I spent most of August 2021 traveling in France with my family, and have collected a few tips to share with other American travelers about how to prepare for an upcoming trip to France and what to expect once you arrive.

11 Tips for Traveling in France during Covid

Note: Most of these tips (such as those about the Pass Sanitaire) apply to everyone in France. Other tips, such as those regarding quarantining, are specific to a visitor’s country of origin. Be sure to check with your country’s embassy in France for specific advice before departure.

1. Get fully vaccinated before arriving in France, or face a quarantine.

The rules are always changing, but as of September 12, 2021, fully vaccinated American travelers, ages 12 and up, may enter France without restrictions. As long as you’re two weeks out from your second shot (or four weeks from your Johnson & Johnson single shot), you may enter. Bring along your CDC vaccination card for proof.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result (either a rapid Antigen test taken within 48 hours of your flight or a PCR test taken 72 hours before your flight). Note that you will be given a second test in France at the airport upon arrival.

However, unvaccinated travelers will also need to self-isolate for seven days upon arrival and will need to undergo another test following this quarantine. (Read all requirements here.)

In short: Get vaccinated.

2. Children may enter France freely with their vaccinated parents.

Children under 12 are not subjected to these rules, as they are not yet able to be vaccinated in the US. Thus, they may enter the country with their vaccinated parents.

As for older children, according to the US Embassy in Paris, “travelers ages 11 through 17 are treated as vaccinated if they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian.” However, “travelers in this age group traveling independently must meet the rules applicable to adult travelers.”

3. Fill out a health declaration before departure from the US.

Travelers will also need to bring along a signed declaration (or “attestation”) stating that they are healthy, free of COVID-19 symptoms, and haven’t recently had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

You can download this form on the French Diplomacy website.

4. Bring along extra masks for the flight.

Imagine this: You’ll put on a mask as soon as you enter your departure airport in the US. And then you’ll basically keep it on, with small breaks for eating and drinking during the flight, until you step out of the airport in France. It’s a long-haul, folks.

For this reason, I recommend bringing along a few extra masks. On my flight, Air France distributed “health kits” to all passengers, which included hand sanitizer, a mask, and hand wipes. But it would be a good idea to have some extra masks on hand, in order to freshen things up a bit as the voyage drags on.

And yes, you’ll keep your mask on throughout the entire flight, except when eating and drinking. This includes when sleeping — or trying to sleep. Young children are not required to wear a mask, although we made sure that our four-year-old kept his on.

A blue-vested controller scans a passenger’s Pass Sanitaire prior to boarding trains in the Gare de Lyon. (Photo: Tom Meyers)

5. Here’s how to get a “Pass Sanitaire” as an American tourist. You’ll need it for… everything.

The “Pass Sanitaire” (health pass) is a French-issued document that proves one of the following:

• You’re fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Covidshield, R-Pharm, Fiocruz or Johnson & Johnson/Jannsen)
• You’ve just had a negative COVID test (less than 72 hours)
• You’ve recovered from COVID-19, and can show a positive test result dated at least 15 days prior (but no more than six months)

According to the French government:

From early August [2021], you will also need to present a pass in bars, restaurants, malls, hospitals (except if you are admitted for urgent care), retirement homes, residential care homes, and for long-distance travel by plane, train or coach. For campsites, and other holiday accommodation you will need to present a pass once, on arrival.

In other words, you’ll need to show your pass in order to take the TGV, eat in restaurants and cafes, visit the Louvre, and take a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and more.

I was in France when the health pass went into effect in early August 2021. There were grumblings and, of course, some protests, but the positive effects were noticeable immediately. Vaccinations immediately increased, and over several weeks, confirmed cases plummeted.

The pass had a positive impact on my trip, as well. Knowing that everyone had a health pass on them made me breathe more easily on the TGV. It made me more comfortable in the elevator going to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. It even made me more comfortable using the bathroom at McDonald’s!

But how do you get a Pass Sanitaire if you’re American, Canadian or other nationality?

The French government has streamlined the process for obtaining a health pass through their FranceConnect system. You simply create an account and then upload proof of vaccination (in most cases, a scanned image of your CDC vaccination card). Once verified, you will then receive a digital Pass Sanitaire.

Will my CDC-issued vaccination card work as a Pass Sanitaire in France?

No. The French Pass Sanitaire contains a special QR code that will be scanned in order to take transportation, enter restaurants and museums, etc. Even if your CDC card contains a QR code, your vaccination wasn’t registered in the French system. Thus, Americans must apply to the French government (see above), providing proof of vaccination, in order to get a Pass Sanitaire.

