Girly Guide To Paris: Example Itinerary

Day 1:
9am-arrive at Eiffel Tower (prebook tickets for 3rd floor)
Go to the 2nd floor and go straight to the 3rd floor elevator queues-wait and take in the view from the top.
10.30am-Cross the road at the north pillar and book tickets for a Seine cruise.I used Vedettes de Paris which was great and takes around an hour but several depart and I think they are all pretty good.
12.00pm- Make your way to the Louvre (prebook tickets if possible) now you can spend an hour or several hours in here but we just went for the highlights-Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa etc.
2.00pm-Lunch on Rue de Rivoli-I like the omlettes from Chez Alexandre just off Rue de Rivoli on Rue du Louvre but there is everything from cafes to McDonalds to A la Carte restraunts nearby to suit your taste and budget.
3.00pm-Do some shopping along Rue de Rivoli and make your way along towards the 4th arrondissment.
4.00pm-Visit Notre Dame-whether you climb it or not is up to yourself - the views are pretty great(although the stairs are pretty soul destroying).
4.30pm-Make your way back along the Seine,visiting the little market stores that line it-selling books and art.Turn into the latin Quarter whenever suits you.Continue shopping.
7.00pm-Take a train to the 9th arrondissment and get off around the Grand Boulevards Metro stop or nearby if possible. Visit the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.
9.00pm-Visit one on the little local bars and feel sorry for yourself because your feet hurt. Home whenever suits you for bed.

Day 2:
9.00am- Take the RER line A to Marne La Vallee Chessy and visit Disneyland
10.00am-Arrive and go straight to Walt Disney Studios. Go on as many rides and visit as much as you can/want.
Food and drink is expensive here so I'd say have something like one of the little cakes/crisps to stay fulling during the day and have a big breakfast before you go.
2.30pm-Planet Hollywood for lunch.Visit Disney Village afterwards.
3.45pm-Visit Disneyland Park.Stay as long as you need and do as much as you can. Check opening hours for both parks and change your times in each park around this, but i think Disneyland Park is open as late as 11pm in the summer.Have dinner on the way home somewhere near your hotel if you r home early enough and feel like eating (we actually only managed a little cake after our Planet Hollywood burgers).

Day 3:
Have your first Parisian lie-in!Either spend the full day shopping or...
11am-Make your way to the Pigalle area (safe enough during the day) and try to keep a straight face as you pass the countless sex shops (it's the red light district).Visit the Moulin Rouge for photos and walk up towards Sacre Couer-whether you get close to the stairs is up to yourself.Bear in my mind my earlier advice.Views are second to none from the top of the basillica and the building is beautiful.
1pm-Lunch wherever suits you in the 9th arrondisment.
2pm-Make your way to the Arc di Triomphe, take lots of photos and go to the top if you want. Then shop on Champs-Elysees.
5pm-Back to hotel.Change for dinner.
7pm-Head out for dinner wherever you chose and spend your last night either in a trendy Parisian bar in the Latin Quarter or if your budget allows it go to a cabaret such as Lido, Crazy Horse Paris or Moulin Rouge (should be booked before you go via the cabarets website or Viator).

Girly Guide To Paris:La Destination Mode Européenne

Paris is widely considered the fashion capital of Europe and it's easy to see why-even the less immaculately preened, non-designer, bedhead hispster girls seem effortlessly styled and the Metro is like a Vogue fashion shoot. So, while in New York anything goes Paris requires a bit more planning in packing your case.Good staples for a Paris trip are:

Ballet flats (you will walk a lot)
Nice heels for dinner/cabaret show at night
The skinniest skinny jeans you own
An over-body bag (trendy but less likely to be pickpocketed/stolen)
A pretty brolly or PacaMac as I have been in all seasons and rain is about as Parisian as the Eiffel Tower
Make up -see on the plane
Tea/day dresses are good in all seasons and perfect for anywhere.Wear with flats and bare legs in the summer and with tights and a cardi in the winter
Stripy top's are totally do-able but dont wear with a beret and a string of onions- wear an oversized/dress version with leggings or bare legs.Shorter tshirts are good with skinny jeans and flats.Knitted stripy tops/cardis are good with block colour dresses/skirts.


Shopping:
Champs Elysees-A shopping mecca with a choice of designer and Parisian High St stores. Get off the Metro at Charles de Gaulle Etoile, see the Arc Di Triomphe and work your way along the hundreds of stores and restraunts.Stores include Louis Vuitton, Sephora, Morgan de Toi etc.

