Paris has been drawing visitors from all over the world for centuries. From it’s beautiful historical monuments to exceptional cuisine, Paris has become one of the visited cities in the world.

But with so much to see and do in the City of Lights, it can feel overwhelming planning an itinerary that hits all the best spots. To help make planning your trip to Paris a little easier, I’ve put together a list of my favorite places that all travelers should visit at least once.

The Eiffel Tower

What would a trip to Paris be without a visit to the famous Eiffel Tower? Built for the 1889 World Fair, it stands at 324 meters tall and offers some seriously impressive views of the city.

While there is a cost to go up, it’s definitely worth it if you want to see Paris from a new perspective. If you don’t feel like going to the top or have a fear of heights, you can still enjoy it from below at one of the nearby parks.

Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum is the most visited museum in the world. In 2017, it welcomed more than 8 million visitors!

Inside the former royal palace, you’ll find some of the most iconic pieces of art in history. From Leanardo Da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa to the famous Venus de Milo statue!

The Louvre is a massive building, and you’ll want to plan your visit out before you arrive. With so many exhibits, you won’t get through everything in one day, so it’s a good idea to have a game plan and download the museum’s app to help you get around.

Notre Dame

Since Notre Dame was completed in 1345, it has been the religious heart of the city. It’s considered the finest example of French Gothic architecture on Earth and despite the large crowds, it won’t be hard to be awed by the famous stained glass and the gargoyle-framed panoramas of the city.

Top Tip: Get here early before the cathedral opens! It will help you avoid the pickpockets that the crowds attract.

Champs Elysees

The Champs Elysees is one of Paris’ most iconic streets. Lining the boulevard on either side are manicured trees leading up to another of the city’s top attractions, the Arc de Triomphe.

It’s also one of the best sunset spots in Paris!

Palais Garnier

If you’re a lover of the arts, you can’t miss out on exploring the Palais Garnier. It’s the location the Phantom of the Opera book and musical is based on and the building is nothing short of beautiful.

Today, the opulent Beaux-Arts building is mainly used for ballet performances. Be sure to check out the grand marble staircase, massive foyer and the painted ceiling that depicts the history of music.

Pantheon

Just like Rome, Paris has its own pantheon in the Latin Quarter. The building was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve.

Today, it’s the final resting place for many of Paris’ famous scientists, generals, writers, churchmen, and politicians. The Pantheon is also where you’ll find Foucault’s Pendulum that traces the path of the Earth.

Arc de Triomphe

Commissioned by Napolean in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe was built to celebrate Napolean’s victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. If you’re looking for an incredible sunset spot in Paris, climb the 300 stairs to the top of the building.

It will cost you about $9, but the views are worth it!

Picnic Along Seine

If you’re looking for a way to wind down after a busy day of sightseeing, pack a picnic and head to the banks of the Seine. Stop by one of the local grocery stores and pick up some freshly baked bread, cheese and a bottle of wine.

One of my favorite spots is at the Square du Vert Galant. It’s one of the two islands on the river and has uninterrupted views of the Pont des Arts bridge and the Louvre Museum.

Paris Street Art

Not all of Paris’ art scene is kept away to crowded museums. Hit the pavements and explore the city’s vibrant street art scene.

You can sign up for a guided tour with Paris Underground that will take you all over Paris. It’s a great introduction to the city’s modern art scene.

Boulevard St. Germain

Paris is famous for its cafe au lait and the best place to try one is at the Boulevard St. Germain on the 6th arrondissement. The broad tree-lined boulevard is lined with designer boutiques, prestigious cafes, and classic brasseries.

Some of the most popular cafes are Cafe de Flore and Cafe des Deux Magots. Both establishments were frequented by famous historical figures like Picasso and Hemmingway.

Overall

Paris is an incredible destination for travelers who love history, art and the finer things in life. With so much to see and do, take your time exploring the top sights and leave room in your itinerary to discover a few spots that are off the beaten track.

