All posts tagged: Things to do

Exploring the hidden gems of Paris: 3 day itinerary

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Having been here in Paris for 9 months – where does the time fly?! – I thought it would be appropriate to share some of my favourite places that I think everyone should visit when coming to this magical city. Off the beaten track, the places listed here will no doubt provide you with delightful experiences and fantastic memories. This blog post is based on my entry on a new-and-upcoming website, called Marco, where travellers like myself write about particular trips we’ve been on. There are so many great things about this website. For starters, you can find real inspiration from reading other people’s entries, and be fixated on stunning photographs posted. Without doubt, another great factor of the website is that when you enter the weekly competitions, you have the chance of winning $1000! Think of new amazing places that could take you to! You can check out my entry here. If you could vote for me, that would be great – just click here to vote, and don’t forget to choose ‘Explore the hidden gems …

The Promenade Plantee, Paris

The Promenade Plantée – A hidden gem of Paris

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Located in the 12th arrondissement is one of Paris’ hidden gems. The Promenade Plantée, also known as the Coulée Verte René-Dumont (tree-lined walkway en Anglais), is an exquisite promenade that stretches just under 3 miles (around 4.7 kilometers) spanning from the Bois de Vincennes to Place de la Bastille, via the old Vincennes rail line. Having walked across New York’s High Line last October, I was convinced that it was unique to the American city. However, Paris’ Promenade Plantée was in fact the very first green space constructed to form a public park/promenade, as it was inaugurated in 1993. Similar to New York’s High Line, the Promenade Plantée was erected from a disused railway line The entire promenade is aligned with a variety of beautiful flowers, plants and trees. It was almost like walking through a perfumery – the sheer amount of different plants was not only aesthetically magnificent, but also nice on the nose! The Promenade Plantée offers a variety of wonderful sights and experiences. Part of the promenade follows the route across a wooden …

Au Canal Saint-Martin, Paris

Au Canal Saint-Martin

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A few weeks ago, some friends and I ventured into the 10th arrondissement to enjoy a stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin. Before coming, I had heard a lot about the canal and seen many beautiful pictures – to me, and many will probably agree, it is like having a tiny part of Amsterdam here in the middle of Paris! You may well recognise the Canal Saint-Martin from its staring role in the film Amélie, which shows the audience one of her favourite past times – skipping stones across the water. I totally forgot to do that myself when I went, so I’ll will have to go back to attempt to recapture such a moment. The construction of the canal was begun during the beginning of the 19th century under the direction of Napoleon I, with its main function to supply fresh water into the city of Paris. Throughout the centuries, the canal was also used as a means of transporting food and various building materials into the heart of the city. However, today the canal is simply a magical …

A picture I took from the top of the Empire State Building

One week till New York!

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I cannot believe that this time next week I shall be on my way to New York, hell yeah!  Just over three years ago (wow, I feel old writing this) for my 18th birthday I was given the trip of a lifetime to stay with my Auntie in Chicago. Whilst there, we had a little vacation to New York to see some family and friends, and I absolutely loved it. The only negative part about the trip to NYC was the weather. We travelled there during the peak of a heat wave, and it was just way too hot to do much. So, this time round, my Mum was adamant that we went during a ‘cool’ time of year, and October seemed perfect! I cannot wait to go there! I really do love America, and perhaps could see myself living there for a year or two in the future. I’m not too sure what we’re going to get up to, although I do know that a must is a visit to the Morgan Library and Museum …

Père Lachaise Cemetery

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As part of my ‘do two different things’ this week, I ventured to Père Lachaise Cemetery to have a wander around. For those who have never heard of it, Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris. However, it’s not only known for it’s vastness, but for the many burials it contains, especially of many famous people including writers, authors, composers, musicians and many more. Père Lachaise Cemetery is in the 20th arr, and there are two close metro stations near either end of the Cemetery. I decided to go here because this was something that my family and I did not have a chance to explore when we were here in Paris last year. I was not too sure what to expect. I definitely didn’t know that it was going to be as big as it was, so if you’re going to go there, make sure you wear comfortable shoes! I also did the grave mistake (pardon the pun) of going without a map. Many people believe a map in Père Lachaise Cemetery to be a …