palace of Versailles. Paris can be busy, loud and can feel a little bit congested during the day, so take the metro and getaway to this charming palace.

 Experimental Cocktail Club 

My sister found this speakeasy on yelp and it ended up being their ten year anniversary! Security manages who gets in so it can be a hit or miss. Luckily, my family is psycho and the security guard loved it so he let us in. The bar was handing out free drinks all night celebrating their greatest milestone. Everyone was exceptionally nice and made us feel right at home. If you’re in Paris and want to go out, start here and end here. You won’t regret it.

 Eiffel Tower (duh!) 

Do it for the gram. Take the elevator all the way to the top and enjoy a nice glass of champagne. The views are breathtaking. Finish your adventure with a picnic on the grass at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. You can’t go wrong. Every view is instagramable! 

 Seine River Dinner Cruise 

If you are on a budget, definitely save a little more for at least one luxurious dinner. You don’t want to miss out on this deal. A dinner boat cruise: 3 course meal, wine & champagne pairing, and views that you will remember for the rest of your life. As you eat your dinner, you cruise by thousands of people sitting on the sides of the river picnicking, laughing over a bottle of wine & making memories of theirown. The people watching is so real. Something that you don’t see in the United States.

 City Bus Tour 

The easiest way to see the city. The best part of this tour is that you can get off at any stop and get back on when you wish. I

think the worst part about a tour is how long they are. Once you’re in one, it’s too rude to leave the tour guide. That’s why I sincerely enjoyed this tour. If you want to know everything about everything, you can put on the earbuds the bus gives you. But if you could care less and you just want to sight see, you can do that, too! You can leave and come back. It’s a tour at your own leisure.

 Boat ride tour on the Seine River 

Another goodie. You’ll be walking A LOT if you decide to travel to Europe. That’s why a boat tour is a refreshing break. You get to see everything, and do nothing. Take cute boat photos (again, do it for the gram), enjoy the breeze and enjoy your time in Paris.

[line]

Things I wish I knew before my first time in Paris:

1. Europe sleeps in hard (no joke)
2. They also party harder
3. Healthy food? More like cheese, croissants, crepes, and a wine diet.
4. You will get sick of cheese and bread
5. Protein? Not Paris’s thing.
6. Everyone and their mother smokes cigarettes
7. Locals don’t wear workout clothes as their everyday outfit (Paris dresses up!)
8. The city is way more than just the Eiffel tower
9. Most public toilets don’t have toilet seats!! (So weird!)
10. Make sure you’re flying into the right airport…lol (long story)
11. No such thing as coffee. Coffee in Europe is actually espresso…