Latin Quarter-Traditionally the student quarter but the Latin Quarter has been expanded and has a range of stores. Gift/souvenir shops are a lot cheaper here than around the Louvre/Rue de Rivoli.As well as clothing/souvenir stores there are several book stores, market stands along the Seine selling paintings and books, a great glove store and several restraunts. Metro stations are plentiful in the area- St Michel, Maubert and Cluny are to name but a few.

Rue de Rivoli- Offers several souvenir shops,art shops, Quicksilver, Etam, H & M and a Pronuptia wedding shop for brides to be. Again, several restraunts are nearby and the underground Les Halles shopping mall.Metro stations-Louvre Rivoli, Chatelet Les Halles, Les Halles.

Also visit, Fabourg St Honore, Galeries Lafayette,Printemps, the Marais.

Tip:Monoprix is a huge store selling food,make up, toiletries etc and there are several around the city.Look out for them as they often sell great clothing/accessories and the sale items are fantastic.

Look out for sales (soldes) when visiting. I managed to get a 40eur bag for 7.50 eur in Monoprix and it's rather lovely :) Other sale items we tracked down include a beautiful floral skirt in Morgan de Toi (45eur to 9eur) and several tops down to as little as 6eur in Morgan de Toi. Sale seasons are (winter) beginning of January and (summer)the end of June and they usually last around 6 weeks.

Must buy's

Compact Mirrors-Buy in the Latin Quarter for about 5eur.There is a huge range of designs and they are all very pretty.
Scarves-Various designs,shapes and textures on offer and prices start from around 7eur.
Food/drink-Wine is wonderfully cheap so stock up and bring home, also you can buy absinthe pretty cheap.Maxim chocolate is gorgeous, beautifully packed and starts froma round 4 eur.
Souvenirs-Get something to mark your visit-an I heart Paris hoody from (25 eur), bookmark(from 1 eur),pen(from 2 eur), eiffel tower keyring(from 6 for 1eur), pictures (from 2 eur)etc.
Also, make up from duty free!

Girly Guide to New York

Landing in Newark Aiport to be faced with long queues at the immigration control desk following a 7 hour flight was hardly the adrenaline filled, glamourous start to my New York adventure that I had spent years dreaming about.However, following an overpriced ($120), maniacally driven, taxi ride I arrived on Broadway/ West 50th Street and breathed in the polluted, musky scent of New York, every few minutes also picking up on the scent of hotdogs from the street vendor's carts. It was impossible not to feel butterflies gazing along towards Times Square and noting the huge Mamma Mia sign smiling down on me from above the Wintergarden Theatre. We paused breifly at a Duane Reade to pick up essentials-root beer and Payday bars, me standing outside with our cases and despite the flight, early airport check-in and the fact that the excitement of the trip had given me 3 days of insomnia I suddenly felt alert, excited and desperate to start sightseeing.New York is like a movie set and is an incredible experience travel experience. The hustle and bustle of Times Square is a stark contrast to the scenic and, at times, ambient Central Park. Here's my Girly Guide to New York:

Sightseeing In New York

My recommended sights (in no particular order).

1.Empire State Building- Located between 5th avenue and West 54th street, the Empire State Building's 86th and 102nd floor observatories offer panoramic, dizzying views of the city.The Empire State Building is one of New York's most instantly recognisable landmarks. Get there early, book your tickets online and expect queues. Making it even more worthwhile, Macy's is within walking distance so plan your itinerary to incorporate the two :)




http://www.esbnyc.com/tourism/tourism_visitorinfo.cfm?CFID=38986407&CFTOKEN=51390133



2. The Statue of Liberty-One of New York's most iconic sights, the Statue of Liberty should be part of every itinerary when visiting New York. Seeing Lady Liberty in front of me was a "butterflies" experience an honestly left me quite awe struck. It's was one of those moments where you know you're in New York. If you plan to do New York on a budget, and that budget is centered around leaving as much shopping money as possible then take the Staten Island ferry. This is the free way to see the Statue of Liberty and it means no lengthy queues, saving time and money. The Staten Island Ferry offers also offers views of the lower Manhattan skyline.