How do I get a health pass if I’m already in France and need one now?

Head to a pharmacy and get tested. Your negative test result will serve as a temporary Pass Sanitaire valid for 72 hours. In some cases, you may also be able to have a pharmacist manually add you to the French system, upon presentation of your CDC card.

Do children need a Pass Sanitaire?

Children under the age of 12 do not need a Pass Sanitaire. Teenagers, ages 12-17 will need a Pass Sanitaire as of September 30, 2021.

6. Download the #TousAntiCovid app to store your Pass Sanitaire

So you’ve gotten your Pass Sanitaire — now what? Although you can print it out and carry it around with you, we strongly recommend downloading the official #TousAntiCovid app, which will store the certificate for you and make presenting it easier.

How does the Pass Sanitaire work?

Once the app has stored the digital certificate on your phone, you will simply take out your phone and open the app whenever asked to present your Pass. In two taps, your Pass opens up. It’s simply a QR code with your name under it. Whoever is asking to see the Pass (a waiter, a security guard, a flight attendant, etc.) will then scan your code and a green light will flash on their scanner to indicate that your Pass is valid and that you may enter.

I think you’ll quickly find that opening your #TousAntiCovid app and showing off your Pass Sanitaire is not a hassle at all. A whole table at a restaurant can be scanned in about 30 seconds or a minute. And in fact, it offers quite a bit of peace of mind afterward. It might make lines a little slower to snake into the Louvre as you wait to be scanned, but once inside it allows you to relax a bit. Look around — everyone has a health pass.

A sign in an outdoor cafe in Sète, France announces you’re entering a “Pass Sanitaire” controlled zone. Get ready to show it! (Photo: Tom Meyers)

7. Embrace outdoor cafe culture.

Fortunately, France’s outdoor cafe culture makes it easy to enjoy coffee, drinks and meals outside in the fresh air. Note that presenting your Pass Sanitaire is still required by law for anyone being served at an outdoor cafe or restaurant.

However, whether or not your waiter asks to scan your Pass Sanitaire is another question. During my trip, I’d say that adherence to the law ran about 50% early on, although the local authorities started undercover crackdowns on cafes that were not abiding by the law and I definitely witnessed an uptick.

In short: Be ready to show your health pass for all dining, indoor and outdoor.

8. Carry a mask with you.

Of course, even with your Pass Sanitaire, you’ll still need to wear a mask when riding on public transit (where you don’t need to show a Pass), and when inside most public buildings and shops.

I noticed that while some Parisians still wore masks outside walking around on the streets, most were not masking up. However, everyone had one ready to put on once they stepped inside a store or descended into the Metro.

Testing tents are everywhere, including along the Champs-Élysées. (Photo: Tom Meyers)

8. Get tested before your return flight to the United States.

So far we’ve discussed French laws and regulations. However, those flying from France back to the United States must also get tested for COVID-19 and prepare some paperwork before returning.

According to the American Embassy in Paris:

All airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 viral or antigen test taken within three calendar days of travel. Alternatively, travelers to the U.S. may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.

Where can Americans get COVID-19 tests in France?

Fortunately, getting tested in France is simple, fast, and cheap. Many pharmacies perform the tests, which costs 25€ for a rapid Antigen test and 43,89€ for a PCR test.

The process is simple: You walk into the pharmacy, fill out some information (including your email) and pay, then step aside to get tested. Most pharmacies in Paris offer testing in tents outside on the sidewalk. (In some neighborhoods, it feels like there’s a testing tent on every other block!) You’ll also find testing tents near popular attractions, like the Eiffel Tower and along the Champs-Élysées (photo, above).

In my case, I received my results by email less than 15 minutes after getting my nose swabbed on the sidewalk.

Can I get tested at the airport?

Yes — there’s a pharmacy at CDG Terminal 2E that offers rapid antigen tests in the check-in area. However, note that you’ll need to complete the test before heading through security. I noticed a line of very anxious passengers waiting to get tested before passing through border patrol (which was also moving very slowly). Save yourself the stress — get tested a day or two before departure!

What do you do with your test results?

The email that you receive with your test results will include instructions for uploading the results to your #TousAntiCovid app, although you could also show the email or print it out. That’s it. You may then show your results at the airport before flying home.

In my case, nobody asked to see these results until we arrived at the gate for boarding. There, a flight attendant was checking test results for each passenger before allowing them onto the plane.

