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With a taxi to Paris
Post from 03/03/2009

City apartment instead of hotel

Discover the major European cities from a new angle by selecting a holiday apartment as your accommodation. Compared to a typical three day city tour with a three star hotel a city apartment provides you with unimaginable freedoms. Soak up the atmosphere of city life and become part of the colourful going-on not as a tourist but as a visitor. With Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and Rome we have selected ideal destinations for your next city tour.

Particularly couples and groups of friends appreciate city apartments as a welcome alternative to a hotel. Here one is able to enjoy mutuality even more intimately and one has also the option to invite guests. Furthermore it is easier to establish genuine contact with the locals and locality. An additional advantage of city apartments are that they are quite cheap particularly when one plans to stay longer. Even though the minimum stay period is between two to three nights many guests decide to make a week out of it. Families that are not known to be the typical city tourists but a spacious accommodation will allow them to explore this alternative. One can counter the desired freedom of the kids by ensuring there is enough space and playgrounds nearby. Those who do not always fancy to eat out in a restaurant every evening can optionally cook for themselves and bring the day to a harmonious end with the loved ones. Maybe there is a roof terrace with the accommodation that offers a delightful view over the city.

Berlin

Berlin is really a place one should not miss out. On atraveo you are able to find city apartments in the centre or in the popular trendy districts such as Friedrichshain or Prenzlauer Berg. Altogether there are around 150 types of accommodation available for selection. A long weekend in May (three nights) is cheaper than you may actually think: A comfortable furnished apartment for four people can be had for 230 Euros and should seek a more upmarket ambience then such an apartment for six people will cost around 600 Euros for the same period. Those who prefer to live in a more rural setting and are happy to take in Berlin on day trips will find an adequate apartment or house in the surrounding area of Berlin. With one of the city trains in no time one is in the heart of the city and in the evening one is able to depart with equally quick speed.

Next to the renowned museum island with its famous art galleries such as the recently renovated New Museum, Pergamon Museum and Old National Gallery a number of small and partly private galleries ensure cultural offerings that are unrivalled in Germany.
Very unique is the “Checkpoint Charlie Museum” which provides vivid impressions of the separation of the city and the associated fortunes of those affected by this time. The river Spree offers a balance to this where one can relax on a round trip. Step on board and float passed the Berlin Cathedral, government district and the former Berlin Congress Hall known to locals as the pregnant oyster.
In the evening the numerous theatres, cabarets and music halls entice you to visit or take a stroll along the boulevard “Unter den Linden” and then head off to one of the bars and restaurants in the “Hackeschen Höfe”.
On a bright sunny day a tip would be a visit to Tiergarten, the Victory Column (Golden Lizzy) directly situated in the city centre or an insider tip would be the “Gardens of the World” in the district Marzahn with its gardens from Japan, China, Korea, Bali and Europe.

Paris

Should you want to visit Paris then there is a selection of 80 apartments that are in the neighbourhood of Montmartre or the Eiffel Tower. So one is only a few steps away from the action. At around 400 Euros you can rent a trendy apartment for up to 4 people for a long weekend. Those who would like some more luxurious features such as a pool and wellness area will have to expect prices in the region of around 800 Euros.

Paris embodies art, culture and fashion. Soak up this city, shop in the most sought boutiques, pick up the latest fashion trends and spend some time in one of the delightful cafes. Away from the shopping miles there is also the option to pay the Musée de Louvre a visit and take in some lovely impressions. If you want to see Da Vincis “Mona Lisa” then one should avoid trying to access the largest museum in the world from the main entrance under the glass pyramid. Instead use the side entrance Porte des Lions and you will not get stuck in the seemingly endless queues.
The early morning is a good time whilst the other tourists are still in bed to explore the district Montmartre (also being the highest elevation in Paris) with the Basilica Sacré Coeur. Generally the morning is the best time of the day as from 10 a.m. the place fills up with tourists and hawkers. Should you enter one of the side alleys of Montmartre you shall find enchanted streets with cosy looking shops. Surprisingly one is even able to find in this part of town a windmill and vineyard.
Also worth a trip is the baroque place Versailles that is situated at the gates of Paris. It would be recommended that you give yourself a whole day if you intend to visit both the palace and the palace gardens.

Barcelona

atraveo has an offer of around 100 apartments in Barcelona that are spread out all over the city. In the historical city centre you are able to find an apartment for three nights at a price of 300 Euros that can be rented by up to 3 people. That will provide a welcome respite for your budget given the steep hotel prices in Barcelona.

Barcelona has a lot to offer for architecture enthusiasts and is very much unrivalled in this area stretching from the Gothic period to very sophisticated modern architecture. A particular charm is the Modernism which is a Spanish interpretation of Art Nouveau that was mainly developed by the architect Antoni Gaudi. Particularly outstanding is the world famous cathedral Sagrada Familia described as being Gaudi’s lifework. Since 1883 one has been building this structure and by 2026 it is expected to be finally concluded. Further highlights of the Modernism are the Casa Batlló which roof is formed in the shape of a dragon back and the Casa Mila that is referred to as a quarry house due to its appearance that is home to the museum that portrays Gaudi’s life and works.

Friends and enthusiasts of classical music will not want to miss out on a concert in Gran Teatre de Liceau where world stars such as Placido Domingo and Monteserrat Caballé perform. Also worth a visit are the museums Fundació Jaon Miró and Museum Picasso that provide an insight into the creative work of both artists. On warm sunny days one may fancy to go to the endless long sandy beaches. Directly from the city centre one is able to access the sea and this is the ideal place where one can perfectly unwind. To round off the day perfectly why not visit a typical tapas bar where cava and tapas can be enjoyed.

Rome

In Rome you are able to choose on atraveo from around 250 city apartments. Should one seek something cheaper or quieter then there are apartments available on the outskirts of the city and one can commute to the centre with the bus or by train. An apartment for up to 4 people can be rented for three days from around 350 Euros. Studios in the centre of the city for two people cost in the same space of time also 350 Euros.

Those who have a great interest in history will find Rome an absolute El Dorado. In the historical centre that is on the left side of the banks of the river Tiber one is able to find most of the structures of the Ancient world. So for example you should not miss out on Forum Romanum once known as the centre of the Roman Empire. On the old emperor’s hill known as the Palatine Hill one is able to view the preserved ruins of imperator palaces. From the Palatine Hill the observer has a delightful view over the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum. Furthermore one should take some time out to explore the Vatican. Next to the St. Peter’s Basilica you must not miss out on the Vatican museums that are regarded to be holding some of the most important art collections in the world. If one has a bit of spare time then its not that far to the Sistine Chapel where one can admire the ceiling fresco of Michelangelo. Don’t fail to see the detail “The Creation of Adam”!
In the evening head off to the Piazzo Testaccio which is the central market place in the south of the city formerly known as a slaughterhouse district. The plain, simple but good trattorias are very common for this area and one will come across many locals here.

Your favourite city is not listed among the above? atraveo offers city apartmetns in many major european cities, plenty of which are situated in the heart of the city:

Holiday apartments in Amsterdam

Studios in Prague

Flats in Budapest

Charming apartments in Vienna

Holiday studios in Florence

Holiday apartments in Copenhagen

Flats in Stockholm

Apartments in Madrid

Apartments in Lisbon

Studios in Milan

Apartments in Salzburg

City-Apartments in Brussels

Charming flats in Venice

City-Apartments in London

Studios in Nice