The mention of Paris will always conjure up images of breathtaking views and stunning architectures that are still preserved through all the centuries, not to mention that castles that are still standing that are either served as a hotel or a public museum. Nevertheless, the sight of the city itself is like an open air museum, with so much to see just by strolling through the streets but if you want some extras to your trip in the city, grab some insider information so that you can avoid the crowd and get to see places that are not frequently visited by tourists.
- Paris Metro no longer has any ticket booths as machines will be the ones handing them over. They are very easy to use and are all in English language although it does not accept the strip credit cards style of the Americans. If you have no available euros with you, the information booth will accept your strip credit cards. One carnet of ten tickets is prized at 13.70 euros. If you are planning to take the Metro all the time, you may have to opt with multiple day passes as this will save you money and time to get more tickets. Get the RATP app for your smartphone for all the information that you will need.
- To avoid the long waiting line at museums, get the Paris Museum Pass. This is recommendable if you are going to at least 2 or 3 museums per day for several consecutive days. You should also be aware that you are not allowed to skip the lines just because you have the pass.
- It is best to view Paris by water. Taking the boat bus or Batobus which operates like a bus where it arrives in every twenty minutes at 8 of the monuments that are mostly frequented by the tourists including Musée d'Orsay, The Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame. All day pass for adults is at 16 euros while for kids it is at 7 euros which allows you to hop on or hop off anytime of the day.
Paris can be a dangerous city as it is filled with pickpockets and scammers. One of the popular trick that scammers do here is the ring. Whenever someone approaches you then asks if you have lost a gold ring, you should avoid or walk away from them. To avoid pickpockets, wear a bag which has a cross body strap, the same way should be done with your camera cases.