9. Fill out the US health declaration for each passenger.

Every passenger over the age of 2 years old must hold a completed Passenger Disclosure and Attestation to the United States of America in order to board a flight to the US.

In my case, I had forgotten to fill this out, but was able to fill it out at the gate before boarding. I’d recommend filling this out in advance to avoid a little last-minute stress!

10. Relax. It’s not really that complicated.

I know. This all sounds like a lot of planning and anxiety. And yes, it certainly requires more planning than, say, staying home and not traveling. But once you check these items off your list, you’ll be free to travel again!

And if you ask me, it’s worth it. Once you’re on your way, and you realize that everyone around you has cleared the same hurdles, you’ll relax. And then suddenly, once the realization hits that you’re actually traveling to France again, you’ll be ready to reclaim some of the joys of traveling that have been missing for so long.

11. Check these resources for up-to-date travel information.

This situation is fluid and requirements and rules are subject to change. Be sure to stay up to date by visiting the following resources:

US Embassy in France: Covid-19 information

CDC: Information and Advice for International Travel

Air France: TravelDoc Search (helpful document search even if you’re not taking Air France)

#TousAntiCovid App information

Pass Sanitaire / Health Pass application for non-French citizens (in English)

The post Traveling in France During Covid: How to Get a Pass Sanitaire, Testing, and More appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Related story: Where to go swimming in Berlin

This is perhaps nowhere more true that in Berlin’s hamams, or Turkish-style baths, where the doldrums of winter are sloughed off like so much old skin under silk gloves in the warm, moist air and congenial atmosphere. Berlin offers two such bathhouses to refresh both body and spirit.

Sultan Hamam

For both men and women, Sultan Hamam is the only option. Open from noon to 11 p.m. daily, for men only on Mondays only, women from 9:30 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday, and families (with bathing suits) Sundays.

It is possible to book the traditional kese and sabunlama treatments, as well as massages and cosmetic treatments from facials to pedicures. You can also rent towels and bath shoes for a small additional fee. Located in a warehouse side entrance just a short distance from U2-Bülowstr. Or S1/S2/S25-Yorckstr. Entrance €16 for three hours, €21 for five hours.

Women-only hamam

Women also have the option of visiting Germany’s first Hamam, located in the women’s center Schokoladenfabrik. Open until 11 p.m. from 3 p.m. Mondays, noon Tuesday-Sunday; Thursdays are the only days children are also allowed to visit. Bathing suits not recommended.

Here you will find a similar array of services on offer, including the opportunity to rent or buy any necessary items. Located in the heart of Kreuzberg, a short distance from U1/U8-Kottbuser Tor. Entrance €16 for three hours, €11 between 12-14 Thursdays.

Treatments or massages are only possible in combination with a hamam visit, and booking by telephone in advance is highly recommended. Contact information for each hamam is easily located on their websites (linked above).

The post Berlin’s Turkish Baths: Where to get a good scrub down appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Waiting in line at the Pharmacie Place d’Italie

Shine on, Cheapos!

Is there a beauty glitch or hiccup that can’t be fixed at the French pharmacy? I don’t think so! Left with chapped hands from the cold handrail while scaling the steps in the Catacombs? Frightened by your own wild, mile-high hair after riding the lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower? Scratching your lizard-like skin following a bateaux-mouche excursion on the Seine? Are your lips chapped from kissing Oscar Wilde’s grave at Père-Lachaise while no one was looking?

Well then, don’t just grin and bear it! Get thee to a pharmacy, where they’ll not only take the time to listen, but they’ll also recommend a product just for your malady, whatever it may be. So for the love of smooth healthy skin with an impeccable glow, don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers. Trust me, you won’t get “lost in translation,” as most pharmacists speak English.

Dial back the clock

Each time I enter a French pharmacy, the squeaky clean, powdered scent of the savon (soap) transports me back to my two grandmothers’ row houses in Baltimore, giving me a strong Proustian dose of solidarity with both past and present. The pharmacy shelves are typically stocked with a wide array of exquisitely packaged, plant-based soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, crèmes, and cosmetics.

Roger & Gallet in the rond

Your lèvres (lips), yeux (eyes), corps (body), cheveux (hair), and pieds (feet) will thank you. Take your coat off and stay awhile, because the browsing is addicting, expected and free.

Secrets of the Inner Sanctum

After years of snooping in my pals’ salles de bains, I can honestly report that a healthy number of classic French produits de beauté are represented at the pharmacies.

