Tell me about...... Paris, or other...

[owl10]

Hey everyone.

Thinking of taking SWMBO to Paris for a weekend in January, probably will go from 10th/11th Jan - 13th Jan.

Would like to go to a few restaurants and maybe a bar or two, see some sights etc.

So first question, which areas are the best to stay in? Im thinking it would be better to stay near a fairly lively area with a choice of decentish restaurantsand 'commute' to any attractions in the day as needed?

Price range probably 300 quid for 3 nights in a double room for a hotel.

All comments / benefits of previous experience welcome.


Second question, given the flights are about 180 via squeezyjet is ther anywhere else that would be recommended / should be considered rather than paris for about 450 - 500 quid all in for 2 people? (Flying from Bristol)

Cheers!
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DanceLikeAMonkey says: "An infinte amount of web pages available
Yet I still end up reading crap like that"

[chris-red]

Barcelona! I went there that sort of time this year. It was great, we were there for I think 5 days and it cost us about £250 all in for 4-5 nights in a 4* hotel!

Temperature was good about 15-20 degrees and it is a wicked city. Make sure you go to the Sagrada Familia, it is fantastic.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
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[chris-red]

https://www.lastminute.com/site/travel/packaging/hotel-results.html?skin=engb.lastminute.com&mondial_auto=false&ROOM_1_S=0&DPSRT=FA&DPNOC=0&DPNOA=0&DPNOI=0&DPLOC=en_GB&DPNOR=1&DPNOS=0&ROOM_3_A=0&DPHSI=0&date_in_month=1&ROOM_3_I=0&DPXCP=F&DPCID=0&DPXAL=F&DPTRT=&DPSFT=&DPXTR=F&ROOM_2_C=0&ROOM_2_A=0&ROOM_1_I=0&ROOM_3_S=0&DPXCH=T&DPXMG=F&ROOM_1_C=0&ROOM_2_S=0&DPHEI=19&failureURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lastminute.com%2Fsite%2Ftravel%2Fpackaging%2Ferror_packaging.html&DPDAP=BRS&DPXIN=T&DPCLS=X&DPPID=0&date_out_month=1&ROOM_1_A=2&TRANS=ViewTransportationAndHotelSearchBox%2CSearchForTransportationAndHotel&date_in_day=13&date_out_day=10&DPDCC=GBP&ROOM_2_I=0&DPIDT=0001&DPFIT=&DPODT=0001&DPAAP=BCN&DPAIR=NONE&DPSAC=DPZ&ROOM_3_C=0




£270 in 4* hotel leaving from bristol.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[angryjonny]

I hate Paris. Monumentally expensive, ludicrously busy (I've never seen traffic like it - Bucharest the only exception I suppose) and apart from the touristy bits in the centre it's not even pretty. Step outside the tourist traps and all you see is industry, grim looking flats & offices, muck, graffiti etc. It's one of my least favourite cities. There are some beautiful bits of France but IMO Paris ain't one of them.

[owl10]

Stayed in Salou on our last holiday which included a trip to barcelona... though will have a look at flight availbility etc,

EDIT- cheers for the link, lots of ideas there
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DanceLikeAMonkey says: "An infinte amount of web pages available
Yet I still end up reading crap like that"

[yambabe]

Palma in Majorca.

Temp will be in the mid-teens, loads to see and do in the city, hotels are a little cheaper if you stay just outside and get the bus in, plenty of places to eat/drink.

Easyjet flights from Briston for 10th-13th are £89 return per person at the moment, I use a site called Alpharooms to find hotels.

However, if you go the weekend after you will find that it's festival weekend in the city with processions, live music and theatre on outdoor stages, street food and a massive fireworks display on the harbour. We are already booked cos that's my birthday weekend.....
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[weasley]

If it must be Paris, I like the Latin Quarter for atmosphere and eating/drinking options.

If not, my newest favourite city is Budapest.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[mic]

Eiffel tower is a dump. looks great on TV but when you get there its vandalised with peoples names scratched in the metal + wood. they put armed soldiers (police?) patrolling underneath but cant maintain it?
But obviously has great views and shouldnt be avoided if you do go.
And Paris is FULL of dog shit. its everywhere.
And tourists, obviously. Be prepared to que for most things.