 

The WWOOF Organization provides travelers the option to work on a farm for part of their stay in exchange for free meals and accommodation! WWOOF stands for “Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms” and WWOOFing around the world is an incredibly popular way to travel long-term on a budget. In exchange for working on an organic farm, travelers get free room and board — allowing them to extend their travels without breaking the bank.

n order to become a WWOOFer, you need to sign up for the national organization in the country you want. There is no international WWOOF membership, so you’ll have to buy a membership from each WWOOFing country’s organization (WWOOF is made up of almost a hundred organizations). Annual membership usually costs around $30-40 USD per country per person (there is also a joint membership for couples that offers a slight discount). You don’t need any previous experience in farming to do this, just a desire to work.

How To Join:

1. Visit the WWOOF website
2. Choose destination country of choice. Here is the list of participating countries.
3. Fill out their membership application and pay the fee
4. Start searching for opportunities!

Once you’ve filled out the online membership form and paid the fee, you’ll be sent a list of participating farms in your country of choice and can decide which ones to contact.

Each farm description will tell you something about the host, their farm, and their expectations. Read it carefully and ask for accommodation details, examples of work, weekly routine, and food arrangements before you commit. You can also ask whether they have specific house rules and if they’re fluent in English. If they’re not, don’t be put off; this could be a great opportunity to learn a new language!

Be sure to check out the WWOOF Independents section of the site, too, for farms in countries without a central WWOOF body. Join this, and you can visit any of the 1,000+ farms in the WWOOF Independent countries.

Some WWOOFers like to spend shorter periods at farms (1-3 weeks) and visit a wider variety of farms. That lets them explore the country while giving them an out in case their farm stay doesn’t go well. Others prefer longer stays so they can really immerse themselves in the region.

If you’re new to both farm work and WWOOFing, I’d suggest a shorter stay so you can get a feel for the lifestyle without having to commit yourself for months.

There are so many places around the world in need of English teachers that will pay you to travel! All you need is a TEFL certification online & you can teach anywhere! Not sure where to go? Here are some of the best places to teach english overseas.

1. South Korea

South Korea is one of the best places — if not the best — to teach English overseas. Jobs are abundant, the pay averages $1,600-2,600 USD per month, and you get awesome benefits, like a contract completion bonus, free housing, and airfare reimbursement.

A lot of recent college graduates are attracted to Korea because of the money, benefits, and the fact that Korea takes many first-time teachers. If you don’t have any experience, this country is one of the best options for you. As a place to live, Korea has plenty of things going for it: the food is delicious, the country is dirt cheap, and the people are friendly.

Plus you will find lots of other international young expats there. Since you earn so much money in a country with such a low cost of living, most people leave having paid off a substantial portion of their debts! You could easily walk away after a year of teaching with your loans (school or non-school) paid off AND money for travel!

2. Japan

Japan has a reputation for good jobs which means it also attracts as many people as South Korea. Though the years of easily teaching in Japan and making quick cash are long, long over, people willing to stay at least a year can generally save a substantial sum of money.https://6895b4acd77285784369d7019fc5ad38.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

While the cost of living can eat up a lot of your salary, especially in Tokyo, there are a number of programs out there (including the government’s JET program) that reward long-term teachers with generous benefits and completion bonuses.

Additionally, the Japanese are incredibly friendly and polite, the food is endless gourmet heaven, and the culture is unique. It’s one of my favorite countries in the world.

3. The Middle East

The Middle East lures many teachers in for one reason: its salary packages. Middle Eastern countries offer incredibly large salaries (up to $70,000 USD per year for an experienced teacher), lots of benefits, and no taxes. A teacher can walk away with around $40,000 USD after one year.

However, this is no place for the recent college graduate. These countries want certified and experienced teachers. If you couldn’t teach at a public school in your home country, you have little chance of getting a job in this part of the world. As such, most of the teachers here are older and more settled and have families.

Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia are the most popular destinations for teaching English in this region.

4. Thailand

Thailand attracts lots of young and new teachers with its cheap cost of living, warm beautiful weather, tropical beaches, mouth-watering food, and party atmosphere.

Most of the language school teachers are ex-travelers looking to save for future travels…or travelers who thought they were doing that but ended up never leaving. The pay in Thailand isn’t that high ($1,000–1,500 USD per month), unless you teach in Bangkok or at an international school.

However, teaching English in Thailand isn’t about making lots of money — it’s about everything else: the ease of getting a job, the food, the fun-loving atmosphere, the weather, and everything in between. It’s one of the best destinations for young, new teachers, especially in a larger city, since you’ll fit right in.

