Travelsmartplanet

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There’s a pretty riverside promenade in Lucerne. Chapel Bridge is one of the oldest wooden bridges in Switzerland as it was mentioned in writing around 1367. As you walk it, look up underneath the roof and you will be surprised to see paintings there. A prominent Water Tower here had been used as a dungeon, an archive, and a treasury vault. These were parts of the oldest medieval city ramparts of Lucerne. You can also take a peek into St. Peter’s Chapel.

Tags: archive, bridge, chapel, Chapel Bridge, city, CostSaver, dungeon, Europe, Lucerne, luzern, medieval, painting, promenade, prominent, rampart, riverside, roof, sights, sightseeing, St. Peter's, St. Peter's Chapel, Swiss, Switzerland, tour, tourist, tower, Trafalgar, travel, travelblogger, treasury, treasury vault, underneath, vault, walk, water, Water Tower, wooden

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A stop in Lucerne gave us endless hours of browsing through watch shops. The incredible amount of creativity of what can be designed on a watch was amazing.

Tags: browsing, city, CostSaver, craftsmanship, creativity, cronograph, designed, Europe, horology, Lucerne, luzern, shop, sights, sightseeing, Swiss, swiss made, swiss watch, Switzerland, timepiece, tour, tourist, Trafalgar, travel, travelblogger, watch, watch shop, window shopping, wristwatch

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Finding desserts without chocolate in them is often a challenge. Finding this delectable patisserie made up of apricots, caramel crunch, cookie and loads of whipped cream is my dream dessert. I actually ate it for dinner!

Tags: apricot, caramel, caramel crunch, Chocolate, city, cookie, CostSaver, delectable, delicious, dessert, dessert for dinner, dinner, dream, Europe, experience, France, French, french pastry, Paris, parisian, pastry, patisserie, patisserie francaise, sights, sightseeing, tour, tourist, Trafalgar, travel, whipped cream

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One of the things we love about travel is the unexpected sights. Walking to our hotel we came across this brave juggler. He is either very smart because he has a captured audience who get to watch him juggle on the crosswalk of a traffic light or he is very dumb because he could get run over.

Tags: audience, busker, city, CostSaver, crosswalk, Europe, experience, France, hotel, juggle, juggler, juggling, light, Paris, performance, performer, sights, sightseeing, street, street art, street performer, talent, tour, tourist, Trafalgar, traffic, traffic light, travel, walking

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Heading down the Boulevard des Capuchines toward the Opera de Paris is still one of those OMG moments. It is way grander than you imagined.

Tags: Académie d'Opéra, architect, architecture, awe struck, ballet, Boulevard des Capuchines, Charles Garnier, concert, CostSaver, des Capuchines, Europe, France, Garnier, Grand, landmark, music, opera, Opera de Paris, opera garnier, Opéra National de Paris, Palais Garnier, Paris, Paris Opera, performance, sights, sightseeing, symphony, theater, Theatre, tour, tourist, Trafalgar, travel, travelblogger, vocal

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On a bateau mouche ride on the Seine you get a duck’s eye view of the city going under all those famous bridges, like this one, the Pont St-Michel. FYI there are 37 of them.

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Tags: architecture, Bateau Mouche, boat, boat ride, bridge, city view, CostSaver, duck's eye, Europe, famous bridges, France, historical, History, la seine, landmark, Paris, paris bridge, pont, seine, seine river, sights, sightseeing, the Seine, tour, tourist, Trafalgar, travel, view

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Gustave Eiffel had an apartment in the tower to entertain guests. And you too can be wined and dined there. There are 2 restaurants and then a champagne bar at the top. We totally enjoyed our entire dining and viewing experience at Alain Ducasse’s Jules Verne, which garnered one Michelin star. Though a set menu, it allows tourists to experience a “starred” moment in this famous city with less than sky high prices (but still expensive). Starting May 2019, it will be managed by three-star chef  Frédéric Anton. Guess we’ll have to go again!

Tags: 2019, Alain Ducasse, apartment, bar, champagne, champagne bar, chef, city, CostSaver, dine, dining, Eiffel, Eiffel tower, eiffel tower view, entertain, Europe, expensive, experience, famous, France, Frédéric Anton, french cuisine, french food, guest, Gustave Eiffel, Jules Verne, landmark, managed, May, menu, Michelin, Michelin star, Paris, paris architecture, price, Restaurant, set menu, sights, sightseeing, sky high, star, symbol, torre eiffel, tour, tour eiffel, tourist, tower, Trafalgar, travel, view, viewing, wine

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First visit to the Eiffel Tower.

Tags: architecture, city, CostSaver, Eiffel, Eiffel tower, eiffel tower view, Europe, experience, famous, first visit, France, Gustave Eiffel, iconic, landmark, Paris, paris architecture, sights, sightseeing, symbol, torre eiffel, tour, tour eiffel, tourist, tower, Trafalgar, travel, view, viewing, visit

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The Eiffel Tower from the bottom up.

Tags: architecture, bottom, city, CostSaver, Eiffel, Eiffel tower, eiffel tower view, Europe, experience, famous, France, Gustave Eiffel, iconic, landmark, Paris, paris architecture, perspective, sights, sightseeing, structure, symbol, torre eiffel, tour, tour eiffel, tourist, tower, Trafalgar, travel, up, view, viewing, visit

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Now surrounded by security fences, and an airport-like clearance entrance, some of the freedom, joy, or innocence of the her majesty is lost.

Tags: architecture, city, clearance, CostSaver, Eiffel, Eiffel tower, eiffel tower view, entrance, Europe, experience, famous, France, freedom, grandeur, Gustave Eiffel, iconic, innocence, joy, landmark, lost, majesty, Paris, paris architecture, secured, security fence, sights, sightseeing, swcurity, symbol, times have changed, torre eiffel, tour, tour eiffel, tourist, tower, Trafalgar, travel, view, viewing, visit