Keep your eyes curled for family favorites like the blemish-fighting Payot Pâte Grise (1947), the soothing Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentrée (1950), and bars of Rogé Cavaillès Surgras Savon (1924), along with the ahead-of-the-curve Ella Baché Crème Tomate (1936), boxes of Roger & Gallet Savon Rond (1879), and the golden beauty Carita Fluide de Beauté N° 14 (1956)—just to name a few!

Cents and Sensibility

Here you’ll also find my beloved Laboratoires Klorane Shampooing Volumateur au Lait d’Amande (almond milk shampoo). Recommended by my friend Véronique’s pharmacist, I’ve been using it on my difficult-to-manage red locks for about five years.

So many choices in the Klorane shampoo corner

Tip: The Pharmacie-Bader on 12 Boulevard Saint Michel in the 6th arrondissement sells Klorane for about a euro less than the other pharmacies. It all adds up, Cheapos!

Practical tips

Pharmacies are easily recognizable by their flashing green cross signs, dressed in neon and super cool LED.

In each neighborhood at least one remains open through the night (and any closed pharmacy will post a sign directing you to the nearest one that’s open).

French pharmacists are licensed to diagnose and treat minor illnesses without doctors’ prescriptions. Look for the conseils pharmaciens sign outside on the shop’s window.

When buying aspirine (aspirin) or Ibuprofène (Ibuprofen), ask for the “marque générique,” because it’s usually half the cost of the name brands.

The pharmacy is also where you’ll pick up contact solution, eye-drops, and contact lens cases. Grocery stores usually don’t carry them. (Monoprix and its sparky “Beauty Monop” satellite shops are the exceptions.)

Prescription for some pampering

Go on and pamper yourself, Cheapos, because in the words of Oscar Wilde, “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”

Do you have a special love for French pharmacies? Are there beauty products you can’t wait to pick up when you get to France? Tell us about it in the comments section.

The post Paris: Take care of yourself at the neighborhood pharmacy appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here is what the city has to offer in terms of vegetarian, vegan and kosher restaurants and markets, which often also specialize in organic and fair trade food.

Il Vegetariano
Via delle ruote, 30r
http://www.il-vegetariano.it/

This is the best-known vegetarian restaurant in Florence, literally named “The Vegetarian.”  The prices are pretty low, starting at €4-6 for “primi piatti” (light dishes), and €8-9 for “secondi piatti” (main dishes). They pride themselves on using fresh organic ingredients and offering a menu of both vegetarian and vegan options.

The set up is similar to a cafeteria, so when you arrive go straight to the cash register in the back. There you can pick out your meal, pay for it and bring your receipt to the food bar to be served. Don’t forget about excellent desserts and wine, which again are all organic and vegetarian or vegan.

Caffellatte
Via degli Alfani, 39

I know it seems odd to send vegans to a cafe with “milk” in the name, but trust me on this one. This cafe deserves its own (non-veg /vegan) post for its huge cappuccinos and caffe lattes and to-die-for desserts with homemade warm cream sauce. (Side note: If you don’t order the special sauce, Vanna, the elderly woman who runs the place, will hound you for the rest of your stay about why you didn’t get the cream sauce!)

However this small cafe, housed strangely enough in an old butchery with marble butcher counter and all, also offers a vegetarian and vegan menu at mealtimes. You’ll find cheeses made from vegetable whey, fair trade cocoa and organic vegetables. It’s not the cheapest meal in Florence, but it’s worth it for the quality of the food and the ingredients, the cozy atmosphere, and the passionate Vanna who takes pride in her small establishment and her homemade treats.

Dolce Vegan
Via San Gallo, 92r

This recently re-opened pastry shop and mini-market is a great place for a snack. The shop bakes their own vegan sweets, such as croissants, danishes, cookies and tartlets, as well as salty snacks such as sandwiches and mini pizzas. The atmosphere may be a bit banal and stark, but the sweets are delicious! The mini-market in the back room offers a wide range of vegan foodstuffs as well as refrigerated items like drinks and tofu.