http://www.siferry.com/







http://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm


3.Brooklyn Bridge- Connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge is well worth seeing, even if the only thing it represents to you is that Miranda and Steve from Sex and the City got back together there. And you cried at that part of the movie :) We walked the Brooklyn Bridge on a particularly clear, warm day and it was one of my favourte sights. A wonderful spot for picture taking and it gives you a good view of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Walk it! It's free, enviromentally friendly and gives you the chance to burn off some of those $1 hotdogs.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60827-d102741/Brooklyn:New-York:Brooklyn.Bridge.htmladvisor.com/Travel-g60827-d102741/Brooklyn:New-York:Brooklyn.Bridge.html4.Grandadvisor.com/Travel-g60827-d102741/Brooklyn:New-York:Brooklyn.Bridge.html

4.Grand Central Station- This was a sight I had been desperate to visit since reading Catcher in The Rye. The Grand Central Station is the world's largest train station and is known for it's stunning main concourse with floods light pouring in from the huge arched windows and the famous zodiac mural on the ceiling. Also, be sure to visit the Whispering Gallery, stand at the opposit corner of the gallery from your friend and whisper. The acoustics provided by the ceramics mean you can hear each other perfectly :) There is also an old fashioned shoe shining service inside.This is another free sight that is easily incorporated into your trip if you plan on using the train/subway and it's worth noting that the New York library (Carrie and Big's original wedding venue) is within easy walking distance.

http://grandcentralterminal.com/

5. Central Park- Central Park is picturesque, diverse and huge, taking up 6% of Manhattan. Relax and picnic in the summer or ice skate in the winter, just make sure you visit. Beatles fans can visit the Imagine Mosaic, a tribute to John Lennon. Visit the Carousel, as mentioned in Catcher In The Rye, or the Central Park Zoo. The park is in close proximity to the American Museum of Natural History, Museum of Modern Art and St. Patrick's Cathedral. However, if you're more interested in shopping than visiting the museums Bloomingdales, Tiffany & Co and Abercrombie & Fitch and all nearby.

http://www.centralpark.com/








Things to Do

Not exactly sightseeing but fun things to do when in the Big Apple.


1. Visit the Magnolia Bakery- Made famous in Sex and the City, this quirky bakery in Bleecker Street sells New York's cutest and possibly most iconic cupcakes. Prices started from about $2.50 when we visited in 2009. This is a must do for Sex and the City fans as it's a free way to see some of the places the the show put on the map. The tiny bakery offers a huge range of gorgeous cupcakes in little white cake boxes and Sarah Jessica Parker is apparently often spotted at the park nearby. So buy a cupcake and relax in park, however, not before stopping at 66 Perry Street which is just minutes away. This is the home of Carrie Bradshaw and you get a chance to take pictures at her famous steps. This was one of the highlights of my tour and I became ridiculously excited. The apartment from Friends is also nearby, if you're a fan, it's on the corner of Grove and Bedford, Greenwich Village. Print off a map of the area from Google maps before you go to keep you right.

http://www.magnoliabakery.com/







2. Visit Madame Taussauds- Okay, you can do this in a lot of major cites but it's a fun way to kill a few hours if you have time on your hands on a cold/wet/snowy day in New York. Located in Times Square, Madame Taussauds is a display of wonderfully lifelike waxworks of major celebrities and politicians. Pose with Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt and pretend that's who paid for your Tiffany & Co jewellry, it'll ease off that credit card guilt.



http://www.madametussauds.com/NewYork/





3. Visit Times Square-This is possibly the busiest place in Manhattan, with a constant stream of tourists, locals and people trying to sell tickets to comedy shows, Broadways shows etc. Visit Toys R us and see the 60ft ferris wheel. Eat in Planet Hollywood or The Hard Rock Cafe. Stock up on sweets at the Hersheys Store.You will find yourself stopping to look up at the sky scrapers or take a picture, the only thing is, you stop but the rest of Times Square doesnt and you will find yourself being walked into so take advantage of the steps and chairs around the middle of Times Square (near tkts booth) for photos.





4. See a show on Broadway- A visit to New York wouldn't be complete without seeing a Broadway Show.The tkts booth in Times Square offers discounts on tickets for Broadway shows on the day if you're visiting New York on a budget. Be prepared to queue and show up early. It's well worth it to see one of the spectular shows such as Mamma Mia or Wicked. If you want to get your tickets in advance, look up what you want to see in advance and look online for discounts.
http://www.broadwaybox.com/


I'll update asap with more advice,tips and info on New York :) x