I think what was the final niggle for us was that the hotel had advertised a swimming pool but it was shut for maintenance for a few weeks.

French bread is nice tho.
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zzr600

[shereen]

Prague is great - I just got back. It is beautiful - loads to see and do, and its cheap.
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[mrdelmonti]

Paris is a real dive, I've no idea how it got its association with romance.

[daemonoid]

Consider driving over to Lille or Bruges. Both much nicer for a romantic weekend and will only cost about £100 in petrol/ferry depending on the frugality of your car.

Lille has a nice square in the centre plus a free zoo in the main park.
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[Polarbear]

[waffles]

[Kradmelder]

[doggone]

Amsterdam not been mentioned so far, it's friendly and not vast.
Something for everyone in any season - not just the famous 'attractions'.

[waffles]

[Kradmelder]

[dan_flash]

Sarajevo, Bosnia I Herzegovina.

Best City I've ever been to, very cheap too. Perfect for a short romantic stay, plus it's quite off-the-map (you know, since the War...) and there's loads to do and see there. It really is just beautiful.
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Yamaha XJ600S, Volvo v40.

[mattress]

Barcelona is great and you can get there cheaply from Bristol (as stated above).
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Current bike: Ducati Diavel Carbon Red

[krarkol]

It's a shithole tbh but if you are really lucky, SWMBO might be kidnapped, Taken style

As others have said, Barcelona would be a nice place!

or Pontins...

If money aint a problem then try Italy. I went Longano last year and it's a beautiful place although that's a typical little italian village. We visited Rome for a day whilst there and it was absolutely gorgeous!
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Bandit 600 - deaded

[AndyB1989]

i must be going to a different paris to the others as i wouldnt call it a dive and if you are sensible it doesnt have to be monumentally expensive i did a positively bargain trip to paris one year there were 4 of us we got the coach which was not comfortable but very cheap, got to paris and got the metro out to the end of one spur got out at the end of the line and found a lovely little independant hotel for 60euro a night for a room with 2 double beds and breakfast for 4 was another 16euro

the viewof the eiffel tower lit up at night is quite fantastic but the area underneath it is FULL of eastern european and asian women begging.

the christmas lights down the Champs-Élysées are usually quite awesome and there are some lovely restaurants and bars all over the city. if somewhere looks ridiculously expensive on the menu outside just walk past till you find somewhere that isnt.

[mentalboy]

Quite depends on the sort of weekend you're looking for.
Paris is quite expansive and expensive, Amsterdam is Ok if you want to stand in a long queue for the Anne Frank museum, get shit faced or do the red light district with hundreds of pissed Brits.
My vote would be to go to Berlin, cheap to stay in hotels on the old East side, they tend to speak English ( handy if you're not a linguophile). Art galleries everywhere with all types to suit all, the contrasts between the old East and West are interestingly bizarre and they like to do hearty meals without all the fancy faffing the French put into their meals. Great view from the reasonably priced restaurant at the top of the Tower too.
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Make mine a Corona.

[621andy]

+1 for Berlin
Lots to see and do. But get a hotel a bit out of town and use the S/U-Bahn for transport.

+1 also for Amsterdam
Great little shops, good architechture, and museums galore(you don't HAVE to do the sex museum, but it's quite fun )

Paris- hmm well, I have to agree it's a bit of a shithole, plus I had my mobile nicked near the Eiffel tower; good view from the top though.

How about Salzburg? Great atmos and snow too! Or possibly Munich...
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'93 Africa Twin RD07, C-90,MTX-125,H-100,XL-125, a 125UAG(CG copy!)

[flat spot]

Florence in Italy is a great city for a short break. Should be considerably warmer than Paris in January. Can recommend a hotel if that's where you fancy.

[syl]

I love Paris, but it's expensive to stay somewhere nice centrally - I'd go somewhere near the Louvre or the Champs Elysees. Rome is also wonderful, but even more expensive. I'd go with Prague myself, which looks beautiful with the snow, has plenty to do and is a bit cheaper. Salzburg is also lovely, plus you can take a quick day trip skiing if you like. I wasn't over enamoured with Berlin and Madrid was bottom of my list of major European cities so far.
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Current bike: Kawasaki Z750S