Ruth’s Kosher Vegetarian Food
Via Luigi Carlo Fanno, 2
http://www.kosheruth.com/inglese.htm

Those of you who would like to stay kosher during your trip will find that there are a few options; however, they are almost exclusively located in the area around the Synagogue. In Via dei Pilastri (between the San Marco and Sant’Ambrogio areas) and Via Luigi Carlo Fanno, which houses the Synagogue, you’ll find various kosher restaurants and mini-markets, although they do seem to have shorter hours of operation than other markets you’ll find in the city. Ruth’s, in particular, is well known for its tasty dishes, which are both kosher and vegetarian, and its warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Special diets at the grocery store

Dairy alternatives such as soy are easily found in most supermarkets. There is a large brand, Valsoia, that makes a range of soy milk, yoghurts, ice cream and other staples when doing some budget-friendly grocery shopping. You can also find a lot of great vegetarian options, such as tofu and seitan, at local Asian markets sprinkled around the city.

The post Florence vegetarian restaurants (plus vegan and kosher options) appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Tourist medical service

Nuovo Regina Margherita Ospedale
Via Morosini, 30
Tel.:  +39 06 5844 6548
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Monday to Friday)

The Nuovo Regina Margherita Ospedale in Trastevere caters to tourists in need of non-emergency care (colds, flu, fever, rashes, anxiety, etc.). The hospital is staffed by one doctor and two nurses and the wait is generally never too long.

The only disadvantage is that you aren’t guaranteed that the people on staff speak English. The tourist medical service at Nuovo Regina Margherita hospital is free of charge every night from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. and on the weekends. There is a charge of €20, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Patients under six or over 65 are always seen for free, however.)

English-speaking doctors in Rome

Aventino Medical Group
Via Sant’Alberto Magno
Tel.: +39 06 5728 8349
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Monday to Friday)
Web site

If you need to see an English speaking doctor or specialist while vacationing in Rome, the Aventino Medical Group near Circo Massimo is your best bet. The organization has years of experience working with American study abroad students and expats working at the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization).

Doctors in Italy
Via Frattina 48
Tel: +39-06-6790695
Website

Located near the Spanish Steps, Doctors in Italy is an outpatient private clinic that offers an English-speaking medical team for non-emergencies.

House call doctors

Roma Medica
Tel.: +39 338 622 4832
Web site

If you’re too sick to get out of bed, there’s also the option of having a house call doctor come straight to your hotel. Roma Medica is a service staffed with English speaking doctors on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pharmacies

In addition to getting medical care, you may also need to find a pharmacy. Pharmacies are easily recognizable by their red or green cross. Typically, if the cross is lit up, the pharmacy is open.

Normal pharmacy hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and some pharmacies even close for lunch between 1 and 4 p.m. If you happen to be searching for a pharmacy right around lunchtime, make sure to look for one that says orario continuato, or “no-stop,” which means that these pharmacies are open all day.

If you happen to run into a pharmacy that’s closed, look for a list posted outside for a directory of other ones open in the same neighborhood. After 8 p.m, there are several pharmacies that are open throughout the night as well.

Late night pharmacies

Here’s a list of centrally located pharmacies that stay open late:

Corso d’Italia 100; +39 06 4424 9750
Piazza dei Cinquecento 49/50/51; +39 06488 0019
Piazza della Repubblica 67; +39 06 488 0410
Via Nazionale 228; +39 06 488 0754
Piazza Barberini 49; +39 06 487 1195
Corso Rinascimento 50; +39 06 6880 3985
Via Cola di Rienzo 213/215; +39 06 324 4476
Piazza Risorgimento 44; +39 06 3973 8166
Via Arenula 73; +39 06 6880 3278
Viale Trastevere 229/229a: +39 06 588 2273

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The Art Deco pool, dating from 1932, was closed for 18 years before being renovated and re-opened in 2006. The water here, set in an Olympic-sized 50-meter-long pool, is heated to a balmy 26º Celsius (78.8º Fahrenheit) all year round. The vast rectangle of blue is bordered by a broad concrete lounging area, in turn bounded by a series of lockers and changing booths in cheerful primary colors.

A relaxing open-air swim

The water is really clean, and as you bob along you’re overlooked by a block of flats, a few neighboring houses and a couple of the taller trees from London Fields itself. But the rest is open sky, and it’s strangely liberating to paddle about in the early evening and see a pale moon appear above you. Sessions range from public swimming to exercise in lanes according to speed (slow, medium or fast), and there are lessons on offer for various levels of proficiency.

The pool in winter. Photo by sarflondondunc.

Although winter is approaching, there are a select few who won’t be easing off on their outdoor exploits. Taking the plunge in December is just a bit too terrifying for the likes of me, but for proof that such brave people exist check out the excellent poolside photography series by Madeleine Waller, featuring winter portraits of the heartiest local swimmers.

