Things You Need to Know if You Visit London Paris and Switzerland
Traveling to London, Paris and Switzerland is always a good idea, regardless of the time of year and it does not matter if you travel alone or accompanied. For a trip to these destinations, you do not need an excuse, although you have already visited it. The city of lights is not an economic destination (much less!). And we all know that the budget of a backpacker almost always runs tight, so here are 15 tips for traveling to these areas, making the most of the time, and without wasting a fortune.
How to get around with public transport:
Although the best way to get to know a city is to lose yourself while walking, Paris is quite big and to go to certain places you will need to use public transport. The subway is the best option since it is open from 5.30 am to 1.00 am and you can use simple tickets (from a single trip) or daily or weekly subscriptions, depending on the days you are going to be. Choose the option that suits you best.
Public transport in Switzerland can be divided into two types of networks: the national transport network - which includes trains, mountain cable cars and even ships - and the transport network of each town or city - mainly buses and / or trams. Although the management of both networks is independent, the transport system is perfectly integrated so that it is possible to use a combination of trains, boats and buses by buying a single ticket.
In London, you can get the best taxi from Heathrow Airport to Oxford, if you prefer cab services, otherwise other transportation options are also available.
Where to eat?
Paris is a very visited city and it is sometimes difficult to avoid the typical tourist places to which all travellers go. However, there are some sites that you can dodge. For example, escape from the typical downtown restaurants where waiters will try to convince you to enter at all costs if you pass through the door of one of these places and visit restaurants frequented by locals. My advice: Marché les Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered food market in Paris. Here you will find different restaurants with a terrace where they serve various types of food (the couscous with curry is one of the most ordered dishes). In addition, you can buy typical fresh products.
In Switzerland, you can eat at famous restaurants like Chez Ma Cousine, Asturian Center of Geneva, etc. If there are two ingredients that we should mention as soon as we talk about gastronomy in Switzerland, those are chocolate and cheese; so, whether we're sweet or salty ... we're in luck!In the raclette, the cheese is melted with a grill or electric resistance and poured over potatoes (usually the most common), sausages and / or pickles.
Flee from the tourist agglomerations
Whether it's your first time in Paris or not, it's totally normal to go for a walk near places as tourist as the Eiffel Tower or the Champs Elysees. The problem is that these sites are usually too crowded and sometimes it is difficult to enjoy the views or the environment while you think not to lose your colleague in the crowd or while you have a baby less than a meter crying at full volume. Therefore, it is best to visit these tourist areas early in the morning or afternoon, during the night, when there are usually fewer people.
Get to know the picturesque neighbourhood of Belleville and its incredible viewpoint
In addition to the well-known monuments and neighbourhoods, in Paris there are a lot of interesting areas to visit. Belleville is one of them. It is a cosmopolitan neighbourhood, very picturesque, which seduces by its diversity: with a very active artistic life, a large market in the open and a viewpoint with a panoramic view of Paris that will leave you speechless. Also, if time permits, take advantage of the views and rest awhile in the park of the viewpoint with a great atmosphere.
Our stage is long, has magnificent scenery. We cross through the tunnel under Mont Blanc, the highest summit of the Alps. We passed through the Chamonix area, in the heart of the Alps, surrounded by peaks with eternal snow. We continue route to GENEVA. Time for a walk and lunch in this Swiss capital next to the beautiful lake.