Hostel Review: Smart Place Paris

Looking for an affordable, friendly, and safe hostel for your stay in the City of Love?

Look no further! Check out Smart Place Paris – my friends and I stayed here on a previous trip to Paris and we really enjoyed the friendly staff and great location. They offer free Wi-Fi in the common areas, a fully-equipped kitchen, computers for guest access, and offer great advice on which sites to see and which restaurants to try out. Smart Place also stored our luggage for free after our check-out time so we were able to continue exploring Paris without the added pressure of looking after our bags. The common area has a super chill, friendly atmosphere and is the perfect place to relax after a long day sightseeing. Spend your evening lounging around in comfy chairs and forming friendships with fellow travelers over a plate of spaghetti and past travel stories.

On top of the relaxed atmosphere, Smart Place Paris is conveniently located minutes from Gare du Nord, a major train and metro hub that can transport you to any point of interest in Paris. The metro system in Paris is pretty easy to navigate and buy tickets, but always be aware of pickpockets and people trying to scam you (this can be said for any city in Europe, not just Paris).

One thing I really loved about this hostel was the location, even though we were a little outside the typical “tourist” area we were really well connected to the whole city through the Gare du Nord station (which is huge). Another perk of being away from the touristy areas was the restaurants around our hostel weren’t as expensive since they aren’t catering to the tourist crowds. I definitely recommend Smart Place Paris if you are looking for an affordable and safe hostel for your stay in Paris.

Gare du Nord

Headed to Paris and looking for fun things to do? Check out the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries!

6 Tips for Successful Shopping at a Local Market

Markets pop up all around the world and are a popular shopping spot for locals. Now, I’m not just talking about food markets, but also clothing markets, flea markets, art markets, and everything in between. No matter what part of the world you are in, chances are there is a local market in a city near you. Markets are the perfect spot to grab the freshest ingredients for tonight’s meal, handmade clothing, or even decorations for your home. Keep these 6 tips in mind and you’ll be on your way to successful shopping regardless of the type of market you are setting out to explore.

1. Observe the Locals

The first thing I do when entering a market is take a lap around to see all the different stalls and products, but also to observe the locals! The locals will give you an idea of proper etiquette since this will vary greatly in different regions around the world (just think, what is acceptable and normal at an American market might be considered rude at an Asian market). Another great reason to observe the locals is to find out which are the most popular stalls. These are often the most crowded and it must be for a good reason.

2. Don’t Touch the Food

It might be acceptable to touch the fresh produce in an American market, but it’s often considered extremely rude in many other parts of the world. Wait for assistance from the vendor, point to what you want, and they will handle the food. You can determine what’s acceptable by referring to #1 – observe the locals – or by simply asking the vendor.

3. Haggle

This is also heavily dependent on the part of the world you are in. In America, there is normally a fixed price for goods, but in many parts of the world, such as Asian countries, it’s expected to haggle. Do a little research on the region you are in to know what is appropriate.

4. Bring Cash

It’s a necessity to have cash at a local market. Most of the time, the market consists of a bunch of pop-up stalls, so vendors likely won’t have any way to accept credit/debit cards. Come prepared with cash!

5. Compare Prices

You would hate to buy a carton of strawberries for $2 just to find out the vendor a few stalls down was selling them for $1. It’s important to take a lap around the market to see what’s offered and at what prices. This also helps to be successful and more confident with #3 – haggling.

6. Bring Your Own Bag

Again, this is dependent on the part of the world you’re in, but it’s a good practice regardless. Some vendors will provide bags for merchandise that you buy and others won’t, so you’ll want to have your own bag to carry your goodies just in case.

Visiting local markets is the perfect way to experience the culture and lifestyle of the country you are in. Markets are a great, affordable way to find authentic souvenirs to take home with you. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, it’s fun to wander around and see the different products for sale and watch the locals going about their daily lives. Remember these 6 simple tips and you’ll be a successful shopper at any market around the world!

What additional tips do you have for shopping at a local market? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

First Steps for Planning a Europe Trip

So you want to go to Europe, now what?

It’s really easy to wrap your head around the idea of backpacking through Europe but not so easy to wrap your head around all the logistics that have to go into that very lovely European adventure. Logistics, you say? Yes, the who, what when, where, why, and how. This task can seem overwhelming or tedious, but the more prepared you are, the greater your chances of a successful trip. Therefore, it’s crucial to have certain things figured out before leaving on that big adventure.

First things first, get the proper documentation! Passports, drivers licenses, visas (no, not the credit card). You won’t be going anywhere without the proper documentation for the countries you are visiting and this documentation could take several months so start early!

For more information on obtaining a U.S. passport click here.

Next, establish a budget. It’s important to factor in your budget even before choosing your destinations. Some countries are cheaper than others and your budget may influence which countries you can visit and how long you stay. Two weeks in Paris during the summer sounds amazing until you realize the cost involved in staying that long. Eastern European countries are far cheaper on average than Western European countries and out of the way destinations are often much cheaper than major tourist attractions.

After determining a budget, pick a destination. Is there a particular attraction or city on your must-see travel list? This step depends greatly on your preferred travel style– some prefer to visit as many cities as possible and others prefer to spend several weeks fully immersed in a country or region. If your travel style is to visit as many cities as you can (and you have the budget for it since this style can be expensive) then make a list of all your must-see places and try to determine a feasible route that can incorporate as many of these attractions and cities as desired. On the other hand, if your travel style is slower and you prefer to immerse yourself in the culture of a region then you will want to narrow down a specific country or area to visit that can accommodate your budget.

Looking for additional travel tips? Don’t miss the 5 W’s (+H) which helps streamline the planning process and of course the ever important money management while traveling.

What are the first steps you take to plan a trip? Leave a comment below with any additional tips you have for the planning stages of a trip!

My Favorite Spot for Pizza in Madrid

Pequeño quatro queso pizza, por favor.

Translation: small four cheese pizza, please. I used this phrase a lot during the month I lived in Madrid. Ópera Pizza easily became my favorite pizza place in Madrid. It’s conveniently located right near the Ópera metro stop or about a 10 minute walk from Puerta del Sol (the center of Madrid). The restaurant has outside seating so it’s the perfect place to enjoy a slice of pizza while people watching. I spent several warm summer evenings sitting outside under the setting sun with wonderful friends. A cheesy slice of pizza in hand as we watched the commotion in the street and all the strangers passing by.

The pizza is reasonably priced and the staff is super friendly. The restaurant has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere so don’t be surprised if you get caught up chatting long after the pizza is gone. If you are looking for an affordable and tasty place to grab some food, I definitely recommend Ópera Pizza!

My very delicious four cheese pizza.

Looking for more to do in Madrid? Check out San Ginés for yummy churros and chocolate and Las Ventas for breathtaking architecture of Madrid’s bullring.

Have you ever been to Ópera Pizza? Have any other suggestions for great places to get pizza in Madrid?