Sartorial tip

Here’s a tip for the fashionistas out there: If you’re struggling to find a swimsuit that doesn’t make you cringe with dread, and you’re willing to pay a bit more, try the wonderful Samantha Sage. Her designs are about as flattering you can get, and they inject a bit of vintage-inspired fun into your exercise routine. If only you could find goggles this attractive.

London Fields Lido
Hackney
London
E8 3EU
Tel: +44 (0)20 7254 9038

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (Monday to Friday), 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)
Prices for non-members: £4.10 (adults 16 and over), £2.45 (children)
Web site

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Each day, more than 350,000 cubic meters of hot water gushes to the surface of Buda and Pest. Thanks to government subsidies, admission fees to the city’s spectacular spas are surprisingly reasonable. The following list includes not necessarily the cheapest baths in town, but, from our own experience, the most picturesque and memorable.

As per local tradition, all baths offer multiple services at various prices. For the sake of clarity, we have listed only standard day-pass prices. Be sure to check bath schedules upon your arrival into Budapest, as most offer half-price days and “happy hours” and some designate entire days as male only or female only. Note that the Budapest Card offers 10 percent discounts to all baths listed below. Also, offering a refund for visits of less than two hours is a standard practice. So, be sure to store your receipt in a dry place before jumping into the deep end.

Lukacs Baths
Location: Frankel Leo út 25-27., II. district, Buda, bus 6, 86
Tel: (+36 1) 326 1695
Open: Mon-Sun, 6:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.
Cost:  HUF 2,800 (about $15) on weekdays and HUF 2,900 on weekends

Opened in 1894, the Neo-Classical Lukacs Baths are located north of the castle in Buda, along the Danube. Visitors wade in the two outdoor swimming pools, get knocked around in the powerful Csaszar whirlpool and heat up in the jacuzzi. A marble tablet in the courtyard is etched with praises of visitors from all over the world.

Be sure to bring a swimming hat for the main pool, as they are required and rentals are pricey. A drinking hall, built in 1937, provides sulphurous water (thought to help digestion).

Gellert Baths
Location: Kelenhegyi út 4., XI. district, Buda, trams 47, 49, 18
Tel: (+36 1) 466 61 66
Open: Mon-Sun, 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Cost: HUF 3,500 (about $18) on weekdays and HUF 3,600 on weekends

The baths within the Gellert Hotel complex are housed inside and outside of a spectacular building at the foot of Gellert Hill. Non-bathers stop by to meditate on the craftsmanship of the tile-and-glass ceiling.

This maze of single-sex thermal baths and plunge pools opened in 1927. The wave machine is always a crowd-pleaser, and massage and therapy services are available as well. (Don’t get the steam bath confused with the sauna!) There’s even a salon on-site.

Szechenyi Baths
Location: Állatkerti Körút 11., City Park, XIV. district, trolley bus 72
Tel: (+36 1) 363 3210
Open: Mon-Sun, 6:00 a.m.-10 p.m.
Cost: HUF 3,400 (about $17) weekdays and HUF 3,500 on weekends

The Szechenyi Bath, located in City Park near the Budapest Zoo, is one of the largest spa complexes in Europe. Built in 1913, the bright yellow Neo-Baroque building recalls the Habsburg era. Pools and services runneth over inside the Szechenyi complex, and water gushes out into multiple whirlpools from 1,250 meters below ground.

When we last visited, we enjoyed three of the 15 different pools and multiple sauna rooms. We also got a kick out of the power whirlpool, which spins visitors effortlessly around a spraying fountain. Massage treatments and aquatic aerobics classes are available. A bar serves light snacks and locals like to play games on floating chess boards.

Rudas Baths
Location: Döbrentei tér 9., Buda, Erzsébet Bridge, I. district, tram 18, bus 7, 7a
Tel: (+36 1) 356 1322
For men: Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri: 6:00 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat-Sun: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
For women: Tue: 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Both Sexes (bathing suit is compulsory): Fri: 10.00-4.00, Sat: 6.00-20.00, 22.00-4.00, Sun: 6.00-20.00
Cost: HUF 2,100 (about $11) weekdays and HUF 2,200 on weekends

For a traditional Turkish bath experience, head over to the Rudas Bath in Buda, along the Danube. Sokoli Mustafa Pasha rebuilt this bath in 1566 and the traditional architecture still shines. A marble staircase leads into a dome-topped, octagonal thermal pool. Shafts of sunlight shine through the stained-glass cupola to create a gorgeous spectrum of colors.

