Far away from all the mass tourism
How to discover cities on a other way
Last week I spent a few days in Paris. To explore the city most visited by tourists every year. But I don’t want to meet the city of love on the normal way. I don’t want to sit in expensive cafés and don’t cart me with a sightseeing bus, overloaded with people, through the city.
I chose a different way: I booked me an apartment in Airbnb and hiked through the city by foot.
Not spent your whole days in a hotel; thats more than boring. And also: It’s really expensive in some cities. A better idea is to research for great apartments in the internet and use them for your accommodation. It must not be a first class suite, but rather a little domicile for stay the nights there.
A great tip is to search for stays in Airbnb. Look for offers not in the city centre, but a little bit aside of all the beaten tracks.
For example, I get a great apartment in a quit street in Montmartre in Paris. No more tourists there, mostly just Parisians. There I see the real life: Paris isn’t everywhere the city of love and of the gourmets. I see flurry people, rush over the streets with there scooters. Around me kebabs, african restaurants (yes, a part of Montmartre is African) and dead pigs, head first on ropes, having brought to the butcher.
Also a great ancillary effect is that I didn’t eat in a hotel or dined in tourist adapted restaurant. You eat original parisian croissants, baguettes and coffee at breakfast. You must go to the bakery every morning. In the evening you can’t sit at a table with a meal card in english transcription. You must bled through all the french meanings and the typical characters. Just in this way you come in touch with the real city — not the city made for all the millions of tourists.
What do you the whole days now. Oh yes, you haven’t a tour guide traveling with you through the city. There is a simple alternative: grab you a city guide and a city map (you can also use great apps, like MapsWithMe) and discover everyday a other region of your chosen city.
In my case, on the first days I had a look at all the main big sights, like the Tour Eiffel, the Louvre, the Arc Triumphe,… …the last days I hike through the Marais and the Montmartre quarter. Not by car or bus — just by foot.
To get there I chose always the metro of Paris. Purchased a 3 day ticket and I can get where I want. Quick and secure. Metro and Walk, Metro and Walk,…The big benefit of this combination is your freedom. You can stop where you want and when you want. You see something interesting, but it is not on your plan? Whatever, you have your freedom.
It takes you away from all the ways, where tourists push themselves through the ways and take a quick photo and think they know the City, Paris, now. Thats wrong. Take your own ways and meet the city in your own way!
Thanks for reading.
