TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

If you enjoyed the story of The Da Vinci Code, why not view Paris through the eyes of Robert Langdon?

There are many Da Vinci Code tours available, from guided tours to self-guided tours. Choose the one that best suits your style and pace.

Guided tours cost anywhere from 10 - 20 euros and typically last around 2 hours. You get the benefit of an experienced and knowledgeable guide who can show you around, allowing you to get lost in the story.

If you go on a self-guided tour, you can print out information and directions from the Internet, or buy a Da Vinci Code tour guide book. You get the luxury of going at your own pace and soaking in the scenery, but you will also have to navigate the city on your own.

If you've got a huge budget, you can splurge on a 5-night stay at Sir Leigh Teabing's Château Villette, for a mere $4500. That cost does include Da Vinci Code perks, like lunch at Hotel Ritz and a trip to the Louvre.

Whatever you choose, for fans of the book, taking a Da Vinci Code tour is a great way to see Paris through new eyes.

The most renowned museum in the world is located within the “city of lights.” Paris’ Louvre is a highly popular attraction. If one happens to be in the city, visiting the Louvre is almost a requirement. To see the most of it, and to enjoy it as well, simply follow the tips below.

If you are in France on a Wednesday or Friday, visit the museum after 6 p.m. The cost of entering the museum is reduced by €3, from €9 to €6. On Wednesday and Friday, the museum is open until 9:45 p.m., which gives you plenty of time to wander around. As part of Bastille Day celebration, admission to the museum is free. It is also free on the first Sunday of every month.

Buy your tickets in advance to avoid long waits in line. Another way to avoid a wait in line is to go during the off-season. If you visit France in the non-peak season, you will not only get shorter waits, you will also enjoy cheaper prices for lodging, attractions, and more.

The Louvre is massive. It could weeks to see everything they possess. In order to cut down the confusion, choose the pieces you wish to see and check in advance which galleries you will need to visit. Make a list of pieces and locations and you will save time and see what you want. Visiting the Louvre’s website is one way to do so.

Paris may be one of the most beautiful of European cities, with its charming moonlit side-streets, cobblestoned river-paths and 19th century architecture, but it's also one of the most expensive. A coffee at an average cafe - the quintessential Parisian gathering place - can easily cost 2 euro, while a coffee with milk - the "cafe creme" - runs an average of four. And meals aren't much cheaper - restaurants in Paris are well aware that they can charge high prices and still find ready buyers eager to taste the delectable treats of Parisian cuisine. So what is a traveler on a budget to do? Here are some tips of the trade to eat like Louis XIV on prices that won't break the bank.

1) EAT LUNCH OUT
There are several benefits to having lunch, rather than dinner, at a restaurant. It breaks up the day - especially if you have a busy or active schedule of walking and sightseeing planned. It's light enough to appreciate the views out the window. But, best of all, the menus are far less expensive - expect savings of 30-50% from the dinner menus.

2) CHOOSE THE DAILY "PRIX FIXE"
Most French restaurants have a special of the day menu, or a prix fixe menu. The best restaurants won't give you any choice - ask for "the menu of the day" and you're likely to get three sumptuous courses of whatever's best on offer for 10-15 euro. Others will provide you with a small selection of prix fixe options - these can run a tad more expensive, though. Either way, you're getting not only what's cheap, but also what's fresh, so it's well worth it.

3) SAVOR TRAITEURS
Traiteurs, or take-out, can be found on any street-corner in any form. The classic roast chicken and vegetables that you can find (the one on Rue Buci has the best chicken in Paris) is one option, or go for a Chinese or North African traiteur for spicier culinary options. Then head to a park - the Luxembourg, Tuileries, or Parc Monceau are all good options, as is the side of the Seine or the arty piazza outside the Pompidou Center - and enjoy a meal on the cheap. Or just head to a Monoprix or other grocery store for some even more low-cost bread, cheese, and fruit...

The Eiffel Tower is a must-visit spot in Paris, but you might want to spend your time seeing it from the ground.

Wait times going up the tower can be very long, more than an hour even during non-rush seasons. Even if you opt to take the stairs, there are still long lines.

Paris is an expensive city - no bones about it. A coffee costs 2 euro for an expresso, rising to an exorbitant 4 euro average for a "caffe creme" - with steamed milk. Food also tends to be on the high-end side. But there's one way to really save money in Paris - and that's its extraordinary and functional public transportation system. The metro is a great option to quickly get where you need to go; the spiderlike shape of its map is highly convenient in that it reduces the needs for line changes. But there's one new option that's even better: the Velib.

The Velib (Velo Liberte) is a system of bikes that has taken Paris by storm. Stops, each with places for 20 or so bikes, are located every few hundred metres around the city. You rent bikes from one station, ride them, and deposit them at any other with free spaces available. Even better? A one euro day pass gets you the first half hour of any ride free, and reasonable (though steadily climbing; don't get the whole bike for one day) rates after that, although if you wait 15 minutes after depositing the last one, the clock starts back at 0. And if you come to a station and it's full? No worries, just type in your login code and you'll get 15 minutes grace time and directions to the next available posts.

If you have a chipped credit card, you can buy passes (1 euro for a one-day, 5 for a weeklong, and the option of yearlong credit on your Navigo pass for residents) at the kiosks themselves. If not, you'll need to go to a Tabac and purchase it there.

Seeing the city, getting exercise, and participating in a ritual that's captivated a whole generation of Paris commuters - the Velib isn't just a method of transportation, but an adventurous highlight of your trip!