Smaller pools surround the main dome, and range in temperature from icy cold to red hot. No swimsuits are allowed at the traditional complex (open to men on most weekdays and to women on Tuesdays). Medicinal waters are available to drink for an extra fee and the second floor houses a physiotherapy department.

Palatinus Strand
Location: Margitsziget, XIII. district, bus 26
Open: May to mid-Aug daily 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Last entry at 6:00 p.m.
Cost: HUF 1,800 (about $10) to HUF 2,200 with locker (adults), HUF200 (children)

Guests love the family-friendly atmosphere at the Palatinus Strand waterpark on the gorgeous Margaret Island, in between Buda and Pest. The complex is full of thermal springs gestating into three of the park’s 11 pools. A wave pool and a water slide with multiple tubes are favorites with the young at heart. Ping pong tables, pool tables and trampolines add variety and multiple snack bars provide nourishment. The Palatinus Strand is surrounded by playgrounds and parkland.

More information

For more information on the city’s bath scene, check out the Budapest Tourism Office’s article on the city’s baths, with videos and links to special events (including discos and bubble parties!).

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Lehká Hlava
Borsov 2, New Town – Prague 1
website

Often listed as a vegetarian fave, “Clear Head”  gets raves from meat eaters as well. As the restaurant leans a bit Mediterranean, you can graze over their eggplant tartar, pasta with tofu or tempeh, or choose one of their decent Mexican items (especially the big burritos). Lehká Hlava has a funky, semi-spacey decor, and reservations are recommended.

Bona Vita
Václavské námestí 43, New Town – Prague 1

Bona Vita is the local health food company that produces a lot of natural and vegetarian foods. Their restaurant is in a passageway off of Wenceslas Square, quite convenient if you’re in the center. Bona Vita’s menu used to be much larger and more exciting; they offered Mexican, Asian, Italian, and more with the front half being with meat; the second half with meat substitutes. Now they only have 2 pages of meatless offerings and prices have gone up a bit. Nonetheless, the food is still tasty.

Country Life
Melantrichova 15, Old Town – Prague 1
website

Another natural and organic restaurant, Country Life is a buffet-style restaurant close to Old Town Square that is popular to say the least. Food is sold by weight, so you pay for what you think you can eat. Hot and cold selections, plus soup, desserts, and free water make this a bargain hunter’s dream. Beware: lunchtime sees the smallish place packed with area business people. Make it an early or late lunch for more assured seating. There’s a decent sized health food store out front; the restaurant is in the courtyard.

Maitrea
Týnská 6, Old Town – Prague 1
website

Lehká Hlava’s not-so-wild cousin is one of the newest veg places in town. The decor is a bit milder, the space bigger, and the menu slightly more affordable. They offer a daily set lunch menu for 108 CZK ($5.90) that includes soup, a main dish, and small water. There’s even a vegetarian version of the traditional Old Bohemian Plate; this time with beets and tofu.

Veg Food
Londýnská 35, Vinohrady – Prague 2
website

Nestled on a residential street, Veg Food is not just a clever name. It is all veg with lots of items using meat substitutes. The spring rolls and sushi are two of the best choices. It’s easy to find something under 100 CZK ($5.45), so it’s also a great budget choice. Only non-alcoholic drinks are served here, and the restaurant is non-smoking. Veg Food offers a great daily lunch special, and the place fills up. Dinnertime, however, is quieter and the staff is very pleasant.

Beas Vegetarian Dhaba
Týnská 19, Old Town – Prague 1
Belehradská 90, Vinohrady – Prague 2
website

This is one of the best Cheapo finds, whether you are vegetarian or not. Beas is a cafeteria-style Indian restaurant with a daily meal that includes your choice of two kinds of subji; two kinds of dhal; two kinds of rice; plus a small salad and cup of soup. The small menu is 88 CZK ($4.80), the large 98 CZK ($5.35). They also have other items you can order separately and there are pitchers of free water on every table.

The Old Town location is a bit smaller, and gets crowded quickly. It’s better in the summer thanks to the large front courtyard. The Prague 2 location is bigger and also has a small outdoor eating area. Beas is a non-smoking restaurant.

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Vegetarian/Vegan restaurants in Paris

Being a vegetarian in France is something of a punchline, and veganism is all but unheard of. However, there are some options for herbivores in Paris. A vegetarian friend of mine recommends Macéo (15 Rue des Petits Champs) and Brasserie Lutetia (45 Boulevard Raspail), both of which have vegetarian menus.