5. China

As China rises in global stature, its need for English teacher grows as more and more citizens need to know the language for their job. Moreover, the culture puts an emphasis on learning it. As such, it is one of the easiest places to find work. No matter where you go, you can find work, even in saturated cities like Beijing and Shanghai.https://6895b4acd77285784369d7019fc5ad38.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

You can earn a decent salary teaching English here (upward of $1,500-2,000 USD a month), and many jobs give completion bonuses, free housing, and airfare reimbursement.

China is the brave new world and a country in constant change. It’s a good location for teachers of all abilities — there’s something for everyone there!

6. Prague

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, has a seemingly abundant supply of teaching jobs. The city has grown in size over the last few years, attracting a variety of tech start-ups and expats, which has created a lot more job opportunities for teachers.

While it’s very hard to get a job in the public school system or a university, there are plenty of language schools in the city to choose from. The pay isn’t as high as other countries in the world and there are few benefits (especially when compared to Asia or the Middle East), but you’re a stone’s throw away from everywhere in Europe.

The city is one of the most beautiful, vibrant, fun, and popular cities in Europe, which makes Prague an excellent central base from which to explore the continent.

7. Spain

Teaching in Spain is one of the best opportunities for anyone looking to work in Europe. There are plenty of jobs, the government has an active program for attracting teachers, and your visa means you can freely travel around Europe.

There are also many opportunities to teach private lessons on the side. You don’t get many benefits (or high pay compared to Asia or the Middle East), but the pay is still enough to live off of.

8. Taiwan

Taiwan is an excellent country to teach English in, thanks to lots of job opportunities (though they tend to be with young kids), high salaries, benefits similar to South Korea, and lots of other young teachers to share a social life with. The country places a high importance on learning English, and you’ll be able to find freelance tutor opportunities besides your regular, steady teaching job!

I loved my time in Taiwan, made some wonderful friends, and adapted to a completely new culture.

9. Teaching English Online

Thanks to the Internet, you no longer have to be tied to one location to teach Teaching online is becoming more popular as a way to make money while working remotely. Platforms like Cambly and italki don’t require any teaching degrees either. The pay isn’t great but it’s something that can have you earn enough money to keep traveling.

Credit card rewards programs offer benefits for everything from free dining to hotels to international flights! Here are some of my top picks to use in 2021.

Chase Sapphire Reserve:

The gold standard of travel cards – yes, there’s a high fee ($550) but you get so many perks that this card can definitely be worth the fee.

• 60,000 welcome offer after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months
• $300 in annual travel credit
• 3x points on travel and restaurants
• 1 point per $1 on everything else
• The ability to transfer to points to a dozen travel brands (I use this feature the most)
• A statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application
• Free Priority Pass lounge access (a super awesome perk)
• No foreign transaction fees
• 10x points on Lyft
• Free deliveries from DoorDash

When you factor in that $300 travel credit, you’re really paying $250 a year. For that, you get 3x on restaurants and travel (which is most of my spending) and, when combined with the other perks, you really make out on the card. 

Chase Preferred:

This card is like the “starter” version of the previous card. You don’t get as many perks, but if you’re dead-set on not paying a high yearly fee (this card only $95 a year), you can’t go wrong with this card. It’s great for the more infrequent traveler. When you sign for this card, you’ll get:

• Welcome offer of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months
• 2x points on travel, groceries, and restaurants
• 1 point per $1 spent on everything else
• 25% more point redemtion value via Chase Ultimate Rewards
• No foreign transaction fees

It’s a simple, easy to use credit card.

Citi Prestige:

You get a $250 travel credit with this card so you have a great savings there. When used right, you can actually make some money on this card! This card comes with a $495 yearly fee and the following perks:

• 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first three months
• 5x points on airfare and restaurants
• 3x points on hotels and cruises
• 1x points on everything else
• Complimentary fourth night at a hotel when booking through ThankYou.com (capped at twice per year)
• Free Priority Pass
• $250 travel credit every year
• Points transfer to their 16 partners
• No foreign transaction fees

American Express EveryDay Preferred:

This low-fee Amex card is great for the bonus points and the 3x points at supermarkets. Use it when you buy groceries – it’s a great way to rack up Amex points. When you sign up for this card, you’ll get:

• 15,000 welcome points after you spend $1,000 within the forst 3 months
• 50% extra points when you use your card 30 or more times each billing cycle
• 3x points at supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year)
• 2x points at US gas stations
• 1 point for every other dollar spent

It’s simple, it’s only $95 annually, it’s a quick way to get points.

Capital One Venture:

This is a great card to use if you’re looking for an easy to use card with the first year fee waived. When you sign up for this card, you get:

• 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months or 100,000 points once you spend $20,000 in the first 3 months.
• Unlimited 2x miles on every dollar spent
• Transfer miles to any of their 15 travel partners
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• No foreign transaction fees
• No fees for the first year, $95 after that

House sit someone’s house, pets & garden and stay for free by visiting websites like Mind my House, Trusted House Sitters, PawShake, and House Carers. Below is a breakdown of the pros and cons for each site.

Mind My House Pros:

• They are a well-established platform who have been around since the very start.
• A very cheap membership fee for house sitters.
• Free for homeowners which means more house sits are listed.
• Easy to use and good looking platform.
• Alert system.

Mind My House Cons:

• The number of house sitters outweighs homeowners, so there is a lot of competition.
• Homeowners don’t need to pay for a membership, so for house sitters, there is a bit of a feeling that the homeowner doesn’t take the assignment as seriously and could cancel at any stage.

Trusted House Sitters Pros:

• Well established and well-known platform.
• Very easy to use platform and functions.
• Big team and profession feel.
• 24/7 customer services and vet advice line.
• Wide variety of homes worldwide.
• Very active community on social media
• Easy to set up house sitter profile

Trusted House Sitters Cons:

• $129 USD membership fee.
• High competition on house sitting assignments.

Pawshake Pros:

• Easy to navigate website
• Great Mobile app
• Homeowners are covered by a booking guarantee if the booked sitter can not make it
• Pawshake will also cover vet fees

Pawshake Cons:

• You can only sign up if your area is in need of house sitters
• Customer service has a bad wrap

House Carers Pros:

• Lots of options to upload a review, photos, videos, references, id checks and safety checks.
• Very reasonable membership price.
• House Carers have a great Facebook community to share ideas with other house sitters.
• A brilliant house sit notification function.
• Very well trusted and one of the first platforms on the internet.
• Lower competition for pet sitters

House Carers Cons:

• Homeowners don’t need to pay for a membership, so for house sitters, there is a bit of a feeling that the homeowner doesn’t take the assignment as seriously and could cancel at any stage.
• The platform is quite outdated and can be difficult to navigate for first timers.

Volunteer Work in Exchange for Accommodation 

Websites like Work Away list hosts in all different countries around the world that let you stay with them in exchange for a few hours of volunteer work a week! Work Away offers over 50,000 opportunities in more than 170 countries worldwide. It is an international program that allows travelers to pay for their room and food by helping their host with household work needs, projects, or odd jobs.

Workaway differs from other volunteer programs such as International Volunteer HQ and Plan My Gap Year in that you search for individual hosts on their platform. The projects that they list usually are not structured volunteer programs and you may not have an opportunity to interact with other volunteers or travelers. While you can experience the tourist’s version of different countries by visiting the famous cities and staying in hotels, Workaway gives you the opportunity to spend quality time in the home of locals.

Most hosts expect you to work about five hours a day, and some do offer additional pay, which you can find in their bio on the Workaway website. The duration of your stay could be a few days or an entire year; you and the host decide this before you arrive. Since this isn’t a legal contract between you and the host, you are welcome to leave early if you face issues. Workaway encourages you to have a backup plan in case the arrangement goes poorly, though this should be an option only in extreme situations. On the flip side, you may find that you love the arrangement and can even stay longer than you expected!

To get started, go to Workaway’s website and start researching the projects that interest you. Workaway offers a lot of information about each host, so you can avoid arriving to their home feeling nervous or frustrated. Spending the time finding the host that best matches your needs and expectations will give you the greatest chance at a fantastic experience. Workawayers are encouraged to leave reviews of their hosts, and vice versa – this helps you learn from others about what to expect.