She further suggests using the website Happy Cow to search for restaurants in Paris. The site lists four vegan eateries, and includes several other vegetarian and veg-friendly options.

While it may not be “real” French cuisine, you can also try Asian restaurants, which may be more used to the idea of meat-less dishes. Check out the Chinese and Vietnamese places in Belleville in the 19th and 20th Arrondissements.

Celiac/Wheat-free dining in Paris

My dad is a celiac, so when he came to visit me he looked up gluten-free restaurants on CeliacHandbook.com. Le Charlain (23 Rue Clauzel) was on the list, and we enjoyed a great meal there – with a delicious flour-less chocolate cake for dessert.

Celiac disease is not as well-known in France as in places like Italy, but it is possible to find wheat-free dishes in most restaurants. Just tell your server, “Je suis allergique à la farine” (I’m allergic to flour). Stay away from mysterious sauces, and (depending on the restaurant’s recipe) you most likely won’t be able to eat the “frites,” either.

Disappointingly for my dad, we couldn’t find any bakeries in Paris that make gluten-free products. Naturalia, a chain of natural food stores, sells some wheat-free bread products, but they generally aren’t the same quality you’d find in the United States.

Lactose Intolerance and Other Allergies

Although the French are fond of cheeses and cream sauces, it should be easy to avoid dairy products in most Paris restaurants if you make your intolerance known. Simply say “J’ai une intolérance au lactose” (I’m lactose intolerant). Another option is to try kosher meat restaurants, such as those you would find in the neighborhood of the Rue des Rosiers.

Similarly, for other food allergies it’s just a matter of telling your server. Start with “Je suis allergique aux…” (I’m allergic to…). Some common allergy words include “noix” (nuts), “fruits de mer” (seafood), and “graines de sésame” (sesame seeds).

Tell Us

Are you a vegetarian, vegan, or have a food allergy? How was your experience eating out in Paris? Let us know!

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But first, don’t leave Paris without checking out the Tour Eiffel’s special 120th birthday exposition, “L’Épopée Tour Eiffel” (“Epic of the Eiffel Tower”).  The exhibit features pictures and a history of the famous structure, along with a gallery of 300 reproductions of the Tower and a collection of artwork inspired by the “Lady of Iron.”

The festivities will run through December 31, 2009. Elevator access to the tower is open from 9:30 AM to 11:45 PM.

Photos by Theadora Brack.

Some riveting facts

The Eiffel Tower is made with 2.5 million rivets holding together 20,000 square meters of intricate iron latticework projecting 1,046 feet high. She was the tallest structure on earth from 1889 until 1930. Wind, the dominant natural force affecting her, is strongest at the top, but most of it blows through her and not against her because of her airy wrought iron. (Well, almost. She has been known to jiggle on a gusty day–but only a few inches.)

The Tower’s beauty regimen involves 60 tons of paint, which must be applied at least every seven years to protect her from rust. Each paint job takes 15 to 18 months. Thinking ahead, Gustave Eiffel nailed it when he said, “The more meticulous the paint job, the longer the Tower shall endure.” The most recent paint job started in March 2009, just in time for her 120th birthday celebration.

Down through the years the colors have varied from dark red to a rather bright yellow, and from dark chocolate brown to her current “Brun Tour Eiffel”—a special grayish-brown hue. To emphasize her fabulous silhouette as seen from the ground, there are actually three different shades of the hue that change from dark to light, the higher up you go.

Beauté tips from the Eiffel Tower employees

Like the great iron spire jutting directly above them, the employees who run the Tour Eiffel’s lifts have to protect themselves against the elements. “It’s windy up there!” one lift-operator told me. Daily she makes some fifty round trips to the first and second levels, and at least twenty more to the third level. “So moisturizing is key. Neutrogena is the most famous around here. We also wear hooded parkas!”

The Tour Eiffel uniform, strikingly stylish in olive green with bright orange piping, was created by couturier Jean Charles de Castelbajac. The coordinated ensemble includes a tight-fitted pantsuit, scarf, and a matching purse on a string.

The lift operator grinned. “I especially like the sacs. We all carry our beauty products in them and talk about them often. We also share.” she said. “The favorite lip-moisturizer here is LaBello, strawberry flavored. All my colleagues use it. I suppose that’s because of the color and shape.” She winked. “We all wish to look pretty, but not too sexy. After all, la Tour is a family place.”

Her co-workers also pack Nivéa Crème. (Tip: Cheapos, all products mentioned can be purchased for just a few euros at grocery stores or pharmacies in Paris.)

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